A rather un pc rant about conventions

[FaithManor]

How many secular homeschooling or academic homeschooling, or classical homeschooling and don't want to go to a conference in order to hash out religion, homeschoolers are on this board and in the Midwest?

 

I propose that we all descend on a centrally located hotel :auto: and commiserate together. Maybe SWB will come talk to us!!! :D:D:D :bigear:

 

I promise to bring my mother in law's, TO DIE FOR, rum cake with rum frosting, I volunteer my friend (aren't I such a lovely BF?) to bring her heavenly peanut butter pie with whipped cream, someone else can bring the Godiva Double Chocolate Cheesecake, and we'll force SPYCAR to fly in from California and make Ethiopian food! We'll consume every carmel or mocha latte in the area.

 

:001_smile:Faith

[SonshineLearner]

I want it... I'll come if you can provide an area for my sleeping bag and me :) I would bring... hmmm... I'm eating organic, healthy, no sugar food.... What could I bring??? Chicken pot pie with homemade crust :)

[elegantlion]

How many secular homeschooling or academic homeschooling, or classical homeschooling and don't want to go to a conference in order to hash out religion, homeschoolers are on this board and in the Midwest?

 

I propose that we all descend on a centrally located hotel :auto: and commiserate together. Maybe SWB will come talk to us!!! :D:D:D :bigear:

 

I promise to bring my mother in law's, TO DIE FOR, rum cake with rum frosting, I volunteer my friend (aren't I such a lovely BF?) to bring her heavenly peanut butter pie with whipped cream, someone else can bring the Godiva Double Chocolate Cheesecake, and we'll force SPYCAR to fly in from California and make Ethiopian food! We'll consume every carmel or mocha latte in the area.

 

:001_smile:Faith

 

Sounds wonderful!

[Murphy101]

Conventions are to make money. If we want a different type of convention they we need to organize them. Or, speak up to organizers and tell them why we won't go or offer our own presentations.

 

I agree. The problem here is that the two major long time established organizations for home schooling in this state are very fundy oriented and aren't open to any other discussion.

 

Personally, my dream convention would have Seton, Bob Jones, Oak Meadow, christopherus, and CLE on on a vender row next to each other.:tongue_smilie:

 

And the speakers would discuss various methods and materials used and religion/sex/marriage/discipline wouldn't be the focus.

[Luckymama]

Another secular homeschooler here. Last year during my information gathering phase prior to beginning homeschooling, I looked around to find a convention. Everything was very very very religious. I felt uncomfortable even reading about the speakers and some vendors. Needless to say, I have yet to attend a convention.

 

However, this year I'm going to try the Philly one. Based on their listing of speakers and vendors, I know my time can be filled with academic topics-----MCT and Royal Fireworks Press, Ed Zaccaro, SWB/JB, various types of writing instruction, etc.

 

I don't have any homeschooling friends :( Dh might be able to attend with me, so we could have a little getaway ;)

[Murphy101]

I volunteer my house, town, or I can look up nearby hotels.

 

Don't worry about food. Food is not my religion either. :tongue_smilie:

Bring what you like. Worst case is there will be more if what you know you like for you to enjoy.:D

[LibraryLover]

I want it... I'll come if you can provide an area for my sleeping bag and me :) I would bring... hmmm... I'm eating organic, healthy, no sugar food.... What could I bring??? Chicken pot pie with homemade crust :)

 

 

A conference with no eveing wine or chocolate?

 

No can do.

[ChemMommy]

My dear, you should try the ND convention. One year, the keynotes both days were on the virtue of arranged marriages. 95% are wearing dresses and about 25% are in caps. That one was SO over the top that even the very conservative organizers decided to tone it down! I'd love one on academics, too! I'd love, love, love to go to Cincinnati, but between plane tickets, hotels, and food, it is so far out of my budget as to be laughable. I'd love to hear SWB in person, just once!

[Murphy101]

A conference with no eveing wine or chocolate?

 

No can do.

 

I must admit, a drunken speaker about being manly men and pure girls would be rather amusing in a sad way. Wouldn't pay to see that tho.

 

Now afterwards?

 

Yeah. Give me my glass of Chardonnay and some chocolate!:D

[SonshineLearner]

I volunteer my house, town, or I can look up nearby hotels.

 

Don't worry about food. Food is not my religion either. :tongue_smilie:

Bring what you like. Worst case is there will be more if what you know you like for you to enjoy.:D

 

Crazy!! I just realized I could look up people that my parents still know there. Too bad we can use the spot where we had the convention... It's the round building at ORU... what's it called?? They probably don't own it anymore.

