Dobela Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 More or less by default I have become one of 3 leaders of our co-op this year. I am trying to find classes and speakers that are interesting, free, and like presenting to kids. Maybe I live in the wrong place, but this is turning out to be a real pain. The class or speaker must be free. The only space I have available to use at this point is the large auditorium in our public library. Their rules state that the speaker or class must be free and not for profit. It is so specific that the speaker cannot wear clothing that can be considered advertisement (ie a dance teacher providing free lessons cannot wear a shirt with her studio name on it). I have up to 2 hours for this class/presentation available. It can be for any age or all ages, but I do not have access to another room to split ages at the same time (for example I can't have 3rd and up go to room A while the others are in room B). Naturally, the more inclusive the better until we can find a new location to meet. I have called the fire department and they will come for 1 30 minute presentation. The police department and the sheriff's department never call back despite several messages. I am still working on them. I have also been playing phone tag with our State Parks person, the National Parks person, and the Beautification Commission person. Who else should I consider? What should I be asking for? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 I had a lot of luck picking specific occupations that I thought it would be fun to learn more about, and then emailing people in the community and asking them if they would be willing to give a presentation to our homeschool group, telling them or showing them about their job, so that the kids could learn more about their community and the people in it and blah blah blah. Some you might try: A dietican An EMT American Red Cross Someone from a charity (to talk about what their charity does and the importance of helping etc) We had an architect come and talk about his job, he showed the kids his computer program and his blueprints and had them build with blocks, legos, etc. Vet or Pet Groomer And of course there were a bunch of others that let us come to them, as opposed to them coming to us (we did a tour of a bank, the historical society, the 911 center, a fire station, an ambulance place, etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted August 25, 2011 Author Share Posted August 25, 2011 And of course there were a bunch of others that let us come to them, as opposed to them coming to us (we did a tour of a bank, the historical society, the 911 center, a fire station, an ambulance place, etc). We are doing some of that as well. Some of those are easy to do. I was just hoping to find more ideas of people we could bring to us. I love the architect idea. I will look more into that. The Red Cross is another group that I am playing phone tag with as well. \ Thanks for brainstorming for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang!Zoom! Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Call the Chamber of Commerce. They dig stuff like this. Community Colleges/Universities Art Galleries/Museums Bookstores Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 In my experience it often helps if you *go there* (to Red Cross or the fire department) and ask in person. People cannot blow you off when you are standing there, and they have a lot harder time saying no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandelion Posted August 25, 2011 Share Posted August 25, 2011 Some other ideas: - one of our local TV news stations regularly has a meteorologist do "weather classes" for homeschoolers at the local library (they do one each season for the changing weather) - state senators/representatives might be interested in speaking to the kids about civics and the election process - a local author might be willing to talk about the process of writing a book and being published (the library usually has great connections with local authors and might be able to help set that up) - a retirement home might be able to connect you with seniors who would be willing to come talk to kids about their experiences growing up (what times were like when they were kids, specific experiences like "growing up during the depression", etc.) - win-win for both the kids and the participating seniors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Retirees can be great. I have set things up with retired professors as well as retired professionals. If your area has a retiree volunteer program (RSVP for example) you could contact them and explain what you are looking for and ask them if they have any members that might be interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 A writer, a farmer, a musician, a dog trainer, a politician... Does it have to be speakers? Maybe you could alternate between doing a sort of storytime/activity and then meeting a person. Like, the week before the firemen come, you could read a book about firemen, do something related to firemen and then the next week, you actually meet the fireman. You could structure it as a "hometown heroes" kind of thing - like, here's local people in our community who do important things in different ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted August 26, 2011 Author Share Posted August 26, 2011 Thank you for the additional ideas! I was really drawing a blank. We only have the auditorium once a month so we are not able to have a drawn out series of lessons yet. Hopefully when I find a new space... Now I know who I will be calling tomorrow :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglei Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 I want to first comment on your location for meetings as your post seemed like the regulations could potentially become cumbersome . . . Are there any other locations you could possibly use, or have ready as back-up? What comes to mind is the large board room of a bank or the fellowship hall of a church. Our