High school math at home can be an intimidating endeavor. How are you going to teach your kids algebra, trigonometry, or even calculus? Further, will they be prepared by graduation for college-level work? In this session, Kathryn provides practical solutions to some of the common pitfalls of teaching math at home. She also shows you how to harness the strengths of homeschooling to create a competitive high school program. Whether your child is STEM-minded or focused on the humanities, you’ll leave this session with a concrete four-year plan. Kathryn is a home school graduate with seven years’ experience as a high school math teacher; in addition, she has tutored homeschool students in math since high school.

Do evaluations make you nervous? Are your children moving into junior or senior high and you’re wondering what to put into the portfolio? What is the evaluator’s job, anyway? Come get your heart set at ease regarding this end-of-year step in the PA homeschool process.

In this workshop, we’ll explore creative ways to homeschool high school, covering PA graduation requirements and options like internships, dual enrollment, and entrepreneurship. We’ll discuss flexible. scheduling options, such as block scheduling, and practical tips for creating transcripts and portfolios. Plus, I’ll share lessons learned from graduating three kids to help you navigate your own journey!

Mike and Vickie Farris started homeschooling their children in 1982. Their youngest of ten graduated from homeschooling 33 years later. As a national homeschooling leader and an active dad, Mike has discovered a number of practical insights that will help you develop a long-range vision for your family.

Kathryn is the author of the brand new Apologia math curriculum. She also knows the end game with over a decade of experience teaching high school-level math. What are the essential parts of an elementary math program that will set your child up for success in middle school, high school, and even college? This session will highlight the crucial skills that must be mastered and the experiences that will shape your child as a future mathematician. Kathryn fleshes out each point with manipulative suggestions and helpful tips to make math something your child looks forward to each day.

Do you have a houseful? Are you planning on having a houseful? If so, then this is a great workshop for YOU! Heidi and Jay St. John are the homeschooling parents of seven perfect, never messy, always obedient very sweet, usually tidy, generally obedient, always energetic, very curious, children. They have homeschooled all the way through high school. One of the most challenging aspects of homeschooling a houseful is figuring out how to teach them all while finding time to manage the rest of your day! Moms are always wondering if they are "doing enough" and finding the time to teach individual subjects, well, individually... can be overwhelming. In this workshop, Heidi will share seven secrets of multi-level teaching that will empower, encourage and enlighten you! If you've got a houseful, then you've got your hands full! Let's laugh together, and rediscover the JOY of homeschooling with a full heart AND a full house!

Unveiling a game-changing truth: Getting into college is easy. It's graduating from college that's hard. Prepare to reimagine your approach to college by Homeschooling for College Credit. Say goodbye to the conventional obsession with 'college admissions.' Discover the power of earning college credit in high school and starting with the end in mind. In this session, you'll learn why Homeschooling for College Credit makes the difference between paying cash for a degree or going deep into student loan debt.

Homeschooling high school can seem intimidating. This is an informational session for those with children approaching high school or in high school. Basic information about transcripts, credits, tests, course descriptions, and some of the options available for high school courses and curriculum will be presented. This overview is designed to provide insight and encouragement as you enter this new phase of the homeschooling adventure.

80% of public colleges and universities offer dual enrollment college courses to high school students, but what about the Christian homeschool? In this workshop, we'll explore my top picks for excellent Christian colleges and universities that offer affordable, high-quality college courses through distance learning. You'll learn what dual enrollment costs, the ideal starting age, and how to bring college credit into your homeschool program where it makes sense.

One of the most important aspects of homeschooling is to prepare our children well for what comes next. Some of the topics covered in this session are how to determine direction and interests, exploring and preparing for college majors or vocations, conducting a college or career search, and preparing spiritually for life after homeschool. High school curriculum, transcripts, tests, college visits and applications will be covered in this session. We will also discuss relevant books and websites that will help you in this vital role.

Homeschool high school? Is it really doable? Yes! In fact, you might find the high school years more rewarding and “easier” to homeschool than the early elementary years, especially with multiple kids. We’ll discuss the many benefits of homeschooling the high school years, in addition to working through some practical solutions to common challenges.

