Susan, we need you to organize a homeschool convention that revolves around education & NOT lifestyle choices.

[Tress]

Here's my two cents:

 

Put more lectures on CDs or audio downloads, and I'm going to buy those. I cannot attend a convention. I cannot travel to Virginia (or much of anywhere), since my responsibilities are here, at home. My husband travels all the time for work. My work is here, so I stay home.

 

I can't speak for Susan, but I would think that attending homeschool conventions -- of any sort -- could get old after a while. That is, what is the return on investment? Time away from older parents and older children, her husband and the farm, time spent dealing with politics and other keynote speakers (ahem), time away from thinking and writing. Me, I would rather stay home, but that's me.

 

Teaching CDs are like a convention in a box.

 

All week long, as part of my Summer Renewal Plan, I've been listening to Peace Hill Press CDs while doing my regular chores. I can wash the dishes and listen to Jessie Wise talk about "If I Could Do It Over Again." I can make strawberry jam and listen to Susan discuss "Teaching Students to Work Independently." I can chop vegetables for supper and hear Susan's advice on how to teach writing, or how to teach the real child, or the joys of classical education.

 

I have learned quite a bit through listening to these lectures, useful "stuff" that I'm applying in our daily lives and in our homeschool.

 

I agree with Faith, though -- make your lectures about HOW TO TEACH, not lifestyle choices. I don't need no stinkin' lecture on women's roles or bee pollen.

I totally agree! CD's or preferably downloads would be awesome!

 

I can't travel to the US for a convention, but would love to listen to it, alone or with friends.

[jhschool]

I'm organizing a small Catholic convention (it will be our fourth one). None of the workshops are on life-style choices such as courtship.  Also, none of our workshop presenters are authors or sell a product of any kind (our keynote speaker might be, but we have up to 16 workshops on other topics, none of which are presented by authors or sellers of products or whatever--they're all local, experienced homeschoolers).

Link?

[YaelAldrich]

If anyone steps up to do this, please let me know. I'd be happy to help -- have helped to put on small, nationwide (100-120 attendees) conferences for Jewish homeschoolers the last two years and am heading up the conference this year (where and when still not decided!!).

 

Yael almost in Indiana

[tabinfl]

Sign me up!

 

I would attend, pay / sponsor, help organize, or anything else I could do to further such an event, live or online. Live would be awesome, but that is indeed a tough road esp. with the current economy (even big business conferences are being scaled back).

 

I have an IT backgorund, with a sprinkling of (stricly amateur) event planning / organizing & PR / fundraising. I am surrounded by Christians far more conservative than I, and liberal unschoolers waaaaay on the other end of the spectrum. I would host a convention at my house if it meant being in the company of like-minded parents for a weekend!

[Impish]

I'd be interested in cds, etc. For me, (and others in a similar boat, w/chronic health issues) putting out the $ to attend a conference that I may or may not be able to actually be there for, or stay for all I want to, etc is something I just don't bother w/, b/c I can't afford to waste $.

 

Cds/dvds, I could access whenever.

[LAS in LA]

Does "no lifestyle vendors" mean "no kilts"???

 

 

:)

 

 

These are great ideas.  I love the in-person convention ideal, but would be much more likely to attend/listen to an online conference.

[Colleen in NS]

Faith, I hear you.

 

Here's my two cents:

 

Put more lectures on CDs or audio downloads, and I'm going to buy those. I cannot attend a convention. I cannot travel to Virginia (or much of anywhere), since my responsibilities are here, at home. My husband travels all the time for work. My work is here, so I stay home.

 

I can't speak for Susan, but I would think that attending homeschool conventions -- of any sort -- could get old after a while. That is, what is the return on investment? Time away from older parents and older children, her husband and the farm, time spent dealing with politics and other keynote speakers (ahem), time away from thinking and writing. Me, I would rather stay home, but that's me.

 

Teaching CDs are like a convention in a box.

 

All week long, as part of my Summer Renewal Plan, I've been listening to Peace Hill Press CDs while doing my regular chores. I can wash the dishes and listen to Jessie Wise talk about "If I Could Do It Over Again." I can make strawberry jam and listen to Susan discuss "Teaching Students to Work Independently." I can chop vegetables for supper and hear Susan's advice on how to teach writing, or how to teach the real child, or the joys of classical education.

