Maggie Hogan

How do you know if your child is gifted? Should gifted children be schooled differently? What are the special challenges of teaching a gifted child? Are you looking for encouragement, advice, opportunities and resources? This workshop will cover much territory: from identifying giftedness and recognizing traits [both positive and not] to choosing curriculum and looking ahead to the high school years. Come, think outside the box -- you'll be glad you did! [E][MS]

Traci Heaton

Elizabeth Smith

If your curriculum is getting the best of you, this session is for you. Learn how to expand your curriculum horizons with great ideas that will challenge and motivate home schoolers of all ages. Textbooks are a good place to start, but there is so much more we can do to educate our children. Learn helpful tips for making your student a life-long learner. [G]

Vendor Workshop

Great literature can provide the motivation to learn language arts. While your 3rd through 12th grade student reads novels they love, they can develop stronger comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, grammar, weriting and critical thinking skills. TLP can bring fresh air to yoru language arts program. Vendor Workshop presented by Robin Snyder of Total Language Plus.

Tammy Duby

Why do we shy away from the topic that is likely to be the favorite for our students? Is it too early to start teaching science? Is it too late? Find out how to bring learning to life in your homeschool with a science program that emphasizes basic science skills: Observation, Classification, Communication and more. I’ll show you my “Science Scrapbook” so you can see how I do science with my students. Learn how to wisely choose curriculum or confidently compile your own, while bringing the joy of discovery learning to your kitchen table. [E]

Traci Heaton

Character development can a be a daily gift you give your children. Become aware of the various values and virtues you want to pass on to your child. Learn how to inspire your children to recognize and develop inner qualities that will carry into the future. The lessons establish a solid foundation that can be relied on as your children encounter life's storms. This workshop presents a variety of tools to engage children in character development with fun, interactive ideas. [G]

Vendor Workshop

Classical Conversations, an education services company, that supports homeschooling families, invites you to learn more about how Laura Ingalls Wilder and other one-room schoolhouse teachers used the classical method of learning to teach children of all different ages from the same material at the same time. Vendor Workshop presented by Mary Alphs of Classical Conversations.

Vendor Workshop

J. Michael Smith

Why aren’t your Christian neighbors homeschooling? What is the number one reason that parents do not homeschool? Their lack of confidence to believe that they can actually do the job, or, put another way—fear of failure. Many homeschoolers in the midst of homeschooling are wondering how they will be able to determine whether they are successful or not with their children. Mike will explain in very clear and decisive terms how you can know whether or not you have been successful when you get to the end of your homeschool experience where it says “The End.” One way to answer the question is whether or not our work homeschooling with our children has been in vain. The Bible gives clear and decisive direction in this area which should be very encouraging to all of us, and hopefully give us encouragement in even the most difficult situations. [G] [C]

Vendor Workshop

Learn how to make geography come alive. Incorporate games, mapping and using atlases to inspire your students to learn more about he geography of the world. Vendor workshop presented by Cindy Wiggers of Geography Matters.

Maggie Hogan

Incredible benefits await those who jump into science journaling! Observation, organization, research skills and much more are developed while time is spent studying God's awesome creation and building keepsake books, Perhaps you've wanted to begin nature journals but weren't quite sure where to start or how to inspire the kids. Or maybe you started and ran our of steam and/or ideas, Either way, this workshop will both inspire and instruct. Lots of samples and resources will be shown. [G]

J Michael Smith

Parental rights and religious freedom have been the two foundations to establish a constitutional right for parents to teach their children at home. The U.S. Supreme Court some years back weakened the free exercise of religion claim as a foundation for homeschooling so that in order for homeschoolers to claim a fundamental right to homeschool, they must be able to combine the free exercise right with the parental rights claim. In other words, both rights have to co-exist. Currently, this is not a problem, but because of the fragile nature of freedom, moral decay, complacency and apathy, homeschooling freedoms are in jeopardy. Additionally, since the parental rights foundational claim is an “implicit” right, not an “explicit” right—meaning parental rights is not specifically spelled out in the Constitution—parental rights as we know it today is teetering and could be in trouble in the future. Mike will explain why parental rights are under attack and provide a solution on how we can maintain the current freedoms we have to teach our children at home. [G]

Charlotte Sewald

Who knew college planning began at (or before!) ninth grade? Attendees of this workshop will learn about planning a high school curriculum for your homeschooled child to meet college admissions requirements. We will review college and university (state, private, and selective) admission standards for homeschool students, and discuss course planning and selection to fulfill those requirements. Regardless of what grade level your student is at, this session is a must for all college-bound students! [HS]

Dari Mullins

Poetry can seem like an illusive subject that we never find the time to include in our busy schedules. We will clarify the “mystery of poetry” and learn easy, yet thorough ways to incorporate the beauty of poetry in education. Give your children a true appreciation for the word music of poetry. We will explore ways to analyze and make poetry fun without losing its literary value. Children are naturally drawn to poetry and can enjoy the rhythm and form at any age. Come join us as we fall in love with poetry and open new doors for ourselves and our children. [G]