At eleven, one of our boys was just learning to read and at fourteen he still struggled to spell three letter words. Little did we know that he’d be reading ancient philosophers for fun at seventeen and that he’d go to college on a full academic scholarship! In this workshop, we’ll talk about how to help your struggling learners through high school (and give them a love of learning!), how to get accommodations on the SAT and ACT, and how to find out what help a college can give them – and you’ll be surprised just how much they can do! Our struggling learner was on the Dean’s List at his college and getting accommodations that really help. Find out how!

Hear from the whole Spooner family as they share what the teen years look like from the perspective of Dad, Mom, and the teenagers themselves. What do our teens need from us, and how can we raise them in the way they should go so when they are old, they will not depart from it? How do we combat depression? How do we establish identity? Whether you have a teen or are worried about what is yet to come, this session is for the whole family! It will end with some family ministry time—families praying over families and teens praying over teens. Walk away equipped.

Are you wondering how in the world you will be able to homeschool multiple kids at different grade levels? Especially without losing your mind? Abby Banks is a homeschool mom of five and has been homeschooling since 2008. While it's not always roses & buttercups, she’s learned how to have a flexible rhythm & flow in her day and still be productive – even with five kids. In this workshop, we’ll share three keys to homeschooling multiple kids without going crazy (on most days!). We’ll also walk through specific action steps to take to implement what you learn.

How do grades work in homeschooling? Do you grade your kids from kindergarten on? Can my child skip a grade? What exactly is the supervisor's role? In this helpful chat, Ginger shares new thoughts about grades, grading, and the process of learning. There may just be a few thoughts about 'Things I Wish I Knew', too!

Preteens and teens crave connection and acceptance, while media of all kinds are telling them that identifying as a different gender or sexual orientation will solve all their problems. Even kids not tempted by these things are affected by the kids and culture around them, sometimes believing their parents are hateful or unloving in their response to that culture. Find out about the influences reaching out to our kids, learn how to respond in a way that will preserve your relationship, and get practical help in guiding them through the clamoring voices of our society.

Maybe you’re new to homeschooling or maybe you’ve been on this journey for years. One thing is true for no matter how much time you’ve logged as a homeschooling parent: we all need encouragement to keep going. In this session, we’ll talk about potential stumbling blocks to staying encouraged and staying the course. There are practical as well as emotional obstacles like sensing a lack of skills or knowledge, the tendency to compare ourselves to others, or even a lack of cooperation from friends and family. Please join us as we bring some of these issues into the light and assure you that you are not alone!

Government, history, economics…these topics usually put students AND parents to sleep, yet they are some of the most important things we’ll teach if we expect the next generation to be good citizens and preserve the republic. In this presentation, Rick shares tips and methods for bringing history and civics to life, keeping it fun, engaging the students, seeking truth, and making the lessons count for generations to come.

Homeschooling high school can seem intimidating. This is an informational session for those with children approaching high school or in high school. Basic information about transcripts, credits, tests, course descriptions, and some of the options available for high school courses and curriculum will be presented. This overview is designed to provide insight and encouragement as you enter this new phase of the homeschooling adventure.

Why is it that almost half of college graduates can’t find a job? What’s missing? What does a student really need to learn between the ages of sixteen and twenty two to be ready for “real life”? Everyone focuses on academics, but you need more than academic ability to be fully equipped for the challenges and responsibilities of adulthood. This session will guide you through the seven essential skills and abilities that are crucial for successfully launching into adulthood. This time of life is a unique time, offering amazing possibilities. Come learn how to maximize this time, focus on the essentials, and be prepared and equipped for extraordinary success!

You may have a right brain learner in your midst! These wonderful children learn in a different manner than their left brain siblings. You will learn how to identify the right brain child, and learn many simple teaching techniques, such as Right Brain Reading and Right Brain Math. Right Brain Reading is the method Dianne used in her Resource room to help students make a two-year gain in reading in one year! For kids who find math “miserable”, this is a Godsend. No curriculum required! Help your children get in touch with the “smart part of themselves”!

