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If you are having difficulty viewing this e-mail, see it in our Newsletter Archives at www.teachinghome.com/newsletters.
For 27 Years The Teaching Home Has Been Providing Families
Information, Inspiration, and Encouragement from a Distinctively Christian Perspective.
Cindy Short and Sue Welch, Co-Editors
_________________________________________________________________________________
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Learn more about a major convention
in your state by linking to the sponsoring
organization's website below. For regional and local events, check the
listings of support groups on the state
organizations' websites at
TeachingHome.com/States.
AL:
May 9-10
AK:
April 18-19
AZ:
July 18-19
AR:
May 9-10; May 16-17
CA:
April 11-12; July 10-12
CO:
June 12-14
CT:
June 13-14
FL:
May 22-24
GA:
May 1-3
HI:
March 14-15
ID:
June 6-7
IL:
June 5-7
IN:
April 18-19
IA:
June 6-7
KS:
April 25-26
KY:
July 11-12
ME:
March 7-8
MD:
April 18-19
MA:
April 27-28
MI: May 2-3
MN:
April 18-19
MS:
May 16-17
MT:
May 16-17
NE:
April 4-5
NH:
May 23-24
NJ:
May 30-31
NM:
April 17-19
NY:
May 2-3; May 29-31
NC:
May 22-24
ND:
March 13-15
OH:
June 26-28
OK:
May 2-3
OR:
June 20-21
PA:
May 9-10
RI:
April 5
SC:
June 20-21
SD:
April 18-19
TN:
7 Various Dates
TX:
August 14-16
TX:
June 6-7
UT:
March 8
VA:
June 5-7
WA:
April 17-19
WV:
May 30-31
WI:
May 29- 31
WY:
May 16-17
Canada
AB:
April 11-12
MB:
March 28-29
NB:
May 23-24
ON:
April 25-26
QC:
May 4-5
SK:
Feb. 29-March 1
International
Mexico:
Feb. 29-March 1
New
Zealand: Various Dates
What a State Organization
Can Do
for You
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For a list of state organizations,
with contact information and website links, see
TeachingHome.com/States. A host of dedicated home-school
parents—just like you—serve the
home-school community in necessary and
beneficial ways through state
organizations. These are some of the
most obvious ways they work for you. 1. Help Protect Your
Home-School Freedoms
It is vital for a strong, state
organization to constantly monitor proposed
legislation that could threaten even the best
home-school law in the nation. By joining your state home-school
organization, you can provide needed
support. You will be informed so that
you can take part in any political
action. 2. Supply Getting Started
Information
Your state home-school organization can
supply getting started information including
how to comply with your own state's unique
laws. 3. Offer Events & News
Home-school events inspire and inform (see
articles in this issue).
State newsletters and magazines provide
specific information and news for your
state. 4. Network & Serve
Local Support Groups
Your state home-school organization may
provide networking and leadership helps to
local support groups as well as referring new
home-school families to them.
•
Change
your e-mail address
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• Add
publisher@teachinghome.com to your address
book, contact list, or safe list.
We trust that you find this newsletter
informative and
encouraging. • Some of our
readers have told us that they print it out and
keep copies in a notebook. • You will find
our archive
of 180 past newsletters online. • Please
encourage your friends or support group to
sign
up to receive this newsletter online. • Use the link
at the end
of this e-mail to forward this issue to a
friend. • If this issue
has been
forwarded to you, you can sign
up here to
receive your own free newsletter
subscription. Thank you!
HSLDA offers homeschooling families
a low-cost method of obtaining quality
legal defense that gives them the freedom to
homeschool without having to face legal
threats alone. (Use discount
group number 299142
for $20 off your membership fee.)
These free newsletters are made
possible by
the fine suppliers who advertise in them and
the accompanying e-mails. Visit our new
Resource
Exhibit Hall (where we archive the
Resource E-mail you receive) and consider if
their products and
services can benefit your family.
The Teaching Home
Back Issues
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Always-Relevant
Teaching Home Back IssuesFifty-one back issues are offered online
or by mail order. The information, inspiration, and
encouragement packed into
each back issue never goes out of date. They
are always
relevant, applicable to your needs today. Order securely online.
Appropriate NicknameI taught a unit on CPR and the Heimlich
Maneuver. When reviewing those lessons on first aid
procedures, I asked our boys, "What should we
do when someone is choking and can't talk?" Our older son, Jon, confidently answered,
"Do the Heimlich Remover."
Submitted by Johnna C., Illinois. Send your humorous
anecdote to
publisher@teachinghome.com.
