support groups

As you lean on the Lord to direct your path through the homeschooling years you may find He will lead you to be a part of a support group or perhaps even a co-op.  You may ask yourself, “Well what is the difference?”  Let me first explain that the term “co-op” is a group of homeschooling families that join together for similar purpose to “cooperate” and pool their resources to meet the needs of their homeschooling community. 

I once took a field trip with my children to a pumpkin patch.  We had a very educational afternoon.  One thing I have taken with me for years is that I learned that all pumpkins are squash, but not all squash are pumpkins.  A similar comparison can be made between co-ops versus support groups.  Many co-ops offer a support group component, but support groups generally are not co-ops.  Okay, now that I have officially confused you, let me break apart these two distinct titles. 

What does a support group have to offer? 

Is a co-op right for your family? 

What are you finding you need? 

Let me try to navigate the support group and...

Leaders, You won't want to miss this!

Fall will be here soon and it will be time for MȂCHÉ's annual gathering of Minnesota support group leaders. This is a fabulous chance to connect with other leaders and encourage each other on our leadership journeys.  This year's Support Group Leaders Retreat will be held on Saturday, October 27 at Horizons Community Church in Ham Lake, Minnesota. 

We are blessed to have Cam Leedahl, a veteran homeschool mom and leader, share with us. Cam is a founding board member of REACH support group in northern Minnesota and serves as a board member on the National Alliance of Christian Home Education Leadership (The Alliance).  She will have two sessions with us.

Session One: Building the Framework of Your Group
Cam sets out the general principles for a successful support group and helps you target specific applications for your distinctive group. Utilizing the right tools for the job helps to make the construction and maintenance of your group easier.

Session Two: Leadership Would be Easy if it Weren’t for People
Just as one support group...