Our Co-op

Since our arrival here, nearly a decade ago, we have participated in a homeschool co-op (co-operative). It has been an amazing blessing to our families, our lives, and our homeschooling journey. We have anywhere from 30 to 50 families each year and we meet once a week with a variety of classes offered each quarter. This year, we moved to a new facility and we are so thankful for their efforts to accommodate us and our rather large group. We are adjusting and enjoying the benefits and challenges change brings. Since this is such a large part of our life here the entire school year, I thought I would share some moments that we have seen or experienced over the last few weeks. My faithful readers will probably know and remember some of the children pictured. Enjoy.

We have a cooking class currently in our bright, sunny, and spacious kitchen. Lots of room for learning to cook! Every joins in and participates and the smells emanating from the kitchen each week are wonderful. They have made scones, tortillas, applesauce and pies. Here, I think, they are working on pumpkin pies. 

Many hands make light work.

Boys and girls alike enjoy cooking time in the kitchen.

The fruits of their labor.

This class is entitled Learning is Fun. I think the kids would agree.

First Hour Study Hall. I think some are more studious than others!

The busy and sometimes loud nursery.

Our quilting teacher holding her youngest before class. It's not difficult to find someone else to hold this little guy either!

Matching sisters. I love the polka dots and they would match Farmer Girl's room!

Kindergarten Story Time

Debate Class and lest you think only girls choose to debate, the boys meet second hour and then they all come together during third hour. Dividing them was necessary due to PE, but next quarter, they will be teamed up and be together.

Our other cooking class which meets immediately following the first one, but this one has younger ones in it. Here, I believe, they were making homemade wheat tortillas.

Break time often translates to teens gathered around the bake sale table. We have a bake sale each week for two reasons, one to provide snacks (not always nutritious) and  two, to supplement our scholarship fund.

Moms talking during a moment of down time. To the left is our debate teacher as well as World Geography.

Dad, Team Coordinator, and teacher enjoying some time and some tortillas with his son.

He teaches Geocaching third hour.

Quilting teacher demonstrating using blocks to make potholders as well as how to tape to layer your quilt for pinning.

The quilting class gathered around for demonstrations.

The Graduate being silly as she tapes, layers, and pins her lovely baby quilt. The pattern is the split rail one.

Others chose more traditional colors and made lap size quilts or wall hangings. The Graduate made the baby quilt with  no particular baby in mind at this point.

Others in the class hard at work. It's neat to see what different color combinations do to the finished project.

Preparing to tape and layer.

Moms were an integral part of this class-some for assistance, some for learning, and some for fellowship. I really enjoyed being in there with my daughter and helping her out. I had planned to get some UFO's (unfinished projects) done but I didn't get to them. Maybe next quarter.......

World Geography is offered quite often and we usually have a Geography Bee every December. In many years past, we have sent a student winner onto the state bee in the spring.

Pitching into help clean up the building is a group as well as family effort. It's refreshing to see the little ones helping out!

One of our moms, coordinator and grandma enjoying some time with her grandchildren. We are a multi-generational group :)

Moms and children visiting in hall while working.

Dads come in to give generously of their time and their energy to share topics they are passionate and excited about too. In this case, Economics, a topic I considered teaching, but didn't think I could cover it adequately as I often have a hard time understanding it! It's a tough topic, but I have found it interesting and at times, even enjoyable :)

I hope you have enjoyed a brief look into our co-op morning. This is an integral and vital part of our lives. It's been such a blessing and we wanted to share some of it with you!