Many parents begin the Homeschool Journey desiring to nurture deep and enduring relationships with their children; over time, realizing winning and keeping their children’s hearts requires more than schooling them at home...especially during the teenage years. How do you keep your child’s heart without controlling it? How do you instill your deepest convictions while avoiding the traps of legalism and permissiveness? How do you foster healthy communication with your older children, maintaining the balance of love and respect? With stories that will make you laugh (and maybe cry), Daniel shares how God used two wonderful but imperfect parents to humbly, lovingly, and courageously train him in the way he should go and not depart from it.

An old earth is the non-negotiable core of evolution. This talk uses stories and demonstrations to explain how dating methods work and why they give erroneously ancient results.

So you kind of like this girl. Or you think he’s cute. WHAT NOW?! Marriage is a wonderful blessing from God, but the path to the altar often seems covered with broken glass—at least that’s what the bloody feet of many couples would indicate! Getting back to God’s foundational principles and offering balance to recent homeschool applications, Daniel shares insights and admonitions based on his attempts in getting to the marriage altar (the third try was the charm!) and having grown up in the homeschool/courtship movement.

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.

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.

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

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!

Preteens and teens crave connection and acceptance, while media of all kinds are telling them that identifying as a different gender or sexual orientation will solve all their problems. Even kids not tempted by these things are affected by the kids and culture around them, sometimes believing their parents are hateful or unloving in their response to that culture. Find out about the influences reaching out to our kids, learn how to respond in a way that will preserve your relationship, and get practical help in guiding them through the clamoring voices of our society.

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!

Want to transition your young adults from simple obedience to mature responsibility? In this session, Dr. Steve shares the important phases teens need to learn to take responsibility for their lives. Watch your kids move from childish irresponsibility to becoming young adults who embrace ownership and initiative as they move up the “Responsibility Tree."

Can your students read between the lines? Decode advertisements? Interpret political cartoons? Make judgments about logic? Discern between inevitable biases and compromising agendas? Take counterarguments seriously? Pinpoint ideology? Contextualize events in history? Tease out nuance? Define subtlety? Take apart rhetoric? Account for psychology? Distinguish between intuition and reason? Assess the impact of the medium? Discuss images vs. text vs. video? Read laterally? Research reliably? Uncover original sources? Identify circumstantial evidence? Tolerate boredom? Frame and characterize charitably? Distinguish between facts, opinions, and value judgments? Distinguish between readily-available sources, well-financed sources, aesthetically-pleasing sources, and good sources? Breakdown satire? Unpack persuasiveness? Co-exist with misinformation, disinformation, and fake news? Literacy with today’s media requires a world of insights from history, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and media studies. Come learn how to structure a course that targets all layers of a student’s needs in today’s information and media environment.

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.

A transcript is a vital part of your teen’s high school records. In this interactive, practical seminar, you’ll create a transcript that can be used as a template when designing your own. The session will guide you through the how-to of transcripts, evaluating credit, and calculating grade point averages (GPAs).

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.

Want to transition your young adults from simple obedience to mature responsibility? In this session, Dr. Steve shares the important phases teens need to learn to take responsibility for their lives. Watch your kids move from childish irresponsibility to becoming young adults who embrace ownership and initiative as they move up the “Responsibility Tree.”

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

Character is a the key that opens the door to successful adult living. It is the first thing wise people examine when evaluating a prospective employee, spouse, or friend. That's why Christ-like character is the MOST important subject you will ever teach your children! Come hear Marilyn Boyer, mother of 14 homeschooled kids and learn as she shares how to intentionally teach this most important of all subjects!

You can simplify your life! A veteran home-educator will share practical tips on managing your daily schedule, chore chart, lesson plans and curriculum, Scripture memory, sports and music activities, and college decisions. This workshop will not give you any advice whatsoever on how to make a baby sleep through the night, how to can your own food, or how to teach Latin! However, this workshop will encourage you to sort through the unrealistic expectations and clutter in your life to find freedom in God’s unique plan for you and your family.

