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Lori
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| Posted: March 23 2009 at 4:04pm | IP Logged
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I did a variation of this, too...I used 5 laundry baskets and labeled them with color names (written in that color sharpie, too)
Then I did a Mon-Fri chart with the 3 youngest kiddos' names on it, and filled in the color rotation.
The baskets were each filled with 5-6 educational and fun things (magnetic letters with word cards, lacing beads, number rods, dominoes, matching cards, mazes, etc), trying to balance it out between math oriented and language oriented stuff and include some fine motor stuff each day.
My goal was to have them do each item for a little bit, but more often they just did their favorite things out of the basket for a longer period of time. I think numbering the individual items in plastic bags would have been a good addition to my system.
I mixed the combinations up between the baskets every couple of weeks, and then added new things/took things out every quarter or so. It worked to keep them occupied while I was doing one-on-one phonics and math with each of them.
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MarilynW
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| Posted: March 23 2009 at 5:47pm | IP Logged
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For the last couple of months I have been doing a very simplified version of this (had not heard of the workboxes - it is a cool system) - I only do it for my 4 year old who has just turned 5. He likes to have his activities set and gets frustrated if he has to wait around for me. I just have an Office Depot plastic box - I use large ziplocs or envelopes and put all the activities in these if they fit. I put in all games, work etc. I have a written list that I stick on the top of the box and he crosses things off as he does them eg today he had the following:
Independent Work (all games etc are in the box):
- Spelltime
- electric circuit set
- lego creation
- 4 pages of Explode the Code
- listen to Jim Weiss cd
Work with Mom:
- Math - Horizons Lesson 46 (with any manipulatives in envelope)
- Reading - sight word cards, 5 Bob books to read together
- Read alouds for the day - various Lent
He is expected to tidy everything away into his box as the activity is finished. At night I just quickly change out worksheets and games.
It has been working well for us.
-
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Marilyn
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: March 24 2009 at 8:25am | IP Logged
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Has anybody tried this who has a child with ADHD and has it helped? I'm reading with great interest, but I have not read the book.
I wanted to add that I have come up with a relatively inexpensive alternative. It is inexpensive because I already have the main element - a wooden 2 shelf shoe holder. I think it is designed to sit in the bottom of a closet or on the shelf. Anyway, when I buy canned goods at the local grocery they are often in cardboard trays. So one tray would hold about 12 cans of corn, or beans or whatever. I've saved enough of those cardboard trays that I have 12. I put the wooden shelf on a table and it will hold 3 trays on top, 3 in the middle and 3 on the bottom. That's only 9 but it's a start. The cardboard trays are all white so it doesn't look bad at all. Just an idea.
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CandaceC
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| Posted: March 24 2009 at 8:48am | IP Logged
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Becky,
I, myself, have not read the book either. But, on the FIAR boards, the gal there who had the author come to her homeschool group and speak said that she specializes in special needs children with this system. She is even giving "consultations" to my friend, Leslie, who is using this with a 2 year old down syndrome child.
I'm not trying to talk you into getting the book (as I haven't read it either!) But it might be a consideration since she does specifically speak to doing this with different areas of special needs from what I've read.
Oh, and we are only doing 6 activity bags right now...I don't think we could do 12 if we wanted to at this point!  So, don't feel badly if you can't do the 12.
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Candace - wife to David since 2000...mommy to Hannah (Feb. 2002), Emily (April 2003) and Caleb (March 2005)
His Mercy Is New
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Babs
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| Posted: March 25 2009 at 8:09am | IP Logged
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I was so excited when I heard about this system. I already had some of the iris drawer carts so I read the book and made the tags for the drawers. Because of the wear and tear the tags would receive on the drawers I laminated them. Now the velcro will not stick to the tags. Does anyone have any ideas on how to attach them or know how to adhere something that is laminated?
God Bless,
Barb
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Becky Parker
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| Posted: March 26 2009 at 7:18am | IP Logged
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Could you try super glue? I'm assuming that when you try to seperate the velcro it pulls the whole thing off. The only other thing that comes to mind is to forget the velcro and try little pieces of magnet, cut from the strip magnets. You would have to attach something on the other part that the magnet would stick to though. Something like a canning jar lid comes to mind, but that is really big.
I went ahead and ordered the e-book. I'm such a sucker for this sort of thing! I think that while we are currently doing ... okay... maybe a change like this would give us a little boost to finish up the year. We start getting a little sluggish about this time.
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Becky
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missionfamily
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| Posted: March 26 2009 at 8:16am | IP Logged
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I was inspired by this conversation and a friend helped me do a bit of digging to get a visual that might work for my house. I have not read very much at all...more or less just took the thought and ran with it, but you can see my version here if you like.
Like you Becky, things were feeling a little stale and I needed some motivation to keep going through the last weeks of my pregnancy. The kids used the baskets faithfully and joyfully all day yesterday. I am quite inspired by the result.
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Colleen
dh Greg
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CandaceC
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| Posted: March 26 2009 at 6:59pm | IP Logged
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Colleen - those baskets are gorgeous! Wow...so pretty!
HERE is a really cute set of workboxes. 
I'm *thinking* of doing one rack with 12 boxes...and just one ROW for each child...still thinking. I just don't care for the ziplock bags. They are ending up all over the floor, I can't fit things into them, etc.
