Guest Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I'm wondering how many of you belong to an actual homeschool co-op or support group that meets in person :D at least once a month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 We belong to a co-op that meets all day on Wednesdays every week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 We do a Classical Conversations, every week...all day...on Wednesdays. My kids are 16, 10, and 5. Carrie:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the floating cottage Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 We belong to a support group for homeschooling moms. We meet twice a month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vettechmomof2 Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Sort of. We do a weekly gym class(although we almost never make it until the end of spring) and the mom's tend to gather and chat at those times, we also have a yahoo group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I can not handle meeting very often (4 times a year would be more my style) and most groups either meet in a church (I do not feel comfortable with that) or want a statement o faith signed. :( Curious... what do you do at a meeting? Moms breaking off in conversation and kids playing is all I would want, not an actual "meeting" IYKWIM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I'm wondering how many of you belong to an actual homeschool co-op or support group that meets in person :D at least once a month. Yes, but that doesn't mean I go every month. I like groups that support me with ideas and encouragement. I don't so much want group classes. I have done a couple field trips and I like cultural activities (like student day at the opera). The group we're in now has bowling twice a month. I like that a lot. It is at a time when we can just be done with school rather than interupting it and the kids play while moms chat and do business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Nope, not my cuppa. Gleaning and sharing bits and pieces on this board works for me; I'm not a homeschool co-op/support group kinda gal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 We do co-op with a group once a week. They have park day once a week, too, but we don't make it to that super regularly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secular_mom Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I can not handle meeting very often (4 times a year would be more my style) and most groups either meet in a church (I do not feel comfortable with that) or want a statement o faith signed. :( Curious... what do you do at a meeting? Moms breaking off in conversation and kids playing is all I would want, not an actual "meeting" IYKWIM. I was very pleasantly surprised to find a small, local secular hsing group when we moved here (bible belt). We now have a co-op that meets weekly, the kids do a project or play, depending on their interest in the offerings that week, and the moms help the kids and chat. We've done nature study, valentine crafts, photography lessons, gardening, ceramics, etc. It's been great so far, especially the part where we are meeting other hsers who aren't xian, here in the deep south. Our group is VERY informal and relaxing/fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon C Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I've had a hard time finding a group with people that I have something in common with(aside from homeschooling). It just seems that the folks that have shown up to groups I've tried are sometimes the people that I feel give homeschooling a bad image and I don't really want my kids around their kids either. Not to say that all groups are like that, but that's been my experience. I did just join another group to try out b/c we just moved and I need to meet people. So far, I haven't even been informed of any get togethers, park days, etc. I find more people online that I can relate to--they may be the very people I don't enjoy at the groups, but I don't know that! :tongue_smilie: I wish it was different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebug42 Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I am a no here. I belong to a few email lists of local homeschoolers that I get info from. I was a member of a group a few years ago but it was not a good fit for me. I work nights 28 hours a week and with homeschooling, I just can't operate on anyone else's time table for activities other than the things my daughters do. I am fortunate that my sister, SIL and closest friend all homeschool so I do not have to be alone if I choose not to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I homeschool so I don't have to deal with people. :glare: Okay, that's tongue in cheek. But no co-ops or support groups here, just you guys. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofkhm Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 but I don't go. So I voted "other". Being part of our co-op makes us automatic members. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenneinCA Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I go to a weekly park day. There are no statements of faith, no dues, no commitments. There are kids playing and adults (mostly moms but a few dads) talking. This is working for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Yep. I belong to a homeschooling support group that has a mom's coffee once a month and twice monthly park meetings during warmer months (Late April through early October.) We also have lots of clubs (for the kids science, history, book) that meet either monthly, twice monthly or weekly. Those meetings are decided by the participants. We used to have evening parents' meetings monthly but attendence dropped off as those with older kids just got too busy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I chose other. I belong to a couple of groups that organize events and posts opportunities for things but there is no requirement to show up to anything. We attend what interests us and ignore the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I homeschool so I don't have to deal with people. :glare: Okay, that's tongue in cheek. But no co-ops or support groups here, just you guys. :tongue_smilie: Okay where's the little coffee spewing smiley? I laughed out loud when I read this. Sounds like something that would originate in my brain.... Nope, not my cuppa. Gleaning and sharing bits and pieces on this board works for me; I'm not a homeschool co-op/support group kinda gal. This is what I wanted to find out. I keep having friends ask if I want to come join their groups ("it's ok that your kids are so young - come learn from us!"). I really don't want to join any groups now, and I don't see that changing in the immediate future. I'm not a real social person and I don't want to go "hang out"; especially with people who are doing way different methods than I do. Ha! I was just wondering if this was a given when you homeschool. I guess not. I will be open to co-ops in the future that will help in areas I lack - science or art classes - but not until the kids are way older. