Many people toss around the phrase co-op when they are homeschooling. They can be in a Charlotte Mason co-op or a young homeschooler's co-op or a Tapestry of Grace co-op. But what exactly does this mean? What are co-ops and how can you, in your homeschool, benefit from them?
*The following is from a conversation with Beth Herbert who is the president of Lighthouse Christian Homeschool Association*
The word co-op is used in different ways in the homeschool community. Usually a co-op is a regular (weekly) meeting of homeschooling families who pool their talents, resources and abilities to teach co-operatively. In some co-ops, all parents take a turn teaching something, and in others certain parents will teach while the rest of the moms assist or help with administration, clean-up, child-care or other jobs.
This is different from a situation where you pay someone to teach a certain subject to your child. Those are called enrichment classes and they can be offered either by other home school moms in their home or through places like New Life Camp in Raleigh.
The benefits to participating in a co-op include seeing homeschool friends that your kids look forward to seeing on a weekly basis, friendship and encouragement for you as a mom, and enrichment of your child's educational experience through participation in a variety of different classes that you probably wouldn't be able to duplicate on your own.
Co-op can also be used as a synonym for support group. Rather than weekly classes, a support group typically offers other types of activities for families to be involved in, such as meetings, park days, clubs, workshops, and field trips. Support groups sometimes specialize in one particular area such as focusing on teens or young children, special needs kids or a particular homeschool philosophy. Some groups are committed to remaining small and intimate whereas others are large and more varied. Some co-ops are committed to supporting a particular faith or worldview, others are secular. The benefits, again, include friendships with other homeschool families, encouragement, information, mentoring, group activities like a spelling bee, science fair or drama club that aren't possible for a single family to do on their own.
The value of connecting with other homeschoolers and building those relationships over time shouldn't be downplayed. The road sometimes gets quite bumpy on this homeschool journey, and it can be lonely and overwhelming without a support system of fellow travelers to lean on.
For more information on finding a homeschool co-op that is right for you in your area, sign up for Spice-line or go to the NCHE website and look up support groups.
Comments
You are right that homeschool co-ops can come in all shapes and sizes. Some are all voluntary and some have paid instructors. I have used several types of organizations for my two daughters' homeschool education.
I have also been in a support group for the 12 years I have homeschooled. I don't think of my support groups as synonymous with a co-op, though, probably because the support group is largely for encouragement of the parents (usually the homeschooling mother). A co-op focuses on offering classes to educate the student.
The IRS may see the groups differently too. A co-op has an educational purpose and can qualify for 501c3 tax exempt status. A support group is a membership organization and would be classified as a 501c7. There is more information at my website HomeschoolCPA.com
Carol Topp, CPA
Author of <i>Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out</i>
HomeschoolCPA.com
Very interesting.I didn't know they had the homeschooling co-op's.Good idea for the children.
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