Is education a neutral subject? Does God have a preference for how He wants children to be educated? What does the Bible teach about schooling? Is there one correct path for education? Are public schools a viable option for Christians? These questions and more will be discussed in this engaging presentation.

Escaping the conveyor belt approach of institutional education by which most of us were shaped isn’t easy, but it has to be done. In this inspiring and empowering session, you will not only come to understand the nature and purpose of today’s educational system as it was originally conceived and designed, but you will see a shining alternative path, one that develops the kind of true thinkers, leaders, and communicators so desperately needed in today’s world.

Many think good readers will naturally become good writers. Others think writing talent is a natural ability. Both are myths. History and research show clearly how good writers have developed. What two critical things can you do to develop a high level of aptitude from a young age and into high school? With humor and insight, Andrew will share two easy but powerful things that build language patterns and nurture competent communicators.

Homeschooling is the ultimate individualized education plan, so it’s no wonder parents of special needs children consider this educational choice. Peggy Ployhar, the CEO of SPED Homeschool, covers what it takes to get started homeschooling, avoiding and conquering common pitfalls, and homeschooling special education through high school. This talk gives practical advice from the trenches of homeschooling for 16 years and over a decade working as a special needs homeschool consultant.

If you are a mom of preschoolers you won’t want to miss this fun workshop! You’ll put together busy bags with activities to educate and entertain your little ones. You’ll also hear important Christ-centered encouragement about the incredible value of the work you are doing in your family.

As Christian homeschoolers our goal must be bigger and broader than turning out kids with exceptional talent and high SAT scores. By incorporating worldview training, we can better equip them to use their gifts to impact the world for Christ, help others by solving real problems and bring glory to God in the process. In this session, Zan provides practical answers to the what, why and how of teaching your children a biblical worldview.

When you are trying to inspire and motivate children, there are two forces that are often exerted: positive and negative reinforcement. In this session, Israel explains the importance of affirmation as a way to inspire and motivate your reluctant child. Drawing from practical and biblical examples, this session will help you to keep those important relational connections as you are attempting to impart knowledge.

In this workshop, Dr. Eliot Grasso examines the opportunities, challenges, preconceptions, and desirable outcomes for Christian homeschoolers who are exploring and participating in higher education. The objective of this workshop is to give insider perspectives on Christian and secular institutions so that families can make informed decisions about the next critical developmental step in their children’s education.

“Living by Design” is a unique seminar about work, your God-given design, and finding a career where you can thrive. This seminar is valuable for high school students and adults to find out what God has to say about work versus the messages we hear from the world. Explore the concept of thriving in a chosen profession rather than the dangers of being "mismatched" in your career.

Few skills are more essential today than effective communication. But teaching writing can be rather challenging. Learn easy-to-implement strategies to successfully use the writing process, graphic organizers, and rubrics to simplify writing projects for both student and parents.

All of us were designed for relationships, including our children. A relationship without conversation is no relationship at all. Students will thrive when given an opportunity to engage instead of being lectured. Remove your children from the "box" of education and lead them on a path to Know God and Make Him Known. Learn how to use the tools of the Classical Method to encourage your children in the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty, while growing in your relationship with them.

Everyone struggles with anger on some level. But when anger is a frequent occurrence with your children, it will damage your relationships and hinder your effectiveness. Are you tired of being stressed-out and ready to have a peaceful atmosphere in your home? Learn how in this important workshop.

Learn to figure out credits and calculate grades, how to find the perfect grading scale, and what it takes to make your transcript official. Receive motivation to finish a transcript, or help to figure out the "transcript thing." A great refresher on calculating grades and figuring out credits, or a needed nudge to get that job done while there is still time. Also perfect for parents with specific questions about creating transcripts for their unique children.

Be encouraged and informed as Peggy provides a “how-to” introduction on the basics of writing and implementing a homeschool Individual Education Plan (IEP). She will guide you through the hows and whys, explain the legality of using a homeschool IEP based on the American Disabilities Act and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and provide teaching strategies for reaching IEP goals for specific diagnoses and learning struggles.

What constitutes a meaningful preschool education that prepares a child for a life of learning and significance? In this workshop, we will discuss learning theories as well as practical skills you can teach your children. We will also cover how to develop a love for books in even your most active little ones. Join Zan as she addresses four vital components of a superb preschool education—and be encouraged that home is indeed the ultimate preschool!

Our goal as homeschoolers is to teach as effectively as possible, so it can be stressful when the lessons we teach aren’t understood, or our children seem frustrated. Come to this workshop to learn how to overcome obstacles that may limit your ability to teach and your children’s ability to understand. Shared from the perspective of the student, Ashley will provide tips that can help your children achieve their greatest learning success.

What are the language arts? It’s actually quite simple! Regardless of your educational approach, there are really only four core language arts: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Attending well to the first two makes teaching the latter two so much easier. Prepare to have your educational paradigm adjusted, your load lightened, and your commitment to excellence renewed as you focus on the most important things in the limited time you have.

