Technology is inescapable, but it is not the enemy. Using these critical action steps, you can learn to manage technology so it does not manage you. It can be a great tool for ourselves and for our families.

Explore how to tailor your homeschooling curriculum to match your child’s unique learning style. This session delves into understanding various learning modalities and practical strategies for selecting or adapting curriculum materials accordingly. Whether you're a novice or an experienced homeschooler, discover how to create a personalized learning experience that aligns with your child's strengths and interests.

Learning Styles Handout

Gain a fresh perspective on how your children’s actions and attitudes help you discover their natural bent, so you can plan strategies that will help them grow into the persons they were created to be. We’ll peel back the layers to reveal pieces of the puzzle that go beyond the usual “auditory, kinesthetic, and visual” discussions. This workshop will provide you with insight into your children on a new level to help you reach and teach them more effectively.

Discover how to use reading and writing to teach your kids how to think for themselves. Starting with young students, Kerry takes you through from littles to teens, showing how you can develop critical and biblical thinking skills. By the time she addresses the high school ages, you’ll know how to use great, living books and writing to prepare your kids to think for themselves and make wise decisions instead of following the crowd. Plus, you’ll love her ideas on how to incorporate your read-alouds in this process.

You can’t do everything, but did you know that you shouldn’t even try? In this message, you’ll learn how independent learning decreases burn out, helps students excel, and equips them for life. This workshop will give you the tools to guide your child as they gradually transition to learning independently, whether you have preschoolers or high schoolers!

In every generation, except the last two or three, parents have taught their children how to grow their own food, keep animals, and provide for their basic needs. With wit and wisdom, this talk presents some ways parents can teach their children homesteading skills and mend the chain that has been broken from the generations before ours.

Many parents slowly progress away from hands-on learning as their student nears high school level classes. But, for students who have difficulty with understanding abstract concepts through traditional instruction, the removal of multi-sensory and discovery-style instruction makes the leap to high school not only challenging but also often very discouraging. In this talk, Peggy Ployhar, the CEO of SPED Homeschool, covers practical ways to build high school credit courses for a homeschool student using unit studies and encourages her audience to do the same in this interactive workshop. You will leave this talk encouraged and equipped to start, or continue, your homeschooling high school journey using unit studies.

Do you find it hard to relate to and teach your children who have different learning/processing styles than you do? Understanding how your student processes information can be the key you need to help them unlock a love of learning. In this session, we will be exploring the neurobiology behind information processing and decision making. The focus will primarily be on how the right brain and left brain function and work together. As we develop applications for understanding communication, you’ll begin to understand why the same message can have vastly different meanings for two people. Take-home applications will help improve communication, relating, and efficiency in learning. Dr. Joe has an engaging way of making the complex simple, and while his two sessions aren't connected, it will be helpful to attend both as you will learn two sides of a coin (how information is processed and how an individual relates to the world around). This session is more focused on external interpretation than internal processes.

“The Principality of Mathematics is a mountainous land, but the air is very fine and health-giving.” (Charlotte Mason) Is this indicative of junior high and/or high school math in your home? Are you enjoying the fine air and taking in the summit view, or does the air feel thin and your student is seemingly stuck hiking in a circle? In this workshop we will learn how to help students retrace their steps in order to build a more solid understanding of place value, fractions, decimals, integers, and exponents. Then with this firm ground under our feet, we will navigate how to breathe life into your upper level math lessons through hands on discovery and practical examples of algebra and geometry concepts. A world of truth and beauty awaits to be found in this mountainous land!

Your child struggles with some part of learning, or perhaps has given up. How do you help them begin again? How do you establish wise goals? How will you tell when you’ve reached them? Learn how to work around areas of weakness, strengthen them, and adapt curriculum. Get tips on how to keep going and to help your child keep going.