Because we have been separated from God by
sin, Jesus Christ died in our place, then
rose to life again. If we trust Him as our
Savior and Lord, He will forgive our sin and
give us eternal life. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His
only begotten Son, that whoever believes in
Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
(John 3:16)
We need your help!Please help us make this
a great newsletter;
we want it to be
interactive. Please let us know: 1. Your ideas and
suggestions. 2. Comments on our
content. 3. What we are doing
correctly. 4. Where we need to
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like addressed.
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Copyright 2007 The Teaching Home
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In This Issue: Homeschool Events
Sidebar
• 2008 State
Conventions
• What a
State Organization Can Do for You
Getting the Most Out of Home-School
Events—
Conventions, Conferences, and Book Fairs
• Benefits of
Attending an Event
• How To
Prepare
• At the Convention
• Follow-Up
Activities
Greetings,
Unique benefits await you at your local,
regional, or state home-school convention,
conference, or book fair. We urge
you to attend! Be sure to get the most out of any
home-school event with the practical
suggestions and check-lists in this issue.
A big Thank You! goes out to the
many homeschool leaders who give so much of
themselves to make these events possible. May the Lord bless you and your family for
His glory.
Cordially,
The Pat Welch Family, Publishers
Pat, Sue, Heather, Holly, and Brian
The Teaching
Home is a home-school, family-run
business operated in our home since 1980.
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Benefits of Attending an Event
The opportunities brought together in this
once-a-year event
can renew and expand your vision for teaching
and training your
children. Be encouraged, rejuvenated,
inspired, motivated, and
better equipped to home school! 1.
Speakers can broaden your horizons
with new ideas, methods,
materials, and approaches as well as
reminders of the basics.
2.
Workshops give you practical
training in specific topics to
make your teaching more efficient.
3. Exhibit
Halls enable you to examine,
compare, and purchase
home-education products from many
vendors in one place.
You can speak to authors or
knowledgeable representatives to
learn more, and you can usually save on
shipping.
4.
Networking with other like-minded
home schoolers can offer
valuable friendship and support.
5.
Extras. Check to see if any of the
following are offered:
•
Used Curriculum Sale.
•
Teens' or Children's Programs.
•
Tapes of General Sessions and Workshops.
•
Luncheon or Meeting for Support Group
Leaders.
•
Graduation Ceremony.
•
Boxed Lunch or Snack Bar.
•
Special Hotel Room Rates.
Who Should Go with You
1.
Spouse. It is ideal for a husband
and wife to go together to
share perspectives and focus on family
goals and budget.
2.
Friend. If it is not possible for
your spouse to attend, a
friend can help you in much the same
way.
3. Nursing
Babies, of course, stay with Mom.
4. Young
Children. Children might not be
allowed and will be
a distraction; either you will not be
able to get all you can out
of the convention, or you will not be
able to give adequate
care to your children.
5. Teens and Older
Children. If programs are offered
for them,
you may want to consider this option. Hotel Room. If you need to
travel far, you might take a room
for overnight, to stow purchases, or to take
a rest.
Ways To Save on Registration
Check out these cost-cutting
possibilities:
1.
Preregister. This can save you
money that you can spend on
buying materials.
2. Volunteer To
Work. A few hours or more can be a
real help to
the organization sponsoring the event,
and you might be rewarded
by a reduced entrance fee and/or other
benefits. You will also get
to know some great home schoolers while
working with them.
3. Join
Organization. By joining, you help
support home-school
efforts in your area, plus you might
receive discounts on your
convention fee and other benefits.
4. Special
Rates for couples, grandparents, teens,
children,
pastors, and other full-time
ministers.
How To Prepare
The vast array of workshops and exhibit
booths, combined
with a limited time to take it all in, can be
overwhelming when
you walk into a convention unprepared. On the other hand, if you go with a plan
and focus on your
purpose and priorities, you can spend your
time and money
more wisely and get the most out of the
convention. 1. Pray for the
Lord's promised wisdom in all your decisions.
2. Your Spouse
and you should discuss your educational goals,
plans, and budget.
3. Gather
Information. Obtain a convention
schedule, list of
exhibitors, and exhibit hall floor plan.
4. Select and
Prioritize speakers' sessions, workshops, and
exhibitors you don't want to miss and
conference tapes you
might want to buy. Make a list and/or
mark your program and
exhibit hall floor plan.
5. Compare your
agenda with that of your spouse or friend
attending with you and see if you can
each cover several
different sessions and then share their
content with each other.
6.
Research. Check out publishers'
and suppliers' catalogs (in
print or online) to plan which materials
you would like to
examine. You can link to 175 home-school
suppliers at
TeachingHome.com/Resources.
7. Shopping
List. Make a list of specific
materials or the
types of materials you will be looking
for.
8.
Questions. Make a list of
questions to ask exhibitors,
speakers, and/or other attendees.
Things To Do the Day Before
Make these last minute preparations. 1. Family
Needs. Spend some special time
with your children
and husband. Prepare meals and make
provision to meet
other needs while you are at the
convention. Confirm child
care arrangements.
