Here in Oregon we have chosen to forgo the extra scheduling of an organized homeschool co-op and have participated in homeschool events like field trips and classes on a smaller scale and more informal basis, picking and choosing our excursions. It's been good to have our school days to ourselves, running around only for music lessons or sports practices.
But with these two boys in the middle of their elementary years we decided to try out a small group this winter. Meeting one morning a week, Peter and Sam got to participate in a creative writing class, an art class and always the favorite- P.E. It's pretty hard to have a good homeschool gym class (unless you are the Duggar family with nineteen kids) so the boys really had a great time learning soccer moves with the other homeschoolers.
Today was the finale for the winter session. The kids got to see themselves in a photo mantage prepared by some of the parents.
As part of the last day review, the creative writing class got a printed booklet of their stories to take home and some were read to the crowd.
Some of the works done during the art class were exhibited.
The music class showed what they had learned.
And the kids learned an important skill that all institutionalized students have- lining up for lunch! (I have many memories of standing in lines during my school days...) It's something we don't do much in our homeschool but they need the practice for places like the DMV.