How to start, where to find curriculum, when to school, and what a typical day looks like are some of the areas discussed. Get an understanding of Rule 13 and gain valuable information for your homeschool journey. This workshop is a MUST for new homeschoolers.

So many curricula claim Christian foundations, but very few remain firm on Creation. Find out what a difference this can make and see how it not only excites your children for learning but will build a solid foundation for them to resist the constant immorality faced at every turn.

This interactive workshop will cover using games to bring math to life and increase understanding in students. We’ll discuss how to use games to enhance any curriculum. We’ll then dive into a highly visual and interactive review of games to use for specific goals, e.g. understanding number basics, mastering basic math fact, grasping the base-ten system, using multiple operations, and more. Let’s play!

Mrs. Deckert covers the North Dakota requirements for home schooling. She gives many practical hints including suggestions for lesson planning and record keeping. This is the place to start if you are just beginning the home education journey or are just “checking it out.”

Understanding your child’s learning style and gearing curriculum and teaching to that style will help avoid much frustration in your home school. Through this workshop you will learn points to help you determine your child’s learning style as well as your own learning/teaching style. We’ll also discuss some of the common home school teaching methods.

Is your child interested in electricity and you aren’t sure how to support their interest? In this workshop we will demonstrate the best ways to present abstract concepts around electricity. We will also provide your family with a number of simple, low cost and high interest experiments to help cement learning.

All too often children spend years and hundreds of hours taking music lessons and practicing only to relegate music to something they did when they were younger. The music ends when the lessons and recitals end. What a shame! Music is not something we simply add to our regiment of schooling. The Bible tells us again and again to have music be part of our lifestyle forever. Not just when we have time to practice and perform but when we are about our day serving our Creator. But how do we equip our children to do this?

Many people think that some are just born with a “photographic memory”. But we now know that this amazing ability can be easily taught. The ability to use the photographic memory is one of the best gifts you can give your child. Your child can store his spelling words in his photographic memory for quick retrieval. Vocabulary is learned in a totally different way! Imagine your child actually having fun improving his vocabulary for the SAT.

Do you have a child whom you suspect has an Auditory Processing Problem? There are ten auditory channels. Some channels affect academics (reading, phonics and sight words, spelling, and math), while others affect everyday life (easily confused, misunderstands verbal information, poor working memory, speech delay or articulation issues). Become your child’s own diagnostician as you identify, bypass, and correct auditory processing problems at home. Learn to bypass the auditory learning glitch by using the child’s natural photographic memory and how to correct the auditory glitch by using the proven methods of home Brain Integration Therapy and Targeted Nutritional Interventions.

Gain a fresh perspective on how your children’s actions and attitudes help you discover their natural bent, so you can plan strategies that will help them grow into the person they were created to be. We’ll peel back the layers to reveal pieces of the puzzle that go beyond the usual “auditory, kinesthetic, and visual” discussions. This workshop will provide you with insight into a variety of ways you can effectively teach to various learning styles in your children.

Mrs. Deckert will cover the North Dakota requirements for home schooling. She will also give many practical hints including suggestions for lesson planning and record keeping. This is the place to start if you are just beginning the home education journey or are just “checking it out.”

Educational pioneer, Charlotte Mason, championed the idea of “notebooking”. But, this wonderful extension of learning can be dated back long before she gave it a name. For centuries, The Greats cataloged what they learned in notebooks… rehearsing their daily discoveries with pen, paper, and imagination. Discover how to inspire learning through a simple notebook, see several types of notebooks and how to use them effectively, and learn about some simple tools and techniques for drawing your children into notebooking with purpose.

We all have at least one of these children. They take extra time to complete every lesson, if they complete them at all. We may fall into the trap of sitting by them to “help” them finish, only to become an educational security blanket. We need to encourage these children to take up their own responsibilities. Their desire should be to work diligently for the Lord. Join us as we go over helpful suggestions to encourage those less-than-enthusiastic children.

“Montessori, Charlotte Mason, Unit Study, Un-Schooling, Project-Based Learning, Waldorf, Traditional Textbook, and the list goes on! There are so many different teaching methods and approaches to homeschooling that it can be overwhelming to choose just one. They all have their strengths. But, then again, they all have their struggles. Let me introduce you to the most popular methods and philosophies of education, show you the pros and cons of each, and help you to discover which, if any, is right for you and your kids.

As the teen years approach, the impending need to teach science often creates fear for students and parents alike. This workshop will take the fear out of teaching science and will create excitement and enthusiasm for everyone. If you enjoy learning, then you can definitely get excited to learn along with your students. Get ready to meet your inner science geek and help prepare your teens for their future.

