Sessions

These are the confirmed sessions, but check back, because more are being added!

How to Start Homeschooling in 10 Easy Steps

If you've never thought about homeschooling, then took one peak at the info and immediately felt overwhelmed, this is for you. I'll break down what you need to know, and what you need to do, simply and quickly. Homeschooling can be the BEST way to experience life as a family, so let's get started.

Speaker: Sarah Wall, Raising Royalty

Homeschool Day One

Wonder how to get started homeschooling -- and do it right? Learn how to prepare ahead of time, what to do the first day, and how to be the best homeschooler you can be.

Speaker: Lea Ann Garfias, Author: Everything You Need to Know About Homeschooling: A Comprehensive, Easy-to-Use Guide for the Journey from Early Learning through Graduation

Helping your Technology-Oriented Child see Themselves in God's Word

Children who are gifted to work with technology can find it hard to see themselves as a part of God's story. They aren't warriors like the mighty David, prophets of God's word like Jeremiah, or politicians saving their people like Esther. However, there are many unsung heroes of the the faith who were architects, engineers and builders. This session will highlight the faith of those accomplishing technical feats large and small, including Noah, Hiram, and The Proverbs 31 Woman, then close with some practical ways you can help your child connect their gifts to their faith.

Speaker: Allen Brokken, Towers of Light Christian Resources*

What's the Big Deal about Socialization?

Socialization is often one of the road bumps in the homeschooling journey. In this session, participants will learn how to search for organizations, sports teams, and other activities for your child to encourage them to make friends. The importance of healthy friendships will also be discussed as well as things you can do as a parent to help your child succeed socially. 

Speaker: Terrie McKee, Homeschooling One Child

Leadership Development Skills for Today’s World

Preparing our child to handle difficult situations can be a daunting task for today’s parents. Gen Z is facing serious issues many parents never felt. Bullying, Cyberbullying, Gaming Bullying, Mental Health and Social Media Addiction are a few topics we will be covering. In our workshop we will talk about Leadership Skills and how to incorporate it as part of your homeschool journey to prepare your child for the future. Bullying is not a School issue. It’s a cultural issue and impacts homeschoolers in a multitude of ways. We will equip you to prepare them for a life online, in the workplace, and how to be a strong leader in their community.

Speaker: Candice Dugger, Bullied Broken Redeemed

How to Homeschool as a Working Family

Summary: It's rare today to have a single-income family, where one parent stays home and the other is the breadwinner. When both parents are working -- or you're a single parent who needs to work -- can you still homeschool? YES! Here are some simple tricks and tips to make homeschooling work, even when you're working.

​Speaker: Sarah Wall, Raising Royalty

Planning a Homeschool Year for One Child

In this session, participants will learn how to use their own curriculum to plan the homeschool year for their child, incorporating field trips, chore days, sick days (for parent and child!) and how to back up and punt when things don't go according to plan. 

​Speaker: Terrie McKee, Homeschooling One Child

Unschooling Made Simple

Using national and international recognized days to plan unschooling.

Speaker: Nina Baldwin, Everyday Blessings

Homeschooling a Teenager

Struggles and solutions to homeschooling a teenager.

Speaker: Nina Baldwin, Everyday Blessings

Write Yourself a Tough Day Letter

Write a letter to yourself to read on those tough days.​

Speaker: Nina Baldwin, Everyday Blessings

The Reality of Homeschooling an Only Child

It's not easier, It doesn't mean you only have ONE child, Socialization is NOT a big deal, It's not lonely!

Speaker: Jessica Waldock, The Waldock Way*

When Personalities Collide

When Sunny Susie teaches Mopey Matt, troubles can arise just as they can for Patient Paula teaching Leader Larry. Understanding your child can help you understand how they misunderstand you and vice versa. Meredith Curtis will help you walk through personality conflicts with Extrovert/Introvert, Passive/Leader, Silly/Serious, Perfectionist/"Go-with-the-Flow", Sloppy/Organized differences. She will also touch on teaching the manipulative, aggressive, and insecure child.

Speaker: Meredith Curtis, Powerline Productions*

Making a Difference Together

We are surrounded by needy people even if we don't know their names. We may pass them in the grocery store and greet them at church. You can build a heart for others in your child by serving those around you while you learn at the same time. Open your home, greet at church, serve at a soup kitchen, or visit a nursing home together. Meredith Curtis gives you lots of practical ideas to reach out to people together and shows you how this is a valuable educational experience.