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillary in KS Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I belong to a local support group, but they do not meet regularly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandalwood Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I belong but I never, ever go. Our's meets once a month at night and that is the worst possible time for me in the world. I used to belong to a group in another state that met on Friday's and I loved that (Friday mornings). I am too tired to go at night and they usually don't quit meeting till about 9:30 p.m. Guess I have a bad attitude about it.... I never, ever go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 (edited) We belong to an inclusive, widely varied co-op that meets in a church (because they delightfully rent us their space - we actually have no common members) once a week. Not my style, but my kids' so we go and they love it. I am also the director of an umbrella group and we do field trips about monthly so I can do reviews with member families. People are expected to come if they sign up (obviously) but we're a pretty loose bunch and no field trip is mandatory. Edited March 4, 2009 by MyCrazyHouse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 If I had enough time to go to a hs group........ I would probably opt to do yard work instead ;) There is a hs skate at the local rink, we go, but I don't know anyone there and it's so cliqueish in this county that I doubt I will ever learn any of the parents' names... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I belong to a hs support group. We have park days, different sports offered from a coach, set up classes with teachers, history fairs, science fairs, book clubs, scouts, movie previews, and big and little co-ops run by moms. It very ala carte and just my speed. We get to pick and choose what we like to do. I run a few things and other moms run things. If it isn't important enough for people to create and run then it doesn't happen, but we generally have a lot of active leaders. My family doesn't do any co-ops right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaS Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I do belong to a group, but it's pretty small and not so formal. We are all friends that homeschool and happen to have kids in relatively the same age brackets. We meet once a week on Monday for four classes. We each teach 2 classes. My kids love it, but I find I do not have the patience for the other moms' kids. As each family, they are great, but when the kids get together, they have trouble with this being a formal class and not play time with their friends. It gets a bit discouraging having to discipline week after week after week....I'll be glad for a break come summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 There are some big, well-organized groups and co-ops in our area, but they are all very religious. And we don't fit. We used to belong to a loose, secular, cruncy-granola-head-type group. It was nice while my kids were very young, but we began to have tension when my daughter started taking off academically. There were a lot of whispered comments about how the others didn't "push" their children, followed by private e-mails and phone calls from people begging me to tell them "how I did it." I got frustrated because we would carefully plan our schedule in order to allow ourselves time to prepare for and attend events, only to have no one show up or everyone be late and unprepared. They got irritated with me because they valued the freedom to do their own thing. My daughter got tired of feeling out of place and misunderstood on the playground. We eventually decided it just wasn't worth it to continue. We tried starting a small co-op at our church. We started with three families who got along reasonably well, gained another, lost one to a difficult pregnancy that kept the mom home and lost another to a sudden, employment-related move. We tried to persevere and recruit, but the other mother finally told me that "no other child wanted to do the things my daughter liked." And that was the end of that. We tried again with a small, informal group made up of several families who also felt they didn't fit in the larger groups. It was nice for a while, but we were quite spread out geographically, and some interpersonal stuff between a couple of the moms eventually killed the group. After that, we decided to stick with scheduled activities sponsored by professional groups. They are more reliable and more worth-while. Can you tell I'm still a bit bitter about our experiences? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in SC Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I belong to a secular homeschool support group. We don't have scheduled meeting monthly, but we do have weekly park dates, different clubs for the children, a mom's book club and mom's night out every few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 See, in my head, I have to separate "co-op" from "support group;" that makes it "other.":D We belonged to a *support group* for most of our hsing years. For the most part it was valuable. I would not have participated in a *co-op,* however, at least not until my dc were high school age and ready for lab sciences or higher maths that I was not prepared to teach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Katia Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I'm not a real social person and I don't want to go "hang out"; especially with people who are doing way different methods than I do. Ha! I was just wondering if this was a given when you homeschool. I guess not. I will be open to co-ops in the future that will