Co-ops

Have you ever struggled to document your students co-op classes? I’ve had a few questions lately from homeschool families who are struggling to do this very thing. All co-ops have particular elements that make their classes unique and it can be hard to develop a class description for these classes when you weren’t the one teaching your student, but you want to make sure and get all of your students credits on their high school transcripts....

I worry about peer pressure – not with the children, but with the parents.    As homeschooling becomes more common, and there are more and more parents homeschooling, there seems to be an increase in peer pressure.  Parents feel they should join a homeschool coop, or participate in dual enrollment, or use a specific curriculum or join a particular accreditation group.  I encourage parents to look at their children, not other parents, as they make decisions...

I've written in the past about our son's experience with a "Pemberly Ball." If you're wondering what that might be, check out these blog posts! Can't Get Enough Jane Austen?The Down-Side of Literature-Based EducationI Hate Literary Analysis - Part 4Now is a great time of year to start planning events for the winter and spring. If you are considering a “Pemberly Ball” for your own homeschool literary studies, you might be interested in how to find...

My article "What If Your Kids Want to Go to Public School?" was recently published by Bizymoms.com, and it got quite a response!  I had an interesting email conversation with Julieanne that I wanted to share, because I thought others might enjoy the follow-up articles I suggested.  Thank you, Julieanne, for giving me permission to share your comments. Lee,Thank you so much!   I read your article tonight called, "What If Your Kids Want to Go to...

Whenever you become involved in state sponsored Alternative Education, you have less control than when you are homeschooling independently.  In fact, any classroom setting (public school, private school, alternative education, and even co-op classes) give you less control and flexibility than homeschooling independently. You can't control the content (you have to choose what they offer.) You don't control the speed of the curriculum (you have to go at their rate.) You can't choose how it's graded...

Real socialization doesn't have anything to do with "school." Real socialization is having fun! When we were homeschooling, we didn't meet other kids at co-op classes. We got together to have FUN! We went on field trips, went to park days, met at support groups, and had show and share evenings. There is so much fun to be had! If you are looking for an opportunity for your children to find new friends, don't get stuck...

  Following a standard school schedule is like getting on the conveyor belt of education - you follow along at the rate of the average student. Like the old Lucille Ball show, sometimes you can't keep up with the conveyor belt because it's too fast. Other times it will go too slow for the child. When you follow someone else's schedule (public school, private school or co-op) you may end up going at the wrong speed....

I was speaking one day to a group of homeschoolers. During the Q&A time, one mother said to me, "Do I have to use co-ops for high school or is it possible to do it myself?" I was surprised. Of course you don't "have to" use co-ops. Co-ops can sometimes serve a purpose in home education. A lot has been written about the plus side of co-op classes so I probably don't need to reiterate these,...