If you are in a co-op, is anyone allowed in or how do they pick & choose?

[J'swife]

I'm on the board of a co-op and we need to expand, but we really don't want to just open it up to anyone.  I know this doesn't sound right, but we need people that are willing to teach.

 

Not sure how we should go about it. 

 

[Berley]

In our co-op, you are expected to teach if you enroll. There is actually a place on the enrollment form where you list what you would like to teach. If t isn't filled in, your enrollment form is incomplete, and therefore, you are not accepted into the co-op.

[KungFuPanda]

In our co-op, parents must remain on the premises and they must teach or co-teach at least one class. Those two rules right there take care of A LOT of issues. Also, you teach what you want. We submit proposals, then fill in interest forms based upon those proposals. The classes that can draw students are the ones that make the schedule the following year.

[Joyofsixreboot]

I'm in two different coops in two different counties. Neither has many rules.  Who ever shows up to sign up day is in. We do ask for phone numbers if an adult isn't going to be around.  Most moms not teaching leave. I guess we're pretty free form.  My only problem with this has been that my expectations about my children behaving and doing the assigned work seem vastly different from some others. My 11 yo has been unhappy because she is very serious, wants to do hard work and doesn't want to listen to others chat and ignore the instruction.  I don't think PS would be an improvement though  :huh:

[applethyme]

Our co-op is small and all the mom's teach classes based on a general theme.  We invite families known to us if they would like to join the co-op.  We have them visit for two days then teach a sample lesson.  Afterward the families vote if this possible new member will be compatible with the group.  We have never not allowed a new member. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I think just saying that up front is good enough.  That would be enough for me not to join.  I have no desire to teach!

 

 

[MEmama]

My 11 yo has been unhappy because she is very serious, wants to do hard work and doesn't want to listen to others chat and ignore the instruction. I don't think PS would be an improvement though :huh:

This is exactly why we don't belong to any groups or coops. In our experience, they've mostly existed for social time and not true academics. DS feels like that's just a waste of his time and isn't interested.

[clementine]

Our co-op doesn't require you to teach.  A majority of the teachers (about 30) don't even have a child in the co-op.  They are licensed teachers who would rather teach homeschool students 1-2 days a week than hold a full-time teaching position. 

[HS Mom in NC]

I know of one where your child can't participate in any classes until the class you have committed to teach is on the schedule and announced.

[mom2att]

I personally think that not everyone is equipped to teach a group of children, even in an elective-based, co-op setting like the one I am a part of, so our co-op requirement is for teaching OR assisting in the classroom.  Parents have to stay on-site and perform one of those functions (teaching or assisting) in one of our two class hours. My experience in requiring people to teach who are not equipped to do so has not been positive--generally nobody is happy in that situation.

 

Regarding admission requirements, our group has an application process and a very limited application window.  We also have a sort of vetting process by requiring applicants to be part of our general membership first. Ideally that allows us to get to know them through the field trips, social events, etc. of the general membership, but we're a large group so it doesn't always work out that way. Once a family is in the general membership they have the opportunity to apply for the co-op if they are interested and if we have space available for the upcoming year. We only accept applications for a two week period in the spring prior to the upcoming co-op year. We also have a co-op open house for our applicants so that they can see what they are getting into :-)

 

The application asks general information like names/ages/grades of their kids, because we might be low in the primary area but be bursting at the seams with middle schoolers and we need to know where a particular family will fit into that. We accept by family, so we need to make sure we have space for all members. The application also asks where they see themselves contributing to the co-op, and we do place an emphasis on teaching, but if an applicant says they are only interested in assisting we do not rule them out. We also place a high regard for personal recommendations, and ask if they know anyone in the current co-op.

 

Once we have all of the applications we (the board of directors) go through each and every one to determine who will be the best fit. We desire to find not only those whom we need, but those who need us. It is incredibly difficult to determine who "gets in," because our spaces are always limited and we hate turning people away, but with a lot of prayer and careful thought it all works out in the end.

[QueenCat]

Our co-op doesn't require you to teach.  A majority of the teachers (about 30) don't even have a child in the co-op.  They are licensed teachers who would rather teach homeschool students 1-2 days a week than hold a full-time teaching position. 

