Co-op questions: Does this sound good to you? Why or why not?

[bairnmama]

Yes. I do think that is a factor. There are other options for groups, although there aren't other groups who have the same structure we do. There are a few very loose groups that charge practically nothing to join, but only offer whatever the more proactive members organize and there are two bigger ones that have academic classes in a much more structured fashion. So, I do think that is a part of it.

 

I don't know what the demographics on homeschooling are in my county at this time (holding steady, growing, more Classical, more unschooler, etc.) My main concern is that we don't seem to be attracting many younger homeschoolers. I don't want the group to simply atrophy because the "old" members are graduating kids and not having babies and we aren't replacing them with younger, fresh, proactive homeschoolers. The year that I joined, it seemed like there was at least a dozen other new families with younger children, just like my own. But now it seems like we get one or two here and there and that's it. We do have a couple of newer families that I'm very glad to have; they are young and on-the-ball and I believe can really nurture the group in the coming years. I'm just greedy and want more like that! :D

 

I belong to a support group, not a co-op... but the part I bolded jumped out at me. When I joined my group, there were a LOT of high school aged kids and just a few lower elementary/preschool. In fact, my son was one of only 2 preK kids. However, over the years the older kids have graduated and their younger siblings are now mostly middle-school aged. Also, many families have joined with younger kids so that we are now a lower-elementary heavy group with at least 10 preK and 4 infants! We get several inquiries every month asking about our numbers of high school kids (only 1 last year) and none of the families will join because they don't see the numbers they want. The thing is... almost NONE of the groups around here have many high schoolers present BECAUSE each family is looking for a group that ALREADY HAS a good number and no one is joining any of the groups!:tongue_smilie:

 

Could it be that your co-op is just in an in-between stage. The younger families don't see as many opportunities for their dc and so shy away from the higher cost for their smaller/younger families? To be honest, there are many, many more inexpensive options for the preK/early elementary set to get their enrichment when there are not older siblings to consider.

[2squared]

Hmmmm....the cost would be a challenge for us. But I would seriously consider joining if my kids could do all their extracurriculars there at the same time & during the day. If you offered Boy Scouts, 4-H, music, etc. Wow. Awesome.

 

The pricing is a challenge. Small families don't want to subsidize bigger families (rightfully so), but bigger families bring in more kids. I think you would need a mix and need to be priced so that the smaller families don't feel burdened and the larger families can still afford the experience.

[Bassoonaroo]

I only read the first page of replies so forgive me if I am out of line with the discussion.

 

I run a sort of similar co-op. About 30 families. Christian with statement of faith required. Three hours, once a week, a la cart classes that the moms design and run.

 

Our costs are lower: $15 per family per semester or $10 if you are on leadership or take on extra responsibilities (planning the Christmas party, organizing field trips), and we've got financial aid if needed (in other words, during tough times, come for free). The church where we meet allows us to meet there free but asks that we tidy up each week (empty the trash, run the vacuum if there are little paper pieces, wipe down the nursery, check the bathrooms) so that someone coming in right behind us will not feel grossed out (the professional cleaners come before worship service and do the deep cleaning). Those wishing to not do their cleaning can buy out with the buy-out money going right to a family who is willing to do it more than once. That works well for everyone.

 

For the babies and preschoolers, we ask parents bring in a snack to share and with everyone pitching in, that's covered.

 

For the elementary students and for many middle school classes, we ask that the teachers work to design a class that doesn't require that a parent go out and buy a certain book, etc. Teachers post on our Yahoo group about supplies they need (cotton balls, blue construction paper) and often a family, even one not in that particular class, will find leftover supplies in their craft closet, etc. There are no class fees. The teachers are expected to pay for (or otherwise procure) supplies for the classes they teach, based on their own family budget, knowing that their children will benefit from the supplies that their teachers have supplied. We do have a pot of money for teachers needing a little extra money to get supplies, but it is rarely used. The teachers are good about picking economical courses and making them really fun.

 

The older kids, by necessity, need books and lab fees. We rotate through the Apologia middle school and high school sciences and that requires books and lab equipment. Families loan lab equipment where possible and we have done pretty well mixing first and second edition Apologia books, so that we're not requiring families that own older books to purchase new ones. It turns out that it is cheaper to do Apologia in our co-op than it is at home (assuming you have one teen) because we pair up two kids as lab partners so we share equipment. We've been so blessed in the high school sciences. So far, our classes have been taught by those who are very familiar with the subject (the chem teacher used to teach in a high school and has a MS in chem, for example). It's not the blind leading the blind at all. Our physics teacher this year is a gentleman at church (he homeschooled but his six have graduated) who really enjoys physics. Our biology teachers were a nurse and a physician's assistant. Wow. We are also blessed with moms who are extremely musical, artistics, fluent in another language, etc. Teachers tend to share what they love and are good at. And it balances what we do at home very well, at least for my family.

 

Even with low dues, we never have hurt for money. We have budget line items to take care of moms of newborns, moms suffering health issues, postage, and printing. The church lets us use their basic copier for free. In exchange, we give the church a nice check at the end of each semester to cover copying supplies as well as electricity, toilet paper, wear and tear etc.

 

We tend to offer things that are difficult to offer at home. This semester we have choir, two levels of Latin, Physical Science, Physics, botany, biblical holidays, SAT test prep, state history, PE (we have a gym), economics, crafts, and a class (for girls and boys) based on the book Dangerous Boys. In the past we've had grammar games, crime scene (well, a G-rated one, missing teddy bear) class, elections class, guitar, yarn crafts, Keepers at Home, sewing, geography, drama, chess, etc.

 

If you can find a free meeting place, you can really offer a very inexpensive co-op with two dozen or more families paying low dues.

Edited July 26, 2011 by Bassoonaroo

[clarkacademy]

I was under the impression that co-op teachers are volunteers and everybody helps so that it is not that expensive?

[FlyingMOm]

You mentioned not attracting younger families- could it be a schedule/timing issue? We dropped out of the co-op we LOVED last year because this year the preschool classes are only during the 2nd & 3rd hours- from 1:00-3:00- when almost all preschoolers are napping! No way I can take my 16mo. old out at that time- she'd be a basket case. And there is no way, NO WAY, I'd join a group that required me to volunteer every week. I've got a baby to look after while the other kids are in classes- usually I'd be feeding her, changing her, etc. during the time the kids are in class- I can't imagine how I'd look after her while volunteering- that would be a big, big deterrent for me. The co-op last year required that you volunteer for 8 hours a semester OR pay a $40 fee. I couldn't pay that extra $40 fee fast enough. lol! Anyway- things you might consider that may be a barrier to young families- possibly you could make a few small changes and start attracting more young families.

[Jenny in Florida]

I think the prices sound very reasonable.

 

However, I would have other concerns.

 

I know you said there's no SOF, but as a non-Christian, I would still have to pick and choose classes very carefully in order to be sure I could honor the committment not to contradict Christian content. (For example, I'm betting my kids would never take a science class.)