help in areas I lack - science or art classes - but not until the kids are way older. If this is the way you feel, then go with your feelings. You don't need a co-op or support group. I wish I had followed my gut feelings and stayed away from them. (bad experience) We also find that going with professional classes/lessons are a much better fit with our style of homeschooling; we know exactly what to count on, what is required of us and when, and what to expect from the class/lesson. This is SO not true with homeschool groups, even if they act like everything is all laid out they are still just a bunch of moms that act like jr. high-ers. (again, my experience in two different states, two entirely different groups) And for those art or science classes when they get older....go to your community college. It's better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evergreen State Sue Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 We belong to two co-ops; one meets twice a week, and one meets once a week. We also belong to a support group that meets once a month and often does activities with the children once a month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryhob Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 :) We belong to a co-op that meets once a week for 2 hrs. We really enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MgoBlue Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I really want to get active with a co-op, but the group in the town closest to me has no official co-op...just a mom that teaches some classes in her home but she's very picky about who she lets in...brothers & sisters of current members, etc. I went to a gym at another town and might get active with that group even though it's 40 minutes away vs. 10-15. In the local town, everyone is related to each other (and we're not--no joke here). the other town...the ladies were WAAAAy more friendly and inviting! I answered "other". because I gave the local yokal's money, but they're not doing anything for me except send me emails of their basketball schedule...which we have zero interest in. (they like basketball in indiana) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I've met a very nice lady who has started homeschooling her kids. Together we are going to start a co-op type thing this fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Closeacademy Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Our group officially gets together on Fridays for enrichment and playgroup but we are now doing Wednesday gymnastics and most of the group has been hooking up on Tuesdays for field trips. It is a small group 4 regular and 2 other families and our children are the same ages and have developed close friendships.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 I am a member of a local support group. I used to attend all events enthusiastically. However, I don't have time for that any more and go to only a handful of events every year. I like to keep my membership current because there are sometimes good field trip or other opportunities. We participate in 3 other group learning opportunities. My dd has Latin with a co-op--the rest of the co-op meets almost all day Monday, but my dd only utilizes the Latin class (an hour once a week). I teach a small group of girls Bible class once a week. It's not really a co-op--it's a class I teach and direct. Both my kids go to an all-day co-op on Fridays. Ds is there all day, but I am choosier for dd. As a 6th-grader her workload is too heavy to give up a whole day unless the classes really fit our goals. She spends half the day with me and half with the co-op. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danybug Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 We do not belong to a coop or support group. I go through times when I feel guilty about this and wonder if we should find one and try it out. It just does not appeal to me, but maybe my son would get something out of it. It was interesting to see the poll results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdie Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 We attend a co-op on Fridays that meets for 24 weeks during the school year. I used to attend a monthly support group for hs moms, but haven't been since we joined our co-op. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ABC Mom Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Used to be two Grace Group in Burke, VA and now Classical Conversations in Bristow, VA www.classicalconversations.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I'm part of the email loop for our local group, but I have yet to go to any activities. Our schedule is very full at the moment with sports and church comitments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I voted yes even though we aren't in one right now. I plan to join one for dd4's K year. There are 2 or 3 I'm choosing from. I can't imagine NOT being involved in one. We are pretty social here, and I need the real-life support. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tristangrace Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Well, I'm a member of a support group, but I voted "other" because I don't attend often. I'm on the fence about continuing. At this point, if I were to continue to attend, or to try another group, it would be with the idea that my time investment MIGHT pay off at some point in the FUTURE, because it doesn't really meet any needs now. I just haven't clicked with any of the other moms (it's all moms), it's only occasionally that I have a question I'd like some advise on, and 90% of the activities are for the moms, not the kids, so it's not as though my daughter benefits directly either. The group does occasionally organize classes/trips I like, so I want to keep a foot in the door. In fact, I'm a little worried that they'll kick me out if I don't come more often--they emphasize that it's important to have "face time" with others at the meetings. Reflecting on this, I realize I'd rather have a few friends who homeschool, as opposed to being part of a group of homeschoolers who meet regularly. Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gillian on Orcas Island Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 I wish we did, but it seems that everyone who homeschools here on our small island - besides us - meets through the local public school's "homeschooling" program. Here's how it works: the kids who are in it are enrolled as full-time public school students who are "off-site". The school then gets state funding for these off-site (home-based) students, which works out very nicely for them, since they aren't paying for faculty, facility, or cafeteria costs for any of 'em. They do have to fund a head teacher for the program, but it's not a full-time job. (The teacher they hired spends most of her time working in the special-ed. classes.) State funding per student was about $5500/year, two years ago, when we were involved. A portion of those funds (about a third, unless it has changed) is made available to the enrolled families to help pay for books, curriculum, and possibly lessons. But you have to pay for everything first, and then get reimbursed later, after your receipts go through the bureaucratic paperwork, if the business office approves it (and they look askance at certain things, like computer CD's). The books you buy are supposed to be part of the "learning plan" you devise ahead of time with the head teacher, who tries to align your plan with state standards to make sure you're meeting all the "grade-level requirements". You have to check your books back in for the summer, as they are considered school property. We were more or less recruited to join, and tried the program for a year, but what with the required weekly email reports, monthly portfolio reviews, and having to prepare my dc's for the WASL, it was too much additional work, and eventually it just wore me out. Also, we couldn't afford to spend as much money as was theoretically available, since we had to spend the money upfront. By the time we got reimbursed for the first $200 we could afford to spend, it was two months later. So we ended up using only a small portion of the funds we were supposedly entitled to spend, because of the way it was set up. So we're out, and I returned everything we purchased. But all the other hs-ing families that I know of here are in, and they do their networking and have extra-curricular classes through the program. I feel it's better to just stay out and be left alone, rather than face pressure to come back into the fold. It's too bad to miss out on the things they do, but it just wasn't worth it for us. The year we were involved was the head teacher's first year, and there wasn't much in the way of group activity. Now the program's grown and there are more families and more classes and outings, but I am not tempted to rejoin. Not only was it a lot of additional work for not as much help (in the way of books) as I'd been led to expect, I became increasingly bothered by being involved in this trend of public schools trying to adopt (or co-opt) homeschooling. When we joined the program, we had to sign a piece of paper stating that we understood the distinction between the program, which is often casually referred to as "the homeschool program," but is officially titled "the alternative education program," and genuine homeschooling, as it is legally defined. The fact that we had to read and sign this paper was the result of efforts by WHO, the WA Homeschool Organization, to make sure that families enrolling in these increasingly prevalent programs understand the distinction, and are aware the fact that they have a choice; in other words, so that schools won't present these programs as if they were synonymous with homeschooling. (See their statement on the issue here; it's a pdf.) I understood all that when I signed, but didn't think it was going to be a real problem. However, once I experienced how intrusive the requirements were, I came to see that it was a mistake to give up our homeschooling freedoms for the promise of money and support. I get blank stares when I bring this up as any kind of a problem, though; it doesn't seem to to bother anyone else, in fact I get the impression that others think it's dumb of me to turn my nose up at access to funds. But I would have to agree with the critics of these kinds of programs, who say that public schools are luring homeschoolers in with a carrot and stick kind of a deal. The carrots in this case were the money, access to facilities, and group support, but the sticks are: the fact that you are not primarily in charge of your child's education, but, as far as the state is concerned, are working under the guidance of a supervising certified teacher, whose job it is to check up on you by phone or email and submit your attendance and progress reports to the state on a weekly basis; having to present a portfolio monthly to said supervising teacher to display adequate progress (lugging all your books into the school and trying to convince the kids they wanted to explain their work to the nice lady!); mandatory state testing, and (especially irksome for me) having to create learning plans to align with state standards. This last issue was certainly a problem for us as adherents of TWTM history studies, as there IS no elementary school history in WA's elementary grade-level requirements. It's "social studies," of course! Yikes, that turned into a rant; sorry. Thanks for listening. Since we're on an island and the ferry is prohibitively expensive, we can't really go further afield to find a group. So, yeah, we go it alone here rather than belonging to the group. Luckily, there are classes and activities here that aren't hs-specific, and last summer, my kids enjoyed a short stint at the local day camp. On a daily basis, I'm very glad they keep each other amused! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 It was an invitation-only group. I didn't know anyone directly, but I knew someone who knew someone. I talked to them, but they ultimately turned us down because nobody knew us. The lady who informed me "couldn't believe that nobody knew me". Well, I'm not much of a joiner and I work to protect our homeschooling time. I figure it's not the right place for us anyway. I have belonged to a couple in the past, but we didn't make the connections I wanted with other families and it wasn't fitting in with our schedule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyThreeSons Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I teach Geometry and Physics on Mondays and Wednesdays. My 10th grader attends classes MW; my 8th grader only has classes on Mondays this year. Next year he'll be there MW as well. We meet for 32 weeks in a school year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.