 

If the parents aren't teaching, what are they doing?

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Sorry, butting in to ask something I've always wondered: In coops where all parents are required to teach, does anybody vet the parents' qualifications, experience, and aptitude for teaching?

[clementine]

If the parents aren't teaching, what are they doing?

If your child is 6th grade and younger, you must stay on site - there is a lounge and library that you can be in.  If your child is 7-12 grade, you may leave them there (classes run from 9-4pm - you can pick and choose what classes to take/how long to be there).  They are expected to follow the rules - breaking of the rules results in removal from co-op if it continues.  

[catz]

Our co-op just has caps on it's classes.  We have a fall and spring semester.  Registration opens to members first and then a week later it's announced to the homeschool universe.  We have an open house in the spring for people to come try it out.  It's advertised as secular and welcoming, so there is no religious requirement (or lack of - there certainly are church goers that attend).  When the class is full, it's full. 

 

Our co-op is "professionally" taught.  Some parents teach in a subject area they have background/experience with, but there are also "expert" teachers.  So teaching is not a requirement.  If teaching is a requirement, maybe advertise it and allow parents that are willing and able to organize and teach something are welcome to register to join.  Maybe the requirement to do a class description/brief syllabus would be a pre-req to registering kids.

 

That said, I have mixed feelings about requiring teaching because not everyone is good at it and have unfortunately have learned this from experience.  The parents that CHOOSE to share some of their expertise are usually just better, more engaged teachers.  Our co-op is probably more expensive than many though.

[catz]

My 11 yo has been unhappy because she is very serious, wants to do hard work and doesn't want to listen to others chat and ignore the instruction.  I don't think PS would be an improvement though  :huh:

 

 

We did a co-op when my kids were younger and mostly it was like herding cats.  We didn't last very long.  I also had to stay on site and it was a long, exhausting day.  Our current co-op is ages 10+ only (mostly focusing on 12+) and generally the kids are engaged and ready to focus at class time.  I do think a classroom environment can be hard for any super serious, introverted kid at any age though.

 

[SebastianCat]

I'm on the board of a co-op and we need to expand, but we really don't want to just open it up to anyone.  I know this doesn't sound right, but we need people that are willing to teach.

 

Not sure how we should go about it. 

 

 

The co-op that I am currently involved with requires parents to teach after their 1st year.   During their 1st year, they mostly assist in the classroom, and if holes open up (like a family with a hardship leaves mid-year), then we may ask a 1st year mom to step in.    But after their 1st year, if they choose to remain as part of the group, we ask them to teach something.

 

We have a document that we update each year that gets posted on our website, which spells out the requirements.   Essentially, we ask that if a mom doesn't feel led to teach, that they go elsewhere.  We also have a list of other groups and co-ops that we recommend locally.   The only "drop off" groups that we know employ (and pay) professional teachers to teach their classes, and therefore tend to be much more academically rigorous.

[QueenCat]

If your child is 6th grade and younger, you must stay on site - there is a lounge and library that you can be in.  If your child is 7-12 grade, you may leave them there (classes run from 9-4pm - you can pick and choose what classes to take/how long to be there).  They are expected to follow the rules - breaking of the rules results in removal from co-op if it continues.  

 

I meant more what are they doing to be a part of the co-op? To me, if the parents aren't teaching, it's a tutorial, not a co-op. At least that's how it works in the two states I've homeschooled in. Co-ops meant parents teaching and/or doing all of the work to make the co-op function, and all parents had to do so. Tutorial meant parents didn't have to help teach, and there were outside teachers but some parents were part of the teaching staff. Parents that just wanted to drop off, could do so. Granted, with tutorials, you did pay to participate, and it was more than the couple hundred dollars co-ops usually charged per year.

[clementine]

I meant more what are they doing to be a part of the co-op? To me, if the parents aren't teaching, it's a tutorial, not a co-op. At least that's how it works in the two states I've homeschooled in. Co-ops meant parents teaching and doing all of the work, and all parents had to do so. Tutorial meant parents didn't have to help teach, and there were outside teachers but some parents were part of the teaching staff. Parents that just wanted to drop off, could do so. Granted, with tutorials, you did pay to participate, and it was more than the couple hundred dollars co-ops usually charged per year.

