My husband and I are the coordinators for the homeschool ministry at our church which offers a co-op. I think that co-ops can be a big help in encouraging and enabling parents to endure and finish this wonderful adventure called homeschooling. I know that they have been a help to our family in our homeschooling! For those who are beginning co-ops, here are some ideas. I hope they are a help to those of you who are just starting.
1.) Look at other examples of co-ops to help you determine your structure. The Internet is a GREAT place to search. I still look on the Internet for new ideas!!! We were fortunate to have been involved in a couple of good co-ops over the years, so our current co-op incorporates ideas we liked from them. Feel free to look at our Workshop packet available in PDF at our web site to get ideas: http://www.northpointbaptist.org/Homeschool.html A good book for helping with smaller, family based co-ops is "The Complete Guide to Successful Co-oping for Homeschooling Families" by Linda Koeser and Lori Marse. Don't feel like your co-op HAS to be a certain way, make the co-op's structure fit you and the families you are trying to serve.
Here are some of the particulars of our program:
Part of church homeschool ministry
Parents volunteer 2 hours
Parents must stay on site (We are not a drop off program.)
Participate in whole program not individual classes
Use e-mail loop for communication
2.) Assemble a team. Don't try to do this alone! :) The size of your team will be determined by what kind of group you are wanting to form. For a smaller home based co-op you won't need all of this, but still assemble a team to spread the workload and provide a sounding board and accountability. Our leadership team currently consists of:
* Coordinator
* Assistant Coordinator
* Secretary
* Volunteer Coordinator
* Nursery/Preschool Coordinator
* Lower Grammar (1st-3rd gr.) Coordinator
* Upper Grammar (4th-6th gr.) Coordinator
* Jr. High Coordinator
* Sr. High Coordinator
3.) Decide how often to meet: Weekly, Every other week, Once a month, Only one or two times on a particular topic (Ex. elections) Again, WHATEVER meets the needs of those who are planning the co-op!
Our co-op meets weekly.
4.) Determine your co-op's goals. Our goals for our co-op are:
* Provide a true co-op alternative (there are many excellent paid tutor programs in our area)
* Provide an affordable program (Our goal is to have the same quality as the tutorial programs at a co-op price!)
* Promote a “we can do this together” attitude (As homeschool leaders we are constantly saying "you can do this". Don't want parents to think that at a certain level you can't do this any more. In a co-op you CAN provide academic opportunities beyond your strengths.)
Determine your goals by looking to see what needs you can meet with your co-op. It may revolve around a certain curriculum (ex. We've been in a Konos Co-op. When we first began our co-op here, my main motivation was because I was looking for other Tapestry of Grace users in our area!).
5.) Determine your calendar; number of weeks; day and time
Our co-op runs 2-13 week semesters. One is August- November and one is January-April. We meet on Friday afternoons from 12:45- 3:40 p.m. and have 3 class periods. We offer two class choices for each level each period.
To begin, you may want to start with something that is much easier to plan and implement. What I call a "mini-co-op". Called "mini" because they only last 4-6 weeks. A friend of mine does these with her support group. The co-op revolves around a main theme or subject. Some examples they have done:
Rocks/mineral
Pioneer Days
English Settlements in the New World
Lewis & Clark Expedition
Health/Body systems
Safety/First Aid
All areas of study revolve around theme
Here's a sample of their co-op schedule for Mini-Co-op (their's runs from 10:00am - 2:30pm):
Break ages up
Instruction time
Art/Crafts time
Lunch/Cooking class (even their lunch relates to what they are learning!)
Play practice (they end their co-op with a big event like a presentation, a play, a big field trip or a dinner/cook-out)
6.) Secure a meeting location
Some ideas:
Homes
Churches
Community Centers
Libraries "free" rooms
Parks during good weather
7.) Enlist teachers
* Ask people directly
* Encourage people and notice what they like or are good at.
* Get your leadership to teach a class
* Ask people to teach topics/or subjects that they love.
* Teach what you are doing at home. This is KEY, don't try to add extra work to your already busy life! What I do is teach in our co-op the subject areas that tend to get pushed to the side at home! For example, I love science, but found that was getting pushed to the back burner whenever we got busy. SOOO I now teach science in our co-op. The co-op structure provides the accountability that I NEED to stay on track and finish! I've also taught writing using both a DVD program (IEW) and Write Shop in our co-op, because I struggled with staying on target at home.
8.) Decide upon classes
* Poll the people in your group or area for ideas of classes that they would like for their children.
* Have classes that you are having trouble getting done at home.
* If Dad's can get off for an hour, let them teach a class! This has been a real asset for our co-op.
* PE classes, art classes, hands-on or lab science classes, cooking classes, hands-on history classes and foreign language classes have been some of our most popular classes that we have offered.
* Possibly offer classes for parents (ex. Bible studies, exercise classes)
* There are MANY curriculums that work well in a co-op setting. I won't add them here, as it will make this LONG post even longer!! ha!
9.) Establish minimum requirements for participation and formulate guidelines and discipline policy for group.
These is a CRITICAL step in my opinion. Because of the nature of a co-op ALL families involved must know what the co-op is about and "buy into it" for it to work. Judging from past experiences of others as well as ours, these should be in writing and I would HIGHLY recommend these even for small groups. In our experience, it is much easier to begin with this structure in place, even if your group is very small, than try to add in structure after the group grows. Having these in place helps prevent "people problems" by having clear expectations/requirements for those involved in the co-op.
10.) Determine costs:
For Mini-co-op:
$10 per family – members
$15 per family – non members
Additional fees for crafts (Usually under $5/child)
For our co-op:
Family registration fee $15 per semester
Materials fee for each class 0-$35 per class per semester. (Depends on class. Science classes or those heavily hands-on tend to be on the higher end. These costs are materials only fees, as a co-op, our instructors are not paid.)
11.) Assemble Workshop packets with appropriate information and forms. Again, feel free to look at ours at the web site give above for ideas.
12.) Advertise
We have used newsletters and e-mail groups to advertise. If you are wanting a smaller group, just invite families that are like minded.
13.) Hold registration
We have a pre-registration for our instructors/leaders, then a registration for current members and finally a registration for new families. If we have space available, I continue to take registrations via mail until our cut-off date.
Unfortunately, there aren't tons of resources on the "how to's" of developing a co-op. Here is one other book that I found that has some info:
"Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling" 3rd edition by Debra Bell p. 178-183
Co-ops have some unique benefits. Group studies keep students (and their parents!) accountable and provide an incentive to keep on schedule. They motivate students to do their best work by providing an audience and reason to finish projects, reports, etc. Other students enjoy seeing and hearing the work and can offer constructive & gracious comments. Skills home schooled students sometimes lack, or have no experience with, are developed; like raising hands, respecting other’s ideas, supporting and participating in a discussion, giving a speech, and working in teams. Parents split the load of hands-on activities, according to mutual strengths, and all benefit! Cooperatively, we have been able to provide enrichment opportunities that may not have been possible on our own.
Perhaps the greatest benefits have been the friendships; the times of encouragement and prayer between Moms, and seeing the Lord use the simple idea of a co-op program to help us all persevere in this wonderful, yet challenging adventure called homeschooling.
I'll be praying for those of you who are beginning co-ops! Even though it IS a lot of work, it's SO worth it! You are privileged to help and encourage families to persevere in their homeschooling as you serve them through your co-op.
If you need some ideas for classes, guidelines, packet examples please e-mail rondalm@aol.com and I'd be glad to share what our co-ops have used. | 
