If 2020 could be summed up in a word, I’d like submit “unpredictable” as a contender. There have been so many unknowns over the last 6 months, but one constant is the need for children to have a quality education and for some semblance of stability. As summer winds down and “back to school” season is upon us, it’ll look a little different for many this year. For some families, it means a face to face education in a private school setting, for others it’s virtual learning from home through the public school system and yet for others, they have decided to withdraw their children to go the homeschooling route (or maybe they’ve home-schooled from the beginning). Today, I’m going to talk about the last of the three – homeschool!
First of all, you should know upfront that I have never “officially” home-schooled so before you think I’m an expert on the subject, please know that I’m not claiming that in any way shape or form, however I was an early childhood educator for over 5 years and I do a loose home school with my kids during the summer months (not including this past summer). I’m passionate about setting up spaces for various learning styles because not all kids learn the same and it’s helpful for you know what type of learner your child is: kinesthetic, auditory, visual, logical, social and/or solitary learner. I’m a visual-solitary learner. My husband is a kinesthetic-social learner. For more on learning styles, check them out here.
Now that you’ve figured out what learning style works best for your child(ren), consider which teaching style works best for your family. Some of the more popular homeschool methods are: Classical, Charlotte Mason, Montessori, Unschooling, School-At-Home/Traditional, Waldorf and Eclectic/Relaxed. My teaching style is a mashup of Charlotte Mason and Eclectic.
Let’s get to it! Here are 7 different areas to consider when setting up your homeschool room. Keep in mind that many homeschool families do not have a designated homeschool room, so if you use the dining room or living room, that’s awesome. Do what works best for your family. Each of the areas can be converted down to a binder, bin or cart, anyway. That’s the beauty of homeschooling, you set the schedule (or maybe no schedule at all) and you make the rules. Make sure you look up your state’s homeschool laws, this website is an incredible resource for all 50 states. We live in Georgia and our home schools are only required to teach math, language arts, science and social studies. Anything else taught is a bonus.
Wall Space:
Visual Schedule | Map | Clock | Calendar | Cork Board | Colorful Prints | Magnetic White Board | Countdown Timer (I spray-painted mine)
Independent Workspace:
DIY Floating Desk | Individual Cork Boards | White Metal Kid’s Chairs | Wobble Cushions | Steel/Silicone Cups | Wood Letters
Gathering Area:
Pink Alphabet Rug | Cloud, Moon, Star Pillows
Cozy Corner:
Floral Wallpaper | DIY Bookshelves | White Cube Storage | Storage Bins | Crochet Pendant
Teacher’s Area:
White Storage Unit (Mine is discontinued from IKEA, but I’ve linked a similar one. Consider a Rolling Cart also)
Learning Centers:
Many of my learning center supplies are stored in the bins inside of the cozy corner, but I do keep dramatic play and building blocks in the main area.
Play Kitchen | 3 Cube Storage | Dollhouse | Cash Register | Pink Appliances | Record Player | Play Food (My set discontinued from Land of Nod)
Movement Zone:
Two-Person Trampoline | Jump Ropes | Parachute Tent | Indoor Swing
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