It’s summer, and if you lead a homeschool co-op, you’re probably choosing, ordering, and printing next year’s curriculum. It’s a lot. And once it’s done, it’s time to celebrate.
But here’s what 22 years of co-op mentoring has taught me: curriculum doesn’t teach itself. The difference between a class that transforms kids and a class that limps to May isn’t the books — it’s the mentor at the front of the room. And in most co-ops, that mentor is a willing parent who has never taught this material, maybe never taught at all, and is quietly nervous about September.
The gap every co-op leader knows about
You’ve seen it happen. A capable, committed parent volunteers to mentor a class. You hand her a wonderful curriculum. And then she’s on her own — figuring out pacing, discussion leading, what to do when the ten-year-olds won’t engage or the teenagers won’t talk. Some mentors find their footing by October. Some white-knuckle it to spring and never volunteer again. Losing a good mentor to a hard first year is one of the most expensive things that can happen to a co-op.
Curriculum was the first investment. Mentor confidence is the second — and it’s the one that protects the first.
What Mentor Lab is: live mentor training for homeschool co-ops.
Mentor Lab is live training for co-op and parent mentors, and I lead every session personally. We meet weekly, for 30 minutes, September through April — four group trainings a month, two hours of training every month, during the months you’re actually teaching.
That format is the whole point. Most mentor training comes as a big workshop in the summer— months before your hardest weeks arrive. Mentor Lab is the opposite: frequent and short, so you get mentor help in real time, while you’re in the trenches. The discussion that fell flat on Thursday is what we troubleshoot on Tuesday.
Each week I share one Leadership Education principle, and then we work on your real situations — your classes, your kids, your co-op. Some weeks are a full 30 minutes of ask-me-anything.
Over a season, we work through topics like:
- The Keys of Great Teaching
- The Phases of Learning: Core Phase, Love of Learning, Scholar Phase
- Establishing a Daily Routine and Effective Morning Time
- Creating a Family Culture that Nurtures Education
- Effective Parent Mentor Meetings
- The 6-Month “No” and the 6-Month Purge
- Start With Why
- Adjusting to Your Season
- High School Transcript Tutorial
Your group includes mentors from homeschool communities all over — people doing the same brave thing you’re doing. And every session is recorded: miss a week, and the replay is waiting, with access to the full recording library for as long as you’re subscribed.
Every mentor who joined us last season told us it made a real difference — in their co-op classrooms and at their own kitchen tables:
“I missed having regular trainings within my co-op, and Mentor Lab gave me bite-sized things to implement right away. I loved troubleshooting our real pain points with Jen and the other mentors — I can’t recommend it enough.”
—Kelly, homeschool mom & co-op mentor
What it costs (and how paying works)
You pay monthly, and only during the season — eight payments, September through April, then billing stops for the summer. No lump sum, no summer charges, nothing to remember to cancel. Every month includes exactly four trainings, so a full season is 32 live sessions.
- One mentor: $25/month. Four live trainings a month — about $6 per session, 32 sessions across the season — for a mentor investing in her own craft, or a co-op sponsoring its newest teacher.
- Mentor team of 5: $100/month. That’s $20 per mentor for two hours of monthly training.
- Mentor team of 15: $275/month. Under $19 per mentor.
- Whole co-op (25+ mentors): $375/month. $15 or less per mentor.
Not sure if it’s a fit? Meet me first.
Mentor Lab is led live by me every week, so the honest question is whether you’d want to spend 30 minutes a week learning with me. Here’s a way to find out before spending a dollar: I was recently a guest on the StorySchooling podcast, talking about filling childhood with meaning, mentoring through stories, and using theater and science as vehicles for real learning.
Listen to the episode here
If that conversation resonates with you, Mentor Lab is that conversation — every week, with your real classroom challenges on the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Mentor Lab meet?
Weekly on Tuesdays, live on Zoom, for 30 minutes. The schedule is arranged so every month includes exactly four trainings — 32 live sessions across the September–April season.
What if I have to miss a session?
Every session is recorded, and you have access to the recording library for as long as your subscription is active. Miss a Tuesday, watch it Saturday.
What if I’ve never mentored before?
You’re exactly who this is for. Most of our mentors are parents teaching their first or second co-op class.
Can our co-op start with one person and add more later?
Yes — and it’s the most common path. One mentor joins, finds it valuable, and others follow. At four or more mentors, the 5-person team plan ($100/month) costs less than four individual memberships, so upgrading actually saves money.
Do we have to commit to the whole season?
No. It’s month to month. Most people stay because it’s useful, not because they’re locked in.
Who leads it?
I do — Jennifer Jarret, founder of LEAF (Leadership Education Academy for Families) in Snohomish, Washington, co-op mentor and leader for 22 years, and Curriculum Square partner.
Ready for September?
If you’re ready to deepen your understanding of Leadership Education and strengthen your learning community, join us in the C2 Mentor Lab. Fall enrollment is open now — our season begins in September, right when your mentors need it most.