2013 Conference - Rochester

Learn about the most popular methodologies (textbook, living books, unit studies, classical, and unschooling) and gain a close-up look at the homeschool publishers which carry these methodologies. (Many of these publishers will be in our conference exhibit hall.) You will be able to determine which methodology would be best your homeschool. You’ll be glad you attended this workshop!

Our children are light in a hurting world. Knowing how to help their friends, summer youth campers, and acquaintances work through their struggles in a Godly way is important.  In this session Eileen and her daughter Given will share some of their experiences. You will receive an overview of some of the possible issues your child might encounter and the Biblical crisis counseling skills they can use, plus some tips on how to help your teens have effective helping relationships.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Logic of English -- Learn how to engage your active learners through movement. Denise Eide will share her experiences teaching and parenting active children.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Rosetta Stone Ltd. -- Experience firsthand the power of Rosetta Stone® Homeschool. We’ll explore how this program provides students with a rich, interactive, and engaging language-learning experience, while giving parents the tools and resources needed to track and manage student progress. Find out why Rosetta Stone is Homeschool’s #1 foreign language software curriculum. Come join us for this interactive language learning experience!

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  GeoMatters -- Come hear about the Learning Series, a complete curriculum that offers easy to use, activity-based learning, reflecting the proven educational principles of Dr. Ruth Beechick and Charlotte Mason. Beginning with "real" books, Trail Guide to Learning series uses a natural approach to teaching that helps develop strong thinking skills.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Classical Conversations -- Classical education is for REAL moms and their kids. Many believe that a classical education is an unnecessarily difficult and outdated approach reserved for gifted children. The truth is that the classical approach is simple, yet profound. Using classical methods, ordinary moms can give their children an exceptional education. Come learn about the Classical model of education and about simple ways to organize and implement the model in your home.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Arts Attack (Atelier Art) -- Why is art important? How does art help our children to communicate more effectively? How does art enhance other core subjects? Perhaps the most important question…how can YOU teach art to your children? Whether you are teaching in a home, small group, or co-op setting, learn how Atelier Art can give you the tools you need to teach art effectively with confidence! We invite you to come…listen…laugh…learn…and discover your inner artist!

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Apologia -- Teaching science can seem like a daunting task, especially at the upper levels. You can break through the barrier of self-doubt and provide a positive and successful science education for your child. Along with practical "how-to's" and encouragement, in this workshop you'll discover reasons you can successfully homeschool through junior and senior high school science; how to prepare your child for evolution-based science in secular colleges and universities, and more!

Give your child what is most important. Instead of academic or social pressures, Charlotte Mason encouraged mothers to give their little ones a full six years of developing good habits, getting acquainted with nature, exploring with the five senses, growing in their spiritual lives, and more. Learn how to give your child a quiet growing time.

Drama offers an untapped treasure of possibilities for home educators of all ages. Exploring the benefits of Drama will be the focus of this workshop. From Drama as academic content (such as history, people, literature) to the “synthetic art” of Theatre (such as design, costume, sound, marketing) to Personal Skills (such as performance, confidence, writing, speaking, analysis, appreciation), the potential is endless. Understanding the potential Drama has for your situation is our goal. Ideas and plans on “How” to include Drama will be included, time permitting.

Many children really do not like to write. Why? This workshop will answer that basic question and teach a specific and successful method of separating the complex process of writing into the smallest possible steps, making it possible for even the most reluctant writer to produce short but complete compositions. He 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!  

Are you tired of force feeding history to your children? Does history make them yawn? Or, do you have one of those hungry-for-history type students that would devour far more than you could ever dream up to provide? Diana Waring will take you on an extraordinary learning adventure as she shares with you how to make the facts come alive and the learning go deeper! Join Diana for her "sit-on-the-edge-of-your-chair-in-suspense" history approach, using literature, music, art, science, cooking, and more, that has captivated home educators across five nations.

In this workshop you will learn how to identify if your child has a learning glitch or if he is just a ‘late bloomer’. Is your child exhibiting a maturity problem or is she actually struggling with a blocked learning gate? Determine which learning gates are open and which could be blocked. Learn the signs of auditory processing problems. This workshop answers these questions and supplies strategies for dealing with these situations – and more!

