Identity – how children define themselves – is extremely important. How they see themselves controls their behavior. Therefore, identity influences their academics, relationships, future, hopes, and so much more. Why is it complex today? Why are so many children confused? Learn how to parent so children will have a healthy identity and believe the most important identities of all.

Homeschooling is hard, parenting is hard, and marriage…well, that’s way hard. And that’s OK and even normal. The trouble is we don’t like hard. We want easy, fast, and cheap, and at the same time, we want successful results. But the truth is that good things are hard and hard things are good, and they go hand in hand. Sadly, most people don’t ever experience the good because they can’t handle the hard. They put the hard thing off, hoping it will get easier, or they avoid it altogether, and all they end up with is a pile of regrets. Here’s the good news: you can handle the hard. In fact, if you’re faced with two choices, pick ‘HARD.’ Soak in Todd’s humor-filled inspiration as he shares how to embrace the hardness, keep your eyes on the joy, and experience God’s best for you.

Are you convinced that every homeschooling family except yours is great? Do you believe the lie that others are more organized, better prepared, have smarter kids, are wiser parents, and have a child in the national spelling bee? Well, let me set the record straight...that's not the way it is! The truth is most moms feel inadequate. Homeschooling moms fear that they're letting their kids down in their education and in example. They feel like their house is out of control, their children are beasts, and the sizzle has left their marriages. Join us as we unleash the power in being REAL. You’ll never be the same again.

This session covers everything you need to know about Iowa’s homeschool law so you can homeschool with confidence. It includes a thorough presentation of the basics with plenty of time for questions.

Our Homeschool Iowa Regional Representatives, seasoned homeschooling moms with lots of experience, will give the “real-life” version of how to home educate. Insider tips and helpful resources will be included.

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. This workshop is also listed below, in Workshop Session I, as it is open to all attendees.

We can all agree that we are currently living in confusing times. Who can tell the difference these days between what is real and fake? Who is right and who is wrong? Who can we trust? People are very confused, trying to answer the big questions about what it means to live the good life, what their purpose is, and how they know what is true. This session will address some of the root causes of our confused age and suggest some ways we can help ourselves and our neighbors think more clearly about the world around us.

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.

You may not crack open a book, work through a curriculum, or call it school, but it's your job to train your children. Join me as we look at the trials, triumphs, and tribulations of training our children. Now don't worry, I won't make you feel guilty or give you a forty-six-point outline, but I promise to tell it straight and to encourage you in the best job there is: fathering.

Homeschooling through high school might seem intimidating but be encouraged! These can be the most enjoyable and influential years you have with your teens. This workshop takes the guess work out of what academics you should build into your 7-12th grade plan and helps you explore electives and activities that can customize your students' high school years to meet their graduation goals. Teens are encouraged to attend with you.

Now, that you understand the science, this session provides you with a road map to help your child overcome learning challenges caused by dyslexia. We will outline the different options for identification (from online to informal screening to full psycho-educational evaluations) as well as guiding principles for selecting effective intervention. Additionally, we will discuss critical accommodations and highly effective strategies to infuse throughout daily learning activities. All the essentials to ensure your child succeeds will be provided in a customizable road map.

All children are smart and probably smarter than they realize. Knowing they’re smart empowers them to believe in their todays and tomorrows, to expect some learning to be easy, and to study when something isn’t. The eight intelligences are relevant for our teaching and reteaching. In addition to learning, they’re also relevant to our children’s spiritual growth, behavior, relationships, and career choice. Asking “How am I smart?” instead of “Am I smart?” can change everything!

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.

Transcripts are not just for college – every student needs one. How should you begin? What should you include? Understand the essentials of record keeping, the important records to keep, how to grade, evaluate credits, and prepare a professional looking high school transcript. Teens are invited to attend with you.

This lecture introduces students to the foundations of law and justice, including the source of law, the definition of liberty, and the principle of jurisdiction based on God’s delegated authority to separate and interdependent human governments—state, church, and family.

Teach handwriting explicitly and effortlessly. Students need to learn the basic handwriting forms that we call “Squiggles.” These Squiggles will enable your children to write all the letters of the alphabet effortlessly. We will also address the importance of teaching cursive!

