It's easy to recognize how valuable play is to our children. They love it! It is not so easy to convince ourselves that play has a variety of long term benefits and that play is actually learning. It is arguably the most pure form of learning we have. Dr. Dikkers will walk us through an overview of the physical, developmental, social, and academic benefits of non-directed outdoor play time.

Practical tips for creating a learning lifestyle—from a mom of 17 homeschooled students (seven school-age children at a time). Includes ideas for teaching your preschoolers, as well as multi-level teaching ideas for your school-age kiddos.

Mom of 17 homeschooled students and curriculum counselor for a statewide homeschool organization, Vicki shares the secrets to mapping out a successful course of study for your children. This workshop helps beginners to get a solid start in home education and encourages veterans to re-examine goals and priorities. Includes a basic overview of different teaching approaches.

20/20 vision means you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance. However, it does not mean that you have perfect vision. Visual acuity gives no meaning about what a person sees. If your child is not achieving their full potential academically, struggling with written reading comprehension, skips lines or words when reading, reverses words or letters, or avoids reading or near work, this presentation is for you. There are more than 17 skills that are needed for efficient vision and learning. Children struggling with binocular vision or visual processing disorders often will not complain about symptoms because they are unaware that they visually experience things any differently than their peers. In this course, we will learn about these skills, the signs and symptoms of a visual processing disorder, and what can be done to help them be successful.

This engaging workshop is designed to spark creativity and keep learning fun! This session will explore innovative strategies for making lessons dynamic and interactive, featuring hands-on sensory activities, practical tips to prevent burnout, and ways to ensure that your teaching remains fresh and exciting. You’ll leave with a toolkit of inspiring ideas to transform your homeschooling journey, making it a joyful experience for both you and your children.

Join Bruce Malone for this presentation of an astounding model for the rapid formation of the earth’s rock layers from the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980. This lecture has opened thousands of people’s eyes to the reality of a worldwide flood and destroys the myth that Noah’s flood was a small local event.

While it might be convenient to imagine Christian homeschoolers are impervious to the influences of pop culture, we cannot plead immunity to the lust and pride which saturates our culture. How should we respond? Should we resign ourselves to the status quo, or should we just pretend things are not as bad as they seem? Upholding the biblical alternative to these extremes, this session will equip parents to help their children define a godly relationship to culture by asking five critical questions: “Who is God?” “Who am I?” “What has God done?” “What does He require?” and “Why?” Or to put it another way, “What’s the difference between Taylor Swift, Jesus, and Me?”

Thelma provides thirty-one 90-minute video classes available free on YouTube. Classroom materials include a 400+ page Syllabus, a list of books, weekly handouts, quizzes, exams, etc. Thelma provides these materials free of charge to parents in email format upon request. Learn how to use these materials to give your student an advanced, Christian perspective of English literature from Beowulf, Bunyan, à Kempis, Shakespeare, Donne, Tolstoy, Milton, and many others.

Teach babies, toddlers, pre-school, elementary school, tweens, and teens all at once? Yes, it’s God’s design. Multi-level teaching is where one lesson is taught to your entire family while still meeting each child’s individual needs. Multi-level teaching is a practical and effective approach to instruction and requires less time than separate instruction. Younger students benefit from being exposed to more advanced skills, and older students benefit from demonstrating their skills to younger students. It’s a win-win! Learn how to implement this teaching style into your family’s educational plan and create lasting memories.

Doubt is the number one enemy of all homeschoolers. So it stands to reason that overcoming doubt is the key to homeschool success. Peggy Ployhar, the CEO of SPED Homeschool, has 18 years’ experience battling doubt in her own homeschooling endeavors. But, instead of letting those doubts creep in and destroy her homeschool, she learned with each battle just how much God’s grace and truth provided strategies for conquering her doubts. This talk is filled with biblical fighting strategies to equip every homeschooling parent to do battle head-on with their own doubts so they can overcome them and homeschool victoriously.

What should “school” look like for early learners? What things are developmentally appropriate for the younger ages? How do we keep our “littles” appropriately occupied while homeschooling their siblings? This fun and informative session will provide a plethora of ideas specifically geared to engage your pre- and elementary-age children. Nancy will share resources, fun games, toddler tips, and easy activities, all designed to help parents think outside the box when it comes to “doing school.”

