With the warming of the weather and the winding down of the academic year, the homeschool conference season is now beginning. Are you attending your local homeschool convention this year? There are many reasons why it would be beneficial, and purchasing your curriculum is not the most important one. Read on to discover reasons why you should attend a conference this year.
Experience Community
Many classes have moved to an online model, and there is a risk that you may begin to feel as if you are the only one traveling off the beaten path of traditional education. There is nothing like the feeling of walking into a workshop or the vendor hall, noticing all of the families, and realizing that you are part of a large group of parents who are homeschooling. It bolsters your spirit and reinvigorates your commitment to the calling of home education.
When you attend your local homeschool convention, you may also reaffirm your personal identity as a homeschooling parent. You are giving yourself a gift, a kind reminder that you are able to live this lifestyle called homeschooling. You can do it! Not only that, but you are not alone. There are many other parents who are joining you on the journey to educate their children. Resting in that assurance, you will be able to launch into the new school year with peace in your heart and a plan in your mind.
Educate Yourself
At the homeschool conference, you can attend a broad variety of sessions led by experienced speakers. Are you brand new to homeschooling? Attend a “Homeschooling 101” session, and you will feel encouraged to begin. Do you have a student who has learning differences? There are many sessions that will support you in your journey to provide the best educational experience for him. Are you looking at the next four years of high school? Learn how to plan for them as well as what comes after by attending a “Welcome to the High School Years” session.
Homeschooling is not an easy endeavor. When you attend a homeschool convention, you are investing in professional development for yourself that you can then carry back to your children and in turn invest in their education. What you learn trickles down to them. Everyone in the family benefits!
Preview Curriculum
The vendor hall is packed with booths displaying all sorts of curriculum. Often you do not need to buy while you are there as many vendors provide coupons and possibly even bonuses for purchasing materials after attending the convention. That makes it convenient to check out many different companies, speak to their representatives, and take time to learn about the curriculum they offer. Unlike the days of the past, you will not need to drag your rolling cart around the venue to load up a year’s worth of materials. Instead, stroll comfortably through the hall to learn from vendors, collect coupons, and compare materials. Frequently you can obtain a free shipping coupon that allows you to take your time ordering. With this extra time you can feel confident about the materials you eventually select.
Take a Field Trip
Curriculum vendors are not the only ones at homeschool conventions. Many local organizations set up booths to advertise their enrichment opportunities. These booths alert people to unique learning experiences, field trips, short-term classes, and camps. Families can find a full year of enrichment experiences simply by walking the vendor hall floor.
Relax and Make Memories
Many homeschool conventions offer events for the entire family, such as children’s programs, programs for teens, grandparents’ sessions, and opportunities for mom and dad to reconnect. Take advantage of them! A convention is a great way to get away for a bit of family time while you fill your tank for the upcoming year. For many families an annual convention is anticipated all year and provides memories that last a lifetime.
Are you in a co-op? Encourage your friends to attend the convention with you! It makes for a great weekend experience and may even help to develop a unified vision for the co-op’s upcoming school year.
Encourage Others
While you are at a convention, you will meet a lot of different people. You may have the perfect word of encouragement for someone who is also attending. You may also be someone who receives encouragement right when you need it. Look for opportunities to make someone else’s day a better one.
Visit the IEW Booth!
While you are checking out the vendor hall, we hope you will also stop by the IEW booth and say hello. At our booth you will be able to review our materials and speak with our curriculum consultants. Grab the latest issue of Magnum Opus Magazine, IEW’s premier showcase of student writing and artwork, and pick up the 2023 Magalog as well. In addition, you will be able to sign up for a drawing for an IEW gift certificate that will be awarded after the convention ends.
There is no need to worry about carrying around purchases either. We will provide a coupon code for free shipping so that you can take your time deciding which materials will serve your family’s needs the best. We even have a digital gift that we will share with attendees after the event. And who knows? If Andrew Pudewa is speaking at the conference, you may even find him in the booth and have an opportunity to visit with him.
If you would like to learn about the homeschool conventions where you will find an IEW booth, check out this link. We’ll see you there!
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Jennifer Mauser has always loved reading and writing and received a B.A. in English from the University of Kansas in 1991. Once she and her husband had children, they decided to homeschool, and she put all her training to use in the home. In addition to homeschooling her children, Jennifer teaches IEW classes out of her home, coaches budding writers via email, and tutors students who struggle with dyslexia. |
