Home School Remodeling

Teaching your children at home can be an immensely rewarding experience. One of the reasons that many parents choose to homeschool their kids is that they feel they can provide a better education for their children than either a public or private school. To provide an outstanding education for your children, you will need to provide an environment that fosters learning. Power Homeschool has a few tips for creating a learning space for your children in your home. Great home school remodeling design and implementation a learning environment ripe for success, for both you and the children.

Home School Decision

To homeschool or not to homeschool, that is the question! Whether it is nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of playground bullies, or to take up workbooks against the common core and by opposing – teach common sense. Oh to wonder no more, and by making a decision, to say we end the heartache of forever scarring our children by choosing incorrectly.

Home Schooling

There are many benefits to homeschooling. Here are a few:

• More time to spend with your kids.
• Flexible curriculum to meet your child’s individual needs.
• Flexibility in vacations.
• Ability for your children to find and focus on their gifts.
• More chance for internships as they get older.
• Field trip opportunities that bring their learning to life and can include the whole family.
• Your children have a lot of time to find out what their passion is and what it isn’t.
• They can learn life skills everyday – baking, cooking, money/shopping, gardening, car maintenance, etc.

Home School Room Remodel

While it can be tempting to set up shop at the dining room table or on the couch, these areas aren’t the most conducive to learning. Creating a dedicated learning space can make it easier for children to concentrate on schoolwork.

Large Room

When it comes time to make a special place just for school, consider a room that is large and open. Consider what all you will need in the room. You will need a place for students to work; often, parents choose a table or desks. Learning centers are important for homeschooling environments, and bookshelves are a great place to store reading and learning materials. Don’t forget that you will need a lot of storage space in this room, so you are going to need a lot of room for everything.

Light

Think about the amount of light you have in your space. Windows are great for natural light, but it isn’t always bright and sunny outside. Make sure that you have light fixtures that will keep the room bright enough on dark, gloomy days, too.

Dedicated Space

Your home school remodeling strategy should focus on how best to complete schoolwork and not outside activities. You don’t want the room to double as a playroom, because you might notice that kids stop focusing as well. You might also notice that supplies dwindle or vanish when the room is used for play or other activities.

Comfort

Does the room that you are thinking of using for your homeschooling lessons have good airflow? Is the space well-insulated? You won’t want to choose a space that is hot in the summer and cold in the winter. If you choose a place like a converted garage or basement, make sure that you can control the temperature in the area to ensure that everyone is focused on their schoolwork instead of their discomfort.

Temperature Control

If you know that your homeschooling space gets cold in the winter, consider investing in a quality space heater. Vice versa, if it is warm in the summer, you might need extra air conditioning power or a good fan to circulate air through the space.

Blinds

Windows that allow natural light into the room can be beneficial, but you might want to install blinds or curtains if the room is in direct sunlight, as direct sunlight can make the room very warm.

Seating Arrangements

Not all kids like to sit in a chair all day. Have different seating options in the room to make the space more comfortable for those who want to sit on the floor or on a beanbag chair. You could also offer yoga balls for deskwork.

Outside Noise

Noise can be a big distractor for kids. Try to make sure that your classroom is quiet. If your kids do better with soft music, that can be an easy way to drown out some of the noise you may otherwise find bothersome. Remember to include noise cancelling materials with your home school remodeling design.

Energize The Room

Traditional classrooms often have posters and other fun things on the walls to create a more inviting space for students past the tile floors and beige walls. In your home, you can make your schooling space as colorful and fun as you would like. In fact, you can even get your children involved in the decorating. Use a lot of colors to make the space unique and fun.

Add Colors

A few ideas for making your classroom a fun place for the kids includes painting the room a soothing color or add an accent wall. You can also incorporate color with furniture, a rug, and throw pillows. Hang student artwork on the walls and put up fun, educational posters.

Make Learning Fun

Don’t forget that learning should be fun. When possible, use toys as teaching tools. Not only will this make learning more enjoyable, but it will add a bit of whimsey to the room as well.

Supplies At The Ready

The worst thing you can do is forget to make an area for the basic school supplies. If your kids have to go on a five-minute hunt every day for a pencil, that will eat away at precious time and cause a big distraction. Make sure that there is a well-stocked supply station in your classroom to avoid constantly searching for simple things throughout the day. You can keep things like rulers, staplers, markers, and other items that might not be used as often in a supply cabinet or station. Get creative with labels and keep the space organized.

