SATURDAY Workshops

9:00 AM

GENERAL SESSION KEYNOTE ADDRESS
 

JUST THE FACTS: HOMESCHOOLNG WORKS  —  DR. BRIAN D. RAY
In spite of what logic and professional educators might tell you, homeschooling works. Even parents with only a high school education and low incomes help their children excel with home-based education. Dr. Ray, one of the world’s leading homeschool researchers, makes this engaging and fact-filled presentation as he reviews research on homeschooling and documents the findings of his own multiple studies. Resoundingly, research shows positive outcomes (e.g., academic achievement and social development, success in college and adulthood) from home education. Learn about homeschooling and inform others.

 10:00 aM

Low Friction Families: Smoothing out the details of dishes, Discipline AND Day-to-day living

MIKE + CHERYL KOLESAR
Simple principles, policies and pointers on how to reduce stress, chaos and chores.

HOMESCHOOLING THROUGH THICK + THIN

TERRI BARNES
Homeschooling can be difficult at times for both parents and children, and we sometimes consider returning to traditional school. Here we’ll discuss reasons why that may not be the best solution and practical ways to get through the rough spots to improve homeschooling for your whole family..

Homeschooling: What the law says

HOMESCHOOL LEGAL DEFENSE ASSOCIATION
Learn about Texas laws and what you need to know about homeschooling.

Decidí dar Escuela a Mis Hijos En El Hogar y Ahora Qué?

LORENA MADDOX
En esta plática se verán recomendaciones de como empezar a dar escuela en el hogar a sus hijos. Se verán ideas de como enseñar al hijo según sus fortalezas e ideas de como decidir que curriculum usar.

What is my RolE as a homeschool father?

MICHAEL BELL
Some may think that role of a homeschool dad is an easy one.  However, a homeschool dad has both great opportunity and responsibility to fulfill the many roles that are required of him.  Roles such as encourager, teacher and leader are a few examples.  We are going to dive in and see what God’s word has to say about the role of homeshcool dads and explore what we should be doing to maximize our impact in both our marriage and children’s future. 

1:00 PM

Easy Ways to Teach Grammar

DR. WANDA PHILLIPS — EASY GRAMMAR SYSTEMS
Join Dr. Phillips as she discuss simple, memorable ways to teach grammar.  This seminar is appropriate for parents of 1st – 8th grades.  However, everyone is invited!

Inordinate Influence: The power of Being Dad

MIKE KOLESAR
What does it look like to produce spiritual champions? Do you see parenting as your primary job? Do you know your influence? Mike will discuss all of these topics and more from a biblical perspective of parenting as a father. *FAITH-BASED

Customizing Your Curriculum

PEGGY POLYHAR, TEXAS HOMESCHOOL COALITION
As a Special Needs Team Lead for the Texas Home School Coalition, and the former Special Needs Coordinator of (Minnesota Association of Christian Home Educators), Peggy speaks to one of the most frequently asked questions she receives:   “What curriculum would be best to teach the unique needs of my child?”   Whether you have a child who has a specific diagnosis or one who just struggles in one area of school or another, Peggy addresses in this talk how to take the curriculum you already own, or plan to use, adjust it to meet the specific needs of your child, and consequently dissolve the struggles you are currently seeing in homeschooling your unique child.

Rocket Blast off! –Kids WOrkshop–

ADVENTURES IN LEARNING
Adventures in Learning is El Paso’s primer educational retailer and learning facility. In this hands-on session, you will experience an engineering project from AIL’s gifted and talented student competition, Team Quest: The Ultimate Academic Challenge. Students and Parents will explore the physics and mathematics concepts that allow modern rockets to blast off into outer space, then race against the clock to design and construct a rocket to be launched from an air powered launcher. The furtherest flying rocket may even walk away with a cool prize!  

11:00 aM

HOmeschool—The life of a lateral thinker

DR. WILLIAM MORRISSEY
Dr. Will seeks to inspire homeschool parents by sharing his story. How homeschooling gave him the tools to blaze his own successful trail. 

Help! I’m homeschooling a high schooler

HOLLY MASSIE
Homeschooling in high school doesn’t have to be frightening, stressful, dry, or a return to “traditional methods”. You can homeschool successfully, meet academic standards for college or vocational school, whilst still enjoying the journey! High school should be a time for discovery and learning together.

Media Literacy

MELISSA ATKINS WARDY
Media is constant and all around us, with kids today spending more time with screens than any other activity. Melissa Atkins Wardy will provide actionable, practical tips how can parents keep their families safe, teach their kids to be responsible media consumers, create a meaningful digital footprint, and use the best kids media out there.

Generational Teaching: How Grandparents can help

SHEILA GILMORE

How the older generation can be invaluable to your home education plan.

What is Classical Education and how to implement it

JESSICA SEYMOUR, CLASSICAL CONVERSATIONS

An introduction to classical education and tips for implementing it into your homeschool day.
 

2:00 PM

GENERAL SESSION KEYNOTE ADDRESS
 

SWIMMING UPSTREAM: THE WATER GETS CLEARER (OR, WHY YOU SHOULD [CONTINUE TO] HOMESCHOOL) — DR. BRIAN D. RAY
Many parents finally fall prey to their own insecurities and critics’ darts when their children reach age 14 (or sooner). They consider abandoning home-based and parent-guided education. The cacophonous voices of professionals, generations of institutional schooling, “public” school giveaways and enticements, personal misperceptions of reality, and the world’s opinion about what is important muddy the waters. Getting closer to the source — the headwaters — brings refreshment and clarity to vision and action. Dr. Ray focuses on key educational goals and philosophy (biblical), research findings, the importance of separating the state from education, and personal experience to inform, encourage, and rally parents’ spirits and harden their resolve to continue homeschooling for the long term in order to reap the harvest of its excellent fruits.