SPOTLIGHT ON... T.H.E. Classes

Each issue, we will be spotlighting a different homeschool co-op. This time, we’re talking to Ellen Cheek, who is on the board at T.H.E. Classes.

Homeschool Connections: First off, can you give me a brief description of your co-op for people who are not familiar with it?

Ellen: Of course! T.H.E. is short for “Tuesday Homeschool Electives.” We are a faith-based, parent-led co-op that meets on Tuesdays at New Life Family Fellowship Church in Asheboro. We offer classes for kids of all ages, from preschool thru high school.

HC: You say “faith-based.” Can you go a little more in detail about your worldview?

Ellen: The Tuesday Class Board and founders hold to a Christian Worldview that acknowledges the Bible as absolute truth and believes that God created the world and has a plan and purpose for every individual. It determines how we interact with people by setting a standard of serving others (Matthew 22:36-39), and it is an integral part of all we do and who we are at T.H.E. Classes. It provides purpose and an anchor in the process of fulfilling our mission of serving the homeschool community.

HC: And can you explain what you mean by “parent-led”?

Ellen: Sure. It’s important to note that this is not a drop-off program. Parents are the core of our teachers, and we encourage them to use their skills and gifts to lead a class. Parents who are not teaching can stay in the class with their child, or hang out on the playground or in the church with other moms and dads. It is also helpful to have parents (and grandparents) watching kids on the playground or in the hallways. More eyes on kids mean more safety for everyone.

HC: Are all of your classes taught by parents?

Ellen: Most of them are, but we do have a few that are taught by people from the community. For example, we offer art classes taught by a professional artist. And several of our classes, such as LEGO robotics, creative writing, and public speaking classes are taught by homeschool graduates and former homeschool moms who are passionate about the subjects they teach.

HC: How long have you been offering classes, and how did T.H.E. classes begin?

Ellen: We started in 2004 with a small group of homeschool families who met for a children’s choir. While kids were meeting to sing, their siblings were sitting out in the hallway. To keep them occupied, a mom decided to offer an activity for them to do, and then another mom had a different activity, and it just grew from there. This year, we have 78 families signed up for classes

Interestingly, now that we’re going into our 19th year, it’s come full circle. Some of our homeschool graduates are now homeschool moms bringing their kids to co-op.

HC: Can you tell me a little bit about what kinds of classes you offer?

Ellen: As you may have guessed from our name, we started out as just elective classes. But over the years we’ve added classes in core subjects like science, history, and math. Depending on the parents’ interests and skill sets, each semester brings a new selection of classes, and no two semesters are ever the same.

Some of the favorite classes we’ve offered include LEGO robotics, art, cooking, cake decorating, psychology, public speaking, and sewing. In another favorite class called “Stix,” students use wooden dowel rods to interpret and bring to life contemporary Christian music as a dramatic art form. Stix students have performed at churches, schools, and senior centers in the community. This semester, we are excited about several new classes, including photography, a dinosaurs class, and a class called “The Bible Project.”

HC: Do you offer any opportunities for moms to connect?

Ellen: We do! We offer a Moms’ Bible study on Tuesday afternoons, so while students are in class, moms can meet to study scripture together. We’ve also had moms get together for moms’ nights out. And there are always moms out in the lobby or on the playground. It’s not unusual to hear one of our seasoned homeschool moms sharing advice about curriculum or passing along other words of wisdom to someone new to homeschooling.

On our website is an online forum, where parents can post “for sale” listings, announcements, and information about events or meetups.

HC: Do you offer any other activities, outside of classes?

Ellen: Yes! We just kicked our year off with an Open House, with a fire truck spraying water for the kids to play in and a hot dog supper. And we’ve hosted events such as craft fairs and field days.

An extracurricular we offer for high schoolers is yearbook staff. They produce the Randolph County homeschool yearbook. Families do not need to be a part of T.H.E. Classes to be included in the yearbook.

We also host the Central Carolina Homeschool Beta Club, which is an honorary service club open to all high school students in the area. And each spring, we have a group of high schoolers serve on the prom committee, working with the prom organizers to help plan the Randolph County Homeschool Prom and Middle School Dance.

Also, sometimes a teacher will plan a field trip to go along with a class and open it up to all of the co-op families. For example, one year, we had a teacher plan a field trip to Old Salem Museum and Gardens to go along with a history class. We’ve also had classes go to Raleigh to visit some of the museums there. And we’ve had service-oriented classes that have served together in the community at places such as the Christian United Outreach Center or Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen.

HC: If someone is interested in joining your co-op, what would they need to do?

Ellen: You can find our website at www.homeschool-life.com/3930

In order to register for classes, there is a form to fill out online to request membership to our site. You can also email us for more information at TuesdayClasses4@gmail.com n

If you’re in charge of a co-op and would like us to feature your community, email heidi@cnchomeschool.com