Why are homeschool classes so expensive?!?!?

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

It's "socialism" to try and help another family out or to work together as a group of families?! To require and demand it for everyone, yes. Otherwise, no.

 

Umm, well, people can voluntarily join groups that use a socialist model. It would just be an intentional community.

 

ETA: This isn't meant to try to be the last word, or anything. Just wanted to further the discussion with another viewpoint.

[mommaduck]

Just the way it was worded created an either or situation. You can have both. And it doesn't have to be given a negative spin to want to make somethings available for those that have less. And believe it or not, it's not always about lifestyle choices. There are families where a spouse dies, gets sick, or loses a job and then certain things become unavailable. It's nice when families are willing to work together to make it possible for those children to benefit even in the midst of family hardship.

[Kathleen in VA]

We pay $55/lesson for my daughter's piano lessons. Her previous teacher, a young lady from church, took from the same expensive teacher for about 3 years and played well enough to get into some very competitive conservatories as well as be offered a full scholarship to a local university (which she took). Hopefully, my daughter will be able to pursue her dreams in music due to having such an accomplished, effective teacher. I'm willing to pay to find out.

 

That's $220/month for four lessons. I think $50/month for a quality class is an awesome deal.

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

Just the way it was worded created an either or situation. You can have both. And it doesn't have to be given a negative spin to want to make somethings available for those that have less. And believe it or not, it's not always about lifestyle choices. There are families where a spouse dies, gets sick, or loses a job and then certain things become unavailable. It's nice when families are willing to work together to make it possible for those children to benefit even in the midst of family hardship.

 

 

Oh, I see. I guess I didn't see socialistic as being a negative. Not everyone on here equates capitalist with "always good" and socialist with "always evil." I'm one of those, though I do think I'm in favor of the capitalist model 95% of the time. (A good hybrid can be good, as well, like the social medical model of Germany.)

 

So I didn't see the comparison as being positive vs. negative. And I do think socialist models can be completely voluntary.

[mommaduck]

I agree on a good hybrid ;) It's just how it can come across depending on how it's said.

[Night Elf]

This must have been really discouraging. I am in a co-op where all the moms do their share. We try to keep the $ down and do so pretty well. I find it simply shocking that moms would assume YOU should take the responsibility for *their* children while they go shopping. Wow.

 

I believe they thought their hearts were in the right place. I was up front about why I wanted a co-op. I wanted a group of kids that my kids could be with on a regular basis and I wanted it in a structured environment. I even offered my house thinking we could set up centers in the different rooms and have the kids rotate. I didn't intend for it to be like park days where the kids would go off playing and the moms sit at a picnic table and talk. Maybe the moms I talked to thought other moms would step up and help.

 

With the Girl Scout thing, I did get an explanation from one mom about why she wouldn't participate. She said she was with her kid all day and needed a break. That was definitely *not* what I had in mind. I really wanted my daughter to have friends but that seemed like a really bad way to go about it.

[Gamom3]

I would love to start some classes with other homeschoolers!

 

Yeah, I've tried unsuccessfully to find a co-op. When I tried to create one, I couldn't find a single parent that was willing to help me. They said how nice it would be to just drop their children off so they could do things alone. I ran into the same problem when I tried to create a homeschoolers girl scout troop. I ended up walking away from both ideas. And would you believe I had a couple of women really ticked off at me for changing my mind?? They simply couldn't understand why I didn't want to shoulder all the responsibility.

 

Anyway, I totally understand people offering homeschool classes at decent rates. I just can't afford the classes no matter how much I'd love to support the homeschooling lifestyle. I need money as much as they do I guess. Which is why I wanted to do a co-op with just 2 or 3 families. We're either flat broke with a couple of activities going, or lonely with some money to spend. So we go to the bookstore and Game Stop alot. :tongue_smilie:

 

 

We were and are in a co-op that does not charge a great deal for the classes that they offer.

