¿Estás considerando educar a tus hijos en casa, pero no sabes por dónde empezar? Esta conferencia es para ti. Si eres nuevo en el mundo del homeschool y estás pensando iniciar esta aventura educativa el próximo año escolar, te invitamos a participar en esta charla especialmente diseñada para familias que están dando sus primeros pasos en esta modalidad. Durante la conferencia, abordaremos de manera clara y práctica el proceso legal y administrativo necesario para comenzar con la educación en el hogar en el estado de Pennsylvania. Hablaremos sobre los requisitos iniciales, los documentos que debes preparar, y los plazos que debes tener en cuenta. También discutiremos cómo elegir un evaluador al final del año escolar, un paso clave para cumplir con las regulaciones estatales. Además, exploraremos brevemente los distintos estilos de aprendizaje, lo que te permitirá identificar cuál se adapta mejor a las necesidades y personalidad de tus hijos. Por último, te compartiremos consejos útiles para seleccionar un plan de estudios adecuado y te ofreceremos herramientas que facilitarán tu inicio en este nuevo camino educativo. ¡Ven con tus preguntas y con la mente abierta para descubrir todo lo que el homeschooling puede ofrecer a tu familia! This session will be in Spanish. Are you considering homeschooling your children but don’t know where to start? This session is for you. If you're new to the world of homeschooling and are thinking about starting this educational journey in the upcoming school year, we invite you to join this talk designed specifically for families taking their first steps into home education. During the session, we will explain the legal process required to begin homeschooling in the state of Pennsylvania. We'll cover the initial requirements, the documents you need to prepare, and the important deadlines to keep in mind. We will also discuss how to choose an end-of-year evaluator—a key step to meet state regulations. In addition, we’ll briefly explore different learning styles to help you determine which one best fits your child’s needs and personality. Finally, we’ll share practical tips on how to select the right curriculum and provide tools that will help you start this new educational journey with confidence.

Join award-winning author CJ Milacci as she shares her journey from aspiring writer to published author. In this encouraging and practical session, CJ breaks down the essential building blocks every writer needs, including: discovering your "why" mastering the craft, embracing different seasons of growth, and building meaningful connections in the writing community. Whether your student dreams of writing novels or simply wants to improve their storytelling skills, they'll learn valuable insights about the writing and publishing process. CJ shares hard-won wisdom about balancing creative passion with practical steps, the importance of perseverance, and how to maintain vision through challenges.

Take pieces of your real life—or things from your imagination—and create a story! Award-winning middle grade author Becca Wierwille shares her story creation process with young readers and encourages them to create stories from their own lives and imaginations. This presentation includes details about Becca’s story creation process, tips for students who want to create their own stories, a group writing exercise, an opportunity for young readers to workshop with each other and practice creating their own stories, and Q&A time at the end.

Discover simple, practical strategies for keeping your home organized while homeschooling, helping you avoid overwhelm and stay on track. From creating routines to managing household tasks, you’ll gain insights on balancing home life and homeschooling more effectively. We’ll keep it real and offer tips that fit into your busy day-to-day. By the end, you’ll have a game plan to make home and school life run a little smoother.

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.

Are you a writer, performer or storyteller who struggles to finish what you start? Join us for a two-session crash course in Story Analysis – the structural side of storytelling. Together, we will pull back the curtain on the mechanics of three-act structure, connect the art of storytelling to Biblical principles, and give you the tools to maximize your own creative process. This interactive seminar is presented by Sight & Sound Conservatory.

New to homeschooling, and/or new to filing and following the PA homeschool law, or thinking about homeschooling in the future? We will talk about filing for the first time, withdrawing from public school, how to find groups, mentors and evaluators. We will also discuss styles of homeschooling, a typical day, finding curriculum and other resources.

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!

Join Haleigh in this second part of the crash course in Story Analysis – the structural side of storytelling. Oh – and in less than 90 minutes, we will put a full story together. The clock is ticking! This interactive seminar is presented by Sight & Sound Conservatory.

Wondering how to make sure the most important things get done each day? In this workshop, we’ll dive into practical scheduling hacks to help homeschool moms manage their day more effectively. From long-term planning strategies like year-round schooling to block scheduling, we’ll explore approaches that work for busy homeschool moms. You’ll also get tips for handling those everyone needs you at once moments. By the end, you’ll walk away with a clear, realistic scheduling plan that helps you focus on your kids, not the chaos.

Once upon a time, when Ginger was just getting started on her homeschool journey, she misunderstood the requirements that are laid out in the homeschool law. Over the years, she's met many other moms who have done the same. Join Ginger as she dispels the myths and explains what the homeschool law is really saying regarding both elementary and secondary education.

Learn how to successfully launch your first book using Kickstarter's crowdfunding platform. This practical session covers essential strategies for engaging readers, funding publishing costs, and building a supportive community before your book hits the shelves. Perfect for aspiring teen and adult authors, you'll discover: How to determine if Kickstarter is right for your project Critical preparation steps for a successful campaign Ways to build your audience before launch Tips for creating compelling rewards Common pitfalls to avoid Led by award-winning author, C.J. Milacci who has run several successful Kickstarters for her books and mentored other writers through successful Kickstarter campaigns

Come explore the most popular homeschooling styles—Classical, Charlotte Mason, Unschooling, and Eclectic—and discover which one feels like the best fit for your family. We’ll walk through 9 key questions that will help you assess your family’s needs, goals, and lifestyle. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to fine-tune your approach, you’ll leave with a better idea of how to create the perfect homeschool experience for you and your kids.