Homeschooling families are often heard saying, “The older books are so much better!” Is that really true? Why do people say this? This workshop explains what it is about Christian books from the 19th and 18th centuries that makes them unique, so rich in content, and helpful for the formation of godly character. The result is, you'll learn how you can best use literature from that era and, in fact, the great literature from every era, to promote Christian character in your children.

Exhibitor Workshop - no description available

Learn a crucial but frequently misunderstood topic related to special needs homeschooling. In this power-packed workshop, Faith explains the difference between accommodations and modifications, describes 504 Accommodation Law, and answers homeschooling parents’ most frequently asked questions. Faith also shares a disability resource guide for teens and young adults.

You have searched the library's catalog and placed holds on books, but did you know there is so much more you can access on the library's web page? Libraries subscribe to many online resources that are available for you to use from the convenience of your own home. Discover how to access new software knowledge and technical learning, enhance your reading lists, learn 100 languages, even access a live tutor, plus much more. It is all available with your library card—and learn how you can get one too!

Join Sonya for a practical and encouraging overview of the simple yet effective methods used in the Charlotte Mason approach. Learn about Charlotte and experience using her methods for yourself during the session.

This message outlines how to use many of the tried and true aspects of the Charlotte Mason method today while remaining pertinent to the time period in which we live. Learn about who Charlotte Mason was, the cultural differences and similarities of Charlotte Mason’s world vs. ours, what the main aspects of Ms. Mason’s method looks like in a modern homeschool, and how we can easily adapt her method for our use.

Maybe you struggled with math, so how do you choose a curriculum to avoid the same fate for your child? Maybe you are really good in math but are unsure how to teach it? Should you include manipulatives or not? Find out the science and the art of teaching math. It is a science because much research has been done on how children learn, especially in math. It is an art because each child is different and lessons need to be tweaked. Come learn and be encouraged to become a great math teacher.

Explores the natural sequence of language learning beginning with the early years of learning to speak, followed by the reading stage, and then on to writing. Discusses the stages that are input or output, what’s essential, and how to set goals for different seasons. Topics covered include phonics, reading, penmanship, grammar, spelling, creative and formal writing, and literature. Get a fresh perspective on this subject that frequently frustrates or confuses homeschool parents.

The common approach to teaching geology is to hit it once, probably in 8th grade. But, geology is the beginning point of understanding biology, astronomy, paleontology, anthropology, archaeology, and so much more. If we hope to win the battle for our children’s minds in the area of worldview, it is vitally important that we teach geology with the importance that it deserves. This seminar will equip you on how to teach geology effectively

What does it mean to truly be educated? Many homeschoolers are schooled but not educated. This workshop walks through essential elements necessary for a child’s success. Topics include: gaining a knowledge of history, being good with money, knowing apologetics, desiring purity, and acquiring life skills.

In this session, multiple award winning author and longtime homeschool mom of six Dr. Sandi Queen discusses the many facets of language arts - phonics and reading, grammar, handwriting, spelling, vocabulary, writing, etc., and how to teach each of these using the Charlotte Mason approach. Included will be information on how to identify and choose materials that fit into this method.

Math is so much more than memorizing rules and facts. With a unique and humorous approach, Steve demonstrates how to use hands-on manipulatives to illustrate important math concepts such as place value, double digit multiplication, fractions, algebra, exponents, squares, square roots, and factoring trinomials.

What is a “living book?” How can “copywork” really be that effective?” “How do I fit nature study into our day – and why do I want to?” “What about math, language arts, and other ‘core’ subjects?” Dr. Sandi Queen, award winning author of over 400 books for Charlotte Mason style educators, discusses who Charlotte Mason was, and how her ideas for educating children are as applicable today as they were during her lifetime. Come and learn how implementing the Charlotte Mason approach can lighten your load, increase your child’s retention and attention span, and foster a true love for learning. Also discussed will be how to identify curricula that fits into this style of learning in all subjects. For parents of children of all ages.

The goal of this session is to share the joy of designing and teaching unit studies. Learn how this unique approach to teaching uses real-life experiences, books, games, projects, and other resources to encourage students to deeply explore topics and to become life-long learners. Discover ways to integrate subjects to make learning more meaningful and fun. Realize the wealth of knowledge to be gained through unit studies as well as easy methods of constructing them.

Does it seem that your older teen is ‘behind’ in school? It could be because of learning challenges, family or health distractions, previous school history, etc. Whatever the reason, the school ‘to-do’ list seems to be larger than the amount of time you feel you have left with your child. In this session, Bev will talk about strategies you can use when determining what concepts must be covered, how to capitalize on your child’s strengths to cover the material, the necessity of supporting their sense of self, and what resources might be ‘friendly’ to this type of situation.