 

The one we were in prior to moving..charged $60 a year for the family and they offered awesome classes 2x a week, from math to latin to PE and dance(this was an extra $5!!). To me this is what its about, homeschoolers sticking together helping each other, knowing that we are doing this for our kids and that most of us are a one income family..rather it be large or small income.

 

The one we are in now, not at all like the one mentioned above. We use it mainly for our kids to get to know other homeschoolers. It runs $85 a year for the family. Classes are 1x a week..these are fun classes nothing that would/should take place of what is to be taught at home.

 

I would love to see more homeschool classes offered like the ones at our old co-op...for $60 a year or even a little more per year per family.

 

I am sure the mom's that teach these classes would get extra $$ for tutoring services outside of co-op.

 

IMO... tutoring and music are/should be in a different category than homeschool classes.

 

Just my opinion..which I'm sure most will disagree with...which is ok!:D

[Mommieeeee]

Alot of the reasons that I have seen here are the reasons why I am forming my co-op/homeschool classes with both types of parents in mind. For teachers who want to teach classes, their children get a certain amount of classes for free. For parents who want to drop off, the classes will cost about $50-60 each class a month for a 1.5 hour class, once a week. So, a class that meets 4 times a month, for 6 hours total would cost $8.33-10 an hour. Not a bad price in my opinion to drop off your child and get "me" time with your child learning to boot!

[amy g.]

I like our homeschool classes, but I've also had good luck just trading off with other homeschool moms.

 

I have a friend with a PhD in optical science who is teaching my older kids 2 days a week while I teach her younger kids. She won't even let me pay for their textbooks with anything other than goat cheese!

 

It is a huge blessing for my kids to have a private tutor who was completely tailors the curriculum to their needs. It's nice for her to spend a little time without clingy toddlers, and get to talk to almost grown-ups.

 

If the whole co op idea isn't working out, you might try to find one mom that you get along with to trade off with.

[frogpond1]

Planning time, grading time, building costs, and material costs (just for the teacher's materials etc.). Child care can be an issue too. Teaching classes is a lot of work! I think homeschool classes are super cheap compared to what private schools charge for tuition. A private school teacher would get paid a lot more than a co-op teacher including benefits and vacations etc. $50 isn't bad, trust me.

[amy g.]

When my kids were in private school, we paid $1,000 a month in tuition. $500 for a kindergartener, and $500 for one in pre k.

 

You can bet my husband was thrilled when I decided homeschooling might not be so bad after all!

[Mary in WA]

I am trying to figure out what TO charge this summer for a 3 morning a week Latin class.... A school is paying me $200 a week for four girls, but I don't think I can honestly charge a homeschool mom $50 a week to add her one daughter. Do any of you Latin teachers have an idea of a good price?

[Tracey in TX]

I tutor high school math in the Atlanta area. I charge $60/hour and I have a waiting list. I think $50 a month is a bargain.

 

Tutors for math, reading/phonics, and music are $50-75/hr. Even private soccer or gymnastics lessons is minimum $50/hr. When a person has a specialty, they've earned the right to charge fair market prices. When a person is learning to teach a new skill or subject, the prices should also reflect this (ie new dance teacher $10/hr).

 

Just like shopping at the grocery store: you get what you pay for! Quality items are typically more expensive than the less desirable products.

[Doran]

Where we live, everything is expensive. We pay $50-60/hr. for music lessons and $45/hr for tutoring for my dyslexic child. Cost of living is also high which shows up in the cost for homes. Everything affects everything, kwim?

 

When you take a fee like $50/mo. and break it down to an hourly rate, it seems more reasonable. My hunch is that Atlanta is also an expensive area, which means that instructors have to charge more just to recoup their time and materials (when applicable). What teacher is worth less than $12.50/hour?

 

In then end, though, we simply can't afford to send our kids to many of the extras that come our way. We'd like to, but it's just not in our budget. Music lessons are vital to us, as is the tutor. But, our local community college offeres a host of classes that we simply can't partake of because they're out of our league in a cumulative sense. Sure, if we gave up something else. But, we've had to priortize and the CC classes don't make the list.