Join a well-known Ark explorer as he recounts the lessons and vital facts that he gleaned from his many trips to Mt. Ararat. Leave with an understanding of the biblical Flood’s impact on geology and paleontology as well as the Ark’s important spiritual analogy to the salvation message. Handouts are not available for this workshop.

 …or perhaps you did volunteer but wish you hadn’t!  If 20% of the people do 80% of the work (and you are in the 20%), how do you keep from getting over-worked and becoming resentful? Hear insights which every volunteer leader needs to apply. Your sanity may depend upon it!  This workshop is for support group leaders and is by invitation only. If you would like to attend, please check at the MACHE booth in the Grand Lobby.

Scenario #1: It's Monday morning, skies are gray again for the 12th day in a row. Somewhere down the hall you hear your two youngest children fighting about who left the cap off the toothpaste and now the end is dry and crusty. You pull the covers over your head to shut out the impending dread of doing battle with lessons, sibling rivalry, besides trying to keep your house from looking like it should be condemned as a public health risk. You are a homeschool mother. Scenario #2: It's Monday morning, skies are gray but you are up and at 'em.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  The Works People -- Excellent writers understand function and logic of words. Student survival and success in our culture depend upon language proficiency. Future success and professional credibility depend upon language competency. Grammar Works and Writing Works foster personal ownership and craftsmanship of English while building solid literacy foundations by developing highly sharpened language skills incrementally and sequentially. This curriculum hits a home run every time it’s tried. Come and find out why.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  My Father's World -- The myriad of homeschool choices can be overwhelming like interstates, highways, back roads and scenic routes. There are so many ways and opinions, how can one navigate through it all and still homeschool effectively? Why not blend the best of each method? Join My Father’s World as we show how to instill Christian values while integrating great literature, chronological history, geography, hands-on activities, notebooks and timelines, narration, study of Greek and Latin roots, nature studies, and more.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Elecronic Library for Minnesota -- The Electronic Library for Minnesota (ELM), a collection of 40+ online databases, is funded in part by the Minnesota Legislature. Made available at http://www.elm4you.org for all Minnesota residents to access, the databases include information on subject areas including social sciences, math, literature, science, geography, health, business, and education.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Math-U-See -- Come see how to teach math using a skill based, multi-sensory approach from counting to Calculus. Teach your child to understand math and build a foundation for a lifelong love of learning.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Inheritance Publications -- A veteran homeschool mother of four shares many practical ideas for making your homeschool God-centered, while introducing you to some of the resources Inheritance Publications has to offer. Sheryl will discuss meal times, devotions and family worship, music, lesson planning, reading good books, and much more.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP: CLEP -- Studying US History? How about Algebra? This workshop will help you learn how to translate your student’s high school studies into college credit for under $100. The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a College Board program that allows students to demonstrate mastery of material often taught in introductory-level college courses by passing a computer-based exam.

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.

Are you curious about home education, but not sure if you’re ready to make the commitment? Do you have a friend or family member saying you’re crazy if you homeschool? Join HSLDA Staff Attorney and homeschooling father of seven, Mike Donnelly, and see why homeschooling may be the right choice for you. Mike will help you understand the basics, show how home educated students often outshine their public school peers, and shed light on the myths surrounding homeschooling. Handouts are not available for this workshop.

If we want our kids to experience the blessings of a pure life, we can’t just start teaching them about it at age 13. Join Julie as she shows you how to create a “culture” of purity in your home, no matter how old your children are. Purity of heart, mind, and body is a subject we not only need to discuss frequently, but need to model in our own lives on a daily basis. Moms and dads need to be on the same page with their children when they give direction on things like media standards and boundaries in relationships.

In this fast-paced, easy-to-understand workshop, you will distinguish three different grids that affect the unique way each one in your family learns: learning modalities (visual, auditory, kinesthetic); learning styles (Feeler, Thinker, Sensor, Intuitor); learning intelligences (interpersonal, intrapersonal, linguistic, spatial, math-logical, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, naturalist).

