Friday, November 15, 2013

99 Red Balloons, Karen Lange with Homeschool Co-Ops 101, and Celebrate!

In memory of Andrew, and with prayers for Nick Wilford and all of Andrew's family.

And now, onto Karen Lange's Homeschool Co-Ops 101. (If you want to see the Celebrate post, scroll down to the bottom. :)
homeschool co-ops 101
Essential co-op tools, tips, and options for today’s homeschool families. Thinking about joining or starting a homeschool co-op? Not sure if a co-op is a good fit? Homeschool Co-ops 101 weighs the pros, cons, and creative options available for today’s homeschool family.
  • Section 1 includes essential, digestible info on co-op ingredients such as planning and organization, schedules, teaching, finances, and addressing conflict and burnout.
  • Section 2 shares a sampling of co-op games and activities, and
  • Section 3 contains five hands-on unit studies. These ready to use studies include lessons on Leonardo da Vinci, Birds of Prey, Public Speaking, Tall Tales, and Creative Writing, and are suitable for co-op or home use. This section also includes unit study guidelines that are easily customized to suit any topic.
  • Section 4 offers suggested books, curriculum, and other resources.
Karen Lange has gathered insight from years of co-oping and now shares her own and others’ experiences in this valuable and encouraging handbook.
Homeschool Co-ops 101 is available at:
~~~Amazon~~~
~~~Kobo~~~
karen langeAbout the Author Karen Lange, her husband, and three children were active in co-ops during their sixteen-year homeschool journey. Her experience includes serving as a local homeschool support group coordinator and consultant for a state homeschool network in New Jersey. Karen’s children have since graduated, and she is now a freelance writer and online writing instructor for homeschooled teens. You can connect with Karen at her Blog, on Twitter, and Facebook. homeschool co-ops 101 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Giveaway Open to US addresses only. One person will receive a $25 Amazon GC and a copy of Homeschool Co-ops 101. Please use the Rafflecopter below to be entered: a Rafflecopter giveaway The winner will be chosen from those entries and announced December 5, 2013. Good luck!
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as e-mailed, and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Diane at That’s What I’m Here For… and sponsored by the author, Karen Lange. The author provided me with a free copy of Homeschool Co-ops 101 to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a giveaway in return for the free book.VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Some Questions and Answers from Karen Lange:

What prompted you to write this book?

 

Thanks so much for inviting me over to your blog! I’m looking forward to visiting with you and your followers.

 

About ten years ago, I was encouraged by a good friend in the homeschool community to write a booklet about co-ops. She was the director of a statewide homeschool support network, and she knew people often asked me about how a co-op works. The booklet seemed like a good way to share the info, so I self published it.  In May of 2013, Helping Hands Press offered me a contract to expand it, so here we are! 

 

What can readers expect to find in the book?

 

The book offers info on how to start a co-op and weighs the pros, cons, and creative options available for homeschool families. One thing I emphasize is that parents have options when it comes to co-oping. Co-ops come in all sizes and sometimes an existing one is not a good fit for a family. Parents shouldn’t feel bad or be intimidated if this is the case; they need to know that it’s okay to either not participate and even start their own co-op if they wish.

 

Another thing to note is that HC 101's usefulness is not limited to just homeschoolers. The how to section offers helpful setup and structure tips for other K-12 student groups. The activity segment has lessons, games, and hands on projects that suit these groups as well.                            

 

Here is a breakdown of each section of the book:

 

Section 1 includes info on co-op ingredients such as planning and organization, schedules, teaching, finances, and addressing conflict and burnout.  Section 2 has a sampling of co-op games and activities, and Section 3 contains five hands-on unit studies. The topics include lessons on Leonardo da Vinci, Birds of Prey, Public Speaking, Tall Tales, and Creative Writing, and are suitable for co-op or individual home use. Section 3 also includes unit study guidelines that are easily customized to suit any topic. Section 4 offers suggested books, curriculum, and other resources.

 

Tell us a little about your homeschool experience.

