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  • HOMESCHOOL CONFERENCES

    Filed at 6:22 pm under by dcobranchi

    Mike Smith, writing in the Moonie Times, extols the virtues of conferences.

    There is a vital reason veteran home-school families should continue to attend their state conferences. The state organizations and local support groups that host these conferences depend upon the revenue raised to be able to provide resources throughout the year to those interested in home-schooling. The growth of home education and the freedom to do so is dependent upon strong, vibrant, healthy state and local home-school organizations. Their existence is dependent upon the support of home-schoolers.

    If you are interested in finding out about home-schooling, or are a veteran home-schooler, go to a home-school conference and curriculum fair. They are still one of the best resources available.

    Maybe some year I’ll go to one.

    25 Responses to “HOMESCHOOL CONFERENCES”


    Comment by
    COD
    April 24th, 2006
    at 9:01 pm

    Can we count hanging out in the woods drinking beer around the campfire as a homeschool conference?


    Comment by
    Daryl Cobranchi
    April 24th, 2006
    at 9:17 pm

    Only if we all wear denim jumpers.


    Comment by
    Bonnie
    April 24th, 2006
    at 11:37 pm

    You mean you aren’t going to the conference to help support NCHE??? As well as they have protected our homeschool freedoms??? For shame! Go on and go and pick yourself up a volunteer card to go to Raleigh and file some of that illegal paperwork DNPE takes in every year!

    Go on–ya know you want to!

    HeeHee


    Comment by
    Rikki
    April 25th, 2006
    at 4:47 am

    There’s one here every year that people in our local groups keep reminding us about. It’s called “The Rethinking Education” conference. There are several reasons I haven’t gone, but the main one is that it’s too darn expensive. I just don’t feel like it’s a good use of the money we could otherwise spend doing something fun with the kids.


    Comment by
    Unique
    April 25th, 2006
    at 6:51 am

    Maybe when they have it somewhere other than W-S, I’ll join you.


    Comment by
    Bonnie
    April 25th, 2006
    at 8:10 am

    Funny how different people look at the same thing so differently.

    “We strongly recommend that parents who have any interest in home-schooling attend a home-school conference.”

    I tell newbies to NOT go to the conference the first year because it can be so overwhelming. I tell them to spend the first year finding out what their family goals are and what kind of schedule works the best for them before they are bombarded with others’ ideas.

    “Many veteran home-schoolers have indicated that these conferences are the shot in arm they need each year to continue their home-school adventure.”

    Not me. Anytime I go to the big conference I usually come away feeling like I have attended the ‘beginning of the end’ ceremony for many homeschoolers. There is so much talk about groups and clubs I always wonder where the ‘home’ fits in.

    Anyway, that’s just me. I definitely favor the small conferences and workshops sponsored by local groups over the huge one that entails 3 days away from home, hotel and meal spending, and HUGE crowded conference centers.


    Comment by
    HB
    April 25th, 2006
    at 9:47 am

    I will attend the NCHE conference when the conference is focused on education rather than theology.


    Comment by
    don
    April 25th, 2006
    at 12:12 pm

    We’ve gone to several conferences (both large and small) over the past couple years. However we don’t go to “support” anything other than our own desire to get a discount and save shipping costs on books we would otherwise buy online. We mostly go because at the curriculum fairs you can really check stuff out in more detail than you can get from a publisher’s synopsis or someone else’s review. (For example, if you want to know how much content overlap there is between Saxon 7/6 and Saxon 6/5, so you can decide whether or not to just skip 7/6 and go straight to 8/7. Also there have been many things that came highly recommended, but when we looked at them in person, they sucked.) And of course I always have a good time by making fun of the people at the HSLDA booth 🙂


    Comment by
    Jill
    April 25th, 2006
    at 12:50 pm

    It takes all kinds I suppose. I attended CHAP (a large PA christian homeschool convention) for the first time when my homeschooled kid was only 3. I am neither from PA or Christian, and I got a lot out of it. I’ve been back twice (kid is 8 now) and loved it, wish I had the time and $$ to attend this year. My favorite part was the used curriculum – I was able to buy and try a bunch of different things for very little money.

    My two cents.
    Jill


    Comment by
    Lioness
    April 25th, 2006
    at 2:03 pm

    Around here the state conference is your best shot at talking face to face with more than three other homeschooling families at a time.


    Comment by
    Myrtle
    April 25th, 2006
    at 2:30 pm

    Amen to the campsite!

    The only one I ever went to was set up in one of the most expensive corporate looking places they could find. Of course, that cost is passed along to the attendee. I’d go every year if they could set it up on some fair grounds or rodeo grounds or flea market someplace. Kids can go on rides. Dad can eat BBQ and I can sort through tables of books at booths which the vendors won’t have to pay an arm and a leg for the privelege of having a fold up table. Maybe more would attend if it weren’t so expensive for the vendors.


    Comment by
    Stephanie
    April 25th, 2006
    at 11:01 pm

    Well, I think that there are tons of different types of conferences out there…each with their own feel. We actually have a lot around here outside of Washington DC. Personally I prefer the smaller/grassroots ones as well…so much that I am volunteering to help pull one together! I think that you can tell a lot about a conference just by looking at the speaker list and session titles.

