Tennessee Homeschool Groups and Co-ops
Making the decision to take your child’s education into your own hands can be daunting, to say the least. Finding a support system in the early days of homeschooling can be key to calming the “new homeschooler jitters.” Even for long-time homeschoolers, though, local homeschool groups serve the vital function of keeping families from feeling isolated in their educational choice.
On this page we will list some of the most popular homeschool support groups in the state of Tennessee, explain what homeschool cooperatives are, and share some of the benefits your family can gain from connecting with homeschooling support near you.
Tennessee Homeschool Support Groups
Because the umbrella schooling option is so popular in Tennessee, many families find their school family to be their chief source of homeschool support. However, if you are not enrolled with an umbrella school, live rurally, or don’t have the ability to connect as often with other families in a school, there are still plenty of options for networking with other homeschoolers. Many cities, counties, and regions of Tennessee have an established virtual homeschool group on Facebook. You can easily search Facebook to find a group for your area. The following list is a sampling of some of the existing Facebook communities for homeschoolers in TN.
Be sure to visit Time4Learning’s Tennessee parent forum where you’ll be able to connect with other families in the Volunteer State and discover additional resources.
Tennessee Homeschool Co-ops
A homeschool cooperative (or co-op) is usually an outgrowth of a local or regional homeschool support group. In general, homeschool co-ops provide a way for homeschooling students to participate in academic or enrichment coursework within a group setting. This is especially helpful for coursework that can be more challenging to complete at home such as physical education or lab science. All co-op homeschooling groups, however, have different goals, policies, and offerings. Some will require parents to take turns volunteering to lead classes and some hire outside tutors and instructors.
One example of a homeschool co-op in Tennessee is the Quest Academy Homeschooling Co-op in Lenoir City. This volunteer-based organization has multiple ways parents can be involved such as teaching classes, coordinating lunches, handling cleanup, or helping with administrative duties. Monthly fees include six classes on meeting days, report cards every 8 weeks, lunch every other week, field trips, a reading/lending library, and a kindergarten or high school graduation exercise.
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Benefits of Joining a Homeschool Group or Co-op
When you ask long-time homeschoolers what has most influenced their decision to continue with homeschooling, they will often give the same answer: SUPPORT. When you have the opportunity to connect with other families who’ve made the choice to homeschool, it can be empowering. Getting advice and guidance from other parents in your state or local area who have already carved a path in the homeschooling world can both encourage you in your efforts and make you aware of some of the potential pitfalls.
In addition to advice, though, there are so many other perks of being involved in one of the homeschool groups in Tennessee, 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 Tennessee
Have other questions about homeschooling in Tennessee? You may find the following pages helpful.
- Homeschooling in Tennessee
- Tennessee Homeschooling Laws
- Tennessee Umbrella Schools
- Tennessee Homeschool Associations
- Homeschool Field Trips in Tennessee
- Unit Study Supplement: Facts About Tennessee
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