Speaker: Meredith Curtis, Powerline Productions*

Homeschooling Your Struggling Learner with Confidence

Are you feeling inadequate about starting the homeschooling journey with struggling student or one who has a 504 plan or IEP? Peggy Ployhar, SPED Homeschool Founder & CEO, says when she started homeschooling she would have probably been voted as the parent least likely to succeed in homeschooling, yet 18 years later she’s not only graduated 2 children from her homeschool but has also spent the last 15 years coaching other special education families towards homeschooling success. In this session families will be equipped with the top 5 keys to homeschooling a struggling learner with confidence as well as practical ways to put aside the things that may hinder applying these solid educational principles.

Speaker: Peggy Ployhar, SPED Homeschool*

An Eclectic Approach to Homeschooling Charlotte Mason

Using the Charlotte Mason pillars for instruction as a framework for homeschooling can open up wonderful opportunities for learning while providing the freedom to customize curriculum and pace to meet the needs of your family and your student. Peggy Ployhar, SPED Homeschool Founder & CEO, takes the three basic pillars of the Charlotte Mason methodology (home environment, character training, and lifestyle learning) and expands them by sharing eclectic parenting and homeschooling ideas she has used over her 18 years of homeschooling. In this session families will be equipped with lots of practical, and customizable, ways for using the Charlotte Mason pillars in their homes and homeschooling they can easily implement into whatever homeschooling framework they choose to use.

Speaker: Peggy Ployhar, SPED Homeschool*

Home Education for That ONE Struggling Child-A Truly Customized Plan

"You know, that one....bright, precocious, challenging, wiggly...super verbal and savvy-yet seems lazy and unmotivated? Yeah, I homeschooled that ONE! And, good news, we survived!" Faith Berens successfully graduated her daughter from home school in 2020 and lived to tell about it! In this workshop, Faith shares from her homeschool experiences (the wins and the fails), tips for teaching the wiggly one, the unmotivated one, and the struggling one. From one homeschool mama to another teaching that ONE-Faith shares with a heart full of empathy and faith that you can do this and home education truly is a customizable education to help your child find his place, blossom and grow!

Speaker: Faith Berens, Faith-Filled Homeschooling

Why Changing Curriculum May Not be the Answer to Your Child's Learning Struggles

Curriculum hopping is a sign that something is not working. If your child is struggling to learn, choosing curriculum is only part of the solution. Discover how you can stop wasting hope and money on the next shiny thing and find real solutions that will keep your child moving forward.

Speaker: Stephanie Buckwalter, Art of Special Needs Parenting*

Create a Student Profile for a Better Teaching Experience

Has homeschool become a battleground? The weapons of homeschool war are many: a few tears here, a meltdown there, silent refusal or outright rebellion. These are not really weapons. They are often your child’s way of communicating that something is confusing or too hard, or your child feels defeated. It may be time for a little redirect in how you are teaching that material. Creating an in-depth student profile will help you better understand how your child learns, what motivates him and what is most likely to get a positive response when learning gets tough. This session shows you how to create a student profile with examples of how to use it for homeschool success.

Speaker: Stephanie Buckwalter, Art of Special Needs Parenting*

5 Mistakes People Make when Homeschooling a Special Needs Child

Homeschooling a special needs child requires unique strategies and a different skill set than homeschooling a neurotypical child. Find out the five biggest mistakes that overwhelm new and experienced homeschoolers alike. No matter where you are in your journey, this session will give you real solutions so you can lay the foundation for a less stressful homeschooling experience—for both you and your child.

Speaker: Stephanie Buckwalter, Art of Special Needs Parenting*

A Conversation with My Daughter: Why She Likes Homeschool

​Terrie and Laura McKee have a frank conversation about their homeschool, including what Laura likes and doesn't like about it -- and what they can work on together to improve it. They will share ideas and tips for your homeschool, too. 

Speakers: Terrie and Laura McKee, Homeschooling One Child*

The DARK SIDE of History

Does the dark side of history get you down? Are you unsettled by the morbid details? Fear not! The gloom and doom of world history can be a valuable and effective tool for teaching life lessons and reaching the hearts of your students with the Gospel. Be it that you're teaching one, or one hundred, the key to teaching the dark side is in the life questions that emerge. Please join Linda Lacour Hobar, author of The Mystery of History, for a pensive and inspirational look at how and why to embrace the dark side of history! (Students age 10 and up are welcome!)

Speaker: Linda Lacour Hobar, The Mystery of History*

KEYNOTE: Hope for the Overwhelmed Homeschool Parent

In this keynote session, author Terrie McKee gives us a sneak peek into her newest book, Overwhelmed: Biblical & Practical Ways to Manage a Crazy-Busy Life (the homeschool version).

Speaker: Terrie McKee, Homeschooling One Child*

* Conference sponsor

SPONSORS