Cincinnati (Midwest) Homeschool Convention

[FloridaMomTo5]

Anybody attend this? I've been going since it began several years ago. This is the worst year by far. I have always come away encouraged and inspired, but this year the convention was oversold in my opinion! The sessions were so full of people it was a fire hazard. People were crowded in sitting on the floor around the chairs. Packed in like sardines. It was really sad to me. I didn't even go back today for the last day. :( Oh well, a friend of mine called it my pep rally each year that I went... I've been homeschooling long enough that I don't need my pep rally anymore I guess. Anyone else feel this way?

[cbollin]

:grouphug:

 

I used to live close enough to go to this one. But moved last year....

 

It just looks too huge even for the Duke Center. then adding in the Tim Hawkins shows just drew more people.

 

 

I remember the last year the convention was held at Landmark church --- it was jammed in there too and the sessions were in separate buildings from vendor hall, which was packed to the balcony.

 

it's a huge convention.

 

-crystal

[FloridaMomTo5]

I remember the last year the convention was held at Landmark church --- it was jammed in there too and the sessions were in separate buildings from vendor hall, which was packed to the balcony.

it's a huge convention.

 

-crystal

 

Yes. I remember that as well. You would be surprised how big it is now. I was told 11,000-13,000 was the total number in attendance this year.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I am glad I didn't clear my calendar for this one. I really love homeschooling conferences where the speakers talk about homeschooling, but I hate crowds.

[ciyates]

This was by far the worst year ever. I am so disappointed. I don't think I will be attending next year.

[FloridaMomTo5]

This was by far the worst year ever. I am so disappointed. I don't think I will be attending next year.

 

me too! I felt so bad for the new hs families that came looking for encouragement.

[Angel]

I was there yesterday! I only went to shop so I can't comment on the speakers, but it took us 30 minutes to find a parking garage and they closed that one after we pulled in!! We weren't sure what to do. When we first walked into the hall itself, we had to go to middle back to begin any shopping, it was so crowded by the front vendors you could hardly walk. It got much better as the day went on and I think that's because of people going back and forth from the speakers. That being said, it was so much bigger this year and I barely made it through the whole hall and then had to move pretty quick to get back to those vendors I was thinking about. Last year I made it all the way through and then had a couple hours to browse around again and make decisions. I needed another day really. ;)

 

My biggest complaint, other than the parking, was the tables set up to eat at. There weren't hardly enough for all of the people who were there to eat at! I felt like a buzzard circling for the kill while trying to find a table:lol:

 

My friend and I had a great time, though! It was her first BIG convention. We made a great day out of it and I met Erin from AG/JAG. I will go again, but I do hope that they figure some of the overcrowding out!

[Jeannie in NJ]

my dh is a speaker and vender there. He took his sister to help him. She sent us one message that there were 1,000 high schoolers at dh's seminar last night and that they are too busy to send us any more messages. I think he had 2 or at least one more seminar today. Hopefully, they are busy making sales lol.

[FloridaMomTo5]

I was hoping to hear the speakers share their hearts re: homeschooling... Instead it felt more like one big money machine.

[dhudson]

We drove from Colorado (18 hours) and were very pleased by the speakers. We got some great nuggets of truth and Tim Hawkins was hysterical. It was busy and crowded but I just thought it was great to be around so many other home schoolers and SWB and JW was great! :001_smile:

[mcconnellboys]

I was sort of confused about the rooms. SWB was in a room that was way too big and some folks seemed to be in rooms that were way too small. I'm not sure if they didn't gauge what the audiences would be for each type of talk, or just what happened. I only went to the vendor's fair last year, so I didn't see what the room situation was then. Was it like that last year? Or do you think they had way, way more people this year (I don't remember seeing so many last year)?

 

Sorry you didn't have a good time!

[tkeller]

We went and there were way more people this year. Last year I don't remember it being that hard to navigate the vendor hall. There were many times you could barely walk. Overall I had a great time though, spent too much money too of course! :)

[Mom2boys]

I have been attending the convention the last three days and had a great time. I heard from several sources ( hotel manager and vendors) that the convention had doubled in attendance from last year, and it certainly felt that way. The hallways and the vendor hall were crowded, but not to the extent that I wanted to leave. Some speaker sessions were crowded, with standing room only. But other sesions did have a number of empty seats. I think it is hard for the convention organizers to predict exactly how many people will be interested in hearing a given speaker session. They estimate numbers, and mostly get it right. I have attended all four years, and each year the convention gets better. There have been some growing pains, but they made many improvements over last year, and I am sure will make even more improvements next year. :001_smile:

[Guest rdandme]

They did seem to over/under estimate the room sizes. I only attended one (SWB) but walked past others that were overflowing tiny rooms. The vendor hall seemed less crowded this afternoon than it did yesterday. It was really packed! This was my first year and I will be going again next year. Being able to see the curriculum before buying and the discounts plus not paying shipping was great. Just the one talk made me feel much better about my decision so that was an added bonus.

