Is a Co-op worth the work?

[eclecticmom]

I have been involved with a co-op since we started homeschooling. It's K-12, meets three days per week, and I've met some of my best friends there. However, I've decided that it's too hard to do flexible homeschooling (obviously) so we're choosing to stay home next year.

 

Is it better to have the flexibility of being home Monday through Friday so we can learn in a relaxed manner or should we invest one day per week at a co-op. We are overly socialized homeschoolers (very active neighborhood and tons of quality friends) and don't really need a co-op for social reasons - it would mostly be for the classes.

 

What is your advice?

[amyco]

I don't know that I have any advice, as it's your call. We are involved in a one day per week enrichment program, and sometimes it feels like so much effort--having to follow someone else's schedules and assignments--am I not homeschooling to be free of that? (yes, mostly). But my children really love it, and it makes many things so much easier for me, that we will likely continue. I think one day per week, especially if you are getting good classes, is definitely doable. Then you have four days at home! Okay, I changed my mind. My advice is to go with one day per week. ;)

[specialmama]

Wow, I've never heard of a co-op meeting that often. :confused: I guess, I mean, without sounding disrespectful, do you sometimes feel like you've just re-created an actual school? Anyhow, the norm so far as I've heard is once every week or once every two weeks. Is this a possibility? If not, it sounds like you do need a break to do your own school at your own pace, since it wouldn't be for social reasons.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I would find a coop useful if:

 

It facilitated a topic that I find too easy to push off and not get done (nature study or art appreciation)

It taught a subject that I don't feel competent to teach (some foreign languages, music)

It taught a group class where group participation made a difference (literature discussion, science lab, drama, speech, debate, possibly writing)

It was part of a group or team activity like First Lego League

 

or if I had a skill/talent or interest that I wanted to share with a group of students.

 

I don't think you are under any obligation to be in a co-op. Participating in any specific co-op would depend entirely on where my kids were at and what was being offered. I don't think any two situations are totally alike, not even one family's situation from one year to another.

[cworthy]

Our co-op meets once per week, 12 weeks each semester. Parents volunteer for classes in their skill area and parents also volunteer to assist in the classes. It has been so wonderful for my son -- I can't tell you how much he has enjoyed it. He has also gotten things that I couldn't teach him nearly as well (I don't play guitar and I haven't taken Spanish since high school).

It is an undertaking, I know. You have to weigh the benefit/cost for your family. For ours, it has been incredible.:001_smile:

[Erica in PA]

Co-ops really work well for our family, because they provide social interaction, classroom experience, time outside the home, creative/artistic projects, and some academic subjects. All of these things help take some of the burden of homeschooling off of me (who would otherwise need to make sure my dc had these things somehow), and let me focus the other four days of the week on the core subjects. It's also cheaper and more time-efficient than taking the kids all to various activities during the week. Also, my kids really love being part of a co-op, and it's a highlight of their week. So for us, co-ops are important. If it's not difficult for you to provide those sorts of things on your own, and if your kids would be just as happy socializing with friends and neighbors in a more informal setting, then you might be fine without a co-op this year.

[Brooketopia]

We're still in the early phases of our hs journey, but we go to a 1x/wk hs group simply so my girls have friends who also hs. My oldest started wanting to go to ps once her peers at church started talking about how excited they were to go to kindergarten...and I realized she really needed friends who did school the same way she did so she wouldn't feel weird.

 

It's a hassle sometimes and sometimes I'm so glad we go! I don't care too terribly much about what they're learning about, it's about having similarly-schooled friends for me.

[teamturner]

It facilitated a topic that I find too easy to push off and not get done (nature study or art appreciation)

It taught a subject that I don't feel competent to teach (some foreign languages, music)

It taught a group class where group participation made a difference (literature discussion, science lab, drama, speech, debate, possibly writing)

It was part of a group or team activity like First Lego League

 

or if I had a skill/talent or interest that I wanted to share with a group of students.

 

 

 

My co-op meets the above criteria for the most part and I teach a music class for younger elem. age children. It meets on Friday afternoons 12x each semester. For me, if the classes take things off my plate at home (science, art, enrichment) then it is worth it to me to invest the time. Plus, my dc love being a part of the group. They have a lot of fun and learn things at the same time.

[Laura K (NC)]

nt

Edited April 27, 2009 by Laura K (NC)

[NorthwestMom]

I think they can be great, but you have to really enforce your boundaries or the work can take over your life.

[HeatherInWI]

That sounds like burn-out to me. One day a week of co-op is nice, but when it gets to three or more, when are you supposed to do the "home" part of homeschooling?