 

I have learned quite a bit through listening to these lectures, useful "stuff" that I'm applying in our daily lives and in our homeschool.

 

I agree with Faith, though -- make your lectures about HOW TO TEACH, not lifestyle choices. I don't need no stinkin' lecture on women's roles or bee pollen.

 

And I hear you, too.  We have always been a low-income, need-to-be-frugal family due to choosing to homeschool.  Wouldn't make a different choice.  But only once have I been able to travel to a good homeschool convention (and it was totally worth it to me).  I've spent many years wishing I could go to some others, because the regional ones around here seem to be more lifestyle oriented.  (I've only gone to these maybe three times; one is close and doesn't require me to find overnight accommodation)  But I'm done wishing.  For one thing, I've aged out of the younger years curricula, too.  For another, thankfully I have been able to get hold of some of these PHP teaching CDs and listen to them, and I know there are other good teachings out there, too.  I, too, have been content to learn how to teach various things while going about other duties here at home.  The one thing I do like about the few conventions I've attended was socializing.  So that's why I started a classically-teaching Moms' support group a couple of years ago.  I got permission from SWB to use her CD teachings in that setting (I didn't charge any fees to attend meetings), and I found other local experts/knowledgeable people to come teach us about other teaching topics.  That fulfilled the social aspect for me.

 

I'm thinking that this might be another good idea as a grass roots movement.  Yes, SWB tried to do the house conference idea, but you know, we can do the same!  All it takes is a few good teachings via CD or personal connections to people, round up some homeschool parents, and have either monthly meetings or a two or three day conference in someone's large basement or a local public building or something.  I'm not convinced anymore that we MUST have huge, costly events.

 

Heck, I would LOVE to attend a high-school-only event - that would be really great!

 

We can do this!
 

[jujsky]

I love the idea of a conference, but if something like this comes together I hope there are several around the country.  A central location makes sense, but for those of us on the east or west coast, we'd still have to travel halfway across the country to get there, and that's too far for many of us.

 

I also think the idea of more conference cds is a good one for those who are unable to attend, but I can't see cds replacing a conference.  Not that I've ever been to a homeschooling conference because the few within doable driving distance are more of the "lifestyle" conferences the OP dislikes, but I imagine there is intrinsic value in meeting other, like-minded homeschoolers face-to-face.  If there was a conference on the east coast, I'd do whatever I could to be able to attend.

[porque]

I would love an in-person conference somewhere. I would also love a significant focus on high-school age, as that is starting to freak me out a little bit! I have never been to a homeschool conference, and it would be fun to go to one before I'm done!

[J-rap]

I stopped attending our state's homeschool convention years ago for this reason. At the opening meeting the last time I went (years and years ago), the keynote speaker said something like, "It feels so good to finally be in a room full of Republicans." I was a registered Democrat.

[brehon]

I'm organizing a small Catholic convention (it will be our fourth one). None of the workshops are on life-style choices such as courtship. Also, none of our workshop presenters are authors or sell a product of any kind (our keynote speaker might be, but we have up to 16 workshops on other topics, none of which are presented by authors or sellers of products or whatever--they're all local, experienced homeschoolers).

Ellie, would you mind sharing where, when, and how much? Pretty please with sugar on top?

[hillfarm]

_{One other idea I thought of is to see if we could find a university or college  department that had an interest in homeschooling that would host the conference.  This would certainly generate a lot of positive PR for the institution. And unlike partnering with a specific curriculum provider or other organization that had its own agenda in regard to homeschoolers, hopefully this type of partner would not have such a strong lifestyle bias and could be relied upon to agree to make the exclusive focus on education.}

 

_{This would probably preclude the option for finding vendors to financially support the event, but perhaps a few grants from a science (or STEM) education foundation or other could help. If vendors still really wanted in, perhaps a CD cyber vendor's hall could be developed where the fees paid by the vendors would cover the costs of duplicating and mailing, so that the "advertising" DVD would not cost conference participants anything at all, and would be available by request, not pushed on every participant. Because although I hate pushy advertisers, I do like being made aware of what new products are coming to the homeschool marketplace.}

[KrissiK]

I would love to go to a conference like that. I wouldn't mind some sort of video conference, but for me, part of it is the "convention experience!"  Trying to find a minute to watch a webinar or listen to a cd or podcast here at home.... ugh! Not gonna work. I'm going to a convention in a couple of weeks and am just looking forward to getting away for a night. Although I do get what a lot of people are saying about the content of the seminars. At the last convention I went to several years ago, I felt like I could be the one teaching the seminar. I didn't need another lecture on how to "Homeschool on a Shoestring." and I about walked out on the sweet girls trying to extol the virtues of sea-salt and how to grind your own wheat and make your own bread, but I'm too nice to walk out of seminars unless it's something just downright offensive to me. 