 

BTW, we just went there because of the Law School, not because we wanted to support him... or his crazy ideas.

 

:)

(Are you in Oklahoma??) I like Seton, too, for their Henle answer guide. Are they classical, though? My classical/Catholic friends said, "no"... I'm confused :(

[silliness7]

How I long for a home school convention sans the propaganda and actually about *gasp* academics. I think purity rings are somewhere between stupid and creepy. Neither Rob nor I have any desire for me to be a meek and quiet wife. (Thank goodness! LOL) I think real boyhood is more than learning to be a good provider. I think Hank the Cowdog should be put down -seriously that dog is horribly behaved! And hearing a couple expound on their research into how effective home schooling is, is not particularly helpful in practical applications. Though I'm sure it is temporarily inspiring to hear that if we just relax and leave the kids to their own devices and raise them to be Godly - that everything else will fall into place. And if it doesn't, well at least they aren't having sex at the public school.

 

What I wouldn't give for actual academic discussion of options and how to apply them in our homes. All the rhetoric about how to raise our sons to be manly providers and our daughters to be pure is not very helpful when it comes to teaching actual religion, algebra, dissections, or how to write a coherent 5 paragraph essay with end notes and bibliography.

 

It perpetuates a stereotype that most home schoolers don't fit (IME) or want to fit and excuses poor education in the name of being a better Christian, which I personally find insulting.

 

I probably shouldn't hit post. Feel free to ignore. I will go to the convention tho I won't attend a single speaker. I just want the free shipping and instant gratification of my vendor purchases.;)

 

I gave up conventions a long time ago. Too bad. I think I would like an actual education convention like you describe. I wonder if it would help sharing your thoughts with those in charge. Probably only if there are a whole bunch of like-minded others sharing similar thoughts...buy hey...you never know. :001_smile:

 

Personally it sounds like an enterprising business opportunity for the right person. To establish home school conventions that are more about school than they are about home. Not that home is bad, it's just a lot of us have more trouble with the school end of things than the home end.

 

I don't know how that would go over with the "you don't need special training to teach your own dc" crowd. And I agree to a point. But I think all of us as home educators should be diligent about improving our ability to teach our dc. Just because we can do a decent enough job sans training doesn't mean we shouldn't strive to do an excellent job WITH training. And I don't mean like school teacher training. More like parent practicums that IEW and Teaching the Classics puts on DVD.

 

Anyway, I think most of us would agree that we get better with experience. Why wouldn't we get better with seminars on teaching? I know I understand teaching writing and reading much better after watching the DVD parent practicums.

 

ETA: But I find Hank the Cowdog hilarious. Big fans here.

Edited February 27, 2011 by silliness7

[LibraryLover]

I must admit, a drunken speaker about being manly men and pure girls would be rather amusing in a sad way. Wouldn't pay to see that tho.

 

Now afterwards?

 

Yeah. Give me my glass of Chardonnay and some chocolate!:D

 

 

lol I did mean afterwards...evening...:D

Edited February 28, 2011 by LibraryLover
because i cannot type and spell at the same time

[ChemMommy]

I went to the one where Andrew P and SWB were speaking, and you couldn't swing a cat without hitting someone from this forum, but that was it.

 

Andrew P is speaking at North Dakota's convention THIS week and I am so excited. I even paid for the classes for my kids and that involves driving two hours each way for two extra days (Hey, there aren't a lot of towns here in the great north!!). If SWB came (hint, hint), I'd be camping there, for sure.

[FaithManor]

Lucky Mama, you do know that if you and dh go to a homeschool convention togther this is called a "professional development day"?:D

 

Nayfliesmama, I eat a huge amount of organic too! The "homeschool convention" is for that once a year opportunity to eat divine comfort foods and relax. But, I LOVE CHICKEN POT PIE, so you would be most welcome to bring such a divine dish.

 

Library Lover, I did not mean to imply a "no wine" event. I am not a wine person...I've just never tasted one that floated my boat. You should bring your favorite!

 

Spycar, well, he better fly in with some Ethiopian food. To attend without this after making our mouths water with his delicious, bite by bite accounts of such foodie bliss, is a major faux pax. If he wants to come and chooses to arrive sans Ethiopian food, he had best bring Barry, Reguheert, and Pearl's Dad as body guards because he might get dog piled by an angry mob of women. :lol:

 

Faith

[Old Dominion Heather]

I agree, except that we love Hank the Cowdoy. He is absolutely horribly behaved, but funny!

[Lady Florida.]

:lol::lol::lol:

We've got a secular convention here, but it tends to have a rather non-academic "unschooling" bent. I so envy those of you who get speakers like SWB, MCT, Andrew P., etc.

