Indiana Homeschool Groups and Co-ops
“Homeschool Support Groups Near Me”…wouldn’t it be nice if, as a new homeschooler, you could type that query into your favorite mobile search engine and then have a nice tidy list of groups with contact information come spouting out? Because of the transitory nature of homeschooling, however, it’s hardly ever that simple. Local homeschool groups come and go as the families who lead them are often in transition themselves. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to find a network of support, however. On the contrary, connecting with a local group or homeschool cooperative is relatively easy if you know how to optimize your search methods. On this page, we will highlight some of the popular homeschool support options in Indiana, explore one of the neat outgrowths of local support — the homeschool co-op, and share some of the benefits you and your students can gain from linking up with one of these networks.
Indiana Homeschool Support Groups
In years past, homeschool groups often had a dedicated website where news and events of the groups activities were easy to track down. In the Facebook era, that activity is now most often carried out within a dedicated Facebook group. To find out whether your city, county, or region of the state has a dedicated homeschool communication group on Facebook, take some time to search all potentially relevant terms in the social network to see what pops up. Even if you aren’t fortunate enough to locate an active group near you, never discount the help provided by a virtual homeschool group, such as Time4Learning’s Facebook community for families.
To help get you started, we’ve pulled together a list of some of the more active Facebook homeschool support groups for Indiana families below:
Be sure to visit Time4Learning’s Indiana parent forum where you’ll be able to connect with other families in The Hoosier State and discover additional resources.
Co-op Homeschooling Groups in Indiana
Often an outgrowth of a homeschool support group, a homeschool cooperative (or “co-op”) is a unique type of local connection for home educating families. Usually, these co-ops are led by parents who volunteer as administrators, teachers, and helpers. The overall goal of a homeschool co-op is to provide a group learning environment for students who could benefit from regular socialization or who might enjoy specific coursework that’s ideal for groups, such as physical education.
An example of a homeschool co-op group in Indiana is Greenwood Home Educators. This Christian cooperative organizes its coursework around semester-long unit studies. The group meets twice a month during the school year at a local church. Dues for the co-op cover the coursework and field trips, but parents are still required to help volunteer for specific committees and activities that keep the co-op running smoothly.
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
While initially you may be mostly interested in networking with local homeschoolers in order to get advice about getting started, over time, you’ll discover that homeschool groups and co-ops have multiple ways to enhance your experience. It’s also important to note that they can be equally beneficial for students and parents. Below is a list of advantages of local support that you may or may not have thought of.
- 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 Indiana
Have other questions about homeschooling in Indiana? You may find the following pages helpful.
- Homeschooling in Indiana
- Indiana Homeschool Laws
- Indiana Homeschool Associations
- Homeschool Field Trips in Indiana
Welcome to Homeschooling Guide
Download this FREE resource where experienced homeschoolers share their stories for how to begin homeschooling, understanding your child academically, planning your days, and much more.
