What is a WorkBox?

I had only recently heard of this term "workbox" in homeschooling, but after looking into it, I realized I'd already inherently done that with my children as they grew and I used similar methods as a teacher.



So what is a workbox? Well, from what I've read the supposed creator of workboxes is a woman named Sue Patrick. (I always hesitate when people say they originated or created something, because really? As if no one did it before you?) But if it's on the internet it must be true. Patrick has a website where you can find information about workboxes and how she says to do them. http://www.workboxsystem.com/

From what I've surmised, you have the child's daily work to be completed in the boxes. You can apparently learn more from purchasing her book, but I've not yet had the opportunity to do that.





The blog Confessions of a Homeschooler has a video about how she does her workboxes. http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/blog/2013/01/workbox-system-video-tutorial.html

Watching her video makes me consider doing these boxes, but I do not do workboxes right now. I did do one version in which I called it a "Brainy Box" that they had to complete in order to earn screen time for the day. Since we do not do non educational screen time during the week when school is in session, we actually do not need it now.

For me, I just think I couldn't physically put the workboxes where I'd like in such a way that would work for us. I like to have the books we use sorted per my liking, and my boys use folders to keep loose papers and know what is ahead for the day. H has a student planner from Well Planned Day, and this will be his first year with it, so it remains to be seen if it helps him organize any. He may turn out to not be as organizationally obsessed as me, and never use it! But we shall see!

Secondly, while I like the idea of workboxes, I do not like the idea of having to prep all that stuff every day. I find it taxing enough to prep weekly or monthly, and I like to leave an element of flexibility to our schooling. I know my kids enough to know if we have things in a workbox that say, do this and you're done...I'll never get them expanding on that. I like to sit down and work with them on most things, especially E as he is not yet reading independently. I can definitely see the appeal of workboxes as your children get older. But right now, the idea of nightly going in and pulling worksheets, etc just seems exhausting to me.

So, I'm glad I have heard of these nifty tools, and I'd love to hear if anyone successfully uses them in your work and what age/grade your students are in. Maybe you will convince me to give it a try!!

~~Amy