Schooling from home work space ideas needed

[mamma24]

We are going to have 2 of our girls schooling from home this year with the 3rd likely joining in next year. Our family is new to schooling from home, but we are very excited about it! The girls are part of the k12 program - so there is an online/teacher aspect but we will still be at home 100% of the time. We attended an orientation for our 5th grader and they showed some pictures of work spaces - amazing pictures, but I am not sure where to start in getting a space ready for them. Our 2 girls doing it this year will be in 5th and 10th grade and our daughter who will join next year will be in 7th grade.

I thought I would ask all of you that home school or school from home what your school rooms look like. Do your kids stay in their bedrooms or do you have a room designated for school? Do you keep them together or seperate? What kind of storage containers work best for science project supplies? Ideas please!!! I would love to know what you have found that works best!! Thanks in advance!

[Ceilismom]

My kids are 5 and seven, so take this for what it's worth: We don't have a dedicated school space right now. During the school day, one child will be in the office at my computer, working on phonics or math drills, or maybe watching a science video, while the other is at the dining room table with me doing written work. We have a small cabinet that holds the supplies that we use on a daily basis next to the dining room table.

Later in the day, we move to the living room where we watch math instructional DVDs or I read aloud to them both. I would like to have a dedicated space at some point, but right now we're getting a feel for what they both truly need in order to get the most from their learning. Once we know that (and hopefully are living in a completely different place) we'll set up a dedicated school space.

In my mind, I am picturing the breakfast bar/island in the kitchen, with bookshelves below and a laptop on the counter as being the ideal space for our family. Time will tell.

[Becka]

It really depends on your kid's learning styles and your family needs. When mine were younger, we always schooled at the table. I kept a filing cabinet in the dining room and we would put everything neatly in there when school was over. We used books and lots of worksheets then.

Now that they are older, my high schooler takes the main computer desk in the kitchen area, and the middle schooler usually sits on the couch with a laptop. We bought her a nice roll-top desk, but she prefers the couch. (shrug) Whatever works for your curriculum. They cannot stand to work together in the same room. Dd1 is a reader and needs quiet, dd2 has ADHD and bounces off a jogging trampoline or listens to music while doing her schoolwork. She also has to talk through her work, as hearing it helps her retain it. When they were younger, I had to school them at different times because their learning styles were so different, they drove each other nuts.

Since this is your first time homeschooling, it may take a while to discern their learning styles and what works best for them. Don't be afraid to be flexible--that's the beauty of homeschool. If something doesn't work today, try something new tomorrow.

Some families do certain subjects in one room, then move to another room for art or whatever. It gives some variety to the same old monotony day after day..