[ekarl2]

This was a great convention for us, but we're vendors. More people, more workshop attendees, more sales.

 

I did talk with Brennan Dean, the organizer. I think even he was shocked by the massive turnout. Next year he's doing FOUR conventions:

 

Cincy, OH

Greenville, SC

Memphis, TN

Philly, PA

 

He's hoping that those closer to these areas will go there and not back to Cincy. He wants to take the model (a VERY successful one) he's come up with in Cincy and replicate it elsewhere. I hope he succeeds. It was very crowded, but the convention is a great mix of vendors, speakers, and LOTS of homeschool specific materials. I sold to people from about 10 different states, so if he can get these others off the ground and successful, that will lessen the crowds at this one, at least to some extent.

[Mom2boys]

This was a great convention for us, but we're vendors. More people, more workshop attendees, more sales.

 

I did talk with Brennan Dean, the organizer. I think even he was shocked by the massive turnout. Next year he's doing FOUR conventions:

 

Cincy, OH

Greenville, SC

Memphis, TN

Philly, PA

 

He's hoping that those closer to these areas will go there and not back to Cincy. He wants to take the model (a VERY successful one) he's come up with in Cincy and replicate it elsewhere. I hope he succeeds. It was very crowded, but the convention is a great mix of vendors, speakers, and LOTS of homeschool specific materials. I sold to people from about 10 different states, so if he can get these others off the ground and successful, that will lessen the crowds at this one, at least to some extent.

 

Thanks for sharing this Erin. Good to know. I hope though, that all my favorite vendors and speakers will still come to Cincinnati next year.

 

(And a side note - I'm so impressed that I received an email saying my Analytical Grammar order has already shipped! I just purchased it Thursday night. You all aren't even home yet.) :001_smile:

[rwjx2khsmj]

We just got home a few hours ago and all of us had a wonderful time. The children's program was perfect for our dc and allowed dh and me to listen to the speakers, talk and look at the vendor area together. Our two oldest children, dh and I all heard speakers that impressed us and gave us valuable information to take away. Tim Hawkins was hysterical.

 

I loved seeing how many homeschoolers are looking for information and connection just like we are. We'll be going back next year for sure!

[Tenaj]

I just returned home from the convention and have to say that I thought this year was much better than last year's. There were some rooms overflowing but I think we have to remember that it must be a LOT of guesswork to determine where the crowd will flow each year. I know last year the seminar I went to where Jonathon Pennington was speaking was filled to overflowing and this year it was about 3/4 full. The popular speakers must ebb and flow each year.

 

Yesterday the vendor hall was very, very crowded right around lunch time but after Tim Hawkins began at 2 it seemed to clear a bit. Thursday night, Friday morning, Friday evening and this morning were really not all that bad and it seemed to me to be much easier to get around than last year.

 

The table situation seemed much better to me this year. Last year, the only tables were located in the back of the exhibit hall and were at a premium. This year there were tables everywhere! Every floor and especially today it seemed like a lot were available. In fact, this was the first year I was every able to find a seat at a table and we even managed to seat our whole family group of five by ourselves at one. I was amazed!

 

My teens and I had so much fun this year. I was only able to attend about four workshops (a new baby in tow) but those I attended were great. The vendor hall was fun - though I admit that I was much more organized in my approach to it this year. I had my list and stuck to it (for the most part).

 

The parking didn't work out very well as far as the "recommended $5" garages but we drove just one block further and ended up only paying $4 yesterday and $3 today so I was happy.

 

Isn't it funny how people can be at the same place and the same time and have completely different experiences? Part of it is probably that I had really, really low expectations this year because it was the first time I had to tow a baby along . . . on the other hand . . . it was the first time my dh attended and he was absolutely amazed at the number of people and the vendor hall.

[Holly IN]

My only complaint for this year is the crowds. It was unbelievably crowded. I went last year and the amount of people were perfect but the food choices stinked big time. This year the food choices were much better but were bummmed that most food vendors wanted cash only and some exhibit hall shops wanted cash only so I didn't plan that very well. I really do not like to carry a lot of cash in that side of town. I have close friends who live near the border of OH near Cincy.....they told me that part of town is a bad part of downtown. Also said to not carry a whole lot of cash either!! :glare: The workshops were great!! Loved every one I attended.

 

The crowds is a big issue for me. My dh will not go if it is crowded. Sadly he is not going next year either. He went to Indianapolis one time and felt it was too crowded and too "harping" on fathers to come home and help homeschool as well as moms to be a full time educator which is not true in MY case. I work a part time job. I go to cincy to get encouragement to continue to homeschool and not be guilt tripped because I work.

