The First Day of School

Our first day of school 2010-2011!

We started our morning at 8:30 AM.  Not that I really wanted to get up at that time, but we did.  We had breakfast and then at 9:00 AM we officially started school.  We started out by saying the Pledge of Allegiance followed by our morning activities calendar consisting of 'What day is today?,' 'What is the weather?' and practicing writing the date which helps reinforce her handwriting.  This was followed by our Social Studies activity.  This year I purchased the Harcourt Second Grade Social Studies as a guide (more as a guide for me than for her.)  It came with an activity book and although I don't plan on using either all year.  I wasn't planning on buying any 'books' per say, but I needed a little more guidance starting out this year.  Next was spelling.  Ah, I have fond memories of going through my spelling words with my mother in the kitchen while she washed dishes.  I am sure my mother has her own memories! Anyway, this summer, I did some research into what words a 2nd grader needed to learn to spell.  It seemed like everyone had a different list!  So taking the easy way out, I found list on Super Teacher Worksheets that had a list for 36 weeks with worksheets to correspond!  Today's activity involved Kira to read each word to me (some she actually had to sound out - of course with protest!) and then write each words twice.  Tomorrow she will do a 'fun' activity by writing each word with each letter as a different color.  Originally I planned to do box 1, 2 and 3 followed by lunch, but I didn't realize that we would go through those boxes so quickly!  So we traveled on to math.  I am using the Math-U-See program supplemented with other workbooks that will help Kira in her math.  Math is a subject she LOVES!   

Oh, let me tell you about Workboxes.  I chose the Workbox option because of the following:

• Independence ~ Kira needs to learn to work independently.  Not everything is done alone, but moving and working toward self-directed learning is something I really want to instill in her.  For me this allows me to do dishes or sweep the floor so when she is done with school, I am almost done with my work as well!
• Motivation ~ She will be excited about some of the fun things she sees waiting for her.
• Routine ~ The schedule strip creates a solid routine, in which we have been lacking.  Kira made the statement this morning that 'This helps me know what to do!'  If our day gets interrupted for whatever reason, we can stop and come back to the boxes as needed.
• Creativity ~ I can clearly see what Kira will be doing each day and if I need to spice it up a little and add variety to our school day.
• Resourcefulness ~ I will finally be able to use some of those cool things that have been sitting on a shelf or in my resource box that I have found at the Target $1 section, on clearance, or stuff my Mom sent down!
• Accountability ~ Ten empty boxes in my face remind me that I need to do my job as her teacher and get school ready for the next day.  Ten full boxes remind Kira that she needs to do her job and work hard throughout the day. (So far so good!)
• Accomplishment ~ Kira will take pride in a job well done when she finally finishes a box!  I will also feel that I am accomplishing something in our homeschooling.
• Individual Education ~ I love being able to give my daughter a personal education.  Yes, there are days, I ask myself, 'Why am I doing this?' (Specifically when she is whining about reading.)  The reason I am doing this is not religious, but that I have one unique, important child on my mind.  
• Easy Transition ~ Last year at times as we were going from one activity to another, we couldn't find our crayons or our pencil needed to be sharpened, or whatever else went wrong went wrong.  So in the midst of getting thing together, I lost Kira - her attention span went completely out the window.  The boxes put an end to our craziness.  We now flow from one activity to the next because everything she needs is right there in the box.  I have duplicates of many things {i.e. glue, scissors, crayons, color pencils, you name it!}  Before when I would lose her, getting her back would be frustrating for both of us.  Then one of us {or both of us} would get mad and then sometimes I would just give in or we would both have to take a time-out.  Last year school went into summer so she did not have as long of a break as students that were in the public school system {but that is not necessarily a bad thing.} 
• Time Saving ~ This goes hand in hand with some of the other things I have already listed but as I have already noticed we have got more done in less time!  Who can argue with that? 

So the basis of the system is to have 12 'workboxes' (we have adapted it for us and have 10.)  Each workbox holds one activity that Kira is to do that day.  Each box is numbered, so she will know what needs to be completed and in what order.  Besides seeing the workboxes, Kira has a schedule strip.  The schedule strip reinforces the workbox order and also allows me to add additional schedule cards for activities that won't fit into the boxes {i.e. play outside for 30 min, lunch, computer time, etc.}  Kira will match the number on the schedule strip to the box and by the end of the day, all of the tags should be removed from the schedule strip and all the boxes empty.  By 10:30 AM Kira was done with boxes 1-4 and lunch was the next thing on our list -- so we decided to change it up.  FREE TIME!  Currently this is our schedule but of course I can change it up as need be.  After lunch we will continue on to Language Arts, Writing, Science, and Reading.  

 

Although we kinda started the workbox system last year we really didn't stick with it.  I was really worried how Kira would handle this new year with the new schedule - but she said she likes it much better.  I am also looking to add 'centers' and lapbooking (more on that a little later.)  So if she is happy I think I will be too!