Do you have a child who is “allergic” to a pencil? You may have a child who groans about writing, writes reversals, or misspells words he knows when he writes. These children are often thought of as sloppy or lazy when they are really using way too much energy for the writing process. The writing learning gate is the most common gate that is blocked with gifted kids. In this workshop you will be shown a daily exercise you can do with your child to get the writing into his “automatic” brain hemisphere, and remove stress from the writing system.

Many people think that some are just born with a “photographic memory”. But we now know that this amazing ability can be easily taught. The ability to use the photographic memory is one of the best gifts you can give your child. Your child can store his spelling words in his photographic memory for quick retrieval. Vocabulary is learned in a totally different way! Imagine your child actually having fun improving his vocabulary for the SAT. Poor test takers will learn how to store facts using their photographic memory. Everyone looks smart when these strategies are used.

Homeschool graduates still encounter discrimination when applying for employment, civil service, admission to colleges and trade schools, and participation in extracurricular competitions and programs. While homeschooling is now widely recognized as a legal form of education, there is still much work to be done to ensure that students and graduates are not discriminated against because their parents choose to exercise their right to homeschool. HSLDA continues to advocate for students and graduates who face this kind of discrimination. Come hear the stories, legal battles, and solutions for how to end homeschool discrimination.

Melanie, Kristen and Melissa Thomsen, homeschool and college graduates, share about how the habit of a daily Quiet Time can help us grow in our relationship with God. They will share why the Quiet Time is important, how simple it can be and the difference it makes in their personal lives. Bring your Bibles and join other mothers and daughters in learning how spending daily time with God is not only doable, but tremendously rewarding. This session is for daughters ages 10-20 and their moms.

In this session, multiple award winning author and longtime homeschool mom of six Dr. Sandi Queen discusses the many facets of language arts - phonics and reading, grammar, handwriting, spelling, vocabulary, writing, etc., and how to teach each of these using the Charlotte Mason approach. Included will be information on how to identify and choose materials that fit into this method.

Math is so much more than memorizing rules and facts. With a unique and humorous approach, Steve demonstrates how to use hands-on manipulatives to illustrate important math concepts such as place value, double digit multiplication, fractions, algebra, exponents, squares, square roots, and factoring trinomials.

(for Dads only/or Dads and sons) - The "coming of age message” that Eric originally designed for his twelve-year-old son, that has made a huge impact on men all over this nation.

What is a “living book?” How can “copywork” really be that effective?” “How do I fit nature study into our day – and why do I want to?” “What about math, language arts, and other ‘core’ subjects?” Dr. Sandi Queen, award winning author of over 400 books for Charlotte Mason style educators, discusses who Charlotte Mason was, and how her ideas for educating children are as applicable today as they were during her lifetime. Come and learn how implementing the Charlotte Mason approach can lighten your load, increase your child’s retention and attention span, and foster a true love for learning. Also discussed will be how to identify curricula that fits into this style of learning in all subjects. For parents of children of all ages.

In this workshop Marian will share from her personal experience of spiritually investing in the lives of her children. She will share a very important decision she and her husband Kirk made that greatly influenced all of their homeschool years. Come glean some creative, inexpensive and practical ways to study and memorize God’s Word with your children. Discover how to intentionally plan for a consistent time in God’s Word with your children each school day. Kristen, one of Marian’s daughters will share about the impact spending time in God’s Word as a child has had on her life. This workshop is for mothers.

If your child gives you the “blank stare” when you ask him to do a creative writing lesson, don’t despair – there is help! Dr. Sandi Queen, author of the multi-award winning “Language Lessons” series and homeshooling mom of six, shares how to let your child know what is expected in his writing, how to draw out the reluctant writer and inspire confidence, and more in this session for parents of all ages.

The goal of this session is to share the joy of designing and teaching unit studies. Learn how this unique approach to teaching uses real-life experiences, books, games, projects, and other resources to encourage students to deeply explore topics and to become life-long learners. Discover ways to integrate subjects to make learning more meaningful and fun. Realize the wealth of knowledge to be gained through unit studies as well as easy methods of constructing them.

