Co-op or no co-op, that is the question

[mommyoffive]

Do you co-op or not?

 

Do you teach? 

 

Do you one co-op or more?

 

 

[Lori D.]

Do you co-op or not?

 

I can only share what worked for us and why/why not -- don't know if that at all fits with your family's personalities, needs, or goals. :)

 

We loved our elementary age small homeschool group (not a formal academic co-op) -- 6-8 families, so about 12-15 kids, the year planned out in advance, meeting 4 months each semester, with the following monthly rotation:

1 week = field trip

1 week = presentation day

1 week = park play day

1 week = "co-op class" of art or science

 

We also did a bigger event at the end of each semester -- Thanksgiving Feast; Roman Feast; Medieval Day; Japanese Day; Christmas Party...

 

That meant as a parent you were only responsible for organizing one field trip and one "co-op class" each semester, plus contributing some aspect towards the big end-of-semester event. Lots of fun, lots of social time, and not too much work for any one mom. Along about 6th grade, our DSs outgrew this type of group, as wonderful as it was for the Kinder-5th grade ages.

 

The more formal structured co-ops in our city have really only offered "enrichment" classes, with only the very rare actual formal academic class that can take the teaching burden off of you. We only participated one year when DSs were grades 4 and 5, for the social aspect and to try out the enrichment areas offered. It was fine to try for one year. The co-op was 3 45-minute class sessions, with a 10-minute break between each, and a choice of 2 classes per age-range at each timeslot. As a parent, I was required to either teach or assist in 1 class for the entire semester, and also once a month either come early OR stay later to help set-up or tear-down/clean-up. I signed up to assist in a high school science class and really didn't have to do a thing all year. ;) Parents were required to stay on campus the entire time (no drop-offs).

 

That co-op was only 2 miles from our house, and only 3 hours of time twice a month, and only about $100 for both DSs for the entire year, so it did not negatively impact our schedule or our budget. But, again, by about 6th grade, our DSs were beyond this type of activity.

 

So, for us, by middle school/high school, unless a formal co-op class could shoulder some of the burden from me and would be as rigorous if not more so than what I was doing at home -- no, a co-op was not worth the time out of schedule, the money, the drive, and the required energy from me to have to either teach or assist in a class.

 

For grades 6-12, our DSs' social needs were met through church youth group, involvement in the big homeschool group's Student Council and weekly social activities / group community service projects, and through involvement in things like sports and Youth & Gov't. Throughout their middle school and early high school years, I also organized about 4 field trips per semester for our big homeschool group. These were tours and activities specifically geared for the age 12+ students and parents -- so more social time and older learner activities there...

 

As far as meeting academic needs, online classes really weren't on the horizon yet, or I would have gone with a few of those. We did outsource through some dual enrollment at the local community college for the last year of high school for each DS. Sadly, none of the homeschool co-ops that came and went during our DSs' middle and high school years ever offered any rigorous academic courses, or I definitely would have outsourced that way. Local public/private schools here do not allow taking just 1 class -- it's all or nothing.

 

 

Do you teach? 

 

I have been teaching homeschool co-op classes (Lit & Comp) at a rigorous level (i.e. NOT enrichment, but for credit) for middle/high school ages for the past 4 years, and will be again this year. It seems to be filling a need for families, as I don't have trouble filling my classes.

 

It's really not a true co-op, as it is just me offering a class at an empty room in a church, and I allow drop-offs. I do require a 2-deep policy -- i.e., must always have a second adult to stay through the whole class. The first year I had all parents sign up for 2 weeks each semester to stay and be my "wingman" (lol). Now I offer 2 scholarships per semester for a free class fee for 1 student when a parent is my class assistant for 8 of the 16 weeks of class.

