Organization Tips from Homeschoolers

We have a table where we keep the basics - dictionary, thesaurus, globe, pencil can, paper clips and stapler, etc. We have one file box (plastic, looks like a milk box, but made to hang hanging file folders in) for teacher stuff and one for student stuff. These slide out of the way under the table, and leave plenty of room for feet. Mine's older, so we don't have a lot of art stuff, posters to make, things like that, so there's less storage hassle. We do keep a whiteboard on an easel nearby to use for working out difficult math problems, making diagrams, things where "working large" or in color works better than pen on paper. The computer and bookshelves are in the next room, providing an opportunity to move around instead of being tied to the table.

I make out the lesson plans in a teacher-plan book. I like the one I get from Rod & Staff because it has space for 40 weeks, with the days of the week across the top of a 2-page spread, and about 8 spaces in each column to write plans. There's a column on the right for notes, but I divide this into two columns for Saturday and Sunday. I've also made a similar book for myself on the computer, and hole-punched for a binder, but these pages are just a bit smaller. I get a five-color set of highlighters, and choose a color for each day of the week. If pink is for Monday, then each assignment gets highlighted as it is completed AND checked. Anything left white isn't done yet. Then if Tuesday is blue, any work completed and checked on Tuesday is highlighted blue, even if it was Monday's leftover work or getting ahead on Wednesday's assignment (like taking a test early if he was ready). And yes, sometimes Friday's green ended up in Monday or Tuesday's column too! Sometimes an hour or so on Saturdays or Sundays were used to follow up on unfinished work from the week, but since I ran out of highlighters, I'd check, underline, or circle in red or blue pen or regular marker whatever work was finished those days. I don't know if this would work for everyone, but it worked for us (mostly! LOL).

~ Lindina

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