All homeschool parents can understand the law. We will break down the PA homeschool law into smaller chunks and talk about compulsory age, filing with affidavits/unsworn declarations, objectives, evaluations, medical records, portfolios, logs, testing, attendance, evaluations and graduating.

How do you get your book from a Word document on your computer into the hands of readers? In this workshop we will walk through the self-publishing process, from editing and formatting, to websites, finances, and getting your book on Amazon. You'll learn how to make your book look professional, and what steps to take if you're ready to hit "publish." Perfect for aspiring young authors who want to turn their passion for writing into a published book.

Children of all abilities can be frustrating when they don't behave. Can I get an Amen? Children with special needs can make us want to throw in the towel as we often lack confidence in our parenting, especially when it comes to behavior management. What do they understand? What are they actually capable of? What does it mean to exasperate my child? We'll talk about ditches we walk in, how to get out, and most importantly, strategies to manage behavior so you and your children with special needs can succeed in your daily life. You can do this!

This workshop addresses a crucial but frequently misunderstood topic related to special needs homeschooling. In this content-rich workshop, Cheri Kay explains the difference between accommodations and modifications, describes 504 Plans, and answers homeschooling parents’ most frequently asked questions regarding the best ways to support learners who benefit from accommodations.

Join Sarah Collins, OTR/L, in this insightful seminar as she explores primitive reflexes' role in children's learning. Sarah will define primitive reflexes and discuss their influence on motor skills, attention, and sensory processing. Through practical insights, participants will learn to identify signs of reflex retention and discover effective intervention strategies. Backed by research, Sarah will provide resources for integrating primitive reflexes, empowering attendees to support children's optimal development. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your understanding and practice in nurturing children's growth.

This two-part interactive workshop helps homeschool moms understand learning differences affecting children’s cognitive and perceptual abilities, particularly in visual and auditory processing and working memory. Participants will explore characteristics of dyslexic tendencies and processing disorders, recognize common challenges, and identify behaviors linked to learning struggles. Through hands-on simulations, moms will experience the frustrations children face, gaining valuable insight into their challenges. The workshop also provides practical, home-based interventions to reduce learning stress. By fostering empathy and equipping parents with effective strategies, this workshop empowers them to create a supportive learning environment where their children can thrive.

Have you pulled your child out of public school where he or she used to have an IEP (Individual Education Plan)? In this workshop, you’ll learn the purposes and benefits of an SEP, the homeschool version of an IEP. You’ll receive guidance on drafting your own SEP, explore sample plans, obtain your own template, and leave with a resource list of books to set you and your student up for success.

When our kids don't fit right in an easy-to-teach box we sometimes think we are not cut out for this job, and I'm here to tell you that you are indeed perfect for it. You'll leave with practical tips on how to set goals for your child, how to prioritize skills, how to stay encouraged, how to choose or modify curriculum, and more. We'll end with a Q&A time, so bring your questions!

This two-part interactive workshop helps homeschool moms understand learning differences affecting children’s cognitive and perceptual abilities, particularly in visual and auditory processing and working memory. Participants will explore characteristics of dyslexic tendencies and processing disorders, recognize common challenges, and identify behaviors linked to learning struggles. Through hands-on simulations, moms will experience the frustrations children face, gaining valuable insight into their challenges. The workshop also provides practical, home-based interventions to reduce learning stress. By fostering empathy and equipping parents with effective strategies, this workshop empowers them to create a supportive learning environment where their children can thrive. PART 2: In the second part of this presentation, we will explore the auditory system and learn about auditory processing, auditory memory, auditory figure ground, and auditory discrimination. Participants will engage in simulations that mimic difficulty with these systems, discover common behaviors that can indicate difficulty with the auditory system and learn about how to help support children with these difficulties.

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.

Have you ever wondered why your child lost so much ground over the summer? Or why their frustration in a certain subject just keeps snowballing? Neuroscience is exploding as a field right now and we know more about the brain and how we learn and retain new information than ever before. The brain is an amazing part of God’s design and the latest research can help us work with that design instead of against it. In this session, Kathryn summarizes the research she found most helpful as a homeschool mom and offers practical tips on how to apply it to your homeschool day.

Despite years of formal education, American students still struggle with writing—a problem that often follows them to college, where remedial writing classes are increasingly common yet ineffective. Studies show that nearly 20% of college graduates lack cohesive writing skills, revealing the shortcomings of today’s standardized methods. In this talk, Jeannie shares time-tested techniques that have cultivated strong writers for centuries, long before modern systems interfered. You’ll learn practical tools to help your child become a confident, capable writer who can competently express thoughts and ideas. Discover how to replace ineffective methods with an approach that builds lasting skills in clarity, communication, and creativity.

In a world overflowing with screens, games, and constant digital distractions, it’s time to reconnect our children with the natural world. Nature study lays the foundation for scientific observation and critical thinking, with proven benefits for both mind and body. Yet, introducing nature study can often feel overwhelming. In this talk, Jeannie shares practical tips to make nature study simple, rewarding, and engaging for your family. Discover how to cultivate a love for the outdoors while nurturing curiosity, focus, and a deeper connection to the world around us.

Science is more than just facts and data—it’s a gateway to wonder, curiosity, and creativity, inspiring a lifelong love for learning. In this talk, Jeannie reveals five essential steps to cultivate a science education that not only builds a strong foundation in scientific thinking but also deepens your child’s understanding of God’s creation. Discover how to nurture observation skills, confidence in scientific comprehension, and a pursuit of truth that aligns with faith. Equip your child with the tools to explore the world through a lens of wonder and reverence for the Creator, fostering a love for science that endures.