 

I offer 1 or 2 classes per year, depending on what else is going on in my life. ;)

 

Both of my DSs are graduated from high school. I would not have the time or ability to run these classes if I were still homeschooling, as I pour a LOT of time into these classes. So if I were participating in a homeschool co-op and still were homeschooling younger children -- no, I would not teach, unless it were completely a light-weight enrichment class that really only required me to show up and required NO advance planning or work on my part. I know for myself that I would NOT be able to continue to give my own children the best in our homeschooling if I were having to spend even just a few hours every week preparing for a co-op class. That is just me -- other people can manage that with no problems.

 

 

BEST of luck in figuring out what works for YOU and your family re: "to co-op or not to co-op". :) Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited March 22, 2017 by Lori D.

[Alice]

Yes, we do a co-op. We started about 6 years ago. It is a very large co-op and very organized. There are a lot of high schoolers as well as younger age kids. We started primarily for social reasons and that is still why we do it. Younger kids (up to about 4th grade) take art, drama, PE, choir, etc. So I look at it as sort of our elective day. Older kids can pick electives. My kids have gotten really into Odyssey of the Mind through co-op and have also been involved in drama. It's been an overall good experience. It provides a good social outlet and provides some of the extras that are tougher to do in a non-group setting. 

 

I do teach. At our co-op everyone has to help in some way for two time slots and we have a support group for parents the third time slot. Helping can be working in the nursery or being an assistant in a class where you don't have to do much prep outside of class. I worked in the nursery when I had a baby that age. I also teach Anatomy, which is my area of expertise. It is fairly easy for me to teach so although it is extra work for me it's not a lot of extra work outside of our normal school. I also coach Odyssey of the Mind which my boys are part of. That is a lot of work so I'm not sure I would do it if I didn't have a kid who wanted to do it. 

 

We only do one co-op. It basically takes up the whole day that we do it even though it's half a day. I can justify giving up one day of our school week but I couldn't justify giving up more. 

[mom2att]

Do you co-op or not?

 

Our co-op started as a support group that became and remains a co-op. We are founding members, going on 15 years with the same group and have never homeschooled without it. The community is what is important to me.

 

Do you teach? 

 

Teaching is what I did before I was a mom and started homeschooling, so teaching at co-op is one of the things that I love about co-op. I usually teach classes that I want my kids to have, but wouldn't necessarily devote much time to at home. When they were little it was things like Art and Artists or Around the World, as they got older it became things like Latin, and now it is academic classes for a legitimate high school credit. I thought I would always teach the little kids, but as my own kids have gotten older I've found that I really like teaching high school.

 

Do you one co-op or more?

 

Co-op takes a whole day out of our school week, as it is every Friday morning and I find it too difficult to go from co-op all morning to home and school in the afternoon. I cannot imagine losing an additional day to a second co-op, but I know people who do. They usually do it for a year or two and then decide it's too much, getting more involved with the co-op they liked better and dropping the other.

 

Nobody HAS to do a co-op to be successful with homeschooling. But if you find a good fit in a co-op, it can provide a great and supportive community as well as classes that can be either elective and fun or more academic. With my co-op, we've managed a good mix of both. My kids have grown up with our co-op and it's like a family to us.

 

[HomeAgain]

Do you co-op or not?

We have in the past, but not yet for current child.  I find that upper elementary through high school get the most out of co-ops if the classes are designed to play to class strength - working as groups, collaborative games, etc. or are designed to teach a skill or topic not covered at home (dance, cooking techniques, art) or even an aspect that is not willingly done at home (lab science, hands on projects).  I have a 6yo.  The only co-ops available for him are centered on basic skills and side by side work.  It would not be worth it to do a co-op.  Our social time can be done elsewhere with free play, which is more important to us at this age.

 

Do you teach? 

I have.  And was in charge of a co-op.  I taught a hands-on history class, drama, and a few other things. 

 

Do you one co-op or more?

People have time for more than one??? :huh:

[Ellie]

Do you co-op or not?

 

Do you teach? 

 

Do you one co-op or more?

 

No. Support group, yes; co-op, no.

