airforcefamily Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 I've been to several conferences/conventions and am planning a trip to another. I don't feel like I get much out of it besides the ability to look over materials. I never seem to pick the right workshops or lectures and tend to spend most of my time in the vendor hall just because nothing else seems interesting. Any tips on how to make the most of a convention? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeghanL Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Pick 2 per hour you want to see. If the first one you pick isn't helpful for you, get up and leave and go to the next one. Hopefully you'll find a few favorites. Personally, I have to stay away from anything with worldview, discipleship, biblical or science in the titles of the workshops. After you attend a few, you might pick up on a similar pattern of ones you don't enjoy. Are the speakers you enjoy more practical in their lectures? Or are they more relational in trying to get you to feel encouraged? Do you want a cheerleader or a specific problem addressed? Are you looking for lifestyle information or educational information? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airforcefamily Posted March 8, 2013 Author Share Posted March 8, 2013 Thanks for the reply! I'd like practical information on ways to teach but all the sessions like that are put on by curriculum companies. I'm concerned it will be more like an infomercial than practical information. Many of the lectures are religious in nature or sound like they might have a religious bent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeghanL Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 I haven't noticed too much infomercials by the speakers. The speakers only draw a large crowd if what they say is useful. Andrew Pudewa is a good example of this. He does sell curriculum but never have I heard "You should use my curriculum because..." Instead, he addresses specific problems and how he's overcome them as a homeschool dad. He has had just a fascinating life too. He got to study violin under Suzuki (yes. THE Suzuki) and talks about those experiences in relationship to math. He doesn't even have a math curriculum for sale. You can go talk to them at their booth, and see what they have to offer if you want, but it's certainly not going from one workshop to another hearing how good their curriculum is and how bad everyone else's is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 The problem is the conventions you're going to. That's why people travel so far to go to Great Homeschool Conventions (Cincy, etc.). I assume the TTD (Teaching Them Diligently) are also as good. Go here and see what I mean. http://www.cincinnatihomeschoolconvention.com/schedule Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airforcefamily Posted March 10, 2013 Author Share Posted March 10, 2013 The problem is the conventions you're going to. That's why people travel so far to go to Great Homeschool Conventions (Cincy, etc.). I assume the TTD (Teaching Them Diligently) are also as good. Go here and see what I mean. http://www.cincinnat...on.com/schedule Um, I've been to the huge convention in Cincinnati and had the same problem. Thanks for taking the time to reply but stating that 'the problem' must be the conventions themselves is rather presumptuous. Maybe the problem is that the big conventions are religious and a smaller convention with families who share our beliefs would be better. I've gone to two small conventions but didn't have a lot of time to spend there so I'm not sure if it would make a difference. I will say that the shopping at big conventions is great. Perhaps just getting a shopping pass would make more sense for me but it seems silly to drive hundreds of miles just to go shopping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I'm very liberal, so there are a lot of speakers I need to avoid at the conventions. My husband actually walked out on one speaker the last time we went :) even so, I've found a number of speakers I'm interested in hearing at a convention soon. I look at the titles and workshop descriptions. Then I look at the speakers. Some are easy to eliminate immediately. But some of the curriculum ones can be very good as well. Christopher Perrin does a great job talking about Latin and is interesting to hear. I think I may see Zaccaro talking math, and Michael Clay Thompson is wonderful to hear. I may see his vocabulary talk again. If you want to share the conference you're attending and what you're looking for, you might get more specifics... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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