How I Use My Public School Teaching Skills in a Homeschool Co-Op
This is part two of a series. See the first article here: Confessions of a Public School Teacher Turned Homeschooler.
Transitioning from managing a large public school classroom to working with homeschooled children was a big shift—but one thing has remained the same: the power of effective teaching strategies. After making the leap from public school teacher to home educator, I found that many of the techniques I once relied on still work beautifully. In this post, I’m excited to share the lessons I’ve learned in classroom management and teaching, and how I’ve adapted those skills to create a fun, dynamic, and engaging learning environment for homeschool co-op kids.
Class Management: Individual and Whole-Class Rewards
One constant in public schools and co-ops is finding ways to keep each child focused, motivated, and disciplined. Although class sizes may be smaller in a homeschool co-op, the challenge remains: how do you maintain control while ensuring each student feels acknowledged?
I quickly realized that using both individual rewards and whole-class rewards can be an effective way to manage behavior and encourage focus. Every child needs the opportunity to shine and be acknowledged for their individual efforts. This might mean a “star of the week” or a small reward system where students can earn points for specific accomplishments like staying on task or participating in discussions. I often found that verbal praise to a student for the rest of the class worked wonders. This can be as simple as “Johnny, I am so proud of how much effort you put into your creative writing today! WOW! I can’t wait to read your final piece.” These individual rewards and praise help kids feel recognized for their hard work. Often, this makes them want to continue working hard. Additionally, it inspires the rest of the group to strive for the same.
When the class as a whole is behaving in a silly, chatty, or unfocused way, it can be hard to motivate them and get the group back on task. That’s where whole-class rewards come into play. Using a collective system where the whole class can work together toward a goal—like earning a class treat, free time, or a special activity—helps foster a sense of teamwork. By offering incentives that require whole-class cooperation, you encourage students to stay on task together, quiet down when needed, and support each other in their learning.
Using Different Modalities to Teach: Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic Learning
Another important lesson that I’ve carried into my co-op teaching is the necessity of incorporating different modalities into lessons. It’s easy to assume that because all of the students are roughly the same age, they will learn in similar ways. You may innocently assume your child’s peers will learn similarly to your homeschooled child and prepare work according to that assumption. However, this is often not the case. Some children are visual learners who benefit from seeing diagrams, charts, and written instructions. Others are auditory learners who thrive when they hear information through lectures, discussions, or audio resources. Then, there are kinesthetic learners who need to move in order to understand a concept. These kids need activities that require them to engage physically with the material.
Incorporating differentiated learning into co-op lessons is essential. I plan my lessons to address all of these modalities. For instance, when teaching a science lesson, I might present a visual aid, such as a solar system diagram, for the visual learners. Then, I might play a short video to explain the concept for the auditory learners. For the kinesthetic learners, I could incorporate a hands-on activity, like creating a solar system model with craft supplies or even acting out the movement of the planets. By using various methods to present the material, I can reach each student in a way that best suits their learning style. This helps keep them engaged and focused.
Keep Things Fresh: Independent, Whole-Class, and Small Group Work
One key element of keeping students engaged in a co-op classroom is variety. If I were to only lecture or have the students work in the same format every day, the energy in the room would quickly dip. Changing up the format regularly keeps the class dynamic and prevents students from feeling stuck in a repetitive routine. To maintain engagement and keep the students on their toes, I ensure there’s a healthy balance of independent work, whole-class work, and small-group activities.
In a traditional classroom setting, we typically begin by gathering as a whole group to introduce the lesson or activity. This approach allows me to build student motivation, clearly explain the task at hand, and ensure everyone understands the expectations—whether it’s learning how to multiply fractions or creating a lapbook. It also provides a valuable window of time to teach a new skill, such as demonstrating fraction multiplication on the board at the front of the room.
Following whole group instruction, it’s great to pair students up for small group work. This allows students to collaborate, communicate, and learn from each other. It also encourages them to develop social skills in a setting where they can take turns, share ideas, and problem-solve together. When I would pair or group students, I also always mixed up my pairings, sometimes pairing a struggling student with a high-achieving student and sometimes pairing two or three students who were similar in their understanding of the lesson. Doing this allows for scaffolding, where one child may be another child’s best teacher!
If time allows following small group work, independent work gives students the space to work at their own pace, allowing them to focus on tasks without the distraction of others. This is an excellent time for students to tackle assignments or projects independently. It also allows me to provide one-on-one support to students who may need extra help. Depending on the class you are teaching, it’s always a nice touch to gather back together as a whole group as you close out your time together. This allows the instructor to leave the class with a recap of what they learned and achieved. You can also build excitement by telling them what to anticipate at the next co-op class!
Plan More Than You Think You’ll Need
A piece of advice that has been invaluable in my transition to co-op teaching is always to plan more than you think you’ll need. I was used to having a set curriculum with specific time constraints in a public school setting. Activities were often limited to a strict schedule. However, kids will always surprise you! There have certainly been times when I thought I planned appropriately for the time allotted, only to have students breeze through assignments much faster than expected. This can lead to moments of panic when there’s still time left in the lesson and no more planned activities to keep them engaged.
I’ve learned to always have additional activities in my back pocket. Have an additional activity prepared, whether it’s simply an extra worksheet, a fun educational game, or a creative thinking challenge. This helps avoid those awkward moments when the lesson has wrapped up, but time remains left to fill. It’s better to be over-prepared than to find yourself scrambling to fill time!
Getting Attention Without Yelling: The Magic of Quiet Commands
One of the things I’m most proud of from my public school days is that I was known as the “teacher who never yelled.” I took a lot of pride in that title. I firmly believe that yelling isn’t necessary to get kids’ attention and doesn’t set the tone for a positive learning environment. So, how did I do it?
One of my favorite tricks was a little something I like to call “Simon Says, teacher edition.” When the class got loud or a bit too silly, I’d quietly walk through the room, giving simple commands instead of raising my voice. It was a game—nothing too formal, just me whispering, “If you can hear me, put your hands on your head.” Maybe three out of thirty kids would hear me and do so. Naturally, the rest would slowly but surely notice and get curious. I’d keep moving around the room, saying more commands like, “If you can hear me, touch your toes” or “If you can hear me, clap once.”
Within just a minute or two, the room would go quiet as the students were glued to the game, trying to follow along. And just like that, I’d have their full attention—without raising my voice a single time! It’s a technique I still use today as a catechist to second graders, and it works like a charm every time. It’s all about setting a calm, controlled environment where the students know they need to listen closely to hear the instructions. Plus, it keeps things fun and engaging at the same time!
Reflecting on My Journey
This year, I had the honor of occasionally volunteering at my son’s co-op during indoor recess time and teaching second-grade catechesis at our parish. These experiences remind me how much my time as a public school teacher has shaped my approach to working with children today. The skills I honed in managing a large classroom, adapting to different learning styles, keeping students engaged, and planning ahead have all proven to be invaluable in this new setting. The flexibility of homeschooling combined with the structure I bring from my public school background creates an environment where students can thrive.
Ultimately, teaching in a homeschool co-op is about balance: balancing individual recognition with group rewards, balancing different teaching modalities, and balancing a variety of activities to keep energy high and engagement strong. It’s about being adaptable and thinking on your feet while always keeping the needs of the students in mind. I look forward to continuing this journey and refining my approach as I learn from the kids, the parents, and my own experiences along the way!
What would you like to add to this conversation? To share your tips, experiences, and questions, you can join me and other homeschoolers in the Homeschool Connections Facebook Group. I would love to hear from you!