[gypsymama]

We did our first co-op last year. It was large and well organized but it didn't work well for our family. We were told "anyone could join" but they left off the part about the religious propaganda. :/ The youngest did the preschool while the older two were in classes. I did assistant teaching in some of the classes while we were there. This year we are trying a new co-op that is suppose to be actually non-religious *cross fingers*. I'm co-teaching three classes there and my youngest will be in the "big kids" K classes instead of preschool this year. They're very excited about the class offerings and it'll only be one day a week so we shall see. Not going to do more than one co-op at a time because we have other outside sports, activities, scouting, etc. also.

[Farrar]

We have a small co-op and always have had at least one. We have resisted joining the large co-op that offers a roster of classes for various reasons.

 

I have taught our co-op in the past. However, currently the kids run the co-op. The adults only facilitate a little.

[UCF612]

We started at a medium sized co op last year. At the halfway point in the year I was adamant we weren't coming back. It didn't feel worth the sacrafice of a day. I didn't think we were connecting with people or getting much out of it academically. By the end of the year I changed my mind. We started to get to know other families, I started teaching one class (in rotation with other moms), and the kids were loving it. So we're going to go back another year. I take all things a year at a time. I will be teaching a Lego Challenge elective class. ETA: This co op meets from 10-12, so it isn't all day which I appreciate.

 

We also meet with a tiny group on Fridays. It is more social than academic but we do art, science experiments, field trips and holiday parties.

Edited August 11, 2016 by UCF612

[Lynn in Caribbean]

We did a co-op for one reason only - so they could see the same kids every week and form relationships.   This was when my young adult kids were in high school.  In high school, it was important for them to have a social "place."  If I had done a co-op for academic reasons, I would have been disappointed and frustrated.   When they were young, we did not do co-op, because the social reason did not outweigh academics and what they needed to learn at home.   

[My4arrows]

We have and I go back and forth whether we return each semester. In the past ours has been very disorganized, the classes aren't appealing and to get the classes my kids would enjoy I've over extended myself teaching 3+ classes which I should have just stayed home to teach with less stress. So we take it a semester by semester basis and I'm on the search for a co-op that is better organized and focuses on the extras, not the core classes. My kids are in elementary and I don't need apt he extra help with those. I need th pe help with art, or, music, etc

[Loowit]

We tried a co-op for about 4 years and then quit.

 

The bad:  My kids had trouble making friends because it was very cliquish even though it was fairly large group.  I felt that I needed to teach a class each session so that I could get priority registration to get my kids into the classes that they wanted, and it wasn't a lot of fun.  It was taking up a day for fluff classes without a lot of return, and at the point we quit they were going to be starting later and running later so we wouldn't even have the afternoon to do anything at home.  It was very ultra conservative and was uncomfortable for my children to be told that things they watched and read were bad/evil such as Disney, Harry Potter, etc.

 

The good: They made it safe for my food allergic child and were very helpful and kind. I met a lot of nice people, although I didn't make any friends.  The kids got to take some fun classes and learn about things they may not have at home.

 

I have actually thought about going back to a co-op, but looking at the class listings and the time commitment it wouldn't be worth it to me.  Right now my kids have plenty they are doing and have friends they hang out with, so it wouldn't be a a big enough benefit to me or the kids to outweigh the cons.

[2_girls_mommy]

Do you co-op or not?

 

Do you teach? 

 

Do you one co-op or more?

Yes

 

Yes

 

One, but we have other extra curriculars.

[2_girls_mommy]

Love ours btw! When kids were little it was for enrichment and socializing. As they have gotten older they get that, plus I choose classes or teach classes that are core subjects for us.

[mschickie]

We co-op.  Our co-op is fairly large (last year around 70 or so families).  I like it because it is an a la cart co-op so you can take one class or five classes whatever meets your families needs.

 

 

I usually teach at least one class and I am on our co-op board.  Teachers get first registration so if you want to get into specific classes you are better off teaching.  We also require parents to help out during the day (amount of helping depends on how long you are in the building)  Families also have a certain number of set up and clean ups that they have to do through out the session.

