Next week we go back to a regular school schedule so this week I’m trying to finish up all of the organizing for school that I’ve been needing to do. Not just printing out papers and filing them ready for use (I got all of Bull’s for his Zoo Unit done yesterday!) I’m also organizing our learning spaces to (hopefully) work a bit better for this stage in our life and schooling.
Last year I had two small desks for the big children at opposite ends of our big downstairs room. This arrangement worked fairly well, they didn’t distract each other too badly and I was able to put things on the walls by their desks that they needed to reference. Bull worked with me at the dining table and I had one big child or another come join me as needed.
This year I’ll be starting to transition Bull to some independent work time so I need a desk space for him to use and with the older ones also doing more independent work I want them to each still have their own desk space. I had been using a little red play table for Bull but that table is nearly 20 years old and not really suitable for school.
Thankfully we live in a neighborhood with lots of college students! June is a move out month and sure enough one of the girls next door moved out and put her unwanted furniture on the curb for disposal! One of the pieces was a sturdy wooden keyhole desk: a bit battered, wood very dried out and with a little split in the top, but sturdy, with four drawers and exactly the right size for the one space where I can put it!
The children and I brought it in, cleaned out the dirt and gave it a good rubbing with lemon oil (that will have to be a weekly thing for the next while, the wood is so dry) and I’ve been going through materials and putting them in place.
Today I have my regular Thursday babysitter here in the morning (she’s actually at the playground with the big three as I write) and we’ll be hitting the library in a little bit and another mother’s helper is also coming today to help me catch up on some laundry and cleaning!
Here’s to being productive!
My girls have been in VBS this week, so I’ve been working like a madwoman too! So far, it’s just been catching on my backlog of work. I need at least one more week of VBS to get fully caught up with all my wish list of projects done!
I know what you mean. We’re going on a date tonight (yeah!) and hoping to talk about sending the children to day camp for a week. That will be very strange…K