 

Also, I'm not sure we could devote the time and resources to non-core classes. My son already has lots of extracurricular committments (dance, music, theatre, volunteering, youth group). I'm not sure we'd be able to give up a schoolday to more.

 

When my kids were younger, I think I would have jumped at such an opportunity. But with an already busy high schooler, I doubt we'd have time.

[mom31257]

I direct a co-op, but ours is much less costly. We only charge a registration fee to cover supplies for the classes and a donation to the church that lets us meet. It works out to $30-35 per family per semester. The moms teach all the classes and aren't paid anything. We do it to help each other out and give our kids a fun and enriching experience, not to make money.

 

We only meet 8 weeks each semester for 3 hours one day each week. We've not grown large enough to have electives within each age group and hour. We've grown enough that we are in smaller grade increments. Last semester we had 20 families and 60 kids.

 

I think it depends on how much this means to your children. If I had the money and that was all that was available and my children really enjoyed it, I would attend.

[Jenny in Florida]

I understand the need for an aide. It's just a lot of money to pay if I'm also expected to volunteer every week. Be an aide once or twice a semester? No problem. But, more than that would be a barrier to me.

 

I agree about the aide thing, by the way.

 

I understand the need to have more than one adult in each classroom. But I know I am already committed to other things that take up a lot of my time and energy, and I suspect I'm not the only one.

 

I'm already pretty involved with the religious education program at our church, for example. I teach a class, serve on the religious education committee and am the lead person for all of RE's special events (Halloween party and haunted house, Christmas charity projects, Valentine's Day variety show, Easter party, etc.).

 

So, I'm already putting a lot of time and energy into working with other people's children. And I already homeschool my own. For me, one appealling part of signing my kid up for outside classes is that I get a break. If I have to be in the classroom every week anyway, isn't it more efficient to just stay home and teach my own kid?

 

But also, I just can't make the numbers work in my head. If a class is made up of even five kids, shouldn't there be five parents available to aide in a given week? If you need only one parent aide each week, why should I have to be in the classroom more than once every five weeks?

 

I can see that if you have more children, the equation changes. But I'm also assuming that you have more than five kids in each class?

[Nakia]

I only read the first page of replies so forgive me if I am out of line with the discussion.

 

I run a sort of similar co-op. About 30 families. Christian with statement of faith required. Three hours, once a week, a la cart classes that the moms design and run.

 

Our costs are lower: $15 per family per semester or $10 if you are on leadership or take on extra responsibilities (planning the Christmas party, organizing field trips), and we've got financial aid if needed (in other words, during tough times, come for free). The church where we meet allows us to meet there free but asks that we tidy up each week (empty the trash, run the vacuum if there are little paper pieces, wipe down the nursery, check the bathrooms) so that someone coming in right behind us will not feel grossed out (the professional cleaners come before worship service and do the deep cleaning). Those wishing to not do their cleaning can buy out with the buy-out money going right to a family who is willing to do it more than once. That works well for everyone.

 

For the babies and preschoolers, we ask parents bring in a snack to share and with everyone pitching in, that's covered.

 

For the elementary students and for many middle school classes, we ask that the teachers work to design a class that doesn't require that a parent go out and buy a certain book, etc. Teachers post on our Yahoo group about supplies they need (cotton balls, blue construction paper) and often a family, even one not in that particular class, will find leftover supplies in their craft closet, etc. There are no class fees. The teachers are expected to pay for (or otherwise procure) supplies for the classes they teach, based on their own family budget, knowing that their children will benefit from the supplies that their teachers have supplied. We do have a pot of money for teachers needing a little extra money to get supplies, but it is rarely used. The teachers are good about picking economical courses and making them really fun.

 

The older kids, by necessity, need books and lab fees. We rotate through the Apologia middle school and high school sciences and that requires books and lab equipment. Families loan lab equipment where possible and we have done pretty well mixing first and second edition Apologia books, so that we're not requiring families that own older books to purchase new ones. It turns out that it is cheaper to do Apologia in our co-op than it is at home (assuming you have one teen) because we pair up two kids as lab partners so we share equipment. We've been so blessed in the high school sciences. So far, our classes have been taught by those who are very familiar with the subject (the chem teacher used to teach in a high school and has a MS in chem, for example). It's not the blind leading the blind at all. Our physics teacher this year is a gentleman at church (he homeschooled but his six have graduated) who really enjoys physics. Our biology teachers were a nurse and a physician's assistant. Wow. We are also blessed with moms who are extremely musical, artistics, fluent in another language, etc. Teachers tend to share what they love and are good at. And it balances what we do at home very well, at least for my family.

 

Even with low dues, we never have hurt for money. We have budget line items to take care of moms of newborns, moms suffering health issues, postage, and printing. The church lets us use their basic copier for free. In exchange, we give the church a nice check at the end of each semester to cover copying supplies as well as electricity, toilet paper, wear and tear etc.

 

We tend to offer things that are difficult to offer at home. This semester we have choir, two levels of Latin, Physical Science, Physics, botany, biblical holidays, SAT test prep, state history, PE (we have a gym), economics, crafts, and a class (for girls and boys) based on the book Dangerous Boys. In the past we've had grammar games, crime scene (well, a G-rated one, missing teddy bear) class, elections class, guitar, yarn crafts, Keepers at Home, sewing, geography, drama, chess, etc.

 

If you can find a free meeting place, you can really offer a very inexpensive co-op with two dozen or more families paying low dues.

 

That sounds like a really nice co-op and one that we would definitely be interested in if something like it were offered close to us. Way to go!

[mcconnellboys]

Well, you perhaps live in a more high cost area than I do, but I think all those fees are excessive. I'm coming from a perspective of having started a couple of co-op groups here, and having been involved in several others, too, over the course of the last 13 years.

 

Here, we would either charge that yearly, per family, rate, or we would charge the co-op registration fee, but not both. What are those fees going toward?

 

Also, while I know that per class fees for co-ops are generally never what one would pay for community, etc. types of classes, that's sort of the point, isn't it? We're helping each other out by offering our skills for a pittance. Families with very many children can't afford to pay $50 or more per class, per child, especially for classes that are really just "fun" and don't really teach their children anything. So it looks like you have a good mix of price ranges for classes, but are those classes in general more learning oriented? Do members seem to be happy with the instruction and feel that their students are learning a lot from the classes? If not, then they may decide that their money is better spent elsewhere.

[Margo out of lurking]

If you're still reading at this point, I congratulate you! Would you be likely to join a co-op like this? Are you already in a co-op like this? What makes you happy to be in it. If not, what deters you?

 

 

I would LOVE to have this option. I think your fees are very reasonable; the cost would not be a deterrent. We were in a similar-sounding co-op in Colorado Springs several years ago and enjoyed it very much. I particularly loved the ala carte option. Some families were there all day, but I gave my kids class options that were similarly timed.

