What my Homeschool Office Looks Like

 


I thought I'd post some pictures of where I sit and research curriculum, organize, talk to other homeschoolers and play solitaire when the kids are off playing on their own.

First picture:


This is what I look at. It looks so tidy...Know that not one of those nifty things was put up when I was not on Ritalin. Ritalin is an essential component to my homeschool planning. When I'm on it things are well-planned, comfortably flexible and I follow through. When I'm not on it I'm disorganized and anxious about the disorganization. Remember, drugs are good.

Next:


My space. MINE. The side of the tower is off because my computer's case design doesn't provide sufficient airflow for cooling in the summer so things start to freeze and act wonky otherwise. Cheap $%^% Compaq. There's a plastic baggie between my monitor and the abacus. It's my secret weapon and I'll reveal it in the last picture.

Next:


To the left of my computer is the curriculum and odd office supplies.  We also feed the cat there which is a really bad idea because his food is one short step away from my keyboard. But if the food is on the floor then the dog inhales it so there it must stay. It's sitting on top of my drawing box (the link has better pictures) which I finally pulled out because I've been putting off my drawing for too long. Which essentially means I've been putting myself off for too long.

Next:


Ta da! A real homeschooling organizational binder! This is mostly thanks to the printable made available by that homeschooling Goddess Donna Young. That collection of fluorescent stickies is cool. Fits in my binder and gives me dividers within the divided sections. Whoo hoo!



 Inside the binder are things like resources lists, a journal and this section - Catherine's Course of Study and lessons broken down by day. How did I manage that? Ritalin of course! It just wouldn't happened without it. Of course all the forms make me seem anal but they're not there for strict adherence. They're there so I can have a foundation. So my tendencies to panic about curriculum are put to rest between to covers of my binder. this is what I didn't get before when I thought scheduling equaled blind devotion to the directions inserted into rows and columns. No. It just means I have a comfortable path mapped out. I can deviate as I see fit but I know where we're going and for someone prone to chaos that's very comforting. 

I love my Ritalin.

I also love my secret weapon. Remember the plastic baggie?



Yum.

Okay, this stuff is bitter and takes some getting used to but damn, it's good. And it has caffeine which, in addition to my Ritalin and morning coffee makes my mood even and my day ordered (my day is run by stimulants!). This bar will probably take a few weeks to work through. I'm generally a chocoholic and can scarf down a chocolate bar in a matter of seconds but the 85% cocoa stuff needs to be savoured and keeps me away, sometimes, from the cheaper kinds.