The Co-op Question

I think it's funny that the first question most homeschooling parents ask when I tell them that I'm homeschooling is what co-op I'm using.  Then they're surprised when I tell them I'm not really into the co-op thing--at least not right now.  Co-ops are probably really useful for older children who desire a variety of activities or for children whose parents aren't comfortable teaching basic curriculum.  But let's be honest, my kindergartner doesn't need a lot of extra-curricular activities right now (we've already got tennis, golf, baseball, piano, and museum school), and I'm certainly capable of teaching elementary phonics, math, history, science, Spanish, Bible, and Latin.  It really doesn't take a genius to teach kindergarten or first grade curriculum, so I'm always amazed when people shirk at the idea of teaching their own child themselves.

Part of my reason for not wanting to hand off my kindergartner to an organized co-op or homeschool program where someone else directs the course work, curriculum, pace, and activities, is because handing off those duties totally defeats the purpose in homeschooling my kiddo.  The beauty of homeschooling is having the freedom to teach to YOUR OWN child. Sometimes that means that you take a big black sharpie and cross out the lesson that comes next in the textbook.  And sometimes that means that you call your potter friend at church and ask for a private lesson on pottery instead.  There is something very freeing in making learning fun. I know I sound a little hippie-dippy in my approach to school, but rest assured, the only hippie streak in me is that streak that loves Free People clothing.  I'm no flower child.

My other reason for passing on the opportunity to have an educational professional oversee my teaching of my child is that my son and I would both get really bored with this approach and probably really competitive.  Boy Wonder is a lot like his mommy.  And once he realizes that he and the other kids are going to be taking tests and learning the same things, he would delight in having his mommy teach him everything there would be to learn on the subject matter at hand.  And he and his mommy would get really ticked if he weren't the smartest kid in the class.  Talk about pressure on me!  I'm thinking that this isn't the healthiest approach for us right now.

Instead of focusing on someone else's idea for my son's education, I've realized that I'm actually cut out to be a do-it-yourself kind of homeschool mom.  I like the idea of providing my son with a classical curriculum, and I am also a huge believer in the Charlotte Mason approach to education: “Education is an Atmosphere, a Discipline, a Life.”  These styles go well together.  And they also don't lend well to the university-style of teaching which involves lots of homework.  Charlotte wanted education to be natural and in the proper context and atmosphere.  So, using Memorial Press' classical  curriculum in a Charlotte Mason way works well for me (and their curriculum uses lots of living books which would make her proud).

So no.  For now, we're going to pass on the co-op model program.  But who knows? Maybe we'll change our minds in the future and dive into a local group.  That's the beauty of educating your child at home.  You do what works and avoid what doesn't.