For decades, learning specialists have understood the power of multi-sensory teaching. Often associated with learning disabilities, this dynamic teaching strategy has found a home in many non-disability settings as well. This workshop is designed to explain the research-based thinking behind multi-sensory teaching methods. Practical suggestions will be given for adding this powerful strategy in your own home.

Have you ever said something like this to you child: "Johnny, stop fooling around with that and get to your school work!" or "That would be nice for a hobby, dear, but let's get back to focusing more on this subject that will help you be employable." If so, come listen to Forrest, homeschool graduate and entrepreneur (who prefers the portmanteau "evangetainer"), as he recounts his own story about stepping out into faith and answering the call that God put on his life while using his God-given talents and interests. Maybe it's us as parents that need to sometimes "get out of the boat" and step out in faith?!

Teaching the way we were taught is almost inevitable. It’s what we know ... what we’re most comfortable doing. Not everything we experienced in the classroom as children was wrong, but there is so much more we can bring to our own children. Come and learn what research, and experience, have to say about the most effective way to teach in a homeschool environment.

When a homeschooled child seems to flounder for no easily identified reason, parents often exhaust themselves in their search for answers. At some point a parent may wonder if there might be a learning disability at the root of their child’s struggle. Kristen has designed this workshop to help parents sort out the difference between routine struggles and those that could well be a learning disability. We will also explore reasons you may or may not decide on formal testing and how to go about doing that.

In today’s technology culture the enemy’s lure of our young people’s minds to escape into an artificial world is great. As the line between reality and simulation blurs, the stronghold of escapism becomes more and more powerful. Apathy and self-indulgence are two destructive consequences that lead to broken relationships, broken homes, and broken hearts. Find some practical tools you can implement to help keep your children from getting caught in the snare of escapism.

This workshop is offered to provide practical application of the five key elements of reading discussed in the workshop "Why is Reading So Hard". Whether you attended the earlier workshop or not, you will be blessed by learning about teaching strategies and innovative activities that not only gives you fresh ideas for more effective teaching, but will also help you better understand the essentials for reading success.

Want your teen to take more initiative around the house? Want to reduce the “Drama” level in the family? Want to get your pre-teens, teens, and young adults excited about character healthy living? Join “America’s Parenting Doctor,” Dr. Steve Scheibner as he reveals seven practical steps to raising the behavior bar in your home. A Character Matters session will begin the process of moving your young people from ordinary to extraordinary.

High school math at home can be an intimidating endeavor. How are you going to teach your kids algebra, trigonometry, or even calculus? Further, will they be prepared by graduation for college level work? In this session Kathryn provides practical solutions to some of the common pitfalls of teaching math at home. She also shows you how to harness the strengths of homeschooling to create a competitive high school program. Whether your child is STEM-minded or focused on the humanities, you’ll leave this session with a concrete four-year plan. Kathryn is a homeschool graduate with ten years’ experience as a high school math teacher; in addition, she has tutored homeschool students in math since high school.

Most homeschooling parents feel uneasy when planning math courses for their children. Lots of parents say, "We learned our math a long time ago," or "We learned it a different way," or maybe "We learned it not at all". How can we know if the methods we are using will achieve the desired results in our students? In this workshop Tom Clark will expose ten common myths about teaching math and then counter those myths with solid, practical help for parents. You will also leave with a checklist of items which can be used to determine the best math course for your students.

What are thinking skills and why all the fuss? This seminar challenges traditional teaching methods head on by outlining the best way to teach so your child can remember and use what he has learned...even when he is an adult. Analysis, synthesis, and evaluation are explained; samples of creative and critical thinking are provided. You will leave with lots of resource suggestions and activity ideas that are uncomplicated, inexpensive, effective, and yet not time consuming!

Language is an amazing grace from God and a gift to steward and revel in. Skill and confidence in crafting words into stories and arguments will open doors for your children and lead them into their futures. Here’s how to cast a vision, encourage and support the journey, capture each child’s unique writer’s voice, and delight in the prose and poetry your kids produce. You may find yourself inspired to write as well.

Afraid that you can't homeschool through high school? Think your young adult would do better inside the four walls of a school building? Come learn why staying the course through the teen years can be the most fruitful and important years of homeschooling for your child as well as the most rewarding for Mom and Dad.

