New Jersey Homeschool Groups & Co-ops
Once you’ve made that exciting, but somewhat nerve-wracking decision to take responsibility for your child’s education, you’ll be eager for assurance that you’ve made the right choice. The best place to get that vote of confidence is to talk to other families who have already walked the path of homeschooling in New Jersey. That’s exactly what you will find within a homeschool support group. Regardless of whether you choose a local support system or a virtual homeschool group in New Jersey, you will discover many other families, just like yours, who have chosen home education and are thriving in it!
One emerging kind of homeschool support organization is a homeschool co-op. Co-ops offer homeschoolers the opportunity to replicate some aspects of the classroom environment such as collaborative learning. Below, you’ll find out much more about the homeschooling groups in New Jersey and how to get involved.
New Jersey Homeschool Support Groups
For the most part, social groups for homeschoolers have moved from traditional websites to social network communities. Facebook currently has the monopoly on these, simply because it’s where homeschool parents are already hanging out, and it is natural to want to find one’s “tribe” in familiar environs. Below is a sampling of some New Jersey homeschool support groups that are active on Facebook. Use this list as a starting point to find a group close to you.
Be sure to visit Time4Learning’s New Jersey parent forum where you’ll be able to connect with other families in The Garden State and discover additional resources.
New Jersey Homeschool Co-ops
When a homeschool support group has been established for a while, it’s not uncommon for its members to decide to organize an outgrowth of the group called a cooperative, or “co-op.” The goal behind co-ops is providing group learning opportunities that might not be as optimal within individual homeschool environments such as lab science or physical education. Usually, the parents take turns overseeing classes and helping with other administrative duties.
An example of a homeschool co-op in New Jersey is The Learning Connection in the northwest part of the state. This Christ-centered group meets on Thursdays each week during the school year and offers classes in music, science, foreign language, and other special topics geared to student interests. An annual field day is organized for members as well.
Don’t fall into the biggest homeschooling myth out there. Discover how socialization is an active part of homeschooling.
Benefits of Joining a Homeschool Group or Co-op
Is a homeschool group or homeschool cooperative the right fit for your family? Explore the benefits of each in the chart below to help you decide if seeking out this type of local network would meet your needs.
- homeschoolers can meet other students who are schooling the way they are
- pre-scheduled group activities such as field trips, clubs, spelling bees, and P.E. bring variety to the homeschool week
- parents will have opportunities to ask questions of other veteran homeschooling families
- most groups have an online presence such as an email chain or Facebook group where you can easily search for information
- leveraging the talents of other parents means access to courses and subjects you might not have been able to teach at home
- regular interactions with the same group of students weekly leads to friendships and camaraderie between homeschoolers
- exposure to different teaching styles helps homeschoolers prepare for later school/college experiences
Additional Resources for Homeschooling in New Jersey
Have other questions about homeschooling in New Jersey? You may find the following pages helpful.
- Homeschooling in New Jersey
- New Jersey Homeschooling Laws
- New Jersey Homeschool Associations
- Homeschool Field Trips in New Jersey
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