Parents come together to teach Coshocton Christian Learning Co-Op
COSHOCTON – Mandee Adams, a mother of elementary school-aged students, used to drive her three homeschooled kids to Newark to participate in a Christian Learning Co-Op before starting a group of her own. In 2013, she started the Coshocton Christian Learning Co-Op. Now a mother of five, Adams serves as co-director of the program along with Sarah Killiany.
“It’s just a support group for other homeschooled families,” said Lindsey Hackenbracht, secretary of the program. “I think homeschooling is great and I think most of us do it to raise our kids in a Christian faith and a family-oriented environment.”
The co-op meets every Thursday at the Coshocton Nazarene Church from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and has grown considerably since Adams started the program in 2013. What was once a program that served 10 families now serves 49 families and 130 students, some who travel from other counties to participate.
“It’s great just to have another environment of support and get the kids to take classes with other kids,” said Hackenbracht. “It’s nice to be able to have a day each week and bring our kids to other classes.”
Teachers are volunteer-based and consist mostly of parents of the students who attend. Each teacher has a set fee for their class supplies. The goal is to come together and help each other. Teachers who volunteer each bring their own set of talents to the classroom and help students whose parents may not be proficient in certain academic areas.
“Some parents are gifted in areas and lack in other areas,” said Adams. “The parents with those other gifts that I don’t have, my kids can learn from them.”
When the co-op first started, they offered music, art, and science and had only primary grades to upper elementary students. Now, the co-op offers 30 classes and features children who are nursery age through high school.
At the end of each school year in March or early April, parents are asked what they need for the upcoming school year.
“We take what God gives us,” said Adams. “If we feel like we need it but God doesn’t provide, then we trust Him to provide only what we need. Last year, I said Lord, we need a high school algebra teacher and He supplied it. Never underestimate what God can do.”
The co-op meets each Thursday at 9 a.m. and students have three hours-worth of classes in the morning, a lunch break, and then three hours of classes in the afternoon. Some families come for only one class, some stay all day. High school students can even learn vehicle maintenance at Mission Auto Connection as part of the class and junior high students learn first aid in an effort to give students not only academic knowledge, but life skills as well.
“We let the teachers teach what they want to teach and how they want to teach, but it’s definitely Christian-centered,” said Hackenbracht.
Classes are 55 minutes long and the students also take scheduled field trips and have gatherings and parties outside of the school atmosphere. They also have an end-of-the-year showcase where students demonstrate what they have learned during the year.
Registration is open from May until July and the schedule for the year goes out in June. Sometimes, families with homeschooled children are included throughout the year if they are new to the area.
“It’s just the support and encouragement of other families who are on the same journey you’re undertaking with homeschooling,” said Hackenbracht. “They’re here to help you and encourage you to not give up. You can do it.”
For more information about the Coshocton Christian Learning Co-Op, email coshoctonchristianlearningco@gmail.com.
Category: Education
