Curriculum

Memoria Press is the tool we have decided on as the core of our coop.  I (Amy)have been primarily home educating my children for the last 29 years and this fall we began our eleventh year using the Memoria Press curriculum.  There is a long story of how I got there (I will connect a youtube video Memoria posted that explains my Getting Hemmed in story below), but it immediately worked its way into my heart as a beautiful, simple and effective tool to get the job done!   They use the saying “multum, non multa” which means much not many.   They slow down in the early years, breaking lessons down into wonderfully small bites, incorporating recitation, repetition and memory work.  Then there was the Latin issue, such a scary and foreign idea to me.  I had known many who used Latin roots but didn’t personally know anyone in my area that made it central to their curriculum.   Three years of waffling, researching and finally with the help of my husbands counsel I fully embraced Latin.  I can now wholeheartedly testify to its value and rightful place as “center”.  Should you have questions regarding “why Latin?"  Please don’t hesitate to ask,  we did, over and over, and more knowledgeable people than myself answered again and again.

How We Operate
Our core classes we plan to offer each year beginning specifically in third grade are as follows.
  • Latin & Literature
  •  Christian Studies
  • Science
  • Classical Studies & American/Modern Studies
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Latin

Foundation and unifier of the Coop.  Also one of the classes that has daily homework :). Depending on the level of Latin and the student it can vary from fifteen minutes to an hour daily.  We schedule this the first hour so that as years go by students can jump in to the correct Latin level and then move into the other classes that fit their grade.  
Literature is another subject that requires daily homework.  We follow the lesson plans and guides from Memoria Press. 

Christian Studies

“This is a three year Bible reading course, teaching them the fundamentals of Bible stories, history, and geography, with solid detail at a manageable pace.”  Timeline Studies will accompany this class, laying the foundation for when these significant stories happened and how they relate to their other studies. Depending on the need of the year we also add in a Bible foundations class, church history, and apologetics for older students.  

Science

We love Memoria’s sequence of science in these younger years.  It has a bit of a Charlotte Mason flavor.  Every year is very specific and thorough, but not so much information to overwhelm. We want them to learn the names of the mammals, the constellations, the bugs, the birds, and the trees while they are in the “wonder years.” This will be something they can enjoy for life.  In the upper grades we have a regular progression of Physical Science, Biology, and Lord willing Chemistry.

Classical Studies &
American/Modern Studies

These two classes combine to give a full history study each year. We follow Memoria Press's suggested progression for each path.  You can see each of those by clicking links below.  

Simple, Per Semester Fees
& Everyone Gets a Turn.
Instead of paying money per class, we simply pay a per semester fee per family to cover the cost of building rental, checking account, and supplies.  We have a teacher training day in the summer and will be prayerfully considering the teachers for each class.  The goal being that everyone is either teaching or assisting with a view to teach in the future.  Also serving in the nursery is a huge help and need.  How many “slots” each mom fills will be determined by how many families are with us each year.  The best way is to plan to be at coop for the day, if you have a free slot it’s a great time to get some coffee and encourage another mama!

Sound Like a Good Fit for Your Family?

If you are interested in being a part of Co/op 412, the first step is completing an application.  After the application, we would like to meet with you and see what classes your kids would fit into best, what areas might interest you the most and to make sure all expectations are clear and that we are a good fit for each other!