mrshomework Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I have never been a part of a co-op we have always done things on our own. I would not mind being a part of one but my fear is that we would fall behind on our schedule. The co-op would be for music, P.E. and writing class. I already have my curriculum planned out and I am happy with it so I am debating weather it will be beneficial of not. We don't have a park day because I live in a rural area. I want to give my only child a day to socialize more too so thought this would help? I am still waiting to hear from the Co-op board on more information I was just wondering what experiences have been with participating in a co-op? Thanks your input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 We do a very casual one, where parents take turns teaching in their area of interest/expertise. Last year, it turned out to be mostly fun, hands-on science. I don't consider it academic, but it's fun socially-usually about an hour of class, followed by an hour of playing on the church playground with other kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 We participate in a 1/2 day co-op- art, music and unit study as well as a 1/2 day academic day (classes with assignments, feedback and tests). Both have played an important part of our homeschool. I've started both a co-op and a class day and I think that there are benefits to both. I know for us, living very rurally in a northern state, that when the dead of winter sets in (which it does with a vengence) that our 2 days out are life savers. The co-op isn't a "blow-off" day in my mind, either- which is why we chose the one we participate in. The music is terrific- LOVE the music!!. The art is very hands on and my kids get to make a HUGE mess and be exposed to art somewhere else ;). The unit studies are great. My ds 16 did financial peace, my 11 ds did state history and my 8 yo did the continents. The classes are limited 15 kids and I like that as well because they are exposed to a wide variety of people without being overwhelmed by a pack mentality. My kids love their friends from co-op and look forward to it all week. It is controlled enough that it isn't chaotic but they have snack and gym so there is time for them to visit and play as well. For us, it is worth every minute driving and every penny spent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torototo Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I think it depends on the coop. I was a part of one this past school year with some of my closest homeschooling moms so we worked really well together. We studied world Geography which included physical geography, language, food, crafts, culture and animals of chosen countries. The kids, pre-school through 1st grade, did map work, coloring pages, art, cooked food and saw videos. It worked out great for us because we did things that I would never take the time to do with just one or two children. The kids had fun with their friends and us moms got a break from our normal routine and a time to chat with each other. Hope that helps. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 We are in one. I was on the fence last year about joining as I didn't want to give up a day out of our schedule. It ended up being the best thing we did all year. Ours is very large, about 150 families (and roughly 400 kids). For the younger kids the classes are scheduled and non-academic (art, music, drama, pe). The older kids have electives. Some are academic, some aren't. Because of the large size there are a lot of extras that the kids can do that are fun experiences (concerts, plays, the senior high kids have special parties, a yearbook, etc). There is also a support group time for moms. I think I'd suggest thinking about what you want to get out of it and then seeing if it would meet those goals. For us, I wanted mostly the social time. That has been fantastic for all of us. Ds made some good friends and I think he really loved having that 1/2 day in a group class setting. I made some friends also and enjoyed the support group part. And ours has programs for the younger kids also, which were great. I was nervous about giving up that time but I decided to try it. Once we got into it I realized that I could easily fit everything else into the rest of the week and I realized that for us the co-op covers things that I couldn't or wouldn't do at home. It's just tough to do drama and PE group games with one kid, and art and music aren't my strengths. I liked that ours has no homework or other commitments during the week so it's really just half a day a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosy Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 We are in one that we love. It is my kids' favorite thing that we do all week. Ours is for enrichment--classes are somewhat academic, but mostly not core classes at the elementary level. All their best friends are there and many of mine. Ours is socially beneficial (very much so), academically I would say it is neutral. We do science there and will be doing writing next year as well, but giving up a day of the week is hard. It means we have to fit all our schooling into 4 days. So they learn quite a bit at co-op, but it takes away from a day of learning at home (or having a relaxed day to get things done). However, we'll go as long as we can because we love it so much. DD10 is doing a study hall period next semester (her choice), and as her school work becomes more challenging I may require that, or switch to half-days. Can you fit the rest of your schooling into 4 days? Actually, if you have responsibilities at the co-op, it will be more like 3 1/2, because you'll spend part of the day before preparing for co-op day, making sure the kids have their homework done (if any), etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAutumnOak Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 We are in one that we love. It is my kids' favorite thing that we do all week. Ours is