An overview of some of the many approaches to homeschooling and helpful hints for new homeschoolers. Complying with the law, including filing the required online form PI-1206.

Using a pony passion to explore art to zoology while developing traits from patience to perseverance. Merging reading, writing, ‘rithmetic with riding. Exploring opportunities such as such as the 4H Horseless Horse Project if you don’t own a horse. Note: This general approach to passions and curriculum can be used with other passions as well.

How to move from reading, hearing, and thinking about the ideas behind “child-led learning” to taking the leap of faith and putting them into practice with your own family. Creating an environment where your child can either stop and smell the roses or excel at the speed of light. Speaker will discuss the joys and challenges of learning while we live using examples from her family. Also see D-1.

Exploring the many ways people learn. Choosing approaches to learning that make sense for your family and making changes when necessary. Making learning easier and more fun for everyone. What to do when you get stuck.

Ways to make science, social studies, history, and the arts more real, exciting, and just plain fun by cooking and eating a wide variety of foods. Resources, methods, and recipes for all ages.

MOOCs? EdX? Khan? DE? What is all this stuff and why would you want any of it? The landscape of online higher education is changing rapidly, and we’ll look at the sorts of online courses that are available, ways to find out more about them, and how to choose something that makes sense for your family. Will not include online virtual public charter schools or other strictly K-12 resources.

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?

Hear about a three-week long road trip to New England, taken by a homeschool graduate and her mom in a tiny camper. Suggestions for planning a route, choosing places to visit, packing essentials, keeping the trip affordable, finding good food, keeping a record of a trip, and other topics.

Confused by all the different styles of homeschooling that are available? Basic information about four different styles: purchased curriculum, unit studies, eclectic, and unschooling. How you can choose a style that works well for you and your family. Making changes when necessary. For both new and experienced homeschoolers.

Why? How? Look around the room, open the cupboard, walk out the door, and DO science “ with everyday materials.” How the internet and the library can help you find what you need to explore the natural world in fun and positive ways. This workshop focuses on resources for learners under 12.

Hear about a family whose passion is serving those in need. By knitting and sewing a variety of items to sell, four homeschooled sisters raised money to donate to various causes, including a village in India. When they felt called to see firsthand the fruits of their labor, they created another business to earn money to help cover the costs of a family trip to India in February 2011. In January 2013 they returned to India, so their journey continues. Also see F-6.

For established unschooling families with at least one year’s experience. (For an introduction to unschooling, see “Exploring the Basic Ideas of Unschooling.”) How do parental guidance and direction continue to show themselves and allow for a peaceful coexistence with our kids? How might we as parents react when our children pursue topics we feel negatively about or did not expect? What can parents do to maintain a balance between the fear of external academic goals and the internal joy of unschooling? What about all that time the kids spend doing “nothing?”

Ways to get out and stay out of ruts, get “unstuck” when faced with seemingly intractable problems, turn criticism and conflict into a stimulus for positive growth, liven up your homeschooling through preemptive creativity, and nurture the creative problem solving your children will need as adults. Drawing from other approaches (unschoolers learning from families who use a purchased curriculum and vice versa) and using cross-fertilization among subject areas (what works for memorizing multiplication table may help in writing that college essay). Share something unusual that worked for your family and learn from others in the group. Homeschoolers of all experience levels and approaches are welcome.