Music has become such an ever-present influence in our daily lives, we seldom stop to consider what effect it has on us. But we must! As we changed over the last 100 years from being music “makers” to music “consumers,” we have gradually lost control over, and even awareness of, our auditory environment. In what way is music beneficial to our bodies and minds? In what circumstances can it actually be harmful?

Although the Bible is not a textbook of science, it does speak to scientific principles and discusses many scientific issues. If God is an omnipotent, omniscient, and holy Being, He could not present anything that would not be accurate. Just what does the Bible cover relating to modern science? Handouts are not available for this workshop. 

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP -- Sonlight Curriculum -- Education can and should be enjoyable…for both students and teachers. In this workshop you’ll learn from a 15-year homeschool veteran how the award-winning Sonlight Curriculum inspires the love to learn, builds family bonds, equips students to think, and shares a strong missions focus. Sonlight's comprehensive packages are flexible enough to teach one student or a houseful with the best books and complete lesson plans. The adventure is yours to enjoy!

This workshop is a pleasant break for the grandparents who ventured with you to the conference. While they enjoy refreshments and a respite from the noise in the exhibit hall, we will help them understand how important they are to their grandchildren and give them practical ways to help home educate them. This will be a very encouraging workshop.

People are visual thinkers and children are especially visual. Approaching math from a visual perspective is a sure-fire path to success! RightStart™ Mathematics uses manipulatives: the AL Abacus, math balance, place value cards, card games, linear fraction chart, and other items. These visual tools allow children to understand, apply, and enjoy math.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOPS:  Phonics Road to Reading and Spelling -- A frequent lament of parents centers around teaching their children to spell as well as they read. What begins enthusiastically in kindergarten commonly deteriorates so that by about 4th grade a student reads okay, cannot spell well, and usually hates to write. Since this affects all his language arts such as grammar, composition, and even foreign language, parents find themselves at a loss as to how to proceed any further.

EXHIITOR WORKSHOP:  Family Quest -- When a family takes on the vision of homeschooling, dreams, hopes and aspirations are high. Amidst the desire to do things excellently, do things right, do things “as unto the Lord,” perfectionism can sneak in and rob you of your joy, peace and contentment.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Crown College -- You’ve dedicated yourself to educating your children. Now, you want to make sure the college they attend carries that same dedication to academic excellence and spiritual commitment so they can succeed in today’s world.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Accountable Kids -- Do you ever feel as though you spend most of your day telling everybody what to do and how to do it only to find much still left undone? Learn how to release your children to manage their own day and responsibilities with a simple back-to-basics approach. You will discover tools and techniques that will not only get your home and school "in order," but will build family relationships, develop character, and teach teamwork - all while giving your children the satisfaction of personal accomplishment.

Nancy will use her 20+ years of homeschool experience to identify several seasons of homeschooling from early childhood through high school. She will cover a basic scope and sequence for these stages and recommend some strategies and resources for each. We will also take some time to interact as a group to glean ideas from other attendees. We’ll talk about where things like Grammar fit into the big picture and what exactly is Pre-algebra. We’ll also cover what long term goals might look like and how to create them.

Increasing numbers of intellectual elites are calling for dramatic regulation and even eradication of private and home education. Although the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized parents’ rights to direct the education and upbringing of their children, American home educators need to prepare to confront growing resistance to freedom in education—especially home education. Come hear Mike Donnelly, HSLDA attorney, director of international relations, and homeschooling father, as he examines this growing threat and what American home educators need to do to meet it. 

The Bible speaks often about the power of blessing those around us. But in our modern-day world, this foundational aspect is often overlooked. The act of blessing our families doesn’t have to be a hyper-spiritualized, time-consuming affair. Even the simplest of words can reach deep into the hearts of our children and plant seeds of blessing, hope, and love. Join Kay and Julie as they impart practical, hands on wisdom to rebirth the lost art of Biblical blessing.

Does that ring true for you? Is learning a breathtaking adventure in your homeschool, or more of a weary forced-march, plodding through endless subjects? One of the most difficult aspects of homeschooling is breaking away from the model of education that we grew up with. A desk, a flag and an apple symbolize the "look" of school, while "lecture, drill and test" describe the method of school, the method that left us passive and bored. It's time to enter a whole new world of education to find a captivating - breathtaking - way to learn.