Homeschooling your child can be frustrating when things don't go smoothly. Even experienced homeschool parents know that what has worked with one child may not work with the next. Parents new to homeschooling often don't know where to turn when a child is struggling. Find out how to discover the cause of your child's challenges and frustrations as well as develop a plan to conquer it.

If you want excited and enthusiastic children who learn well, you must understand the key laws of motivation, and focus on the essential requirement of relevancy. If it matters, children will learn it, and if it doesn’t, they won’t. This session will enlighten you with specific ways to find and create relevancy for children, even when they have no apparent interest.

One of the biggest high school anxiety producers is testing - specifically the PSAT, SAT, and ACT tests. Lee will help you understand these tests and how to put them in proper perspective in your high school journey. Learn strategies that will help your child improve their scores by 50, 100, even 200 points per section, without the expense of a professional coaching program.

Peggy answers one of the most asked questions she receives: “What curriculum is best to teach my child who has unique needs?” Whether your child has a specific diagnosis or just struggles in one area of school or another, Peggy addresses how to use the curriculum you already own, or plan to use, and adjust it to meet your child’s specific needs, and consequently dissolve the struggles you are currently seeing in homeschooling your unique child.

Threatened with jail for homeschooling in 1984, Zan was forced to count the cost and decide if it was worth it. She learned powerful lessons about freedom, family, and faith that remain pertinent today. At a crossroads where liberties we often take for granted are at stake, we must work to preserve life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, while raising up a new generation of freedom fighters. This session will encourage and equip you with powerful principles to share with your children.

Choosing your family’s personal approach in homeschooling can make one’s head spin! This session weighs individual learning styles, curriculum choices, and your own teaching style and provides an introduction to various methods. Given by a homeschool graduate and homeschooling mother of ten (with students ranging from preschool-12th grade).

Joe discusses the key issues dads face as we strive to instill a Christ-centered vision in our sons. He addresses the cultural pressures on our young men and shares practical advice to counter the culture and instill a vision of purity in our sons and daughters. Because of the frank and sensitive nature of this discussion, we request that only men attend.

Join Andrew as he shares many humorous experiences (and painful lessons) learned over thirty years of teaching and homeschooling, including: It’s hard not to do to your kids what was done to you; Process over product; All kids are different; “Progressive” education doesn’t mean progress; What real “college and career readiness” is, and Two secret keys to successful teaching. Challenged, reassured, or both, you’ll leave with an expanded vision of your calling as a homeschooling educator.

Learn to create professional records that will convince colleges your student is worthy of admission and the highest possible scholarships. No matter how humble your homeschool, you can compete and WIN scholarships over students coming from the most intense college-prep high schools. Presenting professional, thorough, and beautiful homeschool records can give your student a HUGE competitive advantage over the two-dimensional transcript most applicants provide. Let Lee show you how to do it simply and quickly.

With experience as a parent and foster-parent of multiple special needs children, Peggy has first-hand knowledge of raising, training, and homeschooling children with special needs. Woven with personal stories, biblical truth, and lots of encouragement, this talk will truly speak to the hearts of parents who want to raise their special needs children as God has called them to do.

Experiencing many joys and triumphs, and weathering many storms, Zan and Joe have thoroughly enjoyed 40 years of marriage. In this refreshing session of laughter and encouragement, they candidly share the ups and downs of married life (including their biggest fight ever), while focusing on the biblical principles that have served as the unshakeable foundation of their marriage. Understanding and embracing the magnificent biblical vision of marriage is the key to a vibrant relationship.

The natural approach to learning is founded on the desire to follow your child’s developmentally appropriate timetable. This approach is based on proven educational principles from Dr. Ruth Beechick, Charlotte Mason, Dr. Benjamin Bloom, and others. Natural learning does not mean learning without goals or structure. It means learning is customized, multi-sensory and engaging. Ashley will share the top ten reasons a natural approach will enable you and your family to flourish.

For many men, homeschooling has been looked at largely as something their wife does. Many believe that if they pay the bills, that is really all that God expects of them. Biblically speaking, what is the proper role for men in the process of home education?

Imagine the possibilities for an elementary program filled with music, art, dance, drama, history, literature, and research. Learn how to build such a rich experience for a group of youngsters. The program is laid out in a 4-year cycle—ancient history, medieval/renaissance, American history, and finally world cultures. The weekly lesson plans show you how to schedule the full class and how to motivate the students to do their best.

Many well-intentioned parents make harmful mistakes as they relate to their children. These mistakes often contribute to bitterness in their children. Over time, they can result in children rejecting their parents and their values. Learn to avoid these pitfalls.

Unlock the mysteries of college applications and find a college that fits your teen (location, affordability, worldview, degree choices, etc.). Parents will learn to guide their teen in writing the perfect college application essay, one that demands admission and scholarship attention. Understand how to prepare homeschool records that set your teen above their peers. You will leave prepared for the bittersweet transition from homeschooling to launch—the art of releasing your teen with joy and confidence.

