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.

As homeschool moms and dads, we plan and prepare, but let us never forget to pray for our children! It is easy to fall into the daily routine of lesson planning and teaching but forgetting that ‘except the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it” (Psalm 127:1). Therefore, let us pray.

In a world that is moving at warp speed, it’s easy to forget that kids are still kids. Their needs haven’t changed: they need time to explore and experiment with the real world around them, to absorb life through all their senses, to process their thoughts at their own pace. All of these are crucial in laying a firm foundation for higher learning, but this TAKES TIME. Learn why this is so important and how to protect and defend your kids’ childhood.

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.

Can you recall those early days when your children were very little? What do you remember most? The happy times? The fun adventures? Or do you remember the mistakes you made and the ways you failed? Science and research have shown that our brain is hardwired to recall negative memories over positive ones. It’s vital that you take steps now to ensure your memories are not distorted with this natural tendency to focus on the negative. In this session Jeannie will share what you can do now to preserve joys of your homeschool journey and how this will increase the joys your family experiences in your daily life.

The world of work is changing, and that change is being driven by technology. In this session you will hear about those changes and how to best prepare today's youth for tomorrow's workplace. We will discuss the changing landscape of needed workplace skills and technological developments that are reshaping the way America and the World works.

Time must be budgeted just like money. We must determine the difference between the fixed – what we must do, and the discretionary – what we would like to do and set our priorities. This workshop will be filled with practical tips and encouragement for everyday living as a homeschool family. Areas covered include understanding your calling, relationships, schooling, meals, household clutter and cleaning, and general household management. Attendees will leave with practical and applicable tips

Sometimes unexpected things disrupt the homeschool year. When this happens, it seems like all the best-laid plans go out the window. We will discuss how to make realistic adjustments to academics and life rhythms, manage stress and model resiliency for your teens.

Interested in a rich, vigorous, character-building education for your high schooler? Charlotte Mason had a successful plan for the high school years. Her offering was in response to the utilitarian system that was in place 100 years ago and unfortunately still reigns. This session will discuss Mason’s blueprint and offer principles and practices to begin planning what could be your student’s best years!

We all have clear reasons that we decided to homeschool, but as we continue this journey, the lines can become blurred. It can be so easy to get caught up in how our kids (and we) are (or aren’t) performing when it comes to homeschooling. But what if that isn’t actually what we are called to? Mastery can be important. God talks about becoming skilled and the importance of diligence. But what if we are giving up purpose and exchanging it for performance?

This workshop offers practical resources, lists of materials, and curricula to equip you as you work with a struggling learner in your homeschool. Faith explains multi-sensory teaching methods, direct instruction, modeled teaching, and “scaffolding” instruction. She also shares ideas for designing a unique home instruction program tailored to your child’s specific challenges.

Jobs in the building trades are projected to increase faster than jobs in every other sector in America over the next decade. Over the same period, many white-collar jobs requiring 4-year college degrees will cease to exist. This talk exposes the “Vital Lie” in our society that manual labor is only for low-paid, uneducated, dropouts. In fact, trades are among the highest-paid, longest-lasting, and most resilient professions

Ever feel lost when trying to do Picture Study, tour an art museum or teach basic drawing? This workshop will train your eye to notice the 7 elements of art and how to teach them to your children. Navigating the art world is tricky for the homeschool parent. How do you choose a curriculum? Is the internet an ok substitute for a teacher? How do you critique your child’s art without being an artist yourself? Learn not just what to teach about art, but how to see art with an artist’s perspective, and how to convey that to your children through your own teaching style and at your own pace.

“The Principality of Mathematics is a mountainous land, but the air is very fine and health-giving.” ~Charlotte Mason Is this indicative of 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 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. Come explore with us, for a world of truth and beauty awaits to be found in this mountainous land!

The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties lends itself to overcoming the countless obstacles that life can bring. As adults, we have all experienced things we never thought we would face, and we know that our children will have their own share of difficulties. Though there is no way to know what those will be, we can prepare our children by helping them build resilience throughout their childhood

This workshop addresses a crucial but frequently misunderstood topic related to special needs homeschooling. In this power-packed workshop, Faith explains the difference between accommodations and modifications, describes 504 Accommodation Law, and answers homeschooling parents’ most frequently asked questions. Faith will also share a disability resource guide for teens and young adults.

There is a reason that American school children score at the bottom on international science assessments. It is the ineffective way in which science is taught in schools. Most of us were subjected to this system and obtained only a cursory understanding of science. As homeschoolers, we have the freedom and opportunity to throw out those unproductive techniques. We can truly impart a deeper knowledge and love for science. Jeannie will share five vital steps, inspired by Charlotte Mason, that will ensure you impart a superior science education. These five steps will not only enrich your homeschool, they will prepare your children for high school and college.

