CO-OP classes you have LOVED!

[dietmom]

We have done a small co-op this year--but hoping to expand it a little next year. Just wanting ideas as to what you and your children have really loved in the co-ops you attend.

This semester we had a book group, electricity class, food science and the 4th week of the month was phys ed.

It has worked decently--but I'd love more ideas!

[beachnut]

We belong to a GREAT co-op that offers classes for Pre-K thru high school. We've got 2 sessions (spring & fall) that last only 8 weeks, so we've had a good variety of classes over the years. Here are a few that stand out: Presidential Physical Fitness, Journalism, Dangerous Book For Boys, Geography Fun & Games, Poetry Pizzazz, lots of art classes, Drama, Munchable Math, Tall Tales Across the USA, Speech, Personal Finance, Video Game Design, Ballroom Dancing, History Pockets. Basically, any parent/grandparent who wants to teach any class gets to teach it.

[TKDmom]

We belong to a GREAT co-op that offers classes for Pre-K thru high school. We've got 2 sessions (spring & fall) that last only 8 weeks, so we've had a good variety of classes over the years. Here are a few that stand out: Presidential Physical Fitness, Journalism, Dangerous Book For Boys, Geography Fun & Games, Poetry Pizzazz, lots of art classes, Drama, Munchable Math, Tall Tales Across the USA, Speech, Personal Finance, Video Game Design, Ballroom Dancing, History Pockets. Basically, any parent/grandparent who wants to teach any class gets to teach it.

 

Ooh, I want to join your co-op. That sounds like fun!

[Deniseibase]

I am a teacher at my co-op for the 11-14 age range. We do five six-week sessions each year, with each session being on a different topic. This year the favorite classes for my age range were The Great Chocolate Caper (from a book put out by Prufrock Press, can't remember the author, sorry), a math puzzle class based on Paul Zeitz's The Art of Problem Solving (NO connection to the AoPS textbooks!), and a class called Spy School which taught beginning formal logic in the context of spy missions - it took for instance the classic Lady or the Tiger kind of problems and turned them into Spy or Bomb puzzles.

 

The one thing all these classes had in common is that the teachers were VERY enthusiastic about their topic, really seemed to think there was a lot of importance, and communicated that enthusiasm to the kids. So if you are looking for topics for a co-op class, I'd say the most important thing is to pick something you are yourself excited about and make it into a class.

[Jeanne in MN]

We've done state history, geneology, world cultures, water-color painting, writing, music/orchestra instruments, first aid and safety, group problem solving, baking (we met in a church school and could use the kitchen), very basic intro. to Spanish, science experiments, photography basics, scrapbooking, phys. ed., wanted to do a play, that's all I can remember off the top of my head...

[Julie of KY]

I think you get your best classes when you let your teachers pick their curriculum and teach to their passions.

 

Some classes we have loved Kid's chemisry lab, gymnastics, geography, PE, mystery disease (from Prufrock Press), marine biology, critters class, chess, film design, music, art.