We have to do at least one volunteer shift (2 hours) each semester.  Whether that be monitoring the hallway, monitoring the room where they have lunch, etc.  

 

We are a co-op because families cooperate by bringing our children together and ultimately bringing our money together so that our kids can be taught classes by instructors that we pay.  

[QueenCat]

We have to do at least one volunteer shift (2 hours) each semester.  Whether that be monitoring the hallway, monitoring the room where they have lunch, etc.  

 

We are a co-op because families cooperate by bringing our children together and ultimately bringing our money together so that our kids can be taught classes by instructors that we pay.  

 

Thanks for explaining.......... I've never heard of a co-op working that way. Seems almost like a hybrid between a co-op and a tutorial, at least from the ones I've seen. With tutorials, there are fees but the administration determines the charges and collects them, rather than the families pooling the money together, and then paying the instructors. At least that's how I'm understanding your explanation :) I learn so much on how many different ways there are to do things on this board!

[catz]

I meant more what are they doing to be a part of the co-op? To me, if the parents aren't teaching, it's a tutorial, not a co-op. At least that's how it works in the two states I've homeschooled in. Co-ops meant parents teaching and/or doing all of the work to make the co-op function, and all parents had to do so. Tutorial meant parents didn't have to help teach, and there were outside teachers but some parents were part of the teaching staff. Parents that just wanted to drop off, could do so. Granted, with tutorials, you did pay to participate, and it was more than the couple hundred dollars co-ops usually charged per year.

 

Well, we call ours a co-op, but parents are not required to teach and we have expert teachers (some parents, some not).  But parents are required to take shifts each semester with being hall monitors and set up in the morning, lunch monitors, clean up at the end.  We rent space from a church, so we need to move a fair number of chairs and tables to make the space usable.  We sweep, vacuum, rearrange furniture at the end of the day.  Parents that have kids that are consistently causing problems are asked to stay onsite.  Ours does cost consistently more than a couple hundred a year.  Some classes are more rigorous (high school physics/High school civics) and some are less so (ballroom dance/fencing/Harry Potter crafts).  Most students register part time - for half day.  Some students are there all day.   The board and organization is all parent/volunteer run as well.

[Berley]

Sorry, butting in to ask something I've always wondered: In coops where all parents are required to teach, does anybody vet the parents' qualifications, experience, and aptitude for teaching?

 

We all have experience teaching our own kids.  Some of the classes are academic.  Other classes are not.  Each parent gives a class or two that they would like to teach.  It can be PE for kindergarten students.  We have so many kids and families involved that we NEED each parent to offer a class.  That parent can choose something that they are qualified to teach.  The true academic courses are taught by someone that is qualified and experienced (and mostly hand-picked by the administrator).  If there isn't a parent that is qualified to teach a particular class, we hire a teacher that is.  I don't feel qualified to teach upper level sciences, so I don't sign up to teach that.  I'm perfectly fine teaching pretty much anything to elementary students or any math or logic to middle school and high school.  I have offered things like Patty Paper Geometry, Hands On Equations, Mystery Disease, etc.  Many parents aren't comfortable teaching those classes, so they offer something that reflects their strengths.  We always have at least two parent helpers in a room, so if anyone is having trouble with teaching for whatever reason, the administrator can address those issues individually.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I personally think that not everyone is equipped to teach a group of children, even in an elective-based, co-op setting like the one I am a part of, so our co-op requirement is for teaching OR assisting in the classroom.  Parents have to stay on-site and perform one of those functions (teaching or assisting) in one of our two class hours. My experience in requiring people to teach who are not equipped to do so has not been positive--generally nobody is happy in that situation.

 

 

I agree.  I'd be fine with assisting.  I don't think I'm so great at teaching to a group. 

[catz]

Actual core subject academic co ops mystify me. Isn't that what a charter is for?