 

We have nothing like this where I live now. Yes, there are co-ops but they require far too much commitment (all day, specific core classes and curriculum, etc.).

 

Sigh. It sounds wonderful.

[Ginevra]

Thank you, everybody for your replies. I am mulling over everything said for our next board meeting. A couple of specific answers...

 

Have new co-ops, educational choices (ie. Classical Conversations) entered your area?

As the children have aged, has the co-op changed and grown with them?

 

Is homeschooling on the rise in your area, stagnant, or declining?

 

The fees are very similar to those in our area.

 

There are other options in the area, compared with when I first came to the group. That is one factor. I don't know about other homeschooling demographics for the area, but that is information I'd like to come by.

 

We do have some advertising and we have quite an excellent website, but I would also like to do more advertising in the form of flyers in libraries, etc.

 

The co-op is always changing. We continue to offer new and different things, as well as offering some old standards.

 

 

BTW, does your group have a website or host a homeschooling 101 at Barnes and Noble or someplace that would let newer homeschoolers know about you? Where can new homeschoolers get info on your group ?

 

Yes, we have a website. The "homeschooling 101" would be a great idea; I might have to look into that. If you Google the county and homeschooling co-ops, we come up high in the search. We are also listed on a lot of general maryland homeschooling sites.

 

I would not pay that much. I would stop hiring teachers, and use parents as resources. Plus, what else are you offering? Dinners, activities, outings, etc for fun? What variety of classes do you offer? Have an open board meeting and invite all the families to come and join you and offer advice and talk about co-op issues.

 

I would not consider using parents as teachers only. I think the outside teachers are crucial to the success of the program. The parent-run classes, obviously, can be a lot less expensive; I have taught classes that have cost me money, because of materials and I know I am not the only one who has done this. But to put on a great drama? We don't have a parent that can do that. Teach sculpting? We don't have a parent who can do that. Honestly, I think it is something of a miracle that professionals are willing to teach anything in our co-op for much less than they would make in a community class (though it does benefit them also by being a time they can ordinarily not run a class for kids).

 

We do have a Talent Night, a Field Day, two Drama shows and other things throughout the year.

 

We do have an organizational meeting that everyone can attend, but it is usually under-attended.

 

Oh no. Volunteer time too? How often? How did I miss that nugget

 

That is usually an automatic no for me. Sorry.

 

It's a miracle if something meets our financial, time, and need trifecta for a couple of my kids.

 

I've never come across anything that did that AND where I had the time to volunteer there too. What would I do with my other kids? Where would I find the time to make up that homeschooling time I'm missing?

 

Well - here's the thing: there is no issue about what to do with your other kids. They would be in classes. So, for example, I might have had dd14 in a Drawing class, ds11 in Iron Chef and ds6 in Spanish, while I aided in any of those classes or a different one. When I had toddlers, I aided in classes that were toddler-friendly. Also, some parents find it's less hassle to teach a class, because then they don't have an aide duty.

 

But consider this: you're asking for a combination that is practically impossible. Everything costs in either time or money or both. If no time investment is required, I'm willing to bet cost is sky-high, because someone has to be hired to help. If fees are low, volunteering is necessary, because somebody has to do all this work to make things happen.

 

There is a co-op (academic) here where parents have minimal volunteering committment. The enrollment fee is over a thousand dollars per child. So, yeah...for people who can pay, there is such a thing as drop-the-kids off and go.

 

Incidentally, we did once offer Paid to Aide where Parent A could offer to take on someone elses duties and Parent B would just pay them off. Only one parent was willing to be the Paid to Aide person and only one parent was willing to pay someone else to aide.

 

Could it be that your co-op is just in an in-between stage. The younger families don't see as many opportunities for their dc and so shy away from the higher cost for their smaller/younger families? To be honest, there are many, many more inexpensive options for the preK/early elementary set to get their enrichment when there are not older siblings to consider.

 

That is a good point; one worth mulling over. There are still offerings at ever age group and there are kids in every age group; it's just that the babies/toddlers/preK is smaller than ever.

 

I was under the impression that co-op teachers are volunteers and everybody helps so that it is not that expensive?

 

We have parent teachers and also outside teachers. All teachers are paid some amount, though parent teachers are usually low. The expenses are to pay insurance and rental and a few other things.

 

You mentioned not attracting younger families- could it be a schedule/timing issue?

 

We have preschool classes for four times-slots, beginning at 10:30, so there are classes for just the morning or just the afternoon or whatever people prefer. It was harder when I had a baby, but I still didn't find it a huge deterrent to aiding. There is still aiding in the nursery, or aiding in a class of preK, or aiding in a teen class (the teens hardly need anything but a warm body in there) and a few other odd aide jobs (set up the home room, take down the home room, etc.).

 

I am going to consider and offer for discussion at our next meeting a way for young families to make it easier to join. Like maybe they could have a smaller fee if they only had, say 2 children under the age of 7. Or however we could figure it out.

 

But also, I just can't make the numbers work in my head. If a class is made up of even five kids, shouldn't there be five parents available to aide in a given week? If you need only one parent aide each week, why should I have to be in the classroom more than once every five weeks?

 

I can see that if you have more children, the equation changes. But I'm also assuming that you have more than five kids in each class?

 

No, because you might have a family with six kids in multiple classes, or four kids or whatever. If you have four kids, you can't be in four different classes at a time, obviously. If you had only one kid in, say, only two classes, then you would have an aide duty that might even be only every other week. (I don't remember the exact formula, but I know I did this once when my kids were young.) Also, if a parent teaches a class, they don't have an aide duty, so they might have kids in classes all day long, but they don't owe aiding. Board members don't have to aide, either (although we have, due to shortages). It does work out in such a way that parents who are there all five hours get a break. Many parents come, do their aide duty or teach a class, and then are "free" for 2-4 hours.

 

Here, we would either charge that yearly, per family, rate, or we would charge the co-op registration fee, but not both. What are those fees going toward?

 

Also, while I know that per class fees for co-ops are generally never what one would pay for community, etc. types of classes, that's sort of the point, isn't it? We're helping each other out by offering our skills for a pittance. Families with very many children can't afford to pay $50 or more per class, per child, especially for classes that are really just "fun" and don't really teach their children anything. So it looks like you have a good mix of price ranges for classes, but are those classes in general more learning oriented? Do members seem to be happy with the instruction and feel that their students are learning a lot from the classes? If not, then they may decide that their money is better spent elsewhere.

 

I do hope to be able to drop the co-op registration fee and have just an enrollment fee. It's not possible at the moment. We have a debt from a yearbook debacle and we have to pay the church and the insurance. Classes that are mainly just "fun" are very inexpensive, i.e. Cards for $10. Parent-taught classes are also usually on the low end, paying just enough to cover materials. There is usually a mix of classes that are mainly to be "fun" and provide friendship opportunities and things that have a specific learning goal.

[Murphy101]

The co-op is always changing. We continue to offer new and different things, as well as offering some old standards.