Picking up from where “The Profound Influence of Music on Life” talk leaves off, this presentation uses musical samples to help listeners learn to hear more actively, both to gain the most out of their listening experience as well as to encourage “defensive” listening and teach their children to listen with greater discernment.

Do you have a child who has to work too hard to stay focused on a task? Does his pencil become paralyzed when you leave the room for a few minutes? Does he seem lazy and unmotivated? Are you at your wits end about how to help this child? “He’s so smart, but it takes him FOREVER to complete his work!” You’ve tried all the focusing tricks from the books you’ve read, but still find that you have to use so much of your teaching day just getting the required work out of this child or teenager.

There are some teachings that must be opposed. The New Testament presents three categories that receive special condemnation from the Lord Jesus. The biblical message of creation is foundational to who God is and therefore at the core of all Truth. Handouts are not available for this keynote session.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  BJU Press / HomeWorks by Precept -- “Is it normal to end the homeschooling day sitting on the floor in tears? This is not how I wanted homeschooling to be.” Even if your days don’t end this way, do you ever wonder if other homeschoolers make it through their day on schedule without taking time to hunt for missing things? Come discover organizational strategies that will help you take advantage of the many opportunities you have to influence lasting transformation in your students.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Latin Road to English Grammar -- No other language in the entire world's history affects English as much as Latin as it reveals the Secrets to many of our difficult English spellings and meanings. It is the mother language of our most common spoken foreign languages and provides the key to the vocabulary of the sciences, medicine, law, literature, and history.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP - La Clase Divertida (The FUN Class!) -- While most parents are familiar with and feel somewhat confident teaching the 3-R's to their children, very few feel that same confidence with foreign language instruction.  In my workshop I hope to answer many of the questions I have heard repeatedly during my 29 years of Spanish instruction of children 4-18 and my 15 years of homeschooling.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Family Quest -- If adoption has not turned out the way you planned, if your adopted child seems emotionally shut down or oppositional, attachment may be the issue. Learn what attachment is and how to identify when a child is struggling with attachment. Learn to adjust your parenting to win this child's heart.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Creating A Masterpiece -- Sharyn will explain why art is vitally important in the development of a child's education. It helps promote creativity and growth intellectually.  By working their way through art projects that seem overwhelming and difficult, students learn the importance of making wise decisions and creating strategies.  They learn how to focus and finish a task to completion. This gives them confidence later in life to complete other projects larger in scope that may not even be art related.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP: Brain Balance Achievement Centers -- Do you want to help your child and family be happier, healthier, and more successful? A natural brain-based approach can help.

An encouraging look at God’s response to five fears that homeschooling moms face: (1) fear of what God is calling you to do, (2) fear of being inadequate for the job, (3) fear of what might happen in the future, (4) fear of ridicule or rejection, and (5) fear of our weak areas ruining our children.

Have you ever wanted to get your children excited about a particular lesson through “visualizing” what you were teaching? Do you want your children to grow in confidence, as well as develop performance and speaking abilities; but you have no idea how to teach them something like that? This workshop will cover basic information in presentation techniques, voice and diction, imagination, improvisation, and “stage fright.” Michael’s goal in all of this is clear: to advance Jesus Christ through the arts.

Our culture has drawn the battle line: immerse our children at any cost. While the world’s agenda may be knocking at our door, we as parents are the gatekeepers of our homes, especially regarding media. In this session, Julie explains how the developmental age of our children is vital in knowing the type and content of media they are able to consume and appropriately view. Julie gives practical age by age tips for parents on how to teach their children discernment while watching TV and movies, playing video games, and while on the internet.

Time management does NOT mean scheduling, but it includes scheduling. 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 then 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, household clutter and cleaning, and general household management. Attendees will leave with practical and applicable tips. 

We’ve all suffered it at one time or another: frustration about writing assignments. Either on the receiving end or perhaps now on the giving end, there can be a few distinctly discouraging aspects to teaching and being taught writing. The tough questions include: What to correct and how to give a grade? How much help is too much? Isn’t the assignment clear enough? Why don’t students find their own errors? Learn and avoid four teaching mistakes that contribute to this frustration: Overcorrecting, Holding Back Help, Unclear Assignments, and Over-Expectation.

