Catwoman Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Sorry about the awkward thread title -- I knew what I wanted to say, but I wasn't sure how to word it succinctly-yet-inoffensively, so I hope no one takes it the wrong way. I'm in the NYC area, but am willing to travel a bit if I can find a homeschool convention that has something to offer to secular homeschoolers. I don't need secular-only, because we do use some Christian curriculum and I'm not opposed to seeing offerings from many different religions, but.... It would be very nice if I could also attend some workshops or see speakers who aren't "super-Christians" whose every topic revolves around God or Jesus or how to be a better submissive wife, or whatever. I know those speakers are very popular with a lot of people, but when I go to a homeschool convention, I want to learn about how to better homeschool my ds, how to homeschool through high school, how to prepare him for college, etc. I don't need to hear about how I can be a better Christian, how the best way to be a good homeschool mom is to study my Bible every day, or how I can and should incorporate Christian teachings into every single subject. Again, I'm not criticizing anyone who attends conventions for exactly those things -- I have a feeling that I am part of a small minority here in that respect -- but my ds will be doing high school at home soon, and I want to look at a variety of curriculum options from all different types of publishers, and I want to hear speakers who have BTDT and can give me information I can use, without a sermon being attached to the information. Can anyone recommend a conference or convention that might work for me? And please, please, please don't interpret this post as being anti-Christian or anti-religion; I really didn't intend it that way at all, but sometimes it's hard to explain what I'm looking for and I'm not sure I haven't unintentionally offended anyone, so if I have said anything that hurt anyone's feelings, please accept my apologies in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourisenough Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I'm looking for the same thing. Maybe someone can suggest one half-way between NYC and the Midwest and we can both go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 You might like to come down to the Cincy convention in the spring. They have their exhibitor list up, so you can see how it strikes you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mskelly Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I was going to post this exact topic, but did a quick search first! 'Tis the season for conventions I guess. I've been to the Florida convention in Orlando for the past 2 years, but I would also like to go to one that is more about home education without the religion part being the main focus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 I'm looking for the same thing. Maybe someone can suggest one half-way between NYC and the Midwest and we can both go? That would be FUN!!! :thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 You might like to come down to the Cincy convention in the spring. They have their exhibitor list up, so you can see how it strikes you. I have heard good things about the Cincy convention -- it's a really big one, right? I'll check out their exhibitor list and see how it sounds. I have never been to Cincinnati, so it might be a fun trip. Thanks!!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 I was going to post this exact topic, but did a quick search first! 'Tis the season for conventions I guess. I've been to the Florida convention in Orlando for the past 2 years, but I would also like to go to one that is more about home education without the religion part being the main focus. I went to the ENOCH convention in NJ once, several years ago when SWB was there, but for the past few years, the speakers' topics haven't appealed to me at all, and tickets aren't cheap if you're only going to see the vendors, so I haven't bothered to go. I keep thinking that because more and more people are homeschooling, that the conventions would be getting less focused on the religious stuff, or at least be more moderate/tolerant, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 There's a convention here in Charlotte that has all those topics you mentioned. It's called Love to Learn. Everyone I know goes to it (but me). From what I understand it is Christian leaning but the topics are very broad and rarely religious. Some that I remember- 2012 speakers http://www.2011.ha-nc.org/content/speakers unschooling right brained learners HSing 101 HSing through High School dual enrollment lots more that I can't remember. The only issue I see, besides the distance, is the publishers who attend. There's not a lot of them. 2012 exibitors http://www.2011.ha-nc.org/conference-exhibitors This is more about the "classes" then the curriculum. But again I've never actually been to one so not sure if maybe there's more publishers then I realized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I would love a convention like that. Ours used to be like that. It is super Christian, but they have four sessions at each session time and until a year or two ago, 3 of those 4 were always homeschooling topics, with one option that was parenting, marriage, Christian living etc. Then last year it seemed like it almost flip-flopped. I was SO disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumblesmama Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I have been looking for the same thing. I am in Connecticut. We had a convention in Hartford last year but it was "super" Christian-focused as you described and topics from speakers centered around non-secular learning. I just found out