Community Blog

When the founders of co-op got together and got serious about starting this not for profit organization, we asked ourselves, “How can parents lead quality, consistent classes?”

After all, it’s one thing to homeschool your own children, quite another to plan an entire semester, and lead a class of 12 or more children!

Some of us had prior teaching experience in some form or another, one teaching in a school, another teaching adults in continuing education — but most parents coming in as volunteers wouldn’t have that.

Lori had the idea of Team Teaching. The idea is that two parents are the Leads of the class and lead as, well, a team. The two leads plan the class together and teach together. If one person is having a hard time with a project, or an explanation, the other team member is there to step in and help out.

Another part of the team work is ongoing debriefing, checking in, how’s it going? How did I do today? Was that clear? Did the class flow well today? Do we have the right number of stations set up?

Initially, I was hesitant about this team teaching thing. Bit of a Lone Ranger type. In our first year of co-op, I didn’t have a co-lead, it just worked out that way, there didn’t happen to be someone available.

This year, I do, and it’s great! No more Lone Ranger for me. My co-leader and I got together to plan our class, Studio Art. She had a wonderful idea that I never would have had — why not have as our organizing theme, the history of art? You know, the entire history of art, starting with the cave paintings?

One semester in to the plan, it’s going great. The class this year is larger than last year, but since we have this teaching team in place, class actually feels easier.

After the Winter Break, we’ll start in on the Middle Ages!

Choosing from among some found objects for the Cornell boxes.

Some works in progress.

A completed Cornell box! Materials used include small wood scraps, pogs, small plastic animals, paper.

A completed Cornell box! Materials used include paper, plastic horse, ribbon.

The young artist with his creation. Materials used include multiple found objects, map and netting.

Usually in art class we are very process and practice oriented, but some projects particularly lend themselves to being products, such as these boxes done in the style of Joseph Cornell.

Many members of Co-op contributed to this ambitious project: thanks to the parent who brought in all those cigar boxes, to those who contributed found objects, glue, ribbon and paper, and thanks to the parent who suggested the idea!

The kids absolutely loved it, and we may even make a second round of boxes!

Want to know more about Joseph Cornell and his boxes? Visit the Art Institute of Chicago, once the Modern Wing opens, in May 2009 to see some in person. (Currently, only three are on view.)

And visit this super site: http://www.josephcornellbox.com

Here the young artists are gently placing watercolor paint down on the marbling size.

Using a stylus to create a pattern while marbling.

Removing the excess size from a sheet of marbled paper.

The co-op art teacher believes that children should learn with quality materials, so only real marbling materials were used in this project. Paper was pre-treated with alum, water color paints were used, and the bath of size that you see in the picture is carrageenan.

In Art Studio this trimester, the children have been working and experimenting with 2-D work. We begin each class with a drawing from observation, which serves both as practice and helps us move smoothly into art time.

I’ve already seen improved skill among the students; drawing is all about time put in practicing, and practice observing, really seeing what you’re trying to draw.

Right now we’re doning some print making. We started with simple rubbings, working with leaves, etched metal plates, and more.

One of the great things about co-op is the spill-over into regular homeschooling. Many parents are seeing further exploration: children looking for books at the library on subjects covered in science; more creative writing at home.

If you’d like your child to extend the learning about printmaking, I have some great links for you to share with your child.

The Museum of Modern Art has an interactive Flash activity that’s almost a game and it will really help your child understand the process of making a print, and the differences between some of the various methods of printmaking: lithography, etching, woodcut, screenprint.

This is a quality activity, it works well, and was clearly well thought out by people who know what they’re talking about. There are also sample art works from the collection. Try it out here: www.moma.org.

One of the types of printmaking we’ve done in Art Studio is fish printing! Or, more properly, Gyotaku. For a fabulous artist website with Gyotaku prints, visit here: www.gyotaku.com.

This week in co-op science…

Where can you buy owl pellets? Acorn Naturalist, great catalog.

And if you want to see owls, at Cosley’s Zoo in Wheaton, they have a Great Horned Owl and a Barn Owl. And it’s free!

Some of the little ones in Tot Art having a great time with fingerpaints. Just after I snapped this picture, the little boy in the center said, “It’s PURPLE!” in an amazed way. He had just mixed the colors together and made that discovery!

The Science bus came to visit co-op and both science classes got to have their science class that day on the bus, which was pretty exciting.

The county extension office provided all materials, and the instructor. Our regular science teaching team requested a class from the extension office that fit exactly in with what they’re studying.

Here’s a picture from inside the bus:

The manual typewriters proved so popular in our co-op Writer’s Workshop class, that we now have three available for the kids!

So this article and video on typwriter repair caught my eye: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com.

We’ve just had co-op set up day and things are coming together! We have an amazing selection of toys, games, art supplies, and shelves and such to put on them. Each room is set up and ready to go.

Here’s a look at just one room, the nursery room.

Play store, or play in the kitchen. Baby dolls are in the back there.

Build with blocks.

Go down the slide or play with cars and trucks.