 

I will be back at Cincy next year but will curb my spending to what is necessary rather try to buy it all at once. :D

 

Holly

[lauracolumbus]

This was our first convention (3d year homeschooling), and while I can't compare it to anything else, we were very pleased with the speakers. Yes, I did sit on the floor a few times, and I did miss out on the children's program, but I'm grateful for the wonderful speakers and the numerous vendors. I was unsure of how my kids were going to handle sitting next to me all day for 3 days, but often I was glad they were there b/c they learned so much from the speakers. It was also wonderful for them to see how large and legit the homeschooling phenom is.

 

I guess they could have us complete a preliminary questionnaire on which speakers we thought we might go to and that might help w/planning. And they could open up the other banquet hall for vendors (and group them better by similarities), but we're already planning our visit for next year.

 

Laura

[kathkath]

This was my first year and although it was crowded I was glad I went. I enjoyed most of the speakers (except the one on organization the first night that never showed lol)

[Michelle My Bell]

I have attended this convention since it started and YES, it gets bigger every year. I LOVED the old location and my old hotel. Last year I had a terrible experience at the Millenium. This year it was the Hilton. When I went to check in, I found out I had lost my room! We booked it in January when my husband was going to come. We were going to come in on Thursday and so we booked it Thurs-Sat. BUT it turned out I didn't come until Friday and I didn't even think of changing my reservation. UGG!

 

Well, I found out they charged me for Thursday ($100.00!) and they didn't have a room. I was flipping out as I had my daughter and a friend in that room with me. So I prayed about it and called my old hotel from years 1 and 2 of the conference in Sharonville, The La Quinta Inn. After a little haggeling, they gave me the $99 rate. Then I called the Hilton and talked to 3 people before they finally agreed to refund my money.

 

Let me just say, it was the Lord's goodness that had that happen. The La Quinta is a pleasant drive 12 minutes from the conference in a beautiful part of town. The hotel has an indoor pool, WONDERFUL beds, clean room, great showers and an AWESOME FREE FULL BREAKFAST! Oh, and parking is a breeze right in the parking lot and FREE. Next year I am not even going to bother with the downtown hotels. It is so much nicer at the La Quinta. If you want food, there is a Cracker Barrel right across the street and a few others as well.

 

It was easy driving in too. If you get there early, you'll have a spot in the parking garages. We had no problem today getting a spot at the closest one.

 

As far as the vendors hall... I think it was crowded and too big. I would like them to organize it a bit better. It would be nice if they only brought in real homeschool companies. The colleges could all be lumped on the end and the buisnesses as well that don't specialize in homeschool curricula.

 

The session... I only made it to 3 ... Andrew Puduwa, very good and not overcrowded, Catherine Levison, MY #1 Favorite speaker as she had so many good ideas I filled up 2 pages and Jonathan Pennington, very good as well. I saw some were overfilled but I didn't experience that.

 

TIM Hawkins ROCKS! I hope he is there every year. That was a real treat for us. It added something special and different to the conference.

 

Food: Much better this year. We found Chipotle (YUM) and met a great new friend in line, LOL. Today it was Chic Fil A. The LINE was huge, but it was fine. We entertained ourselves. Honestly, if we had waited until about 1:30 to eat, it cleared out A LOT and we wouldn't have had to wait so long.

 

Overall Experience - 4 stars

[ekarl2]

Thanks for sharing this Erin. Good to know. I hope though, that all my favorite vendors and speakers will still come to Cincinnati next year.

 

(And a side note - I'm so impressed that I received an email saying my Analytical Grammar order has already shipped! I just purchased it Thursday night. You all aren't even home yet.) :001_smile:

 

I use http://www.gotomypc.com to process orders; when I do that, the e-mail sends out.

 

Well ... the label printer got stuck and my shipping helper couldn't fix it. SO ... your order will actually go out Monday morning. I fly home today and I'll fix the printer and get things boxed up tonight.

 

Darn computers ...

[mcconnellboys]

Wow, I wish you would have heard SWB's ending talk yesterday. It was definitely all about heart. I missed it due to a traffic problem coming into Cincy year before last, which I think is the first time she ever gave it. I was VERY glad to hear it yesterday, as it helped me tremendously with some things I've been working through.....

[mcconnellboys]

I think that sounds terrific! Thanks for the info.

 

I really actually like having a larger mix of people from a wider area, however, as we get more diversity of ideas.

 

I like seeing more diversity among the vendors as well.

 

I'm an old, old homeschooler, so I'm not looking to buy as much as new,younger families, but I still like to see things offered for every need.

