Homeschooling provides an education that is beyond comparison with any other method. That said, Idaho code requires that homeschoolers provide instruction, “in subjects commonly and usually taught in the public schools.” This is often summed up as a requirement to provide a “comparable education.” But how are we to meet that requirement without stifling the amazing educational freedom that homeschooling offers? Join Linda Patchin as she unpacks various teaching methods used by homeschoolers and how they can each meet, and exceed, the statutory requirement of a “comparable education.”

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.

Does the subject of literature seem like a mystery? Are you a loss about how to understand it yourself, much less teach it to your kids? This inspiring lecture demonstrates that everything you need to know about understanding and teaching literature is present in your second grader’s bedtime story. Adam reads a classics children’s story out loud and then leads the audience into a discussion of eternal literary themes. Along the way, he shows how you can do the same at home by following five simple steps. Your literature curriculum – to say nothing of family story time – will come alive automatically. You’ll never put the kids to bed the same way again!

Does it seem that your older teen is ‘behind’ in school? It could be because of learning challenges, family or health distractions, previous school history, etc. Whatever the reason, the school ‘to-do’ list seems to be larger than the amount of time you feel you have left with your child. In this session, Bev will talk about strategies you can use when determining what concepts must be covered, how to capitalize on your child’s strengths to cover the material, the necessity of supporting their sense of self, and what resources might be ‘friendly’ to this type of situation.

If you are looking for ideas on how to organize your homeschool then this workshop is for you. Janelle will be sharing numerous ideas for lesson planning, organizing your student’s work and grades, creating ways for your child to work independently and setting up your homeschool. There are plenty of ideas to choose from. Pick the ones that work best for you and your family.

Homeschooling jargon can be confusing even for seasoned homeschool parents. In this workshop, Nancy will give an overview of many of the most common curriculum approaches including textbook, unit studies, classical, Charlotte Mason/living books, eclectic, and relaxed/delight-directed learning. We will also go over examples of curriculum and resources that tend to work best with each approach.

Math is sequential. Often students struggle in math due to gaps in understanding of basic concepts either previously presented or not presented at all. The first step is to find the gaps, then effectively fill in those missing pieces. Sue will provide ways to evaluate and develop strategies to develop math confidence and understanding.

Do you have students loves art and does not seem to enjoy math or loves math and does not enjoy art ? Artist Sue Wachter will present information from both personal experience and research to consider how to motivate your student to find success in both math and art. Attend expecting to enjoy interaction and discuss possibilities to creatively assist your student to discover that important combination.

When asked, “What are the language arts?” people may respond by listing numerous subjects: spelling, phonics, grammar, penmanship, copying, dictation, narration, and composition. But actually it’s much simpler! For those adhering to the classical model, those ascribing to a Charlotte Mason approach, or those who just want a common-sense curriculum, there are really only four core language arts: listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and attending well to the first two makes teaching the latter two so much easier. Come prepared 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.

This highly practical workshop will compare and contrast the many different teaching methods and styles commonly employed by home educating parents. Linda seeks to share advantages and disadvantages within each method, without endorsing any one in particular. Hopefully she can help you to choose the one that will work effectively for you and your children.

Who is going to build a house by starting with the walls? Without a solid foundation, those walls may hold up for a bit but eventually will come crashing down. Math is a lot like building a house. We need to start with a strong foundation and build up from there. It doesn’t have to be hard! See how easy it is to teach math.

Evaluating a student’s writing can be very difficult, especially for the parent who may feel less than perfectly confident. Learn how to provide specific models and stylistic goals for each composition, giving specific assignments to your students for both fiction and non-fiction. Solve the “How long does it have to be?” problem. Never again hear yourself say, “Don’t you want to add a little more detail?” With confidence and precision, you can design and communicate to your students goal- and model-based writing assignments, and can have a concrete tool to objectively evaluate their efforts.

How long do you allow a child to think before you start helping them? Sometimes we need to be quiet and let them wrestle with the problem. Do you know that children will learn better and remember things longer when they discover the solution? The goal is to provide a way for them to learn how to solve problems. Find out how to help your child think their way through math.

Many children (and some adults) have difficulty learning to spell, but the difficulty may not be with the student so much as with the method of presentation. Learn how spelling information is most efficiently stored in the brain, and why. With a greater insight parents and teachers will be well-equipped to meet the needs of all their children, not just the naturally good spellers.

Teaching is not for the faint of heart. Mix in a child with learning challenges and you may end up becoming very discouraged, and ready to throw in the towel. Be encouraged, you are NOT alone. Whether your child has been diagnosed with a learning challenge or simply doesn’t “get” math, listen and learn some teaching strategies and techniques. Help your child overcome those learning challenges and succeed in math.

Recent years have seen an enormous increase in the use of technology in education. But is technology really the cure 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. Learn the compelling reasons to choose paper books instead of electronic devices for reading, to handwrite instead of type when note-taking, to teach cursive instead of printing for penmanship, and to grab a pen instead of pencil for composition. Discover how to unleash creativity that goes beyond technology.

Using student created notebooks encourages an atmosphere and creativity as children essentially produce their own work to display their learning. Jeannie explains why and how to use this easy and effective educational approach that replaces workbooks, enhances learning and retention of the subject, and develops a true love for learning. Examples and visual aids make the information easy to understand and implement in your homeschool.

Do you remember the groans in math class when the word “fraction” was brought up? Well, there is a better and less painful way of teaching fractions! Fractions are, dare I say, fun when they are taught the right way. So, what’s the right way to teach them? Come and discover how to approach fractions. Experience the beauty and simplicity of fractions!

People, especially children, are visual learners. Approaching math from a visual perspective using an abacus is a sure-fire path to success! Learn how an abacus fosters quantity recognition and develops addition strategies. Investigate place value in a crystal clear format. Explain “borrowing and carrying” when adding and subtracting numbers. Discover the simplicity of multiplication. Find the easy way to learn the math facts.

As schools believe that producing good readers will solve all their academic problems. Many children—the dyslexic, the easily distracted, the auditorily challenged—are truly left behind in the rush to improve test scores. Reading is not simply being able to rapidly decode symbols with the eyes. Hear 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.

Does your child cry at the thought of another timed math fact test? Are you beating your head against the wall because your child can’t seem to remember the multiples of 7? Learn fabulous and effective alternatives to worksheets and flashcards by playing easy and fun math card games. Imagine your children asking to practice their math facts more! Discover games to help your child learn their math facts.