 

There just doesn't seem to be a happy medium does there? Conventions are either very Christian (no offense to Christians, but that excludes an awful lot of people) or very unschoolish (no offense to unschoolers but that excludes an awful lot of people).

[Spy Car]

 

Spycar, well, he better fly in with some Ethiopian food. To attend without this after making our mouths water with his delicious, bite by bite accounts of such foodie bliss, is a major faux pax. If he wants to come and chooses to arrive sans Ethiopian food, he had best bring Barry, Reguheert, and Pearl's Dad as body guards because he might get dog piled by an angry mob of women. :lol:

 

Faith

 

Reading about these lovely conventions, what do you think the odds are that I might attend one? :D

 

Bill

[SailorMom]

This is why we have never gone to a convention......

[ChemMommy]

I LIKE Hank the Cowdog, bad grammar and all, but don't get me started on Junie B. Jones. I'm just sorry that Hank doesn't come to our state conventions :-(

[mommaduck]

I agree with Martha. It would be nice to have more on academics and less (or at least a variety) on world view. But then, from my understanding, the speakers are handpicked and it's almost run by an "elite" (aka, I've heard of blackballing speakers before for not living up to other people's "standards").

 

That said, I've never been to a convention, don't have the time or money to spend at one, etc.

[ChemMommy]

Count me in! I'll bring the "Chocolate Dip to Die For"!

[silliness7]

I find that there is very little for me as a Christian homeschooler who believes that faith and truth go hand in hand, that study is a form of worship.

I think I might describe it as pedantic fundamentalism.

 

:iagree::iagree: Very well put.

[Murphy101]

(Are you in Oklahoma??) I like Seton, too, for their Henle answer guide. Are they classical, though? My classical/Catholic friends said, "no"... I'm confused :(

 

Nope. Not classical. Seton is very traditional style.

 

My list was not so much a list of classical options as a reflection of the diversity available but never seems represented. Also, MOST home schoolers IME are more eclectic than set completely in one type or another.

 

I don't think I have ever met a home schooler that did everything one style, be it classical, Charlotte Mason, unschooling or whatever label you would like to refer to.

 

I'd love an agenda free convention that just let's many people see what is available and what various methods and options there really are to consider.

 

Okay maybe not agenda free entirely. I'd like the only agenda to be actual home schooling.;)

[*lifeoftheparty*]

I've never been to one either, but I am going for the first time in June! I'm going to the Northeast HS Convention in Valley Forge, PA. I was worried, LOL, so I went to see if a schedule was up yet, it wasn't. HOWEVER, I read the Class descriptions for the Mid-South Convention (also put on by Great Homeschool people) and looked at the ones of the same people who will be at the NE Convention and I'm EXCITED!

 

MOST of the class descriptions were Academic in nature. There were some "fluff" ones, but they seem to be the minority. Here are some that I definitely want to try and see:

 

Susan Wise Bauer

 

Homeschooling the Real (Distractable, Impatient, Argumentative, Unenthusiastic, Non-Book-Loving, Inattentive, Poky, Vague) Child

 

Jessie Wise

 

The Well-Trained Mind: Academic Excellence through Classical Education, Grades K-4 : A practical and specific workshop covering the how-tos of classical education for grades K-4. This talk covers the place of memorization in the early years, foundations for good reading and writing, using narration, placing history at the core of the curriculum, and relating literature to history. It also includes introducing Latin early, mastering the facts of mathematics, and the place of science in the classical curriculum. There are recommendations of curricula and books.

 

Julie Bogart

 

The Natural Stages of Growth in Writing (all ages): Do you wonder if your child is ready to write on his or her own? How much help should you give your struggling writer? When is the right time to introduce format writing? This workshop offers the homeschooling parent a model for evaluating your child’s current developmental stage in the process of becoming a competent and confident writer. By the end of the workshop, you will have an understanding of how to tailor your children’s writing program into one that suits your child’s skill level while challenging him or her to grow as well.

 

Jim Weiss

 

King Arthur and Other Classical Leaders : Jim Weiss presents stories that feature literary leaders such as King Arthur who exhibit character traits worth emulating. From the knights of the round table to the forest of Aesop, to the world of Hercules, Jim takes his audience on an armchair adventure around the world and offers food for thought on the qualities that make for wise guidance and leadership.

 

Micheal Clay Thompson

Advanced Vocabulary: Direct Study through Latin and Greek Stems : If children are to prosper in the advanced academic work that their future potentially holds for them, they must have a grounding in the academic vocabulary that is so absent in the regular world and so dominant in the academic world. This means, especially, that children must know the Latin and Greek prefixes and roots that form the foundation of the English language. This session will present Michael Clay Thompson's vocabulary instruction program with recommendations for strategies.

