SCOPE - Conference Workshops

The 22nd Annual Homeschool Conference & Curriculum Fair

Workshop Summaries

OPENING SESSION

Homeschooling Methods that Win and Methods that Wipe Out -
Jeannie Fulbright
This workshop will uncover the reasons why we get discouraged and burnt-out as we travel along the road of homeschooling. Jeannie will explain how many homeschool moms employ philosophies, techniques and methodologies that consume a great deal of time and energy with little results. We tie up heavy burdens, place them on our backs and struggle through each day using overly difficult principles and practices that drag us down. By mid-year, we are so exhausted and depleted that we wonder how we'll ever get through. Consequently, the joy of following God's will in homeschooling is missing. This should not be!

Jeannie will discuss some of the wasteful methods and describe winning methods you can use to replace those that wipe you out. She'll explain the latest research in educational methodology as well as time-tested practices in education tha the founders of our country used to achieve an excellent education. She'll give practical tips and ideas that will breathe life into your school day. Included will be ideas for organizing your school day, scheduling, and fitting difficult to teach subjects into the week.

SESSION 1

Trading Pressure for Peace - Jeannie Fulbright
You’ve heard people say, I could never homeschool my kids. They would drive me crazy. Indeed, the greatest hindrance to homeschooling is not teaching algebra, nor is it unruly, unmotivated children, the most looming obstacle we face is the emotions that erupt when all does not go smoothly or we meet with difficulties and snares. This is what keeps us feeling like a failure â€“ the unique trials that crop up every year, sometimes every day, and our emotional reactions to those trials. Believe it or not, it is possible, and not difficult, to respond to every issue with a calm peace and strong faith. We can, like the Proverbs say, smile at the future (even when the present challenges seem impossible). This will result in a homeschool environment that’s healthy, hopeful and helpful to the success of your children’s emotional and academic future. Allowing pressure and stress to rule the heart and home will lead us to regrets. But we can trade that pressure for an atmosphere of peace. God has the answer, which Jeannie will share from her own spiritual journey, in the hopes that the truth will set you free to experience the abundant life of peace that Christ provided for you and wants you to have throughout each homeschool day.

Homeschooling: The Solution to Our Education Problem - Dr. Jay Wile
In this seminar, Dr. Jay L. Wile, a former university professor and high school teacher, explains why homeschooling is the best means by which a child can be educated in America. This seminar is filled with statistics which show that homeschooled students are better academically prepared and better socialized than their public or privately schooled counterparts. These facts will bolster the resolve of homeschooling parents while equipping them to counter arguments from their detractors. Dr. Wile also tells the audience how he became interested in homeschooling. Unlike most homeschoolers, he did not get involved with home education because he had children who he wanted to homeschool. Instead, he became interested in homeschooling because of the homeschooled students that he had in his university courses. Dr. Wile is convinced that home education is the only proper means of educating a child in America, and after listening to this seminar, you will be inclined to agree with him!

Teaching and Evaluating Writing - Andrew Pudewa
Evaluating a student’s writing can be very difficult for anyone, but especially for the parent who may feel less than perfectly confident in their own English or grammar skills. Learn how to provide specific models and stylistic goals for each composition, giving specific assignments to your children 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 children goal and model-based writing assignments, and have a concrete tool to objectively evaluate their efforts.

Learning Styles - Speaker TBA
Everybody has a preferred learning style (and each of our children probably has a
different one – that‘s the humor of God!). While there are many opinions and definitions (and some so complicated they can make your head swim) when we find the learning style of each our children, they will enjoy learning and we will enjoy teaching them more too! It will also help us to capitalize on their strengths and improve their self-advocacy skills, helping them learn more effectively. We will discuss what learning styles are, how to determine them for our children and how to facilitate the best way for each of them to absorb and retain what they are taught without designing completely different curriculum for each of our completely different children!

Insider's Secrets for Paying for College - Ron Adams
Come and hear Ron Adams explain how to financially plan for your child’s college education. Ron’s session will not be recorded.

Legislative Update - Nathan Pierce
Nathan Pierce, from Family Protection Ministries, will give homeschoolers an update on the legislation in California that concerns homeschooling, religious freedom, family values, or parental rights.

Teaching Speech & Debate - Anne Weiland
To be effective communicators we need to know how to communicate clearly and logically. This workshop will show how Speech and Debate can help our children learn effective communication skills.

SESSION 2

The Seven E’s for Choosing Curriculum - Jeannie Fulbright
As an admitted curriculum junkie, Jeannie Fulbright bought everything that sounded good. From Abeka to Hillyer to ebooks, she has tried every kind of curriculum and method available. Out of this experience, she has formulated the "Seven E’s" to help her carefully choose curriculum that works for her family. She will share her experiences as well as the conclusions she has reached through this process. Following the Seven E’s in choosing homeschool curriculum will enable you to, not only have a successful homeschooling year, but also avoid wasting money on things that won't work for you. These Seven E’s will ensure that your children and you have curriculum that conforms to your mission and goals, as well as breathes life and ease into your homeschooling journey.

