"I’m not strong enough."
"My kids are going to have gaps in their education."
"Everything depends on me."
"I’ve failed too many times."
"I can’t do this right."
"I’m screwing up my kids."
"Everyone else’s kids are doing better than mine."

Have you heard the lies, too? Join Heidi as she talks about her own experience of homeschooling out of fear and into faith. You’ll want to bring a friend to this one!

Does the quality of your marriage matter? Do the endless days of child rearing and homeschooling matter? Does your family have a larger purpose in this world? God says, "Yes!" Will you live for His plan and purpose?

A serious but entertaining look at HSLDA’s recent cases and why they are important to you and your homeschool. You’ll want to hear about the Case of the Miscreated Court, the Case of the Rotten Big Apple, and the Case of the Caseworker’s Monumental Miscalculation. With over 15 years’ experience representing homeschooling families around the country, Jim has a unique, up-close perspective on trends, emerging issues, and what the future holds for homeschool freedom.

In today’s culture, parenting requires an uncommon courage. Being a Christian parent in a culture that has rejected Christ requires a steadfast commitment to imparting truth to our children in a world that has rejected Truth. This is not our grandparents’ generation. We are parenting in a generation where fear is a driving force. But when faith finds its feet in this generation of parents, Heidi believes we will begin to see amazing things.

Toddlers, Tweens, and Teens, OH MY! Do you have a houseful? Are you planning on having a houseful? If so, then this is a great workshop for YOU! Heidi and Jay St. John are the homeschooling parents of seven perfect, never messy, always obedient, very sweet, usually tidy, generally obedient, always energetic, very curious children. They have homeschooled all the way through high school.

One of the most challenging aspects of homeschooling a houseful is figuring out how to teach them all while finding time to manage the rest of your day! Moms are always wondering if they are “doing enough” and finding the time to teach individual subjects, well, individually… can be overwhelming.

In this workshop, Heidi will share seven secrets of multi-level teaching that will empower, encourage and enlighten you! If you’ve got a houseful, then you’ve got your hands full! Let’s laugh together, and rediscover the JOY of homeschooling with a full heart AND a full house

Want to give your preschooler and kindergartner an edge? Though it may seem counter-intuitive, having a playful relaxed, yet intentional attitude towards learning in the early years develops creativity, encourages curiosity, builds independence, expands attention span, enhances relationships, and has fun, too. And it is PROVEN to give them an academic edge! Join Heather as she share's the art of teaching young children through play.

Many parents are intimidated at the thought of homeschooling a teenager through high school. The idea of teaching physics, chemistry, and calculus elicits fear and trembling from most parents… throw in grading essays and creating transcripts and you’ve got a complete recipe for a true mental breakdown! Home school high school veteran Jean Burk’s two homeschooled students received full-rides to college, grad school, and law school. She joyfully testifies that the high school years have been the most rewarding! She’ll share her successes and failures and everything else you need to know to homeschool through high school. At this workshop she’ll answer these questions and many more:

• Why homeschool high school?
• Statistically, how do homeschool graduates perform as adults?
• What’s the difference between credits, grades, and transcripts?
• What every high school student needs to know beyond academics (life skills, spiritual skills, social skills)
• How can middle school students acquire high school credit?
• How in the world do I teach chemistry, algebra, and calculus?
• What’s the difference between CLEP, AP, and Dual Enrollment?
• Can my homeschooled student really get into college?
• What scholarships are available to home school students?
• Do I need an accredited transcript?

Encouragement for teenagers to start and run their own micro business. They will learn a lot while earning some money. A micro business can be started quickly and easily with no debt from home. Presenter Carol Topp, CPA has counseled dozens of teenagers starting a business and will discuss business plans and ideas. Teenagers and their parents are encouraged to attend together!

The very thought of homeschooling can be overwhelming—whether you're a newbie or a veteran homeschooling parent. It's a big job and there's no way of getting around it. But after 18 years of teaching, I've found these steps that actually work. And these aren't merely academic solutions, but answers that have helped our family relationships—and my sanity—as well. It's a surprisingly simple plan that will prepare your student—and the teacher—for real success.

