Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Homeschooling in Cohousing?

[Rob Sandelin (Floriferous]

A response to Kim's inquiry regarding homeschooling and Cohousing:

I'm from Sharingwood Cohousing, NE of Seattle. Several of Sharingwood's 
residents homeschool, or rather - facilitate -  "home-based education" for our 
children. Of the 16 resident children, 7 are actively learning at home, in the 
community. Of these seven children, 2 are pre-school age, and the others range 
in age from 5 to 12. There are enormous advantages to teaching at home in the 
context of community. We share books, resources, technology and ideas - and 
support each other in the daily challenges of teaching our own. 

We are actively involved in the surrounding community of homeschoolers, of 
which there are many in our area, and have set up a science cooperative whose 
home-base is the Sharingwood Commonhouse. The Commonhouse is of tremendous 
benefit to us, not only because the science co-op uses it, but it is a 
wonderful place to do large-scale projects, a great place for junior 
performers seeking an instant audience, and large enough to run around inside 
of on a rainy day.

Many of Sharingwood's adults are here during the day, either working out of 
home offices, caring for children, building the physical community, or 
retired. So my kids get daily interaction with a variety of other adults, and 
it's easy for me get breaks when I need them.

I'm curious how many homeschooling "Cohousers" there are, and if not many, 
would be happy to continue this with just the few.

Heidi Engle
floriferous [at] msn.com