 

I'm very glad that the vendors did well at this, because I hope that means that they will come back and tell other vendors they know to come, too! The more offered, the better. One stop shopping/contact info is great for all busy homeschoolers!

 

I do think that one way to possibly help gauge room size need might be to have those who sign up identify which classes they are thinking of attending. It would not limit them to attend just those classes, but it might help better gauge interest....? I'm thinking a poll of some sort, that would tally the results for the organizers so they don't have to do that by hand.....

 

I tend to think that perhaps SWB's talks on the Middle Ages were not better attended because many didn't really understand that she has out her new book and that this is what she was discussing in the classes. (I did see plenty of teens attending her talks, though - that was nice to see!)

 

I would tend to think that after the attendance at this year's convention, he has nearly everyone's attention in Cincy, LOL, so I would hope that they will be willing to work with him in future to accommodate his needs! I applaud his good efforts and I hope that everyone writes to him, personally, and tells him what a great job he's doing for us all!

[mcconnellboys]

I hear you about the food problems! I put two packs of peanuts and three plastic bottles of Gold Peak tea in my back pack and that pretty much held me for the day. But I did buy a small pack of those darn warm nuts which you could smell all over the hall and a small lemondade before I left ($7 for just those small items). Affordable food for families seems to be a real problem at these conventions. I feel as if we're getting taken advantage of because we're a captive audience.

 

I'm not sure what can be done about that. Perhaps the assurance of larger crowds will allow negotiation of better prices in future.....

[mcconnellboys]

You know, I heard so very, very many people asking basic "newbie" type questions (and saying they were new, etc.) that I felt as if there were tons of new folks there. They might not even know about some of the tried and true speakers that were there.

 

By the end of my day there, I sort of felt as if they needed some sort of large booth where experienced homeschoolers took turns just answering basic questions for those who were confused about what sorts of subjects to cover, what names of curriculum might meet those needs, etc., etc. They were sometimes in line 6 or 8 deep just waiting to ask such questions of the vendors, who were also trying to sell. So I felt as if the vendors needed some relief from general types of questions.....

[Michelle My Bell]

I hear you about the food problems! I put two packs of peanuts and three plastic bottles of Gold Peak tea in my back pack and that pretty much held me for the day. But I did buy a small pack of those darn warm nuts which you could smell all over the hall and a small lemondade before I left ($7 for just those small items). Affordable food for families seems to be a real problem at these conventions. I feel as if we're getting taken advantage of because we're a captive audience.

 

I'm not sure what can be done about that. Perhaps the assurance of larger crowds will allow negotiation of better prices in future.....

 

 

Food prices were better for me than last year because I was made aware of more choices, however I did buy a bottle of pop in the vendor hall for $3 which was outrageous. I joked about it with the girl selling it and she said that she thought it was too, but that actually the prices were dropped for our conference. So normally they are not outrageous, they are astronomical!

 

Michelle

[Country Mouse]

This was my first year attending this convention. I was shocked at how crowded it was and it did make getting from place to place difficult. So many strollers and I can't tell you how many people I saw bowled over by those rolling cart things! Parking was really difficult, too.

All that said, I am really glad I went and since I had carefully chosen the speakers I wanted to see (MCT!!!) I was very happy with the workshops. There were a couple where they misjudged the room size and it was a bit crowded, but mostly the rooms were comfortable.

I was pleased with my experience and came home with a head swimming with ideas and plans.

[Tenaj]

!).

 

Let me just say, it was the Lord's goodness that had that happen. The La Quinta is a pleasant drive 12 minutes from the conference in a beautiful part of town. The hotel has an indoor pool, WONDERFUL beds, clean room, great showers and an AWESOME FREE FULL BREAKFAST! Oh, and parking is a breeze right in the parking lot and FREE. Next year I am not even going to bother with the downtown hotels. It is so much nicer at the La Quinta. If you want food, there is a Cracker Barrel right across the street and a few others as well.

 

It was easy driving in too. If you get there early, you'll have a spot in the parking garages. We had no problem today getting a spot at the closest one.

 

 

 

Hey - I bet we saw you there! We stayed at the LaQuinta, also. I was having trouble with the downtown motels and since I had stayed at the LaQuinta when the convention was at Landmark, I returned there also. We had no problem driving in and dealing with the parking and we actually appreciated not walking around downtown so much after dark. We felt like there was more variety for food choices also. I think we're going to stay there again next year.

 

There seemed to be several homeschooling families staying there. One of my sons spotted one family and said that they must be homeschoolers - it was confirmed when we saw the blue bands. I asked him how he had spotted them and his quote was "Well, there were kids walking with their Mom and they were actually talking and laughing together and having a good time." That made me giggle! Now I know - maybe it was you!