If you are looking for ideas on how to organize your homeschool then this workshop is for you. Janelle will be sharing numerous ideas for lesson planning, organizing your student’s work and grades, creating ways for your child to work independently and setting up your homeschool. There are plenty of ideas to choose from. Pick the ones that work best for you and your family.

Homeschooling jargon can be confusing even for seasoned homeschool parents. In this workshop, Nancy will give an overview of many of the most common curriculum approaches including textbook, unit studies, classical, Charlotte Mason/living books, eclectic, and relaxed/delight-directed learning. We will also go over examples of curriculum and resources that tend to work best with each approach.

Math is sequential. Often students struggle in math due to gaps in understanding of basic concepts either previously presented or not presented at all. The first step is to find the gaps, then effectively fill in those missing pieces. Sue will provide ways to evaluate and develop strategies to develop math confidence and understanding.

Do you have students loves art and does not seem to enjoy math or loves math and does not enjoy art ? Artist Sue Wachter will present information from both personal experience and research to consider how to motivate your student to find success in both math and art. Attend expecting to enjoy interaction and discuss possibilities to creatively assist your student to discover that important combination.

Drawing on her experience as a mom of seventeen homeschool students and a curriculum counselor for a statewide homeschool organization, Vicki shares secrets for you to map out a successful course of study. Vicki helps beginners get a solid start in home education and encourages veteran homeschoolers to re-examine goals and priorities. She also includes a basic overview of different teaching approaches.

Homeschooling jargon can be confusing even for seasoned homeschool parents. Nancy will give an overview of the most common curriculum approaches including textbook, unit studies, classical, Charlotte Mason/living books, eclectic, and relaxed/ delight-directed learning. We will also go over examples of curriculum and resources that tend to work best with each approach

All textbooks and no fun make many homeschoolers want to throw schooling out the window! Dara will share ideas of carrying on the spontaneity of homeschooling fun through high school without compromising the knowledge needed to get into college. She’ll inspire you to think outside the textbook box and enjoy the last few years your teen will be at home.

What should “school” look like for early learners? What things are developmentally appropriate? This fun and informative session will provide an overview of teaching methods specifically geared to pre- and elementary-age children. Nancy will share resources, fun games, toddler tips, and easy activities, all designed to help parents think outside the box when it comes to “doing school."

Mom of 17 homeschooled students and curriculum counselor for a statewide homeschool organization, Vicki shares the secrets to mapping out a successful course of study for your children. This workshop helps beginners to get a solid start in home education, encourages veterans to re-examine goals and priorities, and includes a basic overview of different teaching approaches.

Handout available at: https://www.oceanetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/Exploring-Curriculum-handout.pdf

Does your son or daughter seem to be faltering in their efforts to learn to read? Is it the curriculum? Is it you? Based on current research, this workshop is designed to help parents better understand the most essential elements of the reading process, along with those critical ingredients that must be emphasized to produce a successful, capable reader.

High school math at home can be an intimidating endeavor. How are you going to teach your kids algebra, trigonometry, or even calculus? Further, will they be prepared by graduation for college level work? In this session Kathryn provides practical solutions to some of the common pitfalls of teaching math at home. She also shows you how to harness the strengths of homeschooling to create a competitive high school program. Whether your child is STEM-minded or focused on the humanities, you’ll leave this session with a concrete four-year plan. Kathryn is a homeschool graduate with ten years’ experience as a high school math teacher; in addition, she has tutored homeschool students in math since high school.

Most homeschooling parents feel uneasy when planning math courses for their children. Lots of parents say, "We learned our math a long time ago," or "We learned it a different way," or maybe "We learned it not at all". How can we know if the methods we are using will achieve the desired results in our students? In this workshop Tom Clark will expose ten common myths about teaching math and then counter those myths with solid, practical help for parents. You will also leave with a checklist of items which can be used to determine the best math course for your students.

What are thinking skills and why all the fuss? This seminar challenges traditional teaching methods head on by outlining the best way to teach so your child can remember and use what he has learned...even when he is an adult. Analysis, synthesis, and evaluation are explained; samples of creative and critical thinking are provided. You will leave with lots of resource suggestions and activity ideas that are uncomplicated, inexpensive, effective, and yet not time consuming!

