Education and discipleship are not the same as mass schooling. They have different traditions and different expectations. Have you ever asked, “How do I know if they are on pace?” “What if they miss something?”, “How do I know if they are learning?”, or even “I’m not sure I know enough to teach high school!” Then this session should settle your mind and help you plan for discipleship with excitement. Explore some of the key differences and save massive amounts of time and stress trying to recreate schooling at home.

Tired of worksheets, endless reviews, and tests? Is your child generally sick of school? Have you ever wondered, 'Why are we learning this?" It may be time to try an entirely different and very effective approach---Project-based learning (PBL). Meet with the lead designer of the Portals Project-Based Curriculum to learn more about PBL, the research behind it, and how to get started in a few minutes. This session covers an overview, what makes PBL effective, how it has helped traditional homeschoolers stand out, and how it can be a part of every subject area.

What makes for a joyful marriage? How do some couples grow closer together over time, and some do not? Seann and Steph will share the biblical design for marriage, communication strategies, and ways to enjoy growing through seasons of life together. Marriage is the hearthstone of the family, and God wants your marriage to bring warmth, affection, and love into your home. This session is great for married couples, dating couples, singles, and anyone who wants to hear great ideas and wisdom in the lifelong adventure of marriage. Learn from experience, bring your Bibles, and connect with others doing life the way the bible guides us to. When done God’s way, there simply is no greater blessing than a loving spouse!

For the history lovers, this session will review 150 years of government schooling in America against the backdrop of freedom-keeping Christian education. We’ll review key legislation, key thought leaders, and the motivation, design, and intentions of education leaders, answering questions like “What were government schools designed for?” “Where they go so wrong?”, “How might the system itself be contributing to the dumbing down of learning?”, and clarify how powerfully different home discipleship is in contrast.

What drives our learning? What convinces anyone to pursue knowledge, invest, and embark on great endeavors? Is ‘boredom’ necessary or to be avoided? Why do we learn new skills? This session will explore learning for joy, motivational strategies, and outline practical planning tools that will help you take any content and foster joy in the process. If your child is less than motivated, this session may help answer why and offer key approaches you can use starting tomorrow.

It’s easy to recognize how valuable play is to our children. They love it! It is not so easy to convince ourselves that play is actually learning too.