 

We have done a couple of different co-ops in addition to our main one on and off for a few years.  This year because dd is going into 8th  and I am not sure how she will adapt to the heavier schedule we are just doing the one.

[importswim]

I used to and I used to teach. I figured out that I was teaching more to the other children and spent more of my week preparing for that one day than schooling my own children.

 

This year we're not doing any co-ops and I feel like clicking my heels together and dancing the Macarena.

[Leftyplayer]

We tried it for one year. I wanted the kids to have a social outlet and maybe learn things I'm not good at teaching (art). The kids didn't mind it, but I felt overwhelmed for time to get through our own curriculum. I have SPD and it felt like sensory overload. Mostly, we were required to teach two classes. I HATED teaching in that coop because there were a lot of unschoolers and most of those children had no interest in classes so they created chaos for me and it was just no fun trying to force other people's kids to learn in a way that didn't match their home approach to education. Like PP, I also spent too much time prepping for co-op class. We left. We joined a social group that meets at parks and for field trips instead.

Edited August 13, 2016 by Leftyplayer

[mamaraby]

No co-op or support group. Yes, I have taught. In the end, it was a waste of my time. I'd much rather put my time into teaching my own kids and then end up putting a lot of time into teaching other people's kids while my kids get less than stellar classes in return. Plus, we'd rather focus on our studies and have more free time to do what we like.

Edited August 13, 2016 by mamaraby

[aelllc]

 

I have been teaching homeschool co-op classes (Lit & Comp) at a rigorous level for middle/high school ages for the past 4 years, and will be again this year. It seems to be filling a need for families, as I don't have trouble filling my classes.

 

Lori D.

 

I am wondering what curriculum or book choices you are using to teach a rigorous co-op Lit/Comp class?  I am interested in teaching these at my co-op and am wondering what works well in a co-op setting.  Thank you!

 

[mom31257]

Yes, we do co-op. Our main co-op meets every other week, 8 classes per semester. The upper middle school and high school kids have science and lit/writing classes with homework. They have one enrichment class without homework. We don't pay any tuition. We give a donation to the church each semester and pay a supply fee to any teacher who has to purchase things for class. 

 

I've directed two different co-ops as well as taught in each one every year. The first co-op was purely enrichment, and I passed the reigns to someone else when I wanted to start a more academic co-op. That co-op has been meeting for five years, has 24 families next year, and will have over 60 kids. 

 

I don't know if these count as co-op, but we do these in addition to co-op. I host a book club that meets 7 times during the school year. Ds attends a Spanish co-op, which meets monthly for practice games and to introduce the new topics for the next lesson. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[2_girls_mommy]

Yes, we do a co-op. 

Yes, I teach. 

Right now only one, though we did just find a little preschool co-op that meets very close to our house that I am thinking of joining for the preschooler. I would have to do some teaching there too. But it wouldn't be as much on me as my older kids' co-op.  My older kids would just have study periods and piano lessons during her one morning a week there. 

[Garga]

I used to do one co-op. Over the years it met sometimes twice a month and other times once a month. (I think...maybe it never did meet twice a month...I can't remember.)

 

I taught. Various classes at the elementary level.

 

The co-op used to be an enrichment co-op that ran specific classes for all different age groups: art classes, gym, science classes, history classes. Being only once a month, it wasn't meant to take the place of your regular homeschooling.

 

But people got tired and didn't want to teach, so now it's a group of homeschooling moms and if one mom thinks to herself, "Gee, I wish there was an art class for my age kids," then she creates it and the group helps her create it. We have a meeting place at the church for whenever someone wants to teach a random class. The coordinators of the co-op will help the mom plan it and will help support the class, but it's up to members to decide if they want to start up a class for the group or not.

 

Now that my oldest is in high school, I have him working so hard on his regular work that there's no time for extra classes. I used to wonder about that when my kids were small--how the high schoolers didn't come to co-op because they had too much work. Now I understand it.