This talk provides honest encouragement to those considering homeschooling. The real hard part of home education is the commitment of time, energy and resources. The real blessings of home education include stronger family bonds and a personalized education. And these blessings will make the work worth it.

Volunteers are the backbone of nonprofit organizations. Without volunteers, visions crumble. How do you recruit qualified volunteers? How can a leader strengthen a volunteer to go the distance? How do you inspire your volunteers to serve with passion? Forrest and Beth Mora will share ten key principles to help you form a team that will thrive and create a lasting impact.

We homeschooling parents invest a lot of ourselves in our children. When one of them strays, it is a painful, prayerful time. As one who has wandered himself, and one who has shepherded seven children through sometimes challenging times, Jim has a word of encouragement, reconciliation, and hope for walking through troubled times.

Presented by Math-U-See

Math-U-See’s unique instructional approach using simple but powerful manipulatives, videos, and textbooks helps students master math concepts and fundamental skills. Our manipulatives are used to represent abstract math concepts to be represented in clear, relatable ways. Come see how even reluctant mathematicians can help children develop a positive relationship with math.

Arguably the most profound change in America in the past 50 years has been the deconstruction of the family unit. The foundational building block of 4000 years of world culture and 250 years of American society has been undermined, underappreciated, and under attack since the 1960’s. Learn how to put down the kind of strong roots that will help you become an “intentional arborist” as you nurture the strong family that you desire-and that your children need. Learn how you can nurture what’s important and learn to ignore the flurry of cultural foolishness that we all-too-often mistake for what’s really important.

Heather Haupt is joined by her mother, Colene Lewis for this 2-generation workshop.

One of the perks of homeschooling is the opportunity families have to build relationships. Learning to live and learn together 24-7 provides a wonderful environment where relationships are cultivated. It isn't always easy, but the benefits are well worth the effort!

Conflict happens. Anger happens. Siblings fight. Mom and Dad don’t see eye to eye. Feelings get hurt. Things are said that shouldn’t be said, and things are done that shouldn’t be done. We each have different points of views on how life should go. Add the personal character flaws of each family member to the mix, and you’ve got a recipe for calamity. Unchecked anger and unresolved conflict can undo the best of homeschool plans. Teaching your child how to manage anger and conflict far outweighs any school subject. Beth Mora, author, blogger, and homeschool mom tackles real-life tensions that happen behind all of our homeschool doors and offers practical solutions for messy moments.

Are you ready to make $500 an hour? Although it sounds too good to be true, it’s possible to earn this much in scholarships for college. Author, Jean Burk, will teach you two important concepts: how to get into the college of your choice and how to find the scholarships to pay for it. You will learn methods of receiving substantial scholarships that go beyond tuition and may include room and board, graduate school, and money to study abroad! Unlock the keys to finding free college at your fingertips!

No one really talks about this part. They talk about curriculum and co-op classes. Schedules and science fairs. Teacher-student relationships and sibling relationships. But there's little mention of the most important behind-the-scenes relationship of all: the one with your husband. Here's how you can do more than maintain your marriage; you can grow and even thrive while you homeschool together.

Having a productive day is so much more than buying a planner or a tool for organization. In this workshop, Rebecca, the Well Planned Gal, takes listeners a few steps back, helping them begin with a philosophy and understanding of the uniqueness God has created in each family. From there, Rebecca explores ten essentials for having a Well Planned Day.

This is a “potpourri” of topics and attendees can bring up any subject they wish to discuss. Carol Topp will lead off with her Topp 10 tips for running a homeschool organization. Included are tips on bylaws, boards, avoiding fraud, hiring workers, buying insurance, and conducting fund raisers. A handout of tips for leaders to share with your board back home will be provided.

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.

Presented by Excellence in Writing

Come and discover award-winning Excellence in Writing, a method of teaching composition that really works. Using this program, students of all ages will learn to write stories, reports, and essays with style. This workshop will give you an overview of the program and show you how you can get started.