group has used both, with wonderful results. There were no regulations beyond the expected (e.g., don't make a mess; at the churches, no selling - this only ruled out a used book sale, not any programs). While two hours seems like a very long time for a program, it can become a problem if you have a very dynamic speaker and a very engaged group. If he has brought samples to demonstrate and for viewing up-close afterwards, two hours can go by in a blink. Also, if you have a speaker from a business, he may be required to wear something with the company logo. A place with fewer restrictions may be worth searching out . . . As for some ideas, have you considered touring your local McDonald's or Pizza Hut or some similar place? Doesn't matter if you eat there or even like it - it's the experience of seeing what is done and how it is done. Younger children particularly enjoyed these behind-the-scenes tours. At McDonald's, they concluded with giving the kids a free treat (ice cream??? don't remember...) and then the children had a *play date* in the enclosed outdoor play area. At Pizza Hut, each student made his own personal pan pizza which he also ate at the luncheon social that was planned; each received a certificate. At a local restaurant owned by a naturalized citizen, not only did the students see the behind-the-scenes stuff, but they also learned what brought this man to America, his dedication and what he endured in his climb to entrepreneurial success, his love for his adopted land, and much more history than one expected, made very alive and very real. Another popular tour was - of all places - WalMart! They started in the photo division and learned that process. They took a group photo and while it was being developed, someone conducted a tour of other divisions, e.g., bakery, meat department; toy department, layaway, etc. It was much more educational than perhaps appears on the surface. Do you have a local newspaper you could tour? A local radio station? Ours gave a couple older kids the opportunity to read an ad, live, on-air! A television studio? Touring the studio is very educational; additionally, ours sends out the weatherman to do a weather program. Do you have a food bank in your area? Ours gave us a tour, explained the process and guidelines, and really helped the children of all ages understand the needs of others in a whole new way. It encouraged the group to want to participate in collecting food and other items to donate (though this was NOT mentioned or alluded to in the tour). How about the fire department? This is a great place to split the littles from the older students (if so desired) as each of the older students were given the experience of putting out a small fire. Do you have a 4-H group? The leader may be willing to work with homeschoolers. Ours gave a presentation on circuitry, among other things, and also invited the students to participate in other activities. One family raised chickens as part of this program. Will your local court house permit your group to sit in on a case? Traffic court is a good one to request as these are generally shorter cases. Do you know (or does anyone in your group or simply in your list of family, friends, etc.) know anyone who has traveled outside the U.S., either for fun or business, or as a missionary? Speakers who could bring the world to our group (along with slides and souvenirs to show) were most enjoyed. If you know any retired people who have traveled or who have had an exciting career, they may be beyond happy to speak to a group. Do you live near any farming communities or families? A day at the farm can be quite educational for all involved. Do any of the farmers raise bees and make their own honey? Would any be willing to allow the Forest Service to come to their property and help make a day of it? Such things as water sampling and tree identification can be done by a ranger. Or, a nature walk in the spring to identify wildflowers and their good points and things to avoid. What kind of water purification plant does your community have? Do they do tours? If not, will they send out a speaker? How about your energy or gas company - do they send out speakers? Are there any historical homes or buildings in your area? Even if someone lives there as their home, they may be willing to open part of their home for a tour. Will any of the jewelry stores - especially a family-owned one - be willing to give a behind-the-scenes tour? Do any of the group's members play instruments well enough to give a concert - or do you know a group who would do this, and who would *teach* to the moment as well? What kinds of businesses are in your area? Call and ask if they do tours and find out what the requirements are. When you see articles in your local paper about a new business coming within driving distance of most of your members, cut out the article and give them a call when they open. Also, keep an eye out for speakers to other local groups. For instance, if the Red Hat Society is featured in your paper because they had a speaker, read to see who it was, what kind of info was covered, and if this is something adaptable to a school group. They may be speaking on an historic event pertinent to the area, or on someplace they traveled, or unique experiences they had as a pilot way-back-when, or whatever - all topics that can be adjusted to a school group if the speaker so desires. Don't rule out museums, especially smaller local ones - these can be a wealth of information. Over the years, our group has done a LOT, but this is all I can think of right now that isn't specific to our area. Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted August 26, 2011 Author Share Posted August 26, 2011 I want to first comment on your location for meetings as your post seemed like the regulations could potentially become cumbersome . . . Are there any other locations you could possibly use, or have ready as back-up? What comes to mind is the large board room of a bank or the fellowship hall of a church. Our group has used both, with wonderful results. There were no regulations beyond the expected (e.g., don't make a mess; at the churches, no selling - this only ruled out a used book sale, not any programs). I am searching for other locations but so far I have not had much luck. Either they want some outrageous price or they can't allow someone to use the space unless they are a member or an employee of that business/organization. I have several members looking so hopefully we will find something soon. So far none of the churches here are open to our group saying their insurance will not allow it or the ones that are open are so far out into the county that they are inconvenient for nearly everyone. The library is free and easy to schedule so it is my best option for right now. We have not collected co-op dues so I am trying to be extra careful with any additional cost beyond the speaker or class. I think eventually we will collect dues, but right now setting up money accounts and all that are more than I want to take on. Maybe next year... I could teach something myself, but I really don't want to do that this year either. This group has never met officially before this year except for park dates and I have scheduled classes to meet demand for gatherings. The back to school party I organized had over 60 in attendance which was quite exciting. Another social gathering had over 20 kids. Another person is scheduling field trips. I really appreciate the extra ideas for that as well. So far we have one local history trip in the works, a tour of the newspaper, and we have a couple more in the planning stages. Your ideas are fantastic! I very much appreciate them as I have so many other things to focus on that I have truely been at a loss. Thank you, thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Two hours is a long time for folks to sit. Try calling gyms and dance studios asking for a demo class. I know if 'I' were asked, I'd do the demo without my business name as long as the event coordinator would follow up and distribute my information to the group. A 15-20 minute demo followed by a 10 minute dance performance can keep the event from feeling too much like a long speech and get the wiggles out so that folks ar ready to listen to the next speaker. For a two hour event, I'd say that 3 different speakers/instructors is plenty because you'll lose time in intro, transition, closing, and long-windedness :-). If they start taking questions, you're in trouble! Try calling the K-9 unit. Everyone LOVES the police dogs :-) Also, is there'd a theme tom this event? It's feeling like a health and safety thing, but I think I misread it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaglei Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Two hours is a long time for folks to sit. Agreed! However, if you have a very dynamic speaker with incredible demonstrations and/or visuals coupled with a very engaged, interactive audience, the dynamic is so vibrant as to negate the passage of time. I speak from experience. Our group generally arranges for programs/speakers to last an hour (that includes introduction at the beginning and time to look over display tables at the end, and accounting for interaction - questions from the audience). We have had some choice programs last two hours (not including looking at the displays afterwards and/or engaging in one-on-one conversation with the speaker) - and no one minded - no one left early - in fact, they wanted these speakers invited back in subsequent years for additional programs. In attendance were all ages, from toddlers to grandparents. A vibrant speaker, a riveting topic, and an absorbed audience truly make time fly! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 (edited) As for some ideas, have you considered touring your local McDonald's or Pizza Hut or some similar place? Doesn't matter if you eat there or even like it - it's the experience of seeing what is done and how it is done. Younger children particularly enjoyed these behind-the-scenes tours. At McDonald's, they concluded with giving the kids a free treat (ice cream??? don't remember...) and then the children had a *play date* in the enclosed outdoor play area. At Pizza Hut, each student made his own personal pan pizza which he also ate at the luncheon social that was planned; each received a certificate. At a local restaurant owned by a naturalized citizen, not only did the students see the behind-the-scenes stuff, but they also learned what brought this man to America, his dedication and what he endured in his climb to entrepreneurial success, his love for his adopted land, and much more history than one expected, made very alive and very real. Great ideas! I called my Pizza Hut and unfortunately they don't do tours around here, but I have in a request with McDonald's now. Some other suggestions along these lines: Dunkin' Donuts, Rita's Italian Ice, Philly Pretzel Factory...our group has done and enjoyed tours at those places. Another popular tour was - of all places - WalMart! They started in the photo division and learned that process. They took a group photo and while it was being developed, someone conducted a tour of other divisions, e.g., bakery, meat department; toy department, layaway, etc. It was much more educational than perhaps appears on the surface.I just called our local Walmart and they don't do this, but we have a supermarket called Giant near us, and they do "healthy eating tours" for groups, so any local supermarket is worth trying if you want to do something like this. Do you have a local newspaper you could tour? A local radio station? Ours gave a couple older kids the opportunity to read an ad, live, on-air! A television studio? Touring the studio is very educational; additionally, ours sends out the weatherman to do a weather program.More great ideas! I currently have calls or emails in to a local newspaper, radio and TV station to try to set stuff up for my group! Also, our town library, so they can show us the different departments, how to use a card catalog system or whatever they