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GraceandCoffee
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| Posted: July 21 2007 at 7:11pm | IP Logged
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I'd love to have any and all advice you can give.
I will probably be basng it off of the expressed desire for a homeschooling group in my area on Meetup .com. Please advise me if you have had good or bad expeience with inclusive groups.
If you have advice on how to start a good Catholic group, I'm all ears. I'm in a civil parish where there is no diocesan school. No lay-run school either. I don't know many local families who homeschool. there are 2 whom I've met, but both seem uninterested in getting together with others. And both are older than our family.
I am a memeber of the nearest Catholic homeschooling group, but it's activities are centered rather far from us. That's the reason I'd like to try to found something a little closer.
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cathhomeschool
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| Posted: Aug 07 2007 at 9:50pm | IP Logged
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The group we started here was begun rather informally. Homeschooling moms knew each other from church or different groups/activities in town. Several of us decided to start gathering monthly for a lesson and playtime, and then things grew from there.
By inclusive do you mean inclusive of all faiths?
I'd start out by asking around to see if anyone would like to meet for regular playdates (or maybe a game day for board games). The Catholic homeschooling group you mention may have members closer to you that would want to meet. Could you ask at your church (or call other area churches) to see if anyone knows of local homeschoolers? Maybe the two families that you've met know of another family that would enjoy getting together with you?
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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Lisbet
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| Posted: Aug 08 2007 at 2:30am | IP Logged
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One little word of caution, if there is already a Catholic homeschooling group near you, tread lightly when begining another one. Toes are easily stepped on unknowingly. Don't ask how I know...
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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GraceandCoffee
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| Posted: Aug 08 2007 at 9:40am | IP Logged
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Ok, since I started this thread, I have begun beginning a group. Perhaps you can give me some advice from this point.
I started it through meetup.com, and just made it open to anyone from this area, because there seems to be no group in our entire civil parish. There's a 4H group, but nothing else.
It's going to meet for it's first meeting at the library on Wednesday the 15th. I've made it a round table discussion. I really just wanted to provide a venue for homeschoolers in our area to meet eachother and decide together what kinds of support we need. I think a park day will be scheduled for sure. Beyond that, I'm planning to share my story and my stats, and ask others to share what they would like to, and hope that like minds can meet. I don't even mind if this group becomes a spring board for other groups to get started. I don't honestly know what to expect.
I do have an agenda for the meeting, but I'll refer to it as needed. I am going to try to get a feel for where the conversation needs to go as it unfolds. Sound vague?
Here are some of the notes I've jotted down:
introduce self,(personal stats, college degree, skills) number of kids, religion, how long homeschooling, what method(s), what I hope to get from this group, what extracurricular activities are you participating in, can we help eachother with anything such as carpooling? ideas and suggestions: park days, art classes, parent meetings, holiday parties, Thanksgiving play (nativity, Easter passion play probably done in churches), camping trips, community garden, I will be at mass and library story time
If any family is putting together something such as a play or puppet show which requires an audience...
Outside resources: homeschool band, kindergarten group, music classes, PE classes through CHEF, other nearby homeschooling groups
book lists, websites
Also discuss good times to get together and have parent meetings
Of course I'd love to form a new Catholic group for our area since the other one does center it's activities quite a ways away, but I don't think there will be enough Catholic families to do that. I am guessing everyone will be Christian, but I know that families of varied backgrounds do homeschool, so they may show up too. In which case we'll keep this group inclusive and encourage like-minded people to get together to support eachother in their particular faith or area of interest.
Ok, Lisa, you told me not to ask, but... ARE YOU SERIOUS? I guess I am always shocked when fellow Christians of any church affiliation become petty. How in the world could it matter to a group in a neighboring area if a new group were started nearby? I am not trying to draw membership away from that group. In fact I have told no one in it what I am doing except one woman who is equally far away from both. But I'd think people would be supportive? I mean we're all doing our best to give our kids a good education, raise them in the faith, and give them secure and happy childhoods. How is that a conflict of interest? But I do think it wouldn't be polite of me to advertise within that group. I'm not doing that. If someone turns out to be from here I might mention it. but I am remaining a memeber of the other bigger, more experienced group myself. We just won't do everything they set up because it would be expensive and impractical. I just want more of a neighborhood situation for our family for the little stuff.
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Wife to the most wonderful man in the world, and mama to 4 beautiful children: meteorologist age 7, naturalist age 5, ballerina age 4, and baby boy age 19 months
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Advice on starting a hs group?
