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Lessons learned from a homeschool co-op
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When we joined two homeschool co-ops last year, it completely changed our homeschooling life. For one thing, I had to be sure not to plan anything else on co-op days, because we were already busy. Sometimes this made scheduling field trips a little tricky, but the juggling was well worth the effort. Another big change was that on co-op days, we all had to get up at a scheduled (earlier!) time, so that we could be out the door on time. We aren't big morning people around here, but I think the change did us good. And finally, it brought more friendship and support into our family and into our lives, which was perhaps the biggest blessing of all! There were many other things that I learned, and I thought it would be fun to share a few of them:
1. Kids who are not used to daily "school" may not always have pencils, pens, or paper. Be sure to bring extra!
2. No matter how hard you wish, if your co-op is exactly 18 minutes from your house, you will not be able to get there in 10 minutes. Leave early (or at least on time).
3. Even if you are the "teacher", sometimes you will be late (refer to #2 for the solution to this problem)
4. A big roll of paper and a box of crayons are indispensable for keeping little ones occupied. The paper may come in handy for other uses (see #1).
5. You probably already know this, but kids NEED time to run around outdoors. If your co-op doesn't have access to an outdoor space, try to find a way for the kids to take a walk or play some indoor games. Getting the wiggles out is very important.
6. Sometimes kids won't like the class you are teaching; some may even decide to drop out after a few weeks. Try not to take it personally.
7. A co-op with mixed ages provides amazing opportunities for older kids to learn how to be around, and help, younger kids. My little guy made so many connections with the older boys; it was wonderful. And, having the older kids play with my son was a huge help to me. Bonus--I may have found a future babysitter!
8. There is nothing like a good game of Twister to shake things up a bit. Read my Twister article to learn about our fun!
9. It may take some effort to stick with a co-op. After all, you probably had a routine before you joined the co-op, but don't give up. A co-op can really liven up your weekly schedule, not to mention all the new avenues can open for your kids.
10. The more you can help, the better the co-op will be. If you have a few extra minutes, see if something needs to be set up, or cleaned up, or put away. If you have an idea for a class/program/field trip, share it with the planning group. One of our co-op families held a "tie dye" day and invited everyone to their house for a day of messy, creative fun. I will never forget the site of all those tie-dyed shirts, blowing in the breeze on the clothesline.
11. If one idea doesn't work, don't be afraid to toss it or tweak it. We had started a MathCounts program, but for some kids that just didn't work. So, another mom gathered some awesome math games and brought them to the co-op for the kids who were a little intimidated by MathCounts. The result? The math games were a HUGE hit; kids were helping to get their parents out the door on time, so they wouldn't be late for math games!
12. Let your kids have fun, and don't force them to try everything. Sometimes just being exposed to new things will pique their interest in something different, which may encourage them to give it a try. A co-op should be educational, but it should also be enjoyable.
What lessons have you learned from your homeschool co-op? Please share!
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