Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Smith:
Jay, the homeschool co-op seems like a great way for families to benefit from a broad range of parents’ interests and experiences, but stay very parent-directed. Can you explain how co-ops are structured and why they’re a great option for homeschool families?

Jay St. John:
Absolutely. Homeschool co-ops have been around for a long time and are structured in a variety ways. FCHM co-ops were created with the mindset of being a supplement of the primary education that is being done at home by the parents. And our goal is to encourage independent homeschooling, while at the same time providing opportunities for the family to connect, grow, and learn together. In order to be a supplemental program, we meet an average of only 18 mornings a year. And this format allows the parents to enjoy the time with the co-op rather than feeling overwhelmed by it.

The word co-op quite literally means “to cooperate” and that’s what successful co-ops do. Parents pool their resources and talents for the benefit of everyone in the group, and every semester, our kids are on the edge of their seats, waiting for the class catalogue to arrive in the mail. Drama, creation science, drawing, nature journaling, dance, and even sailing are just a few that have been offered! First Class has become the glue in our homeschooling community. The life there bears witness to what can happen when we work together towards a common goal.

Mike:
Jay, thanks for explaining the benefits of co-ops to our listeners! That’s very helpful. Until next time, I’m Mike Smith.