Sue Patrick's Workbox System© has quickly become a favorite organizational strategy among homeschoolers. With the Workbox System©, homeschool students can manage their school day independently, complete more activities each day, and stay on task. Because the purpose of this article is to provide ideas and resources for users of the System, I would like to just offer a summary of the program. Please visit Sue Patrick's website for complete details. The basic structure of the program is that your child has 12 boxes on a rack. Each box holds an item or task to be completed. Your child works through each box and puts the box away as they finish the task or item. This visually allows your child to see how much work they have left to do for the day.

Here are a few of my favorite things from the Workbox System©:
  • I like that is uses a systematic approach to helping my children organize their school day
  • It promotes student independence
  • It can be used with any curriculum
  • It can be adapted to fit your needs
  • Sue Patrick offers additional support for individuals who purchase and register their purchase on her site
  • It is a visual system that is great for students who need visual prompting
  • This system has been successfully used with students with Special Needs

The following information can help new users and current users get some ideas for workboxes, see different varieties of the program, and additional resources of the System.


Getting Organized: The Chatter Bee Handmade Word Family Game: The Snail's Trail Using Ice Cube Boxes: The Snail's Trail
Vacation Work Boxes: The Snail's Trail
Recycling Boxes & Containers: Sargent's in the Springs
What Does [it] Look Like: Joyful Mother Preschool Activity Bags: Joyful Mother Using a Work Strip instead of Work Box: No Place Like Home
With a High Schooler: Joyful Mother Nature Search By Colors: Joyful Mother The Ziplock Bag Method: Laura William's Musings
Growing Wheatgrass: Joyful Mother

More of our System: Joyful Mother		 Dancing Raisins: Joyful Mother
Wonderful Workboxes: Being Made New Math Center: Joyful Mother
Bitten by the Workbox Bug: Dalton Gang
 Handmade AlphaBoard: The Snail's Trail
Workboxes The Setup: The Courtney Six
 Easter Fun: Joyful Mother
Detailed System: Spell Out Loud
 For Preschoolers: Joyful Mother
Workboxes Work for Us: His Mercy New
 For Preschoolers: Dalton Gang
Why Workboxes?: Walking by the Way
 What's in the Box Blog
Detailed System: Fortunately For You Books
 Ideas for Early Elementary: Walking by the Way
Detailed System: 1+1+1=1
 Grammar in the Box: Walking by the Way
Using a One Box Method: No Place Like Home Toys & Workboxes: Walking by the Way
Detailed System: Milk & Cookies RightStart Math for Workboxes: Walking by the Way
Detailed System with Multiple Ages: Wayzley Academy










     







Weekly Schedule by LLRHomeschoolmom




Custom Clock-In Cards by Spell Out Loud
clockincards-MSweb
Schedule Cards by Walking by the Way
(Click here for download)



Schedule Cards by Boys, School, and Fun
This set includes: Reading, Calendar, Science, Snack, Recess, History, Bible, and Art
(Click here to download)



Schedule Cards by 1+1+1=1
(Click here to download)



Planning Sheet by Milk & Cookies
(click here to download)






  1. Can be adapted to any homeschool method, philosophy, or lifestyle
  2.  no more lost books!  Every day they either return them to their workboxes (Bibles, readers etc...) or turn them in (math etc...). 
  3. I have to grade daily!  I needed this accountability, sometimes I skipped a day.  Can't do that now, because the books are in my box, waiting to be graded & then loaded back into drawers.
  4.   I have to think about the next day a bit--I think our day has a slightly better flow & I'm slightly better prepared--not so much "winging" it.
  5. we are less likely to look at the clock and say, "that's enough for today."  If we need a shorter day, I am more likely to plan for it the night before now--and otherwise, we just do the boxes, and no one wonders what we'll do. 
  6. it was the impetus to finally create an actual box for them to turn their work into.  Such a simple thing, but a great little improvement!
  7. it holds me accountable
  8. I may have good plans, but this helps me to prepare and to accomplish not just the basics but some of the fun things too.
  9. I know that I can get easily distracted (and so can my children) if I'm not ready to go with whatever subject or project is at hand.  This saves all of us a lot of time which is one reason we are able to get more done. 
  10. The good thing is that I am using much more of my "curriculum" books since we now do the workboxes.
  11. Since I'm deliberately planning out their work, we are actually accomplishing more in the school day now---and usually in less time.

(Benefits compiled by The Snail's Trail, The Chatter Bee, Joyful Mother, Dalton Gang, Spell Out Loud)


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written by Kari for Curriculum Choice