How to “Teach” High School at Home - Dr. Jay Wile
Homeschooling parents are often faced with a difficult decision when their children reach high school age. Typically, the parents feel that they are just not able to teach the more demanding levels of mathematics and science which are required at the high school level. In addition, providing the homeschooled student with an adequate laboratory experience is a particularly daunting challenge. As a result, many parents feel that they must send their children to the public schools for a proper high school education. In this seminar, Dr. Jay L. Wile, a former assistant professor of chemistry at Ball State University and Indiana University, will explain why such a decision is not in the best interest of the student. Using data gathered from many different sources, including his own experience teaching at the high school level, Dr. Wile shows that the last place a student can get an adequate high school education is in the typical public high school. While there are some notable exceptions, the typical public high school does not provide the student with an academic program that is rigorous enough to prepare him or her for the university or the workplace. In addition, most public schools will reduce, not enhance, a homeschooled student’s study skills. Dr. Wile makes a compelling case that the best thing for a homeschooled student is to stay in homeschool, regardless of the parent’s academic abilities. Dr. Wile advocates that the homeschooling parent should become less and less of a teacher as the student gets older. As the student reaches seventh and eighth grade, the parent’s main job should be to help the student learn, rather than to teach the student. That way, when the student begins to study subjects that the parent does not understand, the student and parent can learn together. This will not only enhance the parent’s education, but it will also send a strong signal to the student regarding the importance of lifelong learning.

Nature Deficit Disorder: Causes, Consequences, & Cures -
Andrew Pudewa
“Nature Deficit Disorder” refers to the costs of alienation from nature, among them: diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, and higher rates of emotional of physical and emotional imbalances. It can affect individuals, families, and communities. Although we as homeschoolers strive to provide the best education for our children, we may also be overlooking the importance of sufficient time in a natural environment—an essential component of raising children in an environment saturated with goodness, truth and beauty.

Three Keys to Courtship - Dana Dickey
In this session, Mr. Dickey gives a view for how courtship CAN be structured, not to say this is the best or only way. He gives a basis for further conversation and a common starting point. Included in this talk would be 1) Why relationship is the great key to courtship, 2) Is courtship Biblical, 3) How dating and courtship differ.

Raising Financially Responsible Children - Cynthia Kinney
“Raising Financially Responsible Children” is a free educational workshop developed to teach children one of the most valuable skills they can ever learn: financial responsibility. During the 1 hour workshop all attendees will receive a complimentary workbook created by noted children’s financial expert and New York Times Best Selling author, Neale S Godfrey. Come and discover ways to help your children earn and appreciate their allowance, develop good savings and investing habits, understand the difference between wants and needs, and become disciplined shoppers.
This workshop is for educational purposes only.

History Boring?...NEVER! - Jennifer Steward
Some people think history is a boring subject. Jennifer Steward loves history but it wasn’t always that way. She says “History came alive for me when I started interactively teaching and reading to my children during unit studies.” Jennifer will show parents how to take their children around the world exploring history topics via the unit study method using historical fiction and living books. Watch out - you’ll get hooked! Jennifer and her home educating sister, Gina Threshie, are The HISTerical Sisters. They use humor to history to students who climb aboard The Great Homeschool History Tour.

Math Solutions – Carissa Ruiz
This workshop will give the parents information on the foundations of math, and the affects of improper math instruction. She will give you tips on how to choose a good math program for your child, how to recognize signs of a child not understanding math concepts, and give you ideas on how to bring the enjoyment back to math. Come and join her for her informative class that is sure to help you in the following years of your child’s math education.

SESSION 3

Imparting a Christian Worldview - Jeannie Fulbright
What is a Worldview? Do you have a Worldview? What other Worldviews are there? In what ways are my children and I being influenced by the Worldview of our culture? How can I impart a Christian Worldview to my children? This workshop will focus on how to be in the world, influencing the world, yet not be "of the world." Advice, examples and practical tips of how to impart a godly Worldview to our children, and develop one for ourselves, will be given during this talk.

Teaching the Junior High & High School Sciences at Home - Dr. Jay Wile
In this seminar, Dr. Jay L. Wile explains how any parent can help his or her children learn science at the upper levels. As a former University teacher and a former high school teacher, Dr. Wile has experienced first-hand the failure of our public school system. As a result, he is a staunch advocate of homeschooling a student all the way through the high school years. Dr. Wile agrees that most parents do not have the ability to teach the high school sciences at home, but he also contends that this is not a problem. By the time a homeschooled student reaches high school, both the student and the parent should be able to learn by reading. Thus, Dr. Wile admonishes the parent to learn the subject right along with the student. With both the parent and the student helping each other learn, an upper level science experience can be equally rewarding for both! In order to help the homeschooling parent plan his or her science curriculum, Dr. Wile provides study timelines for both the science-oriented and the non science-oriented student. In addition, he also discusses the mathematical skills needed in order to maintain the proposed timeline. Finally, Dr. Wile discusses the curriculum that will make it possible for the homeschooling parent to provide a quality high school science education for his or her children.

