Schoolroom Version 2011-2012

The “schoolroom” has certainly evolved over our 11 years of homeschooling.  For the past few years our dining room has undergone a gradual but persistent transformation into schoolroom.  Here are some pics of this year’s version.

Looking into the room from our living room.  Dh’s desk is on the left, mine on the right.  The window faces the street in front of our house.

The cubbie under the window is a new addition.  It will be home to things related to our current monthly theme.  Right now, the theme is oceans and the unit houses related books and our “discovery/sensory” bin.

Looking out from the schoolroom into the living room.  There is the table where the boys do most of their work and another new addition next to the table…a computer station for ds3.  A close up of the little supply caddie I finally got around to making.  Just bought a cheap lazy Susan and had ds2 hot glue on some cute holders from Target’s dollar section.  Very handy.  Although I could use some creative ideas for what to do with that bucket of crayons, it’s so messy and unorganized.

The view from the entryway into the dining room.  (Please take note of our school uniform policy…you must either be shirtless or in your pajamas.  We are pretty strict about that one.)  Close up of yet another new addition, a giant shelf for all our resources.  Up until I got this, all our books and other resources were stowed away in the hall closet.  It kept things looking neat as we could close the closet door and no one is the wiser, but over time I kept forgetting exactly what resources I had and failed to use them.  So now they are out in the open and readily available.  The top shelf holds reference type resources (and our collection of refillable Icee cups,) the second shelf has three holders for storing ds3, ds4 and my own current curriculum, the third shelf holds books sorted by subject, and the bottom shelf holds art and science supplies.

This is the door next to the shelf, that leads into the kitchen.  We added a dry erase board (love it!  bought a magnetic eraser and cup to hold the markers.)  On the wall next to the door I put up a pocket chart and cute wooden perpetual calendar (both Target dollar section finds.)  The pocket chart holds the calendar fact cards from Carissa at 1+1+1=1. 

My desk.  In the file drawer I have 36 folders that contain all the worksheets and other papers for each week’s lessons.  Tons, tons, tons of work to prepare that much in advance, but I am hoping it will all be worth it.  Please, oh let it be worth it lol.

Our kitten Ellie.  The best new addition to the schoolroom of all.  :)  I’m linking this to the Not Back To School blog hop at Heart of the Matter online.