The turmoil of the tween/preteen years between nine and thirteen usually catches parents by surprise. Diligent students become addled and distracted. Kids raised in church start questioning the existence of God. Sweet children seem to climb on an emotional rollercoaster – and then invite you to join them. Don’t get a ticket for that ride! Instead, learn to resist the temptation to lose it yourself and to shepherd our children through this challenging age at this funny and all-too-real workshop — and lay a foundation to make the teen years great!

Homeschooling provides an education that is beyond comparison with any other method. That said, Idaho code requires that homeschoolers provide instruction, “in subjects commonly and usually taught in the public schools.” This is often summed up as a requirement to provide a “comparable education.” But how are we to meet that requirement without stifling the amazing educational freedom that homeschooling offers? Join Linda Patchin as she unpacks various teaching methods used by homeschoolers and how they can each meet, and exceed, the statutory requirement of a “comparable education.”

Do your children struggle with learning hard concepts or facts but can quote their favorite movie to you verbatim? Join me as we discuss how and when to use educational apps to help your children master hard concepts and learn facts without the tears. Cherie will share some of her favorite learning apps. If you have favorites please be prepared to share about them.

Charlotte Mason emphasized the importance of learning the history of our native country, neighboring countries, and the world. I’ll share helpful resources and tips on how to integrate geography, literature, art, music, movement, and nature study into your history lessons — resulting in a joyful education. “Our aim in education is to give a full life.” -Charlotte Mason

Are we teaching the right things at the right time? Will there be gaps if we teach outside the box? This session is all about fostering a love of learning and creating a flexible, interest-driven curriculum all while meeting the academic needs of your kids and keeping the important things in focus.

Can you overcome self-doubt and lack of experience to teach the harder subjects like pre-algebra, chemistry, or English literature? Instead of putting it off, find out what your options are! Karri Iverson, veteran homeschooling mom and author of The Mystery of Science series, will share how she’s used resources available to teach her kids through high school.

Will Christian curriculum look any different from public school curriculum when it comes to subjects like history, science, and literature? As the author of most of the Christian Family Discipleship Curriculum provided by Generations, Kevin Swanson discusses the fundamental and radical differences a Christian worldview provides in these subjects.

Unpack the frequently asked questions of how to homeschool struggling learners and those who learn differently. Be encouraged and equipped as Rochelle shares diagnostic checklists for struggling learners, discusses common roadblocks homeschooling parents face (and how to navigate them), and gives strategies for achieving success with your children who learn differently.

How to start, where to find curriculum, when to school, and what a typical day looks like are some of the areas discussed. Get an understanding of Rule 13 and gain valuable information for your homeschool journey. This workshop is a MUST for new homeschoolers.

Teaching high school does not have to be intimidating. It can be fun and engaging. Dara will share tips and tricks for successfully navigating your child through the teen years and on to the next years of work and/or college. She will have resource lists and reading lists, emotional support ideas for the teenager and parents, classes needed lists and how to set up a transcript with a transcript template included.

This session offers a discussion of learners who experience some form of disability or learning challenge alongside an exceptional gift. You’ll come away with a broader understanding of how different exceptionalities can manifest themselves within learning styles and preview resources that match your child’s unique learning profile. Ultimately, this workshop will enable you to spend less time searching for resources and more time nurturing your child’s gifts.

This workshop addresses some of the challenges associated with teaching struggling or atypical learners at home in the high school years. Do you have questions such as “How do I award my teen with special needs a diploma?” or “What do I do when my teen with dyslexia can’t read high school-level material?” Rochelle discusses alternative coursework, specialized curricula and learning materials, assistive technology, transcript options, possible graduation guidelines, high school programs for special learners, and post-high school options. She also offers tips for navigating the process of applying for testing accommodations for College Board tests.

Do your children have interest in computers? Do all the "teach your kids coding" materials out there make you dizzy? This workshop will help you cut through the noise and give you the real-world resources to help encourage your child(ren) further into the world of computing.

