Colleen in NS Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 (edited) I have found two other people locally who may be interested in a WTM parents support group. I'm just wondering, if you have one, how do you organize it? How often do you meet? What do you do/talk about together? How do you organize each meeting? Do you have a specific focus that helps you keep the group on track? If I do this, I want to keep it very specific and focused, but not sure how I'd structure it to accomplish this. I'd want it to be "parents as teachers" support - not a kid-oriented activity group. I'm thinking of starting one that just meets monthly or quarterly, to talk about the ins and outs of giving our kids a WTM style education - curriculum, methods, various stages. Pretty much like these boards, but with IRL people :D. In the past, I have had a couple of friends (who use other ways of homeschooling but were interested in my "topic of the evening") come to my house for an evening of chocolate and listening to SWB's CDs on writing and science. It was refreshing for me to have this time with friends, to talk about the material and ideas and methods with them, to talk about how we could implement some of the ideas in our homes. So, with at least these two CDs and the new Jessie Wise one I bought, I could have three evening topics already, because the two people I mentioned were not here for the meetings I had with my two other friends. It would be new to them. Oh, and the kid age range between the three of us is 2 to 15, which I think would be wonderful. And if were to quietly advertise this, how would I do so? Meaning, what would I put on a poster? I don't want it to be a general homeschooling support group - I've already got a general homeschool support network of friends around here. Maybe I should just decide on a topic that *I'm* interested in every so often, and send around a general invitation with a specific meeting agenda for the evening, knowing that people who are interested in the topic will come? Instead of putting pressure on myself to "start a group and then try to maintain it?" Thinking aloud here.....but please tell me what you do. Edited January 27, 2009 by Colleen in NS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 (edited) I started going after I read WTM and knew it would be how I wanted to hs. We meet once a month at a bookstore(or coffee shop) with a monthly topic to talk about. We all bring our related books to share with others. Admittedly, our topic tends to encompass whatever we are all needing to figure out that month ;-) But it's nice to see all the different curriculum out there in person! And to hear of others success and struggles. It's a very relaxed meeting, but I always get a list of things to research when I get home. Edited January 27, 2009 by tess in the burbs grammar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted January 28, 2009 Author Share Posted January 28, 2009 I started going after I read WTM and knew it would be how I wanted to hs. We meet once a month at a bookstore(or coffee shop) with a monthly topic to talk about. We all bring our related books to share with others. Admittedly, our topic tends to encompass whatever we are all needing to figure out that month ;-) But it's nice to see all the different curriculum out there in person! And to hear of others success and struggles. It's a very relaxed meeting, but I always get a list of things to research when I get home. I did this exact thing the other day with one Mom. We each brought books that we've talked about on the phone, and showed them to each other and talked about methods and ideas. It was invigorating! And nice to see how other curric. does things (for example, I got to see how Sonlight helps you do lit. studies). How do you figure out your monthly topic? Do people just talk amongst themselves and then one person decides? Or is it more like, everyone just brings whatever they need help with, and it's like a big study session together? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Dude. There are local WTM groups?!?!:001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 Our spport group is not exclusive to WTm but has been huge for us. We have a yahoogroup for it to keep in daily contact, monthly parents coffee out, weekly playdates/fieldtrips, those are typically how people with similar styles, same aged kids etc hang out. Weekly park days, we alternate having a discussion topic and regular park days. So one day is all about math, and we all bring our resources to share, talk about how we teach it each, then the next week is just play, then we have a language arts topic or foriegn languages or high school etc and on we go all summer long. That is how I was introduced to other classical homeschoolers and TWTM. Of course the bonus of the online component means I can ask all my questions or answer them as they come up rather than waiting for us to meet kwim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 we have a yahoo group and we have one person that 'leads' the group. It has changed since I have been going. The torch was passed on from the previous leader to the current leader. She decides the monthly topic, but I know she has spoken to other moms and asked what they wanted as well. She's been doing this longer than most of us, so we respect her as our 'leader', lol. We ran through the normal subjects last year and this is more about support groups, our own education and stuff. People still bring books to share when they feel like it. This month was our own education but a lot of people are struggling with math and we must have had 6 different programs represented there; just people bringing it to share/talk about it. We also do a used sale in the parking lot in May and June before/after the meeting time. It's a nice group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iquilt Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 I agree, we have a nice local group! I always learn something from another mom, usually several things and it's so nice to get advice and ideas. The hot chocolate in the winter is nice, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisychics Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 I started going after I read WTM and knew it would be how I wanted to hs. We meet once a month at a bookstore(or coffee shop) with a monthly topic to talk about. We all bring our related books to share with others. Admittedly, our topic tends to encompass whatever we are all needing to figure out that month ;-) But it's nice to see all the different curriculum out there in person! And to hear of others success and struggles. It's a very relaxed meeting, but I always get a list of things to research when I get home. Love the picture Tess! I love our group. I didn't miss a day in 2008! Even if we don't have a scheduled meeting.... I still go. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted January 28, 2009 Author Share Posted January 28, 2009 Thanks, everyone, for your ideas and telling me how your groups work. I think I'm going to do what I've done before. Every so often, I'll decide on a "topic of the evening" with a CD or a book or a gathering of all our materials/questions/answers, and send out an invitation to anyone who might be interested for joining in for *that* topic. That way, no one has to make a commitment to anything except for that evening, and no one has to feel the need to keep a group going. Thank you for your input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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