it isn't coming back to this area because it wasn't a great draw for vendors. Though, I really don't believe that has anything to do with it being non-secular, I think it is just our economy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durriyyah Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 There's a convention, though much smaller than the ones you're talking about I think, in Minnesota put on by MN Homeschooler's Alliance, which is a non-religious group. I don't think there was one topic that was specific to a religion. I think the further you get from the Bible Belt, the easier it is to find secular conventions? This convention is usually in the fall, but if you Like them on Facebook, you should get notified when it comes up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 There's a convention here in Charlotte that has all those topics you mentioned. It's called Love to Learn. Everyone I know goes to it (but me). From what I understand it is Christian leaning but the topics are very broad and rarely religious. Some that I remember- 2012 speakers http://www.2011.ha-n...ontent/speakers unschooling right brained learners HSing 101 HSing through High School dual enrollment lots more that I can't remember. The only issue I see, besides the distance, is the publishers who attend. There's not a lot of them. 2012 exibitors http://www.2011.ha-n...ence-exhibitors This is more about the "classes" then the curriculum. But again I've never actually been to one so not sure if maybe there's more publishers then I realized. I went to this one in 2011 and it wasn't Christian in focus (there were homeschoolers there who were were wearing hijab, as well as some I know personally are either non-religious or some religion other than Christianity, topics didn't revolve around religious practice). It does, however, tend to lean quite a bit toward the unschooling end of things overall (I was surprised to see Lukeion there the year I went). That's the reason I had never gone before, but I was tempted by the high school information (a good bit of which was quite specific to NC/SC). It's also pretty small compared to the descriptions I've seen of other conferences, with really no curriculum vendors to speak of (look at the list on the conference website given above). The focus for this is definitely the classes and not shopping. I would encourage folks in the area to attend, but I truly can't see coming from NY to go. I didn't go last year because the workshops all seemed to be the same ones as the year before. I've tended to avoid conventions because of the heavily Christian practice focus, since that simply doesn't apply to us. I haven't had much luck finding one close enough to consider that had enough workshops focused primarily on the education side of homeschooling as well as a more academically structured kind of homeschooling. I've seen mention on the boards of a secular conference in northern Virginia. Maybe someone will weigh in who knows about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saraswati Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 They have an all inclusive convention in VA - I think it's held in late March... http://vahomeschoolers.org/conference/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 There's a convention here in Charlotte that has all those topics you mentioned. It's called Love to Learn. Everyone I know goes to it (but me). From what I understand it is Christian leaning but the topics are very broad and rarely religious. Some that I remember- 2012 speakers http://www.2011.ha-nc.org/content/speakers unschooling right brained learners HSing 101 HSing through High School dual enrollment lots more that I can't remember. The only issue I see, besides the distance, is the publishers who attend. There's not a lot of them. 2012 exibitors http://www.2011.ha-nc.org/conference-exhibitors This is more about the "classes" then the curriculum. But again I've never actually been to one so not sure if maybe there's more publishers then I realized. Thank you!!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 They have an all inclusive convention in VA - I think it's held in late March... http://vahomeschoolers.org/conference/ Thanks -- I might be able to go to that one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 I went to this one in 2011 and it wasn't Christian in focus (there were homeschoolers there who were were wearing hijab, as well as some I know personally are either non-religious or some religion other than Christianity, topics didn't revolve around religious practice). It does, however, tend to lean quite a bit toward the unschooling end of things overall (I was surprised to see Lukeion there the year I went). That's the reason I had never gone before, but I was tempted by the high school information (a good bit of which was quite specific to NC/SC). It's also pretty small compared to the descriptions I've seen of other conferences, with really no curriculum vendors to speak of (look at the list on the conference website given above). The focus for this is definitely the classes and not shopping. I would encourage folks in the area to attend, but I truly can't see coming from NY to go. I didn't go last year because the workshops all seemed to be the same ones as the year before. I've tended to avoid conventions because of the heavily Christian practice focus, since that simply doesn't apply to us. I haven't had much luck finding one close enough to consider that had enough workshops focused primarily on the education side of homeschooling as well as a more academically structured kind of homeschooling. I've seen mention on the boards of a secular conference in northern Virginia. Maybe someone will weigh in who knows about it. Thanks for the detailed info, Karen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 There's a convention, though much smaller than the ones you're talking about I think, in Minnesota put on by MN Homeschooler's Alliance, which is a non-religious group. I don't think there was one topic that was specific to a religion. I think the further you get from the Bible Belt, the easier it is to find secular conventions? This convention is usually in the fall, but if you Like them on Facebook, you should get notified when it comes up. I wish Minnesota wasn't so far away from us -- that convention sounds like it would be perfect! