Using Co-Working in our Homeschool Day

It all started with an awkward zoom call. (They were not awkward, I was.) I am part of this amazing homeschool community created and lead by Leah Boden called The Collective. One of the events that happens in membership is The Brontë Room. This is a place where we all gather once a month for a zoom call where we work on writing, crafting, journaling, and Commonplace Notebook projects together. We do 2 pomodoro sessions with a quick break and then we chat at the end about what we worked on.

I am quite fond of zoom calls and group workshops, but this co-working idea was new in practice to me. I discovered that this is a productivity tool I have been missing! After I got over the initial awkwardness I was able to get a ton of focused work done! It was just enough accountability that I pushed through the typical distractions and made the most of my time. I worked on my journaling (which I don’t take enough time to do). It was lovely. The ladies there were encouraging and kind.

My inspiring author cousin Reed Migult had talked about co-working spaces and explained how helpful they are. > > See more in this article: Plotting, Pantsing & Progress Tracker . But, until The Brontë Room, I had never tried it myself. I have only thought of quiet productive work as being alone and undisturbed. To get planning, writing, or journaling done I have walled myself off from my kids and hidden away in a quiet space. This year that is shifting and changing.

The next week as my kids gathered their school work and books I had a genius idea: What if co-working would be a good tool in my homeschooling too?!

For the past 12 years, I have had at least one student who is learning how to read. That means phonics lessons, sounding out words, sitting next to me, and being dependent on me. But this year I have crossed to the other side. With a shift to having older kids (ages 8, 11, 15, & 17) I am no longer needed for detailed lessons and walking them through every concept.

They have a list of work for the day (or week) and tackle it with determination and focus. Instead, I play the role of coach and guide more than instructor. My older kids are already very independent. This year, Kyle (my youngest) is a 2nd grader and becoming a strong reader. I can give him a few pages of work at a time. (I have also adjusted our curriculum to less teacher-intensive materials.)

This changes everything. The last few months we have shifted our school lessons to an atmosphere that is more like co-working and we love it. The kids enjoy having more independence and I enjoy guiding instead of intense teaching.

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What it looks like:

Kyle (my 2nd grader) can read the directions and complete assignments on his own. When he chooses to focus… (we are also working on the habit of attention). He sits next to me at our school table, allowing me to help him right away (or give him a gentle touch on the arm and my “teacher look”). I guide his morning with a mix of lessons and independent work. I give him short lists and a variety of work.

The older kids work consistently in the same room at a desk or on the computer. I just keep them on track. They come to me when they get stuck and I walk them through or troubleshoot the lesson. But most of the time, they have the materials they need to learn. I grade their work, do check-ins for progress, talk about the chapter concepts, and sometimes find YouTube videos to deepen learning. They feel respected and valued because I trust them to stay focused. They feel more in control of their learning and step up to the challenge.

My oldest is graduating in May and is nearly independent with her own schedule. She has her own car, a part-time job, dance classes, independent school work, and runs her small business. I play a coach role by doing regular check-ins, grading, and relaxed conversations about her work.

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What that means for me:

My main goal during school time is to focus on the kids understanding their work and keeping Kyle on task. I know that I will get interrupted. But having that small amount of space has made a huge difference in my energy level and my capacity.

I now have time to check email, work on grading, homeschool planning, and do simple writing business work. I have a list of homeschooling tasks to get done each day. And then I can move on to all the other pieces of managing writing and a household. 

This means that I can enjoy my free afternoons doing deep work, going on long walks, or playing board games with the kids. It is so exciting! I feel like a whole new level of productivity has opened up for me.

I have also found that during the times when we are not doing school work, we can enjoy just having fun together. I have more social energy after a co-working session than after an intense morning teaching lessons. I don’t need as much space or quiet after lunch. I am not sure if I am growing my capacity to do more or if the co-working sessions are just less draining. I will find out over time on that one. But something I have discovered is that I want to take time to connect with the kids more in the afternoons.

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How we find connection time:

I have been homeschooling for 13 years and I have been a stay-at-home mom for 17 years. My kids and I are used to spending our days together. Our homeschool mornings are spent in the same space together but we are quietly doing our work separately. So sometimes we miss the togetherness of doing group learning activities. Once or twice a week we include one of the following activities.

Group Learning & Fun Together:

• Morning Time
  • Pam Barnhill is the most amazing resource for this! Your Morning Basket & free Morning Time Plans
• Playing Board Games
• Listening to Audiobooks together
• Adventure Days

Here are some articles to help out:

• Homeschooling is a Job
• Interest-Lead Learning – Strewing (What, How & Why)
• Homeschool – Project Day
• Homeschool Planning 101 – 3 Tips for Your Schedule
• Homeschool High School Resources

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Questions:

• What can you add to your schedule this year to breathe new life into this season?
• How can you change the atmosphere in your school day to finish this year well?
• Have you tried co-working? When and where has that been effective for you?

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Each school year has had its own positives, challenges, and frustrations. I am doing my best to enjoy the benefits of our schedule this year. I am thrilled that co-working has been added to our schedule this year.

Every single homeschool year has been distinct. In May my oldest will be graduating and heading off to her dorm in the fall. Next year will be different. A few years ago I stopped trying to repeat what had worked from the year before and embraced the unique qualities of the year ahead.

As I wrote out this post I paused to pray for you and your homeschool week. I especially think of those of you who still have littles who need so much structure and attention. You can do this! What you are doing is long-term, hard, and draining. But it is so worth it! I hope that God gives you insight and patience to tackle whatever challenges come your way!

🙂❤️ Happy Homeschooling! – April

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Photos by Marvin Meyer and Lucia Macedo on Unsplash

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