    If you are going to be around Richmond, Va on Aug 25-26 and want to attend a relaxed, informative and fun conference put on by our inclusive state-wide hsing organization, please check out the VaHomeschoolers conference at vahome...ce.asp

    ~Steph


    Comment by
    Mary
    April 25th, 2006
    at 11:03 pm

    ya know, when I read the title ‘homeschool conferences’ I had visions of parent/teacher confernces. In the kitchen, I spoze.

    but then I figured out you were talking about ‘dog & pony shows’. you know, the kind where fast-talking slick salesmen talk you into putting aluminum siding on your log cabin.


    Comment by
    Lioness
    April 26th, 2006
    at 12:50 am

    Not always. We haven’t had a saleman show up yet.


    Comment by
    Natalie
    April 26th, 2006
    at 1:07 am

    Well, Jeanne is moving from MS to VA (sigh…dammit), so I vote that we all pay her a visit and have a blogger “conference” in the VA mountains.

    BYOB. And none of that Natural Light crap.


    Comment by
    Daryl Cobranchi
    April 26th, 2006
    at 4:49 am

    One of our “goals” is to sample multiple microbrews. Generally, the darker, the better.


    Comment by
    Bonnie
    April 26th, 2006
    at 8:07 am

    Yikes! I just saw the costs for NCHE’s. Book Fair only is $30! $10 for members. Plus gas. So much for saving on shipping. Last time I went it was $15 for non-members and free for members.

    I hadn’t realized it had gone up that much. I’m way behind the times.

    Of course, I’m way behind on a lot of things.

    The one in Richmond sounds nice.


    Comment by
    Daryl Cobranchi
    April 26th, 2006
    at 8:52 am

    Yeah– Eastern NC needs a cheap, inclusive curriculum fair. Maybe HA-NC could organize one?


    Comment by
    Stephanie
    April 26th, 2006
    at 9:01 am

    Well, Jeanne is moving from MS to VA (sigh…dammit), so I vote that we all pay her a visit and have a blogger “conference” in the VA mountains.

    >>>>>>>>

    While I am sorry for your loss, I can’t tell you how happy I am for our gain! (We did have her first, after all! ;o) ) Jeanne is one of the featured speakers at the VaHomeschoolers conference and I know that I personally can’t wait!

    Bloggers are more then welcome to join us at the conference. :o) We may even save you a drink by the pool afterward if you let us know that you are coming!

    ~


    Comment by
    Jeanne
    April 26th, 2006
    at 11:47 am

    Well I think y’all should just start a bidding war on where I should live : )

    Seriously tho’, the PEAK conference in Mississippi and the Virginia Homeschoolers conferences in Richmond have both been really fun, affirming, and welcoming — inexpensive, too.

    The only downside to being a speaker is not being able to hear as many of the other speakers and panels that I’d like to hear. Otherwise, it always feels like a reunion or maybe even also a Pre-union with bloggers and elist friends that I’ve not met in person yet.

    But maybe between conferences we can get together for some camping in Shenandoah National Park. Certainly the hollows of the Virginia mountains have seen a few, um, micro-breweries. Tradition and all that, y’know.


    Comment by
    Bonnie
    April 26th, 2006
    at 1:24 pm

    Daryl,
    What do you know and would be willing to share about HA-NC? I looked into that group after I got so disgusted with NCHE but read where this group also recommends complying with DNPE’s excessive requests for non-required info. That was a few years ago when it was first formed. Any different now?
    Thanks!


    Comment by
    Toni in NC
    April 26th, 2006
    at 5:57 pm

    Bonnie-
    I can assure you, speaking as a board member of HA-NC, that we DO NOT recommend overcompliance with NC homeschool statutes. There are very few actual *requirements* but a multitude of *recommendations* and we strive to let folks understand the difference.

    That philosophy goes for the *voluntary mail in program* of annual testing results as well. NCHE actively encourages its members to participate in that program but we at HA-NC, prefer to emphasize the fact that it is *voluntary*.

    $30 for admission to the NCHE bookfair !!?? Ouch. I’d rather camp than shop anyway :))


    Comment by
    Natalie
    April 27th, 2006
    at 2:10 am

    I just confirmed our reservations for the second annual PEAK conference/retreat/workshop/thing for the last weekend in August. It just so happens that I’m currently trying to talk a VA homeschooler into speaking (my plan is to kidnap her and trade her back for Jeanne…muhahaha).

    BTW, is that too late for a homeschool get-together?


    Comment by
    Barb
    April 27th, 2006
    at 10:51 am

    Daryl wrote: Yeah– Eastern NC needs a cheap, inclusive curriculum fair. Maybe HA-NC could organize one?

    Until such an event occurs, if are willing to drive to SE Virgina, there is a great homeschooling store in VA Beach called Moore Expressions (www.mooreexpressions.com) where you can see most hsing materials in person for free. If you call ahead they will even pull specific stuff for you.

    As a speaker and the volunteer coordinator, I will also plug the August VaHomeschoolers Conference in Richmond. The venue is the Science Museum of Richmond and it is unlike any other conference I have ever attended (and in the past there have been very few denim jumpers in attendance).

    Barb in Chesapeake,VA


    Comment by
    Bonnie
    April 29th, 2006
    at 5:48 am

    Thanks, Toni