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dolorsofmary
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| Posted: March 04 2010 at 3:17am | IP Logged
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I am very very new to co-ops with homeschooling. I need some advice please. My son is only 4.5 but he will be 5 in the summertime and he is an only child so co-ops look enticing to me to get him out and meeting other people, etc. First do any of you know of any catholic co-ops in south jersey other than Holy Family Academy (I'm going to try this out but it is an all day 5 days a week one (perhaps too much perhaps too expensive for us)) and also CHAPLET which seems to be more of an e-mail group now with a few events for my son's age group once in a great while. I would like to know if there are any other catholic co-ops as well please.
2ndly I have a question about protestant co-ops or should I say christian but not definitively catholic co-ops. At a christian homeschool rollerskate in my area I met another nice homeschooling family who introduced me to a local protestant co-op (well they are Christian I should say so not protestant I guess?? well I guess I could say not emphasizing catholicism) and I was also told about the once a month homeschool gathering at a local library which I just went to today and my son and I really enjoyed it. Yet the ladies I sat and talked with knew of all the protestant (whoops I mean christian but not definitively catholic) co-ops in the area - it seems like there is a lot.
2 things raised a possible red flag about co-ops that are christian but not definitively catholic
1) one lady told me that a lot of ladies who go to the not definitively catholic co-ops kinda wear their faith on their sleeve and it sort of sounded like it would be a great place to start a holy war???? I would try to mind my own beeswax BUT when it comes to the faith well (I know only the Holy Spirit can convert but I cannot hide it under a bushel basket either if someone were to provoke me) Maybe I interpretted it wrong? IT was a very pleasant conversation even though the information given might seem that it may have not have been. Hope you can give me your stories, experience, thoughts about going to not definitive catholic but christian co-ops.
2) I've heard this before and yet again very recently: DO NOT GO TO PROTESTANT BIBLE STUDIES (so I'm thinking that this advice applies to these christian but not definitively catholic co-ops), why? I've heard by in large their wish is to convert you from catholicism and for children they hear -bible alone, bible alone, bible alone so much that they question or worse about Mary, Eucharist, priesthood, sacraments, Mass, etc.
Maybe I'm making too much over this especially at my son's young age. I wish for you all to save me some leg work here, rather than running around, paying money and trying these out, can you all save me the time and money and tell me what you know?
The one co-op (christian but not definitively catholic) that I was thinking of trying out also is HIS co-op in Mt. Laurel, NJ and that there are at least a few others in the area but might be further away from me.
Let me know. I would like to stand on your shoulders and not reinvent the wheel and save myself and my son some grief too. Thank you!
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melanie
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| Posted: March 04 2010 at 9:00am | IP Logged
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Well, I'll be glad to share our experiences...
First, wow, a 5 day a week co-op? Isn't that like...school? lol...
I live in the Bible belt, and being Catholic is, erm,,,interesting sometimes around here. Basically, there are two groups of homeschoolers here. 1., the fundamentalist protestants (the largest and most organized group by far) and 2. everyone else. The second group includes Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, the uber-liberal drop off the grid people, people that aren't particularly religious in any way but have had problems in the public school system, and other protestants not comfortable in the first group like Lutherans and Methodists and such. Our co-op is with the second group. We also belong to a small Catholic homeschooling group (the only one around) that kind of has fits and starts of activities depending on who can plan/participate in what, and our preference is to do stuff with them, but sometimes those pickings are slim. I'm quite envious of those that live near larger Catholic groups.  I checked into joining the first group when we first started homeschooling, my thought being that at least it was a Christian group...I was surprised to find out that you had to sign a statement of faith to become a "full member". I could participate in activities, but I could never lead any or teach any co-op classes or anything like that. This gave me the clear message that I was not really going to be welcome there, so I never pursued it. I have since heard many other experiences from others that have confirmed this, and I'm glad I didn't join. Frankly, I've been literally verbally attacked in walmart here for wearing a crucifix, Catholics are seen as belonging to a cult by some around here, and I just am not in the mood to deal with that nonsense every week at park day, you know? It may not be so extremee in your area, and I'm sure not everyone in that group is that way, but I just don't want to put myself or my kids in that position on a regular basis. Some might handle it better. I have a homeschooling friend with teenagers that participates in some of their activities, and she is a bulldozer of an apologist and so are her kids. I think they see it as an opportunity to educate about the faith as well as enjoy the verbal battles...  . I, personally, though I am well-educated in my faith now, find myself usually red-faced and tongue-tied in such situations, and while I don't shy away from them, I just don't want to go looking for them.