 

My husband and I homeschooled our three children (two sons and a daughter) in grades K-12. We chose to homeschool because, among other things, we wanted to personalize our children’s education and felt home was the best place to do that. During this time, we were active with our local homeschool support group’s events such as field trips and science and art fairs.  Co-ops played an important role too. These activities helped supplement our studies, provided balanced socialization, fellowship, and fun. They also offered a broader worldview as our children interacted with not just homeschool families, but the surrounding community.

 

If you happen to be interested in more info about the ups and downs of homeschooling, socialization, higher education, and other related topics, visit this link: http://www.insanitek.net/ink/archives/865

 

What would you like readers to take away from the book?

 

No one plan fits everyone, so I encourage families, whether they decide to co-op or not, to find the right balance and fit for them. My hope is that they would find ideas and encouragement for their children’s educational journey. 

 
Thanks again for sharing your space with me today. It’s been a pleasure!

You're welcome, Karen!



Celebrate the Small Things:

1. I biked two days this week.
2. I re-wrote three chapters of Champion in Flight.
3. Friends are having us over for dinner tonight.
4. My homeschool co-op rocks!

18 comments:

Unknown said...

My kids are past this stage and it wasn't an option I chose, but with so many friends choosing this route, I think this is a fantastic book and should do well! All the best to you and your sales.

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

I'm looking forward to the print version, so I can give it as a gift.

Your book will be a reference guide for homeschoolers for years to come. I hope parents who choose other options take a look at it as well. There are so many wonderful ideas for enriching a child's educational experience.

Maurice Mitchell said...

Homeschooling can be very successful with a committed family, but everyone has to be committed for it to work. It sounds like you guys had the drive. Great interview and thanks for supporting Andrew and Nick Tyrean.

Natalie Aguirre said...

Sounds like a fantastic resource for people homeschooling.

Tyrean Martinson said...

Julie - every route of education is viable if it works for your family! :)

Susan - I'm looking forward to getting it in print too - for that very same reason.
And I think that there are many wonderful options - that's what I love about the freedoms we have in the USA - lots of options.

Maurice - it's true that dedication and commitment makes a difference in homeschool families but I think they make a difference in any school situation too. :)

Natalie - it is!

Karen Lange said...

Tyrean,
Thanks again for hosting me! Your support means so much. :) You are a good friend. Praying for Andrew's family.

Julie,
Thanks so much! Hoping the book helps many families! :)

Susan,
The paperback should be out in the next few weeks from what I understand. Thanks for your support! :)

Maurice,
Thanks so much! I second Tyrean's thoughts - a successful education takes commitment whatever the route. :)

Natalie,
Thanks for your kind words and support! :)

Happy writing,
Karen

Crystal Collier said...

Wahoo! Home schoolers rock! Starting the book soon.

Karen Lange said...

Crystal,
You are so sweet! Thanks for your wonderful support. :)
Happy weekend,
Karen

Heather R. Holden said...

Poor Nick and his family. They're in my thoughts, too.

That homeschooling book looks like it will be pretty helpful for people!

Glad to see you have so much to celebrate this week, Tyrean. Congrats on re-writing three whole chapters--what a great achievement!

Tyrean Martinson said...

Crystal - yes they do!

Karen - You are very welcome, friend! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Heather - yes, I think it will be. And Thanks! It's nice to make some progress, even if I do it in fits and starts. :)

Karen Lange said...

Heather,
Thank you for your kind words!
Happy weekend,
Karen

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Congratulations, Karen! Hope this becomes a ver successful series for you.
Awesome to see so many balloons for Andrew on Friday.

Carol Riggs said...

What a cool and necessary book! A lot of parents are opting for home schooling these days. Best wishes!!! and many heartfelt balloons for Andrew/Andrew's family.

Karen Lange said...

Alex,
Thanks so much! Yes, more books to come. Hopefully they will help many families.

Carol,
Thank you! There are so many families now who homeschool. It's a growing movement that's for sure!

Happy weekend,
Karen

VikLit said...

Hurrah to biking two days! :)

Karen Lange said...

VikLit,
That is wonderful, isn't it? :)
Happy writing,
Karen

LD Masterson said...

I'm not at that place in life but the book sounds like a great resource for those who are.

Karen Lange said...

LD,
Thanks so much! Good to meet you. :)
Happy writing,
Karen