I need some help! I am on a board of leaders for our homeschool group and we have monthly meetings. (we do lots of other things through the month but I really just need help with these meetings) I am sorta in charge of these meetings. I feel that our meetings need help. I get bored and I am in charge of them. Basically we have a set style to our meetings. I open in prayer and we grab food as it is a snacky potluck, then we go over any new announcments or questions that people have. Then we move on to a question or "co-operative learning" type deal where people share the answers to the question. Things like, "What is working for you so far in your homeschool? What isn't?" This gets people really talking and it helps to find out that others have some of the same problems and then others will tell what has been working for them or what hasn't been working, or a certain curriculum to try etc. It really does help to have a room full of brainstorming going on and working through things but this is basically what we have been doing each month. I think we are ready to perhaps do things a little different. So, I came here to ask you all what you do. What would you like to see at your meetings? What do you not like about your meetings? What do you LOVE about your meetings?
One thing we did when I was in a small group. We picked a subject, such as math. And everyone brought in math stuff that night. Each person was able to show what they used, why they liked/didn't like it, etc. We met weekly (while the kids were in Children's Prayer with the pastor's wife), and we did this once a month, a different subject each month. It was VERY helpful to me, as a newbie.
You could also do things like get a guest speaker to come in and talk about a specific issue like state regulations, college admissions, their experiences.... You could also look for videos by Vodie Bauchman, Andrew Pudewa or some of the others who speak at conventions. We have watched a few of thoses and they are always very motivational. You could also bring in a panel of former homeschoolers to talk about their experiences and for the parents to ask questions. We did that last year and it gave a great prespective as to College admissions and other concerns parents had (morals, socialization, benfits of homeschooling, cons of homeschooling...). You could also have some of the kids come in and show special things they are doing in co-op or outside of it. There could be a music recital, art show, demonstartion of a play.... Hope some of these ideas help Maureen
yes, I just started a group down here with 2 other ladies and we do guest speakers. we have potluck. pick a subject a night. games and just friendly talk ( that helps we all need it once in awhile)
Our hsing group hasn't functioned for years, but when it did, it was very active. We did things the following way: About every other month we had a speaker of some sort. It might be someone speaking on curriculum (we even sponsored a curriculum fair one year), or on the law, or a veteran homeschooler. We might have someone teach a craft for the holidays, or speak on teaching your child to read. Lots of different topics. Once a year or so we'd take a survey of sorts to see what people were interested in. Once a month we also went on a field trip. We visited factories, parks, military bases, all sorts of historical places and museums, zoos, etc. Once a year we had an outdoor field day where we would have four to six parents or interested people teach 45 minute sessions on things like forestry, wildlife, soil, birds, hunting, trapping, whatever - but we did it all outside and in the environment. We packed a lunch and had a big picnic. In between these things we had our regular meetings, which were about every other month. At these the leader would bring up any new changes or announcements from state and federal watchdogs, we'd have a time to share curriculum, and we'd usually have a craft or something as well. Eventually, our group just dried up, even though we were doing all of these things. First it was the monthly meetings, then about a year or so later everyone stopped coming to the field trips. Now around this area there are still home schoolers, but no support groups. I don't know how people do it without support groups. They were such a blessing for me! That's what we did. Can't say it was right or wrong, but if you can glean any ideas from it, I'd consider it worth my time typing it all down! One suggestion I'd make to you is perhaps serve food last. Anything on the stomach tends to make people toooooo relaxed and sleepy. Maybe serve beverages first, and snacks and refills on beverages last for "mixing" time.
