Our Dual-purpose School Room

Hi friends,

Today is the big day: we begin our new curriculum .  And I wanted to share some photos of our school room (formerly our oldest daughter's bedroom) with you. It's one of my favorite rooms in our house.   :)

My hubby is a carpenter - the (indulge me, please, while I brag on my man) best carpenter  because he learned from the best: my beloved father-in-law.

So when I casually mentioned to him that I would like some bookshelves for school books in the play room, I could see the wheels starting to turn. And he started spitting out suggestions faster than I could process them!  What we ended up with is a wonderful room full of bookshelves, maps, and well, it's what I consider a room full of learning.....

Lots and lots of books... but these aren't just school books. And we already need more shelf space. Ok, I confess: I'm a book hoarder!   ;)

                                                 Scriptures and maps...

                       Photos of favorite historical figures ("Stonewall" Jackson and Robert E. Lee).

                    Rope lights around the closet doors add extra light to the room.

  The children picked out the material for me to make these curtains and pillows. This is a favorite reading spot for them.

I never tire of the view from this window and I love the wide window sill. It's where I keep my lesson schedule book.

                       Mimi likes to sit at her tea party table and  do her "lessons". 

             We started a new tradition a few years ago: our younger children's handprints on the wall.

                   And our grandchildren, too. Little Evelette's handprints have yet to be added.   :)

                     What's a school room without Old Glory?

                            One of my favorite things about the room: hubby made these desks.

He installed a light above each one and they are hinged to the wall, so you can "put them away" when our lessons are finished. (I looove this man!!!)

    Once the desks are folded up, it's time to get out the Lincoln Logs!



Now, let me clarify something. Just because we have a school room doesn't mean that we're confined to that room when we do our lessons. It is a wonderful place to have school, but we're not in that room all day every day.

                              My children have been known to do their lessons here...

                                                      ...or here...

                                                          ...or here...

                                                         ...or here...

                                                            ...or here..

                                                ...or even the front yard.


We believe that home education is not about a room. As Charlotte Mason said, "Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life."

Hope you enjoyed the "tour" of our dual-purpose school room.  :)

Happy homeschooling!










sharing with The Modest Mom