 

This can be a pro or con. Otoh, having something new each time mean bringing in new members who are interested in that. Otoh, it could mean that members leave leave when they aren't interested in new offerings.

 

I would not consider using parents as teachers only. I think the outside teachers are crucial to the success of the program. The parent-run classes, obviously, can be a lot less expensive;

 

I agree with this. Ideally a mix is nice. Also, it presumes that just bc they are a parent they should undersell their talent. Even if I were a parent who knew, say sculpting for example, why would anyone presume I should teach it to their kids for free or almost nothing?

 

Well - here's the thing: there is no issue about what to do with your other kids. They would be in classes. So, for example, I might have had dd14 in a Drawing class, ds11 in Iron Chef and ds6 in Spanish, while I aided in any of those classes or a different one. When I had toddlers, I aided in classes that were toddler-friendly. Also, some parents find it's less hassle to teach a class, because then they don't have an aide duty.

 

The chances that the coop is offering classes that ALL TEN of my kids need or that I even care to have them in, is pretty slim. Personally, I am more interested in classes for my older kids as the younger stuff seems to be mostly fluff/social. Nothing against fluff/social. We like that, I'm just not interested in PAYING for it. Plus, IME, there is no such thing as toddler friendly class duty.

 

But consider this: you're asking for a combination that is practically impossible. Everything costs in either time or money or both. If no time investment is required, I'm willing to bet cost is sky-high, because someone has to be hired to help. If fees are low, volunteering is necessary, because somebody has to do all this work to make things happen.

 

And what I am saying is I would be considering this a money expense. You are asking for a huge amount of time AND money. The cost is reasonable without the extensive family time commitment. And what you are asking would be VERY extensive for me. Putting ALL my kids in classes AND volunteering EVERY week? For the same cost, I could put one or two kids in only the class they are interested in somewhere else and not volunteer at all. Leaving me time to do other things.

 

There is a co-op (academic) here where parents have minimal volunteering committment. The enrollment fee is over a thousand dollars per child. So, yeah...for people who can pay, there is such a thing as drop-the-kids off and go.

 

But yours is not an academic coop. Apples and oranges. For a year of formal professional academic instruction, $1000 a year is fairly typical here too. (I'm paying almost $500 a year just for one subject once a week for a little over an hour. And this is considered somewhat low.)

 

That is a good point; one worth mulling over. There are still offerings at ever age group and there are kids in every age group; it's just that the babies/toddlers/preK is smaller than ever.

 

I suspect bc many hsers are like myself and pretty thoroughly not interested in hauling their orek and under crew through this, paying for them to be in it, or big on babysitters. (I have never left my littles with people I don't already know VERY well.) I wouldn't enroll my little just so that they are somewhere while I fulfill my mandatory aide time for the classes I want my olders to take.

 

There is still aiding in the nursery, or aiding in a class of preK, or aiding in a teen class (the teens hardly need anything but a warm body in there) and a few other odd aide jobs (set up the home room, take down the home room, etc.).

 

You see opportunity for aide time. I see a complete waste of my time and money. I'm not interested in nursery or prek for my own kids, much less aide time there for me. In this economy, time and money are just so scarce that I think many people are doing the same as me and putting their main focus on the older kids more urgent needs.

 

I wouldn't presume that a small little ones segment means the group is going to die out. I think people just understand it isn't as important for little as olders and adjust their spending and involvement accordingly. I'd focus more on bringing in more older students? Maybe expanding the classes in that demographic? If Spanish is really popular for example, maybe offer it in two slots instead of one so more students can join it?

 

It does work out in such a way that parents who are there all five hours get a break. Many parents come, do their aide duty or teach a class, and then are "free" for 2-4 hours.

 

I'm not understanding. Obviously they aren't?:confused:

If my son had a class at 2pm (just an example) that I needed to aide for, are you saying all my other kids would be in another class at that exact same time? What if I'm not interested in all the 2:00 offerings? Am I supposed to enroll them all in the 2:00 offerings just so I can fulfill my aide time? And if they are not all in the same class slot, then what will I do with them during that time? Either way, I would have my kids enrolled in coop and yet still not have the coop be easing my teaching burden or freeing my time to do it easier. Why would I do that to myself?

 

I'm not being snarky.

I don't mean to argue.

I do understand that the world of coops most certainly usually don't care about lil ol me.;)

I don't know how many people in your demographic are like me and have several children, some of which are younger, and low funds.

It's hard to serve the masses.

 

I'm just saying trying to answer your questions as they pertain to me.:)

[Rosy]

Your group is very similar (as far as I can tell) to one that my family is involved with. The fee structure is similar and totally reasonable. Also, I don't think a parent can expect that a class that costs $2.50 for an hour's worth of instruction will not also involve some sort of volunteer commitment. That said, our co-op offers a free period to any parent who is there all 4 periods. I think it's a nice balance. But besides that I don't think there's anything wrong with your fee structure, religious approach, etc.--ours is very similar and we are full and turning people away at both of our campuses.

 

My primary concern in your situation would be the fact that new families join and quit after one semester. Are they being made to feel welcome? Are the families who have been there for many years actively reaching out to them? Are the younger kids' classes engaging and age-appropriate? Are there field trips, activities, etc that work for younger kids? Do the moms have opportunities to talk to other moms, particularly more seasoned homeschoolers? I would look at all of those things first. Many times moms join a co-op for themselves as much as for their kids.

[Rosy]

Our co-op only charged about $25 for the year plus one package of paper, one ink carttridge, glue sticks, and crayons. The teachers were only parents and not paid. The fee was for the use of the facility and the supplies were those used by the co-op. The only extra fees were for some art classes for supplies or for some events that were optional to attend.

 

As a parent who teaches, I absolutely think parents should receive a fee for teaching. I put a ton of work into my classes, and the class fees cover the cost of my kids attending. I don't mean this to be rude, but my contribution as a teacher is more valuable than a TA's contribution. TA's are necessary for sure, but you don't have a co-op without the teachers.

 

This also brings up the point that for someone who is financially stretched, teaching will cover their co-op costs. I break even or come out ahead every semester by teaching 2-3 classes, and I have 4 kids that I am enrolling. We have many moms who teach so that co-op won't be a financial hardship for their family.

 

Also, I do believe that a class is more highly valued if it is paid for. That is just an opinion, but in my experience people look down on free classes or feel like they can skip if they want, or not do their homework, etc. When I sacrifice something to be somewhere, I tend to take it more seriously.

[WeeBeaks]

The parent volunteer time would be a no-go for me honestly. If I'm going to haul all my kids somewhere and pay a significant amount at the same time, it would need to involve some free time for me. Otherwise I would just stay home and teach them.

 

How many kids are in these classes? 20 or 30 each class? Otherwise why would a paid, experienced teacher need an aide? Presumably if this is an experienced teacher you are paying, they are used to teaching multiple kids at the same time? And if again they are paid experienced teachers would they not be fingerprinted and go through security measures that would allow them to be in a room full of kids with just in/out type of supervision, except for possibly the classrooms of the very young? I just can't fathom that a teacher in a room with a few middle or high school students needs an aide stationed in there with them. A parent teacher I can see needing an aide, but I can't so much for a paid instructor.