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 I would also like to find something like this. I am a Christian, we read the Bible, I go to Bible Study, I have those bases covered: I'd like to hear speakers who talk about education :) I know what you mean. I don't need lifestyle or morality tips; I just want to hear the homeschooling-related stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mschickie Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 The NYS LEAH convention does have a Christian focus but there are a lot of speaker sessions that are not focused on religion but instead on education. Here are some from last year: Getting it All Done What's a Dad to Do Who Are You and What Have You Done with My Child Special Needs Homeschooling Teaching Math without a Plan? You've Got to be Kidding! Pushing the Reset Button An Introduction to the Homeschool Approach Homeschooling on a Shoestring Budget Technology Overload: A Survival Guide for Parents What is Critical Thinking, and Can Anyone Do It? The State of Homeschooling in New York and the Nation Multi-level Teaching Sensory Smart Homeschooling Identifying and Avoiding Trouble Spots in Math When Life Broadsides Your Homeschool Critical Reading: What Is It? And How and Why Should I Teach It? Home Educating with Babies and Toddlers, and Loving It Adventure Boxes The Simplified Home Satisfying Your New York State Regulatory Requirements There were also some sessions that were put on by vendors. The keynote speakers did talk about a Christian world view and there were other sessions that talked about incorporating that into your homeschool but there were sessions that did not focus on that. I have gone to this convention for several years and I really enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Cat, looks like the NC one will be a virtual conference in 2013 in August if the workshops are of interest.... http://www.2011.ha-nc.org/lovetolearnconference Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 They have an all inclusive convention in VA - I think it's held in late March... http://vahomeschoolers.org/conference/ This is my convention - i havent missed one since the year before I started homeschooling and i sometimes volunteer at it - its 20 minutes from my house!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauracolumbus Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 We go to the Cincinnati convention every year. I get the feeling that quite a few speakers put in at least one obligatory nod to the Christians who attend. Often, after that nod, the speakers move on to their secular topics. There are a good deal of Christian focused speakers as well, but lots of secular speakers also. Unfortunately SWB and the Brave Writer woman (Julie??) will not be there this year. I've gone to Art Reed's sessions, and I don't think he ever mentions anything religious, and Runkle, where she does. Other secular speakers whom I've heard are Zacarro and some G&T speakers. Others, like Pudewa and Weiss do touch on religion, but not excessively, esp. Weiss. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 I have heard good things about the Cincy convention -- it's a really big one, right? I'll check out their exhibitor list and see how it sounds. I have never been to Cincinnati, so it might be a fun trip. Thanks!!! :) Cincy had a ton of strongly Christian speakers and such last year. There were a few that I saw that actually talked education-MCT, SWB, Zaccarro, Pudewa (some religion, but it wasn't distracting), etc. Overall, I felt theologically out of place and most speeches seemed religious in focus. I use religious programs and teach my kids religion, but thats not why i want to go to a homeschool convention. ;). But there were definitely good bits. I'm probably going again, though I'm dreadfully sad SWB won't be there. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Other secular speakers whom I've heard are Zacarro and some G&T speakers. I saw Zacarro last year - definitely secular. The G&T speaker I saw was definitely not. For every single question someone asked, the first response was that you should pray about it. That's great and all, but you know, if I'm asking a stranger a question about my child I'm pretty sure I'm so far at the end of my rope that any praying I intend to do has been done. (Often muttered under my breath as I'm pulling my hair out.) Some of it seemed a bit put upon for the benefit of whoever either the speaker or the convention thought the main audience was going to be. I do wonder if the majority of the people attending actually fall within the expected demographic. Sometimes I feel like the homeschooling community and a few online communities get stuck in a feedback loop where they keep pushing themselves more and more to some end of the spectrum in order to fit in within that particular community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 They have an all inclusive convention in VA - I think it's held in late March... http://vahomeschoolers.org/conference/ I usually attend this one. It's a good one. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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