Start your own Win Room School House
Step 1. Register as a homeschooler with your state

Step 1. Register as a homeschooler with your state

We are not affiliated with the links below, but these resources are a great place to start to find out the laws in your state!
Not sure if you're ready for this commitment? Skip to Step 2 during a school break (summer, winter break or spring break!).
Step 2. Do a test run for one week

Step 2. Do a test run for one week

To create your own Win Room School House, you first need to define the strengths and weaknesses, needs and abilities of the participants in your school (parents, students, pets, tutors, friends, family).

Forget everything you've always thought to be true about school: from No. 2 pencils to blackboards--toss it out and start to consider what skills your child will really need to be happy and fulfilled in life (today, and as an adult).
The Test Run Overview
  • Parents should journal (or Facebook or Instagram!) each day about their observations. What was stressful? What was fun? What was surprising? Did you get to sleep in? How messy did the house get? Were the kids constantly snacking? Were you able to get any work done?
  • Kids should be included in the observation process through journaling or discussion. What was fun? What was boring? Did you watch a lot of TV? Did you miss your friends? Are your parents embarrassing?
  • You can get by for the week's experiment without purchasing curriculum. Put together materials from the internet for your experiment. Start simply with a grade-appropriate math worksheet (one per day per student), a stack of books (audiobooks for early readers) from the library, and some notebooks or paper.
  • Use the materials to assess: academic level, and more importantly, ability to work independently and self-motivate. Did the student work ahead and finish everything for the week in one day? Did the student fill up pages with journaling? Was the student eager to read or listen to books?
Step 3. Assess the Experiment

Step 3. Assess the Experiment

Put the scientific method to use! With your student(s) assess your trial week. Jot down on a piece of paper as many observations as possible. Note which items were positive, negative or need to be reinvented.

Questions to ask (these questions are for every participant in the day-to-day operations of your school):
  • Did you learn anything? What did you learn? (Most kids can't easily report back what they learned--even in public school!)
  • Did you feel productive?
  • Did your stress levels go up or down?
  • How did your personalities clash or blend?
  • What kind of schedule did you follow, if any?
  • What needs were met, or unmet?
  • What would need to change or stay the same to continue homeschooling?
  • Did you feel supported?
Step 4. Make a Decision!

Step 4. Make a Decision!

Based on your assessment it's time to make a decision:
  • Send those kids back to school and fast
  • Continue building your Win Room School House (with some modifications, of course!)