Mississippi Homeschool Groups and Co-ops
Starting to homeschool for the first time can be isolating, particularly if you don’t have any other friends or family who have experience with it. One of the best ways to ease into the adventure of home education is by seeking out other families in your city, county, or region who are veteran homeschoolers. By connecting with a local homeschool support group, you will not only feel less alone, but you will also immediately have a source of advice and encouragement for the times when you need them.
On this page, you will discover how to locate homeschool groups in Mississippi, you’ll learn about an interesting outgrowth of support groups called a homeschool cooperative (or “co-op”), and you will discover some of the main benefits you and your student(s) can get by linking up with one or both of these types of homeschool networks.
Mississippi Homeschool Support Groups
If you aren’t already aware of an active local or regional homeschool support group, then it’s time to begin your search. In years past, many groups had active websites that were searchable on the web. More recently, the majority of homeschool support has moved to the domain of Facebook. That’s not surprising, since creating a community on Facebook is completely free and user-friendly. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to begin your search for a local group via Facebook search. Plug in your city, county, region, or state — along with the word “homeschool” or “home educators” — to see what pages or groups come up.
To get you started in your search, here is a list of some of the active homeschool support groups around the state.
Be sure to visit Time4Learning’s Mississippi parent forum where you’ll be able to connect with other families in The Magnolia State and discover additional resources.
Co-op Homeschooling Groups in Mississippi
In areas with a strong homeschool population, you may hear of a unique type of homeschooling network called a cooperative or “homeschool co-op.” Co-ops can take a variety of forms, but they are usually initiated by a group of parents who want their children to receive some of the benefits of group learning. Sometimes, these groups are academic-focused and meet on specific days of the week/month to experience a shared learning experience. Other times they will be targeted to specific extracurriculars, such as athletics or fine arts.
As an example of such a group, the Starkville HomeSchool Music Cooperative in Mississippi offers homeschoolers the opportunity to learn and perform music with other students of similar ages. Elementary students can sign up for classes where a variety of musical approaches are introduced, and older students can register for Concert Choir or Band.
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Benefits of Joining a Homeschool Group or Co-op
Families with a strong support system often report having a more satisfying overall homeschool experience and even tend to homeschool for longer than families who have less interaction with other homeschooling families. That’s because connecting with a local, regional, or even a virtual homeschool group can have specific benefits for parents and students, including:
- group field trips
- park days and/or p.e. days
- organized clubs such as geography club, 4H, chess, robotics, etc.
- book and curriculum exchanges
- dedicated email loops or Facebook groups for sharing information
- organized athletic opportunities
- the opportunity to make new friends!!
Additional Resources for Homeschooling in Mississippi
Have other questions about homeschooling in Mississippi? You may find the following pages helpful.
- Homeschooling in Mississippi
- Mississippi Homeschooling Laws
- Mississippi Homeschool Associations
- Homeschool Field Trips in Mississippi
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