Mommy2BeautifulGirls Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I am considering joining a new co-op that is forming. The person in charge is someone from my homeschool group that we occasionally go on field trips with. I would be required to teach, if not during the first semester, than during the second. I'm strongest at grammar, but not really sure what curriculum would work well with a co-op environment. I was thinking that maybe WWE would work. Has anyone tried this? If so, how did you compensate for that fact that different children will most likely be at different levels? Here's what I'm using next year with my own kids: WWE, GWG, Sequential Spelling, SOTW, R.E.A.L. Science, Math Mammoth, McRuffy Phonics and Reading, MUS, Alpha Omega Lifepac Bible. None of those that I would feel comfortable teaching in a group scream co-op to me. Any other suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Do you have to teach academics? Or can you teach enrichment type classes like knitting, cake decorating, creative writing, Animals of the Bible and so on? Knowing what is expected and what others want is a big help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy2BeautifulGirls Posted June 10, 2009 Author Share Posted June 10, 2009 Enrichment classes can be added later if there is enough interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teamturner Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 (edited) I think you're better off leaving the 3 R's to the moms since many dc are at different skill levels in reading, writing, and grammar. The co-op I'm in we offer some academic classes but there is alot of enrichment classes. I like for my kids to be taught science, art, and math games, and geography for the academic classes. I've taught to the younger elementary ages and here are some classes that I taught: Music-choir and handbells Earth Science Chemistry (I am not by nature a science person either) Some other classes my dc have taken are Hands-On Geography, Plants, Human Body, Astronomy, Butterfly, Math Games, Thinking outside the Bean (another math game curr.), Amercian Girl book study, and American Biographies. These have been either 6 week or 12 week classes. Going forward all classes will be at least 12 week classes. This coming year my boys will be in the 4th-6th grade group and will be taking classes like Apologia Zoology, K-Nex Levers and Pulleys, Drawing, Archery, and Drama. Someone is offering an IEW writing class for this age as well and Spanish is being offered to both younger kids and all the way up to high school (separate classes). If your co-op will have a classical bent to it you could teach Sing Song Latin to the younger elem. kids. A friend of mine did this in her co-op. She also taught Writing Tales, which has co-op lesson plans already in the book. Some classical co-ops offer SOTW. Best wishes! Wanted to add: another class my dc really liked last year was Animals Around the World. They learned different animals by continent so it combined geography w/science and they put together a little lap book. Edited June 10, 2009 by Michelle in TX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HFClassicalAcademy Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I agree that teaching enrichment type classes are better. Our co-op does the academic enrichment thing. For example, there is a science lab class...as opposed to teaching science (the kids do the reading at home and the labs at co-op). You can check out my co-op here for some ideas! Holy Family Homeschool Enrichment. HTH and Good Luck! Liz in NC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I've heard that Shurley Grammar works well for Co-ops. I'm just thinking the Grammar part....(not the writing:-) The writing may be great, but I prefer IEW:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanie78 Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Last year our co-op had three core classes. They did Prarie Primer for the younger students (K to 3) where the kids read the books at home and did the activities at co-op. The 4th through 6th graders did IEW, they watched the videos in class, and worked on the writing assignments at home. For Science the elementary students did Apologia Astronomy (they are doing Zoology this year), and the older students did Apologia General Science or Apologia Biology. All students K through 8th grade did Mystery of History, which is what I taught. I thought all of these translated really well to a co-op environment. With Science and History the chapters and teaching were done at home but reinforced with activities in class. The Mystery of History however was a little too much for the younger students, it worked best for our 4th grade and up students. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosy Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 SOTW would be a great co-op class! Otherwise, most of ours have been unit studies--Native Americans (from a history pocket book), the human body, chemistry, cooking, current events, etc.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Here's another vote for enrichment or unit studies. Maybe do a unit study on the history of chocolate? No kidding. They did that one year in our co-op. They had a blast. (My kids were too young for that class.) My dh and I did a class on physical sciences: geology, oceanography, weather, and I can't remember the last one. But he's getting a masters in that stuff, so he pulled it together. The kids liked it. And the moms who stayed in the class learned a lot! They made jokes that it was time for their co-op class (not just the kids' co-op class.) If I were doing something on my own w/o dh's master's degree, it'd be enrichment stuff. I was going to get the PBS shows like 1900's house or the WWII house and maybe pull together a class for hs-ers based on those shows. But I have to wait until I have enough money to buy the DVDs. Those are the sorts of things that are good for co-ops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
senunk Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I've taught sotw, all american history, rs4k, considering god's creation, galloping the globe, jump in writing, and helped in a prairie primer class. Some other classes my kids have taken at co-op are apologia general and physical science, elementary apologia sciences, writeshop 1 & 2, art, konos, sign language, pe, and spanish. Next year, a mom will be teaching photography. That is going to be fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Our co-op has a Geography club for 3rd - 6th graders. Maybe you could do some sort of Geography thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amiechoke Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 This past semester, someone at our coop offered a Forensic Sciences class for the 10 and up group - it was really awesome. She had them do labs on stuff like chromatography (studying different inks from pens), and blood testing, hair samples, fingerprinting - and then she concocted a crime scenario and got a bunch of adults to be the actors, and the kids had to solve the crime. It was both hilarious and awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacie Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 My cousin taught a co-op class using Abeka's My State Notebook. She said it was a great class that they were able to customize to the student's level and ability. They sampled local foods, tried growing local plants, learned about state government, landmarks, industry, etc. I think this coming fall she will be teaching a "Greener School" class where they will learn about recycling programs, energy saving ideas, solar and wind power, composting and gardening, and I can't remember the other things she mentioned. I want to take her classes, but 400 miles is much too far to drive to a weekly co-op! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy2BeautifulGirls Posted June 10, 2009 Author Share Posted June 10, 2009 I just thought of something that I really like that might make a great enrichment class. Geology. Gotta love rocks! Maybe I could think of something to pull together for that. Unfortunately, I haven't taught it with my own kids yet, so I don't have any resources. I like the look or Writing Tales, too. I like that it has co-op lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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