 

Ed Zaccaro

 

Nurturing a Mathematical Gift into a Passion: Gifted children are typically not given the opportunity to see the wondrous side of mathematics. Children who are talented in mathematics must be exposed to material that lights a fire and nurtures their gift. This session will show parents how to nurture a passion for mathematics while providing an appropriate challenge.

 

 

Christopher Perrin

Recovering the Classical Tradition of Education: In this seminar I present a defense of Classical Christian Education that features seven reasons why it is a superb educational approach for our sons and daughters: 1) It provides a coherent means of understanding God, the world and ourselves 2) It cultivates the human 3) It develops and imparts powers (arts) to students 4) It cultivates a love of beauty 5) It develop character 6) It trains leaders 7) It cultivates community. I will also refute several familiar objections to CCE such as 1) CCE is elitist 2) CCE is old-fashioned and out of touch 3) CCE was discredited by the educational establishment 100 years ago 4) Studying classical subjects like Latin are a waste of time in this cultural moment. The goal of this seminar is to give participants a clear, concise and cogent defense of CCE that presents its remarkable qualities and refutes common objections.

 

Andrew Kern

 

Teaching Classical Literature Classically: We teach classical literature because it exposes our students to models of virtue. Andrew Kern explains how through teaching good literature, we can help our children develop poetic knowledge, an intuitive knowledge of the nature of things. He advises parents to read to their children—or have their children read—at a level beyond what they can decode in phonetics, and to read the texts themselves, not about the texts.

 

 

These are only a small portion of the ones that sound awesome, to me, anyways :) I'm sure I'll sit through a few "fluff" classes too :)

 

So are these class offerings not normally what you would find at a convention? Or is this the stuff that people are complaining about, in other words, does it sound cool on paper... and then not deliver?

[Murphy101]

I LIKE Hank the Cowdog, bad grammar and all, but don't get me started on Junie B. Jones. I'm just sorry that Hank doesn't come to our state conventions :-(

 

I don't like either series.

 

But hey, I'd still let my kids play with yours.;)

 

I just wouldn't pay to attend a home school convention for Hank the Cowdog session.:001_huh:

[radiobrain]

FYI...

 

I have been lobbying for more academic/secular/gifted speakers and vendors for the Midwest HS convention, since the first one. Not agressively, just an email here or there. The people who run that convention (and now the other 3 new ones) are amazingly open-minded and flexible, IMHO. They are definitely Christians, and they know that most people who HS will fall into that category, but they are really trying to have the best HOMESCHOOL convention, and realize that might mean they should expand their scope a bit.

 

I (and my other secular HS friends) have a great time at these conventions. Why? Because they are giant and have a lot of variety. They are also pretty cheap (especially if you register early). Even with only a few speakers/topics/vendors to see... I still feel like I didn't do or see everything I wanted. I also like being in a huge place packed with people who are homeschoolers too, even if they don't HS like me.

 

The head of the convention called me last year (I am listed in the phone book) and asked me SPECIFICALLY for other speakers/vendors etc that would appeal to the academic/secular/gifted homeschool population, as he decided that MCT was awesome and wanted to add some more people like him to the roster. I sent him about 20-40 people, some of which are now going to be there (YAY! Ed Zaccarro!). I'm sorry, but that's cool. ;) Next year, there may be more, who knows!

 

If you are near any of those, and are secular, sift through the stuff that is over the top or irrelevant and see what you are left with. It is a surprising amount. It is as if there is a smaller convention, within the convention. :w00t:

 

And if you go to the Cincinnati one, and want to have lunch, get a drink and see some bands... I will tell you where to go!

[Crissy]

I just wouldn't pay to attend a home school convention for Hank the Cowdog session.:001_huh:

 

Oh my. I thought you just didn't like the books being sold at the convention because of Hank's behavior.

As much as I love Hank, Drover, Slim and Sally May, I'm happy to just read them at home for free.

[Murphy101]

Oh my. I thought you just didn't like the books being sold at the convention because of Hank's behavior.

As much as I love Hank, Drover, Slim and Sally May, I'm happy to just read them at home for free.

 

 

I don't care if they are sold there.

 

I just don't comprehend the use of having the author come for a session.

 

What adds to the frustration is how TINY the conventions in my state are, which, to my mind, means they should be even more selective about who gets to fill those few slots for home schooling speakers/vendors.