If your child graduates high school with only one skill in hand, it needs to be this one. Academic writing, AKA argument writing, is how your child will engage the culture and the academic community on campus and online. This is what admissions offices scour the student essay for, and this is what scholarship committees prize. Your teens will improve their critical thinking, master subject matter across domains, learn to evaluate and counter other’s ideas, and clarify their own IF argument writing is at the center of your college prep high school program.

Do you want life-long learners who initiate studies on their own? Then let go of the wheel and start giving your children responsibility for their education. Here are practical, inexpensive steps that will encourage your children to pursue their own learning and prevent parent burn-out as well.

What goes on behind the scenes in public schools? This presentation serves as just one reminder why homeschool parents do not give their children away.

Most parents “let go” of a rebellious child when they should not, and don’t “let go” when they should. Love must be strong enough to deal with rebellion and also strong enough to “let go” when unstoppable consequences start to come. Every Christian may profit from hearing these principles, but they are especially helpful for parents of rebellious children 18 or older.

Looking for inspiration in your study of ancient times? Join Linda Lacour Hobar (author of the series The Mystery of History) to discover what happens when Bible history and world history meet face to face – literally! With a look at Daniel and Belshazzar, Esther and Xerxes, Jesus and Pilate, and more, you will see bible characters and world history figures “meet” on one seamless, thought-provoking timeline. Through stories and activities for all ages, let His-story be revealed.

How can a mom homeschool while her children constantly vie for her attention or bicker whenever her back is turned? Simply put, she can’t. But the Razvis understand that situation because that’s what it was like for them just after their first adoption of a sibling group of five children. Come and hear how they have conquered that sibling rivalry and forged strong bonds between siblings. They will share the tremendous impact sibling relationships have on Mom’s ability to teach. This workshop will leave you encouraged that you can truly have peace in your homeschool.

Need to brush up on art history? Want a better grasp on the classic artworks of the Renaissance? Join Linda Lacour Hobar, author of the award-winning series, The Mystery of History, for a delightful presentation of six major artists of the Renaissance that everyone ought to know. This fact-filled lecture includes beautiful, family-friendly slides of some of the world’s most famous masterpieces and a fun test for students of all ages. This informative session welcomes novices and connoisseurs alike.

Shaped by our personality types, grades have the power to motivate some and destroy others. Listen to Linda Lacour Hobar, author of The Mystery of History, share theories of grade keeping, as well as practical tips on keeping it simple. With Linda’s “real life” examples from the work of her own children, this session is designed to encourage newbies and veterans alike.

70% of all Christian seniors ditch God when they go to college. Come and discover a compelling reason why! This workshop equips you to teach your kids how to die to themselves and live passionately for the glory of God.

We are called to disciple our children. But what a beautiful thing it is to get to the place where our children are wishing to be discipled by us, coming to us to ask for prayer and counsel over sin struggles in their hearts. Do you know God’s vision for your family? Do your children know it? Are you headed there together? Are you connected to your child’s heart? If your child is a toddler, now is the time to begin paving the way to family unity. If he is already a teenager, don’t miss this workshop. If God’s love can conquer unity challenges in the Razvi’s family of 13 children (8 adopted and 5 birth children), He can conquer those challenges in any family. Come hear our story and take away practical tools for developing family unity.

How, when, and why should you teach your kids about sex? This practical presentation is anchored in the Scripture where parents can learn how to use the Bible as a starting point for sex-ed in the home.

Learn how to set up boundaries for screen time, without your kids voting you off the island. Learn some of the common roadblocks that will keep you from finding media balance in your home and the tools that will make "I'm bored" a thing of the past.

Join Tom Clark as he offers an entertaining and educational session designed to help you discover the reasons behind the difficulty on several of the traditional trouble spots in math. Topics discussed will be determined by the audience and may include division of fractions and multiplication of decimals (using those mindless rules), long-division, story-problems, positive and negative numbers, and numerous others, all of which seem to indicate that mathematics is just naturally “difficult”.

Luke and Trisha take on some of the most common mistakes Christian parents make when it comes to sex education...and how to make changes today.