Your family is counting on you. The Enemy loves taking down men and making them ineffective for the Kingdom through impurity. God made you a warrior and gave you all you need to triumph over the Enemy’s plan to destroy you. Candid discussion/practical strategies to employ on the field of moral battle.

Presented by Help Eliminate Learning Problems

As the Director of Help Eliminate Learning Problems (HELP, Inc.), Bill Hartner has a unique perspective of seeing learning problems from both sides. Bill will give a fascinating look at the right brain and left brain and why balancing the two is so important to effective learning. You’ll learn how concentration, focus, time management, cause-and-effect thinking and organization can be improved by integrating more left-brain critical thinking into the learning process.

Bill has been HELP’s Director for 34 years. HELP is a not for profit organization located on the campus of Marylhurst University between West Linn and Lake Oswego and provides testing and drug-free treatment for children and adults with learning and processing problems. For more information about HELP, check helpadd.com or call 503-635-3389 for an evaluation appointment.

Parenting. It’s exhausting and exhilarating. Frustrating and fascinating. Like all things that are God-breathed, it’s a Kingdom building exercise. It’s a masterful strategy, this idea of using all night feedings and miscarriage and labor and teenagers (see how teens and labor go hand in hand?) and even homeschooling to teach us to trust the heart of the Father. But that’s exactly what God wants you to learn to do. Join Heidi St. John for an hour of encouragement and inspiration that will lift you up and remind you of the WHY of homeschooling.

Are you providing a marriage example you would encourage others to follow? What steps are you taking to deepen your love and build a lasting friendship with your husband/wife?

Come discover how we can reach the heart of our boys and inspire them to embrace this training phase of their lives as they pursue living a life of purpose that, like the knights of old, courageously puts the needs of others before their own. What is holding modern day boys back and how can we move forward by giving boys a vision for their future and honoring their innate love for adventure? The world needs more kind, courageous, and bold men who will lead their families well and make an impact in their world both now and for the rest of their lives. It starts with igniting the imagination, honoring their love for adventure, and casting a vision for the training process.

Wouldn’t it be great to earn money and learn important life skills that are needed every day in adult life? A micro business can help you do that! Presenter Carol Topp, CPA has encouraged hundreds of teenagers to start a micro business and has seen them learn a lot about real life. She’ll offer tips to get you started on launching a viable micro business. Teenagers and their parents are encouraged to attend together.

Question: What is the end goal of Christian home education? Answer: To love God more and serve more. Parents, your elementary-aged child needs an education in dreaming big. “But wait!” the parent says, “He can’t even complete his regular assignments!” Dreaming big can turn your ho-hum learner into an active one. We all need purpose behind even the simplest of tasks. We, as home educating families can get buried in a pile of book learning and forget what education is really for, to serve others. Please bring your wiggly child with you to this inspiring talk that just might change your city, state, country, or even the world. Disclaimer: There may be no stopping your child!

Almost everything you need to know to homeschool, from educational philosophy to practical homeschool how-to’s, can be found in Calvin & Hobbes. Come laugh, learn, be encouraged as a veteran homeschooler presents wisdom gleaned from the stories of a young boy and his stuffed tiger.

Have you ever wondered if you or anyone you know has dyslexia? If so, you are not alone. dyslexia affects approximately 1 in 5 people. As a mom and home educator of a dyslexic learner, Joann has experienced the worry and frustration of watching her bright and creative child struggle, even though he tries hard. As a person with dyslexia, she has experienced the difficulties and benefits first-hand.

This presentation will encourage you on your journey. Dyslexia is a distinctive difference, not a divisive deficit. Using the most reliable research, we'll cover the basics of identifying, re-mediating, and accommodating. We will also cover the gifts and strengths of the dyslexic mind - because, yes, those exist too!

Are you a homeschooling dad like I am? Do you need an occasional booster shot like I do? Come let us reason together, encourage one another, bear each other’s burdens, and leave refreshed to carry out our vital role.

Presented by Classical Conversations

Learn how Classical Conversations programs from Foundations all the way through Challenge, promote logical thinking and help build relationships through effective communication.

