Things I love – Co-op

Today is the last day of the homeschool review crew’s 5 day blog hop.  I hope you’ve had fun, I know I’ve read some fascinating posts from other members, and some that are just plain fun.

Today I thought I’d talk about a love that happens twice a year for six weeks at a time. Co-op classes with our Homeschool Group.

That’s my boy there you know?   Grinning away.  Having fun playing Ants.   He’s the biggest boy in class and it was funny watching him, letting himself get caught.  And these skinny kids would try to move him.  He thought it was a hoot!  🙂

Our co-op is set up that all the age levels get a phys ed time.  Time to run around and let off steam and have fun playing with youth the same age.   When I teach gym I do my best to NOT do gym the way I was raised playing volleyball or basketball.  But having fun playing games and tag and getting to know one another.   The youth seem to like the format which is the best thing.

Each co-op has their own way of doing things you know?   Ours says the year you join, have fun, help out with a couple of classes and get to know some of the folks around you.  The second year and thereafter, teach a class and then help in a class.  What to teach?  Whatever you want.  I’ve helped in art classes, geography, history, science and others.

I’ve seen moms come in with busy boxes, dolls and various unit studies.

I tend to teach art or science classes.   Introducing the children to the fun of exploring the world. 

This year I decided to teach two classes as I despise .. well okay, perhaps not despise.  But I dislike helping in a class where I’m just sitting around doing my own thing, being a wasted body in a room.    I’d rather do something.  So this year I said the heck with helping, let me teach a second class. 

I have two children in my doll making class and we are just having a lot of fun together.  They wanted to make a doll they could sew so we needed to revamp class ideas a bit.  But they are having fun and learning and that’s the good thing eh?    I have 15 children in my gym class.  I started with 12 but sometimes life changes and kids can’t handle one class so they move to another.  It’s no mattering to me as long as they listen and have fun.

Why do I like co-op classes?  

Ah.. cause my boy loves them eh?  Seriously.  It’s good to connect with other moms (and dads) and to spend time talking and listening.  But mostly, it’s because my boy has such fun there.  I don’t know what he’ll do when he ages out of them.  He’ll be quite sad I think.  It’s hard living so far away from the homeschool group, hard to get together and be involved eh?  And a lad needs friends.  Here…here he can connect with friends for a few hours every week and afterwards sometimes too. So co-op is a good thing for both us.  Stretches me a bit, gives me some connection, but also the lad, it’s so good for the lad.