 

Sad, but true.

[gardenschooler]

 

It's cheaper than therapy which we would both need if we tried to do Pre Calc at home :)

 

That it is. Thanks, now I can justify spending the money! :lol:

[gardenschooler]

Private school often costs over a thousand a month, expecially once you're out of the primary years. Some are closer to two thousand. $50 per month for even 7 classes is still a steal at $350.

 

To make the analogy equal, you'd have to multiply it by 5. The $50 referred to a once a week class.

[Christine]

I am on a e-loop that talks about homeschool classes around Atlanta. One class cost is $50+ a month for one student and that doesn't include curriculum! Why so expensive!?!?!?

Come on..we ARE homeschooling families and 99% of us live on one income!

 

I have fits about this.

 

Classes in our area tend to be on a "semester" basis.

 

There is a class freqently offered for "lit analysis" by a homeschool mom, for $150 / semester meetings once per week and attendees are expected to bring $10 every week to cover the costs of snacks. Books are the responsibility of the students -- and they generally cover only 3 / semester.

 

It irks me, as this class is of obvious benefit to the offering Mom's child/ren. (Lit analysis, IMO, is best done in a group. AND if she's doing Lit analysis with her child then she's already doing all the prep work for it for them.)

 

We live in a high cost area. . . but still!

[Myrtle]

It's "socialism" to try and help another family out or to work together as a group of families?! To require and demand it for everyone, yes. Otherwise, no.

 

 

So the nerd in me is coming out and I'm surfing all over the internet looking up info on Proudhon, anarcho-syndicalism...:tongue_smilie: I guess it's more books on top of the every growing stack.

 

 

What was the original topic? LOL

[Kelli in TN]

No, they are not that necessary! In fact, for me I think they would detract from what we are doing.

 

 

But otherwise, I prefer to teach them at home rather than join the classes. And they are fine, as, I would assume, many other children of this board are.

 

No worries!

 

 

I totally agree. It would be a stretch for us financially, but we could afford a coop if I really wanted to join one.

 

I just can't take the thought of someone else telling me what curriculum to buy. I can't take the the thought of following someone else's schedule.

 

We just do our own thing. We are sending our high schooler to the CC, but she can drive herself and take care of herself and I will still be free to do my own thing!!

[Myrtle]

for $150 / semester meetings once per week and attendees are expected to bring $10 every week to cover the costs of snacks. 9

 

Holy Guacamole, Batman, that's some expensive snacks. Are they eating sushi?

[Christine]

Holy Guacamole, Batman, that's some expensive snacks. Are they eating sushi?

 

:tongue_smilie:I suspect they are paying for the maid. . .;) (so she doesn't have to clean her home before these teens arrive)

[MomofSeven]

I am trying to figure out what TO charge this summer for a 3 morning a week Latin class.... A school is paying me $200 a week for four girls, but I don't think I can honestly charge a homeschool mom $50 a week to add her one daughter. Do any of you Latin teachers have an idea of a good price?

 

and I'm charging $140 per semester for the secondary students and $120 for elementary students. The cost difference reflects the amount of prep-work that I'll be doing since elementary students will have more review than the older students.

 

I've thought a lot about the price. My dh thought I was charging too low, but being a HS mom, and always complaining about the costs of "Extras" I decided to drop the price a bit.

 

However, I didn't want to make it so low that it wouldn't be worth it for me to prepare for the class and do a good job. If I'm not being compensated fairly for my work, I may come to resent it.

 

I'm providing most of the worksheets and other resources that will be used, so I'm factoring that cost in.

 

Also, there is a lot of prep time to prepare for a well run and organized class.

 

Finally, I believe if parents are paying a perceivable amount for the class, they will see to it that their children arrive well-prepared and try to get the most out of it.

 

After reading these posts, I hope my fellow homeschoolers don't think I'm trying to hamstring them with exhorbatant prices. I really think I picked a fair price.