Marriage is hard…in fact, it’s real hard! Yet when it is right and good, it can withstand anything. It doesn’t matter what the economy does, the status of your bank account, the condition of your home or vehicles, or what your children dish out…because when a husband and wife are right, they’re unbeatable. On the flip side, when a husband and wife feel distant or apathetic, it only takes the slightest breeze to ruffle a bunch of feathers. The truth is a mediocre marriage sucks the joy right out of life and your homeschool. The economy can swing up, your checking account can be healthy, your home and vehicles can purr like kittens, and the kids can behave like angels, and life still…stinks. That’s because marriage matters. Join Todd Wilson, The Familyman, for a time of laughter and encouragement as he shares real life stories, problems, and frustrations along with practical, simple solutions to having a marriage that can’t be beat!

A mommy-to-mommy challenge about priorities in your home school. Sonya shares six ways to reach your child’s heart—taken from Elizabeth’s example in Luke 1—and four obstacles that can keep us from reaching the heart. This workshop puts the emphasis on the things that are not seen. It reminds parents of the importance of focusing on our children’s hearts and gives practical ways to do that: being available and approachable, being Spirit-led, giving affirming words, setting aside our own agendas, pointing out how God is at work, and encouraging our children to take God at His Word.

As homeschooling parents, it is imperative that we focus on providing a quality education for our kids. But more importantly than meeting the educational needs of our students, the bigger responsibility is to prepare them spiritually for life beyond high school AND college. We will look at the most crucial foundations that need to be laid as we train our children: • Foundation of Embracing the Gospel • Foundation of Applying the Gospel to Every Day • Foundation of a Biblical Worldview • Foundation of Critical Thinking

Well, the title of the session says it all! Learn about the best strategies to promote your child’s interest and engagement while minimizing frustration, shut down and avoidance tactics. From ways to enhance memory function to leverage your child’s cognitive strengths to tap into the motivational power of interactive calendars, this session is fun and has something for every child. Whether your learners love to learn most of the time or struggle significantly, this session will enable you to take your homeschooling savvy to the next level.

Discover the secret to smooth and easy days: habit training. Learn how to instill good habits, which habits Charlotte Mason encouraged parents to cultivate in their children, and practical tips for cultivating the Top Three. Sonya will use lots of stories and examples to communicate the general principles for forming any habit and some practical tips for cultivating the top three: obedience, attention, truthfulness.

Could technology be the root of some of your biggest concerns about your children’s behavior? Yes! Are they complaining and arguing, self-centered, prideful, angry, and unsure what to do after graduation? You’re not alone! Dr. Kathy will help you understand the role of technology and practical things to do so children mature even as they keep using technology.

Parenting a teenage son can be challenging enough—what happens when you’re homeschooling him, too? Homeschooling dad, Shawn Sandersfeld, will present some real-life examples of the strategies and approaches that have worked with his seven sons.

Change your laborious reading instruction into a class that both you and your child will look forward to every day! Find out how easy it is to make reading time engaging and fun!

Dyscalculia often causes parents and children alike to want to run for the hills anytime math is even mentioned. This session will clarify what causes dyscalculia, how it presents in the learning environment, and key strategies to navigate learning and apply math skills successfully. If your child struggles with quantitative reasoning, math concepts, calculation, and math fact automaticity, this session will empower you with effective strategies to help your struggling student learn (and maybe even like) math.

Frustrated by the fact that what works for your homeschooling friends doesn't seem to work for you or what works for one of your children doesn't work for all your children? For the first time ever discover the FOUR homeschool Temperaments. You'll discover if you're a Falcon, Owl, Swan, or Sand Piper and how to homeschool in light of those traits. You'll laugh, nod your head in agreement and find yourself saying, "That finally makes sense." During our time together we'll discuss tips for each temperament, how to teach your children who may NOT be your temperament, and what types of homeschool curriculum works best for your temperament. This is going to be fun as you discover your homeschool temperament!!

Explore many ideas for managing the daily chore of feeding your family, including the benefits and methods for bulk cooking and several strategies for meal planning and preparation. Nancy will teach about the savings seen in time, energy, money, and stress levels, as well as the increased nutrition and enjoyment in sharing hospitality with others. We will then look at the how-to’s for getting it done and some of the resources available to get people on their way. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll wonder why you waited.

An introduction to epistemology. Truth is revealed, and truth is a person. Discipleship is a practical outgrowth of the pursuit of truth. We discuss the source of truth, how we know what we know, and the means through which God reveals Himself. In this lecture, Mike spends a few minutes exploring potential conflicting views of revelation, particularly as they relate to the scientific method and scientism. We also examine the nature of discipleship and its relationship to one’s view of truth.