[angela in ohio]

We have attended every year. This year was just as crowded as the last year at Landmark. The big difference that made this year so much worse, though, was the number of children wandering unattended, the people with huge carts, etc. If people are not going to use common sense and think of others, the convention will need some rules.

 

If someone left not feeling like they had heard encouraging speakers, they were in the wrong rooms. I heard great speakers, full of incredible wisdom - MCT, Tom Clark, etc. Their rooms were not packed, sadly.

 

The vendor hall and some of the speakers have definitely hit that "homeschoolers are a market, sell them anything" point. I felt so sorry for newer homeschoolers I knew who went. Without advice or background knowledge, you would have no way of knowing what was established curriculum provider and what was fly-by-night marketing scheme.

 

I think they need to up the family price and lower the kids camp price, so that people with children who won't enjoy the convention, or people who are not intending to take care of their children while they are there anyway, will just put them in camp. I also think they need an adults only shopping time. I can't imagine how much money vendors lost on big ticket curricula because people couldn't get in to look. Sure the toys and games sold, but they need to think about people wanting to research materials to actually educate their dc. I took my dc, but we planned for them. My two girls sat in the teen speakers. They were not wandering the vendor hall getting in people's way or lounging around taking up all the tables so families couldn't eat together. And my 7 yo was accompanied by dh at all times. He sat through every speaker silently, and he enjoyed it. If he had not been able to, I would NOT have brought him.

 

I also think they need a new recording company. The one that does CHEO was much better. This family is just not equipped to handle the size of this convention, and they haven't been each year.

 

The vendor hall was too small for the number of vendors. I understand that, in business, there is a constant balance between keeping the customer happy and making the most profit. I think they erred on the side of profit too far this year. The number of vendors should have been more limited. Shopping the vendor hall was a miserable experience. I spent less than I have EVER spent in a convention hall, and I know many others who said the same.

Edited April 11, 2010 by angela in ohio

[Angel]

Jan, I think I saw you and your kids! I almost stopped and asked if you were, but was still unsure. I remember meeting you last year. Plus, you all had your hands full of food and a baby ;) Next time I'll ask. You must have got into town earlier than us for your parking. We are in a catch 22. We live an hour north of downtown, if we leave earlier, we will get stuck in traffic. I guess now that if we leave later we almost didn't have a place to park :rolleyes: Even the parking attendant we asked wasn't sure where to direct us.

 

I talked with my friend who came with me on Friday and we both enjoyed it so much. She said she'd definitely go with me next year! :auto:

 

Now I'm off to check my email and see if I got an email from Erin. I just love hearing authors explain their work. My friend bought AG for her son after talking with Erin's mom for about 20 minutes. We also enjoyed talking with the guy who wrote the One Year Adventure Novel.

[angela in ohio]

Let me just say, it was the Lord's goodness that had that happen. The La Quinta is a pleasant drive 12 minutes from the conference in a beautiful part of town. The hotel has an indoor pool, WONDERFUL beds, clean room, great showers and an AWESOME FREE FULL BREAKFAST! Oh, and parking is a breeze right in the parking lot and FREE. Next year I am not even going to bother with the downtown hotels. It is so much nicer at the La Quinta. If you want food, there is a Cracker Barrel right across the street and a few others as well.

 

We stay at this La Quinta every year, and I highly recommend it! Maybe I shouldnt, as part of the appeal is the quiet. We stayed for free on VISA points, and they upgraded us for free to a suite anyway. They always have a nice, tidy breakfast, and the desk staff is ridiculously nice. If you book early, you can get in for under $80/ night. Even paying for parking over three days, it is cheaper, has free breakfast, and has a great pool for the kids.

[Tenaj]

Jan, I think I saw you and your kids! I almost stopped and asked if you were, but was still unsure. I remember meeting you last year. Plus, you all had your hands full of food and a baby ;) Next time I'll ask. You must have got into town earlier than us for your parking. We are in a catch 22. We live an hour north of downtown, if we leave earlier, we will get stuck in traffic. I guess now that if we leave later we almost didn't have a place to park :rolleyes: Even the parking attendant we asked wasn't sure where to direct us.

 

I talked with my friend who came with me on Friday and we both enjoyed it so much. She said she'd definitely go with me next year! :auto:

 

Now I'm off to check my email and see if I got an email from Erin. I just love hearing authors explain their work. My friend bought AG for her son after talking with Erin's mom for about 20 minutes. We also enjoyed talking with the guy who wrote the One Year Adventure Novel.

 

I was watching for you but I'm not very good with faces and like you said, had a full load with me this weekend. I also spent a lot of time looking over the One Year Adventure Novel - took my dd back and she looked at it and then we bought it for her. She'd wanted to do creative writing next year and this looks really good. I told her that I'd buy her the "My Villan beat up your villan" t-shirt when she gets her novel done.

