Co-Ops

Today, I want to share with you about our co-op!

Last post, I shared about the cottage school my oldest son attends once per week. I wanted to compare the two for anyone out there who may not know the difference.

As I previously stated, at the cottage school we pay a private tutor to come in and teach. At our co-op, we are a group of parents who each take turns teaching different classes. We meet at a local church that is very generous to let us use their building.

We have our group divided into three groups for classes: younger elementary, older elementary, and middle school. We don't have any official high-schoolers yet, except my oldest son so that's why he doesn't go. (Yikes! That really does mean I'm getting old! :)

This year, I am teaching Health and Introduction to Logic, both for high-school credit. I don't work with the younger students too much...only if I need to sub for someone so I'm not as acquainted with how their day flows. 

For my two younger sons, who are in 8th grade, a typical co-op day looks like this: 

8:45 Parents meet for prayer while children take their things to the classrooms
9:00-10:00    Apologetics 
10:00-11:00  Introduction to Logic 
11:00-12:00  Physical Science Experiments
12:00-1:00    Lunch 
1:00-2:00      American History
2:00-3:00      Health
3:00-4:00      Geography

We meet on Mondays. I wasn't sure when we started this year that I would like this as Mondays tend to be a little hard to get back in the groove. I have to say, though, that I have found it to be a great way to start the week. It's a nice transition because it is school, they are definitely learning, but it's fun!

We have been part of some other co-ops before, one we really enjoyed and one we got out of asap! Sometimes it just isn't a good fit, and that is perhaps the hardest thing about joining a co-op. You have to make the commitment for the long haul and if you find out it isn't your family's cup o' tea, you are kinda stuck.

My advice would be to talk to a few members very thoroughly. Don't be afraid to respectfully ask hard or uncomfortable questions. If they can't or won't answer them or even get offended that you are asking, run! You have to be with a group of people that can communicate if this is going to work well.

I hope wherever you are that you have some like-minded homeschool friends. I've been through a few very lonely seasons on my journey, and it's definitely not easy! If you can't find a physical group in your community, at least join an on-line one so you can be encouraged to keep your feet to the path God has called you to.