Does your high schooler dread the question, “So, what are you doing after you graduate?” In this workshop, homeschool parents and students will learn about the Discover Your WIN “What is Next” model, which will provide practical ideas on how to identify and pursue potential career paths. Regardless of whether your homeschooler is interested in college, learning a trade, or entering the workforce, the Discover Your “WIN” model can help with developing a plan for next steps after homeschool life.

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!

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!

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.

Many children have difficulty learning to spell, but the difficulty may not be with the student. Often parents and teachers feel ill-equipped to help students who are not natural spellers. Join Andrew Pudewa to learn how spelling information is most efficiently stored in the brain, to gain greater insight into the nature of spelling and neurological function, and to be better equipped to teach students how to spell.

Baking cookies creates a mixture; making ice cubes changes the state of matter, and feeding the dog is an opportunity for a biology lesson. Science, and the opportunities to teach it, are everywhere around us. Learn practical tips for keeping your eyes open to the many ways God has designed our lives and the science to back it up, whether you’re in the kitchen, bathroom, yard, or car. Join veteran homeschooling mom and the author of the Mystery of Science series, Karri Iverson, to learn tips and tricks for putting it all together.

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.

As schools have made reading their new god, they believe that producing good readers will solve all their academic problems. As a result, many children—the dyslexic, the easily distracted, the auditorily challenged—are left behind in the rush to improve test scores. What schools do not know (but what many parents and teachers discover) is that reading is not simply being able to rapidly decode symbols with the eyes. With humor and insight, Andrew Pudewa shares stories and strategies for helping students who need to engage the cognitive processes of reading but who are more likely to excel through a wider variety of practical, creative, and imaginative approaches.

Theology, for Christian homeschoolers, isn't just another school subject. It's a lifestyle! Theology affects every subject, and every subject reflects an aspect of Christian theology. Learn how to integrate theology into your homeschool without becoming preachy, legalistic, or burdening your kids with long theological tomes.

“All knowledge is rooted in wonder.” - Sharon Lovejoy. Add wonder to your school year by gardening with kids. Learn how gardening will help your kids learn and will add joy and excitement to your school year. You’ll come away with lots of project ideas and inspiration.

Unpack the frequently asked questions of how to homeschool struggling learners and those who learn differently. Be encouraged and equipped as this workshop 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.

Recent years have seen an enormous increase in the use of technology in education for even the youngest students. But is technology really the cure-all that many believe it to be? While traditional skills such as cursive penmanship are seen as unnecessary in the modern world, the actual research tells a different story. Join Andrew Pudewa to learn the compelling reasons to read paper books instead of electronic devices, handwrite instead of type, teach cursive instead of printing, and grab a pen instead of a pencil. Discover how to unleash creativity that goes beyond technology.

Do you feel like productivity ends after your morning lessons? Are you discouraged with the afternoon slump that hits before dinner? Learn how efficient, intentional scheduling can make all the difference for your family. Be inspired to integrate a simple 15-minute activity into your schedule to defeat the afternoon slump and revive your children's love for learning! "Brisk work and ample leisure and freedom should be the rule of the Home School. The work not done in its own time must be left undone." -Charlotte Mason

You can’t do everything, but did you know that you shouldn’t even try? In this session, 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!

This is a hands-on class! You will leave with a few projects in hand. Handcrafts are great for hand-eye coordination as well as for synaptic growth. Learn about the benefits of handcrafts and actually try some! Kids and adults welcome!

In this session, we'll take a guided tour of the current landscape of tech that homeschool parents need to know about in order to keep their kids safe in an increasingly internet-connected world. We'll cover iPhones, Androids, tablets, computers, online classes, internet filters, parental control apps, screen time, social media, home networks and more. You'll get both a high-level overview of the dangers, tools, and decisions you'll need to grapple with, as well as some opinionated advice and recommendations from a computer programmer homeschool dad. We'll also cover how to test your family’s current internet safety, common mistakes most parents make, and how to evolve and adapt your family's tech security as your kids age and technology continues to change.

Discover, perhaps for the first time, the geology of your own state, using the book of Genesis as a framework.

