Our Learning Space

I've never felt like we have had a focused space to our learning times. Mostly I love that idea....partially, it drove me a little crazy. I always wanted a "schoolroom" that offered organization, comfort, creativity and organization (wait did I already say that?). Mostly though I realized I was hoping to fast forward to a different season of my homeshooling years-

When my oldest was a baby I wanted rush her to sleep through the night (amen?) and then I just wanted her to sit up. I couldn't wait til she was crawling and walking and then number 2 popped into the picture only to find herself on the treadmill of my rushing her through the baby years. Weren't what was ahead of us going to be so much fun?! The only problem was that I wasn't enjoying the present.

I found this pattern present in my schooling as well. Admittedly when the first little Mary started kindergarten we had no idea what we were getting into. I jumped into first baby mode....like when the people from Babies R Us hand you their what-you-"need"-to-be-a-good-mom-and-survive list in order to register. I looked at spaces and thought- YES! I really DO need 3 desks because afterall I have 3 little Marys who will eventually be schooling at home. I really DO need all the Math manipulatives in the southeast because I don't feel very confident in my math teaching and they'll need to see, touch, and move everything possible to fully grasp math. While there is indeed some truth in each of these statements if I'm really honest I loved the idea of dressing up a space to get ME excited. ME. not them. me.

So after 3 years of schooling with baskets scattered throughout our family and living room. A bookcase and a table downstairs in our playroom/schoolroom/finished-basement-turned-guest-apartment served as our headquarters but learning really took place all over the house. Again, sometimes I love this- but I was finding that I didn't use well what I had accumulated. I was causing the girls to not focus well because couldn't they just do their math on the floor of my bedroom so I could blowdry my hair? (yes, obviously but it wasn't our best case scenario on a daily basis!)

So finally I jumped in with 2 feet. With 2 Marys at home and one who may join us fully next year (still on the fence about her 4K program for next year...) I wanted to dedicate wholeheartedly a space for learning....but one that we'd actually use. I actually have arrived at this stage- I'm sure it will not be perfect and I know it won't be all that I had hoped or imagined, but I'm thankful. Thankful that we can learn together and grow together.....thankful to create a space to cultivate learning!

Enter Craigslist and Ikea plus a little Christmas Money....and wha-la! (imagine jazz hands...)

our new learning space!

curriculum organization...I'm sure there will be more on that later....

Mary2's "desk"...often shared by M3

currently M1's and my desk, but M2 will have it next year...
if she's tall enough and I'm ready to let go of it.....

our workboxes- more on that later, but here is a fabulous article

our toys and some of our crafts

We worked hard last week and really that means I worked hard spending and organizing and the hubby worked hard assembling fine Swedish furniture with picture directions and an imitation screwdriver- all that being said, I am THANKFUL!