We are finishing up week 7 of Y2 Redesigned. I am finding life to be smoother this year than last, we're all feeling more comfortable with the TOG format, know what's expected of us each week and I believe we're squeezing more "juice" out of this wonderful curriculum.

Having said that, I still toy with the idea of finding a co-op, but have hesitated, wondering if it would be just "one more thing" added to an already loaded schedule. I'd like to hear some honest opinions on this issue. I have had some difficulty getting my children to write, and wonder if accountability to another mom would be stronger motivation for them. And, if we do join a co-op, do they all meet once a week, or do any meet bi-monthly? Here's my concern in a nutshell -

Cost: Another day of driving, leaving the house (we have orchestra every Wed. already), with necessary prep. work, etc. Will this remove what little margin we have in our family life?

Benefit: Much needed writing skills forced on them by a healthy system of accountability/class time. Class discussion provides more opportunity for various viewpoints to be brought out, stimulating their own thoughts/analysis of the issues discussed. This gets crowded out in our day to day routine.

Hi Laurie,
How old are your students? I think that makes a difference too. The younger the student, the less helpful, in my opinion. The older the student, depending on his goals, the more helpful co-ops are. Besides accountability and the other benefits you've listed, learning to study to someone else's teaching other than mine, working together on group projects, being responsible for homework, etc., is all *very* helpful for college prep.

Blessings,

I have 2 rhetoric (dd and ds), 1 dialectic, 1 ug and 1 lg - a FULL house! My oldest that I'm teaching (3 have graduated) is a senior, she's gifted at writing, but doesn't necessarily want to go on to college, maybe will take a couple classes at our local community college. The next one down, a son, is a sophomore, and will be pursuing a career in either medicine or airplane pilot (!). Either way, he needs a strong science base, and I am stressing the need for him to have good writing/communication skills. He's not bent that way, so I wonder if outside influences/pressure would help his work in those areas? And again, I have a real fear of taking on too much. In addition to our Wednesdays at the Home School Building with orchestra (I teach private lessons so we're there all morning, into the early afternoon - it shoots the whole day basically), we have private music lessons beginning at 2 on Fridays, and my sophomore takes a Chemistry class on Monday mornings. Any advice about this would be greatly appreciated.

I agree w/ Dana. I don't see as much value in co-ops for younger children. In our case, Dad, as principal, holds them accountable for all of their assignments. We struggled w/ writing w/ our oldest one, so Dad took it over. They got together a couple of times a week, once to get the assignment going, the second to correct the rough draft. He's now doing that w/ our boys. There is also a program available online, in which you can have a Christian writing tutor, which we used for our oldest when she was in high school. This way she became used to being accountable to a "stranger", rather than "someone's mom". The goal, of course, is to train them to be accountable first and foremost to God as a diligent worker.

My thoughts: If the main purpose is to have accountability for writing, I would look into an online resource. Then no one needs to leave home another day.

Group discussion is another matter. We have had a co-op for 3 years. I have not found that bigger is better; in fact, just one or two other families can be enough for accountability, and good discussions, depending on how many children there are, and the practical arrangements can be easier. Could the other family come to your house? Or, could you invite just one or two other students studying the same history for discussions, and then younger children could continue with their own work at that time.

Also, what is a solution one school year may not be right always, for every year.

Linda