The Organized Homeschooler

**QuilterMom** · 10-12-2004, 08:39 PM

These are notes from a seminar I attended at my state homeschool convention.

The Organized Homeschooler
Vicki Caruana www.applesandchalkdust.com

* Five Categories of Organization We're All Struggling With
1.) Time
2.) Papers (paperwork)
3.) Supplies and materials
4.) Space (rooms, how to store things)
5.) Family

Vicki's book, The Organized Homeschooler, deals with all of the above. It's not a step-by-step system (because every family is different). It's about the heart of the matter - do you really want to improve?

- Why do you want to become more organized?

- CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome)

* Types of Organizers
1.) The organizationally challenged person. (Tries, but it doesn't work.)
2.) Wannabes. (People at home amongst chaos, but feel they shouldn't be.)
3.) Well-intentioned organized. (Life got in the way.)
4.) Already well-organized. (Always on the hunt for a better way to do things.)

- The first thing you need to do is set goals. Do this before you buy any type of bookcase, closet organizing system, etc.

* Three Kinds of Goals
1.) Academic
2.) Process (Goals that talk about how we do what we do - use adverbs in this goal statement. For example: Doing his schoolwork neatly. Doing it in a timely manner.)
3.) Personal or Spiritual (Character issues you're going to work on.)

- Set these (above) for each of your children, but do it with them. If you enlist your children in this, it becomes their vision as well.

- Then, do it for yourself! Where do you need to improve? Let your children see you do this because you are modeling it for them.

- Everything you do should have something to do with meeting your goals or you are wasting time.

- Don't let schedules control you. You are supposed to control them.

- Be smart about what you buy and why you buy it.

- Be intentional and think about what you believe. Are you doing what you believe? Everything is your choice. You have to do what is right for your family. Our time is precious.

- Our children need to learn responsibility. They need to work and help around the house. They need to know this for raising their own families. You need to take care of your home as a family unit (everyone in the family needs to take responsibility).