 

Hmmm ... I don't see the parallel.  Doing a core subject class at a co-op isn't at all like enrolling in a public charter.  Our co-op has both some academic and enrichment classes.  I can't imagine trying to get all your core classes at a once a week co-op.  But in the case of my kid right now, he is taking Civics which has homework, writing requirements, and there is quite a bit of group discussion that goes on in class that would be hard to duplicate at home.  He is taking high school physics, which is mostly a group lab component at class (also hard to duplicate at home) with homework every week to reinforce concepts covered.  And then conversational Spanish, which nicely rounds out us using rosetta at home.   If you really want to "count" it as core subject for an older kid, as a homeschooling parent, you do need to follow up and watch the homework levels and make sure they're being completed.  I just consider that very different from full time enrollment at a charter school where you're dropped into what they think you should have vs. being able to pick once a week classes a la carte.

[idnib]

Actual core subject academic co ops mystify me. Isn't that what a charter is for?

 

In CA if you sign up for a charter you are then subject to the annual state testing, plus you have an oversight person (forgetting the title) come and go over your progress once/month. People might want to do a core academics coop to avoid these 2 things.

[Dmmetler]

We do a co-op that's just social/enrichment, and each parent is responsible for teaching one class (and by one class, I mean one lesson-usually 2 hours long) over the semester (with a few getting byes if it's their first year homeschooling, are going through chemotherapy, are pregnant, or have a baby/young toddler). Since a semester always includes a few things like the Thanksgiving lunch or Easter Egg hunt, and organizing field trips counts, usually it's not a problem. We started out open to the entire homeschool group, but at this point, we have enough continuing people that we rarely have room to add more than 1-2 families a semester, so we tend to see how much space we have.

 

I also run/host several clubs, where I set a theme/topic monthly, and it's up to each kid to come up with something to share related to the theme-a presentation, craft, activity, etc. I limit these as well, because my house isn't that big. I've found 10-12 total kids is about as much as we can go, which is usually 5-7 families at most, mostly with kids in the 3rd-8th grade age group with a couple of younger (and older, but fewer of them since high school kids can usually stay home alone and prefer to do so) siblings.

 

 

 

 

[KungFuPanda]

Sorry, butting in to ask something I've always wondered: In coops where all parents are required to teach, does anybody vet the parents' qualifications, experience, and aptitude for teaching?

I actually have a teaching degree. It's been my experience that most homeschoolers aren't too impressed by qualifications, degrees, or experience. They DO care about how adequately an instructor meets their particular child's needs. So, if the rocket scientist mom signs up to teach an elementary science class, but can't engage or control the kids she is viewed as less valuable than the mom who is good with kids and knows how to teach a developmentally appropriate class.

 

There ARE a few teachers in our co-op that I avoid. They're lovely people, but their classroom style isn't a good fit for my child. If I'm not sure, I talk to the teacher before I sign my son up for that class. The class proposals usually spell out the curriculum and level of rigor for each class, so there is seldom a surprise. Most people seem to know what they're good at and what age group they can handle.

 

I generally sign my son up for 4 classes. (Some people come for only one class.) I feel like I win on the years my son can get Science, History, and Art taken care of at co-op. (There is, of course, homework for non-co-op days because it's middle school.) I always let my son sign up for a fluff class with his friends. I only teach two hours so I have two hours of downtime to chat with my friends.

 

In our co-op, there are a few folks with no desire to ever be a classroom instructor. They generally sign up to assist another teacher, work in the nursery, or plan a party. I definitely feel the academic and social advantages are worth losing a day of instruction at home. I've only ever joined a secular co-op, so the focus is always academic. I can't imagine my family having to audition for a co-op slot. I wouldn't put my kids through that.

[The Girls' Mom]

Our co-op has hired teachers.  The majority either homeschool their kids or have in the past, but they are also mostly experienced teachers.  Parents are required to put in X number of volunteer hours per semester.  The parents monitor hallways, clean, cook lunch, and assist teachers.  There is a nursery for babies and preschoolers.  You are allowed to drop off the kids.  Exits are monitored, there are IDs issued, and we strive to keep things secure.