[angela in ohio]

I was sort of confused about the rooms. SWB was in a room that was way too big and some folks seemed to be in rooms that were way too small. I'm not sure if they didn't gauge what the audiences would be for each type of talk, or just what happened. I only went to the vendor's fair last year, so I didn't see what the room situation was then. Was it like that last year? Or do you think they had way, way more people this year (I don't remember seeing so many last year)?

 

Sorry you didn't have a good time!

 

I think some of it is not based necessarily on how many they expect, but the prestige of the speaker. I remember the frist year of this conference, they had someone in the main speaker area who only drew about 25 people, while Dr. Pennington had 100 people packed in a tiny room (and down the hall listening.) But they couldn't very well put a keynote speaker in a tiny room. ;)

[Saille]

Well, I do have to say that I won't do another day with my kids unless dh can be there...at least, not until they are much older. They were troopers, but navigating everything with a stroller and a rolling suitcase (and thank you, oh elizabeth, they were great suggestions and I needed them both) was just exhausting. The elevator made every cross-center trip take twice as long. There was no way I was going "off campus" for lunch. It was just...hard. Oh, and why the heck would they give us a map of the trade show, but not a map of the convention center? I've never been to a convention that didn't tell you where the rooms were...Some things were in the Millennium Hotel, and the ballrooms in the Convention Center can only be gotten to by one particular elevator. It would have saved me so much time to have a map. We did get into the $5 parking garages both days, with no problems. We got there no later than 8 a.m..

 

Saturday was much better. I was on my own, and I knew where everything was. It was wonderful to be able to get my hands on the things that I needed, and I think I saved a bundle on shipping this year. Not to mention the science booth that had several of the Thames and Kosmos kits I'm using next year. They were on sale, and they're shipping the ones they were out of to me for free. I bet I made a round trip to Chipotle in about twenty minutes, walking. And it was so empowering to see 10-15K homeschoolers all in one place. My kids were enthralled by that, and we all came home with "I'm a homeschooler"-type swag. I bought the "Homeschooling Mom: Just Add Coffee" shirt, which makes me very happy.

 

We got to meet Jim Weiss! He was actually running his own booth when we went to buy some cds, and he was just lovely with the kids. Bravewriter was very nice, as were MCT and SWB.

 

I only managed to meet one Hive member, radiobrain, but she was great! And we wound up having a friend in common, which was funny, b/c I'd known her long before any of us were homeschoolers.

 

I do hope they don't ask SWB to do 4 hours of history next year. Her books are fantastic, so I'm just as happy to keep on reading them, so there are other things I'd like to pick her brain about instead. I picked up CDs of a couple of her other sessions (I missed Thursday night) but I haven't gotten to listen to them, yet.

Edited April 11, 2010 by Saille

[Harriet Vane]

I have been to this convention each year they have had it, and had a good experience each time. We enjoyed it this year too. Dh and the kids came this year. My dd loved the teen track and my son really, really loved the children's program (he was angry when we got him there late ;)).

 

I was pleased with the addition of tables everywhere and decent food. The fried chicken from Julia+Julia's was fantastic. ;)

 

My only complaints are regarding the convention booklet and the session CDs. It was nearly impossible to find CDs if you didn't have an order form, but they ran out of forms. The line was unbelievably long. There was no one to help. I really wanted some CDs but just did not have the time or energy to deal with the disorganization and loooooong line, so I skipped it.

 

The convention booklet really needed less advertising and a lot more helpful features. I would have appreciated session descriptions and speaker bios--it was absolutely unworkable to have that information available only online. I also would have appreciated a map of the Duke Energy Center for my dd.

 

Other than that, though, I really enjoyed the convention. Great speakers, interesting topics. I think I truly am in love with Jim Weiss--his seminar on G.K. Chesterton was lovely. Another favorite of mine is Dr. Pennington--his words are realistic and soooo encouraging. Of course there was a workshop or two that was a dud, but that has happened at every convention I have ever been to in eight years of homeschooling. On the whole I found this one to be well organized and with lots of good things to offer.

[Elisabeth in IL]

It was my first convention ever so I have nothing to compare it to but I had a wonderful time. Only one room was too full out of the semiars that I chose to attend. There were a LOT of people but I found it exciting and invigerating. I went with a friend who, while glad she came with me, prefers the smaller Illinois convention that she has attended. I'm already looking forward to going back next year.

It just looks too huge even for the Duke Center.

I don't think it is too big for the Duke Center but having a Pet Expo at the same time wasn't good!

[Susan in KY]

Wow, I wish you would have heard SWB's ending talk yesterday. It was definitely all about heart.