Discover a step-by-step guide to what medical transcription is; medical transcription versus medical billing & coding; learning medical transcription simply. Learn about marketing your business easily and everything you wanted to know about earning potential, equipment, electronic files, how to get hands-on work experience, work for services and much more.

We are faced with daily challenges, Biblical standards are being compromised, our culture adheres to having no absolute truths, and spiritually, we are at war between good and evil. This workshop sheds light on seven key principles for living daily with passion, purpose, and victory and teach our children to do the same!

If homeschooling up 'til now feels more like drudgery than delight, or if the thought of homeschooling makes your knees shake and your palms sweat, this is the workshop for you! Perhaps you've been hearing from “experts” that view homeschooling as just another form of education, like any other. Public schools think that way, but homeschooling is nothing like the school system. It's just the opposite. Learning at home is an adventure, a journey, a new lifestyle. Join veteran homeschool mom of seven (including one homeschool graduate!) Heidi St.John as she talks about the three things you’ve got to know as a new homeschooler that will set you on a track for success and enjoyment with your children.

Are you worn out from everyone needing another piece of you? Do you feel pushed and pulled in all directions? Are there places in your heart you don’t have time to visit? Women of all ages and stages will discover the joy of blooming! Join Beth Mora, author and blogger, as she shares from God’s Word the power of open transparency and the sweet life that blooms in Christ.

Learning to embrace a natural, holistic way of education can make homeschooling doable and successful academically, spiritually, and socially for both the students and the parents. It’s important to let go of our pre-conceived notions of what “school” should look like and instead major on the strengths of homeschooling – flexibility, real life learning, real books (living books), dialogue rather than formal tests, etc. Discover how to emphasize the benefits of homeschooling and avoid the burn out that happens when parents try to replicate a traditional school in their homes.

Test-prep Guru, Jean Burk, will share her secrets of SAT success that have helped tens of thousands of students raise their test scores as much as 600 points! Learn how to find shortcuts in test patterns and save time on all types of questions. Math, Writing, and Verbal sections are all covered in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Learn tips to help you prepare for the SAT! Parents and high schoolers, you are welcome to sit in this session and learn the tips for preparing for the SAT to help your students score well.

How does a skid steer loader, a backhoe, a front tine tiller, a small tractor, and a diesel pick-up truck relate to being a husband, father, and servant leader of your family? In this very unique talk, Forrest Mora, a landscape contractor and equipment operator, speaks to the men using language that men can relate to. He relates real life stories from his experiences over the last 30 years to sometimes laugh at himself and other times challenge everyone in the room. His nuts and bolts style of communicating will provide a welcomed outlet for men to gather together and discover that they are not alone in their challenges of life.

Presenter, Carol Topp, a homeschooling mother and CPA, has helped over 250 homeschool organizations understand their status with the IRS. She will teach leaders the required filings to keep their homeschool organizations legal but with the least amount of government paperwork and interference. Tips and handouts on required reporting, taxes, and several examples from Carol’s experience will be offered. This is an invaluable session for support group and co-op leaders.

All children have special needs, but some have more challenges than others. Learn how to adapt and plan an effective curriculum so that your child shows measurable progress. Explore the stumbling blocks that can prevent true learning. Don't waste money and time buying the wrong curriculum. This is a great session for parents of more than one child. You'll learn how to adapt curriculum to fit more than one student.

Freedom isn’t free! Hear the stories and rejoice in God’s grace as one of Oregon’s home education pioneers hits the high points starting with a significant Supreme Court ruling in Pierce v. Society of Sisters, and moving through the last 35 years of more recent challenges and victories.

Learn from the past and be reminded of the stone memorials erected along the way (Joshua 4:6) In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them... Join us to hear the stories of men and women that God used like Pastor Dennis Tuuri, Representative Charles Star, lobbyist Rodger Williams, hearings Officer “Les” and congressional aid Lisa Bart. Remember the days of old, Consider the years of all generations. Ask your father, and he will inform you, Your elders, and they will tell you. (NAS Deuteronomy 32:7)

Gutenberg College tutor Dr. Eliot Grasso examines the opportunities, challenges, preconceptions, and outcomes for Christian homeschoolers who are exploring and participating in Higher Education. The objective of this workshop is to give insider perspectives on Christian and secular institutions so that families can make informed decisions about the next critical developmental step in their children's education.