Participants will be better prepared to implement effective reading instruction for their child who struggles with reading by gaining a deeper understanding of the five components of literacy instruction -- phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. They will learn how to use available screeners to accurately place children in a reading intervention, using phonics and word-reading screeners, spelling screeners, and phonemic awareness screeners.

Could you use some encouragement and strategies to help reignite your student’s love of learning? If so, this session is for you! There are many factors that impact a child’s motivation level—stress, executive function, nutritional needs, media usage, and more. With a little bit of theory and a whole lot of practical application, Rochelle equips parents with the tools they need to tap into their child’s God-given gift of curiosity.

In this session, Llora will give an introduction and explanation to homeschooling through high school. From creating a four-year plan, selecting courses, and figuring grade point average, to preparing for college.

Alysia will share tips and tricks to help you experience success and joy in teaching your child with Dyslexia at home. Learn about what Orton-Gillingham/Structured Literacy is, how it applies to every subject matter, ways to accommodate and modify curricula, and most importantly, how to support your child’s self-esteem so that he/she may know and believe God’s perfectly planned purpose for his/her amazing brain.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed with the demands of parenting? Life is certainly a challenge for parents, and especially those who accept the added responsibility of home education. But there are ways to make life easier and more productive, and this workshop discusses some of those. Marilyn Boyer, mother of fourteen children and a veteran home educator of more than forty years' experience, shares her techniques for accomplishing a mammoth amount of housework while giving her children a superior education at the same time.

This engaging workshop will review several different teaching approaches found in homeschooling, and then help attendees identify resources and curricula to fit their family’s particular style. Just getting started in homeschooling? Needing to refocus and redefine what homeschooling could look like for your family? Come benefit from Nancy’s over 30 years of experience and enjoy her dynamic style.

Gain a fresh perspective on how your children’s actions and attitudes help you discover their natural bent, so you can plan strategies that will help them grow into the person they were created to be. We’ll peel back the layers to reveal pieces of the puzzle that go beyond the usual “auditory, kinesthetic, and visual” discussions. This workshop will provide you with insight into your children on a new level to help you reach and teach them more effectively.

Before mass compulsory schooling,students learned to investigate, reason, and form independent attitudes. Today's home educating parents are discovering many exciting ways to get beyond packaged curriculum and experience real books, real experiences, real relationships-real learning.

The choices are overwhelming! The multiple approaches and options of curriculum makes our heads spin. Some decisions matter most that lead to homeschool success. This session will help you feel more confident in many of the decisions you face. You will gain insights about teaching multiple ages, schedules, co-ops, on-line learning, extra curricular activities and more.

Sensory concerns are rising, and they can quickly cause stress on a homeschool day. During this session, Alysia will share her experience as a pediatric occupational therapist working with children with various sensory needs. Learn about the sensory systems, therapy techniques to implement immediately in your homes, daily rhythms that support a sensory diverse learner, and ways to begin to understand your own sensory system and how that impacts how you teach and respond to your children.

This session is a practical and encouraging overview of the simple yet effective methods used in the Charlotte Mason approach. You will learn about Charlotte and experience using her methods for yourself during the session.

You might feel like Alice falling down the rabbit hole, but it can all be explained! This session will give you a brief overview of educational styles and curricula choices to help you navigate which way to go. Different styles are for different people, and we will give you an honest evaluation of the various choices with the pros and cons of each type. Tips to discern who you are, who your children are, and what will work for you will help you to hone in on appropriate choices for your year.

Learn about the tools that teach your children how to think well and develop an understanding of any subject, topic, or trade. Using the Seven Wonders of the ancient world as a springboard, we will model these tools allowing you to experience them yourself!

Yes, you can use Charlotte Mason's principles and methods with a special needs child. Sonya shares what she has learned from more than 15 years of teaching her daughter with autism, pervasive developmental delays, and language processing issues.

