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Mary - I was actually wondering this same thing just yesterday. I'd love to hear how your co-op is set up. Families in our county get together once a week...a lot of young kids...so we mostly have play time. (And the moms get to chat. ) I was thinking it would work well to do a kick-off activity for the genre...and then everyone would do whatever book they chose. Then they could all share their projects at the end. For this, each family would need their own teacher guide and student book because all the work would be done at home. I don't know if any of the other families are interested...but I think it sounds like fun!

How often would you meet? I have never seen how co-op classes work.

I'd love to see if others have tried this.
Kathleen

Kathleen wrote:Mary - I was actually wondering this same thing just yesterday. I'd love to hear how your co-op is set up. Families in our county get together once a week...a lot of young kids...so we mostly have play time. (And the moms get to chat. ) I was thinking it would work well to do a kick-off activity for the genre...and then everyone would do whatever book they chose. Then they could all share their projects at the end. For this, each family would need their own teacher guide and student book because all the work would be done at home. I don't know if any of the other families are interested...but I think it sounds like fun!

How often would you meet? I have never seen how co-op classes work.

I'd love to see if others have tried this.
Kathleen

I live in a big city and there are approx 3000 homeschoolers in just my county alone!

Our co-op is called "CHOSEN" (Calvary Homeschool Educational Network) We have four periods that meet for 50 mins each. It runs for 11 weeks in the Fall and 11 weeks in the Spring, but they are not connected. So you can attend/teach at both or just one. Next year I am planning on doing just the Fall semester and taking the Spring off

Here is the link that will give you more details: http://www.chosenco-op.org/home.cfm

Hi Mary! I think you'd be a wonderful co-op teacher using DITHR - but, by all means, consider if how much you have on your plate already and pray about it. Then, you'll know for sure in your heart what you should do.

Many moms over the years have bought DITHR at book fairs to do with co-ops, and many come back the next year saying they enjoyed it. I wish now I'd asked more questions or knew their names!

I think you could just have them do the workbook part at home.

Group settings seem to lend themselves very well to these parts of DITHR:
*the Kick-offs
*the All-Levels Together days
*the Godly Character Trait days
*any of the discussion questions
*the Projects at the end of the genres

I think these would be so much fun to do together as a group! You could have children bring some of their student workbook pages to share too, maybe pick their favorite from the week? As far as book selections, you could go any number of different routes with that. People could just have their children pick their own books, or you could have a list of suggested book ideas to pick from. They could go on the HOD website and look at the book packs and read-aloud packs chosen for each genre for ideas.

I know this is right up your alley, and you would do a WONDERFUL job of leading this! If the Lord lays it on your heart, then go with it! And let us know how it's going here if you do - please!

And Kathleen - I bet you would do a fantastic job with this as well! If you decide to do it, please let me share in the fun by posting here about it!

In Christ,
Julie

I would love for this to be followed up!
As a part of a very similar co-op [weeks wise] I am always praying about new ideas!

W2W, You are such an Encourager! This is such a Betty thing..., I know I want to teach this. I actually bought the program, but I have never even read the directions yet

Gee Mary I could easily see you combining DITHOR with the public speaking course you were talking about what was it last yr. The kids could talk about their book at the end of the genre study. But it would help to read over the manual first.

Sarah

Ladies,

We have had many moms do DITHR in a co-op setting. It's been done so many different ways, yet I am still amazed when moms find new ways to work it into their specific co-op setting.

So, it can be done!

Blessings,
Carrie

shera wrote:Gee Mary I could easily see you combining DITHOR with the public speaking course you were talking about what was it last yr. The kids could talk about their book at the end of the genre study. But it would help to read over the manual first.

Sarah

LOL Sarah,

You have a good memory! I took a break from Public Speaking last semester. (After doing it for three in a row

Thank YOU everyone. I go away with 4 friends every summer to one of the moms riverhouses. We have no children, husbands, phones or TV. (well there's a phone but it would be long distance to just sit and chat because it's a couple of hours away from home)

My Goal is to take my DITHOR manuels and pour through them!

MamaMary wrote: I live in a big city and there are approx 3000 homeschoolers in just my county alone!

Wow! I'm thinking we have...60? Which is actually quite a few for this neck of the woods.

I'm definitely going to read through my manual (I haven't either...) and talk to the other moms about doing it next year. We'll see what happens. Mary, you'll have to let us know if anything works out for you.

Thanks for the ideas!
Kathleen

MamaMary wrote:W2W, You are such an Encourager! This is such a Betty thing..., I know I want to teach this. I actually bought the program, but I have never even read the directions yet

I say wing it. All of HOD is open and go. But you might want to just read the introduction at stop lights maybe in the car on the way so it does not look like you winged it completely.

water2wine wrote:I say wing it. But you might want to just read the introduction at stop lights maybe in the car on the way so it does not look like you winged it completely. [/size]

I am nervously preparing to speak at our State's Convention in a few weeks (leaders forum) and I plan to share this as one of my stories)