From trenches and truces on the Western Front to famous flying aces in the sky, let Linda Lacour Hobar (author of the award-winning series, The Mystery of History) walk you through an invigorating summary of what tweens and teens should know about World War I through unforgettable stories and Linda’s exclusive “5-4-3-2-1 Countdown.”

Why do earthquakes and volcanoes happen? Why are all continents shifting towards the Pacific? Why are the ocean trenches all arcs? Why is the moon so cratered? What is stumping the scientists about the current comet photos? Why do we have unique weather patterns? The answers are all related and might surprise you.

Bible memory is absolutely vital in our lives. Learn the benefits of Bible memory, how to choose passages of Scripture, and techniques that will allow your family to memorize Scripture quickly and effectively.

Want to better understand the headlines? Planning to teach modern history? Then you need “Modern History That Shook the World!” Join Linda Lacour Hobar, author of the award-winning series, The Mystery of History, as she recounts world-shaking events from the 20th century to present day from a biblical worldview. With vivid snapshots of the Cold War, the Formation of Israel, the War in Korea, the Collapse of the Soviet Union, and more, students and teachers will not only see the past more clearly, but be better prepared for the future!

Science doesn’t need to be a boring subject of textbooks and vocabulary. This workshop (for parents AND KIDS) shows you fun ways to learn about the Lord’s sky above with hands-on learning activities.

Doesn’t it seem that there’s only one legitimate path to success nowadays? Graduate from high school, go to college, and graduate with a degree you’ll most likely never use, accumulating a mountain of debt in the process. But, Moms, you homeschool BECAUSE you think outside the box. there are SO MANY options available to you! You’re already providing a unique education for your uniquely-crafted child. Don’t stop now! Your child can be wildly successful with OR WITHOUT college. Susan, whose six adult sons all followed non-traditional career paths and are wildly successful, will offer help, brainstorm ideas, and show you that homeschooling outside the box toward the future is an exciting endeavor. Have faith; be courageous!

Sarah and Grace Mally, two homeschool graduates, together with their father, will discuss the importance of being a Christ-centered family in an ungodly world. How can parents pass on a Biblical foundation? How can young people be prepared, not just for college or a career, but for the mighty works the Lord has called them to do? How can they avoid rebellion and shipwreck? How can they find purpose and gain zeal? When a family has an eternal mindset and takes initiative in ministry, the young people are given motivation and vision, the family learns to overcome struggles and work in harmony, and mighty works are accomplished for God’s kingdom. This workshop will give practical ideas, direction and encouragement to help children and young people become mighty warriors for Christ.

If you have a hyperactive or easily distractible child, you won’t want to miss this informative and sometimes humorous message shared from the perspective of a homeschooling father who was once a hyperactive homeschooled child himself. You will receive practical and Biblical insights into ADD/ADHD and encouragement that there is hope for your child!

Many parents say that one of their biggest struggles in home schooling is the bickering and fighting that occurs between their children. In this session, Sarah and Grace Mally, co-authors of the book Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends, will share how they have worked through pride, offenses, and irritations in their relationship, and learned to become best friends. This presentation, including ideas, insights, stories, and personal testimonies, is recommended for the entire family.

This workshop introduces methods that professional editors use to teach writing techniques to publishing staff, and how these methods can be applied in a homeschooling environment.

How do we get a witnessing conversation started? What if someone asks a question we can’t answer? What if we feel scared? How can we articulate the truth of the gospel with boldness, confidence, clarity and accuracy? In this session, Sarah and Grace Mally, together with their father Harold, share practical tips, ideas, and stories about how to effectively communicate the gospel to those around us. We only have one life to live, and it goes by quickly! Today’s Christian home school youth are in a position like Esther. God has raised them up “for such a time as this.” We need to work together and encourage each other. The question is, “Will our generation speak?”

This seminar takes you on a “fly’s eye view” of how publishing decisions are made, and gives you some tips on what you can do to get your material off the slush pile.