[mommaduck]

So the nerd in me is coming out and I'm surfing all over the internet looking up info on Proudhon, anarcho-syndicalism...:tongue_smilie: I guess it's more books on top of the every growing stack.

 

 

What was the original topic? LOL

 

Okay, fine, it's socialism...just not in the negative context :tongue_smilie:

 

(I was running off of no sleep yesterday and I really should have stayed out of controversy)

 

 

I'm also realising that we might have two different groups of people discussing two different types of classes.

 

There are those that are talking about classes that are taught by experts to get their child into a specialised area of college, or to teach a class at a level not even taught in most public or private schools, or to get their child into an extra curricular on a competitive level. I can see paying money for these and how $50 is cheap. In the areas I've lived in though, I have not seen classes like these offered. (this group seems to be the majority on the thread)

 

Then there are those (and I was part of this group) who thought we were discussing your run of the mill homeschooling group "classes". This is where someone is teaching something that mom can teach, but the classroom model allows for extra fun or at least interaction. Or where a basic language course (think spanish, sign language, or basic latin) is taught. A "karate" and "dance" on the most basic of levels, taught by a highschooler, and simply to count it towards physical education. A mom that spins wool and thought it would offer an unusual experience for kids to learn the basics of this. A mom that teaches sewing, since it's a basic skill, but most of the mothers don't have this skill themselves. Students in some of these classes include both parents and children as students, not just the children. For these types of classes, I would not pay $50 per month. If I wanted to pay this amount or higher for these types of things, I would sign up with a Dojo for Karate, a private tutor for Latin or Piano, a Studio for Ballet, and a wool shop for spinning.

 

So how's that for talking past eachother....

[TraceyS/FL]

Well, i'll chime in! LOL!! :tongue_smilie:

 

I can assure you - i don't have $50 extra in my budget for a class. I have about $4 extra right now in there.

 

Because of budget and what we have available to us right now (not a lot), we have decided to go with HomeSat. Even if i just use it for Science next year (i'm not), that is $25/mo for each child. Then add in the foreign language and well, it gets cheaper!

 

We budget about $100/mo for school (Homesat and books). Normally runs more, but we add to the fund from other areas if we can.

 

I always say when i win lotto i'm starting a class place. I live in a HUGE retirement community area. I'd like to draw from that pool and have some awesome classes for the kids in the community.

 

Anyway, i can't gripe about our budget - it is what it is.... i just have to work with it, and this is how we are doing it!

[Night Elf]

IThere is a class freqently offered for "lit analysis" by a homeschool mom, for $150 / semester meetings once per week and attendees are expected to bring $10 every week to cover the costs of snacks. Books are the responsibility of the students -- and they generally cover only 3 / semester.

 

Wow! How long are the kids there and what are they eating?? $10 per child for snacks? I'd expect a full lunch, with drink, and dessert for that kind of money. Am I cheap?? :eek:

 

How long is a semester? 12 weeks? The tuition sounds about right, but I think the snack money is a bit extreme.

[Night Elf]

There are those that are talking about classes that are taught by experts to get their child into a specialised area of college, or to teach a class at a level not even taught in most public or private schools, or to get their child into an extra curricular on a competitive level. I can see paying money for these and how $50 is cheap.

 

I totally agree. Classes like those are totally different from the next group you are talking about.

 

Then there are those (and I was part of this group) who thought we were discussing your run of the mill homeschooling group "classes". This is where someone is teaching something that mom can teach, but the classroom model allows for extra fun or at least interaction

 

Classes that we did in a church homeschool ministry were what I would consider enrichment classes. There were music classes that allowed kids to bang on tube thingees, art classes where kids drew with color pencils and markers, craft classes where they did paperbag and lace type projects, reading classes that read books aloud and did a craft project, etc. Another place I knew of offered the same type classes but the fees were way too expensive. I'm talking $200 for an 8 week class that meets for one hour per week. That's the kind of fee I'd expect for a serious academic class, not a paperbag project!