Learn the steps needed to venture into entrepreneurship in your homeschool and also what the long-term benefits are of trying new things and even of failing! This session will be helpful for student or adult entrepreneurs.

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.

Listening and reading well, speaking and writing clearly, and thinking and debating effectively are abilities that most parents hope to cultivate in their children. With that goal in mind, Andrew Pudewa explores various environments and activities that accelerate the development of these language skills, beginning with the youngest students and continuing into the high school years.

As a homeschool dad responsible for my family's internet safety, I've got a major advantage over most parents: I've been a professional computer programmer for nearly 20 years. And I literally wrote my own parental controls app because I wasn't satisfied with the available options. Not everyone can (or will want to) replicate all the steps I've taken, but sometimes just hearing a detailed breakdown and retrospective can help parents gain valuable insights and inspiration to tailor their own approach to internet safety for their families. Join me as I delve into a case study of the specific measures I've tried (and rejected) over the years, and get a detailed description of how one homeschool family has navigated internet safety with kids ranging in age from 7 to 18. We'll cover parenting issues, home network, parental controls, phones, and more.

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.

It’s time to jump to the root of your kids’ spelling issues. Discover the common thread as to why they are having trouble with spelling and implement 7 strategies that will help to fix spelling issues for good! You will walk away with a list of things to start doing now to help your student to become an excellent speller in just a couple of months.

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.

By definition, you can't prod your child down the narrow path. They don't need to be prodded, they need to be inspired. Here are some tips for getting your children excited about learning.

Learn from pediatrician, Dr. Roger Smith, how stress and trauma affects a child’s ability to learn and perform. Research on stress has yielded a better understanding of the biochemical and neurologic responses we see as “behavior.” Parents can tap into this research to better guide their child through life’s stresses. This session will review both the science and the social impact of emotions in the context of a Biblical worldview. Dr. Smith will transform scientific gobbledygook into layman’s language with tangible application.

Have you ever had one of those days when it seems your children are constantly misbehaving, yet they really don’t seem to be rebellious? How do we discern the difference between irritating childish behavior and real disobedience? Here’s a sane, practical and proven method (Marilyn has 14 kids!) to turn irritations into solutions!

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.

In this session we define “science”, and illustrate the scientific method of problem solving. In the light of true science, the three main concepts that the theory of evolution is based upon are examined and shown to be faith-based rather than science-based. The purpose of this session is not only to show that science does not support evolutionary theory, but also to give Christians some “tools” with which to combat the theory.

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.

Discover how you can help your child acquire the essential habits to learn anything. This talk will model these "core habits," allowing you to experience them yourself!

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.

Character is the most important fruit that parents can nurture in their children, and is the foundation for academic learning. Discover how character is learned, and how to make a plan for teaching it to your children. Kathie will give several creative & practical ways you can encourage your children to develop in this important area, and help your kids grow in Godly character.

Designed for moms of kids 1-8, this session teaches you how to integrate Scripture and theology into your parenting from the youngest ages. You'll learn how our theology of sin, holiness, love and grace directly impacts our parenting and how to teach Scriptural truths without becoming legalistic or overbearing. It's possible to LOVE the little years while disciplining effectively!

In this fun and creative workshop, you will learn how to create an amazing preschool experience while keeping your child at home. From the latest in scientific research to the organization of supplies, this information packed workshop will help you prepare your child for lifelong learning and make wonderful memories along the way.

Wouldn’t it be great that instead of being overwhelmed by your wild child’s spirit, you could embrace all that he is? In this session, we will share our personal experience and knowledge in hopes of encouraging and providing practical strategies that will meet the needs of your child while keeping your sanity.

Good readers are not necessarily early readers. Early readers don’t always grow to love reading. God designs each child differently as He deems fit for His purposes. Deborah Wuehler will talk about her own struggling readers and the practical things that helped them jump those hurdles. She’ll show you how to have victory over your own obstacles as you keep your children Home Where They Belong.

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.

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.

