Why and how children learn best through homeschooling. Helping children learn from daily life and carefully selected resources and activities. The importance of play. Meeting kids’ and parents’ social needs. Disadvantages to formal preschool.

Time to look under the hood of unschooling. What makes it go? What makes it stop? What are the concepts at the personal level which make it a successful homeschooling modality? What do you pay attention to? What do you ignore? When do you step in? When do you step back? Is it true anything goes when you unschool?

We all have a philosophy of homeschooling, a set of background and often deep assumptions that influence our day-to-day decisions whether we realize it or not. Join a group of new and experienced homeschoolers and ponder questions such as: What are the most important things children (and parents) gain from homeschooling? Does homeschooling have fundamental downsides and, if so, how can we compensate for them? How much does it really matter which approach to homeschooling (complete purchased curriculum, unit studies, unschooling, etc.) you choose? Might some children be better off in school?

Ways to encourage your children to write. Tips on responding, revising, and publishing (even if it’s just on the fridge). Pitfalls to avoid. Presentation plus a discussion-come prepared to share your ideas. This workshop will focus on helping kids get excited about communicating their ideas rather than the mechanics of handwriting, spelling, etc.

How do we measure our success as parents? Is it the parent’s job to train the child in order to achieve certain behavior goals? Should you train behavior or the heart of your child? What do we mean by heart? Helping our children examine why they are behaving a particular way is far more important (and time consuming) than simply criticizing the behavior. See C-8 for parenting teens.

Finding time for ourselves in the midst of a busy homeschooling life. Deciding for ourselves what we really need. Overcoming obstacles that prevent us from meeting our own needs. Finding unconventional, satisfying approaches.

Explore the joys and challenges of homeschooling as a single parent. What has surprised you? What are the biggest challenges? Where do you find the support you need? How do you deal with your own doubts and the criticism of others? How does homeschooling affect your relationship with your child(ren)? What resources have you accessed to make this a successful journey? For beginning and experienced single parent homeschoolers and single parents considering homeschooling.

How do you find time to spend with your children? What do you enjoy doing with them? How do you prepare (to increase the likelihood that things will go smoothly)? What do you find most challenging? How do you share responsibility for homeschooling with your spouse?

When dealing with someone who’s very different from us, or even among fairly similar people, we can gain a lot from acknowledging and accepting personality differences. Ways to identify and understand differences in temperament, such as the difference between an introvert and extrovert, and take them into account in homeschooling. Ideas to solve practical problems and resolve conflicts so we can function compatibly and productively while taking differences in stride. Perspectives that make it easier to relax and enjoy differences.

During high school and after, learn on your own and earn college credit (and a degree) for what you know by taking CLEP and other exams and completing distance learning courses. Resources to prepare for tests. Test taking strategies. Speaker earned 140 credits and a degree this way.

Discover creative ways parents and teens can work together to design a curriculum tailored to a teen’s goals, interests, and strengths. Find resources, ideas, and ways teens and parents can enjoy each other and avoid the typical teen stereotype. Make homeschooling high school a rich and rewarding adventure.

Meet in lobby of Gruenhagen Conference Center. Weather permitting, walk to a nearby athletic field to play soccer, Frisbee, and other games participants bring. If the weather is unsuitable, go to Connections for games and conversation. Adult coordinator present.

Learn to make your own beautiful piano hinge journals. Ages 9 and over. Limit 25 youth.

Develop core strength, flexibility, balance, and focused awareness with Taekwondo. Warm up safely and learn basic kicks and punches on Shield Bags. Hear about the art of Taekwondo and learn a few Korean words. See board breaking and sparring demonstrated. For the whole family and every fitness level. Please wear loose fitting clothes and plan to be barefoot. Ages 8 to adult. Limit 30. Also D-14.

See A-15.

See A-16.

Join members of the Appleton Boychoir or the Badger State Girl Choir in Neenah and sing a variety of songs. Learn about how homeschoolers can participate in these choirs. Presenter is the director of these choirs. All ages welcome.

Play a variety of theater games. Learn about theater and theatrical techniques such as vocalization, dialogue and movement. Presenter is a homeschooling 13-year-old with 5+ years stage experience. Adult support person present. Parents are welcome to participate.