[happypamama]

 

I've never come across anything that did that AND where I had the time to volunteer there too. What would I do with my other kids? Where would I find the time to make up that homeschooling time I'm missing?

 

LOL, that's why I volunteer to teach the nursery class. Half of the nursery-aged children (0-3) are mine anyway. So my older two children get to go to a class with friends their age, that matches their abilities and interests, and that gives them a teaching perspective other than mine, and I don't have to leave my littlest ones. :) This year, I will probably have several three-year-olds, including mine, so I'll plan some fun early learning activities for them, which will give me some focused time for my preschooler.

 

(As for making up the homeschooling time, our co-op for this coming year will be every other Friday afternoon, so we can school in the morning and leave the afternoon for the enrichment of co-op. The high school students will meet every week, and their classes will be academic enough to qualify for credit in one or two core subjects.)

[Ginevra]

T

 

I wouldn't presume that a small little ones segment means the group is going to die out. I think people just understand it isn't as important for little as olders and adjust their spending and involvement accordingly. I'd focus more on bringing in more older students? Maybe expanding the classes in that demographic? If Spanish is really popular for example, maybe offer it in two slots instead of one so more students can join it?

 

 

 

I'm not understanding. Obviously they aren't?:confused:

If my son had a class at 2pm (just an example) that I needed to aide for, are you saying all my other kids would be in another class at that exact same time? What if I'm not interested in all the 2:00 offerings? Am I supposed to enroll them all in the 2:00 offerings just so I can fulfill my aide time? And if they are not all in the same class slot, then what will I do with them during that time? Either way, I would have my kids enrolled in coop and yet still not have the coop be easing my teaching burden or freeing my time to do it easier. Why would I do that to myself?

 

I'm not being snarky.

I don't mean to argue.

I do understand that the world of coops most certainly usually don't care about lil ol me.;)

I don't know how many people in your demographic are like me and have several children, some of which are younger, and low funds.

It's hard to serve the masses.

 

I'm just saying trying to answer your questions as they pertain to me.:)

 

Martha,

I highly value your feedback and everybody's feedback. It's really a help for me to see where different people's heads are, even though everyone cannot be pleased and of course, I doubt anyone here will be able to come to this specific co-op.

 

To answer your question, we have (in the past) had several families with 7+ children, including one with 12. The majority of them left when we had a division over SOF. A few others only have their younger kids at home now. I cannot answer for what each family did with their large families, but I do know some had ALL the children in classes for two or three consecutive hours, OR they had all but their youngest couple in simultaneous classes. I'm only speculating, but I can guess that some of the kids, some of the time would have been in classes the parent would say was not "crucial", but it was worth it to have them in a class, rather than not in a class. (If they are not in a class, they need to be supervised.) With 3 kids, I have done it that way at times. Sometimes, I have settled for a child to be in a class that wasn't a big priority, but it was $10 for 10 weeks, so...meh...that's better than having to supervise them for that time slot every week.

 

One of our board members has six kids and she joked with me that I should just let her evaluate all the classes, because she had some kid or other in just about every class we offer! ;)

 

Your last part there, where you say, "Obviously, they aren't?" I don't understand your question. There are five hours when classes are offered. Some people just pick one or two consecutive hours. Others have all their kids in classes for all five hours. If you have several kids in classes for a few hours, the ratio is such that you will end up with one or more hours of no aide duty. It's not a one-to-one ratio; it's not "my kids are in classes at this hour so I must volunteer at this hour." There's a formula. I have never known anyone with more than three class hours of aiding, and that is pretty unusual as it is. Also, if a parent teaches a class, or is a board member, they have no aide duties. That alone makes teaching a pretty attractive option for moms of many. Most of the moms of many I can think of either taught or were board members.

 

 

My primary concern in your situation would be the fact that new families join and quit after one semester. Are they being made to feel welcome? Are the families who have been there for many years actively reaching out to them? Are the younger kids' classes engaging and age-appropriate? Are there field trips, activities, etc that work for younger kids? Do the moms have opportunities to talk to other moms, particularly more seasoned homeschoolers? I would look at all of those things first. Many times moms join a co-op for themselves as much as for their kids.

 

There are not many families that join and quit soon after. I can only think of a couple. We're just plain not getting many new families. The majority of people who have quit in recent years had specific problems that I knew of such as returning to work, putting kids in school, moving away or other circumstantial problems.

 

There are a lot of opportunities for field trips (all ages) and support meetings. Before I was a board member, I was the support group leader. Every month, I set up a meeting. Many times, one person came. :001_huh: The most I ever had was maybe 10 moms. I think people just don't want a committment. Also, it was so much more likely to be newer homeschoolers who hadn't met anybody yet. I did my best to help them integrate into the group, but it would be easier to do this if more people attended the support meetings. Personally, I did join the co-op as much for myself as for my kids. Before then, I knew practically no homeschoolers.

 

As a parent who teaches, I absolutely think parents should receive a fee for teaching. I put a ton of work into my classes, and the class fees cover the cost of my kids attending. I don't mean this to be rude, but my contribution as a teacher is more valuable than a TA's contribution. TA's are necessary for sure, but you don't have a co-op without the teachers.

 

This also brings up the point that for someone who is financially stretched, teaching will cover their co-op costs. I break even or come out ahead every semester by teaching 2-3 classes, and I have 4 kids that I am enrolling. We have many moms who teach so that co-op won't be a financial hardship for their family.

 

Also, I do believe that a class is more highly valued if it is paid for. That is just an opinion, but in my experience people look down on free classes or feel like they can skip if they want, or not do their homework, etc. When I sacrifice something to be somewhere, I tend to take it more seriously.

 

Yes! And Yes! Before I was a board member, teaching was a way to help off-set my own kid's class fees. (Although some of the classes I taught I spent a HUGE amount of money on materials! One of the difficulties of teaching art, btw.) And your second point, I agree with that, too. I saw that a lot with the other co-op I used to be in that was very unstructured. People had no particular stake in anything. Someone would organize a book club, or a geography class, go through a tremendous amount of prep work and offer their home up, only to have 90% of the students just fail to show up. That is one thing I like about going to a rented church for a set time. Most people make all reasonable effort to come.

 

And I forget who said this up-thread, but I do agree that a mother who has a skill should not be underpaid just because she is a member mom.

 

The parent volunteer time would be a no-go for me honestly. If I'm going to haul all my kids somewhere and pay a significant amount at the same time, it would need to involve some free time for me. Otherwise I would just stay home and teach them.

