Let’s face it. Homeschooling is challenging. Sometimes it can feel like a major accomplishment just to take a shower and get the breakfast dishes cleaned up before dinner! Most homeschool moms feel the pressure of providing their children with a solid academic foundation ~ but there’s so much more to homeschooling than academics, isn’t there? The truth is that the greatest accomplishment of your homeschooling is to nurture your children in the ways of the One who made them. REAL LIFE Homeschooling is about getting real when it comes to the issues that are unique to homeschooling families, but more important than that, it’s about being reminded why we are homeschooling in the first place. It’s about keeping our eyes on the goal of discipling our children. If you have been or are on the edge of homeschool burnout, if you are wondering why God has called you on this homeschooling journey, or if you just need some honest, real encouragement, this is the one homeschool workshop you can’t afford to miss!

As soon as you have your first child, you have been automatically enrolled in Family Relationships 101. In Deuteronomy 6, God’s simple and effective plan for the family begins with parents loving God with everything in them and having His word on their hearts. When parents have established their own relationship with God and His word, they are equipped to teach their children to love God and His word.

God created marriage and the family. Before Abraham, Moses, or Israel, God instituted the sacred institution of the family. Healthy God honoring families are the foundation for our churches and our culture. Transformation of our institutions begins in the home where each individual is rooted, grounded, and connected to God through the good news of Jesus, who is the cornerstone of a family of faith.

These are tough times for mothers. Internet predators, ISIS, struggling economy, failing school systems—how can we raise our children to be strong in the face of such obstacles? Join Heidi for an hour that will encourage and equip you.

This workshop is Steve’s testimony of the last twenty-five years as the father of a child with special needs. He shares what his family has learned as a result of Johnny’s disability, and the special, rewarding, and joyful role he has played in their lives. Even in the difficult experiences of life, God proved faithful. His grace sustained them and brought good out of their struggles and disappointments.

Will gives a historical review of the Founders’ intentions when they drafted the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. He then discusses how many of the provisions in the U.S. Constitution directly protect homeschooling families. Will concludes with an informative and practical discussion that includes real-life examples of how parents can protect their Constitutional freedom even when an irate social worker is demanding entrance into their home.

This is a new era for the Maker. A maker is anyone who loves to build and figure out how things work. How can the parent with the kinesthetic learner keep a stash of supplies and activities readily available for that creative mind?

Homeschooling can be a lot of things, but most assuredly it is the adventure of a lifetime. This workshop begins by helping you build a road map for your homeschool journey, and concludes with practical suggestions on how to follow that map.

When should I start preschool at home? What does my preschooler need to know? How much time should we spend doing educational activities? Is preschool even important?!? This workshop will answer all of these questions and more. We’ll first focus on understanding the cognitive and physical development of preschoolers, and then explore practical teaching methods, tools and activities that will lay the foundation for future learning.

Tick Tock. Have you ever experienced a series of days, weeks or even months when you felt like you just could NOT get on top of all that you had to do? Have you just decided that it’s either school or dinner? Or maybe you just gave up school and now everyone has matching socks again! Most moms struggle with finding a balance when it comes to homeschooling and staying on top of the rest of your day. Have you ever read 2 Corinthians 12:9? You probably have… it says, “My strength is made perfect in weakness”. Homeschooling reveals weakness … it’s true! And that’s a good thing, because it means you get to give even more glory to the Lord when you graduate your kids and see that they are walking with the Lord. Homeschool mom, if you’re struggling with trying to do it all, you will enjoy hearing some of Heidi’s favorite tips for managing homeschooling and homemaking…and still finding time to fit in “other things” (like alone time with your husband!) This is an opportunity to GET SET FREE from the expectations of others, laugh out loud learn how two words: BE INTENTIONAL can make a huge difference in your ability to manage your home and your homeschool well. Heidi really loves to use acrostics and this is one of her favorites! Bring a friend and leave your preconceived ideas at the door because real moms sometimes serve Cheerios for dinner!

With a unique and humorous approach, Steve demonstrates how to use hands-on manipulatives to illustrate important math concepts such as algebra, place value, exponents, regrouping (carrying and borrowing), double digit multiplication, fractions, and factoring.

Will uses humor and his personal testimony as a homeschool graduate to encourage parents and children in their homeschooling. He encourages attendees to live a life of service to each other and to God through their commitment to continue homeschooling, and closes with a vision for homeschoolers to excel in all that they do.

Use Pinterest as a springboard to design simple inquiry-based STEM activities that teach real concepts and engage your at-home learners.

If you’ve ever wondered how to design a high school course of study, evaluate the results, develop a transcript or award a diploma, this is the workshop for you. Linda will attempt to cover all of these subjects and more in one quick hour.