“Visual memory is far superior to auditory memory. It is essentially perfect.” (The Brain Book by Peter Russell) Many people think that some are just born with a “photographic memory,” but we now know that this amazing ability can be easily taught. Teach your children learning strategies that are taught at Cambridge University.  Research shows that there are more “megabytes” in the right brain for memory storage.

What really happened when Eve ate the forbidden fruit? Why didn’t Adam and Eve just drop dead and God start all over again? Why does everything die? What does death and thermodynamics have to do with the gospel message? Why did God have to die for us? Handouts are not available for this keynote session.

Jeurgen Dudek, a persecuted German home educator, and Mike Donnelly, HSLDA attorney fighting for homeschooling freedom, discuss reality and implications of persecution for German homeschoolers, the Romeike case, and the growing threat to parental freedom from state encroachment. You may bring in your lunch. There are no handouts available for this workshop.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Tutor Doctor -- Tutor Doctor will discuss strategies to help your child develop "executive" skills which are  fundamental (brain-based) skills required to execute tasks.  Examples of this are:  getting organized, planning, initiating work, staying on task, controlling impulses, regulating emotions, and being adaptable and resilient. Recent studies show that students who have weak executive skills between the ages of 12-15 are at a huge disadvantage as they reach high school level and beyond.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Bachmann & Associates Christian Counseling –This workshop would explain how learning deficits look in the daily academic setting and how they can be addressed with educational therapy. Educational therapy is a deficit stimulation program tailored to the needs of the individual student. The goal is to strengthen weak areas of processing that affect the way the student learns, and therefore achieves. This program is based on the National Institute of Learning Development (NILD) model.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  The Works People -- With Reading Works you can be assured there are no gaps in your handwriting, phonics, reading, and spelling programs. Do you want a language arts program that is based upon neurological research and addresses all learning styles? Do you need a complete, integrated, research-based approach that is still adaptable to your students’ unique learning rates and needs? In this workshop you will get an overview of how to make the neurological, research-based WRTR truly user-friendly and cover all the bases.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  RightStart Mathematics by Activities for Learning, Inc. -- Teach your child how to think mathematically from pre-school to college. Hear how RightStart™ lays an amazing foundation with the basics, building and applying knowledge, step-by-step. The middle school curriculum shows the student where and how to apply mathematics. Then finish strong with VideoText’s high school algebra and geometry curriculum. Standardized testing and the new Common Core standards will also be discussed.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Institute for Excellence in Writing -- 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. Best of all, parents and students alike find it easy to use and effective in all their writing endeavors. This workshop will give you an overview of the program and show you how you can get started with even the most reluctant writing student so you can give it a try at home.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Imagination Investigation -- In a world gone haywire, we need more than ever the ability to discern right from wrong. But situations fly at us almost faster than we can process them, and once we make a decision, it often cannot be reversed. So how can we learn--and teach to our kids--discernment beforehand? Is there any way to tackle the issues before we face them?  Welcome to the realm of fiction. With its imitation of reality, fiction can provide a crash course to life . . . if we know how to use it.

Good, living books feed our children a feast of ideas, not just dry facts. Join Sonya for a look at this simple, yet effective, approach to true education. Learn what makes living books “living,” and practice using them in a way that makes learning stick.

What are you going to do? There is no need to fear if you understand your rights, the law, and how to manage the interaction with these government workers. They have a job to do—and so do you! Come hear HSLDA attorney and homeschooling father, Mike Donnelly, discuss the most frequent issues home educators face when dealing with school superintendents, principals, and social workers. In this practical talk, Mike will discuss how to homeschool legally in your state and how to handle encounters with civic authorities.

The essential crash course for every homeschool parent. Discover insights from Diana's research behind the events of history. Share her wisdom for teaching history. Do you wonder, "Whom do I trust and what do I read to know real history?" Diana will equip YOU, regardless of your curriculum, to find your way through the challenges. She will lead you to a path you can follow in discovering treasures of history with your family. 

Children like to do what they can do; they want to do what they think they can do, and they hate to do what they think they cannot do. If you want excited and enthusiastic children who learn well, you must understand these 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. 

