whitestavern Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I am a secular homeschooler. I originally registered for the NE Homeschooling Conference thinking I would spend most of my time in the exhibition hall looking at curriculum. Well, I'm surprised by how many speakers I would like to see and wanted to get some feedback. I have a large list of lectures I'd like to go to and need to cut some from my schedule. Are any of these speakers overly religious in relation to the lecture topic? Which ones do you think are most valuable? Which ones do you think are just so-so? Which ones, if any, are just hawking their wares? If it helps, I have a 9 yo and a 12 yo. The discipline focused ones relate to the 9 yo, who has Tourettes and very likely ADHD and can be a handful at times. Any input on these would be most appreciated!! Andrew Pudewa-Teaching Boys and Other Children Who Would Rather Be Making Forts All Day (I do not use nor plan to use IEW--does this matter?) Andrew Kerns-Assessment That Works (don't know anything about him) Adam Andrews-Building the Perfect Reading List Stephen Guffanti-Active Child? ADHD? No Matter What Label, Now What? Kirk Martin-Are You at Your Wit's End? Stop the Yelling and Power Struggles SWB-What is Literary Analysis (seems like a no-brainer!) Judith Darling-Setting Up a Student Directed Program for All Subjects Kirk Martin-10 Ways to Stop Defiance, Disrespect & Meltdowns Adam Andrews-Teaching the Classics from Seuss to Socrates MCT-4 Level Literature (another no brainer for me) Diana Waring-Learning, A Breath-taking Adventure Justin Horsman-Teen Track: Study Like a Genius SWB-A Plan for Teaching Writing K-12 Adam Andrews-Designing Your Own Lit Program SWB-Homeschooling the Real Child (have heard good things about this one) Adam Andrews-It's Onomatopoeia, Mom! Using Children's Stories to Teach Literary Devices Kirk Martin-Discipline That Works, When Consequences & Time Outs Don't Kirk Martin-Stop Sibling Fights, Name Calling and Tattling SWB-The Well Prepared Student (Logic Stage) How to Get Ready for High School Also, do you know if you can get transcripts of the lectures? Obviously no one person can see all of these...it would be nice if they gave you access to the transcripts for all of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Kirk Martin would probably not fit secular. His company is called Calm Christian Parenting. so I'd expect religious talk from him at homeschool convention. also... he yelled at me in his booth when I asked him information. He wasn't very "calm"... weird experience. I wonder if he was demonstrating a principle or something... but he started calling me names and I just politely excused myself, shook my head and went on. it was weird. I'd be interested to hear if my experience was normal for dealing with him, or just one of those twlight zone moments that can happen on the first day of a conference. I don't think you'll get transcripts, but usually there is a recording company on site and you can get cd of the workshops. You have to buy it there though. SWB is good to listen to. -crystal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 (edited) Andrew Pudewa says some religious things, but I didn't find anything he said to be too over the top, and I really enjoyed that speech about boys. ETA: Helpful even if not using IEW. SWB and MCT are both great. I don't know about any of the others. Edited June 14, 2012 by thescrappyhomeschooler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Hmm...well, I love all of SWB's lectures, and I've never heard these other people; so keep that in mind when reading my comments. Her Homeschooling the Real Child one probably covers most of your other discipline/teaching boys/stop yelling/name calling/consequences/disrespect choices of workshops. SWB has three boys - she KNOWS boys. :D Her Literary Analysis one probably covers most of your reading list/teaching the classics/designing lit. program/literary devices choices of workshops. Her Well-Prepared Student and K-12 Writing Plan ones probably cover your assessment/student-directed/study like genius/learning choices of workshops. So, you see, you could just go to her lectures, and then do your original plan of cruising the vendor hall! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radiobrain Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Andrew Pudewa-Teaching Boys and Other Children Who Would Rather Be Making Forts All Day (I do not use nor plan to use IEW--does this matter?) Great lecture, but you can get it on his website and at the convention. Andrew Kerns-Assessment That Works (don't know anything about him) I have this, but I haven't listened to it yet.You can buy it at the convention. Adam Andrews-Building the Perfect Reading List Great! You can buy it too. Any of his a great, an you can buy. Stephen Guffanti-Active Child? ADHD? No Matter What Label, Now What? I don't like this guy, JMHO. Kirk Martin-Are You at Your Wit's End? Stop the Yelling and Power Struggles ?? SWB-What