Educational Co-op Experiences

[Dina in Oklahoma]

Did/Do co-ops work for your high schooler? Why or why not?

[mom2att]

Well, I will take a stab at answering. We have been involved with the same co-op since we began homeschooling. Mainly it's just for elective classes, but it's been a very valuable part of our homeschool experience. My oldest did some high school level classes at our co-op when she was in 8th grade. This was a great experience for her--she learned to juggle assignments, follow a syllabus, and keep to another teacher's guidelines and expectations. However, a number of the kids who signed up for the classes dropped out before the end of the year because it was too much work or because the parents didn't follow through with making sure the kids did the work. For those who stayed with the classes, it was a good experience. But too many gave up. After that our co-op went back to just electives for awhile, and the kids who wanted more academic classes got that at a 2-day tutoring program that parents paid for. This is what we did for my oldest when she was actually high school aged. It was a good experience for her and great preparation for college, but it did cost a bit.

 

Academic high school classes with high expectations are difficult in a co-op setting. For one thing, kids are all over the map academically, and so are the expectations of parents. And if the kid has always been homeschooled, they are often used to just taking advantage of any interesting opportunity that comes up without regard to a set co-op schedule. Plus if a co-op meets only once a week, it's difficult to get enough instruction time into that short time frame.

 

That said, I do think it is possible, and my co-op is making it work this year. We had a group of kids, my son among them, who were wanting/needing some academic choices but not well-suited for the tutoring program that my oldest attended. So we created our own on a similar model. We meet two days per week, one of them our regular co-op day, and we offer the core classes of English, History, and Science at two different grade levels. Students can take all three classes at their grade level, mix and match between grade levels, or choose just one or two classes. Before we committed to this I made sure we had parents willing to be teachers, and that they were parents I knew personally who would commit to teaching with excellence and stay committed to teaching throughout the year.

 

To avoid the problem of kids dropping out and parents not taking the classes seriously, a "Core Agreement" form was drawn up with expectations for each party listed--student, parent, teacher, administrator. All were asked to agree to and sign the form. It sounds extreme, but the goal is to get everyone on the same page and truly committed to the program. It is a great deal of work to be teaching one of these classes, and the parents who do it don't get any compensation for their efforts, so when teachers know that parents are behind them and supporting their kids in getting their work done, it makes the teacher's job easier.

 

We are six weeks in to this venture, and so far, so good. We have 18 students in 9th and 10th grades, with everyone fully participating  and keeping up with the classes. We also do a lot of extra curricular activities to build community and bring the kids together, so it's really been a great time for all, parents included. It's a great group of kids/families and they are having fun together as well as learning.

 

But I will say this--it has been a lot of work. We started the planning process back in January or February. Throughout the spring we had teacher meetings where we formulated the agreements and discussed what we wanted to accomplish, and we created a schedule. Then we had parent meetings where we shared those ideas with interested families, who signed up by late spring. We also had to make arrangements with the church where the co-op meets to secure an extra meeting day. Teachers then spent the summer planning classes, and we started in late August. I am the group administrator, a teacher of one of the classes, and a parent with a child in the program, so I've been involved with all aspects of it from planning to implementation.

 

And right now, for my son, it's very worth it. He's taking three true high school level classes, very appropriate for where he needs to be right now. He is learning well in a structured classroom environment, and he has made new friends and strengthened former friendships. For my end, I am working very hard but loving the class I am teaching and really enjoying being a part of a great group of families, all of whom are committed to making this work for our kids. We would like to continue this program throughout the high school years, but we are taking it one year at a time right now.

[The Girls' Mom]

It did/does for mine. Ours is an inclusive drop-off co-op that is run like a one day private school.  The teachers are paid, and are usually degreed in their subject.  My kids have taken most of their lab science and all of their foreign language there.  They also take electives like ballroom dance and fencing.  They've made some great friends through co-op, and those friendships have lasted beyond high school for my oldest.  The classes have been great, and provided a better education in those subjects than I could provide at home.

 

We've been part of other co-ops that we ended up dropping due to disorganization, or non-inclusiveness.  They ended up not being worth our time, money, and stress.  

[Mimm]

We attend a large co-op that offers the widest variety of classes available for a homeschooling teen in our area. We have a good mix of core classes, like math and science and writing, along with plenty of electives like dance, art, Bible study, photography, etc. We have a graduation at the end of the year and we have families who attend all through high school and graduate their kids. I don't currently have a high schooler (next year!) but if we homeschool through high school, which it's looking like we will, we will almost certainly stay in the co-op.

 

What makes the co-op work for people is the opportunity to outsource classes the parents feel they can't or simply don't want to teach at home. Science and math classes are in high demand. Parents talk to each other about which teachers are good, which usually means demanding. :) At teacher training we are told to demand that homework get done and contact parents if it doesn't. Students try to cut class but we take attendance and if a student skips, they are found out. The co-op is not meant for people who don't take it seriously. It frustrates me each year to find new rules added, but I recognize those rules were added because of people viewing co-op is something they'll do if they wake up on co-op day and feel like going.

 

Not all parents contribute equally to co-op. I just realized this recently. I kind of assumed everyone was working as hard as I was, but talked to a mom who, in her words, does almost nothing this year. She works the copy machine, works as a grader, doesn't teach anything, barely interacts with the students. Part of me was like, :glare:, but at the same time, maybe it's best for parents who don't feel like they would be good teachers to take a back seat while those of us willing to work to make classes worthwhile step up and teach.