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

I would absolutely love either kind of conference, and I'd be quite willing to drive a good way for an IRL event. I'd also be willing to volunteer time to make it happen. I'm not a good leader, but I'm an excellent worker bee. Just tell me what to do and I'll get right on it! :D

[YaelAldrich]

My Dh turned me on to the idea of making the next Jewish/Torah homeschooling conference I am coordinating be in the "Open Conference"or "Unconference" format.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_conference  and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconference This means that there are no formal presentations, no "sage on the stage".  It is all about the people interested in coming together just doing so and creating the topics of interest and people volunteering to host the sessions.  People who are interested in X will to to the session on X and talk or ask questions or comment.  If you are not interested in X, you go elsewhere.   That way there doesn't have to be a set of experts doing all the presenting.  In WTM alone, there are many wise mentors out there.

 

Perhaps we can host this online, but we would need to have some software that would enable a goodly number of people to get together by phone/internet.  We are using GoToMeeting for our webinars but it can only handle 25 at a time (5 on video).  GoToWebinar can handle 200 by phone only.  There are other FREE phone based conference programs out there that I have used.  They can record the sessions, but there is no video (but you can have a lot of participants).

 

Even though I am really going to kick myself, I'm really serious that if a group of people want to put this together, I'm willing to work on it.  

 

Yael

[YaelAldrich]

Anyone, anyone, Bueller? :)

[lailasmum]

How about something on the Creative Live type model. Speakers/sessions with a live audience and also streamed via the internet with a chat room running at the same time. The chat room is moderated and people can directly ask questions of the speakers via a host.It feels very inclusive on creative live and you really get the energy of it.

 

I believe they use Ustream and a friend also used Ustream for courses she teaches live. There are various options on there to record the stream to have it available to watch later or as pay per view..

[Tammyla]

:iagree: I would love more audio downloads or cds.  A conference would be great, but they never seem to be near or worth the effort and $'s around here.

Here's my two cents:

 

Put more lectures on CDs or audio downloads, and I'm going to buy those. I cannot attend a convention. I cannot travel to Virginia (or much of anywhere), since my responsibilities are here, at home. My husband travels all the time for work. My work is here, so I stay home.

 

I can't speak for Susan, but I would think that attending homeschool conventions -- of any sort -- could get old after a while. That is, what is the return on investment? Time away from older parents and older children, her husband and the farm, time spent dealing with politics and other keynote speakers (ahem), time away from thinking and writing. Me, I would rather stay home, but that's me.

 

Teaching CDs are like a convention in a box.

 

All week long, as part of my Summer Renewal Plan, I've been listening to Peace Hill Press CDs while doing my regular chores. I can wash the dishes and listen to Jessie Wise talk about "If I Could Do It Over Again." I can make strawberry jam and listen to Susan discuss "Teaching Students to Work Independently." I can chop vegetables for supper and hear Susan's advice on how to teach writing, or how to teach the real child, or the joys of classical education.

 

I have learned quite a bit through listening to these lectures, useful "stuff" that I'm applying in our daily lives and in our homeschool.

 

I agree with Faith, though -- make your lectures about HOW TO TEACH, not lifestyle choices. I don't need no stinkin' lecture on women's roles or bee pollen.

 

[momma2three]

I'll help organize it, but can only attend if it's in the Northeast (east of Ohio, north of PAish)

[sagira]

Sign me up for an online conference!