for enrichment--classes are somewhat academic, but mostly not core classes at the elementary level. All their best friends are there and many of mine. Ours is socially beneficial (very much so), academically I would say it is neutral. We do science there and will be doing writing next year as well, but giving up a day of the week is hard. It means we have to fit all our schooling into 4 days. So they learn quite a bit at co-op, but it takes away from a day of learning at home (or having a relaxed day to get things done). However, we'll go as long as we can because we love it so much. DD10 is doing a study hall period next semester (her choice), and as her school work becomes more challenging I may require that, or switch to half-days. Can you fit the rest of your schooling into 4 days? Actually, if you have responsibilities at the co-op, it will be more like 3 1/2, because you'll spend part of the day before preparing for co-op day, making sure the kids have their homework done (if any), etc. We don't belong to a co-op because I know at this point, we can't do it or rather it would cost us too much to do it...I think they can be beneficial for some depending on the co-op, but we need just social time with others...This may change in the future, but right now we don't belong to any... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah CB Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 We're involved in a co-op that is one full day a week. We meet for 12 weeks in the fall and 12 weeks in the spring. It does have an academic focus, so it actually takes the pressure off of me during the rest of the week. The kids cover the majority of their science for the year at co-op as well as their French. They also do a lot of social studies. This coming year we're doing Tapestry of Grace classes, so their hands-on projects, discussions and TOG writing will all take place at co-op. We've got a great bunch of parents and a great bunch of kids, plus it covers a good chunk of our academics so it's really win-win for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrshomework Posted June 14, 2011 Author Share Posted June 14, 2011 Can you fit the rest of your schooling into 4 days? Actually, if you have responsibilities at the co-op, it will be more like 3 1/2, because you'll spend part of the day before preparing for co-op day, making sure the kids have their homework done (if any), etc. This is one of the problems I have the co-op would meet on mondays we do 4 days a week right now with friday being day off. DH is usually off every other friday and we usually end up doing some family thing or as it sometimes turns out house maintenance day. This would mean I would lose a monday and friday everyother week. Then like you stated it is a co-op where parents are part of it so I expect I will be taking time out to help with planning of some sort. This is still my big concern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 We belong to a co op which meets on Fridays. My boys will take science and Latin next year because these are the courses I choose to outsource. We don't need any "extras" in our schedule, as we don't have time for those. Co op takes 2 hours on Fridays, and it serves us well. My co op responsibilities are minimal. I generally don't teach, but I serve on the board and as an advisor to the board when they need someone to set limits or deal with unreasonable members. I guess you could call me the hammer. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuzor Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I think joining a co-op can be beneficial depending on your family dynamic. My family is apart of a co-op that meets 10 weeks fall and spring. We are at the co-op all day from 8-2. This upcoming year we will not be apart of set up so we can sleep an extra hour and be at co-op for 9am. It has been benefical in the following ways for my family. 1. For me. It is great to interact with other homeschooling moms. Sometimes its just good to be amongst people that understand what you are trying to do. 2. My oldest son. Last year was his K year our first year to hs. Although he never attended a real school he was in pre K program so he was excited about going to school. Co-op satisfies that school itch for him. In addition he is not as shy. 3. We use co-op for enrichment only. It is great for my oldest to get PE and other fun things that I can't do at home. There are some down sides to joining a co-op. Again it depends on your family dynamic. One of the downsides is our co-op is all day and so when the day is over I am very tired. We only school four days a week and I used our off Friday from co-op to make up missed work. I like to sleep in on Fridays but I can't because of co-op. Thursdays are always stressful because I am preparing for co-op on Friday. Weigh the pros and cons for your family then decide. The pros outweigh the cons for me and joining a co-op has been a blessing to my family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheApprentice Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 We are in one, and if we continue, it will be our second year. I'm on the fence because it does take up the entire day (well not really, but once we get back, nobody feels like doing anything). So that is a concern of mine. But I also see the benefit socially it gives my boys, so I have to make myself recognize that this is just as important as being a "check the box" kinda girl. Which can be difficult, because we.have.so.much.to.do.this.year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosy Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 This is one of the problems I have the co-op would meet on mondays we do 4 days a week right now with friday being day off. DH is usually off every other friday and we usually end up doing some family thing or as it sometimes turns out house maintenance day. This would mean I would lose a monday and friday everyother week. Then like you stated it is a co-op where parents