 

If you are looking for a co-op, make sure the co-op is one that takes itself seriously. Teachers needs to prepare for classes, they need to have lessons planned for when they won't be around, there needs to be a system in place for subs (we have someone whose whole job it is to keep track of who will be absent and to assign subs to classes), and students needs to be expected to do the work they are assigned. In our co-op, if students don't make an effort to turn in homework, they can be removed from classes. It sounds harsh but most classes in my co-op have waiting lists and there are families on the co-op's wait list that have been there 2-3 years. It's not right for someone to take a spot in the co-op and not contribute or do the work.

 

Co-op day is utterly exhausting. I will admit that. We don't get much work done in the morning, except maybe last minute homework. We pack for co-op, which starts at 12, which is really inconvenient because we have a half hour drive and so we must have lunch very early. I must keep the baby awake till then because her class has a nap first thing after assembly. I teach art, so I have supplies that I lug back and forth. The church we meet in is huge, of course, (has to be to accommodate us) and I'm running up and down stairs the whole time. At the end of the day I have to clean up and vacuum my class room, run and go pick up the baby, load up the van, drive all the way across town, then provide dinner which is usually something very easy, or pizza or drive through somewhere. I try to crock pot that day, but it doesn't happen as often as it should. Co-op is something I do for my daughter's sake. She loves it and it's one of the big reasons she wants to continue to homeschool on days she's tired and bored and lonely at home.

[Dina in Oklahoma]

Thanks for your replies. I appreciate them as we are currently in a co-op but was thinking of pulling out. I said we would never do another, but DD is an only and there are no teens in the neighborhood her age. She enjoys her riding and piano lessons but that doesn't provide for a lot of interaction with others.

[Farrar]

If that's the case, why not aim for the not so academic classes in your co-op? Socialization, especially for teens, is a real need. But if this particular co-op doesn't serve her academically, why not let her take art or improv or something along those lines. Or if she's old enough and there's enough of a range, maybe she could even teach something for the youngest kids. I guess I'm just saying... you asked about whether the academics can work in your OP, but in your update, it's clear that you're really there for the socialization. So I'd think about how to make that work.

[mom2att]

I agree with Farrar, and I will say that though my oldest got her academics somewhere other than co-op, she still came to co-op for electives like Art, and she enjoyed the social aspect of co-op all through high school. It's difficult to make high school academics work in a co-op setting, but electives can still be fun and worth the effort.

[Dina in Oklahoma]

Thanks for your reply Farrar. Actually, that is exactly what we are currently doing. DD is taking an art class. I did not specifically ask about academics; I asked if co-ops worked for people, why or why not. Perhaps I should have waited to post as I was extremely frustrated at the time and wasn't specific enough with my question. However hearing from others helped. Thank you all.

If that's the case, why not aim for the not so academic classes in your co-op? Socialization, especially for teens, is a real need. But if this particular co-op doesn't serve her academically, why not let her take art or improv or something along those lines. Or if she's old enough and there's enough of a range, maybe she could even teach something for the youngest kids. I guess I'm just saying... you asked about whether the academics can work in your OP, but in your update, it's clear that you're really there for the socialization. So I'd think about how to make that work.

 

[Dina in Oklahoma]

This is why we may pull out...

It did/does for mine. Ours is an inclusive drop-off co-op that is run like a one day private school.  The teachers are paid, and are usually degreed in their subject.  My kids have taken most of their lab science and all of their foreign language there.  They also take electives like ballroom dance and fencing.  They've made some great friends through co-op, and those friendships have lasted beyond high school for my oldest.  The classes have been great, and provided a better education in those subjects than I could provide at home.

 

We've been part of other co-ops that we ended up dropping due to disorganization, or non-inclusiveness.  They ended up not being worth our time, money, and stress.  

 

[Shellydon]

Yes!  Our co-op has wonderful teachers.  We plan classes according to what the majority need and find excellent teachers for the classes. This year our co-op offered Spanish 2, Alg. 1, Geometry and precalculus, Chemistry, personal finance, photography and a few more.

[Farrar]

Thanks for your reply Farrar. Actually, that is exactly what we are currently doing. DD is taking an art class. I did not specifically ask about academics; I asked if co-ops worked for people, why or why not. Perhaps I should have waited to post as I was extremely frustrated at the time and wasn't specific enough with my question. However hearing from others helped. Thank you all.

 

Ah. I think I got distracted by the "educational" element in your title and then everyone else seemed to be on about academics.

 

If you're there for the community and socialization, then obviously the quality of the people and attitude of the group is pretty much the entire deal you're paying for and there for. So I think it's totally dependent on the group. The exact same set up can be good or bad depending on the people if you're there for the social scene.

 

I hope you had a better day with it.

[OneStepAtATime]

Disorganization and non-inclusiveness can really undermine a co-op.  Also, power struggles behind the scenes can lead to what looks like disorganization and inconsistency.  Any of those things can make a co-op situation not worth the time and effort.  If things are really not good, is it possible to address your concerns with those in charge?

 

If this is mainly to give your child an opportunity to get to know other kids better, having more extended time together away from co-o might work.  Is there a way to create a small group of kids that your DD gets together with weekly just for fun?  Maybe rotate houses so it isn't all on one parent?  Maybe create a book club or history club or art club to give them some purpose for being together but also give them time to just visit, hang out, etc.?