New to Homeschool: Tips for Organizing and Setting Up Your Space

You want to have a dedicated home classroom. Creating a “school” setting in your home does not have to be difficult or costly. However, a school setting may be necessary for various reasons. Having a learning set up in your home can promote learning and help children, especially smaller children, know when it’s time for school. A home classroom can also help you transition from parent or caregive to teacher or learning coach.

There are simple ways to organize your home classroom. First, find the right room in your home that has minimal distractions. Avoid your children’s bedroom. If you are homeschooling a teen, you can be the best judge of whether the teen’s room is a space that will allow them to focus without disruptions. Avoid toy and game rooms. These are fun rooms for children and can be used as a child’s recess room.

Next, set up your room with only the items you need to complete your lessons. You may have a white board with resources that support your lessons listed on it. Have all your teaching resources such as your homeschool lesson planner, curriculum teaching guides, handouts, etc easily accessible. Set up a desk or small table with a chair for your child to sit in. *Optional* Set up your child’s desk or table in a that allows you the ability to easily walk and flow around them, to monitor their progress.

Lastly, plan your materials for each lesson ahead so you have all print outs, school supplies and resources needed to teach. Set up your student’s desk or table areas to be equiped with sharpened pencils, books and other lesson resources. Have textbook lessons book marked for easy transition to the pages. The goal is to conduct your lessons with minimal distractions and interruptions. Check out the New to Homeschool: Lesson Planning Strategies blog for tips on planning out your lessons.