Would you tell me how you'd feel about this co-op situation?

[3lilreds in NC]

I joined a wonderful local homeschool co-op, and signed up to teach elementary art. If you knew me IRL, I would tell you to STOP LAUGHING because I *told* them I have no natural aptitude for art and they assured me it wouldn't matter. :D There was an art coordinator who was planning all the lessons, the supplies would be provided, and I would just have to show up and teach.

 

Well, the poor art coordinator became completely overwhelmed and left the co-op after the first week. She also took most of the supplies with her, because they were supplies that she had brought that she also uses with her Sunday school class, etc. We are pretty much left with construction paper, glue sticks, some colored pencils and scissors.

 

She did leave her lesson ideas, but since she took the supplies, those are less useful. There are 6 art classes; the other teachers and I have pretty much agreed that it would be better if we did our own thing rather than trying to coordinate all our lessons.

 

One problem is that my group is 1st-5th graders. The 1st graders do all right but the older kids are mostly boys and they projects are mostly crafts aimed at younger kids. They are great sports about it, but clearly aren't impressed. At least one parent has expressed that they would like to see the kids working with different things like oil pastels, water colors, etc.

 

What I would like to do is propose to the parents of the kids in my class that they provide the oil pastels, watercolors, etc. My dh, sweet man, has even said that he doesn't mind providing the paper for the class as long as it doesn't get excessive.

 

How would you feel if this happened with your child? I don't mind planning the lessons; I have some great books I can use and I already have a list of ideas. I have it in mind that I will bind their projects together for them in books when we are done; I have some simple book-binding tools. I'm actually pretty excited. I just don't want to throw a curve at the parents; for *me,* I have most of the supplies I'm considering using, and would not mind going to Michael's or AC Moore with a coupon on picking them up if needed.

 

We've already had a big shake-up which involved finding a new facility after the first week we met, and some families didn't return after that. I don't want to cause undue stress to anyone. I would appreciate any thoughts you wonderful people might have before I make a proposal to the parents.

 

Thank you so much!

[elegantlion]

If I heard the entire story, about the art coordinator packing up with the supplies, I would NOT have a problem buying what was needed for the class. I'd rather spend a little more money and get use out of the class.

 

What a tough position to be in. :grouphug:

Edited October 2, 2010 by elegantlion
grammar before coffee does not work

[HayesW]

My first thought is that art for 1-5 grades is too many grades! A first grader is working on coordination and a 5th grader can be working on more serious art skills. I don't think asking parents for supplies would be a terrible thing to do.

[Faithr]

I would just explain it to the parents the same way you did in your post. That the older boys are bored that some parents as well as yourself would like to do something more than just simple crafts. That you are willing to try but you need them to step up to the plate and get art supplies. It seems to me if they are aware of what happened with the art coordinator, they'd be willing to help out.

[Carol in Cal.]

I think that exploring with really good supplies is an excellent thing to do in an art class.

 

Oil pastels, for instance, have such strong color that they can be used on black paper and will still show up (unlike wax crayons, for instance.)

 

There are a couple of really easy technical things you could teach as well. Vanishing points--those can be applied to making alphabet letters look 3D, and you don't have to be able to draw to learn this. Ovals to make 'people'--again, this is a technique for those who really cannot draw at all. You can get a model that looks this way at IKEA, and it's even posable. Voila! One class to try this, two more to practice and use this in a couple of different ways. Add in those oil pastels, and maybe then apply them to each of those techniques. And you have about 8 classes covered, all of which are multi-level.

[Dayle in Guatemala]

I would research costs of the supplies you want for the class and put it together in a list and divide it up amongst the students in your class and let the parents know what it'll cost. My opinion is that if they want to do more than just construction paper crafts--which they can do at home--there's going to be a cost involved. The other alternative would be to make a list of what is needed and let the parents buy the supplies themselves so they have them after the class if they choose to.

[Cinder]

My first thought is that art for 1-5 grades is too many grades! A first grader is working on coordination and a 5th grader can be working on more serious art skills. I don't think asking parents for supplies would be a terrible thing to do.