The world of homeschooling is a lot like the world of food. You know that you want to provide nutritious meals for your children’s minds, but there are so many possibilities for what that food could look like and taste like. Join Sonya for a simple overview of five main flavors of homeschooling: traditional, classical, Charlotte Mason, unit studies, unschooling. Find your preferred flavor and learn how to shop for a successful homeschool menu.

Cut the cost of college tuition in half! This popular workshop will share how to accelerate the first two years of college by earning credit for subjects your student may already be studying in high school. The College Board’s College Level Examination Program (CLEP) along with Prometric’s DSST program are nationally recognized credit- by-exam programs that offer over 70 different exams, allowing students to test out of courses generally taken the first two years of college. Whether your student is gifted, motivated, or looking for purpose, this workshop will help save time and money earning a college degree. Teens are encouraged to attend with you.

Does the subject of literature seem like a mystery? Are you a loss about how to understand it yourself, much less teach it to your kids? This inspiring lecture demonstrates that everything you need to know about understanding and teaching literature is present in your second grader’s bedtime story. Adam reads a classics children’s story out loud and then leads the audience into a discussion of eternal literary themes. Along the way, he shows how you can do the same at home by following five simple steps. Your literature curriculum – to say nothing of family story time – will come alive automatically. You’ll never put the kids to bed the same way again!

Add the Wonder Nature Curriculum is a multi-age, cross-disciplinary curriculum that capitalizes on the wonder that exists around us to learn many subjects all at once in a family setting. By adding elements of fascination, this curriculum helps learning stick and beyond that, it causes each member of the family to be more aware of the daily miracles surrounding them. Learn how to implement Add the Wonder Nature Curriculum into your homeschool and why it is a great fit for today's learners!!

If you love the idea of a flexible curriculum guided by your child's interests but aren't sure how to make that happen without holes or headaches, this session is for you. 20+ year veteran homeschool mom Kim Sorgius will show you how to create your own curriculum plans for your child's interests, using tools and resources to make the job easy. It's time to think outside of the box!

Gone are the days when people would choose a career and stick with it for life. Many careers these days last less than three years and the majority of 20-year-olds will have four career changes within that decade. In fact, it is likely that the careers they will have, haven't even been invented yet. How are we supposed to prepare our homeschooled children for a world we can't predict? Lean research backed ways to ensure your homeschooler is prepared for an uncertain future.

A unit study that will cover all your subjects but math for all your kids from kindergarten to grade 12-- it seems too good to be true. Listen to the story of Gather 'Round Homeschool: kingdom-based teaching that connects every subject, unites your whole family around the table, and brings it all back to Jesus. No more bouncing around from one subject to the next or one child to the next. What if you could do school with all your kids together? From the philosophy, the values, and the approach, if you've been considering Gather 'Round or are looking for something new for this next school year, don't miss this message.

Are you a frustrated homeschooling parent? Many homeschooling parents struggle with stress, anger, and discouragement. Kathie discusses several causes of frustration, and then tells how to deal with them. She also stresses the importance of dealing with anger, and having the right spirit in dealing with our children.

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.

Most Christian parents want to teach their children theology and Bible doctrine, but aren't sure how to go about it. Learn the difference between primary and secondary doctrines and how to help your children protect themselves against cults and false religions that would seek to woo them away from true Christian faith.

At some time in our future, is it imaginable that freedom of speech and freedom of religion could be suppressed where we live? History would indicate so. How do we prepare ourselves and our families for such a contingency? What curriculum might best prepare us for persecution, even martyrdom? How do we cultivate necessary virtues without sparking burdensome fears? This may not be a pleasant subject to contemplate, but perhaps it will be an important one.

Is Education a neutral subject? Does God have a preference for how He wants children to be educated? What does the Bible teach about schooling? Is there one correct path for education? Are public schools a viable option for Christians? Why do you homeschool? When your children are grown, what will define success for you? What is the difference between a Biblical view of education, and the way most Christian parents (even homeschoolers) educate their children? These questions and more will be discussed in this engaging presentation.