From the moment our babies enter our lives until their graduation day (and sometimes longer) they require an incredible amount of attention, affirmation, and training and ultimately TIME. At the same time, marriage needs a constant effort toward the goal. It is hard to keep those two in balance. But by the grace of God, and by His strength, He gives us the tools to maintain and grow a marriage through the trials and triumphs of kids in the home. Then one day, when the youngest leaves the nest, you aren’t looking at each other as strangers. God has a plan for your marriage to thrive THROUGH and BEYOND your years of homeschooling. We will look to the Bible for practical, foundational ways to pour into your marriage while you pour into your kids.

Sooner or later, we all have it: the most absolutely horrendous day of our lives. Maybe it’s a whole week! You know the story: Job goes through terrible suffering, God responds, and Job’s fortunes are restored. But there’s more to the story. In this session, Scott reveals the powerful, hidden tools within Job’s story that can help you not just survive, but overcome, when your day of testing comes. It could turn out to be your finest hour.

Are you frustrated because your children aren’t changing in ways you want them to? Learn subtle attitudes and habits that make change difficult so you can decrease their effects. Then learn strategies, relevant Scripture, and a change process that will work!

It’s easy to get caught up in the mentality that we’ve got to add more: we must do more, we must get more, and our children must study more. More, more, more! But the funny thing is that when we keep adding more, we usually end up with less of what really matters. Discover the richness that simplicity can bring to your schedule, your home, and your children’s education.

Teach handwriting explicitly and effortlessly. Students need to learn the basic handwriting forms that we call “Squiggles”. These Squiggles will enable your children to write all the letters of the alphabet effortlessly. We will also address the importance of teaching cursive!

Students are often expected to have strong study and organizational skills, but they are rarely taught what that means. This workshop includes practical information geared toward developing effective study habits like setting goals, managing time, organizing spaces, improving reading comprehension, taking notes, taking tests, and finding balance. You will be prepared to help your middle and high school students succeed in academics, in employment, and in life. Teens are encouraged to attend with you.

Save time and money by teaching most school subjects to all of your students together. Join Sonya for practical strategies to lower your stress level, provide a well-rounded education, and help you and your children build sweet memories. Learn how to keep it simple by teaching your whole family together with Charlotte Mason methods.

Parenting can bring out the worst in us. Every unresolved conflict and unhealed wound threatens to destroy us as soon as we enter on the perilous path of parenting. So why in the world could you possibly think you could adequately parent your child? Because a shocking, miraculous divine grace has chosen you. God knows every one of your failures and flaws, and He still picked you to be the parent of your child! In this session, Scott presents God’s plan of redemption as it is worked out through broken parents rearing chosen children. Parents who have bought into the pessimism of our age and are ready to give up will leave this session with powerful reason for hope, excitement, and confidence.

Are you interested in learning simple ways to equip your family on how to apply health on a daily basis? This workshop is focused on empowering the family, wherever they are at in their health journey, to maximize their time by investing in areas that will create life changing results.

If you aren't teaching the Six Types of Syllables to your child, you are missing a huge support for decoding and spelling! Come see how easy it is to teach and apply this learning!

Can you train your brain? Can physical activity improve the academic achievement of your students? Can movement enhance general health and wellbeing? Can exercise decrease stress, anxiety, depression, and other symptoms such as ADHD in an individual? Just 50 years ago the idea that the adult brain can change in any way was considered nonsense. Researchers accepted that the immature brain is malleable, but also believed that it gradually hardens into a permanent structure by the end of childhood. Also, it was generally accepted that humans were born with a finite number of brain cells and that the brain was incapable of regenerating itself. Damage or injuries could never be fixed. Nothing could be further from the truth! The brain's ability to change is called neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is essential in learning. Dr. Joe O'Tool will give a scientific understanding of the brain, the role of exercise in learning, and specific actions you can take with each individual student to maximize learning and minimize stress!

This lecture presents the basics of the Christian view of “calling” in all areas of life—family, church, work, and country. What does it mean to be “called” to a job or to a role in one’s family, and how does it help to think about life through the lens of calling? The discussion answers the questions “how do I know my calling?” and “are some jobs more “Christian” than others”?

Are your children easily frustrated by their mistakes? Do they give up quickly or resist taking risks? Do they complain that things are too hard? They need to be resilient so they can bounce back quickly from difficulties and disappointments. Resilient children have healthier mental health, are problem solvers, and aren’t afraid of using effort. Dr. Kathy’s practical techniques work, and you will be able to parent so resiliency is more likely.

Hear from our Homeschool Iowa Lobbyist, Jeremy Vos, about our efforts to keep homeschooling rights secure. Find out about proposed legislation and learn how you can be a partner.

This workshop will address ways to discover the gifts and talents of your child and merge them into opportunities as they complete high school and beyond.

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.

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.