 

:iagree:

 

When ds1 took an art class it was limited to 4th-6th grades. And we had to purchase our own supplies but were given a very specific list of what to get--types of brushes, watercolor paper, colors of paint, pencil types, etc.

 

Usually with art classes you're expected to bring your own supplies or pay a fee so supplies can be purchased. You all were getting a special deal having the previous teacher provide supplies. Now that the situation has changed, I think it's just fine to expect participants to provide supplies.

 

Cinder

[scubamama]

I "hosted" an art group last year - "taught" seems dishonest b/c I'm only at the level of stick figures!

I found a great free website called deep space sparkle that had great projects for elementary kids. (I can't seem to get it to link, sorry)

 

Really, it was great! She listed the supplies and gave you the steps and it was all there in color for me to see and try before I did it with the 12 kids....

 

I had from K - 4th.

The best part is that a mom approached me this year and said she herad I was an artist and asked if I gave lessons :lol::lol::lol:

Good luck and have fun - maybe you'll get a new identity like me!

 

Michele

[kalanamak]

You can do this cheaply.

 

E.g

http://www.amazon.com/Colored-Drawing-12-Stick-Assorted-Colors/dp/B00006IBOI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1286030642&sr=8-1

 

is a huge amount of drawing (not chalkboard) chalk. Make it appealing to kids (not dusty and scratchy) by dipping the writing end of it in liquid starch. Draw onto construction paper. Do a lesson on "filling" the page, as you can get this to cover a lot of territory.

 

Big bottles of tempera are not that much. You can do a color wheel with just the three colors. Add some bottles of black and white and you can do anything.

 

Tearing construction paper (everyone can tear small and med sized pieces and then use a communal pile to pick out and make animals using paste or glue).

 

I think it is fair to ask to share the costs. You can also ask for rags, washed tunafish cans, etc. If the lady who quit won't plan the lessons, can you get a list of themes from her?

[scubamama]

to mention that I priced out supplies for each kid and it was like $18 from Rainbow Res. - I picked my projects and used the supply list on the site for each project.

We did "starry night" jungle scences from Rousseau (boys loved this one - lots of hungry lions in thier work) a few Picasso imitations. I tried to say a bit about each "old master" to go along with our work for the day.

I got oil pastels, watercolors, brushes, watercolorpaper, etc. I already had scissors and glue.

 

Good luck!

[Carol in Cal.]

You might want to teach color theory as well. There are some great books on it. You can use your construction paper so that everyone can make a color wheel, and teach primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, and also complementary colors. Do that thing where you use opposite colors, look at it, and close your eyes and see the 'right' colors.

 

And if you have access to a laminator you can make awesome woven placements with your paper. You don't have to limit yourself to straight line cuts. You can do wavy lines and/or lines of varying width, from wide at the edges to narrow in the middle and back again--these create STUNNING visual effects in highly contrasting colors, and they are really striking.

[sassenach]

I "hosted" an art group last year - "taught" seems dishonest b/c I'm only at the level of stick figures!

I found a great free website called deep space sparkle that had great projects for elementary kids. (I can't seem to get it to link, sorry)

 

Really, it was great! She listed the supplies and gave you the steps and it was all there in color for me to see and try before I did it with the 12 kids....

 

I had from K - 4th.

The best part is that a mom approached me this year and said she herad I was an artist and asked if I gave lessons :lol::lol::lol:

Good luck and have fun - maybe you'll get a new identity like me!

 

Michele

 

That website is FANTASTIC! Thanks so much for posting it.

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

If I heard the entire story, about the art coordinator packing up with the supplies, I would NOT have a problem buying what was needed for the class. I'd rather spend a little more money and get use out of the class.

 

:iagree:I don't know how much it costs to join the co-op in the first place but I would expect to pay for art supplies for such a class.

 

My dh, sweet man, has even said that he doesn't mind providing the paper for the class as long as it doesn't get excessive.

 

Oh, he is a sweet man but watercolor and pastel paper are pretty pricey. If I were you, I would include paper in the costs or supply list for parents to cover, making sure they get to take whatever is left home with them at the end of the class.