EXHIBITOR, help Eliminate Learning Problems

As the Director of Help Eliminate Learning Problems (HELP, Inc.), Bill Hartner has a unique perspective of seeing learning problems from both sides. Bill will give a fascinating look at the right brain and left brain and why balancing the two is so important to effective learning. You’ll learn how concentration, focus, time management, cause-and-effect thinking and organization can be improved by integrating more left-brain critical thinking into the learning process.

PRESENTED BY Parent's Education Association

What should we teach our children about the relationship of Christ and Culture? There are few topics as important in schooling as the telos, the goal, of all that we do. This workshop is aimed to help us become more self-conscious about the goal of our schooling, which may change what and how we teach. The workshop will also present some initial material on developing specific lesson plans about Christ, Culture and Vocation.

EXHIBITOR: Demme Learning

Spelling You See’s unique low-stress learning experience guides students through four essential activities (listening, reading, copywork, dictation) presented at appropriate developmental stages. Without using word lists or tests, these activities help students transfer correct spellings of common words to long-term memory, so they can use correct spellings in everyday writing.

Do you struggle to keep your heart tuned into God’s voice through all the other “noise” of this life? In this Pinterest-Perfect world where everyone Pins their Perfect Life, it’s all too easy to hold the Lord at arms length until we do the “important” things. Learn the secret of developing an intimate spiritual life and why it makes all the difference in your family and marriage.

This message was recorded at a different conference - contents are the same. - - Homeschooling freedom stands on two essential pillars of freedom: the right of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children, and the free exercise of religion. Yet only one of these freedoms—religious liberty—is explicitly guaranteed in the United States Constitution, and both freedoms are under attack. Jim recently became as president of ParentalRights.org after its founder (and Jim’s mentor) Michael Farris moved to Alliance Defending Freedom in order to focus more exclusively on religious freedom. Jim has taken up the challenge of explicitly including parental rights in the Constitution. HSLDA and ParentalRights.org believe children are best served when parents are empowered to act in their children’s best interests without undue interference from the state. Come and hear about what it takes to change the Constitution—and how you can help.

Homeschooling is a grand adventure, but sometimes there are moments or even seasons where we just feel stuck. Or maybe we’ve veered off course. It’s easy to think that changing curriculum for the umpteenth time, making a new schedule, or even throwing in the towel will solve the problem. It usually never does because the problem runs deeper… But there is hope, glorious hope, for us. Let’s rediscover together the secret to enjoying this journey and finishing strong!

Presenter Carol Topp, CPA has encouraged hundreds of teenagers to start their own micro business. She’ll share with you at least 30 viable business ideas that a teenager (or parent) can launch this week. Plus information on how to get started, pitfalls to avoid, and tips for success.

Do you have a student who is allergic to writing? You are not alone! It seems there is an epidemic, especially in the elementary grades. Could it be that we as educators might have lost sight of the goals of writing in the younger years? Join Beth Mora, 20-year homeschool veteran and the creator/author of Here to Help Learning‘s Writing Program, as she shares effective teaching strategies that will unlock your child’s ability to write. She’ll also unpack the latest research in elementary school writing education. You won’t leave empty-handed because you’ll walk away with ten teaching techniques that you can immediately implement and see results!

Most teens crave to be independent, express their opinions, and control their lives. Smart parents will channel these tendencies to propel homeschool forward. Learn how to start to communicate with your teen to work together on your teen’s homeschool strategy.

Who needs a Personal Development Plan? What exactly is it? When should you apply? Why should you apply? And most importantly, how do you write an effective measurable plan for your child? Mother of eight, (five with special needs) and homeschool consultant/tutor who has worked with more than 200 individual special needs children in the last 25 years, Jennifer Bliesner will lay out a clear course for developing and maintaining an effective “Personal Development Plan” for your special needs child. This important document will navigate you through the state requirements as well as enhance your child’s education.

How to build healthy family relationships when imperfect people spend so much time together!