Music, composer study, artist study, handcrafts, folk songs, hymns, foreign language, free reading, and poetry. Do these sound like the always-just-out-of-reach, icing-on-the-cake courses? Do you feel you have too much else to do, and you just can’t fit in all these “fun studies”? Are these just special treats reserved for the super-organized mom sitting next to you at home school group? Well, Sue Pruett would like to encourage you that you CAN do these, and give your children the excellent education you desire for them! These subjects are just as vital as history, math, and science to your curriculum! Come, learn how you can have that icing on the cake – and give it to your children, as well – even first thing in the morning!

Writing that first draft of a large article or a book may seem daunting — and it is! But there are simple techniques that can help you break the job down into manageable steps. That’s what is revealed in this workshop.

Personally, I LOVE math. As a student, I would have been thrilled to have 50 or more math problems a day to work. I just loved to write the numbers, and coming up with the right answer was a BLAST! My husband also enjoyed math. I figured that my children would love math, too. Boy, was I wrong! It’s not easy teaching math to someone who just doesn’t want to learn it. Well, our family has been on quite a roller-coaster ride when it comes to learning math, but we have found peace. I want to share with you our journey, and how we came to a place where my children now look forward to math lessons…and I do, too! Charlotte Mason had the right answer for us, and she may just have the answer for you too.

It’s a basic fact of human nature — we tend to be blind to our own mistakes. (Otherwise, we wouldn’t make the same ones over and over again!) These tips on self-editing show you how to step out of your skin — to be “objective” in the truest sense of the word — and smooth out the rough spots in your manuscript.

You may have heard that “living books” are vital to an excellent education for your children. You may wonder, however, what is a “living book”? Is any book at my local library a living book? How can I tell? In this hour, Sue Pruett will define what a living book is, share examples of living books, and give you a guide on how to evaluate a book to determine if it is genuinely a living book. Sue will also share with you exactly how to use a living book in your child’s education, and show you just how EASY it is to use living books. You will be amazed at just how much can be accomplished with a few simple exercises – like copy work, for example. Join us this hour to learn how to cover all these subjects and more without driving you or your children mad!

Whether you are new to homeschooling, or a veteran of many years, the methods of Miss Charlotte Mason are worth checking into! In this seminar, Sue Pruett will introduce you to the gentle, natural, successful methods developed over a century ago by a woman dedicated to seeing that every child receive an excellent education. Sue will hit the highlights of a CM education in this introductory session.

Nature Studies sound so wonderful – and intimidating, don’t they? We are blessed to have a wonderful guide for us in Miss Charlotte Mason! She advocated getting children into the out of doors every day, in all kinds of weather and in all kinds of spaces. Whether you have no yard of your own at all, or you have acres of land right outside your door, it IS possible to give your children an excellent education about God’s creation. Join us at this session to discover how!

The goal of this session is to share the joy of designing and teaching unit studies. Learn how this unique approach to teaching uses real-life experiences, books, games, projects, and other resources to encourage students to deeply explore topics and to become life-long learners. Discover ways to integrate subjects to make learning more meaningful and fun. Realize the wealth of knowledge to be gained through unit studies as well as easy methods of constructing them.

If you’re a reader, you know how alluring strong story characters can be. They draw you in with their captivating personalities and keep you flipping pages to see what they’ll do next. Learn how you can create your own compelling characters that make readers beg for more!

In light of the fact that 66% of college students change their majors more than once and on the day of graduation 40% of college graduates wish they had a different major, it’s important to start early and take this decision seriously. Individuals often make decisions without much thought and with limited information. When it comes to choosing a college, major, or career there are many options and things to consider. With universities spending a lot of money to recruit students, there are five essential questions that need to be asked, and there are five activities that your children can start doing today and throughout their education that will pay big dividends after graduation, helping them to progress into adulthood.

When embarking upon this exciting journey of home education, figuring out which curriculum to choose for your child can seem daunting. In this very practical workshop, Linda will give an objective overview of the different learning styles and help you understand the most common teaching approaches including textbook, living books, unit studies, classical, Charlotte Mason, eclectic, unschooling, and more. Let Linda help you narrow down your choices and take the guesswork out of choosing curriculum. This workshop will boost your confidence in making educational decisions for success in your homeschool.