For many of us homeschooling our children is one of our greatest blessings. But it is also a lot of work! And what if you as the homeschooling parent also need to earn an income? There are so many of us facing this situation. If you find yourself trying to balance these responsibilities, please join us for this discussion group.

“No Drama, Mama!” Come away and learn to blunt the strife and struggle that can bring unwanted drama into your relationships. The Lord wants you to find peace in the most important relationships that surround you. Using examples from her own life, Heidi will show you some things you *might* be overlooking in your relationships with others, including when to speak up, and when to be quiet.

Sometimes the most important lessons our children learn are not acquired from a textbook or class but from how we relate to them in our daily interactions and what we teach them about God’s character. Let’s take steps to insure that the message we convey to our children is biblical, gospel oriented, and imbued with grace.

Will goes into detail about the history, content, and effects of the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the 2006 United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. He discusses how U.S. ratification of these treaties would threaten homeschool freedom, parental rights, and the sovereignty of the United States. Will discusses the shifting political support for these dangerous international treaties, what freedom–loving citizens can do to fight them, and how homeschoolers have defeated these treaties in the past.

For The Good Ship Home Education, it can be smooth sailing through the seas of life with a crew of happy, contented children. But the seas soon grow choppy when one of your crew declares a mutiny. And the seas turn absolutely turbulent when one of your young sailors abandons ship altogether. It is heart breaking to watch your son or daughter embark and set sail on a course you know to be less than desirable. What’s a parent (or grandparent) to do? We will expose some myths about perfect parenting, identify some do’s and don’t’s, and offer some hope and encouragement for heavy-hearted homeschoolers.

Much teaching occurs topic-by-topic, but what if our children saw that all the topics we taught had a “God thread” tying them all together? Having a Christian worldview means we see how God is at the foundation of everything. As homeschoolers, our job is to convey that truth to our children, but sometimes the curriculum we use fails to point to God as the pre-eminent source of all knowledge. And, unfortunately, our paradigm of “school” often mirrors what we’ve seen at the institutions. Learn ways to connect Biblical truth with everyday things, and build our children’s confidence that God is not only the founder and perfecter of our faith, but also the very real ruler of everything that goes on around us.

Does teaching reading and writing seem like a daunting task? It doesn’t have to be. Designed for parents of preschoolers and kindergarteners, this workshop will feature developmentally-appropriate activities and experiences that will encourage early forms of reading and writing to flourish.

One of the most challenging aspects of homeschooling a houseful is figuring out how to teach them all while finding time to manage the rest of your day! Moms are always wondering if they are “doing enough” and finding the time to teach individual subjects, well, individually… can be overwhelming. In this workshop, Heidi will share seven secrets of multi-level teaching that will empower, encourage and enlighten you! If you’ve got a houseful, then you’ve got your hands full! Let’s laugh together, and rediscover the JOY of homeschooling with a full heart AND a full house!

How is the state of your union? When was the last time you stopped and put your finger on the pulse of your marriage? If you are struggling in your marriage, or even if you’re not, this is a message of hope and encouragement that will remind you of what’s important and help you stay on course as you navigate through the homeschool years with the man of your dreams. This workshop is geared toward the often overlooked issues that tend to weigh down our marriages over time. FACT: If your marriage is not a priority in your home (including your homeschool) then your family is at risk. Come and learn how to recognize the signs of weakness in your marriage, and what defines a joy-filled marriage. Hint: It doesn’t have anything to do with your circumstances!

This session will provide fun and practical tips for traveling with children of all ages while maintaining your own sanity. Join Amy, a travel agent and homeschool mom as she shares tips gleaned from much experience.

Will uses humor and his experiences as a homeschool graduate and a graduate from a distance—learning law school to discuss options for highschool and beyond. He gives parents and teens a practical roadmap for a successful high school program that will open the doors to either college or non—college options, future careers and callings. He encourages teens and parents to finish strong on their homeschool journey.

Use LEGO WeDo Robotics to teach Inquiry-Based Elementary STEM: 1) Introduction to the hardware; 2) Introduction to the software; 3) Introductory build and program; 4) Working with sensors and incorporating math; 4) Using LEGO WeDo Robotics to teach science topically; 5) Start your own LEGO WeDo Club or Jr. FIRST LEGO League team

This highly practical workshop will compare and contrast the many different teaching methods and styles commonly employed by homeschooling parents. Linda seeks to share advantages and disadvantages within each method, without preference. Bring your questions.

