The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

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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).