[Laurie4b]

What! No Hank the Cowdog? :svengo: I loved Hank the Cowdog when my boys were little. We got them on audiobooks from the library. I thought they were quite funny! :tongue_smilie:

 

I never have gone to a convention because of what I heard my friends talking about when they came back from them, and I'm a conservative Christian of the generic-protestant-flavored sort.

[catz]

:iagree:

 

I found that there was very little for me as a secular homeschooler. I don't think the sponsors ever considered that people home school for academic reasons.

 

Right there with you. I went to one small conventions put on by our local secular HS org, and a couple sessions I was in digressed to how to incorporate bible studies into your whole day. Didn't really work for me. :tongue_smilie:

[Jennifer]

I've never been to one either, but I am going for the first time in June! I'm going to the Northeast HS Convention in Valley Forge, PA. I was worried, LOL, so I went to see if a schedule was up yet, it wasn't. HOWEVER, I read the Class descriptions for the Mid-South Convention (also put on by Great Homeschool people) and looked at the ones of the same people who will be at the NE Convention and I'm EXCITED!

 

MOST of the class descriptions were Academic in nature. There were some "fluff" ones, but they seem to be the minority. Here are some that I definitely want to try and see:

 

Susan Wise Bauer

 

Homeschooling the Real (Distractable, Impatient, Argumentative, Unenthusiastic, Non-Book-Loving, Inattentive, Poky, Vague) Child

 

Jessie Wise

 

The Well-Trained Mind: Academic Excellence through Classical Education, Grades K-4 : A practical and specific workshop covering the how-tos of classical education for grades K-4. This talk covers the place of memorization in the early years, foundations for good reading and writing, using narration, placing history at the core of the curriculum, and relating literature to history. It also includes introducing Latin early, mastering the facts of mathematics, and the place of science in the classical curriculum. There are recommendations of curricula and books.

 

Julie Bogart

 

The Natural Stages of Growth in Writing (all ages): Do you wonder if your child is ready to write on his or her own? How much help should you give your struggling writer? When is the right time to introduce format writing? This workshop offers the homeschooling parent a model for evaluating your child’s current developmental stage in the process of becoming a competent and confident writer. By the end of the workshop, you will have an understanding of how to tailor your children’s writing program into one that suits your child’s skill level while challenging him or her to grow as well.

 

Jim Weiss

 

King Arthur and Other Classical Leaders : Jim Weiss presents stories that feature literary leaders such as King Arthur who exhibit character traits worth emulating. From the knights of the round table to the forest of Aesop, to the world of Hercules, Jim takes his audience on an armchair adventure around the world and offers food for thought on the qualities that make for wise guidance and leadership.

 

Micheal Clay Thompson

Advanced Vocabulary: Direct Study through Latin and Greek Stems : If children are to prosper in the advanced academic work that their future potentially holds for them, they must have a grounding in the academic vocabulary that is so absent in the regular world and so dominant in the academic world. This means, especially, that children must know the Latin and Greek prefixes and roots that form the foundation of the English language. This session will present Michael Clay Thompson's vocabulary instruction program with recommendations for strategies.

 

Ed Zaccaro

 

Nurturing a Mathematical Gift into a Passion: Gifted children are typically not given the opportunity to see the wondrous side of mathematics. Children who are talented in mathematics must be exposed to material that lights a fire and nurtures their gift. This session will show parents how to nurture a passion for mathematics while providing an appropriate challenge.

 

 

Christopher Perrin

Recovering the Classical Tradition of Education: In this seminar I present a defense of Classical Christian Education that features seven reasons why it is a superb educational approach for our sons and daughters: 1) It provides a coherent means of understanding God, the world and ourselves 2) It cultivates the human 3) It develops and imparts powers (arts) to students 4) It cultivates a love of beauty 5) It develop character 6) It trains leaders 7) It cultivates community. I will also refute several familiar objections to CCE such as 1) CCE is elitist 2) CCE is old-fashioned and out of touch 3) CCE was discredited by the educational establishment 100 years ago 4) Studying classical subjects like Latin are a waste of time in this cultural moment. The goal of this seminar is to give participants a clear, concise and cogent defense of CCE that presents its remarkable qualities and refutes common objections.

 

Andrew Kern

 

Teaching Classical Literature Classically: We teach classical literature because it exposes our students to models of virtue. Andrew Kern explains how through teaching good literature, we can help our children develop poetic knowledge, an intuitive knowledge of the nature of things. He advises parents to read to their children—or have their children read—at a level beyond what they can decode in phonetics, and to read the texts themselves, not about the texts.

 

 

These are only a small portion of the ones that sound awesome, to me, anyways :) I'm sure I'll sit through a few "fluff" classes too :)

 

So are these class offerings not normally what you would find at a convention? Or is this the stuff that people are complaining about, in other words, does it sound cool on paper... and then not deliver?