Making the Transition from Campus School to Home School -
Mary Schofield
If your children have spent time in a campus-school program, your family will have an adjustment to make during the first year of home education. Not only will your children’s daily life change, but so will yours! In this workshop, we will explore practical steps to take in making the transition, what to expect as you begin, and the most common problems encountered by both children and parents during that first transition year.

Homeschooling for the Whole Family - Jennifer Pepito
In this session Jennifer gives practical advice on giving little ones a great start while homeschooling older children. There is tons of information on the developmental needs of young children as well as practical advice on scheduling, curriculum, and home care. She also shares humorous stories of how she has managed to homeschool her own seven children while on the mission field for several years.

Stewardship: A Biblical Concept - Dan Sinclair
God has given us so much. Understanding the concept of stewardship, ownership, trustworthiness, giving, and receiving are crucial to us as Christians. Understand your role as stewards of the Kingdom. (Teen & Adult)

Improve Attention and Activity Levels Without Drugs - Marilee Coots
Challenges with attention and activity levels, often labeled A.D.D., or A.D.H.D. can seriously take your child and your home school off task.
Learn specific non-drug ways to enhance learning and attention by addressing root causes in metabolism, sensory function, and brain development.

Foundational Language Arts - Elizabeth FitzGerald
Homeschool parents understand that producing excellent readers is of supreme
importance, but are often confused how to accomplish this, or they underestimate the other vital subjects that provide the foundation for reading success. This workshop addresses how to produce a well-balanced language arts program and includes tips and suggestions that have stood the test of time, are effective for all learning styles, and are based on solid literacy research. This session is appropriate for parents of pre- or beginning readers or those with struggling older readers.

SESSION 4

Teaching Boys & Other Children Who Would Rather Make a Fort All Day - Andrew Pudewa
Children like to do what they can do; they want to do what they think they can do, and they hate to do what they think they cannot do. If you want excited and enthusiastic children who learn will, you must understand these key laws of motivation and focus on the essential requirement of relevancy. If it matters, children will learn it, and if it doesn’t, they won’t. This session will enlighten you with specific ways to find and create relevancy for children, even when they have not apparent interest.

Teaching Critical Thinking - Dr. Jay Wile
One of the biggest failures of our public and private school systems is that they do not teach students how to think critically. In this seminar, Dr. Wile gives you specific suggestions as to how you can teach your child to think critically, regardless of the subject matter that the student is learning. You will learn how to help your student evaluate statements, look for hidden assumptions, find political/social agendas, and discover faulty logic. Although Dr. Wile’s area of interest is science, he will show you how critical thinking applies to all academic areas, as well as all facets of your life.

After High School - Mary Schofield
As many of our home educated students approach graduation, decisions must be made about the future. This workshop will focus on the variety of directions available to the home school graduate, including apprenticeship, college (on campus or at home), getting a good job, and more. Entry requirements, resources available, and practical considerations for each option will be discussed.

Overcoming the Supermom Syndrome - Jennifer Steward
We are truly our own worse enemies when it comes to being content, aren’t we? The supermom syndrome is a two sided situation where we either ARE a supermom (whatever that is!) or we wish we were! The truth is, both are a dangerous place to be. Learn to appreciate the gifts, energy, creativity etc., God has given you as well as the gifts God has given others …and learn to be content and joyful in your Homeschooling adventure! Because of the demands of motherhood and homeschooling, moms tend to have high expectations of themselves. How often do we compare ourselves to other moms and then become discontent with the wonderful design of the Father? This workshop will help moms remember and appreciate their strengths and weaknesses and use them for God’s glory in raising their children.

Concrete Algebra for an Abstract World - Dan Sinclair
Teaching Algebra is easy when you understand that Algebra is “Math in Base-X.” Come see Dan present Algebra in a fun and visual way through the use of manipulatives. Starting with basic addition, he will work through solving for an unknown and factoring polynomials. Algebra may look totally different to you after this workshop! (All)

Classical Astronomy - Diego Rodriguez
Before telescopes, spacecraft, spectroscopes, lunar modules, space stations, and space probes, there was once a thriving science of astronomy that relied completely on math and visual observation. This is the Biblical form of astronomy that everybody who lived during Bible times once knew. Learn how to recover and restore this once widely-known scientific field.

Teaching Foreign Language - Jennifer Harris
Whether the instructing parent is fluent in a second language, has only small experience from high school days, or has no foreign language experience at all, this workshop focuses on identifying and using available resources to help the student succeed in foreign language for missions purposes and for increasing employability.

CLOSING SESSION

If I Could Do It Over - Jeannie Fulbright
Looking back over our parenting years, don’t we all wish we could have done some things differently? What if you had someone give you advice that would have helped you avoid your biggest mistakes? In this talk, Jeannie shares here greatest homeschooling mistakes in the hopes that it will save you from making those mistakes yourself. From choosing curriculum, dealing with behavior, learning disabilities and sibling issues to having the right intentions, but the wrong focus and being consumed with an avalanche of negative emotions, such as worry, anger, irritability, anxiety and fear of failure all brought on by lies she believed. Jeannie will share stories of the consequences she faced, as well as how Our Merciful God was able to redeem the years the locusts had eaten and guide her into a vibrant, joyful and successful homeschool experience.