[LaxMom]

I think three days a week would be daunting. We have been involved in a pre-K - 12 co-op since we started homeschooling and, frankly, that one morning a week can be a real stretch for me, especially when the rest of the week has been crazy.

 

Ironically, though, I just met with someone who is thinking about pulling her kids out of school and would like to have a co-op situation five days a week.

 

We enjoy not only the social aspect of group classes - which is very different than just socializing with friends - but it is an opportunity for my kids to learn something that I wouldn't necessarily delve into as a focused class.

 

At the point they stop really, really getting a lot out of it, though... I'm done.

(And, as Laura pointed out, that seems to happen around middle school, which can be sad for people with middle school kids and younger ones, because there is little at co-op for the older kids to get excited about.)

[katilac]

As you seem to have lots of other social opportunities, I would cut the cord completely. Losing a day a week is huge, imo, and you won't see the peace and results you can get from staying home if you are gone 1/5 of the time.

 

You can always go back next year; why not give at home a real try?

[momto4greatkids]

It provides great accountability--especially for my older children. Coordinating so many independent families is tough, though. Once a week is plenty, although it seems our group will be meeting twice. Latin is 2 mornings with either Grammar or Science following the class. We start at 7am, so we're done early enough to go home and get other stuff done.

[Rosy]

I guess it would depend on how important those classes are to you. If it was something that my dc needed for academic, social, spiritual or vocational success it would definitely be worth it. If it was more of an extra, I'd quit.

[eclecticmom]

As you seem to have lots of other social opportunities, I would cut the cord completely. Losing a day a week is huge, imo, and you won't see the peace and results you can get from staying home if you are gone 1/5 of the time.

 

You can always go back next year; why not give at home a real try?

 

Thanks for the feedback! I am realizing that I like having more control over how and what my kids get a chance to learn. So much interesting history and science and so little time to experience it. We're solid on core subjects but I'm missing the "home" in homeschooling, like one of the previous posters said.

 

I find myself having trouble withdrawing from the middle of the co-op frenzie and excitement, though. Especially at the end of the year when new schedules are being put out and the excitement is starting to pump up again. It's always a swing back towards participation whenever I walk in the door but when I get home I think "Phew! I'm looking forward to a more relaxed pace next year."

 

My plan is to stay home completely for a year just to experience what it is like. We will probably hook up with others staying home to do a once a month writing club or field trips.

[rockala]

Co-op for years here too, just one day per week. However this is our last year. I think it gets really hard when hormones kick in and people tend to go in different directions.

 

This past year was rocky with kids ranging from 6-10th grade. mainly we had 11-15 year olds and some were getting boy/girl crazy while other families were not into/against that. It made it difficult and a little clickier than other years.

 

To make the problem worse, some were there for social reasons and others for serious high school ccourse. Not everyone agreed on academics as some are in the college prep and some are not looking at that.

 

So I agree with a previous poster we are finding in too difficult and emotionally draining and the kids are developing like-minded friends they would rather get together with one on one.

 

Also as we are college headed our courses and my kids really need 5 days to get the job done. This is true beacuse we do leave for piano and art and that takes time out too. If you add the other things that happen doctor/dentist/otrhodontist appts and then co-op it just gets wayyy too busy for my kids at this level.

 

We have three weeks left and the rest of the co-op agrees this is out last year. I want to be clear these are still some of my closeest dearest friends and that will remian, even though our kids may not be clicking right now our friendship will remain. We had many good co-op years it is just a change of season right now.

 

HTH,

kathy

[6packofun]

At the point they stop really, really getting a lot out of it, though... I'm done.

(And, as Laura pointed out, that seems to happen around middle school, which can be sad for people with middle school kids and younger ones, because there is little at co-op for the older kids to get excited about.)

 

We've been homeschooling for 10 years now and this is the first year that I've wanted to be involved in some kind of outside group--now that my ds is doing high school! We have never done support groups, co-ops or even play/social groups, but as my kids enter the upper grade levels, I find that I *want* them to have the cooperative effort that maybe we could find in a homeschool enrichment type of co-op. Not to take classes, but to do science lab work or perform speeches and receive feedback, book discussion club sort of opportunities and other "extras" and educational support, if that makes sense.

 

But there isn't anything like this here in Cleveland, OH unless someone wants to clue me in. LOL!!

 

Either way, I would never commit to doing more than one day out of the house per week while homeschooling. I cling fiercely to our flexible schedule and am definitely an eclectic homeschooler in terms of using a wide variety of materials. I'd suffocate with a co-op or group that cramped my style! :D