2.
Directions. Make sure you know
exactly how to get to the
convention facility and what parking is
available.
3.
Schedule. Plan to leave in time to
be early or on time.
4. Pack items
you will take with you.
•
Directions and/or map.
•
Cash, checks, or debit card.
•
Highlighter to mark your program.
•
Canvas tote(s) for handouts and purchases.
•
Steno pad and pens to take lots of notes.
•
Return address labels to use in filling out
forms.
•
Wrist watch to keep track of time.
•
Comfortable walking shoes.
•
Water, snack, and lunch.
5. Sleep and
Eat. Get a good night's sleep and
a good
breakfast.
At the Convention
Once at the convention, follow your plan. 1.
Schedule. If you have not already
obtained and marked a
schedule and exhibit hall floor plan, do
this first.
2.
Breaks. Take breaks to rest your
feet, reassess your
progress, and write notes while your
impressions are fresh.
3.
Speakers. Don't expect to agree
with everything a speaker
says. Compare everything to God's Word;
accept and use what
you can and let the rest go.
4. The
Unexpected. Allow some free time
to take advantage of an
unexpected opportunity.
In the Exhibit Hall
1. Work Your
Plan. Use your prioritized plan of
booth visits
and your shopping list to do your "must
see" visits first,
then go through the exhibit hall finding
and learning more
new things.
2. Talk to
vendors about their products' methods,
goals, and
philosophy, and how to use them. Use
your list of questions.
3.
Purchases. Use the parcel check or
take your purchases
to your room or car rather than carrying
them around.
4. Busy
Exhibitor. If the representatives
are busy at a "must see"
booth, go on and return later, or ask to
be included in the
discussion.
5. Sleep on
It. If you are attending two days,
gather
information the first day, and then
think and pray about
your purchases before making them the
next day.
6. Also visit
nonprofit and service organizations' booths to
find out what they can offer you (e.g.,
your state organization).
7. Give
Feedback. When appropriate, give a
vendor a brief,
clear, and focused comment about your
needs, opinions, and
experiences to help them produce better
products and services.
Mind Your Convention Manners
Observe these guidelines to show
consideration to everyone
involved at the convention. 1. Convention
Rules. Follow the rules set out
for the convention
regarding food and beverage in exhibit
hall (check if bottled
water is OK), children, strollers, etc.
2.
Exhibitors. Support the ones who
help you. Do not take up an
exhibitor's time in counseling and
explaining his products and
then go buy the same product from
another exhibitor or from a
discount supplier. Exhibitors help make
the convention possible.
3. Babies and
Children. Immediately remove a
crying or
disrupting child from a workshop or
meeting. Ask your child to
give his chair to an adult if there is
not enough seating.
Ways To Network
1. Meet and
talk to other attendees; greet old
friends and make
new ones.
2. Ask
advice. Get feedback on ideas and
products and share
opinions and experiences. You may get
your most valuable
information and encouragement from
another home-school mom.
3. Offer to help
someone. Hold a baby and give a
mother's arms
a rest; find a new home schooler (it
will be obvious) and give a
word of encouragement; offer to help a
speaker or exhibitor.
4. Smile at
everyone!
Follow-Up Activities
(Get the Last Bit of Good from the Event!)
1.
Debriefing. Have a debriefing
discussion with your spouse
or friend. Discuss the ideas and products
you encountered at
the convention to help you sort through
things, keeping some
and discarding others, focusing on how to get
the most out of
your experience.
2. Just Do
It. Return home with at least one
new idea that will
make a difference in your home school to put
into practice.
Look over all your notes while they are
fresh, and narrow down
all the wonderful things you would like to do
to no more than six.
Then prioritize your list and start on the
first one the following week.
3. Be
Accountable. Ask your husband or a
friend to pray for you
and keep you accountable to work on your
goal. The results may
surprise and encourage you.
4. Share the
information you have gathered with your
support
group or someone who was not able to attend.
Let them know if
you would recommend that they plan to attend
next year.
5. Clean
Up. Sort literature you received
into four categories:
•
Take action.
•
Save for future reference or reading.
•
Pass on to someone else.
•
Toss.
6. Thank
Yous! Write a thank you note to
those who put so much effort into putting on
the convention, a speaker that ministered to
you, or an exhibitor that took time to help
you.
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We encourage you to share our e-mail
newsletters in the following ways: 1.
Newsletter. Forward entire
newsletter to your friends and support group. 2.
Articles. Reprint articles in an
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policies when you reprint our material: •
Editing. Reprint articles
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edited articles that do not change the
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Byline. Include "by Cindy Short
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Copyright Notice and Link. Add:
"Copyright 2007 (or year published) by
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