10 Ideas for a Smarter Homework Station for Students of All Ages

One of the best ways to keep your student on task while learning from home is to keep their workspace clutter free and eliminate outside distractions as much as possible. Sherri Conti is a kindergarten teacher with more than 30 years of experience. She says the secret to creating a successful homeschool station is to keep on hand only the materials necessary to complete each lesson on the table. “Items such as pencils, crayons and notebooks are okay but try to keep toys and technology to a minimum while working with elementary-age students.” Instead, “Use their favorite toy, movie or outdoor activity as an incentive to stay on task throughout the day," she says.

Homeschool educator and lifestyle blogger Markëta Howard instructs her two children and has mastered the art of (stylish!) homeschool supply organization. “The learning materials in our homeschool room are organized on shelves and displayed on trays or on small book stands,” she says. "I organize our materials by subject, then by age to suit each of my child’s needs. In our upstairs loft, we have a separate space that houses many of my children’s books (organized by color), along with a table and their morning basket work. Finally, we set up our basement to include space for gross motor skills activities." Follow Markëta on Instagram @schoolathomeandbeyond for more inspiring photos and home education tips.

Middle and high school students are gaining their independence and as such, often require a unique approach for homeschool education. High school teacher Caitlin Carter works with students between 9th and 12th grade and shares that organization and personal planning are key for teens. Her advice? “Hang a whiteboard calendar on the wall of their homeschool station so your student can write down due dates for all of their assignments. This is helpful because it allows them to keep track of what is due all in one central location.”

Keep the lesson plan in mind when setting up a homeschool station for the week. Homeschool educator Markëta Howard keeps chaos at bay while working with her two kiddos on creative projects by setting up on wipeable surfaces. "Our kitchen area includes their arts and crafts materials, space for messy play and experiments, and child-size supplies for making clean-up a breeze!"