This message is for anyone who is homeschooling a child that just doesn't seem to be "into" it. Books aren't really their thing, and the idea of writing is deplorable. Rebecca will introduce you to her spunky 12-year-old son, Malakai, who doesn't fit the mold of a book learner. You'll be laughing through the stories of these amazing kids who stretch us beyond what we thought was possible and walk away with some practical tips of how to understand the child you have and tweak your expectations to line up with the gift that God gave you.

In the last few decades, childhood has largely moved inside. With so many great opportunities that vie for our time, it's easy to consider outside play as frivolous. In this session, Ginny Yurich, founder of 1000 Hours Outside, reveals how "just" playing outside offers a myriad of developmental benefits to your child and how these benefits will extend through adulthood. Do less and yet gain more with nature immersion!

For over ten years now, Todd has been reminding moms and dads of the truth behind homeschooling. He tell them it's about relationships and letting their children be what God has created them to be, and on and on and on.. Moms often come up and say, " I believe everything you say..but how do I do that? How do I homeschool in light of all these truths?" Well, Madam Homeschooler, Todd is going to show you. Join him as we get down to the nuts and bolts of homeschooling in light of these truths. Buckle your seat-belts and hold onto your seats.

(Michele Earles) Hear about the tools that teach your children how to think well and develop understanding of any subject, topic, or trade. Using the Seven Wonders of the ancient world as a springboard, we will model these tools allowing you to experience them yourself!

Experience Classical Education in action! We will model and practice the three arts of the trivium: grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric. Using the life of Christopher Columbus as a springboard, this interactive session will demonstrate how learning progresses throughout a student’s life.

Whether you are a parent seeking to motivate your reluctant learner, or you desire to break through your own limitations, you will make more progress if you learn to listen better and ask the right questions (the right way!). Learn how you can help yourself and others recognize hidden assumptions and overcome obstacles through learning the art of asking questions.

Experience Classical Education in action! With the Renaissance as a springboard, this interactive session will demonstrate how learning progresses throughout a student’s life.

In this workshop, Karen will discuss the characteristics of the four personality types: Popular Sanguine, Powerful Choleric, Perfect Melancholy, and Peaceful Phlegmatic. Then she will discuss how these different personality types learn and how to apply these characteristics in how you teach/train your children.

The value of hands-on sensory experiences is still significant for the early elementary years. While our attention turns more to building phonics skills and learning math facts, most children don’t love the transition from all fun to more traditional schoolwork. This workshop will help you balance structured lessons with the sensory input and engaging learning activities children need to love school.

Experience the Classical Education Model (while learning about triangles) (Michele Earles) Experience Classical Education in action! We will model and practice the three arts of the trivium: grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric. Using the triangles as a springboard, this interactive session will demonstrate how learning progresses throughout a student’s life.

We can never underestimate the importance and necessity of reading. R.E.A.D. - Read. Examine. Apply. Do. The key to retention is unlocked in this session that encourages all students to read, examine, apply, and do what they read from the Word of God.

Online courses are a great tool to teach the subjects that you don’t feel comfortable or competent teaching. Your child needs to be prepared for a different type of learning experience. This talk will focus on what the parent should look for in an online course, what types to avoid and how to guide your child during the course to ensure a successful experience. We will also explore the proper balance of online and parent-taught courses.

For too many kids, their only outlet is … an outlet. Are your kids bored and grouchy unless they are plugged in to the Internet or a video game? What ever happened to catching frogs, picking dandelions, climbing trees, and lying in the grass to watch clouds? There is an outdoor world waiting to be discovered. Every child should explore the wonders of God’s creation because of three truths that can be found in one of the most exciting classrooms, the one outside.

This workshop offers practical resources, lists of materials, and curricula to equip you as you work with a struggling learner in your homeschool. Krisa presents ideas for designing a unique home instruction program tailored to your child’s specific challenges.

