www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
course, you need either a tablet or laptop,
or something that you can have near the pi-
ano for your child. I saw the need, and then
kept my eyes open. Then, on Craigslist, we
saw someone willing to trade a working
laptop for an item my husband had wanted
to get rid of! It was an even trade, which
means we ended up with a laptop for our
schoolroom, basically for free!
My mind was being renewed as I let go
of certain ways of thinking and I began
going my own direction. For example, I
absolutely adore the concept of workbox-
es. They’re practical, simple and helpful.
But I didn’t have the materials on hand,
and to set them up would have been
pricey, especially with three children.
So, instead of recreating a picture perfect
workbox idea, I used the same concept
using what I had. I rejuvenated an old
rusty filing cabinet with decorative vinyl
I found at Goodwill. Then I designated
each child their own drawer that would
hold their schoolwork. The back of the
drawer holds their workbooks for the
year, and in the front they have folders
for each subject that they can go through
each day. Similar to the workbox con-
cept, it makes it easy to see what work
has been done and what still needs to be
done each day. It works extremely well
for us, and didn’t cost much to create!
Then there was the issue of wall decora-
tions. After several years of bare walls (mi-
nus timelines and creative child artwork) I
finally found that a national park had about
a dozen different nature-inspired posters
to plaster over our walls—perfect for the
type of atmosphere I wanted to create in
our homeschool room! The posters iden-
tify different types of leaves, trees, animal
tracks, nests and butterflies. Now, when the
children break out their nature journals,
they can quickly and easily identify the na-
ture in their own backyard in a fun way!
We are reading through the Little
House on the Prairie series, so, last win-
ter I incorporated the large wood stove
in our room into our lessons. The boys
were in charge of keeping the fire going
by bringing the wood indoors and filling
the stove when it was low. We even in-
vited friends over and cooked a meal on
the stove together; it was an educational
experience for all of us!
As for materials, the only things I
typically buy new are consumable workbooks; everything else I try to find at discounted prices. For reading and phonics
I use Abeka so I keep my eyes open at
yard sales, secondhand shops and eBay
to find used readers. I’ve been surprised
at how many I’ve found used, for a fraction of the original cost! Copyrights can
be quite strict with certain curriculum,
but there are some that allow you to copy
pages from workbooks for each student
in your home. It is best to research before
purchase. This works well for us for our
History, Writing and Bible courses!
The Internet can be both a blessing
and a curse. Sometimes too much of a
good thing can be overwhelming. When
reined in a bit, the Internet can be harnessed for good in our children’s education. Our Spanish class, Salsa, is found
entirely online, for free. It includes a
video and a PDF of coordinating activities for each lesson! For my preschooler,
I use Easy Peasy All-In-One Homeschool
as a supplement to teach her the sounds
of the alphabet, again a completely free
program. I also utilize You Tube as much
as possible, finding songs or videos that
coordinate with what we are studying,
and help reinforce what the children are
learning about.
Our homeschool experience has become more relaxed since we have created
a space and method of learning that reflects us. And, knowing that it was obtained on a budget makes it all the more
enjoyable to use! If your space needs a
makeover, I would encourage you to use
what you have. Create, repurpose, and
make a space that represents you and
your family!
Heather Vogler and her husband Noah
homeschool their children ages 7, 6 and 4
in Bassett, Virginia. You can follow Heather’s thrifty homesteading and schooling
experiences on her blog Thrift Schooling ( www.thriftymomspot.com). Noah’s
Blacksmith Shop is located on the Artisan Trail Network of Virginia and is open
to homeschoolers for demos and classes
( www.nvableitems.blogspot.com).
Recommended Resources:
Abeka
Hoffman Academy for Piano
Easy Peasy All-In-One Homeschool
WriteShop
Golden Prairie Press
Salsa Online
When reined in a bit, the internet can be harnessed for good
in our children’s education.