Is there a way to save money, reduce the stress of homeschooling, and still give your children a solid education at home? YES! Come learn the tips and tricks of teaching multiple children at home, saving money on curriculum, and having more fun

In this session, Faith discusses the ultimate goal of reading instruction: comprehension. She also explores various types of thinking and processing skills required for proficient comprehension. Faith shares tips, techniques, and strategies for developing the vocabulary of very young, as well as good habits of mind in order to lay a solid foundation for comprehension with our wee ones (up to age 5).

Do you have a child who just isn’t getting phonics—or is struggling with beginning reading instruction? Or perhaps you have a child who has sloppy speech or doesn’t seem to hear things correctly? Poor phonemic awareness could be partly to blame. Faith provides parent-teachers with an understanding of phonemic awareness skills and how these skills (or lack thereof) impact a child’s ability to become a proficient reader. Hear about a phonemic awareness assessment that you can use at home.

Are you looking for ways to teach communication skills in the midst of a busy homeschool life? Given Hoffman shares practical steps for training your child in communication no matter what age they are. Be empowered to enjoy your children while in the process growing their ability to communicate.

What should “school” look like for early learners? What things are developmentally appropriate for the younger ages? How do we keep our “Littles” appropriately occupied while homeschooling their siblings? This fun and informative session provides a comprehensive overview of teaching methods specifically geared to pre- and elementary-age children. Nancy will share resources, fun games, toddler tips, and easy activities, all designed to help parents think outside the box when it comes to “doing school.”

In this workshop we will be completing a dissection together while taking a closer look at the challenges a dissection at home can present. Together we will also answer questions such as where specimens can be sourced, what preservation methods are available and what are important safety considerations.

Jimmy’s 15th birthday goes from joy to disaster after his father passes down a watch and a journal containing information that two men are sent to silence. In modern day, Scott Penner finds his faith challenged when he’s handed an assignment to cover Darwin’s voyage to the Galapagos. At home he must confront the family’s bad habits and poor attitudes towards each other.

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”! Poor test takers will learn how to store facts using their photographic memory. Everyone looks smart when these strategies are used.

Is your child interested in electricity and you aren’t sure how to support their interest? In this workshop we will demonstrate the best ways to present abstract concepts around electricity. We will also provide your family with a number of simple, low cost and high interest experiments to help cement learning.

Marian and her brother (Daschel) discover where Jimmy has been taken, and risk everything to rescue him. At the Penners, rumors around town abound about strange activities surrounding the Penner family.

“Mom, Johnny’s drinking from the dog dish again!” Homeschooling with little ones under foot can feel a bit like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos...a bit counter-intuitive.But, the fact is, the foundation of homeschool is HOME and everyone in it...even the toddler who’s currently feeding Cheerios to the goldfish. Discover how you can engage your little ones CONstructively during the harried homeschool day.

“Montessori, Charlotte Mason, Unit Study, Un-Schooling, Project-Based Learning, Waldorf, Traditional Textbook, and the list goes on! There are so many different teaching methods and approaches to homeschooling that it can be overwhelming to choose just one. They all have their strengths. But, then again, they all have their struggles. Let me introduce you to the most popular methods and philosophies of education, show you the pros and cons of each, and help you to discover which, if any, is right for you and your kids.

This encouraging workshop offers ideas for how to make homeschooling fit with your family’s unique situation and needs as well as your teaching style and your children’s learning styles. Faith offers suggestions for scheduling, time management, organization, and teaching children of different ages simultaneously.

Learn the importance of spelling and presents the developmental stages of spelling. She also shares various strategies, techniques, and fun, hands-on, multi-sensory methods for spelling practice, as well as specialized spelling programs and strategies to help you transform “I am a terrible speller” into “I am a good speller!”

We will discuss what children need to know before phonics instruction, how to layer phonemic awareness on phonics instruction, and hands-on activities to help children hear, segment, and blend sounds. Includes hearing initial and ending sounds, sound boxes, rhyming, word families, counting syllables in words, and counting words in sentences. Techniques to enhance learning through movement and multi-sensory activities will be reviewed.

You have searched the library's catalog and placed holds on books, but did you know there is so much more you can access on the library's web page? Libraries subscribe to many online resources that are available for you to use from the convenience of your own home. Discover how to access new software knowledge and technical learning, enhance your reading lists, learn 100 languages, even access a live tutor, plus much more. It is all available with your library card—and learn how you can get one too!

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.