are part of it so I expect I will be taking time out to help with planning of some sort. This is still my big concern. Every co-op has different rules re: parent involvement. I teach 3 classes a semester, but many of our members don't teach at all, and volunteer minimally outside of co-op days. I would find out what the rules are. Also, would you be able to get any school done before you go, or maybe do a half day on Monday evenings? Then you could do school on the Fridays your DH is at work. I guess it depends on whether it's worth making the sacrifices...you could join for a year (or half a year if that's allowed) and see how it goes. I also strongly recommend going on a class day and observing...you may find that it's not academic enough to meet your needs (or too academic), or the teachers seem disorganized or the students aren't participating or everyone's wearing a headcovering and a denim jumper (just kidding :) ). Better to find out if it's a good fit before you commit yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Weigh the pros and cons for your family then decide. The pros outweigh the cons for me and joining a co-op has been a blessing to my family. :iagree: For us, it has always been the reverse: the cons outweighing the pros. I don't like working around other commitments. Dig deep and ask yourself, "Is this something that gives me tingly excitement when I think about it, or do I dread it because it's just something I'm considering out of a misplaced sense of guilt?" Then the only way you can know for sure it to give it a shot! Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 We belong to a good-sized co-op. The younger kids have scheduled classes, like art, music, science, etc. For older kids, it's tutorials. It's one full day a week (Mondays) during the school year. I don't trouble myself with what they're learning in co-op and just concentrate on the 4 days I have at home. So far, I haven't had any trouble working 4 days a week. MFW Adv., which we'll start in the fall, fits nicely into 4 days. They never have homework. The girls love it - well, Becca adores it, Sylvia accepts it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katiejean Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I think it depends on the coop. I was a part of one this past school year with some of my closest homeschooling moms so we worked really well together. We studied world Geography which included physical geography, language, food, crafts, culture and animals of chosen countries. The kids, pre-school through 1st grade, did map work, coloring pages, art, cooked food and saw videos. It worked out great for us because we did things that I would never take the time to do with just one or two children. The kids had fun with their friends and us moms got a break from our normal routine and a time to chat with each other. Hope that helps. :) It definitely depends on the co-op. I have many friends in other larger cities that enjoy theirs very much. I personally had a few not so good experiences-one we joined was for "health". We had a dental hygienist come in to do a lesson on dental health for our first class. The entire time children between the ages of 7-9 were hopping all over the living room and being completely disrespectful towards the guest speaker. I got my first real taste of why home school families get a bad rep. Not one child there knew how to respect another figure of authority. I made up my mind right then my children must be involved in outside activities utilizing an authoritative figure in their life besides my husband and I. I tried one more time to join a co-op and I felt the same way-the children did not appreciate structure and it was a complete zoo. I'm not hard to please I promise! Perhaps it was the area in which we lived-there were some interesting "philosophies" floating around. Anyway, the only way to know if it would benefit you is to try. Good luck I hope your experience is better than mine was! Oh and ftr, since socialization is very important to me, I keep my kids in little league and other community based sports as well as 4H. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaMa2005 Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 I belong to a small (50 family) co-op. It is great as it doesn't really interfere with schooling. The club days meet 5 times during the fall and 5 times during the spring. On the off weeks, field trips, park days, etc. are planned. If you sign your child up for classes you are only committed to the 5 days (from 2-4 in the afternoon). Everything else is totally up to you to decide if it fits into your schedule. The benefits I see is that DS has some friends that live close by since the co-op is based very locally. The moms always have a MNO once a month which is greatly appreciated by everyone. Even though we don't meet over the summer, park days are always occurring. Right now the boys from the co-op have been having an ongoing Nerf War. We had battles I-IV over the past 4 weeks. Now that it has become so hot, we are changing to water gun battles. Very relaxed and the children really get to know each other while the moms sit in the shade and solve the problems of the world :D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Can you fit the rest of your schooling into 4 days? Actually, if you have responsibilities at the co-op, it will be more like 3 1/2, because you'll spend part of the day before preparing for co-op day, making sure the kids have their homework done (if any), etc. We count 3 1/2 days at home and we work diligently on those days. For one, there is homework due for the academic day and my kids don't want to be doing thier homework on the week-ends or show up to class unprepared (the joys of positive peer pressure)! We get it done. I'm not a slave driver, by any means, but we do the work. I think the days out offer my kids motivation as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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