Interview with Miss Lucy.

You have been in mulberry co-op since it started, how has it changed over the years?

It has grown bigger and smaller depending on the year.  Sometimes it has been in one house, sometimes in two or three.  We've held classes on as many as three days.  Each year has been different.

You also helped to create the coo-op, was this a hard process, fun, expensive?

It wasn't really an expensive process - unless you consider time and energy as resources to be spent.  Each year it has take a certain amount of paperwork and a lot of conversations and meetings.  It's been fun to get to know the different families.  Sometimes getting so people can compromise and still get what they want out of the experience has been hard - but worth it!

Are you happy you are a homeschool mom?

Most days.

What are the reasons why you homeschool?

I homeschool for many reasons.  Some of them are the fact that all of my kids have been early readers (ages 3 and 4) and I wanted to make sure they were challenged in other ways.  Some of it is the home environment I choose to raise my kids in - I want them to learn to manage their time and have deep relationships with their family.  It's just a bonus that we get to sometimes sleep in!

What is one class you wish you could do/make someone else do?

I think the new idea of geek club sounds really fun.  I enjoy the classes I teach (otherwise I wouldn't agree to teach them!) I really like the idea of giving young kids a good foundation and then letting them have a voice in what they want to learn once they get older.  That doesn't mean the basic classes need to be dry or boring - just that they need to come first in my mind!

Do you agree with the statement that "you learn something every day"?

Yes, everyone should be learning something every day.  It doesn't have to be a great big lesson or an academic milestone, but something should be learned!

Is there anything you wish you could change about the co-op?

I wish we could have a block for all the parents to talk each week.  That way there wouldn't be a need for separate meetings and we'd all feel in the loop.  Some weeks we'd tackle topics that need to be discussed, some weeks we'd just chat.  We kind of do that now, but not all parents are there at the same time (because someone needs to be with the kids!) I also wish we could have a couple more kids in each class. 

Do you think that we should meet more than once a week, or do you think that amount of classes are good?

I think the once a week schedule is great.  I really like having a full day, but keeping the rest of the week for work and other activities!