Homeschooling author Ruth Beechick writes a short column for The Old Schoolhouse's e-newsletter The Homeschool Minute.  Ruth's topic in March 2008 was forming a small homeschool co-op.

It's Just Common Sense
Ruth Beechick, Curriculum Specialist

Here's one work idea that can help to spread and strengthen the homeschool movement. You could offer tutoring and homeschooling help to a family less experienced or less confident than you are. One great system would be to take in a child who can study alongside one of your children. Teach them together on arithmetic or whatever the mother most wants help with. You can have the child one or two days a week (or more) and require homework assignments between times. You could require the mother to be there if she needs to build confidence in homeschooling, or maybe not, if you are relieving a busy mother from one of her homeschool problems. Flex this any way you wish.

A second idea is to plan a co-op on a topic you feel confident with. But avoid the burdening overreach that so many co-ops have done. Do not make it into practically a school by teaching one day a week and then giving assignments that eat up the rest of the children's week, and then giving grades that pulls responsibility away from the parents. Grades are not necessary, anyway, unless certain students need transcripts. Let parents handle that their preferred way. Your co-op could be one meeting only or could meet for a full semester, or any length in between. Try to include all your children, or perhaps pay a mother and older child to care for toddlers during the class.

Don't try to be what you believe is co-opish or schoolish or any particular form. Just plan what fits what you want to teach, and charge families what will pay for your time. You can make it both a job and a ministry that does not take you away from your own children.

--Ruth