Sh! Class in session

This morning arrived with snow on the ground. It was just a light skiff but still it was snow! Here in the Pacific Northwest cherry trees are blooming, daffodils are up and azaleas are in full bloom. The snow looked out of place in the midst of springtime! This afternoon the air is balmy and my school room window is open to let in all the merry little breezes.

I love the school room after the busyness of the day. A mere half hour ago here is what was happening in this room. Yes, its my Story of the World class. They are listening to the book read in audio and coloring masks of King Tut while they listen.

When they are done they will do map work pertaining to the lands around the Valley of The Kings and answer review questions on last weeks lesson.

You might notice the jars of colored pencils on the table by the girls in the pic above. Tink and Peter were always racing to see who could get the most pencils from the little drawer where they are kept. I got so tired of their bickering and squabbling about who was getting what that I finally got smart and separated the pencils into jars. I needed 5 jars. Well amazingly enough I had exactly 5 sets of each color of pencil! Now when the kids come in for SOTW they just take a jar to their desk and all the squabbles are over! Its such a simple solution yet it alluded me all this time. So much of how a day goes is due to how many little arguments can be avoided and how much time I have spent in preparation.

Another way I have changed the flow of things is to buy these little TV trays. They are portable enough that the kids can move them to wherever they want to study. Peter and my student P have permanent desks in the schoolroom but they move around a lot to separate rooms to get away from the noise when classes are going on. Tink and my other teenage student study downstairs most of the time. It helps to separate the boys from the girls. There's a lot less fuss that way!
So another day is over. Hopefully I have been able to touch these young lives and leave an imprint for good. Now I'm going to tidy the school room and go out for some fresh air!

Not Back To School Blog Hop

Today I'm joining Darcys Not Back to School Blog Hop! This week we are suppose to show our school room. I guess technically I was suppose to do this yesterday, but who's keeping track? Our school room is not being used this month. August is the only month of the year that no real school takes place in this room.

Oh yeah, I am in here juggling things around and getting ready for the year ahead but the kids conveniently stay in other parts of the house. My children are not like others. They do not look forward with anticipation to the new school year. Their summers are so full of fun things that when August rolls around they are more than willing to spend their days riding bike, swimming, going to the park, going rafting on the river and camping with friends. School is just not on their agenda. This table is Tinks spot. She spends most of her study time here. You will never see Peter here unless he's doing crafts.

Here is where Peter studies, across the room from Tinks desk. I also have another school desk in the media room for students who are watching videos and taking notes. Other times it's used for studying when a student wants to get away from any tutoring noises going on in the school room.
This pic was taken from standing in the curriculum closet. That chest of drawers with the colored fronts is filled with craft supplies. Oh, did you want to see the curriculum closet?

Here it is in all it's glory. I have tons of work to do here. The file cabinet is on the wall behind me in this room.

Here is a close up of the top shelf of that book shelf on the right. Yes, the kids love to craft things and this is the supply shelf.

And here is a close up of the other bookshelf that holds curriculum.
Because I tutor and homeschool other peoples children I have added computer stations around the house. This is the one that my kids use the most. It is downstairs on the main floor.
Here is our second computer station. This is actually my sewing cabinet made over. This station is at the top of the hall on the same floor as the school room. My computer in the school room makes up the third station.

There is actually another computer station but it is in my husbands office and used only by me if all the others are full.

So now you have seen where we study and learn. How about showing us your space. Go on over to Darcy's and join in the fun!