Have teens or ‘tweens?Then undoubtedly you have been asked, “Can I have or use [insert newest gadget or program here].” You have probably answered one of two ways to this question: (1) “I guess.” [Meaning: you aren’t sure what it can do, but other kids have it, so it must be okay, right?] or (2) “No!” [Meaning: you have no idea what it does or how it works and don’t have time to figure it out, so just to be safe it is an absolute “No!”] Parents, the reality is that the teens and ‘twe

Just what is life? The Bible teaches that God made plants for food. Do we murder them when we eat them? Why does the science of botany stress that plants are alive? What difference does it make anyway? What does the Bible tell us about life? Handouts are not available for this workshop.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Logic of English -- Have you always believed English is illogical and inconsistent?  In this workshop your understanding of English will be transformed! Award-winning author Denise Eide will reveal phonograms and spelling rules which explain 98% of English words. No longer will you need to tell your children “that is an exception” when they misread or misspell a word.  We will learn: The rule which explains the two sounds for C in accent and describes more than 6,000 words!

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  My Father's World -- Our children are precious gifts from the Lord but sometimes they can interfere with our human plans. These little ones seem to seek attention at the wrong time. What can we do at these times to creatively involve them in the learning process? My Father’s World shares many suggestions on how to educate and occupy little ones.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Math-U-See -- Come see how to teach math using a skill based, multi-sensory approach from counting to Calculus. Teach your child to understand math and build a foundation for a lifelong love of learning.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Inheritance Publications -- Veteran homeschool father of four addresses the importance of leaving a godly spiritual inheritance for families. Stephen will speak to the need for fathers and mothers to exercise watchfulness over their own lives and that of their family. He will offer practical tips on compiling spiritual resources and implementing family worship, encouraging fathers to fulfill their God-given role in their families.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Classical Conversations -- Home schooling your junior high and high school student can seem to be an overwhelming task. Can you really do it? Absolutely! Come learn about Classical education and hear how you can home school through high school while providing the tools for your student to develop a love of learning and the tools to learn for a lifetime.

EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP:  Apologia -- Are you intimidated by the idea of teaching biblical worldview at home? What is a worldview anyway, and why should you teach worldview as part of your curriculum? And what is the best method for teaching a biblical worldview to elementary-school-age and junior high children? Establishing a clear biblical worldview and a strong foundation in basic Christian doctrine will inoculate your children against the false teachings and worldly values they will one day encounter during the critical teen years.

You don’t have to be a music major or an art aficionado to teach fine arts to your children. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll discover an easy yet effective way to give your children music appreciation and art appreciation that will enrich their lives and yours!

Mike and John will lead this interactive workshop. Bring your questions and comments pertaining to current events and legal issues in the world of home education and have a great group discussion.  Handouts are not available for this workshop.

This season of change, both physically and emotionally, can take a big toll on our ‘tweens moving into adolescence. What changes should we, as parents, expect? How do we continue to train them during this intensive and sensitive time? Join Julie as she helps you navigate this short yet influential season with your son or daughter. 

Can we fallible and finite human beings see the fingerprints of God in history? Are there examples from various times and various cultures that show the unmistakable handiwork of the Creator/Redeemer God? Does history have more to teach us than mere dates, names and places? For an intriguing look at the Story behind the stories, join Diana for this adventure-filled recounting—which could change your life!

“When my daughter reads, she has to sound out the same word over and over again in the story.” “If I give my child three simple directions, he only does one…if that! Is he just being inattentive, or is something else going on?” “My son’s memory is terrible. He’s ten years old and can’t remember the months in order!” Do you have a child or teenager who has (or you suspect he/she has) an Auditory Processing Problem or Short Term Memory Problem?  This can affect so many areas of life, not just academic areas.

What is the best definition for the created kind according to current scientific understanding? How does a creation or evolution worldview affect one’s understanding of racism, abortion, euthanasia, and other societal wrongs? Wrong thinking leads to and justifies wrong behavior, which the Bible calls sin. With this understanding, become aware of the impact that the correct worldview has on the current hot topics of cloning, stem cell research, and global warming. Handouts are not available for this workshop.