[Sandy in Indy]

I run a small homeschool group, and I would have NO problem whatsoever asking parents to provide art supplies--unless they've already paid some sort of extra fee beyond the normal coop fee for the class. If that's the case, then the coop should cough up the $$ for the supplies. Otherwise, I'd put together a specific list and ask parents to purchase the items OR ask parents to contribute a set amount of money so that you can purchase them.

 

And I'd definitely divide that class if it's at all possible. Even if you're in the same room, you could have two groups going, working on different projects. JMHO.

[teamturner]

Was there not already a class fee for this class? Our co-op has class fees for most of the classes, especially an art class where supplies would be needed. As a parent, I would not mind at all if we had to buy some supplies. I would already be benefiting from someone teaching my dc art, so providing the neccessary supplies would to me seem obvious. I'm not sure what other kinds of fees the families in your co-op pay to just be in the co-op, but ours are rather low ($75 for the whole year for our family).

[Murphy101]

I guess this boils down to what did these parents sign up for?

 

Did they pay a fee for a certain class description and now the entire course is being overhauled to something else?

 

If so, anything you do might mean people drop out. That's a natural result of not giving what they signed up for, kwim? It doesn't mean they are even mad. I'd be slightly frustrated that I'd already paid and now Im being asked for more money for basically a different art class. But we budget tightly. I pay for everything for the semester or the year in advance, so if you asked for more funding, I'd probably pull my kid and maybe even expect a refund for the classes they never received. I cannot afford to ne nickel and dimed through every class.

 

Who is in charge of the coop? What do they think the correct policy should be for this? Most coops have a set policy for how to handle funds and course changes. I think you should run it by TPTB first.

 

And I feel for you. I'd be frustrated in your shoes too. :grouphug:

[Mothersweets]

I "hosted" an art group last year - "taught" seems dishonest b/c I'm only at the level of stick figures!

I found a great free website called deep space sparkle that had great projects for elementary kids. (I can't seem to get it to link, sorry)

 

Really, it was great! She listed the supplies and gave you the steps and it was all there in color for me to see and try before I did it with the 12 kids....

 

I had from K - 4th.

The best part is that a mom approached me this year and said she herad I was an artist and asked if I gave lessons :lol::lol::lol:

Good luck and have fun - maybe you'll get a new identity like me!

 

Michele

 

Yes! I've used that site before and she does have so many really neat projects! Here is a link http://deepspacesparkle.blogspot.com/

[Ferdie]

If I signed my kids up for an art class I would expect to pay a supply fee. My ds is taking a semester long art class at his charter school and the supply fee was $25.

[Kates]

Personally, I would just be honest with the parents and take the class in whatever direction you feel comfortable with. Expecting them to buy basic supplies is not out of line...my son doesn't even much "like" art, and I've happily bought supplies for every art class he's taken.

 

I would also do my best to pull in another mom and divide the class up - 1st/2nd and 3rd/5th. The kids are on completely different levels developmentally. You can still teach them together - maybe take it from an art history standpoint and do projects based on different masters - but then divide them up and work with one group (even in the same room) while another mom works with the other group. They can do the same projects, but you'll find it easier to keep the kids engaged on their individual level if you don't have 1st graders working next to 5th graders.

 

I teach Latin & Greek in our co op, and I have kids over a 4-year age range in one or two of my classes; I have high schoolers (who have already finished my AP-level class) volunteer as TA's to help in those classes. They each take one group while I work with another (I rotate these so that I get one-on-one time with each student, but the others also have a TA that they can ask questions of). It works out really well. They receive instruction all together, but they also get individual and small group practice time with me or an older student.

 

Hope that helps :)

[3lilreds in NC]

Deep Space Sparkle: THANK YOU for posting that site! I think you may have shared it before because once I saw it, I remembered looking at it, but had forgotten about it. :D

 

I agree that the age spread is too wide. There are 2 elementary classes at once, and we've tried to put the youngest in one room and the older ones in my room, but the fact is, I still have some pretty young kids. I think that realy art projects, with oil pastels and such, will actually be better suited to a wide age range than the crafty things we've been doing.

 

We did not have to pay an additional fee for the art class - both my girls are taking art. The original plan was that we would supply everything needed, but there was only a $100 art budget for the year, and the woman who was coordinating brought the rest with her from her own stuff.