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Candace - wife to David since 2000...mommy to Hannah (Feb. 2002), Emily (April 2003) and Caleb (March 2005)
His Mercy Is New
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JuliaT
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| Posted: March 26 2009 at 9:03pm | IP Logged
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We have finished two weeks of workboxes and they are a resounding success! My kids love them!
My goals for using the workboxes have been met so we will continue with them. My kids are focused and occupied for the whole 3 hours in the morning. We are getting done the subjects/activities that we have had trouble completing in the past. We are using 10 workbags and it is taking us 2/12 to 3 ours to finish them.
The kids now look forward to school so they can see what is in their box.
Blessings,
Julia
mom of 3 (9,8,6)
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: May 04 2009 at 2:48pm | IP Logged
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Becky is asking for feedback about your system of workboxes in this new workbox thread.
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Suzanne in ID
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Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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mayappleridge
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| Posted: May 05 2009 at 7:14am | IP Logged
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We did a similar thing but with canvas bags. This might toddler proof it a bit more and works well for a smaller home.
You could hang the bags on hooks on the wall.
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teachingmyown
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| Posted: May 06 2009 at 5:08pm | IP Logged
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Late as usual here  .... but I was wondering if the book is necessary to implementing the system? From the talk here and the various links, it seems pretty cut and dry. Is there an underlying philosophy needing to be understood?
Thanks.
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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CandaceC
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| Posted: May 07 2009 at 2:23pm | IP Logged
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Molly,
I personally have not read the book and know lots of us who haven't and are implementing the workboxes.
However, over on the FIAR board (someone posted the link somewhere) some of the ladies are talking about specific ideas and other things in the book that are very helpful. I think the book actually has a LOT of various resources in it, so it's helpful in lots of ways, from what I hear.
I do hope to get the book at some point, but haven't yet and we're having great luck with the boxes! 
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Candace - wife to David since 2000...mommy to Hannah (Feb. 2002), Emily (April 2003) and Caleb (March 2005)
His Mercy Is New
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Waverley
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| Posted: May 09 2009 at 10:50am | IP Logged
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Babs,
Do you want your tags to be removable? If so, the tacky gum you buy in the office section works for holding laminated items to plastic, walls, etc. I'm not sure it would hold a laminated tag to canvas.
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Waverley
wife to Dh for 19 years, dd (16), dd (11), dd (8), ds (6), dd (4), dd (9-13-1996)
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Bridget
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| Posted: May 09 2009 at 10:57am | IP Logged
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teachingmyown wrote:
Late as usual here .... but I was wondering if the book is necessary to implementing the system? From the talk here and the various links, it seems pretty cut and dry. Is there an underlying philosophy needing to be understood?
Thanks.
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The book has details that are very helpful if you have an LD or Autistic child. Then the details may be more important in implementation.
The author developed the system for her Autistic son. From reading the book, it appears that she has a wealth of knowledge in that area. Along the way she helped friends set up the system in their homes and discovered that all children did well with workboxes.
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God Bless,
Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
Our Magnum Opus
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Martha in VA
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| Posted: May 25 2009 at 9:06am | IP Logged
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I'm curious is anyone is using this system with an older child (10 or up) who has learning issues? I'd love to give it a whirl with one of my older ones who really needs her learning time to be divided into very small portions or she gets overwhelmed.
Martha in VA
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Mamamoon
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| Posted: May 25 2009 at 9:32am | IP Logged
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sorry if this was already discussed, but do you replenish the work each night, thinking ahead and mapping it out for each child. that can seem like a challenge in itself. i am liking this though, just trying to visualize.
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CandaceC
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| Posted: May 25 2009 at 9:36am | IP Logged
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Martha,
I personally cannot answer your question, but among all the links I know there are FIAR moms of older children using the boxes.
From what I've read, those moms are having as much success as those of us with youngers.
Off the top of my head, here are a few moms who are using these with older kids.
Leslie's workbox posts
Leslie's list of workbox items (by age level)
Workbox Yahoo Group -- Jessica from FIAR boards started this group, and she has a large family with olders and youngers.
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Candace - wife to David since 2000...mommy to Hannah (Feb. 2002), Emily (April 2003) and Caleb (March 2005)
His Mercy Is New
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CandaceC
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| Posted: May 25 2009 at 9:38am | IP Logged
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Yes, I refill the workboxes each night. It is a lot of work at first...but the longer you use the system the easier it gets.
I know there are planning sheets in the manual (from what I've read) that might be helpful to some!
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Candace - wife to David since 2000...mommy to Hannah (Feb. 2002), Emily (April 2003) and Caleb (March 2005)
His Mercy Is New
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krystab
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| Posted: May 25 2009 at 11:39am | IP Logged
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I refill the workboxes every night. If you are a morning person you can do it in the morning, but I don't get up early enough.
I don't plan ahead, but I do use two purchased lesson plans to fill the boxes. Several keep the same work from day to day. I just change the number and my assignment post it. So those are easy!
The ones that take me the longest are ones that need more explanation for the older one. But this extra writing saves her from having to wait on me explain it because I am working with one of the younger two. They both are still mostly work with mom, so it is way easier to have my 9yo as independent as possible.
It does take a while to fill at first...took forever the first time. But each time it gets faster! Plus the time taken here saves so much time during school you will actually save time. Plus school is just so much smoother now!
Krysta
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Homeschool Workboxes....