We have no screening requirements.  It is a Christian ran co-op, but you are not required to be a Christian to attend.  As long as you pay tuition, put in your hours and your kids are following the rules, it's all good.  

[ElizabethB]

One I joined our last move had people who taught or did really hard to fill jobs pick classes first, then people who helped teach or did "easier" helping jobs like assisting in a class or nursery or clean up pick classes next. You could join and not help at all, but you got last pick of classes and each class had a limit. There were a few really cool classes with a small child to teacher ratio that you could only get if you taught, for example Jr. First Lego League. I loved being able to get that in during the day!

 

Some people were not good teachers, but people know who were good teachers for each subject, you could ask around if you were new to the area. I taught phonics and spelling. I also found that I had to screen my helpers, the first time I taught I did not and learned the hard way that people with a poor phonics background or who spoke English as a second language were not much of a help...

 

They hired a few teachers, for example Art and Ballet, but most were homeschool moms teaching their speciality or passion. My children usually did enrichment type classes. People with older children loved the Chemist mom who taught Chemistry at the local CC, her classes always filled up fast. The organizers usually limited moms to teaching children their oldest child's age or younger, but exceptions were made if you proved your ability to teach older age groups in some way or had previously tutored or taught classes for older children. (Chemistry mom had young children and enjoyed working with teens.)

[catz]

Our co op does that too, but they're still elective courses, and not meant to supplant or stand in for complete core instruction, it's a supplement. It a tutorial if you're going beyond that, and there I would require more standards of teaching before I'd pay for it. But a coop? One mom to another, pooling resources and skills for larger classes and groups of kids.

 

Well, there was other discussion about why some people are calling a co-op what you're calling a tutorial above.  Parents are still asked to participate in the running of our co-op, though they may not necessarily teach.  The entire administration and organization is volunteer and parent run, though we mostly hire professional teachers (some are and some are not parents of students).  It is not a private, part time school situation.

 

I guess I would agree I personally would not treat something taught by a parent particularly at the jr. high/high school level a "core" class unless that person had a degree or extensive background in the subject or were enriching heavily on it at home.  Our physics, civics, and spanish teachers are all degreed individuals in their subject areas.  Some are licensed teachers, although that is not a requirement for teaching at our co-op.   I am teaching a computer class.  I have a degree in computer science and math and have tutored professionally in those areas. 

 

We've done many parent led classes/workshops over the years.  Some in co-op settings, some just one off activities and they're varied wildly in quality.  In general, I rarely sign up for stuff like that anymore unless they're very inexpensive and/or I know the parent leading personally.  Especially now that I have a kid almost in high school. There are certain classes and teachers I avoid at our own co-op for that matter. 

 

On background of teachers, it's a competitive process to teach at our co-op.  Teachers propose classes all the time and generally have great reference and backgrounds we can contact.  Or they're parents that have been in and out of the co-op that have an interesting background.  If a teacher does not do a good job with quite a few kids, it's unlikely they will run a class again.  One teacher ran a class this that 5 kids ended up dropping out of.  That teacher will certainly not be asked back.  It tends to be a pretty self selecting group. 

[PineFarmMom]

IMy 11 yo has been unhappy because she is very serious, wants to do hard work and doesn't want to listen to others chat and ignore the instruction. I don't think PS would be an improvement though :huh:

😠 This has been our experience as well. My younger guys have some hard-working friends with a mom who is serious about it all, and that makes that class very beneficial. My older son has worked hard to prepare, knows his stuff, and shows up to find he is the only one that has come prepared and able to discuss. There. Is a bunch of mindless chatter and silly behavior. I feel kind of done with it all. I can require a solid work ethic if I just go it alone.

[KungFuPanda]

 

I guess I would agree I personally would not treat something taught by a parent particularly at the jr. high/high school level a "core" class unless that person had a degree or extensive background in the subject or were enriching heavily on it at home. Our physics, civics, and spanish teachers are all degreed individuals in their subject areas. Some are licensed teachers, although that is not a requirement for teaching at our co-op. I am teaching a computer class. I have a degree in computer science and math and have tutored professionally in those areas.