Picasso claimed, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” Does your homeschool dust need to be washed away with some invigorating art ideas? Come and glean from Linda Crosby’s 30+ years of art education. Knowing that art captures the visual learner, entertains the kinesthetic learner, and awakens language learning skills, Linda determined to use art in every area of their homeschool to meet the varied needs of her children. Through her humor and life experiences, she will inspire you to branch out and experiment with art history, techniques, supplies, and ideas.

“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” ~ Benjamin Franklin. As a homeschool parent, it is imperative that you have a plan in place for the success of your homeschool. Veteran homeschool mom, Linda Crosby, will show you how to lay out your year, month, week and day with schedules that will allow for flexibility in your homeschool. This practical session will get you started on the right foot with a workable schedule to keep you aimed in the right direction at the areas that are most important to you. Linda will present a variety of schedules to give you planning ideas, as well as helpful hints for dealing with interruptions, housework and chores, keeping the toddler occupied, fitting it all in, eliminating time stealers, setting goals for your child, plus more. Come join Linda and plan to succeed!

Okay, we’ve all heard that boys are from Mars. If you’ve ever tried to homeschool one of these little ‘aliens’ (who measure success by the loudness of their armpit farts), you’ll surely believe it. Once they hit the teen years, their alien-ness can seem to rob them of what little humanness they had (at least that’s the way it looks from our female point of view). How, oh, how do you begin to teach these miniature men that are so different from yourself? Susan, homeschool mother of seven boys (six already graduated and all seven following hard after God), will humorously share with you the joy and fun of teaching boys, and gently lead you to love and admire your sons, and to enjoy the journey in this laughter-and-wisdom-filled workshop.

Do you have days when you simply need to get out of the house? Are the kids ready and willing to set aside their indoor work for a while? You’ll be inspired to discover the joy of venturing outdoors as Linda shares her ideas and expertise about field trips! Whether it’s once a week or once a month, use field trips to enhance the learning in your homeschool. Two-and-a-half of Linda’s first 12 years of homeschooling were designated field trip years with extensive study specifically focused on learning away from home. Come and hear lively tales of hiking through cave dwellings, chasing sheep into pens, sailing on a tall ship, escaping on the Underground Railroad and many more! Uncover the wonder of God’s world with your children and broaden their homeschool experience.

One of the most important aspects of homeschooling is to prepare our children well for what comes next. Some of the topics covered in this session are how to determine direction and interests, exploring and preparing for college majors or vocations, conducting a college or career search, and preparing spiritually for life after homeshool. High school curriculum, transcripts, tests, college visits and applications will be covered in this session. We will also discuss relevant books and websites that will help you in this vital role.

Homeschooling high school can seem intimidating. This is an informational session for those with children approaching high school or in high school. Basic information about transcripts, credits, tests, course descriptions, and some of the options available for high school courses and curriculum will be presented. This overview is designed to provide insight and encouragement as you enter this new phase of the homeschooling adventure.

Every aspiring novelist knows about the basics: setting, dialogue, character, plot. But there are even more foundational aspects of writing, little-known though they are, that can make a creative world of difference.

Sports can be an excellent tool to help train your child. Through healthy competition, one can foster key character traits in the development of a child. Dr. Lainna Callentine, a pediatrician, and her husband, D.R. Callentine — both former Division I Big Ten Scholarship athletes — will share the impact sports has made on their lives and the lives of their children. They will discuss sports competition, encouraging your children, recreation vs. competitive play, and college recruiting. Come to this interactive session and hear about the good, the bad, and the ugly of sports.

From toddlers to teens, kids today are growing up with technology. In many ways, technology is great. The Internet brings many opportunities for education, entertainment, and communication; however, many dangers exist online—dangers your kids need to be prepared to handle. Learn how to talk to your kids about sexualized media and pornography, and discover proven methods for raising discerning, media-literate kids.

Science offers an opportunity for your child to explore, wonder, and learn about our awesome God and the order He has placed in our world. Unfortunately, science is also one of those fields of study that many homeschooling parents find extremely intimidating. Dr. Callentine will help you unpack and address your concerns. Whether your student is currently in high school or in the elementary grades, you will be armed and ready.