The Pocket Chart Homeschool Organizer

When my older son was 8; he did not know how to tell time, or look at a stack of school books to know how long school would be. That made for what looked like rebellious questions, ‘are we done yet? How much longer? how many more lessons?’ We solved it with a pocket chart. Now
instead of asking me, he looks at the pocket chart, “3 more cards and
I can dream!” It has turned the situation from, “Boy against Mom” to,
“Boy and Mom against pocket chart.”

I saw the idea in the Lakeshore Learning catalog, then decided it was
too expensive to buy, but brilliant enough to copy! I cut one piece
of poster board into 3 long strips, and stapled it to another. This
made a chart with three long pockets in it. I labeled one “To do,”
the next, “Done,” and the third, “Once a Week” Where I couldn’t reach
the staples, I used brads. Then I made 3×5 cards with lesson titles
that could stand up in the pockets and be seen above the cardboard,
things like “memory verse,” “phonogram review,” “math,” “history
story,” “read to Mom,” “ocarina,” “draw,” “nature walk,” “cursive
practice,”

I arrange the cards in the bottom strip of the chart, as we
finish the short lesson, my son moves the cards up to the done chart.
Things we only do once a week (if that) like nature walks, library,
co-op, field trips, science experiments, get displayed in at top
pocket (so I feel like I really have accomplished something). When my
husband asks me, “What DID you do all day?” I refer to the chart and
feel wonderful, I forget all the little things we did do, but there is
the proof.

Each morning I select the cards to be put into the “to do” slot, and
arrange the order. Sometimes I choose the cards, and let DS arrange
their order. He is older now, but still loves to run to the chart and
move up the card to the done slot, it has done wonders for his attitude.

We always pray before beginning school, for the boys attitudes, AND
for mine. I know the Lord cares about the boys education and my peace
of mind, but as Strawberry the winged horse says in C. S. Lewis’s “The
Magician’s Nephew,” “I’m sure he does know, but I get the feeling he
rather likes to be asked.”

Last year I thought the “independent
assignments,” idea was a cruel story made up by perfect homeschoolers
with only girls. But about 3 months ago my son went from torture
reading to reading long chapter books, and lo and behold, doing
independent work!