Join Erin Port from -Simple Purposeful Living- as she helps you meal plan simply, on purpose, for your busy family. Together, you will debunk popular myths about meal planning and walk through the meal planning process step by step. You will walk away encouraged with tangible tips and tools to be successful and take the stress out of “what’s for dinner” so you can gather around the table for a delicious meal and meaningful conversation. Get ready to see meal planning in a whole new light; we will laugh and have fun along the way.

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 with our great- grandparents.

Do you struggle with organization? Do you and your family struggle to find things in your home? Does your home constantly feel like chaos? Do you struggle finding peace in your home? If you answered yes to any of these questions, we would love to help you turn your chaos into calm.

As a homeschooler you have a plethora of opportunities to enroll in classes, co-ops, extra-curricular activities, clubs, and organizations, as well as service, and ministry. You even have an abundance of curriculum choices for every area of education. The question you must ask yourself is, “How will choosing to do this affect your day, your week, and the atmosphere of your homeschool?” It’s vitally important that you guard against being overscheduled with courses or activities that ‘seemed wonderful’ when you were presented with the idea but do nothing but create stress and an atmosphere of chaos and hurry. Jeannie will share stories of her own mistakes and triumphs, as well as how you can know when to say “yes”, and when to say “no” when creating your homeschool schedule.

This is THE most popular topic I speak on! Most of us didn’t factor into the equation just how much sibling conflict would be part of our homeschooling days! It can be exhausting! As homeschooling parents, we have a unique opportunity to nurture sibling relationships among our children. Find out practical ways to do this and what an IMPORTANT part of our homeschooling it really is!

“The parent who would educate his children, in any large sense of the word must lay himself out for high thinking and lowly living; the highest thinking indeed possible to the human mind and the simplest, directest living.” – Charlotte Mason Simplicity is a topic near and dear to Charlotte Mason’s heart and completely relevant in today’s complicated and consumeristic culture. She said that the quality of simplicity is “the first condition of all successful work with children.” What did she mean by that? Through Scripture, poetry, art, and lanterns, we will examine the nature of simplicity and uncover what hinders us from living simple lives and doing the deep work required of us as parents.

The Bible teaches that the basic economic unit of society is the Family—not the corporation, not the government, not the individual. This talk explores the basic elements of a family-centered economy and provides practical steps for families to reclaim productive households that will thrive in uncertain times.

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 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.”

When your child gives you that look and says, “Don’t judge me!” you are at a crossroads, a moment of truth, a moment of great peril and great opportunity. This session will give you the tools you need to turn what could be an ugly situation into a transformative moment of healing and redemption. If your head sometimes swims when you try to figure out whether it’s right or wrong to judge your child in a particular situation, this session will plant your feet on solid ground in ways that may surprise you

What are we implanting into the hearts, souls, and minds of our children? What are we giving them to think about? God has given us wisdom in answer to these questions: "Whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything is worthy of praise, think about these things. Remember the saying: "An ounce of prevention ..." Come and hear how David and Shirley have applied these truths to education.

For thousands of years before college was an option, people trained for work through the apprenticeship model. Rather than going tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars in debt, young people were paid to learn and were prepared for life by godly mentors. This talk explores alternatives to the college-debt route, including, apprenticeship, mentorship, and entrepreneurship.

In this workshop we will dive into the details regarding ACT and learn general test taking strategies. Next, we will look at each of the four individual tests which comprise ACT (English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science Reasoning) and discuss strategies and resources specific to each test. Lastly, since the math portion seems to strike fear in all high school juniors, we will spend time working through example problems together. We will come to understand how mathematical thinking, as opposed to rote memorization, is the key to success on this portion of the exam.

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 child with special needs a diploma?” or “What do I do since my child with dyslexia can’t read typical high school level material?” Faith 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.

The homeschooling journey becomes such a big part of our lives as moms. Sometimes it seems as though we will never see the finish line but talk to any homeschool mom with grown kids and she will tell you, ”The days are long, but the years are short.” What feels like a lifelong commitment soon becomes a distant memory and when you’ve given your all to this worthy task of homeschooling, the next season can bring a conflict of emotions. Durenda has graduated seven (so far) whom she has homeschooled from the beginning, and, in this session, she shares some key thoughts to consider as you near the finish line.

You can do this! The high school years can be the best homeschooling years of all. We will discuss the basics you need to know about planning and goal setting, figuring out what your unique teens need, finding the right resources, record keeping that doesn’t give you headaches, and preparation for your teens’ futures.