Language is an amazing grace from God and a gift to steward and revel in. Skill and confidence in crafting words into stories and arguments will open doors for your children and lead them into their futures. Here’s how to cast a vision, encourage and support the journey, capture each child’s unique writer’s voice, and delight in the prose and poetry your kids produce. You may find yourself inspired to write as well.

Are you new to homeschooling or new to Pennsylvania? Are you thinking about homeschooling at some point in the future? Do you have questions about what homeschooling might look like and how to get started? This session is designed to encourage and equip you to homeschool your children. Topics include: Why homeschool?, how to get started in PA, a typical day, curriculum, record keeping, testing, portfolios, and evaluations. There will also be time for questions.

If your child graduates high school with only one skill in hand, it needs to be this one. Academic writing, AKA argument writing, is how your child will engage the culture and the academic community on campus and online. This is what admissions offices scour the student essay for, and this is what scholarship committees prize. Your teens will improve their critical thinking, master subject matter across domains, learn to evaluate and counter other’s ideas, and clarify their own IF argument writing is at the center of your college prep high school program.

Looking for inspiration in your study of ancient times? Join Linda Lacour Hobar (author of the series The Mystery of History) to discover what happens when Bible history and world history meet face to face – literally! With a look at Daniel and Belshazzar, Esther and Xerxes, Jesus and Pilate, and more, you will see bible characters and world history figures “meet” on one seamless, thought-provoking timeline. Through stories and activities for all ages, let His-story be revealed.

Need to brush up on art history? Want a better grasp on the classic artworks of the Renaissance? Join Linda Lacour Hobar, author of the award-winning series, The Mystery of History, for a delightful presentation of six major artists of the Renaissance that everyone ought to know. This fact-filled lecture includes beautiful, family-friendly slides of some of the world’s most famous masterpieces and a fun test for students of all ages. This informative session welcomes novices and connoisseurs alike.

With over a decade of experience teaching high school level math, Kathryn Gomes knows the end game. What are the essential parts of an elementary math program that will set your child up for success in middle school, high school, and even college? This session will highlight the crucial skills that must be mastered and the experiences that will shape your child as a future mathematician. Kathryn fleshes out each point with resource suggestions and helpful tips to make math something your child looks forward to each day.

Join Tom Clark as he offers an entertaining and educational session designed to help you discover the reasons behind the difficulty on several of the traditional trouble spots in math. Topics discussed will be determined by the audience and may include division of fractions and multiplication of decimals (using those mindless rules), long-division, story-problems, positive and negative numbers, and numerous others, all of which seem to indicate that mathematics is just naturally “difficult”.

From trenches and truces on the Western Front to famous flying aces in the sky, let Linda Lacour Hobar (author of the award-winning series, The Mystery of History) walk you through an invigorating summary of what tweens and teens should know about World War I through unforgettable stories and Linda’s exclusive “5-4-3-2-1 Countdown.”

Want to better understand the headlines? Planning to teach modern history? Then you need “Modern History That Shook the World!” Join Linda Lacour Hobar, author of the award-winning series, The Mystery of History, as she recounts world-shaking events from the 20th century to present day from a biblical worldview. With vivid snapshots of the Cold War, the Formation of Israel, the War in Korea, the Collapse of the Soviet Union, and more, students and teachers will not only see the past more clearly, but be better prepared for the future!

When asked, “What are the language arts?” people may respond by listing numerous subjects: spelling, phonics, grammar, penmanship, copying, dictation, narration, and composition. But actually it’s much simpler! For those adhering to the classical model, those ascribing to a Charlotte Mason approach, or those who just want a common-sense curriculum, there are really only four core language arts: listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and attending well to the first two makes teaching the latter two so much easier. Come prepared to have your educational paradigm adjusted, your load lightened, and your commitment to excellence renewed as you focus on the most important things in the limited time you have.

This highly practical workshop will compare and contrast the many different teaching methods and styles commonly employed by home educating parents. Linda seeks to share advantages and disadvantages within each method, without endorsing any one in particular. Hopefully she can help you to choose the one that will work effectively for you and your children.

Who is going to build a house by starting with the walls? Without a solid foundation, those walls may hold up for a bit but eventually will come crashing down. Math is a lot like building a house. We need to start with a strong foundation and build up from there. It doesn’t have to be hard! See how easy it is to teach math.

Evaluating a student’s writing can be very difficult, especially for the parent who may feel less than perfectly confident. Learn how to provide specific models and stylistic goals for each composition, giving specific assignments to your students for both fiction and non-fiction. Solve the “How long does it have to be?” problem. Never again hear yourself say, “Don’t you want to add a little more detail?” With confidence and precision, you can design and communicate to your students goal- and model-based writing assignments, and can have a concrete tool to objectively evaluate their efforts.