So, we joined the second group for the socialization needs that our Catholic homeschool group is sometimes a little too small and loosely organized to fill. It's been pretty good overall. Yes, many of the members have vastly different views from ours. However, they are sensitive to the fact that our group has a wide range of belief systems in it, and most of the families are very good about being respectful of others. Also, the mormon families are a large presence in our group, and they are very good about keeping things clean and appropriate as far as requiring modest dress for co-op classes, having wholesome activities for the teenagers, etc.
You didn't mention if you had younger kids coming up. Really, I feel like for my up and coming kids, less socialization is more for us...we feel like enough unto ourselves more and more, especially when I have the naps and such of little people to consider. But when I first started, I had one child, a very outgoing girl, and she was an only child for 8 years. If you do the math you'll see we have birthed/acquired four more children in 5 years. Talk about your growing pains.  So, in the beginning, my need for socializing was much greater than it is now. But still, even now, that oldest child of mine is still very outgoing and has a strong need to see friends regularly, and this has been the easiest way to make that happen. Your child is still very young, and probably either choice would be ok for him right now (your comfort level may very though), but as he gets older, you probably will appreciate having some Catholic teenagers around. I do worry on some neurotic level about my daughter running off with one of those Mormon boys or something.  Our Catholic homeschool group is slowly getting bigger and more active, so maybe we won't find the other group necessary when my next one is a teenager. In the meantime, this fills a nice niche. For example, today is co-op day. My dh is off of work, and he just drove the three older ones off to the co-op. Today is pajama day, and they are having a pancake breakfast fundraiser, so they were very excited. They also get yearbooks, publish a literary magazine, get school pictures done, have lunch and recess with friends, all that fun stuff. Not necessary, certainly, but fun. Also expensive. This is the first term there that I've not taught any classes to earn my tuition...that hurt! But I just can't do that kind of thing anymore, not with a toddler and a new baby on the way in a few weeks. Anyway, this was more than you ever wanted to know I'm sure, and I've had way too much coffee this morning I believe, so I'll just hush up and go enjoy the relative peace and quiet!
__________________
Melanie
homeschooling Maria (13yo), Kain (10yo), Jack (5yo), Tess (2yo), and our newest blessing, Henry Robert, born 4/23!
slightlycrunchycatholic.blogspot.com
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Rosesinsummer
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| Posted: March 04 2010 at 2:06pm | IP Logged
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I belong to both a Christian co-op and a Catholic co-op.
The Catholic group is mainly focused on once per week meetings for homeschool mass (includes homeschool choir, lectors, petitions, servers, etc.) and perhaps and activity afterward for the kids to socialize, etc. Usually we follow the liturgical year, so we've had St. Nicholas parties, All Saints parties, St. Valentine, Lenten activities like Stations of the Cross with soup supper, etc. We also have annual events like a Geography Bee, Christmas Play and Talent Show, etc. Then sprinkled in there are field trips to the Pumpkin patch, and enrichment like children's theater etc. We meet monthly to plan the next month's activitiees
The Christian co-op can vary depending on your location. The one I'm in has some fundamentalists, but also some evangelicals that are not hostile to Catholicism, so I don't feel awkward in this group. I don't go to their bible studies, of course, but I do participate in their very organized extra curricular activities such as dance, physical education classes, art classes, and much more. They are SUPER organized. They also have many opportunities for field trips, guest speakers at their monthly meetings, etc. It has been a great experience to be involved with them.
So I think it can work but your group has to at least be non-hostile to Catholics. If they think you belong to the whore of babylon type of church and try to convert you, you will likely be uncomfortable all the time.
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: not definitively catholic co-ops question
