# Homeschool Co-op



## scwit (Mar 2, 2011)

I find myself in a bit of a conundrum, I thought for sure I really wanted to join a local co-op and now I'm regretting it. Thing was I didn't get the "tour" and had to make a snap decision if I wanted the slot. I am down to teach one class, and assist in another. I don't really have a problem with that because I've been subbing in public school for over two years. I just can't quite put my finger on why, but I realize at this point I better suck it up and make the best of it. Perhaps it's just a jitters sort of thing. Anybody else ever done that then really end up enjoying it?


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## gibbsgirl (May 1, 2013)

Some are good. Some are rotten. Many do very different things and have very different types of members. A lot also just is about what is right for each family. That can make a coop great for some and rotten for others.

What are you wanting and what is it you don't like about where you're at.

We've been in several off and on over the years.


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## Crankin (Jul 13, 2015)

I taught 2 sections of Crankin Engines for 2 semesters in a large CO-OP in a church. The kids were great. 

It helped that I had been teaching in a community college previously, 32 years, and that my subject was really interesting to almost all of my students. I think that it would be hard to teach English to those who didn't want to write. 

My suggestion:

Teach a subject that you are really comfortable with.

Bring your enthusiasm to the class every day.

Try to teach every learner at their level regardless of the class level.

Set ground rules the first day. Stick by them. Even for demanding parents.

Crankin

www.crankinengines.com


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## scwit (Mar 2, 2011)

I have to say with 3 classes left in this semester, the co-openings experience has been positive. We are signed up for the spring semester. We have met some wonderful families and the kids have made friends! And there have been many adjustments made to compensate for other teaching styles. It is kind of tricky dealing with those whole school differently than we do but that is the way it is out in the real world!


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## gibbsgirl (May 1, 2013)

To the OP. I pm'd you.


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## Crankin (Jul 13, 2015)

scwit said:


> I have to say ..............experience has been positive. ............And there have been many adjustments made to compensate for other teaching styles..............


Glad it has been positive.
I am interested in hearing about the adjustments if possible.


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## scwit (Mar 2, 2011)

Crankin said:


> Glad it has been positive.
> I am interested in hearing about the adjustments if possible.


By adjustments I meant attitudes-we had to talk to the kids about the fact that although we don't like the other teaching styles we need to be respectful and try our best. 
The thing is my kids have been public schooled until last year so they have been exposed to many, many teaching styles. We pulled our son with autism out because the folks handling him felt the need to yell at and belittle him. Our daughter soon followed suit and both kids are much calmer and happier. I really LOVE having control of what they are studying and how it is presented. I then had to really take a hard look at what the reasoning is behind joining a co-op in the first place. I guess it was the draw of it simulating a "school" atmosphere-I thought it'd be great to have them working on projects together with other students. Well it turns out not so much. I figured one day a week no problem. Well, although I understand the a 12 week course-allowing 45 minutes per class- is essentially 8 hours. Some people think that it's 12 weeks and your kids ought to have to work on their class every single day. Plus I have found that many of them are teaching the exact things at home that the public schools are. My kids simply don't excel at those standards. We have since changed our minds again and decided that the co-op just isn't for us. Not to mention it's at least a half hours drive to get there. 
I feel like I am being lead to teach some sewing, cooking, electrical, music, and theatrical courses on my own terms and in smaller snippets. To a select number of kids that really want to participate. I can most certainly be allowed to do this at our church. We actually have a nice group of homeschoolers that attend our church. 
I arranged a zither duet for myself and one of the younger girls, an this week we are going to add some vocals and guitars-in preparation for Christmas time!


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## gibbsgirl (May 1, 2013)

You might consider checking around for a coop that just meets to hangout or do field trips. Those can be fun, and give the kids a chance to do fun interesting less structured things with a regular group of kids.

Homeschool groups around us tend to branch and split off to with many of the families bouncing back and forth over the years.

Most are a place of compromise to some degree, and I've found as long as you have lots of time to do your own thing as a family, its nice to have a small amount of time each year devoted to Coop stuff with long time and some new friends. Good to do for fun, but also to let the kids learn how to manage going out of their comfort zone a bit dealing with different personalities and different ways of doing things.

I don't care for rigorous activities that require extra time to stay up on unless it's for a specific interest that I cannot easily facilitate at home. My thought is to just encourage you to be very "no big deal" about it when something isn't a good fit at all or at the moment. That can help you keep in touch with other homeschoolers over time, and help your kids keep trying and changing with things in a less stressful perspective.

It's a journey, not a destination. Be well.