 

How many kids are in these classes? 20 or 30 each class? Otherwise why would a paid, experienced teacher need an aide? Presumably if this is an experienced teacher you are paying, they are used to teaching multiple kids at the same time? And if again they are paid experienced teachers would they not be fingerprinted and go through security measures that would allow them to be in a room full of kids with just in/out type of supervision, except for possibly the classrooms of the very young? I just can't fathom that a teacher in a room with a few middle or high school students needs an aide stationed in there with them. A parent teacher I can see needing an aide, but I can't so much for a paid instructor.

 

Most classes are 8 - 15 kids. All members and outside teachers have a background screening, yes. However, there is an requirement placed on us by the church that there cannot be one adult in a closed room with children. Besides that, over the years some strange things have happened and believe me, it is far better that there was someone else in the room to witness it. A paid drama teacher had a character description that was *HIGHLY* inappropriate, for instance. Should she have known better? Yes. Did she do something stupid anyway? Yes.

 

Also, you need an aide if there's an injury or someone throws pizza up all over the dry erase board or any of the millions of unpredictable and unexpected things that happen when 50+ families descend upon a place. :001_smile:

 

(As for making up the homeschooling time, our co-op for this coming year will be every other Friday afternoon, so we can school in the morning and leave the afternoon for the enrichment of co-op. The high school students will meet every week, and their classes will be academic enough to qualify for credit in one or two core subjects.)

 

Exactly. There are some families who only come for the second half of the day, so they can accomplish other school stuff first. (FTR, I'm not one of them. Honestly, I just consider it ten weeks of a different type of learning.) The high school tutorial classes meet for 36 weeks in order to qualify for credits.

[Rosy]

Based on what you've shared, I'm not sure why you'd be having a decline in enrollment. It sounds like it has all the elements of a successful group. The only other thing I can think of is (if you haven't already) to register on your state homeschool org's website, maybe send out fliers to churches each semester before registration, get a table at homeschool conventions, or do some sort of outreach event (like getting a popular speaker). Or if you think the base of families you have now are stable, maybe just chalk it up to the normal ebb and flow of a group and hope things pick back up in the future.

 

How many kids are in these classes? 20 or 30 each class? Otherwise why would a paid, experienced teacher need an aide? Presumably if this is an experienced teacher you are paying, they are used to teaching multiple kids at the same time? And if again they are paid experienced teachers would they not be fingerprinted and go through security measures that would allow them to be in a room full of kids with just in/out type of supervision, except for possibly the classrooms of the very young? I just can't fathom that a teacher in a room with a few middle or high school students needs an aide stationed in there with them. A parent teacher I can see needing an aide, but I can't so much for a paid instructor.

Just because a teacher is paid doesn't mean she (or he) has the ability to teach her subject while maintaining adequate crowd control. When the class is only 1 hour long, there simply isn't time to waste on behavior issues, particularly when many students aren't accustomed to a classroom setting.

 

These "paid instructors" are getting, at the most, $375 for a 10-week class (15 students at $25/student). That is $37.50 per class, and that includes prep time, curriculum (which can cost a substantial amount), communication with parents outside of class, sometimes materials (there is supposed to be a separate fee if there are necessary materials, but most teachers will tell you that they pay a significant amount out of pocket), etc., not to mention that many times a class only has 10 students, maybe fewer, and the teacher has no control over whether or not the class fills. They need to deduct their own co-op expenses from the $$ they make teaching. And these are (mostly) all parents, who are fitting their co-op commitments in around homeschooling their own kids and other obligations. So while the money is helpful, no one is getting rich off of teaching co-op classes. For most people, the best we can hope to do is break even.

 

And finally, as the OP mentioned, even if teachers were willing to fly solo, most facilities wouldn't allow it for liability reasons. Most TAs don't have to do much anyway. Unless I am teaching a particularly labor-intensive class, my TAs could pretty much just sit in the back and work on their own stuff while keeping their ears open for behavior issues.

[Jenny in Florida]

No, because you might have a family with six kids in multiple classes, or four kids or whatever. If you have four kids, you can't be in four different classes at a time, obviously. If you had only one kid in, say, only two classes, then you would have an aide duty that might even be only every other week. (I don't remember the exact formula, but I know I did this once when my kids were young.) Also, if a parent teaches a class, they don't have an aide duty, so they might have kids in classes all day long, but they don't owe aiding. Board members don't have to aide, either (although we have, due to shortages). It does work out in such a way that parents who are there all five hours get a break. Many parents come, do their aide duty or teach a class, and then are "free" for 2-4 hours.

 

Okay, math isn't my strong suit, but I still can't make this come out in a way that sounds like an efficient use of my time.

 

Even every other week, when I'm already paying for classes, sounds like a bit much to me. I don't mind pitching in once or twice a year for specific reasons. I don't even want to tell you how many hours I've spent supervising children backstage during various performances! But every week or every other week on an ongoing basis?

 

If it's working for you, great! But you did ask if it sounded good, and I have to say that it really doesn't sound to me like something our family would go out of our way to do.

 

- The prices are fine, for what you get. But we already devote a lot of money and time and energy to specific activities my son chooses.

 

- As a non-Christian, I would have serious concerns about the content of the classes and would worry that my son would be made to feel unwelcome because his beliefs differ from the majority of the group. (We already have experiences with this kind of thing and are a little gun shy.)

 

- It would be tough to justify losing a significant chunk of instruction time at home for classes that are mostly "fun."

 

- I just don't have the energy to add more volunteering (or teaching or committees) to my schedule. As I mentioned, I already do all of that in our church's religious education program, and I do a lot of it for my son's theatre and dance groups. My plate is full. Your requirements are probably reasonable, but it's too much for me.

 

Bottom line, if we were going to add anything else to our schedule, it would have to take the place of something we already do (which this as described would not) or be so easy and convenient and inexpensive that we just couldn't resist.

 

For us, this wouldn't make the cut.

 

This doesn't mean it's anything less than a great program. It just doesn't sound like a good fit for our family.

[Aubrey]

The group is not super-expensive to join (totally subjective opinion there), but it is not free, either. There is an enrollment fee ($55/year/family), a reg. fee for each semester ($25/family) and each class has a fee to pay the teacher. Some classes are cheap (Sports Exploration - $25/student for 10 weeks), some are more expensive (Sculpting - $55/student for 10 weeks), but all are below market value if you were to enroll in the community. So, for example, I have paid in the neighborhood of $300 for all three kids to be in five classes for ten weeks.

 

55 (enrollment) + 50 (registration) + 200 (1 cheap class x 4 kids x 2 semesters) = $300/year. For ONE "cheap" class each per semester. I think that's the problem.

[Murphy101]

55 (enrollment) + 50 (registration) + 200 (1 cheap class x 4 kids x 2 semesters) = $300/year. For ONE "cheap" class each per semester. I think that's the problem.

 

Combined with it necessitating the entire family from nursery tp high school participate AND mom still put in aide hours? Yeah. That's a big problem times 3 IME and IMO.

 

I'm with Jenny on the math. And I'm not sure my question was answered.

If it's this confusing to figure out, that might be a problem too.