 

SWB, if you are anywhere near Miami, FL, let me know and I'll go to hear you present. If you are in Orlando too :)

[Susan Wise Bauer]

Just so you know, we're all on board with these ideas here, it's just a matter of time and resources (isn't everything?). I would love to organize an all-education conference, but at the moment don't have the staff to do so. John and I have talked about an online conference series (I'm not a huge fan of webinars but it seems like a good direction to head) and this is still a live option, but John's got to do some other site work first. Jim Weiss and I have talked about renting a bus and heading across the USA. (WITH our spouses, before any gossip gets started.)

 

Just wish someone would step up, organize, run, and, oh, FUND the whole thing. :-)

 

But we'll keep you posted...and SOMETHING will happen, in the not too distant future...

 

SWB

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Just so you know, we're all on board with these ideas here, it's just a matter of time and resources (isn't everything?). I would love to organize an all-education conference, but at the moment don't have the staff to do so. John and I have talked about an online conference series (I'm not a huge fan of webinars but it seems like a good direction to head) and this is still a live option, but John's got to do some other site work first. Jim Weiss and I have talked about renting a bus and heading across the USA. (WITH our spouses, before any gossip gets started.)

 

Just wish someone would step up, organize, run, and, oh, FUND the whole thing. :-)

 

But we'll keep you posted...and SOMETHING will happen, in the not too distant future...

 

SWB

 

You guys are the best!

[FaithManor]

Susan, you are amazing!

 

After I started this thread, I looked at some sort of webinar through the web. I didn't know if you would be available, but I thought that those of us on the high school board who have btdt, put a kid through college admissions, survived high school math and science and came out the other side smiling, etc. could at least talk about our experiences. Jann in Tx, Jane in NC, Regentrude who as a physics professor always as wisdom to share, Creekland, Nan in Mass, ....there is a nice list of hivers who made it to the finish line with at least one.

 

Alas, from my rural area, I can't get enough bandwith to do it. I was willing to save money to put aside to pay for something simple like that if the other ladies agreed to it. But, we actually do not have that level of service in our area.

 

You DON'T want to know what the hotels 50 min. from here wanted to charge for the use of a conference room for just a couple of days. I thought about trying to organize it from one of those facilities (small cities, but enough web service to actually do the job), but it was outside the parameters of what I could possibly bleed off my budget for the next year to provide.

 

I'll help organize and if there is anything I can do, please email me and I'll send all of my contact information. It's the money that is the real killer!

 

Faith

[Mrs Mungo]

I think I could get access to facilities that would be free here in Hawaii. I also have guest room and a pool. Just sayin'. :D

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

I think I could get access to facilities that would be free here in Hawaii. I also have guest room and a pool. Just sayin'. :D

 

You know, I think my husband would totally support my attendance at this conference!

[FaithManor]

 

I think I could get access to facilities that would be free here in Hawaii. I also have guest room and a pool. Just sayin'. :D

Now see, I could really go for this! Frankly, I don't think ANYONE really wants to come to rural Mid-Michigan to help me organize a webinar...certainly, none of the gals I'd have pegged for special speakers. Waving Hi at Nan, Creekland, Regentrude, Jane in NC, Jann in Tx...and many others of my high school board companions :seeya:  :seeya:  :seeya:

 

But, Hawaii??? Oh yes, I'm sure they'd LOOOOOVE to speak about things like the doll drums of writing course descriptions if it meant donning a suit and hitting the beaches as a reward!

 

I'd seriously consider putting off our trip to New Zealand (not saying HE would consider this...but, I have my ways :sneaky2: ) for a home education conference in HAWAII!!!

 

Break.out.the.leis!

[tabinfl]

Just wish someone would step up, organize, run, and, oh, FUND the whole thing. :-)

Is that all? ;)

 

In all seriousness,what are your thoughts on "house party" or semi-private speaking engagements? A group gets togetther and pays your travel expenses & speaking fee, y'all show up for a day or three, deliver some talks, sell some books, chit-chat with the guests. Might be literally at someone's house, in a community space, or even a rented hall or hotel conference room.

 

Not quite a conference, but could grow into one given some time...

[justasque]

In my experience planning conferences, they will typically comp you a meeting room, or several, based on selling a certain number of bedrooms to your attendees.  Or, to flip it around, you rent the conference room and the rent is reduced by certain amounts based on the number of bedrooms rented.  That's part of why, when you reserve a room for a conference, you usually need to specify that you're attending the conference.  And it's also part of why there is often an early bird deadline/discount - so the conference organizers know that they have the budget under control.