use these days lol...that kind of thing. And I may have mentioned before, but we also toured a local bank- got to try the money and coin counter, take a tour, see the vault and the drive thru window and so on. Do you have a food bank in your area? Ours gave us a tour, explained the process and guidelines, and really helped the children of all ages understand the needs of others in a whole new way. It encouraged the group to want to participate in collecting food and other items to donate (though this was NOT mentioned or alluded to in the tour).I never would have thought of this, but thanks to you, I just sent out an email trying to see if I could set something like this up for my group, too! :D Going to contact the court house, too! Really love all your ideas! And while we've done police and 911 center and ambulance places and fire station type things before, I never thought about trying to find a k-9 unit- but I just left a message with one now that Kung Fu Panda mentioned it! What kind of water purification plant does your community have? Do they do tours? If not, will they send out a speaker? How about your energy or gas company - do they send out speakers?We did this recently, contacted our water treatment facility and requested a tour. They took us and showed us around and explained and showed how they treat the water, and let us see and try water from their "sample" sink at the end, it was neat! Edited August 26, 2011 by NanceXToo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liza Lee Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Look into local clubs/organizations that might have someone who can give a presentation. My mom is part of a sewing guild and they are required to do a certain number of volunteer hours. A photography club might have a person who would give a presentation. Are there any local artists who would come and speak? Do you have a toastmasters group in town? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted August 26, 2011 Author Share Posted August 26, 2011 For other folks watching this, I was just able to schedule classes with Operation Lifesaver about safety around train tracks. Each class is free, lasts about 30 minutes, and kids are provided with lots of handouts and other information. Part of the class is presented with power point so a screen and projector are needed. They did ask me to divide the kids into age groups of K-3, 4-6, and 7-12th. Thanks so much for the other ideas! I hope they keep coing, for all of us :D Someone else told me that their Red Lobster has done tours in the past that included films about fish farms and a discounted lunch for the kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Call your county extension office. They have lots of programs available. They run 4H plus additional agriculture and home economics type programs. Our county has a finance/budgeting workshop (with a role playing type game) that they will come and present to groups free of charge, it can be from 2 to 4 sessions long. Don't forget to ask the parents of the children for suggestions. They may have specialties of their own or friends' that they could present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted August 26, 2011 Author Share Posted August 26, 2011 You guys have some amazing influence here! Since posting this I have been having great success. Another one for others to look into is the EAA Young Eagles Flight Program. I was able to schedule a free flight for our group :D http://www.youngeagles.org/programs/ They were thrilled to have us call :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 You guys have some amazing influence here! Since posting this I have been having great success. Another one for others to look into is the EAA Young Eagles Flight Program. I was able to schedule a free flight for our group :D http://www.youngeagles.org/programs/ They were thrilled to have us call :) Holy cow, that's awesome! I never heard of that! Just checked the site and found a few pilots within driving distance, just left a voicemail for one of them! How are they working it with you for a group setting as opposed to an individual family? Do they just schedule several blocks of time, take several kids at once, or what? Going to follow the tip of calling county extension office, too. Loving this thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted August 27, 2011 Author Share Posted August 27, 2011 Holy cow, that's awesome! I never heard of that! Just checked the site and found a few pilots within driving distance, just left a voicemail for one of them! How are they working it with you for a group setting as opposed to an individual family? Do they just schedule several blocks of time, take several kids at once, or what? Going to follow the tip of calling county extension office, too. Loving this thread! One of moms in our group found the website and asked if any of us had ever heard of the program. I had never heard of it before either - and my husband has worked next door to the airport for years! The man I spoke to said they actually are supposed to regularly schedule the event and open it to the public. When I asked if they were planning to do this locally, I expected him to tell me that it only happened once a year. He told me though that they really try to do it no less than every other month. They were very happy to work with our group. The local organizers though did have some limitations of 10-15 kids at each event. They said it is hard to get enough pilots and planes for more than that in our area. They also preferred a Saturday because more pilots were available. If we have more than 10-15 kids then they will schedule more events for us. Our airport is a very small one with no regular flight service so I imagine a larger airport would be able to handle more kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 Around here, UNOs does a tour and you get free pizza all before they open for lunch. Try them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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