Setting Up a Homeschooling Space:

Whether you are just beginning to consider homeschooling or you have been at it a while, one issue that is bound to come up time and again is how to best set up your schooling space. Though there are as many solutions to that question as there are styles of homeschooling, there are three important principles to keep in mind when planning the room where you will school at home: organization, accessibility, and creativity.

The first step is to make a list of the things you feel need to be included in the space, from furniture to pencil holders and everything in between. Very little is necessary for homeschooling, but the possibilities are limitless. Ask yourself questions about how your space will best serve your needs.

Do you have room for a dedicated space where projects can sit unfinished overnight, or will you have to tuck your supplies away at the end of the day? It doesn't take a separate school room to homeschool effectively, but having one can make it easier to stay organized. If you are using a common room of the house, such as a dining room, you will need to invest in some portable containers for organizing and storing supplies.

Will you have one desk for each child, or a central, shared desk, or will a central table suffice? Many new homeschoolers make the mistake of thinking their homeschooling space should be patterned after a classroom, but this isn't necessary and can actually interfere with making the best use of whatever space you have. Instead, think about your children, their ages, personalities and learning styles. Will shared space foster group cooperation, or will it distract? Are the children close enough in age that they will be working on closely related lessons, or will they be at different levels and paces?

Will you use a computer in your schooling? If so, is your space properly wired for internet access or to connect to your in-home network? A computer can be an excellent tool for the homeschooling parent, with a wealth of reference materials and curriculum guides only a click away, but making the most of technological resources means making decisions about placement, access, and wiring.

Is the lighting in your space sufficient? Household lighting can often be too dim for studying. Be sure to add enough lighting to illuminate all possible work surfaces. Flexible lighting often works better than permanently installed fixtures, because it can be shifted around to meet your current needs.

Once you have a list of items you plan to incorporate into your space, consider the layout of the room. What limitations do you have on where to place furniture? Where are the electrical outlets located? Will the computer have to be placed in a specific location to connect to a phone or network line? With these factors in mind, begin planning your arrangement.

Organization is key to efficient and hassle free homeschooling. Make use of plastic storage bins for small items such as pencils, glue sticks, crayons, and paper clips. Label shelves to sort books by subject or age group if you are teaching more than one child, to make it easy for you to find textbooks and for your children to choose reading materials for themselves. Invest in a filing cabinet to store completed work and any documentation required by the laws of your state. Maintain a separate notebook and folder for each child, to keep track of progress and collect work samples. This is especially important if you live in a state which requires portfolios, or if you choose to keep such records for your own peace of mind. And don't forget to invest in a calendar, preferably with oversized squares that leave plenty of room for writing. Homeschooling is rarely done entirely at home, and a central calendar is vital to keeping track of classes and activities.

Accessibility can make the difference between using the full spectrum of your resources and allowing them to collect dust in an inconvenient drawer or shelf. As you arrange your room, think about what you'll want to have at arm's length, and how often different materials will be used. Art supplies, craft projects and science equipment can be stored in out of the way places, like a closet or filing cabinet to be retrieved as needed, but daily staples such as pens and pencils, a pencil sharpener, books and paper should be more easily accessible. Likewise, posters, globes and other graphic aids can work as both decoration for your schooling space and a way to keep a variety of references accessible to both you and your children. Rather than interrupting the flow of a lesson to find a map, you can have your children locate the topic of the lesson on a wall map or tabletop globe.

Finally, be creative! Make your space your own. Select posters, lighting, and even paint to reflect your interests and those of your children. Teacher supply stores offer a wealth of colorful and informative wall art, but you don't have to limit yourself to commercially produced offerings. Pages from a favorite children's book can make attractive framed prints. Laminated maps and star charts allow children to draw an explorer's route or trace the shape of a constellation in dry-erase marker, only to erase it when it is time to move on. Chalkboard paint and magnetic paint additives can transform walls into additional space for learning.

Keep in mind that flexibility is one of the many benefits of homeschooling. Arrange your space according to your needs and it is sure to be a great fit!