The book of Genesis comes under more attack than any other book in the Bible. Specifically, the accounts of creation, original sin, and the global flood are at the forefront. It’s understandable that secularists would criticize it because it stands squarely in the path of their evolutionary views. However, much more troubling is the question of why so many Christians dilute the Bible here?

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.

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.

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

Most teens crave to be independent, express their opinions, and control their lives. Wise parents will channel these tendencies to propel homeschooling forward. Learn how to start communicating with your teen to work together on your teen's homeschool strategy.

Protecting children on social media is a critical issue in today’s world, where online platforms are increasingly becoming a part of everyday life. With the rise of cyberbullying, online predators, selling of drugs laced with Fentanyl, and exposure to inappropriate content, it is essential to establish new approaches and guidelines to safeguard kids on social media. In this speech, Connie will discuss what parents can do to protect their child from the dangers of social media.

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.

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.

Do you need help getting your child excited about science? Having trouble getting excited about science yourself? Get new visions and methods for teaching science with a biblical worldview in this workshop. Get ready to have some hands-on fun!

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.

Want your teen to take more initiative around the house? Want to reduce the “drama” level in the family? Want to get your pre-teens, teens, and young adults excited about character healthy living? Join “America’s Parenting Doctor,” Dr. Steve Scheibner as he reveals seven practical steps to raising the behavior bar in your home. This “character matters” session will begin the process of moving your young people from ordinary to extraordinary.

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

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?

You can do more than survive! It is more than possible and you can manage it all! Learn tips on child training, teaching multiple children, and home management from a home school mom of six children (within nine years) who has spent 27 years refining the process.

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.

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.

Jimmy’s captured and put in a place where nobody seems to care that he’s been kidnapped, except a young boy, Tom. For the Penner family, Scott’s father, Ian, dies. This leaves behind his mother, Ellie (who’s suffering from Alzheimer’s) and living in a mysterious home.

Missions is the great call of our Lord for all believers to take part in. Yet, not all of us are evangelists, church planters, or pastors. Is there a place for the technically minded in missions? Yes! God has gifted each of us in unique ways so that we can use those gifts for His Kingdom’s work. In this presentation, come learn about how the skill of aviation in missions is spreading the Gospel farther and faster to the most isolated parts of the world.

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.

The two men who burned down Jimmy’s barn (Marley and Clive) comeback, looking for his father’s journal and threatening Jimmy’s mother. The Penners come to Ian’s funeral and find that there’s no one to take care of Grandma (Ellie). The family begins to work together to fix up the house, but Ellie refuses to sell.

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.

Regardless of natural ability or internal desire, young people can learn to discover ideas, discern truth, and influence others by participating in debate. If your children are ready to meet their challenge, grow in grace, and communicate with confidence, check out debate. It’s an adventure worth taking!

Jimmy’s transported to the port of Plymouth, England. Marian and Daschel are in a race against time to find Jimmy before Marley and Clive. For the Penner family, Ellie shows up with a burnt diary containing a code. Winny, Hope, and Heath must work together to try to discover the meaning.

Jimmy and Daschel come face to face with his captors. Who will prevail? The Penners have to work together to get to the parade in Ellie's small town. Later, they find Ellie remembering enough to help the family decode the secret of the Penner home. What will they find?

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.

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!

Is the world sending you mixed messages? Have lies about your identity from the pop culture, high expectations from others, and confusing self-talk from your own emotions and brain become a jumble of exhausting mental activity tossing and turning like a washing machine’s agitator? Many teens are secretly wondering, “How do I sort through all of this to find out who I really am and what I’m supposed to be? Do I really have what it takes to be a Christ- follower in this culture?” Angela will reach into the hearts and minds of teens with the TRUTH of God’s Word that brings confidence, peace, and wisdom to those who are searching.