Homeschooling special needs high school doesn’t have to be a daunting prospect. Peggy has graduated two sons with special needs and helped countless other parents walk the special needs homeschooling road. She will share ideas about how to pick curriculum, write a transcript, and prepare a transition plan. She will also present record keeping strategies to consider if your child will need accommodations and modifications in college, in testing for college entrance, or for workforce placement.

How can you enjoy the benefits of technology in your homeschool without the potential dangers and strife it can sometimes bring with it? Join Aaron and Tauna for a fun session with ideas for using technology as well as tips and principles that will help you do so in a safe and balanced way.

We do our best to follow God and love our families, yet we may still find ourselves in the “fiery furnace,” ready to throw in the towel. Explore causes of burnout and learn ways to avoid them, including practical tips for streamlining your life. Zan will encourage a biblical vision for what you are ultimately trying to accomplish in your children’s lives through homeschooling—a vision that sustains through hard times and difficult days.

Men often tackle the tasks of husband, father, shepherd, and disciplinarian without the vision to define and accomplish the goal. Joe helps define the goal and discover the divinely appointed means of achieving it. You may even learn to make your wife deliriously happy, your home a quiet and peaceful kingdom, and your father-in-law in awe of your accomplishments. Join this discussion of what it means to leave a legacy as a Christian husband and dad.

From struggling readers, to gifted but "lazy" students, to unfocused ADHD type students, to those living with headaches/migraines, to moody youth, and others, Irlen syndrome affects one in six or more people of all ages. Learn non-invasive, helpful solutions involving the use of color and other accommodations. Sort out Irlen from dyslexia, ADHD, headaches, etc.

Come and discover award-winning Excellence in Writing, a method of teaching composition that really works. Using this program, students of all ages will learn to write stories, reports, and essays with style. This workshop will give you an overview of the program and show you how you can get started.

In this workshop we will introduce you to family-friendly mission trips, share stories of a recent trip to Mexico, and give you tips on how to learn Spanish in the most effective way.

Are you feeling like you're being pulled in every direction? If you’re about to burn out, come get some encouragement and look over some biblical principles and practical tips for balancing homeschooling with the relationships and responsibilities God has given us.

Math is best learned sequentially. Often even strong math students will find themselves struggling due to learning gaps. The key is to take a pause occasionally and check for those important skills which determine success or frustration. Sue will provide information as to when and how to assess for learning gaps and make suggestions as to how to get them filled.

Homeschooling your child can be frustrating when things don't go smoothly. Even experienced homeschool parents know that what has worked with one child may not work with the next. Parents new to homeschooling often don't know where to turn when a child is struggling. Find out how to discover the cause of your child's challenges and frustrations as well as develop a plan to conquer it.

As homeschoolers, we are often accused of retreating from society instead of impacting it. What is the balance between sheltering our children and reaching out to a lost world around us? In this session, Israel explains how you can equip your children for the ‘real world’ by developing a family ministry.

You can afford college and earn BIG merit-based scholarships you thought were reserved for the uber-intelligent or Olympic-level athletes. Learn why merit scholarships provide the most money. Find out which college admission test is best and why, and make sure your child stands out above the crowd, regardless of their gifts or challenges. Learn to find colleges that give great scholarships, and the secrets to creating homeschool records that will reduce college costs.

Any parent knows a student’s learning goes beyond basics academics. But parents of special needs students are even more aware of this truth. Successful, post-homeschool transitioning of a special needs student requires planning. In this talk, Peggy takes parents of special needs homeschooling students through a plan that helps them be intentional in setting up a transition plan that will ready their student for life beyond homeschool.

In this session we will discuss six traits of servant leaders and what it takes to fill the leadership gap. Zan and Joe will talk specifically about family life and homeschool leadership so that we do not alienate our spouses or our children as we work to encourage other homeschool families. You’ll learn ways to effectively incorporate your children so your leadership becomes a mission that unites the family.

Do you question your ability to homeschool? Are you afraid you might "mess up" your kids, or that you might not do a good job? You'll be equipped and encouraged as Joyce shares from her many years of homeschooling how you can gain confidence and homeschool without fear.

Andrew will teach you a specific and successful method of separating the complex process of writing into the smallest possible steps making it possible for reluctant writers to produce short but complete compositions. Your student will be proud and motivated to write again. If you remove the problem of what to write, you will be free to help your child learn how to write using source texts, key word outlines, and “dress-up” checklists. Results guaranteed!

This workshop will teach you about five surveys and checklists that have been developed that can make clear what strengths and weakness a student possesses. From here, this workshop also provides tips and means to teach to students' strengths while supporting their weaknesses. This workshop will cover learning styles, learning channels, a student's grit level measured on a scale, study habits measured by checklists, and the Multiple Intelligences Survey—with career possibilities suggested.