How long do you allow a child to think before you start helping them? Sometimes we need to be quiet and let them wrestle with the problem. Do you know that children will learn better and remember things longer when they discover the solution? The goal is to provide a way for them to learn how to solve problems. Find out how to help your child think their way through math.

Many children (and some adults) have difficulty learning to spell, but the difficulty may not be with the student so much as with the method of presentation. Learn how spelling information is most efficiently stored in the brain, and why. With a greater insight parents and teachers will be well-equipped to meet the needs of all their children, not just the naturally good spellers.

Teaching is not for the faint of heart. Mix in a child with learning challenges and you may end up becoming very discouraged, and ready to throw in the towel. Be encouraged, you are NOT alone. Whether your child has been diagnosed with a learning challenge or simply doesn’t “get” math, listen and learn some teaching strategies and techniques. Help your child overcome those learning challenges and succeed in math.

Recent years have seen an enormous increase in the use of technology in education. But is technology really the cure that many believe it to be? While traditional skills such as cursive penmanship are seen as unnecessary in the modern world, the actual research tells a different story. Learn the compelling reasons to choose paper books instead of electronic devices for reading, to handwrite instead of type when note-taking, to teach cursive instead of printing for penmanship, and to grab a pen instead of pencil for composition. Discover how to unleash creativity that goes beyond technology.

Using student created notebooks encourages an atmosphere and creativity as children essentially produce their own work to display their learning. Jeannie explains why and how to use this easy and effective educational approach that replaces workbooks, enhances learning and retention of the subject, and develops a true love for learning. Examples and visual aids make the information easy to understand and implement in your homeschool.

Do you remember the groans in math class when the word “fraction” was brought up? Well, there is a better and less painful way of teaching fractions! Fractions are, dare I say, fun when they are taught the right way. So, what’s the right way to teach them? Come and discover how to approach fractions. Experience the beauty and simplicity of fractions!

People, especially children, are visual learners. Approaching math from a visual perspective using an abacus is a sure-fire path to success! Learn how an abacus fosters quantity recognition and develops addition strategies. Investigate place value in a crystal clear format. Explain “borrowing and carrying” when adding and subtracting numbers. Discover the simplicity of multiplication. Find the easy way to learn the math facts.

As schools believe that producing good readers will solve all their academic problems. Many children—the dyslexic, the easily distracted, the auditorily challenged—are truly left behind in the rush to improve test scores. Reading is not simply being able to rapidly decode symbols with the eyes. Hear stories and strategies for helping students who need to engage the cognitive processes of reading, but who are more likely to excel through a wider variety of practical, creative, and imaginative approaches.

Does your child cry at the thought of another timed math fact test? Are you beating your head against the wall because your child can’t seem to remember the multiples of 7? Learn fabulous and effective alternatives to worksheets and flashcards by playing easy and fun math card games. Imagine your children asking to practice their math facts more! Discover games to help your child learn their math facts.

What do you do when your child is not progressing as expected? Discover a simple model for identifying skill and performance deficits. Learn how to test whether the child has a skill or a performance deficit and select strategies to improve performance. A variety of instructional and motivational strategies that can be added as a supplement to the curriculum will be presented and described to try at home.

By understanding your child's learning style, determining an educational approach and deciding on objectives, you will be able to make a better decision when choosing curriculum.

Choosing the right curriculum can be daunting — not only are there too many options, understanding them is often more work than teaching the content. In this brief workshop, we'll discuss some hacks to understanding what a curriculum offers, including its strengths and weaknesses, and how to make the best choice without hurting your head. It isn't really the curriculum that matters — it's what it represents, both in terms of worldview and practical concerns.

Exhibitor's Workshop

Personally, I LOVE math. As a student, I would have been thrilled to have 50 or more math problems a day to work. I just loved to write the numbers, and coming up with the right answer was a BLAST! My husband also enjoyed math. I figured that my children would love math, too. Boy, was I wrong! It’s not easy teaching math to someone who just doesn’t want to learn it. Well, our family has been on quite a roller-coaster ride when it comes to learning math, but we have found peace. I want to share with you our journey, and how we came to a place where my children now look forward to math lessons…and I do, too! Charlotte Mason had the right answer for us, and she may just have the answer for you too.

Feel overwhelmed with your child’s unique needs? Think you cannot possibly homeschool with these challenges? This presentation is all about offering encouragement to parents who homeschool (or desire to homeschool) their special-needs children. We will discuss the why’s and how’s of homeschooling our special-needs child, record keeping, resources and planning for the future.