 

And while the co-op was valuable when my kids were younger, my kids are introverts and getting them up and out the door was like pulling teeth. They hated the act of going, but enjoyed themselves once they were there, but when it was time to go back the next month, they didn't want to go again. I am tired of trying to force my unsocialized homeschooled kids out the door.

 

Some kids adore co-ops and are extroverted and it's a lifeline for them for their social needs.

[Clemsondana]

We love our co-op. It's big, K-12, and offers enrichment classes and also credit classes for the older kids. We started because we were new to the area and beginning to homeschool with my older kid in K. After the first year, I started teaching (we have paid teachers, and I had experience teaching at a community college, so high school was a good fit). It's become part of our community, and the whole family anxiously awaits the day each spring when the fall schedule comes out. I've used it mostly for enrichment for my kids, although as they get older I add in reinforcement of subjects outside my expertise (I'm a science teacher, and I have them take literature, composition, and/or foreign language classes). They also get to take some cool classes that would be hard to do for just 1-2 kids, such as the class where they divided into countries and 'fought' WWI, and choir or PE classes. I'm not a crafty person, so for my kids it's a change of pace to do classes that involve lapbooking or other elementary-style crafts.

 

That being said, because we choose to commit most of a day to co-op (some choose to take 1-2 classes instead), I have to manage our schedule to be done in 4 days. But, my kids love it and get to do things that I wouldn't do at home. It's a 20 minute drive home, and most weeks they take turns telling me about their day the entire drive...although they've both commented that they love co-op and are also glad that it's just 1 day each week!

[tdbates78]

No, because I can't find a secular co-op nearby. Not sure if I would be interested even if there were, but I would be open to exploring the possibility.

[Lori D.]

Lori D.

 

I am wondering what curriculum or book choices you are using to teach a rigorous co-op Lit/Comp class?  I am interested in teaching these at my co-op and am wondering what works well in a co-op setting.  Thank you!

 

 

I write my own lessons and assignments for the students, and come up with my own discussion questions, teaching information, and in-class activities to work with the literary elements and literature topics. So, alas, I can't help with recommendations from personal experience on what pre-made curricula or program works well in a co-op setting.

 

However I have seen these programs all used in Lit and/or Composition co-op classes. Some are "lite", and some are more meaty:

- Literary Lessons from the Lord of the Rings

- Windows to the World

- Windows to the World + Teaching the Classics, with Jill Pike's syllabus

- Excellence in Literature programs

- Write Shop

- IEW

- The Power in Your Hand

 

You might also be able to use Lightning Lit. programs, Illuminating Literature, Essentials in Literature programs, and others, in a co-op setting. For really rigorous, people tend to combine the History/Lit/Writing and do something like Memoria Press materials, Veritas Omnibus, Tapestry of Grace -- although, I don't know how you'd do ToG in a co-op...

 

You might also look at the descriptions of classes for The Well-Trained Mind Academy, Wilson Hill, The Potter's School, Lukeion, and other classical online course providers for ideas of volume of material, types of works covered, and ideas for writing assignments.

 

 

This year, I'm teaching an Intro to Film Analysis and Essay Writing (16-week semesters). At home, the students are reading from a book, and from the informational articles I've been writing each week for them, plus the writing assignments. We're using the films we watch and discuss in class each week as material for their essay writing, and we're doing a variety of types of essays -- in both semesters the essay writing assignments have included:

- 1 personal response essay

- 3 very short responses to a specific prompt (on choice of 2 films viewed in class)

- 4** medium viewer response papers on general topic (on choice of 2 films viewed in class)

- 1 longer critical analysis essay (on choice of film viewed outside of class)

**  fall semester = 1 additional viewer response

** spring semester = research & give short oral report on a film genre as substitute for 1 viewer response

 

Last year I did a year-long Lit. & Comp. class on Tolkien's trilogy of The Lord of the Rings. Actually two levels of it: the middle school was 12 weeks/semester and only covered the trilogy and writing. The high school was 16 weeks/semester, and in addition to the trilogy and the writing (short practice exercises, reader responses, essays of several types, and 1 longer paper each semester), we also covered a small amount of poetry; Tolkien's short story of "Smith of Wooton Major"; and 4 classics: Beowulf; several Canterbury Tales; Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; and Macbeth.