 

This conference looks AWESOME! I'm seriously thinking about driving 1700 miles from San Antonio to attend. I'll drive the 12 passenger van-making stops in Dallas, Arkansas, Memphis, Knoxville, the middle of VA, MD-should I stop and pick anyone else up on the way??

Jennifer

PS. Yes, I'm serious. We have family in PA and NY that we are driving to visit this summer. I'll just send DH and the kids on ahead in the little car.

[LibraryLover]

Yikes. This sounds like something even relaxed me would enjoy.

 

I've heard Jim W muliplte times in the past at LLL conferences. Always was a treat.

 

I've never been to one either, but I am going for the first time in June! I'm going to the Northeast HS Convention in Valley Forge, PA. I was worried, LOL, so I went to see if a schedule was up yet, it wasn't. HOWEVER, I read the Class descriptions for the Mid-South Convention (also put on by Great Homeschool people) and looked at the ones of the same people who will be at the NE Convention and I'm EXCITED!

 

MOST of the class descriptions were Academic in nature. There were some "fluff" ones, but they seem to be the minority. Here are some that I definitely want to try and see:

 

Susan Wise Bauer

 

Homeschooling the Real (Distractable, Impatient, Argumentative, Unenthusiastic, Non-Book-Loving, Inattentive, Poky, Vague) Child

 

Jessie Wise

 

The Well-Trained Mind: Academic Excellence through Classical Education, Grades K-4 : A practical and specific workshop covering the how-tos of classical education for grades K-4. This talk covers the place of memorization in the early years, foundations for good reading and writing, using narration, placing history at the core of the curriculum, and relating literature to history. It also includes introducing Latin early, mastering the facts of mathematics, and the place of science in the classical curriculum. There are recommendations of curricula and books.

 

Julie Bogart

 

The Natural Stages of Growth in Writing (all ages): Do you wonder if your child is ready to write on his or her own? How much help should you give your struggling writer? When is the right time to introduce format writing? This workshop offers the homeschooling parent a model for evaluating your child’s current developmental stage in the process of becoming a competent and confident writer. By the end of the workshop, you will have an understanding of how to tailor your children’s writing program into one that suits your child’s skill level while challenging him or her to grow as well.

 

Jim Weiss

 

King Arthur and Other Classical Leaders : Jim Weiss presents stories that feature literary leaders such as King Arthur who exhibit character traits worth emulating. From the knights of the round table to the forest of Aesop, to the world of Hercules, Jim takes his audience on an armchair adventure around the world and offers food for thought on the qualities that make for wise guidance and leadership.

 

Micheal Clay Thompson

 

Advanced Vocabulary: Direct Study through Latin and Greek Stems : If children are to prosper in the advanced academic work that their future potentially holds for them, they must have a grounding in the academic vocabulary that is so absent in the regular world and so dominant in the academic world. This means, especially, that children must know the Latin and Greek prefixes and roots that form the foundation of the English language. This session will present Michael Clay Thompson's vocabulary instruction program with recommendations for strategies.

 

Ed Zaccaro

 

Nurturing a Mathematical Gift into a Passion: Gifted children are typically not given the opportunity to see the wondrous side of mathematics. Children who are talented in mathematics must be exposed to material that lights a fire and nurtures their gift. This session will show parents how to nurture a passion for mathematics while providing an appropriate challenge.

 

 

Christopher Perrin

 

Recovering the Classical Tradition of Education: In this seminar I present a defense of Classical Christian Education that features seven reasons why it is a superb educational approach for our sons and daughters: 1) It provides a coherent means of understanding God, the world and ourselves 2) It cultivates the human 3) It develops and imparts powers (arts) to students 4) It cultivates a love of beauty 5) It develop character 6) It trains leaders 7) It cultivates community. I will also refute several familiar objections to CCE such as 1) CCE is elitist 2) CCE is old-fashioned and out of touch 3) CCE was discredited by the educational establishment 100 years ago 4) Studying classical subjects like Latin are a waste of time in this cultural moment. The goal of this seminar is to give participants a clear, concise and cogent defense of CCE that presents its remarkable qualities and refutes common objections.

 

Andrew Kern

 

Teaching Classical Literature Classically: We teach classical literature because it exposes our students to models of virtue. Andrew Kern explains how through teaching good literature, we can help our children develop poetic knowledge, an intuitive knowledge of the nature of things. He advises parents to read to their children—or have their children read—at a level beyond what they can decode in phonetics, and to read the texts themselves, not about the texts.