:iagree: Great session!

[Susan in KY]

... I am really glad I went and since I had carefully chosen the speakers I wanted to see (MCT!!!)

 

:iagree:Oh, yeah! I was so surprised how much I liked "Level 4 analysis." :)

[ladydusk]

I had a great time and didn't have many problems with the crowds. I was in a few sessions that were really full, but generally there were sufficient seats.

 

I took about 5 hours on Friday (skipped lunch, too) to go through the vendor hall. I stopped some places and skipped others, but made it through the whole thing. That was a bit overwhelming, but I chose my Latin for next year (Prima Latina) and got my PHP stuff for next year, starting January (yay!). I stocked up at Reformation Heritage Books (they have such good books!) and Doorposts (yay! Love Doorposts). Yes, the vendor hall was packed, but I never had much of a problem getting through (and not more than from last year). I only wished I could have combed the used book areas a little more.

 

I was completely inspired by Martin Cothran's "How to Think" talk on Saturday. I enjoyed Catherine Levison's History and Science talk. I hear that Nancy Wilson was very inspiring and my friend was pleased with Tom Clark's sessions (we went to his third session, but left as we had heard that session before) There was only one session I came out of disliking, but I heard that speaker a second time and that talk was great!

 

I'm thankful to stay off-site as my inlaws live nearby. My SIL came with me (even not homeschooling) and she found a lot to listen to, look at, and do ... and had a great time.

 

It was good to see a bunch of you all, too! I was sorry to not stay long Thursday evening, but was feeling kind of awkward with my friends who aren't (very) active boardies.

[ladydusk]

I heard SWB's Second Time Around session last year, and it was the highlight of my conference. Glad so many enjoyed it :)

[angela in ohio]

:iagree:Oh, yeah! I was so surprised how much I liked "Level 4 analysis." :)

 

Would you be willing to post some notes? I had to miss that one.

[Mom2boys]

I think they need to up the family price and lower the kids camp price, so that people with children who won't enjoy the convention, or people who are not intending to take care of their children while they are there anyway, will just put them in camp. I also think they need an adults only shopping time. I can't imagine how much money vendors lost on big ticket curricula because people couldn't get in to look. Sure the toys and games sold, but they need to think about people wanting to research materials to actually educate their dc.

I also think they need a new recording company. The one that does CHEO was much better. This family is just not equipped to handle the size of this convention, and they haven't been each year.

:iagree:

There were way too many kids in the vendor hall. And Rhino Technologies needs to hire more help, or not work this convention. Two cash registers, to serve thousands of customers, is not nearly enough.

[Mom2boys]

I heard SWB's Second Time Around session last year, and it was the highlight of my conference. Glad so many enjoyed it :)

 

That talk is one of my favorites. I've heard it at least three times, and keep going back for more. :D

[mtollie]

This was my first year, so I don't have much to compare it too. I only have a few complaints and thought overall the conference was very well run (this coming from a conference junkie in my former professional life!).

 

I agree with some PP's that there were just too many kids around. I truly appreciate the conference being family friendly and I am continually amazed at the great behavior of homeschooled kids, but...it made it a lot more difficult to get around the convention center and exhibit hall. And in many of the crowded seminars, there were numerous seats taken up by kids instead of parents. If you bring your kids (about ages 4-12) along, I say put them in the children's program where they can enjoy age appropriate content and get to know other HS'd kids!

 

I also wish that the colleges and other companies (not directly HS material related) were grouped together or something in the Exhibit Hall. I often felt like I needed to speed by and not make eye contact so I wouldn't get nailed by a sales pitch, kwim?

 

My highlight was definitely SWB's Second Time Around talk - it felt very personal and intimate even though we were in that huge room with several hundred people!

 

I think the location is great and I was pleased with my stay at the Hilton. There were plenty of food/parking options close to the Duke Center and I felt completely safe walking around, even by myself at night.

[Michelle My Bell]

 

I also wish that the colleges and other companies (not directly HS material related) were grouped together or something in the Exhibit Hall. I often felt like I needed to speed by and not make eye contact so I wouldn't get nailed by a sales pitch, kwim?

 

 

 

I agree, but I'll take it a step further. There was far too many vendors that were not homeschool related. But if they really want them there, put them all grouped together at one end so those of us only interested in school materials, don't have to sort through them.

 

On another note... I felt pretty safe for the most part because there were so many homeschoolers around (those little blue bands put my mind at ease even in the midst of strangers) but on Friday I was approached on the street by a fast talking, scamming woman trying to get money out of me. Little did she know that I am a fast talking, not listening, very cautious lady myself. She knew right away she wasn't getting anything out of me. That made me quite uncomfortable as I was alone with my daughter outside. Didn't someone say that this is the worst part of downtown? I stuck to the skywalks as much as I could after that.