 

The class IS being reworked, to a degree, but I have to believe that everyone would like it better if I changed things up a bit. Here is the class description that I guess the art coordinator posted:

 

"Description: Adventures in Art is a fun way to explore some of the many different facets of art expression. Students will learn to use a variety of mediums such as tempera, watercolor, pastel, acrylic, collage, colored pencil, and clay. Students will be introduced to great artists who are masters in their medium. They will learn art vocabulary, as well as science and math facts that pertain to the art field. They will explore the different art styles and gain confidence as they discover their own personal style of art expression. There will be a supply list that you will have to purchase. There will be little to no homework, but students may want to practice on their own. We will have an art show in March at HMA. I play soft music during class, and encourage students to be imaginative and creative. They will need a portfolio to carry their artwork in each week to class. Aprons are optional."

 

So... I'm not sure what happened to the supply list, but in theory, the parents are expecting that. I will have to come up with my plans and make a list before the next class, I suppose, and email it to the parents. They wouldn't have to get it all at once.

 

I have the Usborne Art Treasury book, and found lots of great projects in there, along with info about each artist. I would like to work in stuff about famous artists, too. I don't know about the math and science part...

[fhjmom]

I guess this boils down to what did these parents sign up for?

 

Did they pay a fee for a certain class description and now the entire course is being overhauled to something else?

 

If so, anything you do might mean people drop out. That's a natural result of not giving what they signed up for, kwim? It doesn't mean they are even mad. I'd be slightly frustrated that I'd already paid and now Im being asked for more money for basically a different art class. But we budget tightly. I pay for everything for the semester or the year in advance, so if you asked for more funding, I'd probably pull my kid and maybe even expect a refund for the classes they never received. I cannot afford to ne nickel and dimed through every class.

 

Who is in charge of the coop? What do they think the correct policy should be for this? Most coops have a set policy for how to handle funds and course changes. I think you should run it by TPTB first.

 

 

And I feel for you. I'd be frustrated in your shoes too. :grouphug:

 

:iagree: When we signed up for co-op classes, I took any supplies fees into consideration. I would not be pleased to be hit with more expenses after the fact. Based on the description you posted, I would be expecting a true *art* class and not a craft class, and that my student would be using all the supplies listed in the description. If the co-op leaders wrote that description and planned the budget to cover those supplies, I would expect the supplies to be provided by the co-op.

 

I realize you are in a hard place and it has to be very frustrating. I would have a very frank conversation with the co-op leaders and let them know that you would like to be able to provide the class as described (and that the parents are now expecting) and that you were promised planning help and supplies. The co-op need to follow through on the commitment they made to you to provide those things.

 

ETA: I just re-read the class description and noticed it said that a supply list would be provided for students to purchase. Have they been provided with a supply list? Was a cost estimate given? Since it was in the description that students would need to purchase supplies, I would think it appropriate to ask for parents to purchase a reasonable amount.

Edited October 2, 2010 by fhjmom

[fhjmom]

I just had another thought about the supply list. Please do not send it to parents a little at a time. It would be much better to let them know as soon as possible what their investment in this class is going to be. I also watch the sales at Michael's, Hobby Lobby, etc. and pick up as much as I can with coupons and sales. You might let parents know which week each supplies would be used so they can spread the purchases out a little bit but at least they would know what was coming. I owuld want to know up front what we were looking at so I could budget accordingly.

[happi duck]

I just had another thought about the supply list. Please do not send it to parents a little at a time. It would be much better to let them know as soon as possible what their investment in this class is going to be. I also watch the sales at Michael's, Hobby Lobby, etc. and pick up as much as I can with coupons and sales. You might let parents know which week each supplies would be used so they can spread the purchases out a little bit but at least they would know what was coming. I owuld want to know up front what we were looking at so I could budget accordingly.

 

Good idea!

 

Another good site:

http://www.artprojectsforkids.org/

[SonshineLearner]

Also, "Drawing with Children" is a great book... and there's one for older kids, too. It might give you some nice ideas :) We've enjoyed working with real watercolors... and I would encourage people to use some coupons at spots like Michaels, since you can get a decent set of watercolors... and other supplies... for not as much....

:)