Decisions, decisions...

[RachelFlores]

I am conflicted and would love to get some outside views on my homeschooling choices for next year. I have a 6 year old daughter, she will be in 1st/2nd grade next year depending on subject.

 

This year we are part of a Classical academic co-op. We meet at a church once a week, all moms teach classes throughout the day. Every class from preschool-8th grade covers history, science, literature, PE, unit studies/drama, and art. It is a great program using mostly WTM suggestions, run by great moms. Dd LOVES co-op and finds it very motivating. I am able to get her to do her homework/reading by reminding her that she will need to know/do it for her co-op class. We also stay on schedule completing all our curriculum due to needing to cover what the co-op will be expecting (I'm not always great at this on my own).

 

The cons of co-op are that it is a lot for work for me as a teacher and it is about an hour away from our house. These are easily overcome now, but I am pregnant and due in September. Also, I just found out that our building fees will be doubling next year (due to increasing rent at the church we are currently renting). The cost is still doable, but our budget will be tight. They are also looking at moving to a different building and if it was further away, that would be a deal breaker for me. An hour away is the furthest I am willing to travel no matter how wonderful the program is.

 

For less money (though not much less), I could buy something with a preplanned schedule (looking at Sonlight) and join a weekly homeschool playgroup much closer to home. I feel this might be the better choice with a baby on the way, but dd and I will miss the co-op, the friends we have made there and how motivating dd finds it. Also, a few families are moving (due to jobs) and I feel bad about leaving and making it even harder for them to continue. I am also nervous about switching from mostly WTM suggestions to a more box approach although I KNOW that is what I will need with a new baby if I do not have a co-op keeping me on schedule.

 

Anyway, if you read through all this, thank you and what would you choose?

[momto2blessings]

Tough question! I did a classical co-op for one year that was about 30 min. away and that seemed too far for me. It was hard to get to know anybody outside of co-op time. And I started when my kids were older and didn't want to change so much of what I was doing to stay with the program....I like picking my own materials:)

 

With how young your daughter is, I wouldn't worry too much about the academic aspect of the co-op, personally. I wouldn't drive an hour to a co-op unless it was REALLY important and no other socially viable option. If I were having a new baby, teaching and driving would be too much for me....I think my days at home would be more productive if more low-key and I wasn't stressed. But that's just me...only you can decide what's best for your family:) Blessings, Gina

[momto2blessings]

Oh, and I don't know if this fits what you're looking for....but http://www.simplycharlottemason.com has a free curriculum guide and family guides w/pre-planned lessons for only $11. I've done SL and more of a Charlotte Mason approach and I personally prefer the CM way of having them give narrations of their materials rather than lots of comprehension qu. And I like fewer books savored....the SL guide had me stressed trying to keep up:) But just me.....

[Ellie]

My vote is to do whatever it takes to stay home. The four hours of travel time would be enough for me to vote that way.

 

It is a great thing that y'all enjoyed the last year, but the truth is that you will enjoy staying home even more. And it will be good for you and your dd to make new friends, especially if they are friends who live close by.

 

It is also the truth that you don't need to be nervous about not following WTM recommendations. If they are important to you, you'll figure out a way to do it. You don't need outside motivation, especially not with a child as young as yours. It will be much more satisfying and productive in the long run when you find your motivation internally.

 

FTR, doing Sonlight is not a "box approach." It is literature-based, and therefore different from WTM/classical; that someone else came up with a schedule and whatnot does not make it a "box approach." That term has a negative connotation that Sonlight does not deserve (neither does Mystery of History, Tapestry of Grace, or any other similar product).

[RachelFlores]

.

FTR, doing Sonlight is not a "box approach." It is literature-based, and therefore different from WTM/classical; that someone else came up with a schedule and whatnot does not make it a "box approach." That term has a negative connotation that Sonlight does not deserve (neither does Mystery of History, Tapestry of Grace, or any other similar product).

 

Sorry, I wasn't meaing to offend with my use of the term "box approach". I just meant that I would want something fully scheduled, broken up into weeks and preferably days with all books and materials included. I like the idea of a literature approach which is why I am considering Sonlight, but also like and am more familliar with the WTM method right now.

[Ellie]

Sorry, I wasn't meaing to offend with my use of the term "box approach". I just meant that I would want something fully scheduled, broken up into weeks and preferably days with all books and materials included. I like the idea of a literature approach which is why I am considering Sonlight, but also like and am more familliar with the WTM method right now.

You didn't offend me at all. I was just pointing out that "boxed approach" does have a negative connotation, which is why you used the term the way you did. :-) Also, newbie hsers tend to group everything into "boxed approach," regardless of whether it's a unit study, or a literature-based study, or a Charlotte Mason-based study, when it's more important to make the decision based on whether it's unit study, literature-based, etc. (The converse is that people talk about "cobbling together" their instructional materials, such as using FFL, WWE, Spelling Workout, and SOTW. "Cobbling together" and "boxed approach" both have undeserved, negative, confusing connotations.)

 

I also understand that you are more familiar with WTM. Really, I understood everything you said. I was just commenting on your "boxed approach" comment. Sorry.