Bill Eckenwiler

There are many fine reading curriculums available to the homeschool teacher. Nevertheless, there are certain essential components of reading instruction that do not always receive proper emphasis within these otherwise fine curriculums. Based on the research of the National Reading Panel report to Congress, this workshop explores the five essential elements of effective reading instruction, with particular emphasis on phonemic awareness and comprehension. Learn how to use your existing reading curriculum to greater advantage. [ES]

Vendor Workshop

Maggie Hogan

Elementary science is about exposure to science topics, introduction of basic principles and orderly thinking. If it feels like drudgery, perhaps you didn't know it's also supposed to be fun! Reading great books, talking about ideas, observing God's creation, taking easy field trips and worthwhile hands-on experiences make teaching science a pleasure, not a punishment. Put the joy back in science - keep it simple! Come hear and see great ideas for streamlining your elementary science curriculum. Your kids will thank you. Bonus: using the classical approach to science? You don't want to miss this one! [G]

Jim Weiss

An exciting and interactive workshop for children and adults from master storyteller and award-winning recording artist, Jim Weiss. Participants wil learn about hte art of storytelling and oral language. This workshop will focus on: setting the scene, characterization, voice technique, shaping the story, building confidence and developing ones own style. The tenor is casual and the goal is to have fun with literature. Participants should be prepared to play, laugh and discover how literature can truly come alive in thh midst of a storyteller. [G]

Tom Clark

Can your child's future really be boiled down to something as simplistic as whether they are right-brained or left-brained? Surely, as homeschooling parents, we want our children to believe that they are capable of using "both sides" of their brains. In this educational and entertaining workshop, we will explore the natural and logical connections between Mathematics and Art. We will investigate mathematical principles and see how they are related to, and illustrated by, artistic applications. Likewise, we will explore several artistic concepts and see how they are based on mathematical ideas. Of course, throughout, the importance of language and communication will be stressed, as it must play a key role in the understanding of both areas. [G]

Dari Mullins

Are you tired of using traditional pen and paper in your homeschool? Do you want to utilize technology to enhance your homeschool? From keeping digital records to using an IPod, Dari will discuss the advantages of using technology to streamline your efforts. The purpose of this workshop is to inform you of the different ways you can utilize technology and give you some safeguards and hints on ways to control this sometimes feared element of our society. [MS] [HS] [T]

Elizabeth Smith

This session presents important questions to ask regarding home schooling teens and stresses building good relationships at home. The academic advantages and getting them ready for college are discussed. For those deciding about home schooling during the teen years, this is a must. Also, hear Elizabeth’s “Top 10 Priorities” for home schooling your teen. [HS]

Jim Weiss

In an age in which children receive many competing, confusing messages, stories are among the greatest and longest-lasting gifts that a father can give to his child. Long beore Jim Weiss turned his passion for telling stories into a profession, he told stories to his own child. A generative before that, Him and his brother listend to stories from their father and grandfather. The results: a lifelong love of reading; an unquenchable thirst to learn; a passionate ability to listen and a profound sensse of passing along the central beliefs of those who came before us, in an entertaining, memorable form. In this timely session meant especially for dads, Jim will share his own experiences and demonstrate clear ways to transmit beliefts and credos and to show our children how much we love them through the stories we share. [D]

Tom Clark

Are we, as parents, sufficiently equipped to teach our own children? Admittedly, we have had little, if any "formal training" or "certification". How can we be confident that our children are going to be well-educated? This informative and entertaining session is based on, and adapted from, the respected work of John Milton Gregory and will focus on effective strategies of instruction which are understandbly simple, educationally-sound and ethically-founded. Veteran homeschoolders and newcomers alike will discover some new ideas, reinforce existing practices and be encouraged to continue the homeschooling commitment. [G]

Vendor Workshop

Parents will learn to test and teach their children in the most critical areas of reading, Vendor Workshop presented by Kristen Eckenwiler of The Struggling Reader.

Scott Woodruff

Everything you need to know about Maryland's homeschool law so you can homeschool with confidence. Thorough presentation of the basics with time for veterans to ask their unanswered questions. [G]

Scott Woodruff

Dari Mullins

Sports are usually an afterthought to most homeschoolers, however they can be very beneficial to your children. Besides the obvious physical benefits, sports can provide many other positive elements to your homeschool experience. Social, physiological and personal aspects will be discussed and examined. Providing sports opportunities for the older student will also be included. [G]

Dari Mullins

Some of our best learning in school took place when a teacher had us work on a project to learn about a specific topic. As homeschoolers we have the perfect atmosphere to enhance our children’s education with projects. These may be small one hour projects or large projects for a competition. Many parents feel overwhelmed at the idea of planning and utilizing projects. Come learn simple ideas for projects and a method of organization that can be taught to your child. Projects help children break down information and use thinking skills that will be with them for life. Examples of several projects including history and science projects will be available. [G]