Get It Together With the Sue Patrick Workbox System!

Am I naturally organized? No. Therefore, as a former public school teacher and current homeschool one, one of my perpetual professional goals has been to reduce the number of piles in my learning environment. Because whether or not it comes naturally, orderliness matters in education. Each year of my teaching career (yes, homeschooling is still a career!), I try to get a little better at it, try to incorporate new ideas that fit our situation. As the title of this blog implies, we are homeschooling in a barn, until we get the "real" house built. (So, are we barnschoolers? Are there such?) Space is at a premium, and anything not being used now goes upstairs to the attic. I don't have room for piles or clutter in the kitchen/classroom. So, how timely that the TOS Crew is reviewing the Sue Patrick Workbox System!

What is the Sue Patrick Workbox System? Well, Sue has spent the last 11 years developing and honing this approach to homeschooling. She brings to the program her own commitment as a mother to give her children the most productive learning environment and procedures she can. The Sue Patrick Workbox System is more than an organizational tool. It provides:

• directions for creating a learning environment that truly fosters learning


• daily procedures that lead to less wasted time, more motivation to complete assignments, and fosters the development of independence in students


• guidance in creating an organized learning system for all ages from preschool to high school


• information and admonishment which explains and clarifies what homeschooling is and is not all about

What she provides is very thorough directions and guidelines, as well as templates that coordinate with each part of the Workbox System. The supplies this system calls for are not expensive and are readily available at Walmart, Target, and even many dollar stores. The benefits to both teacher and student are potentially tremendous as the stress of clutter and lost time is replaced by the peacefulness and productivity of orderliness.

Let's talk about customizing the Workbox System. How flexible is it? We all have different learning environments--some have an entire room in their home devoted to school, while there are many of us who squeeze school and its supplies anywhere we can in the house. The Workbox System would work in either scenario. While Mrs. Patrick stresses the need for a student's own work area, that doesn't at all mean you're committing to a home makeover to achieve that. If you have room for your student(s) to have a small, quiet work space set up, you can use and benefit from the Workbox System.

What ages is the Workbox System appropriate for? All. Okay, I can only speak for me, but, as stated above, organization doesn't come naturally to me. I also grew up in the public school system, taking advanced and honors classes. I'm a perfectionist. I struggle with procrastination. Those aren't an easy combination of characteristics to manage! Imagine the image of a teenage girl up in the middle of the night sitting on the floor with stacks of paper all around searching for a Calculus assignment due the next day or staying up all night long to begin and finish a months-long assignment for an Honors English class, turning in the assignment (an A, by the way) but unable to make it to class because I was exhausted. I needed the Workbox System!

I think it's safe to assume that I'm not the only one for whom organization is a learned skill. Younger students need to learn the skills the Workbox System nurtures. Self motivation, seeing a task through to completion, self pacing, and the ability to work independently are all crucial learning and life skills. The actual structure of the the learning environment the program describes is conducive to fostering these skills. Teens, as well, with all the extracurricular interests they are developing, can benefit from the structure and visual nature of Sue Patrick's Workbox System. There are very few situations more frustrating than the out of control feeling of being swamped and now even knowing for sure what all you need to get done. In college, I was so very blessed to have a part-time job as a tutor and student coach. Much of our training had to do with study and time management skills. As I learned how to help others, I realized how much stress I could eliminate by simply taking the time needed to give everything its own space and time. With each year I taught, I think I was more effective because those skills continued to develop. As I learned through training and the example of others, I added organizational tools to my routines and classroom that not only eliminated much wasted time and frustration; it gave me the opportunity to use that time for study or activities which enriched the time my students spent in my class.

What's the commitment and investment here? Well, the commitment entails taking the time to really read The User's Guide after paying for it, and, again, taking the time to really follow the direction Mrs. Patrick so carefully explains. This isn't a program that you can use here and there--to experience the benefits of the Workbox System, you've got to be willing to use it daily and correctly. Now, does that mean you have to do every single thing like Mrs. Patrick suggests? No! While she offers very specific and thorough guidelines for Workbox System use, you can tweak the program to fit the ages of your students, their learning abilities, strengths, and weaknesses, the space of your learning environment, and your budget. Speaking of that, you can spend less than $25 per student on supplies for the Workbox System. You can also go all out and spend way more. You can click here to view how the Workbox System takes on different forms and price tags for different users, yet retains the same basic setup.

What do you actually get from Sue Patrick? You have options here:

1. For $19, you can buy the ebook version of The Sue Patrick Workbox System User's Guide, which also gives you permission to download various tips and templates which go with the program. You buy your own supplies.


2. The print version of the User's Guide is also available for $19.95.


3. For $119.95, you can purchase four months of personalized email consulting with Sue Patrick as well as the ebook of the User's Guide. You still buy your own supplies with this one.


4. For an even more indepth consulting package that includes a classroom kit, click here.

To check out all the books and supplies offered, click here to go to the online catalog.

Okay, am I using the Workbox system? Not in its entirety. I took a lot of time getting our school organized for this year, and I can't justify chunking what's working to buy different supplies. However, I am planning to go to this system for next year. And in the meantime, I have learned quite a bit from the User's Guide that I can incorporate into what we're doing this year. As I read, Mrs. Patrick really made me think and examine the effects of my organizational and time management practices. And I am making changes. And when I do use it more fully next year, I will tweak it to some extent to fit us and my own educational philosophy.

Can I recommend this product? Yes. It is as cost efficient as you make it to be, and as beneficial as you're willing to make it through taking the time, energy, and attention it takes to do it right. So, head on over to the Sue Patrick Workbox System website to learn more and watch an informational video or to the TOS Crew blog to read the reviews of other Crew members.