Do you value your imagination? Your child’s? This workshop is an exploration of the importance of imagination in education, faith, and life. Mason said that “imagination is, like faith, the evidence of things not seen” and is an integral part of everyone’s personhood. How can we nurture this in our materialistic society where testing reigns supreme?

Writing is one of the subjects a homeschool mother dreads to teach. There is a reason for this. Most people do not understand the difference between academic writing and creative writing. In fact, the difference is so vast that most publishers won’t publish a novel from a person who is accomplished in writing nonfiction. Nonfiction, like math, is formulaic and easy to master. But few students are given the formula. Instead, they are given curriculum that increases writing anxiety, requiring flowery prose, metaphors, similes, onomatopoeias, alliteration, and the list tirelessly goes on. The truth is that this is not the kind of writing that earns one A’s in college; it’s quite the opposite. In this talk, Jeannie will share the simple formula that will make writing the easiest subject you teach.

There are few things more frustrating to the homeschool mom than a child who does not care to do his lessons. In this talk, Jeannie shares valuable tools for developing children with self-initiative. These tools are none other than Charlotte Mason’s teaching called Masterly Inactivity. By implementing the seven elements of Masterly Inactivity, you will find yourself homeschooling from abundance, trusting in the Lord’s plan for your children’s live, and watching your children blossom into self-confident people that pursue their learning with purpose.

Every teen has a different life destination. Here are ten tips for creating a transcript that truly shows who your teen is and where they are headed in life. We will discuss transcripts for teens headed into the workforce, the military, community colleges, private colleges, and competitive universities.

Throughout Charlotte Mason’s six volumes we read about dozens of notebooks. We will look at this wide variety and see how they were used, why they were used, and which ones we should use today. Nancy will share examples from Mason’s day as well as what her own family has implemented, inspiring attendees to begin or continue this life-long habit of self-education.

One day a terrible parent in your state may do something criminal to a child— and the media may push the narrative that because the child was homeschooled, more restrictions should be placed on homeschooling families. This session will analyze some real-life situations where this has actually happened and equip you to give a compassionate, commonsense answer when family, friends, coworkers, or the local media assert that the problem is not enough homeschool regulations.

Wellness and how we fuel our bodies have become confusing topics, haven't they? It can be even more confusing to try to explain these concepts to our kids. What if you could strip away some of the noise around this topic and instead make informed, intentional decisions about how you fuel your body and your family? In this course, we'll walk through the foundations of wellness including a simple strategy for categorizing food (so easy my four-year-old can do it!), mindful eating, the key components of a nutrition label, and how you can incorporate these ideas into your homeschool. We'll wrap up with a brief discussion about our habits and the stories that surround them. At the end of our time together, you and your kids will be empowered to have positive conversations about how you fuel and move your bodies with intention.

Mathematicians and scientists have been closely tied to many famous disasters. The Challenger explosion, the failure of the Mars Explorer, and the Kansas City Hyatt Regency walkway collapse all involved thinking errors. Our future mathematicians and scientists must know how to prevent tragedies such as these from occurring. Because science and mathematics instruction is often dominated by facts and calculation, children are rarely exposed to these important concepts. You will leave this session with many high interest stories and activities that will fascinate your children and show them the strong connections between math and science and the world we live in.

We all begin our homeschool journey with high hopes, but it often doesn’t take long before we realize that some things simply are not working. We find ourselves and/or our kids in burnout mode. At the same time, we are confronted with the fear that we may somehow fail our children if we let go of something. Learn the importance of creating a sustainable homeschooling life unique to your family, bring joy back into your homeschool days, and help equip you to go the distance!

Every teen is unique! One of the best things about homeschooling high school is that we can help them choose electives that are meaningful to them and help build the life skills that they need (as well as an awesome transcript). We will discuss 10 different categories of electives as well as traditional and creative ways to earn those credits.

The apostle Paul calls us to “work with your hands ... so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). This talk explores the biblical mandate to work hard, build community, and decrease our dependence on worldly systems.

You may be asking: “What are the BEST books for my children?” Books that make for wonder! Books that make one kneel in reverence and respect! Books that challenge one to pursue trust in God! Books that are filled with truth! Make time to have shared moments by reading aloud with your family. Share the heartaches and joys of characters from living books tonight and every night with your family. When your family is grown, they will remember the joy of literature!

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)? Participants of this workshop learn the purposes and benefits of an SEP (student education plan), the homeschool version of an IEP. This workshop also provides guidance on drafting an SEP. Participants 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 them in drafting their own homeschool student education plan.

Come and explore nature journaling as a formational practice. Responding to the natural world around us is not only a skill which can be learned, but, more than that, it is a practice which we form to, in turn, form us. It is a practice which trains our attention, our affections, and our devotion to the first Maker of good and beautiful things.