Sue G in PA Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Can you all help me think through this? In the Fall, we joined a co-op at the recommendation of a good friend. Said co-op was undergoing some major changes (unbeknownst to both friend and I). It met at a church which now hosted a new Christian School and the new rules and regulations for the co-op were over.the.top. :glare: We had to get a bunch of forms notarized, have physicals, get fingerprinted if we were going to be working with the kids, have ID badges made, etc. You get the drift. Each class had a fee attached...$5 here, $10 there, etc. When all was said and done I had spent over $300. :001_huh: We stuck it out for a month but the co-op leaders were like prison wardens...nobody allowed outside, no talking, no socializing btwn classes, etc. Anyway, we quit. Fast forward to now. A new co-op is forming with a woman who sounds very laid back and extremely knowledgeable about co-ops. She wants to keep it simple, is only offering 3 classes per age group (high school, middle school, upper elem, lower elem, K4K5) and has already chosen Government, American Lit and this Environmental Science class for high school. The science class is being taught by her old high school science teacher who lives 5 minutes from the church. Class will be hands-on, explorative, experiential, etc. on the property of his farm. Cost will be $70/ 1 1/2 class to be split btwn the children taking said class. We worked it out to be about $3.50/kid/week. I have 6 kids. Do the math. :001_huh: She isn't offering another alternative. She is obcessed with this teacher and wants EVERYONE to take the class. I was excited about this opportunity to get my kids out to "socialize" for a bit but now? I can't afford that class AND there isn't anything else for the kids to do during that time period. I'm a bit ticked. All my suggestions to offer an alternative and that I would even teach it were shot down. Nope. MUST take this class to keep the cost down. Well I can't afford it anyway! Sheesh. So, what would you do? Take other classes and skip that one? Just sort of "hang out" and bring work for my kids to do? Just looking for some feedback. Thanks for reading! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebra Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 One of the thing I like about homeschooling is the flexibility. I don't like an educational entity telling me what to do, when. I am in a similar situation and I finally had to ask myself, am I being overly idealisitic? Do I like the IDEA of this co-op and theory, but in reality it's going to drive me crazy? For me, it would have to be amazing for me to bother with it. Absolutely wonderful and life changing to put the whole family through it. YMMV! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue G in PA Posted June 29, 2012 Author Share Posted June 29, 2012 See...that's exactly what I keep telling myself! Is the little bit of socialization my children will get worth the time, money and effort I will have to put forth each week? I'm thinking no. This science class sounds fabulous...truly. But at $3.50/kid...We are talking $21/week! :glare: It would have to be knock my socks off, once in a lifetime experience to be worth that amount of $! If i had it to begin with...:glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Is that the only class with that charge? Is there another fee, too? (lab fee?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue G in PA Posted June 29, 2012 Author Share Posted June 29, 2012 The co-op costs only $25/family plus a "love offering" to the church allowing us to use their entire building. No other class will have a fee that I know of. No other alternatives to this science class. I "might" be able to swing the $3.50/kid for my 3 older kids so they can count it as part of their high school science credit (they would still need to do at home work to make up the remainder of that credit hour). The littles would probably love the class but I just can't swing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 I think that I'd try to swing the price. I'd also be tempted to see if there could be say a ..... 6 for the price of 4 kinda deal. Many people are willing to work deals for eager... good parents. I'd offer to help in class & prep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang!Zoom! Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Ah...Environmental science I think you can swing solo. If there was a major chem lab involved, that'd tear me up. You should be able to patch together some really cool stuff by community outreach and programs. Did you get a spine or materials list on this class? Is it really something special or a home brew? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Honestly, that seems like a great deal if the science class is as good as it sounds. I would pay that for a really good quality high school level science class without batting an eye. I wouldn't pay much for "socialization" but I would for the right class academically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 I wouldn't pay that much just for fun, but if they were quality classes I would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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