[st_claire]

I think if the co-ops ran free classes, that would be lovely, but the problem is there are some parents who would never offer a class, only send their kids. These things only work if everyone is willing to do their share, but often there are people who try to take advantage of others. By paying, if you pay $50 for your kids, and then you offer a course and make the $50 back, it all evens out. If another parent never offers a course, they have to pay.

[Elisabeth in IL]

I'm charging $140 per semester for the secondary students and $120 for elementary students. The cost difference reflects the amount of prep-work that I'll be doing since elementary students will have more review than the older students.

 

I've thought a lot about the price. My dh thought I was charging too low, but being a HS mom, and always complaining about the costs of "Extras" I decided to drop the price a bit.

 

However, I didn't want to make it so low that it wouldn't be worth it for me to prepare for the class and do a good job. If I'm not being compensated fairly for my work, I may come to resent it.

 

I'm providing most of the worksheets and other resources that will be used, so I'm factoring that cost in.

 

Also, there is a lot of prep time to prepare for a well run and organized class.

 

Finally, I believe if parents are paying a perceivable amount for the class, they will see to it that their children arrive well-prepared and try to get the most out of it.

 

After reading these posts, I hope my fellow homeschoolers don't think I'm trying to hamstring them with exorbitant prices. I really think I picked a fair price.

 

FYI I'm paying $20 a week for a Spanish class with just one other family (4 kids total ages 8 to 11). I do not think that you are charging too much. I wish that I could have found a French class around here as I speak French and could have helped them study.

[Susan in TX]

I wonder how many in this thread only have one or two children?

 

$50 is nothing when you are talking one child. When you have a handful of children though, there is no point.

 

I think $50 a month for a class is very reasonable. That said, I have 8 dc and we don't do any outside classes because we simply can't afford to. I sent my high schoolers to public school because of this...we simply could not afford the outside classes that I felt would be necessary to homeschooling high school. In retrospect, this has worked out well. My teens are getting an excellent education in public school and enjoying it.

 

Susan in TX

[Holly IN]

Here is what ours cost in our group...

 

For high school it is (getting ready to faint)...

 

$240 to $300 per semester and this is NOT including supplies or materials. :001_rolleyes:

 

The science classes are the most expensive of them all. They must think we are very very rich.

 

The elementary classes can range from $50 per student for 12 weeks or for an art class which I had to decline was $150 for 12 weeks per student. :blink:

I can take my kids to a nearby private Christian school for a much cheaper art classes in the evenings.

Holly

[FlockOfSillies]

This is very true. Sometimes business consultants will tell their clients that they should actually raise the prices of their products/services to enhance the perceived value.

 

In our case, a $45-for-8-weeks "art" class at the local community art center was almost entirely basic crafts I could have done at home. The course description made it sound like the kids would be learning the principles of art through projects, but it was so shallow as to be almost worthless. The ceramics classes there seem to be better, for the same price.

 

$50 a month sounds reasonable to me, depending on the depth of the subject taught. I don't care as much whether the teacher is merely a "homeschool mom" or a "professional", so long as the material is meaty enough for my kids to be sitting there. If the professional is giving my kids craft sticks and glue for an "art" class, I'm not going to be as happy as I would be if the "homeschool mom" who is an expert seamstress teaches my kids a skill that they can use all their lives. Having said that, people tend to be more willing to fork over the big bucks to "professionals" because there's a higher perceived value in that person's services.

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

 

(I was running off of no sleep yesterday and I really should have stayed out of controversy)

 

Don't you dare stay out of controversy! We need more people who come back and clarify and re-clarify and engage and evaluate and clarify some more in *every* controversy.

 

I'm out of rep, but you deserve some for your contributions to this thread.

 

:hat:

[mommaduck]

Don't you dare stay out of controversy! We need more people who come back and clarify and re-clarify and engage and evaluate and clarify some more in *every* controversy.

 

I'm out of rep' date=' but you deserve some for your contributions to this thread.

 

:hat:[/quote']

 

Aww, you're sweet! I really was running off of no sleep and I think I took some people wrong...hoping I did. I love the exchange of ideas though.