 

 

These are only a small portion of the ones that sound awesome, to me, anyways :) I'm sure I'll sit through a few "fluff" classes too :)

 

So are these class offerings not normally what you would find at a convention? Or is this the stuff that people are complaining about, in other words, does it sound cool on paper... and then not deliver?

[Luckymama]

Gao Meixue, I'll be at that convention in June (Valley Forge=Philly). We'll have to plan a WTM meet-up!

[*lifeoftheparty*]

Gao Meixue, I'll be at that convention in June (Valley Forge=Philly). We'll have to plan a WTM meet-up!

 

We should! I am bringing my SIL who has never homeschooled before (my nephew is 4 and niece is 2), so she's gonna be super-excited!

 

We should post something about a meet-up as time gets closer :)

 

I'm glad to hear the responses! I was really worried that I would be wasting money and a whole weekend, LOL! We're staying on-site and everything :)

 

I'm SERIOUSLY excited about attending these workshops and I can't WAIT for the official schedule for Philly to come out!!

[Daisy]

I've never gone to one. I prefer to spend my money on BOOKS!

[melissel]

Now, I can tell you how to get through a homeschool convention and make it worth attending. A. First, you must pick one with an Ungodly number of vendors and make sure you have your entire tax refund in hand. B. Get a suite at the Holiday Inn to share with your friend. The kind with the big screen t.v. and whirlpool jets in the bathtub. C. Take an entire Godive Double Chocolate Cheesecake. D. Take Arbonne minty foot soak crystals, plastic tubs, and extra towels plus your favorite tea. Drink tea, eat chocolate cheesecake, look at your books, and sip your favorite tea. D. Make sure that each of you gets a chance to eat your favorite cuisine. E. Drink soooooo much carmel latte that you honestly just don't notice anyone else around you because you've entered the twilight zone. F. Make sure you have your copies of SWB's history books (even that sad, dog eared, beat to death copy of SOTW Ancients that is battle warn from several children), stalk the Peace Hill Press table until she spells Charlie for lunch, and then make a beeline over there so you can make her sign ALL of your ratty looking SWB books. G. Buy everything new that Peace Hill has on display. H. Avoid their booth after that so that you don't happen to overhear them talking about the idiosyncracies of the SWB fan club. (No, Susan, we didn't overhear anything, however, we definitely tried to imagine, later after coming off the extreme caffeine and chocolate high, exactly what you must have been thinking at the time.)

 

Faith

 

Faith, I think you just revolutionized my birthday this year! As my gift, I told my DH that I want to be free to attend the NE HS Convention without having to worry about the kids, and since he's off on Thursdays and Fridays, he said he would make it happen. I just planned to drive in...but now, I think I may stay the night!!! :w00t::party:

 

I propose that we all descend on a centrally located hotel :auto: and commiserate together. Maybe SWB will come talk to us!!!

 

This is an AWESOME idea!!!

 

However, this year I'm going to try the Philly one. Based on their listing of speakers and vendors, I know my time can be filled with academic topics-----MCT and Royal Fireworks Press, Ed Zaccaro, SWB/JB, various types of writing instruction, etc.

 

I'll be there too!! I cannot wait, I'm so excited :D Oh wait, I think you and I have posted about this before :lol: We'll have to make plans for all the WTMers to link up while we're there.

 

ETA: I forgot to say that Martha, I totally agree with you. Even here in liberal NJ, all the conventions are the kind you described, and this year is the first year there will be one in the vicinity where I could find even a FEW sessions that I would attend. It's a bummer that you're not close enough to one of the "Great Homeschool Conventions" to go :(

Edited February 27, 2011 by melissel

[Capt_Uhura]

Gao Meixue, I'll be at that convention in June (Valley Forge=Philly). We'll have to plan a WTM meet-up!

 

I'll be there as well!!!! Let's plan a WTM meet-up when time gets closer!

[melissel]

I'll be there as well!!!! Let's plan a WTM meet-up when time gets closer!

 

Capt_Uhura, I don't know if you know this, but I'll hopefully be dragging along an afterschooler friend of yours, if I can pull her away from LBI long enough to come with me!

[Truscifi]

I would love a conference like the PA one! Our big one is in Orlando and we do have a lot of good vendors, but the speakers...not so much. The only talks I have benefited from were the ones about programs I wanted to check out - and I have always decided NOT to get them after listening to the vendor presentations. And ours doesn't sound NEARLY as conservative as some of the ones mentioned here.