 

I asked:

If my son had a class at 2pm (just an example) that I needed to aide for, are you saying all my other kids would be in another class at that exact same time? What if I'm not interested in all the 2:00 offerings? Am I supposed to enroll them all in the 2:00 offerings just so I can fulfill my aide time? And if they are not all in the same class slot, then what will I do with them during that time?

 

You responded:

 

There are five hours when classes are offered. Some people just pick one or two consecutive hours. Others have all their kids in classes for all five hours. If you have several kids in classes for a few hours, the ratio is such that you will end up with one or more hours of no aide duty. It's not a one-to-one ratio; it's not "my kids are in classes at this hour so I must volunteer at this hour." There's a formula. I have never known anyone with more than three class hours of aiding, and that is pretty unusual as it is.

 

I gave a very specific example. If I am an aide for the ONE class my son wants to take (let's start with one class to get a "base" starting commitment idea) and let's say that class is at 2pm. What would I do with my other kids? Pay for all the kids to enroll for other 2:00 classes? (that would mean MORE commitment/$ on my part - not helpful unless I happen to want those other classes). Get a sitter? Bring them with me for aide duty? Those aren't good options either. And this is what I would go through for ONE class every week? It sounds as though it is set to be an all or nothing coop. Each family needs to commit the entire family to the full day in some way. If that is working for those in it -that's awesome! I'm simply saying for my family and even many of the smaller families I know - that would be unrealistic to expect the entire family to devote 5 hours to coop each week.

 

My first question is going to be do they have a class my older kids could use? My second question is going to be can I afford ONE class?

My third question is going to be does it fit our schedule/time needs?

 

Also, if a parent teaches a class, or is a board member, they have no aide duties. That alone makes teaching a pretty attractive option for moms of many. Most of the moms of many I can think of either taught or were board members.

 

:001_huh::confused: that might save some money, but I can't for the life of me seeing it saving time or posing a solution to younger siblings?

[Paisley Hedgehog]

nm

[Ginevra]

Combined with it necessitating the entire family from nursery tp high school participate AND mom still put in aide hours? Yeah. That's a big problem times 3 IME and IMO.

 

I'm with Jenny on the math. And I'm not sure my question was answered.

If it's this confusing to figure out, that might be a problem too.

 

I asked:

 

 

You responded:

 

 

 

I gave a very specific example. If I am an aide for the ONE class my son wants to take (let's start with one class to get a "base" starting commitment idea) and let's say that class is at 2pm. What would I do with my other kids? Pay for all the kids to enroll for other 2:00 classes? (that would mean MORE commitment/$ on my part - not helpful unless I happen to want those other classes). Get a sitter? Bring them with me for aide duty? Those aren't good options either. And this is what I would go through for ONE class every week? It sounds as though it is set to be an all or nothing coop. Each family needs to commit the entire family to the full day in some way. If that is working for those in it -that's awesome! I'm simply saying for my family and even many of the smaller families I know - that would be unrealistic to expect the entire family to devote 5 hours to coop each week.

 

Okay - I'm sorry I didn't answer your specific question adequately. I'll try again.

 

If your son Jimmy was in one class at 2:00, you would either put all or most of your other children in classes at 2:00 or you would have them all with you and need an aide duty that wasn't sitting in on a class, because I agree, it would be bizarre to aide in a class with 9 of your children sitting with you. In my observation of the large families, they have always put the kids in classes all at the same time(s). At most hours and for most age groups, there are three choices of classes, so normally, there is something people like for each age at each hour, although it might not be something they are dying to have. I can see where this would be too daunting for someone with ten kids. I am practically positive that I would not do this if I had ten kids, but there are a lot of things I do now that I would not do if I had ten kids. :001_smile:

 

And just FTR, we have worked with families that had unusual situations and I assume we would do the same thing for someone with ten kids, because honestly, that would be pretty unusual. We have worked out a personalized duty for someone with physical limitations, we have struck a deal with a mom who worked on Fridays and so on. So, if you were really interested in joining, we would find a way to work it out for you. We have one board member who organizes duties and she has come up with solutions for a lot of unique situations.

 

Also, a relatively small percentage of families comes for the whole day. Not many families beyond the board members stay for the whole day. It's truly not an "all or nothing" situation.

 

My first question is going to be do they have a class my older kids could use? My second question is going to be can I afford ONE class?

My third question is going to be does it fit our schedule/time needs?

 

For us, there have always been classes that are very important for my kids. They are an essential element in our electives, which I have to report in my state. The more important part for me is that this is where my children (and I!) have formed most of our friendships. They also get a little smidgeon of the "school experience," so I like that, too. But I can also see where there are families for whom this would not work. Honestly, I tend to think very large families are hardly ever in any co-op, no matter how it's structured. The logistics are too involved to be worth it. But what I'm saying is, if it was important to you and you wanted to do it, we would find a way. We have had some very large families before and they arrived at a way to do it.

 

:001_huh::confused: that might save some money, but I can't for the life of me seeing it saving time or posing a solution to younger siblings?

 

All I know is - that's what others have done. One mom who had eight or nine kids was pretty much the de facto nursery aide. Another mom who had eleven kids had an older daughter playing with her twin toddlers in the nursery while the other kids were in class. One mom of seven was a board member, who had all the kids in classes during the hours she was there.

[Murphy101]

For the record, tho I have 10 kids, I think my scenario might apply even to a family of 4, which is pretty common in home schooling circles.

 

Paying for all of them to be in classes (whether to get the one they really want or bc they really like the offerings) would be a huge hardship in time and money for most I know.

 

I understand what you are saying about the social aspect, but most with several kids aren't going to be very worried about the social aspect when the kids are younger. It just isn't the main reason they would spend that kind of money. Once the kids get into middle school and certainly high school, parents are more willing to spend towards social activities. Until then they tend to expect social activities for younger kids to be free or cheap and very relaxed on their time. A park day, field trips to the zoo or whatever.

[TGHEALTHYMOM]

:) Sounds like you all are pretty organized!

We have a Support Group : $25 Membership Fee

Everyone is supposed to Coordinate or help with 2 events

We do have a SOF: Basic Christian Principles that has to be signed with enrollment.

Classical Conversations has started and doing well.

I actually got the ball rolling but never have joined. Too expensive!

I had bad experiences with Nursery falling apart. Not enough help last 2 years. Really boiled down to personality conflicts, and no one else wanting to pay a worker ( 2 adults required) Church rules.

And Volunteers to help with classes dropped out!

SO it does sound like you all are more organized.

Many of our members are burning out and many don't have small children or care about helping us who do. I can't handle teaching 7 kids or justify staying home all the time trying to. My husband works long hours, and my oldest kids Son 14, DD 11 (Gifted) need more than I can give. Too many distractions at home too.

So, we are considering joining the co-op again ( It fluctuates every year)

IEW is pretty consistently taught.

Apologia Science too.

I have to weigh the cost. Books are expensive and gas for driving ( 45 minutes away) SO I am glad our costs for the classes will be very low.