 

The previous year, I created a Lit. & Comp class of: "Other Worlds: Classic Lit in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Speculative Fiction", for grades 7-12, with 16-week semesters. Each semester we covered 2 fantasy, 2 sci-fi, and 2 speculative fiction, ranging from short stories, to YA books, to novels, plus a variety of types of writing assignments, including a research paper with citations one semester, and a longer critical analysis essay the other semester.

 

 

BEST of luck as you plan, and hope you have a super Lit. & Comp. co-op class! :) Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited March 22, 2017 by Lori D.

[aelllc]

Lori D., thank you for the reply.  This gives me a great starting point of possible curriculum / expectations.  I am starting to plan early, so I will have plenty of time to develop a class syllabus. 

[CuriculumMom]

Do you co-op or not?

Yes, we co-op, although it took us several years to find a co-op that is a pretty good fit for us.  My children are only 8 and almost 6, so for me at this point, the purpose of the co-op is to meet friends, and do "messier" projects I would rather not do at home (science projects, certain art projects, etc.)  Another reason I co-op is to give me a break in the middle of the week, there I said it.  We also started a homeschool support group, which is another alternative to co-op if the only reason you want to co-op is for socialization.

 

Do you teach? 

No, but I already teach part-time so I don't want to add anything more to my plate.

 

Do you one co-op or more?

Just one, but we have done two. When both my husband and I were working, we needed it more for childcare so we could go to work.

[CuriculumMom]

Do you co-op or not?

Yes, we co-op, although it took us several years to find a co-op that is a pretty good fit for us.  My children are only 8 and almost 6, so for me at this point, the purpose of the co-op is to meet friends, and do "messier" projects I would rather not do at home (science projects, certain art projects, etc.)  Another reason I co-op is to give me a break in the middle of the week, there I said it.  We also started a homeschool support group, which is another alternative to co-op if the only reason you want to co-op is for socialization.

 

Do you teach? 

No, but I already teach part-time so I don't want to add anything more to my plate.

 

Do you one co-op or more?

Just one, but we have done two. When both my husband and I were working, we needed it more for childcare so we could go to work.

[freesia]

Yes, we have co-oped in many ways.

--We did one much like Lori where 1 week the kids taught (on tea or gold--something thematic) and led activities; one week was PE; one week French; one week writing workshop

--Then I started a co-op. We expanded to 25 families I taught many things

--Then we left and did a 3-5 family small Tapestry co-op. I teach writing, lit and history.  I love this BUT

--Next year we will probably be joining another big (70?) families co-op that meets every other week for enrichment and a second day once a week for academics for high school.

 

This is purely because my older children need to tap into a new social group for various reasons. 

 

I found leading/teaching/being part of our large co-op exhausting and love our small one.  I've learned that doing what's best for mom is not always the best thing to do. So, for the next season, we are trying something new.

[Lori D.]

Lori D., thank you for the reply.  This gives me a great starting point of possible curriculum / expectations.  I am starting to plan early, so I will have plenty of time to develop a class syllabus. 

 

I do find I have to tweak how rigorous or gentle my expectations are, depending on who is in the class. This year I have such a VERY wide group in writing ability and needs that with 12 students I have:

 

- 2 just attending class, no writing

- 2 doing extra Lit. readings and assignments (that I have to develop) so the class can count as an English credit (so extra work for me in an entirely different area than the film analysis)

- 1 student at a remedial level of writing, so individualized writing assignments and very heavy mentoring

- 7 students completing my syllabus pretty much as written, who are  at varying levels of ability of writing (and therefore varying amount of mentoring/time needs)

 

I will say that this seems to be pretty typical from the previous classes I've had; of a class of 12:

1-3 students = strong, excellent writers

1-3 = struggling writers, even remedial at times

the majority = writing level falls at different points on the average section of the curve

 

Similar type of break-down as far as being able to read and understand older literature or deeper works, and to be able to analyze the works. A lot of hand-holding and making gentle stepping stones throughout the semester to build up to being able to see deeper than just "what happens" in a story. I shoot for setting the bar high (but not crazy high), and then run alongside with loads of encouragement, guided questions -- and humor to let them know it's okay to talk in class--that, in fact, I *need* them to talk and discuss so we can all learn. ;) 

[2_girls_mommy]

Just cracking up, because I answered this one thread twice, lol. Didn't notice it was old. :) 

[mom31257]

Just cracking up, because I answered this one thread twice, lol. Didn't notice it was old. :)

 

I didn't even notice it was old. I'm surprised I didn't answer twice! 

[CAtoVA]

Yes, we co-op. All my kids attend a very large (400 kids) homeschool co-op that offers classes for preschool aged through grade 12. Pretty much everything is offered including languages not offered at local schools, all academics, arts, physical ed, lots of interesting electives,yearbook, band and orchestra. It meets once a week and parents pay tuition monthly or annually. Some parents teach but I do not. Teachers are also professionals in their field that enjoy teaching part time. Parents do service hours shifts like watching hallways and cleaning up after the co-op is over. My girls take two classes (drama and art) and my son takes 3 classes (drama, history and a social hour period).

 

My son also does a science co-op one day per week. That serves about 125 kids ages 5 through 18 (grades K-12); DS does 7th grade Life Science there. He does lab work, discussions and dissections on co-op day and homework during the week. Parents don't teach—there are four or five  teachers on staff. Parents do service hour shifts, however. Tuition is paid monthly or annually.

 

There is also another co-op in town that meets on another day and vibrant Classical Conversation groups. I live in a small to medium sized town and feel very blessed to have many  co-op options available. Even though the area isn't large there is a sizable homeschooling population that drives demand for co-ops and lots of speciality "homeschool " classes during school hours.

[mommyoffive]

Yes, we co-op. All my kids attend a very large (400 kids) homeschool co-op that offers classes for preschool aged through grade 12. Pretty much everything is offered including languages not offered at local schools, all academics, arts, physical ed, lots of interesting electives,yearbook, band and orchestra. It meets once a week and parents pay tuition monthly or annually. Some parents teach but I do not. Teachers are also professionals in their field that enjoy teaching part time. Parents do service hours shifts like watching hallways and cleaning up after the co-op is over. My girls take two classes (drama and art) and my son takes 3 classes (drama, history and a social hour period).

 

My son also does a science co-op one day per week. That serves about 125 kids ages 5 through 18 (grades K-12); DS does 7th grade Life Science there. He does lab work, discussions and dissections on co-op day and homework during the week. Parents don't teach—there are four or five  teachers on staff. Parents do service hour shifts, however. Tuition is paid monthly or annually.

 

There is also another co-op in town that meets on another day and vibrant Classical Conversation groups. I live in a small to medium sized town and feel very blessed to have many  co-op options available. Even though the area isn't large there is a sizable homeschooling population that drives demand for co-ops and lots of speciality "homeschool " classes during school hours.

 

 

I am so jealous of all your options.   You are so lucky.  I would love to move to an area that had those options. 

[lmrich]

We have never done a true co-op. I have taught at hybrid schools, homeschool enrichment programs, and have taught classes in my home. My kids have attended all three of the forementioned. My kids have also had classes that were online, at community college, taught by another teacher in her home, and classes taught at home. 

[Insertcreativenamehere]

My daughter is extremely social so I put her into a co-op a few blocks from our home last year. It wasn't technically drop-off, but they didn't have room for my other kids so they allowed me to drop her off. She liked it well enough but mainly because of friends who also participated.

