Well, here it is. Our Cooperative Initiative.
(to participate, please instructions at the end of the article)
We have been “sitting” on this idea for the past ten years – experimenting on small-group unstructured and loosely structured learning through play, projects & planned trips to places of interest. Homeschooling parents are always looking for an ideal place for their children to learn and interact with other kids. A place that is not business-centered but people-centered.
Today, we think we have finally come up with a SUSTAINABLE co-operative learning structure that parents are looking for! A place where families can come together to do projects and courses together in an environment that is conducive to creative learning and activities – without burning a big hole in one’s pocket!
[Watch out for our previews to be announced SOON!]
To be sustainable, we need committed parents who can contribute their time and energy into making this possible, not just for their own children, but for others as well.
The Place: Kota Kemuning (we have identified a place we couple potentially use, at least for a start). Depending on how things go, we may move to a separate location, or even different locations for different purposes.
For those outside of Klang Valley, Selangor. We plan to share our experience and help you set such initiatives. Meanwhile, we will be exploring technology more to bridge the distance divide.
The Plan: To get members to join the “initiative” so as to make use of the facilities & courses offered. For the initial sessions, participation will be by invitation (see below for how to get invited)
The Facilities: A reading room (library), playroom, a science lab, cooking lab (aka kitchen) & computer lab, music studio and art studio (some may be combination)
The Facilitators: Parents who are specialized in their fields of expertise can offer to facilitate classes at the Club. These will be paid classes but club members get substantial discounts! The Club will be managed and run by parents – not business persons!
Other activities: Talks, seminars & workshops on learning & parenting. Again, club members get substantial discounts! There will be outdoor activities as well, like sports and visits to heritage sites, etc.
The Approach: Parents work with their kids (esp for the younger ones) while older kids are encouraged to work on their own or in small groups. Working on short-term and longer-term projects encourage team work, time-management and planning skills.
Mentoring: Specialists will be invited to work with the children to mentor them in specific skills. Older kids can become apprentice in their chosen fields of specialization.
Certification: We will work towards getting certifications for some of the more structured courses for the children. We are looking into the American/Canadian programs.
Programs in the pipeline:
(A) for KIDS:
1. Maths, science, creativity programs (facilitators confirmed)
2. Chinese, BM, Environmental Education (facilitators to be confirmed)
for parents (Seminars)
1. 1/2-day Seminar on harnessing the web for learning. This programs will be meant for parents to help identify the different sites on the internet and how to use them to help children learn.
2. 1-day Workshop on Creativity. This program is aim at helping (especially parents) think differently and appreciate the alternative paradigm of home education.
3. 2-day Workshop on Learning-2-Learn. For parents, to help students learn. Essential program for parents (homeschooling or otherwise)
Watch out for our previews to be announced SOON!
TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE DREAMS POSSIBLE!
This is “by invitation” initiative, to be invited to join, please complete
Filed under: Activities, Socialization, Starting Homeschool, Talks Tagged: | cooperative learning, homeschooling center, self-directed learning
I am keen to know more. Let me know of more details.
Hi!I’m Nicole,Can I join in the homeschool groups?And will wish to gets in touch with various activites,to participate such as field trips sports and so on.
Keep me update with the upcoming activity .
Thank you.
Nicole
Some parents have been asking me to set up a homeschooling center here instead of me going over to Taiwan (or KL) in order to find my tribe.
But I’ve resisted over the years because parents think it’s about dumping their kids for a price cheaper than international schools. I think parents should think of it as : If I had to set up all this (resources) and run it myself and give up my social life and day job, what’s the cost to me? If I had to train and learn 24hours and take responsibility for my child, what’s the economic and social costs to me?
When parents ask me how much I will charge, I will leave it to them what they can afford based on opportunity costs to them. An opportunity cost to a qualified professional is completely different than the opportunity cost of a part-time waitress. While one has to forsake $15,000, another only $2,000. I think it would be fair to pay by percentage and standard of living rather than one flat-fee. Percentage of fees can be offset based on merit-hours parents earned at the center. From my experience most parents would rather pay me year in and year out rather than learn how to teach their kids but perhaps it’s because language learning is a lot more complex.
Trips should ideally be split evenly but organizers and chaperon fees should be included in the cost. Seminars and workshops should be charged at the current going rates for the presenters per pax / per hour. Since these seminars and workshops are actually “module lessons for teaching” those parents taking up a majority / all do deserve a discount while talks are usually free as guests are invited.
I would like to move to Subang in order to join your center! Another parent said her sister-in-law has a bungalow for lease in Cheras but is considering using it as a homeschool center should I move there. Wonder if she’s serious!
[...] Earlier postings on CLI HERE and HERE [...]
Hi,
I like this ideal and very interested to join the group but the place is too far from my place (Bandar Sri Damansara). Any suggestion.