Paper, Pencils, Pens, and Playdough along with snacks will add up quickly too!

[Karis]

Could it be the "culture" of your group?

(If children are ill mannered/ out of control/ mouthy/ undisciplined/ mean - I'd pass)

 

If I were a structured homeschooler and the group is less structured - I'd pass.

Selective socialization.

 

How is the group perceived in the hs community?

 

 

How diverse is it?

 

Does it seem to attract the same type of homeschooler?

 

Are the classes considered fluff or are they a good investment of ones resources?

 

Are people in leadership the sort of people that make others want to pitch in and help or have there been some personality issues/ clashes?

[shinyhappypeople]

I understand what you are saying about the social aspect, but most with several kids aren't going to be very worried about the social aspect when the kids are younger. It just isn't the main reason they would spend that kind of money. Once the kids get into middle school and certainly high school, parents are more willing to spend towards social activities. Until then they tend to expect social activities for younger kids to be free or cheap and very relaxed on their time. A park day, field trips to the zoo or whatever.

 

This (bolded part). I think unstructured play, park days, play dates, etc. are a better way for my young kids to socialize. They do a couple of classes, but have never made any friends this way.

 

I have an idea!

 

Families with younger kids (like me) may not want to spend $100+ for socializing, but might be willing to pay the co-op yearly fee ($55?) to participate in regular play times, craft times or something like that. In that situation I'd fully expect to stick around and supervise my kids. But, I'd also have time to chat and relax with other moms, so it'd be win-win.

 

THEN, when their kids are older and would get more out of the classes, they could transition into the full co-op.

[Ginevra]

For the record, tho I have 10 kids, I think my scenario might apply even to a family of 4, which is pretty common in home schooling circles.

 

Paying for all of them to be in classes (whether to get the one they really want or bc they really like the offerings) would be a huge hardship in time and money for most I know.

 

I understand what you are saying about the social aspect, but most with several kids aren't going to be very worried about the social aspect when the kids are younger. It just isn't the main reason they would spend that kind of money. Once the kids get into middle school and certainly high school, parents are more willing to spend towards social activities. Until then they tend to expect social activities for younger kids to be free or cheap and very relaxed on their time. A park day, field trips to the zoo or whatever.

 

Well, there are lots of families with four kids, some with more, and it has apparently worked out. That even includes some of the more recently joining members - several are families with four kids. So...I don't know. I guess there's a philosophical difference about how important this is. For myself, it would take pretty dire straights for me to not be in a co-op, but I know people who are in dire straights, so - you do what you gotta do.

 

This (bolded part). I think unstructured play, park days, play dates, etc. are a better way for my young kids to socialize. They do a couple of classes, but have never made any friends this way.

 

I have an idea!

 

Families with younger kids (like me) may not want to spend $100+ for socializing, but might be willing to pay the co-op yearly fee ($55?) to participate in regular play times, craft times or something like that. In that situation I'd fully expect to stick around and supervise my kids. But, I'd also have time to chat and relax with other moms, so it'd be win-win.

 

THEN, when their kids are older and would get more out of the classes, they could transition into the full co-op.

 

This is actually possible in our co-op, but it takes a person with initiative to do it. When I first joined, a mother offered to have a playgroup at her house for 6 year old girls. This was offered through our co-op, but it was not financially connected in any way. That was a tremendous blessing to us, as that is where my dd met her first and closest homeschooled friends. It was also where I met my first homeschooled friends.

 

So, for example, if a person joined the co-op and then took it upon themselves to do park days and playgroups, that would be 100% fine. In fact, I would welcome it. But people generally don't do that. Most people just want to sign up for what's already there. They don't want to have to put in any of their own effort or make a committment to it. :glare:

[AHASRADA]

Sounds absolutely fabulous to me! Of course, my kids are the same age as yours. I would suspect that people with younger children just don't feel the need for formal group classes at that age, at least not for the fee. The prices and class offerings sound great for maybe ages 8-10 and up, but I probably wouldn't shell out for group classes for a dc in K.

 

You could expand your offerings to appeal more to the littles, or just be happy with what you have. Any "drop-outs" of older kids is likely due to finances, philosophical disagreements, or the kids choosing to do other things.

 

HTH,

[elegantlion]

The co-op we were a part of for two year operated in a similar fashion. When ds was younger we used it as a social aspect and one day a week out of the house was fine.

 

At this point, middle/high school, I wouldn't spend a day on enrichment. The price would be prohibitive for us as well, although I don't think they are out of line.

[scrappyhappymama]

The co-op sounds fun and well run, but it would definitely be cost prohibitive for my family.

 

We have been members of a similar co-op, but the fees were much lower. The differences in our co-op were that it was only three hours long and we did not have to pay the church that it was held in (but we were responsible for cleanup afterwards and made a donation to the church at the end of each semester. So the family registration fee is only about $35.

 

Them, the biggest difference is that parents taught almost all the classes. And class fees are quite low, really just to cover supplies. So sports classes often had no additional fee, most academic classes are about $5-10 for supplies and copying, and the "expensive" classes are $25 (lab sciences, art classes, or the few classes with an outside teacher). And despite it being "just" parents teaching, we managed to have some pretty cool classes offered. One parent teaches a one act play drama class, and the end of semester performance was quite good. Several parents are involved in Tae Kwon Do and offer classes each semester. I've always been very pleased with both the quality of the classes offered and the enrichment for my kids. Each semester, I've paid around $100 for all four kids, including the registration fee.

 

On the other hand, it is very much a CO-OP, which means there are no drop off classes. Every parent is either teaching or aiding all three hours (and there are nursery and preschool classes, so babies and toddlers all have somewhere they can be, and most of the parents of the little ones teach or aide in those classes most of the time). Plus, everyone is scheduled for either setup or cleanup for half the semester. So it a LONG, tiring afternoon. But, given the choice between paying in time or paying in money, well... I can afford the time more!

 

The other factor that may be affecting your enrollment, along the same lines is the economic environment. Since the co-op is primarily enrichment (especially for the younger families you are missing), it may be a matter of folks having to choose where to spend scarce resources. For our family, for example, I tend to think of education expenses in three categories: (1) books & curriculum for at-home schooling

(2) specific interest-based outside activities (like scouts, choir, piano, sports)

(3) enrichment (co-ops, field trips, community center classes, summer classes, camps).

 

We are in the midst of a relocation and coming off of several months of unemployment, so we have to make very careful choices about where our funds are spent. These expenses are ranked in order of priority, for our family. So, I am already having to put off buying some curriculum that I'd otherwise have bought already. And piano and sports are on hold during this transition time. My oldest son didn't go to church camp or soccer camp, and won't get to do Missoula children's theater like he did last year. So, as I consider what we'll be signing up for this fall, I am having to choose the things that will have the most impact for each child (like choir and piano and scouts) and as much as we love co-op, will not be participating this fall. I wouldn't be surprised if other families are having to make similar choices, which do not reflect on the quality of your co-op at all.