The Berean Cooperative

About Us

co-op info page

The Program

The Berean Cooperative (TBC) is a formalized group made up of Christian homeschool families who meet regularly to engage in learning together, informed by a biblical worldview.  Each weekly lesson day is broken up into periods (where each period is a different subject).  Families can enroll their children in any subject of their choosing, either in whole or in part.  Each subject consists of two components: 

1. Information presented, discussions or hands-on projects led by the assigned teacher (parent volunteer)
2. Opportunity for student engagement (as outlined in course description page)

Each teacher will present information in a manner best applicable for the class, considering varied ages and abilities of the class.  The information presented and activities in class are supplemental to what is being taught in the family’s home.  It is used as either a preview or a review of the weekly content found in each chosen curriculum.  Each parent has the liberty to add more information and complete additional activities at home as their family goals require.  This co-op program is not meant to be a complete learning program.  The expectation is that families will decide which other areas must be covered at home in order to meet all individual family homeschool goals (such as reading, and arithmetic).  

The Purpose

TBC’s purpose in gathering on lesson day is three-fold:

1. Education and enrichment
2. collectively, we will undertake to train the children in a biblical worldview through academically rich pursuits
3. we will strive to pursue common academic goals and build character development
4. we will attempt to provide enrichment through extra-curricular classes and field trips where we are able
5. Exploiting the benefits of group dynamics
6. We are limited as individuals.  In coming together, both parents and children benefit from a community of believers, aspiring to grow hard and soft skills that often can be more difficult to achieve in our individual families: 
7. older children in the co-op grow in their skills of planning their time and meeting deadlines
8. older children also have regular quizzes, motivating them to study more diligently and giving them the experience of a gentle testing environment
9. regular weekly classes enables the children to navigate group dynamics, which occasionally can include conflict management in a safe environment where parents and teachers are like-minded and want all the children to pursue Christ-likeness
10. several opportunities are provided for children to become familiar with presenting in front of a crowd
11. promotes diligence and punctuality in arriving to classes on time
12. Encouragement and enjoying one another
13. homeschool students and homeschool parents alike need others to be spurred on
14. families encourage one another when pursuing the same goals and setting out on a similar journey
15. the children look forward weekly to sharing time with friends

The Policies and Guidelines

Membership Criteria

• Many hands are required when aiming to provide a high-quality program.  TBC cannot function or exist without the efforts of each member.  Therefore, each family must have one representative who participates in each lesson day.  Every attempt will be made to utilize each member’s God-giving gifts and abilities well by having them engage in one or more of the following:
• Teaching a class subject (planning weekly lessons appropriate to the age and ability of the class, presenting information to students, leading and providing direction in the group activities)
  • planning/teaching can be shared between individuals
• Assisting a class teacher (helping a teacher with setting up, cleaning material, general classroom management)
• Caring for younger children while their mothers are teaching
• Each family will help in the general cleaning of the co-op space after lunch.
  • 3 families will be scheduled together weekly.  Cleaning responsibilities are outlined in information packet.

Student Enrollment

• When enrolling children in subjects, students will be placed in classes according to age, unless otherwise indicated by parents.
• The teacher assigned to the class may make recommendations to changes in class roster as student observations are made at the beginning of the year.
• Once classes are full, other classes of the same subject can be offered, but that is dependent upon parents who are willing to fill those roles.

Supply Fees

• There are no enrollment or membership fees.  All fees are applied solely to supplies for the classes
• Non-refundable supply fees will be due twice for the year
• $50 of your total supply fees will be due when you enroll to secure your child(ren)’s spot(s), then the balance will be due September 1^st, 2024.
• You will receive an email when your payment is due.  Do not send any money prior to you receiving an email outlining the amount due.  If a class is not able to be held during the year, a refund will be issued to your family for that class.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT:

• Each teacher must present information from a biblical worldview.
• It is not necessary for parents to be present for every period of each day, only the class they are assigned to teach or assist  
• A parent is expected to attend with a student who needs help in engaging in class participation.
• If parents wish to be present for all subjects with their children, they are welcome to do so for the purposes of helping their child and/or observing content presented in class.  
• Students and parents in class attendance are expected to save their conversations for when the teacher is not speaking. 
• There is an area for parents to visit if they would like to and if their children are settling and can participate without help in class. 
• Students are expected to engage in appropriate attitudes and behaviours, falling mainly into two guiding principles:
• obey the authorities (teachers and parents)

• In the event of direct disobedience, the offending child will not be able to participate further in class until a conversation is able to take place between the teacher and child.  After a conversation has taken place, the child can be invited to participate again in class, engaging in appropriate behaviour.
• If inappropriate behaviour is reoccurring during class, the teacher reserves the right to remove a child from class and bring them to their parent. If it continues weekly, it could result in the child’s removal from the program.
• be respectful of fellow students

• In the event that a parent is absent, a temporary guardianship form must be completed and signed by another guardian who will be present and who will take full responsibility for the missing parent’s children.
• You are welcome to have younger siblings join older siblings who are enrolled.  Parents are expected to keep a close watch on their children and to clean up after them.  Children are also expected to be removed from class in situations where they are becoming a distraction.  
• Prior to weekly departure, all families (parents and children) are required to clean up areas that they have made messy.  Parents are to encourage the children in this endeavour.