Work Areas

When completing your home school remodeling project, don’t forget to create an area for all of the teacher items. You don’t want to have to carry your own supplies all over the house. If you want to keep your supplies separate from the regular classroom supplies, then make your own little space in the classroom. If you have your own desk, you can store most of your things in your desk for safekeeping.

Writing Boards

There is a reason that chalkboards and markerboards are placed in classrooms. Consider getting one or the other to use in your schoolroom. If you really want to get creative, you could use chalkboard paint to make a wall your chalkboard.

Get Out & Explore

While you will likely spend a lot of time in your homeschool classroom, don’t forget to take the opportunity to get out of the classroom from time to time. Get out of the house altogether and learn while in the park or at the grocery store. Keep things interesting and get out of the classroom.

Furniture

Some homeschool parents create a little area outside to use on nice days. Get quality furniture that your children can do schoolwork from. We recommend getting solid furniture so that the tabletop can be a good writing surface. When shopping on a budget check out Salvation Army, Good Will and others second shops.

Gardening

You can also take the time to plant a garden to use as a lesson. This can be fun and educational.

Take Breaks

Nobody likes working for extended times without a break. When your kids start to get restless or hungry, it might be a good idea to create a scheduled break. Maybe you need to take a morning snack break and an afternoon exercise or play break a couple of hours after lunch. When you are first getting started, you might start to notice good times for these breaks, and then you can start scheduling them into your day.

The Individual Child

While some children might require frequent short breaks, others might like only one or two longer breaks. Cater to the individual needs of your children. Let them help you create the schedule for maximum results.

Clutter Free

Keep your learning area, free from clutter. With less distractions you can expect improved attention with improved learning.

Get Organized

Organization will be your friend as a homeschool parent. Keep lessons and activities sorted by topic and age. Getting and staying organized is a life lesson for success. Why not teach this lesson, as you organize for enhanced learning.

End Of The Day

At the end of the day, get everything picked up and put away. This is a perfect time to reflect on the day’s completed work and to feel good about the day’s accomplishments.

Study Time & Area

No matter where you plan to have your student do the bulk of his or her work at home, it has to be clean. When school work is in progress, there should be no toys, clothes, etc. around. Teach you kids to focus on the job at hand. Concentrate on what needs to be done. When doing what needs to be done, only have the tools you need to get the work done. Do your best to reduce clutter and distractions. Teach this life lesson. When doing your work, only have the tools you need to accomplish your task.

Soft Music

Classical and film music works the best for me. The studies have been done to demonstrate that listening to classical music stimulates brain activity, and helps students focus. Check out Greenred Productions on YouTube. They offer a variety of music to enhance learning and concentration. 

Keep Them Moving

Whenever possible, ask the children to look for answers to there questions. Encourage them to reach for the tablet, go to the desktop, pick up a book, search for the answer. The act of searching for the answer, can reward their learning. Include this idea when planning your home school remodeling project.

Get Outside

Go to historical locations and teach history. Why not go to the park and study plants and photosynthesis. When driving teach math, by discussing the speed limit and travel times. Learning lessons are all around you and the kids.

No Bedrooms

Bedrooms, should be places of sanctuary. Keep work and stress out of the bedroom.

Quick Breaks

Check with the kids, if they are on a roll, let them continue. Assure them, that breaks are permissible.

Home School Remodeling Ideas

Whether you’re modifying an existing space, adding onto your home, or building a new house from scratch, some features can make your homeschool classroom better.

• Large space
• Comfortable climate
• Windows and natural light
• Good interior lighting
• Easy clean up floors
• Add colors
• Wall covering whiteboard, art displays, and posters.
• Dedicated outdoor learning area
• Garden area

Important Factors

The two most important factors when homeschooling your kids is you and your kids.

Different Furniture

Find furniture that allows you to create different learning zones. A private desk for subjects that require focus and attention. Central tables for group learning.

Energize The Room

Bright colors can help inspire creativity and energy. Inspirational images or words can set the tone for success in learning.

Keep It Fresh

The school room isn’t the only aspect of the environment that matters. Your neighborhood, area, and town can give you access to other learning environments. Walks in the park to learn about nature. Trips to the library to encourage self-education. Sports clubs to help teach them about communication and collaboration. Decide what you want to teach and select the appropriate off site area to teach our young ones.

Network For Support

Find like minded parents. Teaching your child doesn’t mean it has to be a solitary effort. Find a group that resonates with your teaching style. When you find like-minded parents, share ideas and resources.

8 Home School Remodeling Tips