is Literary Analysis (seems like a no-brainer!) Any SWB lectures are great. You can buy them though. Judith Darling-Setting Up a Student Directed Program for All Subjects ??? Kirk Martin-10 Ways to Stop Defiance, Disrespect & Meltdowns ??? These will likely be biblicially based. Adam Andrews-Teaching the Classics from Seuss to Socrates see above MCT-4 Level Literature (another no brainer for me) MUST SEE ANY MCT. POETICS/VOCAB are the best. These are not recorded. Diana Waring-Learning, A Breath-taking Adventure Her stuff is not secular. Might be ok, might not. Justin Horsman-Teen Track: Study Like a Genius ??? SWB-A Plan for Teaching Writing K-12 Adam Andrews-Designing Your Own Lit Program SWB-Homeschooling the Real Child (have heard good things about this one) Adam Andrews-It's Onomatopoeia, Mom! Using Children's Stories to Teach Literary Devices See above on all of these. I loved both the "real child" lecture and the design your lit program. All should be recorded. Kirk Martin-Discipline That Works, When Consequences & Time Outs Don't Kirk Martin-Stop Sibling Fights, Name Calling and Tattling Again, will not be secular. Make your own decision. SWB-The Well Prepared Student (Logic Stage) How to Get Ready for High School Also, do you know if you can get transcripts of the lectures? Obviously no one person can see all of these...it would be nice if they gave you access to the transcripts for all of them. No one gives transcripts that I know of. All of these but MCT will be recorded. The Guffanti guy will be selling his product, but you still might get something out of it. The Andrews/SWB are helpful W/O buying their product. MCT is great, but mostly relevant if you are using/plan on using his product. All the others I don't know about....except that they are mostly not secular. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelbe5 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Diana Waring is unabashedly Christian, but she is a great speaker. I recognize some of the other speakers. You can probably buy the audios at the convention. Sometimes the audios are discounted through the convention and go up in price afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I have not heard SWB in person, but have all of her audios and love them. I am attending a conference in August - just to hear her in person. :001_smile: I love both Andrew Pudewa and Andrew Kern. Both are religious and make religious comments, but I have not heard them say anything that would be offensive to non-Christians. I have also not heard them simply hawking their products. In fact, the seminars I have attended, they tend to go out of the way to not push it. Pudewa, as someone already mentioned, is very entertaining. I have not heard Adam Andrews speak, but am interested in his classics program so would love to hear him. (Not that that helps you. ;)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureMoms Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I'm headed out to the conference in about 15 minutes myself! I'm not going to be any help because I've never heard any of them speak either, but I'll be at several of those same talks! I'm avoiding most of the discipline based stuff because I suspect they would be too religious for me. I will be seeing several of SWB's talks and Adam Andrews, though. I have heard that you can buy recordings of the lectures if there are any you have to miss (or need to hear again!) I'm planning to get a few of those - some of the ones I want to see conflict with each other, and I had to drop a few interesting looking ones to find some time for the exhibit hall! See you there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I am a secular homeschooler. I originally registered for the NE Homeschooling Conference thinking I would spend most of my time in the exhibition hall looking at curriculum. Well, I'm surprised by how many speakers I would like to see and wanted to get some feedback. I have a large list of lectures I'd like to go to and need to cut some from my schedule. Are any of these speakers overly religious in relation to the lecture topic? Which ones do you think are most valuable? Which ones do you think are just so-so? Which ones, if any, are just hawking their wares? If it helps, I have a 9 yo and a 12 yo. The discipline focused ones relate to the 9 yo, who has Tourettes and very likely ADHD and can be a handful at times. Any input on these would be most appreciated!! Andrew Pudewa-Teaching Boys and Other Children Who Would Rather Be Making Forts All Day (I do not use nor plan to use IEW--does this matter?) This is a great session Andrew Kerns-Assessment That Works (don't know anything about him) I've heard that he's a great classical ed speaker Adam Andrews-Building the Perfect Reading List I really, really like this guy. I've been to 3 of his sessions and each one was very worth while. Stephen Guffanti-Active Child? ADHD? No Matter What Label, Now What? I don't know this guy, but 2 people to check out on this