[Carrie12345]

Just wish someone would step up, organize, run, and, oh, FUND the whole thing. :-)

 

 

 

SWB

It's on my If I Win The Lottery list, I promise.

If I start playing the lottery again. ;-)

[Rosie_0801]

Jim Weiss and I have talked about renting a bus and heading across the USA.

Oh, I'd chip in a tank of petrol, and I wouldn't even be there to benefit. I am philosophically in favour of road trips, see?

[Susan Wise Bauer]

Is that all? ;)

 

In all seriousness,what are your thoughts on "house party" or semi-private speaking engagements? A group gets togetther and pays your travel expenses & speaking fee, y'all show up for a day or three, deliver some talks, sell some books, chit-chat with the guests. Might be literally at someone's house, in a community space, or even a rented hall or hotel conference room.

 

Not quite a conference, but could grow into one given some time...

I think this has real possibilities.

 

The "house conference" circuit that we were trying to put together fizzled for three reasons. The first, and biggest, was just timing--I would have had to be away from home for even longer than usual, and because of various family issues it turned out to be a really bad summer for an extended absence.

 

But the second and third reasons played into the decision not to go on planning. Those were both business-related. (2) It was going to be VERY expensive, and without the usual speaker fees to offset the expenses. And (3)the reason why home education conferences are ultimately good for business is because they provide a way for us to talk to new home schoolers--the parents who have NO idea that our materials even exist. Don't get me wrong, I love talking to our fans at conferences. But from a time-and-money point of view, I'd be better off staying home and writing more materials than taking days to travel to a conference to talk mostly to people who already use our stuff. The house-conference circuit seemed likely to draw almost exclusively parent-educators who already know who we are.

 

That would be something to consider, for any house-conference arrangement.

 

SWB

[NavyMommy]

I think you should organize a live conference with internet streaming and questioning capabilities. Technically I don't even know if this is possible, but I have attended similar things like this on Youtube and other hosting services and always enjoyed them. Even some other home school speakers have done things similar. Everyone logs on at a certain time and can email in their questions live for the speaker to answer. You could also record them and later sell the mp3/CD. Depending on the cost of hosting something like this you could also charge a small fee to cover expenses and your time.

 

Maybe have people around the country agree to 'host' the video conference so you're still getting the social aspect with people who share your viewpoints (or most of them anyway). I'm thinking of 10-15 people sitting around someone's house and watching it so they can discuss it later. I've attended conferences like this, although on a bigger scale where we were in a church or hotel hall.

 

Of course since I'm semi local to you I think you should also have a live studio audience :) I would be happy to help!!

[ChristyB in TN]

What is Ham?

[tabrizia]

I think we should do a kickstarter for it, it would get it funded ahead of time and those that donated a certain amount would get their tickets paid with the funding.  I still want a live conference, but a web based one would be a good start.

[lailasmum]

I highly recommend people checkout creativelive as I mentioned above. They stream via ustream. It can be a relatively straightforward setup. They started pretty small. And a suitable venue could be anything from a hotel room or a small conference room or similar. I would love to help organise something like this but I am in the UK.

 

How about trying something like a small for crowd funding? I think there would be people all around the world who would be interested especially if the organiser were open to suggestions on this people want to learn about.

 

 

[lailasmum]

I think we should do a kickstarter for it, it would get it funded ahead of time and those that donated a certain amount would get their tickets paid with the funding.  I still want a live conference, but a web based one would be a good start.

 

And maybe different levels of donation could give priority to an audience place if that's possible.

[tabinfl]

(3)the reason why home education conferences are ultimately good for business is because they provide a way for us to talk to new home schoolers--the parents who have NO idea that our materials even exist. Don't get me wrong, I love talking to our fans at conferences. But from a time-and-money point of view, I'd be better off staying home and writing more materials than taking days to travel to a conference to talk mostly to people who already use our stuff. The house-conference circuit seemed likely to draw almost exclusively parent-educators who already know who we are.

Thank you for the feedback.

 

I understand this completely. We've attended exactly one trade conference, a national & quite expensive one, with our business. Every prospective client we met there already knew us, most we'd been doing business with for years. The opportunity to network with industry execs was valuable from a strategic viewpoint, but without that it would have been a complete bust (except for the giant party the conference organized on the closing night ;) ).