 

 

I would use the syllabus and material to make that call. By the time you've homeschooled long enough to get your kid to MS/HS I'd say you've gotten pretty good at judging whether or not a course is a core class on it's own or needs to be supplemented. Maybe I feel this way because most of our moms have degrees of some sort? The mom who teaches Spanish has done so in public schools. Even the fluff cooking class my DD took was run by a pastry chef dad.

 

I sort of get what you mean. You want a solid course and worthwhile classroom discussions led by a competent and inspiring instructor. Still, earning a legitimate high school credit is largely dependent upon the work your student logs on non co-op days. Perhaps I'd feel differently if I was homeschooling in another region, but I've only ever homeschooled in one place. I can't even imagine anyone who was less than competent offering to teach high school physics!

[Lori D.]

Sorry, butting in to ask something I've always wondered: In coops where all parents are required to teach, does anybody vet the parents' qualifications, experience, and aptitude for teaching?

 

No vetting at any of the co-ops I've seen in our area -- because they are all enrichment-based, not academic. The closest it gets to academic is a parent with more interest/aptitude volunteering to oversee the science labs to go with Apologia high school sciences as a co-op class.

 

That's also why I keep seeing the "real co-ops" (i.e., only parent-led, and all parents required to teach/co-teach at least one class, or volunteer in other ways for 2 of the 3 class times) co-ops fizzle out here after 2-3 years; everyone is burned out on teaching at home AND co-op, and wants a break by being able to drop off kids --or at least stay, but not have to teach -- yet everyone insists that allowing paid instructors into the co-op defeats the spirit of "co-op".  :confused1:

 

Alas, it also defeats quality instructors and "retired" homeschoolers with loads of experience from filling the gap and providing real academics. 

 

On the other hand, the times these co-ops have allowed a paid instructor, families complain at the high price ($5 per one hour art class is too high ???) -- I guess no one has looked at online class prices yet. ;)

 

Hey, look at that -- I derailed (rant about not paying skilled instructors) your derailment (vetting teachers)!  :laugh:

[Lori D.]

I would use the syllabus and material to make that call. By the time you've homeschooled long enough to get your kid to MS/HS I'd say you've gotten pretty good at judging whether or not a course is a core class on it's own or needs to be supplemented….

 

… I sort of get what you mean. You want a solid course and worthwhile classroom discussions led by a competent and inspiring instructor...

 

… Still, earning a legitimate high school credit is largely dependent upon the work your student logs on non co-op days...

 

:iagree:  Totally agree!

[HSmomof2]

I think just saying that up front is good enough. That would be enough for me not to join. I have no desire to teach!

I agree ^^^. And I don't agree that everyone should be required to teach. To help out in some aspect, absolutely (nursery, teacher's asst, administrative, cleaning, etc.). But, really, some people are just not good at teaching in a group setting---this is how co-op classes become just fluff and not worth the time. They end up with a group of very young children that can afford to lose a day of school each week for social time. This is exactly what happened in the co-op we belonged to that had the teaching requirement.

[An Unexpected Party]

We've been a part of a very small co-op since my children were very young. We kept it small and the membership was closed and only opened when a family left. The process of looking for a family to join was not easy.  The parents all planned together and provided content material either week by week or a few weeks at a time based on our topic at the time, so we needed to be able to work with each other, and we felt the kids needed to be the right mix as well. We were not interested in dealing with children younger than our youngest "student".  Over time families have come and gone and the remaining members have not added anyone new in quite some time. We meet weekly, all year round.  

 

We join other things for social opportunities now. We've tried other co-ops in attempts to widen our social horizons or because the topic sounded like a good idea, but we have never found a non-selective co-op that met any of our needs. Parenting styles were too different, age ranges were often way too wide... Co-ops seem to have a five percent success rate of surviving more than five weeks or so around here. We're participating in enrichment classes now that we pay for in addition to the co-op I mentioned above. It is not a co-op (though I've never heard of the term tutorial). The teachers are skilled in their areas and are often professionals from the community. The academic expectations are much higher from the kids themselves than I've run into in the various co-ops I've attempted to join over the years. 