[Mynyel]

I haven't been to one yet, the one in Greenville will be my first. But I have noticed a lot of "non-school" things. Like things about losing weight :001_huh: and feeding other countries :001_huh:. While I think both are important why do they need to be at a homeschool convention? Not to be snarky but I don't plan on visiting those booths. :)

[LibraryLover]

LOL Nothing like a good hotel. If I didn't occassionaly stay in hotels, I would have no way of knowing about so many important things...like John and Kate Make 8 or Hoarders or various and sundry sitcoms, like the one w/two brothers living on the beach in Malibu; one with a sex and alcohol addiction, one a loser chiropracter with 2 ex wives. ;)

 

A hs conference seems like such a wholesome way to be decadent.

 

And if one brings along their husband, but leaves the children to eat cookies at home with Gramma, who knows what else could happen.

Edited February 27, 2011 by LibraryLover

[Crimson Wife]

I

So are these class offerings not normally what you would find at a convention?

 

Jim Weiss came to our local secular convention either last year or the year before, but other than that, we tend to get folks like Sandra Dodd, Pam Sorooshian, David Albert, etc. I'm sure they are very inspiring to the "unschoolers" but I want to hear more academically-oriented speakers.

Edited February 27, 2011 by Crimson Wife
dang typo!

[astrid]

This is exactly why I don't go to homeschool conventions.

 

UGH!

 

astrid

[Mergath]

I'm planning on attending a convention this spring, here in Minnesota. But only because my mom lives about five minutes away from the venue, so I'd be making a trip up there anyway, and I can get into the convention for free. Otherwise, not a chance I'd go.

 

It's supposed to be primarily religious, but with some secular vendors, from what I've heard. I'm a little afraid- can you imagine me, with my pentacle necklace and my tattoos and my decidedly hippie-ish wardrobe, walking in among all the long skirts and meekeness? I'm worried someone will try to hold me down and pray the demons out. :D Should be quite an experience. Luckily, I've never been one to worry about being stared at.

[Jennifer3141]

DH and I went to a homeschool convention three years ago. It was supposed to be secular but wasn't... OY, it wasn't...

 

One of the speakers called on DH (who was asleep at the time) and asked DH how he felt as the leader of our household about homeschooling.

 

DH told him he couldn't answer that because he was afraid I'd punch him in the face!! :D

 

Then he sat back down and 5 minutes later, we left and had dinner out.

 

I haven't been to convention again and I'm not sure I'll ever go.

 

That whole "head of house" thing and chastity belts and whatever people want to do with their kids is their issue. But yes, it would be a refreshing change of pace to attend a HS convention that was actually about EDUCATION. Radical idea, actually!!

[KnitWit]

Thank you OP. I completely agree with you.

[sunflowerlady]

Well, I am a Christian and I enjoy some of the types of workshops the rest of you find irrelevant.:tongue_smilie: That said, I don't go to many workshops. It seems like when I am there, I have a very small attention span and while I am sitting there listening, the vendor hall seems to beckon me.:lol:

 

I don't think anyone should worry about going to convention and someone wanting to kick you out or something because you don't fit a stereotype. I attend FPEA which is one of the largest conventions. There are all kinds of people there, most of whom look like everyday "typical" people. There are also Mennonites with their cape dresses and headcovering, some ladies in skirts and dresses with various hair lengths, and on and on. Denin jumpers-very few.;)

 

It's really a mix of people and it's lots of fun to be there.:D

[Miss Marple]

It perpetuates a stereotype that most home schoolers don't fit (IME) or want to fit and excuses poor education in the name of being a better Christian, which I personally find insulting.

 

LOL! Martha, I have only been to ONE convention. That was way back when my oldest was just starting school. I was told how much I *needed* to go so that I could be encouraged, supported, etc. It was held in that huge old shopping mall in Broken Arrow - lots and lots of vendors and speakers. I came away knowing that I would never attend another one. Academics were pooh-poohed; character was essential. Funny, I think it's possible to have both in tandem. Anyways, I have never set foot in another seminar...I have gone to book sales - ever hopeful to find something useful - usually coming away wondering why I bothered. I've sold at some of those sales as well, but many people simply pass me by because I had...secular science materials!!! Oh, well....

[Sophia]

I think Hank the Cowdog should be put down -seriously that dog is horribly behaved!

 

 

Just chiming in to thank you for exposing Hank the Cowdog ;)

 

My 17 y.o. loved that dog when he was younger and still will defend him to anyone who disses Hank in his presence.

 

(I was always suspicious of why he liked that dog so much.)

 

We didn't discover him at a convention, though.

[fairfarmhand]

ooookkkaaayy...so. I guess I should stop envying people who actually get to go.

 

That so doesn't sound like what I'd be interested. Some things I guess would be more appropriate for a church parenting convention.