 

So we need to think Tupperware Party instead of enthusiasts' convention. Everyone bring a friend who does not (yet) use PHP materials, and we all win!

[Susan Wise Bauer]

So we need to think Tupperware Party instead of enthusiasts' convention. Everyone bring a friend who does not (yet) use PHP materials, and we all win!

Exactly! Love this. Only let's not say "Tupperware Party style." You guys are great at making up names--you need to create one for this!

 

SWB

[Stellalarella]

I would like to go to a conference (virtual or IRL, if close enough to me) that was about teaching.  Thanks for starting this topic.  I would be completely happy to go to a conference that had no vendors, but if the vendor was PHP, of course that would be just nifty.  :)

[sagira]

SWB, how about grants? If a group of us got together and applied for a grant (would have to research which), that could possibly work. There are numerous types of grants out there. We'll just have to find them.

 

I do love the idea of bringing a non-PHP user - I know at least three people I can think of who don't use the materials but are interested in finding out more about classical education/education in general who would certainly attend.

[Colleen in NS]

...provide a way for us to talk to new home schoolers--the parents who have NO idea that our materials even exist....

 

pssssttt....Canadian Maritimes....

[ondreeuh]

Come to Alaska! The state's largest homeschool support program does a huge curriculum fair in Juneau, Soldotna, Fairbanks, and Anchorage. Since IDEA is run by a public school district, all of the speakers and workshops are there to promote education, not religion or lifestyle. This year's workshops were offered by Jim Weiss, Denise Eide (Logic of English), Kim Howe (Moving Beyond the Page), Rebecca Keller (Real Science 4 Kids), Debbie Strayer (LLATL), Katheleen Cotter Lawler (Right Start math), and many more.  http://www.ideafamilies.org/fair/2013/welcome.htm

 

ETA: this is in response to the OP - before I read any other replies. Totally didn't mean to come across as rude, like "Eh, forget seeing Susan and just come up here!"

[dovrar]

We've got one coming to the South Carolina Midlands with a focus on back to basics of education from July 24th to the 26th.  I'll post more info as soon as it's available.

 

*ETA* http://www.midlandshomeschoolconvention.com/

[SailorMom]

Oh - yes, please!!!!

Include all the high school information and I'll fly cross-country for it :)

[dhudson]

I'm in! I once drove 18 hours to hear SWB speak. I would be willing to help!

[Lady Florida.]

Ds is in 10th grade, homeschooled all his life, and I've never been to a convention. The reason I've never been is just what the OP is about. They're lifestyle focused rather than education focused. The FPEA one (the big Florida hs convention) has gotten "worse" over the years, so if I was going to attend I should have gone years ago. I went once to a very small secular event that I wouldn't really call a convention.

 

I'm in a local group with parents of high schoolers, and we meet periodically to help each other navigate these last few years and figure out the college thing. I'd love to see a smaller, in-person convention geared toward high school. The problem is, a small in-person convention isn't going to make much money for the vendors, and might even cost them money (travel, set-up, etc.). As much as we like to think they're our friends, this is how they make a living. 

 

I'd be on board with something online, though in-person would be so much nicer. Teleconferencing can be hard because of world wide time differences, but might be the best way to do it.

 

Musician mom, I am (obviously if you read my sig) a secular homeschooler, but I know Christian homeschoolers who want conventions to be about education. Like you, they get religious support from their churches. They want homeschool conventions to be about homeschool education.

 

 

[ByGrace3]

I would love this as well. There is a convention in VA this year where SWB and Julie Bogart are speaking... I know absolutely nothing about the convention itself but am sorely tempted to go just to hear those two.

 

I hear the convenience of virtual conferences, but I too much prefer the focused ability to go and hear and group with like minded individuals... Chat and learn in between sessions...I go to FPEA each year and while I lie the experience, my complaint is the same every year-- I want more education less parenting.

 

This would be great!

[Orthodox6]

For low-budget and non-traveling me, the WTM message boards are the 24/7 conference. Thank you, Dr. Bauer, for hosting it.

 

ETA:  I am a print-bound learner, for whom podcasts and oral lectures are of scant value.  Books and published articles are the tools for how I learn most effectively