 

DD's friends are now in school so this year my two middle kids are participating in an all-day enrichment program as part of our public charter. It's not technically a co-op, although parents are asked to be involved to some degree. It's been a great fit for them. It's meeting their social needs, they're doing things we wouldn't get to at home and it gives me a chance to focus on other family needs because I don't have to stay. They have done art, music, cooking, PE and science there. 

Edited March 24, 2017 by insertcreativenamehere

[Mimm]

A lot of people here really hate co-ops, and I do see their point. But my children were lonely and needed contact with other homeschoolers. Social groups don't really exist in my area. Unfortunately, co-ops didn't really fill that need (the homeschoolers in my area are incredibly cliquish). They formed some friendships and did a few things outside of co-op but the parents in this area aren't very good at going to the extra effort required to make sure their kids get to spend time with friends. They think, co-op, church, piano lessons, that's good. For some kids, maybe so. Not mine.

 

Academically, it didn't do much for us that we couldn't have done ourselves except in science. They got to do dissections and some experiments (demonstrations) that I would have felt pretty lost on. I definitely contributed more to my co-ops than I took from it. I taught writing and art and geography at different times to different ages. I worked hard to make my classes worthwhile.

 

My three year old is very social and loves going places and hanging out with kids her age. I feel like co-ops are going to be necessary for her, and hope I can find friendlier ones in the future.

[8Arrows4theLord]

I wish we would have found a friendly co-op a lot earlier in our homeschooling. We had a bad co-op experience when we first started, but we couldn't find another one close to us. We haven't been in co-op for several years. I think my children would have benefitted from a more structured setting for some classes and would have had a larger friend circle, if we would have participated in a co-op.  

It is sad when homeschoolers get nasty to each other. We are all different, but all are trying to do the best we can for our kids. 

I am glad to read about all the really great co-ops out there!

[mom31257]

I wish we would have found a friendly co-op a lot earlier in our homeschooling. We had a bad co-op experience when we first started, but we couldn't find another one close to us. We haven't been in co-op for several years. I think my children would have benefitted from a more structured setting for some classes and would have had a larger friend circle, if we would have participated in a co-op.

It is sad when homeschoolers get nasty to each other. We are all different, but all are trying to do the best we can for our kids.

I am glad to read about all the really great co-ops out there!

Those are the exact reasons I wanted co-op for my kids. When I couldn't find what I wanted, I started it. I have worked hard to make sure we accept families who have similar mindsets. I am also not hurt when a family wants to leave. Our group can't meet everyone's needs, and if someone doesn't like it, it's not personal. It's an area God has really helped me work through.

[KT7673]

We participate in a Homeschool Enrichment Academy.  It is a K-8 program that they get to take either History or Science and Phy Ed in the Morning and different electives in the afternoon (art, music, spanish, basically whatever someone wants to teach).  Parents can choose to teach and get a discount on tuition, but I choose not too.  We send the kids for 3 primary reasons.  1) Social time with other kids.  2) I get a day off of teaching that I can focus on my preschool age kids and household stuff. 3) I can not worry about whether or not we get to subjects like Art Appreciation at home because I know they get it there.

[macmacmoo]

We go to a once a week co-op that's forty minutes from our house. There is another co-op that meets just minutes from our house but i do t use them.

 

For $200 a year they get presentation, Spanish, ukele, history, art, PE, and science. A bit more for the activity book and memory work cds but still very reasonable in my opinion.

 

Now there is a fancier higher priced version of the same thing a little further north that has a drop of ability. With mine I'm required to stay on campus the entire time, and I teach science every other week. Next year I'll be doing nursery since we are having a baby in the fall.

 

I like it because with mommy mush brains I tend to only hit math and language arts. so this lets us hit everything kind of Charlotte mason style. some families go all out and incorporate the lessons into their lessons, others don't. Some memorize everything, some just the Bible verse or history. I like that I can do as much or as little at home depending on our week and the kids experience at co-op doesn't change.

 

Only downside is we live so far. There is definitely a core group that hangs out on non co-op days. But we do meet up with one family out side of co-op maybe once a quarter.