[Alice]

We are part of a very large, organized co-op that meets once a week. There are three periods in the morning and every parent is required to teach two of those periods and the third period is support group. Support group is a time of food and hanging out. Sometimes there are speakers, sometimes it's just hanging out talking. You don't have to go if you don't feel like it but most people enjoy it. If you aren't comfortable teaching you can co-teach or be an assistant or you can work in the nursery or help with support group.

 

There isn't a formal vetting process for teachers but teachers have to submit a proposal for the class saying what it will cover, if it's for credit (if it's a high school level course), etc. I teach High School Anatomy and Physiology and every year I have parents email me to ask me what my qualifications are (in a nice way). I assume people do the same thing for other high school classes if they are core classes. There are some classes that have been taught for many years by the same teacher and everyone knows are excellent or some teachers that are really good and people just know that. For the younger kids it's more enrichment (art, music, PE, drama).

 

 

[QueenCat]

 

Actual core subject academic co ops mystify me. Isn't that what a charter is for?

 

In our state, charters are full-time only schools.

[KungFuPanda]

That's just it. I teach the knitting class, for example, and am an expert instructor who also offers private lessons. But nobody vetted my credentials when I signed up.

 

My husband wants to help next semester teaching a middle school and high school intro to engineering class and the man has two degrees and two professional license certifications in the field, in addition to more than two decades of experience.

 

The guy I help in mental math tricks is a former PS teacher and current medical aide.

 

My other teacher this semester is a *fabulously* brilliant writer and literary critic, teaching middle school and high school analytical writing classes. Her courses are more rigorous than several I had at university, and she loves it.

 

None of us are checked for credentials, and this co op is more inclusive than many in that it isn't religiously based or geared toward a particular curriculum, like CC. But the quality is excellent even all the way down to the grade school PE courses. The moms pick subjects they love or have skill in, since everyone has to teach and nobody dictates the curriculum - it allows us to pick the subject and age where we really shine. Families who don't pay early tend to get less desirable volunteer jobs, like the preschool and nursery, but they can still teach whatever class they want. We had a few duplicates on things like Storytime Arts and Crafts or Dance, but each teacher brought something unique and new even with courses of similar description and subject for the same age group.

 

I can't speak highly enough about it, and I do love that my kids get subjects I wouldn't personally teach, like first grade science projects (run by my science loving, slightly insane friend).

 

I'd say a good third of the moms in co op are ex teachers or have professional degrees in the classes they're teaching, and the rest of us just love the subject we impart. But either way we manage to have a quality, enjoyable co op without hiring out help. I've been so pleased by it and was initially very, very skeptical. I picked it only for social opportunities and to give it a whirl. And now I stay because it is so excellently done.

 

It may be regional. We may be an exception. But our little self selected co op is far superior to ones twice as expensive in town.

 

I might be a very conservative Christian, but you'll have to pry me away from my secular co op with a crowbar.

 

/impassioned rant :)

I learned to knit at co-op this year! I love that our co-op has a few all-ages classes :-) One of these years I'll make time for yoga!

[jewellsmommy]

We are not actively participating in the co-op this year, but I remain attached to the mom's group that covers the co-op. I was part of the co-op for 4 yrs.

 

The rules:

1.You must be sponsored in OR have attended the mom's homeschool group for a yr before you may join the co-op

2.Every parent stays on site.

3.Parents of 3rd grade and below must stay with their kids and assist them as needed.

4.Every parent participates as either Teacher of a class, co-teacher/assistant, nursery/preschool worker, or be responsible for a cleaning a room at the end of a day (pretty much means vacuuming & emptying the trash can)

5.You must attend the co-op for one yr before you may teach.

 

 

ETA: I taught science and art because I like to teach, but plenty of parents weren't willing to and that was ok.

 

Costs:

Every parent brought a ream of paper for the co-op. Their were no straight out fees. Each teacher put out a required supplies list for each child. Beyond that, the teacher spent what she needed in order to run the class. Each quarter, that cost was divided among each student and billed to the parent. This has resulted in a very cost effective co-op option for parents.