Textbooks have their place, but all textbooks and no fun makes a lot of homeschoolers want to throw schooling out the window! Get ideas about how to carry on the spontaneity of homeschooling fun through the high school years without compromising on the necessary knowledge needed to get into college. Having five boys in or through college, she has insight and experience about what is really required to attend college. She will inspire your creative genius to think outside the textbook box and enjoy the last few years your teenager will be home.

The Bess Streeter Aldrich Foundation is committed to providing a number of FREE resources to help the next generation enhance their reading/writing skills, explore pioneer history, and learn about Nebraska Hall of Fame author Bess Streeter Aldrich. Come learn about all the ways you can challenge your students while working within a small budget: short story contest, traveling trunks, novel unit of study for A Lantern in Her Hand, botany lessons, children's literature exhibit, and field trips at the Aldrich House.

Does your child have a learning disability or severe special needs? Have you pulled your child out of public school where he used to have an IEP (individual education plan)? Learn the purposes and benefits of writing an SEP (student education plan), the homeschool version of an IEP. This workshop provides guidance on drafting an SEP. Look at sample student education plans and receive a template of a Student Education Plan, as well as a resource list of books that will assist in drafting a homeschool student education plan

(This is a duplicate of Friday session 304) How to start, where to find curriculum, when to school, and what a typical day looks like are some of the areas discussed. Get an understanding of Rule 13 and gain valuable information for your homeschool journey. This workshop is a MUST for new homeschoolers.

Are you looking for a way to make your “basic” academics come alive? Unit studies take the “we have to know this” lessons of reading, writing, math, handwriting, and communication and put them into practice. Your children will be excited to dig deeply into the topics that delight their hearts as they read real books, complete hands-on projects, and learn how to passionately present their findings to the whole family. Unit studies don’t have to be intimidating and time consuming. Join Megan and discover how the Hub and Spoke system of unit study preparation will open up new avenues of learning for your whole family.

We all want our children to be effective communicators, but which curriculum is best? Let's take the pressure off! The secret to teaching writing isn't wrapped up in which curriculum you choose. We'll explore some down-to-earth, hands-on ideas that you can adapt to your own teaching style, your students' learning styles, and your family's daily schedule to help writing instruction work your way. We will work through age-appropriate strategies, time saving devices, solutions for writing meltdowns, pros and cons of different curriculum choices, and troubleshooting writing woes.

Twenty-two years ago, Marcia began using the Structure of Intellect (SOI) assessment to help each student and adult discover how they can do their best. She helps with visual, auditory, and sensory-balance enrichment; dyslexia intervention; screening for Irlen light sensitivity overload that may be causing problems with focusing, visual fatigue, headaches, reading delays; or a number of other possible challenges that can interfere with learning and behavior.

This session focuses on the use of evidence-based instruction methods that address the core issues of autism spectrum disorders: communication and social skills. It integrates developmental perspectives and strategies to provide practical, functional intervention approaches that you can easily implement within your daily homeschool routine.

Homeschool veterans toss around terms like unit studies, classical education, Charlotte Mason, and more, never dreaming how confusing it can be for someone new. Understand the different approaches available and get practical help in making this next year of homeschooling enjoyable and effective!

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.

This engaging workshop will review several different teaching approaches found in homeschooling, and then help attendees identify resources and curricula to fit their family’s particular style. Are you just getting started homeschooling? Needing to refocus and redefine what homeschooling could look like for your family? Come benefit from Nancy’s almost 30 years of experience and enjoy her dynamic style.

an introduction to Charlotte Mason, including her belief in the child as a person and her viewpoint that education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life, and the science of relations. Who was Charlotte Mason? What was her educational philosophy? Can her methods be used in high school as well as in elementary school and middle school? Drawing from her 20 years of experience using Charlotte Mason’s methods, Nancy will talk about the basics of a Charlotte Mason education and how it can transform your homeschool.