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## Crankin (Jul 13, 2015)

I developed a basic engine curriculum specfically for home school parents. I am interested in developing more courses in the vocational arena for home schoolers. When Scwit mentioned the interest in teaching cooking and electrical, in small snippets, thats right up my alley. That is, I am interested in developing a electrical/carpentry course where the kids build a dog house and maybe wire it as you would for a room addition. In addition, some basic electrical contraptions like motors, and electromanets might be interesting to build in a one hour session. And I am also interested in developing a cooking course, primarily for boys, but that is a very flexible idea. 

So I have more questions. 

A snippet would be 1 hour or less?
A course would be 10 hours + - ?
What would be the age level for a simple electrical snippet?

Anyone?


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## gibbsgirl (May 1, 2013)

Crankin said:


> I developed a basic engine curriculum specfically for home school parents. I am interested in developing more courses in the vocational arena for home schoolers. When Scwit mentioned the interest in teaching cooking and electrical, in small snippets, thats right up my alley. That is, I am interested in developing a electrical/carpentry course where the kids build a dog house and maybe wire it as you would for a room addition. In addition, some basic electrical contraptions like motors, and electromanets might be interesting to build in a one hour session. And I am also interested in developing a cooking course, primarily for boys, but that is a very flexible idea.
> 
> So I have more questions.
> 
> ...


We have several kids, and my choices for curriculum have shifted over the years. 

Many curriculums are wonderful, but we simply cannot make use of them practically.

I spend a lot of time with the kids individually until about 8-10 or second or third grade depending on the kid. Then, I have to have stuff that they can safely and successfully do almost entirely on their own.

I help them if they're stuck and oversee corrections, etc. But, for practical reasons I need stuff that they can work on basically independently while I supervise.

There is only so much time for me to Homeschool and do other chores, etc. And, I can't have them wasting there time waiting on my undivided attention.

Also, some stuff we have is consumable. But, A LOT, is stuff I can reuse for each kid. And, I am willing to spend more to do that, such as hardback textbooks instead of paperback. They last longer, so are cheaper for me in the long run.

Just thoughts from me in case it helps you plan what to do.

Also, I tend to like curriculum choices that are enough for an hour or so a week on noncore topics (not like daily 3rs). And, I like them to have 15-20 lessons total. That way I can pick a topic like say electrical 1 and 2 and have a semester or two if time for them to complete it and to have had a decent exposure to the subject. Not just glossing over it, but not so in depth they drown in it. That amount has helped me a lot to find out what ultimately sparks each kids interest.


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## scwit (Mar 2, 2011)

I was envisioning snippets as like 1-2 hours over 2-4 days, with flexibility of course when dealing with multiple families. ( In contrast to 12 weeks ) 
Hubby and I were just starting to put together an electrical course for the 12 week co-op We were shooting for 4 weeks(45 minutes each) for a study on batteries-(-but in light of the fact we aren't going to do co-op we are going to try and put together a bout a 4-6 hour course of beginning electric- to include a study on batteries and reading multi meters. Then a bit down the road add onto that-like practical electrical training-say for a home etc... 
Age for early electric I think could be as early as the child can comprehend - but I am thinking about 5th grade? Heading into the middle school years. 4-H starts them out with a shake light in grade 3. On a side note{My son-at 12- has gotten quite proficient at repairing animatronic type toys-this he has taught himself-although he has dissected many, many toys in order to learn this. He started taking them apart at least 4 years ago.
I think your idea of electromagnets and motors is an excellent one.


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## Crankin (Jul 13, 2015)

scwit said:


> >>>>>4-6 hour course of beginning electric- to include a study on batteries and reading multi meters. Then a bit down the road add onto that-like practical electrical training-say for a home etc...]
> 
> Our family built our home. We were the contractors and subs. I am pretty handy and my wife is very artistic and handy too. We were home schooling out youngest two 7 and 9. They learned to lay up the foundation, build up the
> floor system and on up. but we only built 900 sq ft at first. When our son was 15 he wired the next 900 sq ft by himself and met with the building inspector by himself. So I know what worked in our family.
> ...


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## nosedirt (Sep 24, 2014)

So good to hear ya'll speak about these types of classes. I have suggested such to other HS families and they think it strange. I don't think they understand the correlation of electricity and math. The other thing I thought of while reading your posts, it's great that kids can recite Homer in their sleep but the practical training is so important. Today's after school project for our Twins was replacing a toilet. I gave minor advice but basically, they did it themselves. 

We tried the co-op route but it just didn't work for us. Instead, we have found that retired folks provide an excellent resource. We have had help from a math teacher, science teacher, electrician, mechanic, nurse, and other occupations. Amazed at the work they put into lesson plans and materials. The kids have always responded well to these folks and we appreciate so much the work they put into helping us.


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