[MomatHWTK]

I would plan to not have outside commitments when baby arrives. But, make sure you don't inadvertently "blame" baby for DD losing her fun co-op.

 

First grade can be a relaxed experience, do whatever gives you the most flexibility and makes you feel confident that you are covering what is important to you.

[walkermamaof4]

We left a co-op last year so we know what you mean. Have you looked at HOD? I just wondered bc/ it works so well with one child, uses great literature, is complete, and has crafts too. It seems like it would be such a great fit for you. We have to force ourselves to stay on track, but have been able to just fine!

[lmrich]

I would not want to drive an hour anywhere with a new baby. Maybe the co-op will move closer.

[WIS0320]

I think with a new baby, napping needs, mom up lots at night to feed, etc. it is wise of you to look at a curriculum that is fairly prepared for you and focus more time on being home.

 

My suggestion is to look at several "boxed" curriculums with a prepared schedule. SL seems to be where most people start but there are other very good programs that mesh more with WTM. Memoria Press has pretty nice complete packages - so nice that I am attempting their K package next fall. It looks very good!

 

Calvert, Kolbe, and Memoria Press are a few to take a look at.

 

Good luck!

Edited April 4, 2012 by drexel

[besroma]

My vote is to do whatever it takes to stay home. The four hours of travel time would be enough for me to vote that way.

 

It is a great thing that y'all enjoyed the last year, but the truth is that you will enjoy staying home even more. And it will be good for you and your dd to make new friends, especially if they are friends who live close by.

 

It is also the truth that you don't need to be nervous about not following WTM recommendations. If they are important to you, you'll figure out a way to do it. You don't need outside motivation, especially not with a child as young as yours. It will be much more satisfying and productive in the long run when you find your motivation internally.

 

:iagree: Exactly

[Hedgehog]

With a new baby? I would go with whatever gave me most flexibility. I get that it's hard to leave a group especially when you know others are leaving too, but I think this choice needs to be about what is going to work best for you.

[2_girls_mommy]

I was going to suggest Memoria Press. It would be set up with a schedule for you like Sonlight, but much more like WTM (it even used R&S english like WTM suggests as one of its recs and other Classical currics) It is also going to be much less expensive than Sonlight which is a plus.

[Tracy]

I have a rather extroverted dd, and it would certainly be very hard to leave a place where she already had friends. But I really want to put in a good word for the play group. I organized a play group for us a couple of years ago. It has been so wonderful. I love getting together without having to plan anything. I love being able to hang out with my friends while the kids are playing with theirs. I had originally sort of hoped that it would either turn into a co-op or we would all join the same co-op. But that hasn't happened, and I am seeing now that that is actually a good thing.

[Ohmomjacquie]

We are doing mfw next year, very hands on and classic /cm based.

 

I wouldn't drive that far for coop with a newborn either. Congrats btw!

[meggie]

I am conflicted and would love to get some outside views on my homeschooling choices for next year. I have a 6 year old daughter, she will be in 1st/2nd grade next year depending on subject.

 

This year we are part of a Classical academic co-op. We meet at a church once a week, all moms teach classes throughout the day. Every class from preschool-8th grade covers history, science, literature, PE, unit studies/drama, and art. It is a great program using mostly WTM suggestions, run by great moms. Dd LOVES co-op and finds it very motivating. I am able to get her to do her homework/reading by reminding her that she will need to know/do it for her co-op class. We also stay on schedule completing all our curriculum due to needing to cover what the co-op will be expecting (I'm not always great at this on my own).

 

The cons of co-op are that it is a lot for work for me as a teacher and it is about an hour away from our house. These are easily overcome now, but I am pregnant and due in September. Also, I just found out that our building fees will be doubling next year (due to increasing rent at the church we are currently renting). The cost is still doable, but our budget will be tight. They are also looking at moving to a different building and if it was further away, that would be a deal breaker for me. An hour away is the furthest I am willing to travel no matter how wonderful the program is.

 

For less money (though not much less), I could buy something with a preplanned schedule (looking at Sonlight) and join a weekly homeschool playgroup much closer to home. I feel this might be the better choice with a baby on the way, but dd and I will miss the co-op, the friends we have made there and how motivating dd finds it. Also, a few families are moving (due to jobs) and I feel bad about leaving and making it even harder for them to continue. I am also nervous about switching from mostly WTM suggestions to a more box approach although I KNOW that is what I will need with a new baby if I do not have a co-op keeping me on schedule.

 

Anyway, if you read through all this, thank you and what would you choose?

 

 

If it were me, I would drop the co-op. I couldn't handle all that travel and teaching with a newborn. Is there a reason you couldn't use the same curricula but just buy it on your own? To me, it's easy to buy a lot of the WTM recommendations and plan out the next thing. Planning each week takes me 20 minutes and that's while I'm watching a TV show.

 

With the cost of gas, I think that would save a ton of money over the long run. As for getting it done, I found that I just needed to get in the habit of doing school. Having a Sonlight schedule won't automatically make that happen; that schedule could hypothetically be ignored as easy as one you make yourself.