subject are Diane Craft and Carol Barnier Kirk Martin-Are You at Your Wit's End? Stop the Yelling and Power Struggles skip SWB-What is Literary Analysis (seems like a no-brainer!) Hit as many SWB sessions as possible Judith Darling-Setting Up a Student Directed Program for All Subjects ? Kirk Martin-10 Ways to Stop Defiance, Disrespect & Meltdowns I'm guessing this is not going to be your cuppa Adam Andrews-Teaching the Classics from Seuss to Socrates MCT-4 Level Literature (another no brainer for me) Go, go, go! MCT missed the California conference. I was SO BUMMED. Diana Waring-Learning, A Breath-taking Adventure ? Justin Horsman-Teen Track: Study Like a Genius ? Along similar lines is Teaching Company's How to be a Superstar Student. A lot of libraries carry it. SWB-A Plan for Teaching Writing K-12 Adam Andrews-Designing Your Own Lit Program SWB-Homeschooling the Real Child (have heard good things about this one) Adam Andrews-It's Onomatopoeia, Mom! Using Children's Stories to Teach Literary Devices This wasn't little kiddish at all. Kirk Martin-Discipline That Works, When Consequences & Time Outs Don't Kirk Martin-Stop Sibling Fights, Name Calling and Tattling SWB-The Well Prepared Student (Logic Stage) How to Get Ready for High School Also, do you know if you can get transcripts of the lectures? Obviously no one person can see all of these...it would be nice if they gave you access to the transcripts for all of them. They sell recordings at the conference. Not all speakers record all of their sessions, so consider that when choosing your sessions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 Thanks so much to all...this is exactly the type of information I was looking for! I welcome any further input. Does anyone know how I can find out in advance if they are def selling a CD and who will be on it? I'm off to check the website now, but just in case that information isn't there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 PP is right that many of the lectures can be found online or purchased, but I've often been disappointed in the quality of the lectures I've only listened to and not attended. Background noise is sometimes an issue. And if the presenter makes use of visual aids, all of that is lost on an audio recording. Yes, there are these potential problems. As well, some of the speakers may have a question/answer time at the end - on a recording, you don't always hear the question, esp. if the speaker forgets to reiterate it for the recording. I found that by being in lectures by SWB, her mother, and Jim Weiss that the back and forth of the question/answer time was VERY helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g7s22 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Hi, I am headed there tonight myself! I did email the convention to ask about recordings.. Here is what they told me: Hello! Than you for your email! I contacted Rhino Technologies who does the recording for our conventions. He sent me his pricing which is: $6 per individual session CD Ten CDs for $50 Build-Your-Own MP3 set for $65 (customer picks any 15 sessions) Selected Speakers MP3 Set $99 (approx 45 sessions) Full Conference Set in MP3 Format $149 These recordings are only available at the convention. Order forms will be at the registration counters or at the Rhino Technologies tables. They didn't mention that some would not be recorded.. I guess I am definitely going to see MCT. Also, does anyone know if the speakers change their speeches over the years? For example, I have heard both Pudewa and Andrews speak before- do they update at all? -FYI I enjoy both very much and wouldn't mind listening again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlifemom Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I do not remember Adam Andrews saying much if anything about Christianity. Pudewa is similar. Kern is a Christian and overtly, but I think he is so worth listening to. Pull out the bones and I am sure [at least in my mind :D] you will find some great meat. SWB [of course] Waring is very much a Christian and her subject is history as told by a Christian. I have to say she is pretty entertaining, but may not be your cuppa. I do not know the others. enjoy. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I'm so jealous- you have some great speakers! I'll put in a plug for Judith Darling, since everyone else gave her a ? We saw her speak on a different topic last month. She was my favorite speaker of the conference. The advice she gave could be applied to any curriculum. Her philosophy really struck a chord in my 10yo dd, who kept giving me the thumbs up sign. :lol: I ended up buying her grammar and writing program. She did not say anything that would have been offensive to a nonchristian. I'd love to see MCT. I enjoy Andrew Pudewa, Adam Andrews and SWB, but I own a lot of their mp3s. I'd still see them if my schedule allowed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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