Young children are naturally curious about the world. They wonder what things are called, how they work, and why things happen, often taking their daily question count into the hundreds. Take heart, parents, this is a good thing! Inquiry and exploration are the tools of active learning. This workshop is full of simple ways for parents to build on the naturally inquisitive behaviors of three to five-year-olds and promote an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

What comes first? The marriage or the math lesson? Most homeschool moms (every mom, for that matter) have felt the pull and pressure of trying to balance their marriages and their commitment to motherhood. Hey, most homeschool moms are happy to find time for a shower, let alone a romantic night with their husband! Yes, it’s true. Homeschooling adds a new dynamic to the pressures of motherhood – but it doesn’t mean you need to let your marriage suffer! In fact, it’s never been more crucial than it is right now to strengthen the core of your family. In case you are still wondering, your marriage comes first. In this workshop, you’ll learn several key ingredients to balancing your love life with language lessons—and how you can become the most romantic homeschool mom on the block! Come hear a story of personal experience that will challenge the way you view your marriage and inspire you to seek God’s heart as you model a strong healthy marriage for your children. This is Heidi’s favorite topic, so bring a notepad and fasten your seatbelts! It’s time to put the “real OO” back in your Homeschool!

Steve relates insights he has gleaned from scripture on how God has designed our wives and ways that we can lay down our lives and apply biblical principles to build them up and encourage them in the Lord. When we lose our life we find it.

Will uses ripped—from—the—headlines stories and personal anecdotes to share what issues homeschoolers face on Capitol Hill, the political environment, what HSLDA is doing at the federal level, and why the Parental Rights Amendment is so important. For longer general sessions, Will goes into detail about the history of the federal government and homeschooling, threats to our freedoms at the federal level, the battles that are being fought, the victories that are being won, and what is on the horizon.

Many students today find themselves in freshman college classes without the background knowledge and study skills necessary to succeed. Can a homeschool education offer college students an advantage? After 12 years as a college professor, Jason answers that question in the affirmative. Come hear why he believes that not only does homeschool allow students to acquire a better background than most freshmen, but more importantly, home education trains students to pursue knowledge with enthusiasm, and to motivate themselves in the adventure of learning.

What are proven ways to connect with our learners? Learning is the transfer of knowledge, skills, and attitudes, but how do we get our children excited about learning when they’re innate motivators are so different from ours? This very practical session, presented by the co-author of the award-winning book, Become a Student of Your Students, covers the nine different innate intelligences, how to identify them, and how each style likes to learn. Everyone has strengths in two or three of the nine intelligences, and you’ll get specific suggestions for ways to engage each preference. The result? Your learners will get more excited about learning!

Homeschooling has proven to be an exceptional option for any student with special needs or learning challenges. But for the home educator, the task can be daunting. The task often requires extra research, the acquisition of intervention techniques/skills, unique curricula, discernment between character and limitations, unlimited patience, and constant evaluation and investigation. If you find yourself juggling the responsibilities of a challenged student—or if you even WONDER if your student’s tears are indicative of deeper issues—join us for this discussion group. You will find encouragement as you gain insights and ideas from others who are on the same journey!

Arguably the most profound change in America in the past 50 years has been the deconstruction of the family unit. The foundational building block of 4000 years of world culture and 250 years of American society has been undermined, underappreciated and under attack since the 1960’s. Learn how to put down the kind of strong roots that will help you become an “intentional arborist” as you nurture the strong family that you desire-and that your children need. Learn how you can nurture nurture what’s important and learn to ignore the flurry of cultural foolishness that we all-too-often mistake for what’s really important.

The basis for building relationships in your marriage and family is healthy communication. In this workshop we will learn six techniques for speaking with clarity, listening with understanding, and how to operate in an atmosphere where parents and children feel safe and valued.

Will takes his audience through the history of the Common Core’s creation, how the federal government and national education bureaucrats pressured states to adopt the Common Core, and how the philosophy behind the Common Core is deeply flawed. He discusses related concerns with the Common Core, such as intrusive national databases and how the Common Core is poised to become a de facto national curriculum. He closes with how homeschoolers and their allies can unite to push back against the Common Core.

Jr. High and High School Robotics – Introduction to FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge: 1) Introduction to the game; 2) Hardware and Software; 3) Starting and coaching a team; 4) Stay tuned for the 2016-17 Season

This session will outline a practical approach to developing basic foreign language skills at home, using free digital resources. You will see examples of various resources, walk through a sample daily lesson plan, and discuss both the advantages and limitations inherent in this approach. Ideas will also be presented for the next steps if your student wishes to further develop in foreign language proficiency.

How does a homeschool education prepare students for college mathematics courses? A homeschool dad and college mathematics professor, Jason draws from 12 years of teaching experience to discuss the unique opportunities afforded by homeschool for developing in children and teens a facility for mathematics. Certain concepts, and ways of explaining concepts, may be outside the scope of instruction of many traditional schools’ curricula. But the homeschool environment is ideally suited for building solid skills in mathematics and logical reasoning, which will serve them well in college.