 

Michelle

[GWOB]

I drove 12 hours to go to this convention. I do not regret a single minute of the drive there or back.

 

I loved the speakers. SWB completely inspired me to educate myself first and foremost. She told me it was ok to take a long time to undergo this self-education process. Thanks SWB! I completely needed to hear that.

 

I walked around the vendor hall while dh and dd9 and ds7 listened to the Video Text guy. For the first time ever, dh, the nuclear engineer/engineering physics major, felt as though we could homeschool through high school. After that, I went to the Doug Wilson (or whoever the NOT Vision Forum guy was) talk. It wasn't what I expected, but I was inspired nonetheless. Thursday night, I met fellow WTMers. Strider stuck out in my memory. That woman is striking, both in appearance and speech! I was completely intimidated by her! I will strive to educate myself to be more on her level.

 

Friday, I woke early to work out (at the Hyatt) and listen to Cheryl Lowe. Seriously, if I could take the woman home with me, I sooooooooooo would. What an inspiration! I am completely re-committed to Latin studies! I guess I wasn't bothered by the vendor hall. Perhaps I am just accustomed to poor behavior by children. (BTW, if anyone heard a flustered mom yelling "Be aware" or "AWARENESS, kid," it was me) Memoria Press was by far my favorite booth. Tim Hawkings, whom we had never heard of before, was phenomenal!! We capped of the day with Jim Weiss, who I am 100% positive sounds exactly like God, and the wonderful pool at the Hyatt.

 

Saturday, dh went to the "Dads Only" talk while I perused the vendor hall and my oldest dc went to the kid's program. Dh and I both thoroughly enjoyed Martin Cothran's "How to Think." I seriously wanted to buy his logic materials for me.

 

I went to the convention with a general idea of what I wanted to teach, but the talks solidified all my ideas. I left dh in charge of picking a science and art curriculum. He was completely up to the task. We went with RS4K and Artistic Pursuits. I loved that dh could get involved in planning.

 

Honestly, I feel more inspired now after the convention. I am starting to view hsing as more than a "stop-gap" thing and more like a permanent family goal. Dh felt very reassured and inspired by everything.

 

Overall, I give the experience an A++. And, seriously, I am from Nebraska, where we have about 27 people total. The crowds did not bother me one bit. I found the children to be extremely well-behaved, and I generally do not like other people's kids. I thought everyone there was friendly and talkative. I will seriously consider attending next year, unless the organizers decide to hold the same caliber convention in either Omaha or Kansas City.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

 

As far as the vendors hall... I think it was crowded and too big. I would like them to organize it a bit better. It would be nice if they only brought in real homeschool companies. The colleges could all be lumped on the end and the buisnesses as well that don't specialize in homeschool curricula.

 

 

 

I think that one reason that vendors might be interspersed is that it ends up making traffic flow a little better.

 

Let's say that you have elementary students and are interested in math and Latin. You will stop at the booths that interest you, maybe even waiting in line to see what you want to see. But you will be able to cruise past the next table (toddler toys) and the one after that (a college). If all the math vendors were right next to each other, then there would possibly be quite a pile up of people waiting to look over the material, instead of spreading out the interested shoppers through the hall. I think this is the same reason that you don't have all of the same type stores grouped together in a mall.

 

I am pretty sure that vendors pay for their space. So the more vendors that are there the more rooms that the convention can get for workshops and the more money they have for things like renting tables for eating and resting at.

 

I have pretty much decided that wherever we are living next year, I am going to be at that conference from beginning to end. My in-laws live in the area and would be thrilled to take care of the kids.

 

We had a little curriculum faire day with our homeschool group here in Japan. We had a panel discussion with four experienced homeschoolers sharing and about ten listening. We asked every curriculum vendor we could think of to send us catalogs to distribute, but we ended up only having the extras that members brought in to share. No vendors sent us catalogs (probably because of the cost of sending them out).

[duffymoon]

My wife and I attended all three days.

 

We're completely new to homeschooling (to start this fall). So, as a first-timer, I can say that (for us) it was very ENcouraging, not discouraging at all.

 

It was encouraging to see that there were SO MANY people who are choosing to educate their own kids. I guess mostly what we wanted was to be affirmed in our choice. We're planning to follow SWB's WTM method (to the best of our ability to do so) and it was helpful to be able to sit in a room with her, to see that she's competent, authentic, believable (probably sounds silly to say that, but if we're trusting our children's education to her philosophy, it helps to know she's capable).

 

We had a wonderful time, picked up some of the curriculum we were needing, heard some great speakers, and were just generally impressed. We'll definitely go again next year.