Homeschool Co-ops: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly!!

Ahhh....the ancient home schooling question...Should we join a co-op?

Okay, so maybe the question is not ancient, but it is a good one that comes up at least once in most home schooling families!!

I had never planned on joining a co-op until a good friend of mine joined one and invited us to join as well when my oldest was in 6th grade.  It sounded like fun, so we jumped right on in!!

(Oh, by the way, I can't believe that I have so many picture of peoples backs!!  I did not want to show the faces of anyone except my girls in order to protect the privacy of my friends and I thought it would be wayyy hard!!  I am amazed by the number of "back only" pics I found!!)

This was taken when we were at our first co-op!

We loved our co-op!  It was nice to have incredible teachers instruct the girls, as they got older, in the advanced maths and sciences that I felt inadequate to teach at that point in my life.  Friends were made by both mom and daughters!  I would definitely call it a success!  There were so many opportunities for a wide variety of classes!

We spent five years at this first co-op and really enjoyed it.  I was blessed to serve as director for some of the time and this really allowed me to get an inside look at how these co-ops work.  Trust me, it is wayyy more complicated than you would think!!  Managing 80 families takes some work!!

Ballet class getting ready to perform!

Little House on the Prairie class demonstration.

After a great experience in a large co-op, we began to have a need for a smaller one geared toward our curriculum, Tapestry of Grace (TOG). 

This particular curriculum is built on a weekly climax of group discussions for the middle school and high school group.  We were blessed, yet again, to find a few families working on the same curriculum and thus started our TOG co-op. 

This one was much smaller, having on average only five families, and more specific as far as what needs it met.  We were mainly there to hold weekly discussions around our readings in literature and history/worldviews. 

We also added a few extra classes such as writing, art, and science classes for the younger set!!

Science for elementary!!

High school writing peer reviews.

 

This co-op has been a great experience as well!  We love the families that we meet with and have all been together long enough that we know what to expect from each child, etc. 

So coming from someone who has had experience with no co-op, a large co-op and a small co-op I have learned some lessons.

1.  A great co-op will work for a great family only as long as it fills a need.  What that need is varies from family to family.  Some people use it to fill a social need, some an educational need and others an accountability need.  When the need has been met and is gone, the co-op just becomes another item on the long to-do list of a home schooling mom.

2.  If you choose to participate in a co-op, get involved!  Remember, you are still the primary teacher for your children and the one ultimately responsible for making sure they are provided a well-rounded education. 

Sometimes parents have the tendency to mentally "check out" of co-op classes assuming that the teacher will take on the responsibility.  You must remember that most of the time, the teachers are other home schooling parents with their own families to educate and they are volunteering their time and gift. 

3.  If you are part of a large or small co-op, make a point to meet other parents.  One of the benefits of co-ops is the fact that you form a support group!!

4.  If you are part of a co-op, make sure you stay committed whether you are teaching a class or cleaning up afterwards.  You might have great reasons for needing to change plans, but just keep in mind it will effect the others. 

5.  The biggest lesson that I have learned from participating in co-ops is that I CAN do this!!  I CAN teach this!  With all of the support that is now available, there is no high school subject that I can't teach if I choose to.  Now, it will take a lot of work, and sometimes we are at chapters in our lives where we must co-op or hire subjects out, but know that you don't have to. 

Yes, I taught a chemistry lab!!!

6.  I have met hundreds of home schooling families and have encountered hundreds of schooling styles.  Everyone has their own way that works best for them.  But co-op or no co-op, the most important thing is to stay focused on the Lord and what He has planned for you.  Sometimes that might not look like the path that makes the most sense to You, but His is ALWAYS better!!

This coming year we will be with our small co-op for the third year.  I absolutely LOVE the families that we are with.  I have worked mostly with the teens and I can tell you, this up and coming generation will knock your socks off!!!

We considered all going our separate ways for various reasons, one being that I have moved over an hour and a half away from where we were meeting.  But after a lot of prayer, we have decided to carry on another year!!

We have no idea where we are going to meet, or who all we will add to our core families, but we know we are walking down the Lord's path.  And right now, at this point in time, that is all we need to know!!