Well, I think I can see spring on the horizon! So, we know what that means. Planning for the next school year! Woo Hoo! Yeah whatever.
We all know better. We get a tingle down our spine every time we go to the
mailbox and see a new curriculum catalogue!
We turn the pages with utter excitement, thinking of all the exciting
learning that we can do for the next year.
We dog-ear pages and circle descriptions…..with great
anticipation! Oh the EXCITEMENT! And then comes our Debbie Downers.
First our most treasured prodigy begins with the long drawn out moans of,
“Moooooooooommm! I don’t want to do
latin…whhhhyyyy do I have to do I have to do Algebra?? Seriously….this reading list is from the dark
ages!” Oh those precious faces so
full of potential and ANGST.
As we work hard, making our brains sweat as if we were doing Zumba in the
Sahara, contemplating what classes each of our precious jewels would surely
excel in, what will be needed for high school credits, and of course the super
fun electives! Oh, how we plan!
Then the other downer appears…..you know the one. The one at the end of the order
form….yeah…that one….TOTAL. That
little box can take us from euphoria to the deepest darkest place in our
children’s messy closets! Then comes
the saddest part…what can we do without?
Oh! My heart breaks to a million pieces, falling to the floor with
tinkle of fine glass! (Look at me…practicing my descriptive writing!)
BUT! A thought jumps into my brain
like the ding on the microwave! THE
LIBRARY! YES! I will make my own curricula…I will
research, plan, outline, do all the worksheets and assignments! I CAN DO THIS!
Who am I fooling???? I have science
experiments in the back of the fridge….that started as “left overs for
lunch.” I just can’t seem to recall
what lunch…or when. And if you look
under the beds, the dust bunnies have formed a commune of free love and
peace.
We all have been there. It is so
hard to build your curricula to your children.
We battle costs, fear, intimidation, and failure. But, with that said, we find such joy in what
we see our children accomplish. As home
educators we celebrate the grades; but also the special little nuances,
learning to tie shoes, writing their name,
finding them being quiet….with a book, seeing them help the elderly get a
shopping cart from the rack….so much that cannot be measured in an aptitude
test. Moms, do not stress over the books
and the grades! Look at the human you
have made and now are molding to be a generous, kind, caring, and loving
person.
Mama, hold the head high! We are strong, smart, and capable! We have coffee running through our
veins! We can teach, cook pizza rolls,
change a diaper, and pay bills! We are THE
WONDER WOMEN of the world! So, get your
bracelets on, attach your lasso of truth (but does it work on a 3 year old?),
put on that push-up bustier and high heel running boots, and get out there and
show the world, “I AM A HOMESCHOOL MOM AND I AM STRONG AND FEARLESS!”
Well, except for the fear to open those containers in the fridge…
We’ve compiled the ultimate list of 2020 homeschool conventions, along with a planner to help you organize your weekend and keep track of workshops and vendors!
If you are a convention organizer, or just know of one that should be on this list, please send us a quick note and we’ll add it!
Teach Them Diligently attendees — Use coupon code Mission10 for $10 off registration!
With everything becoming connected online, is there really any reason to physically attend a homeschool convention? After all, that comes with the added expense of travel, and then you can’t just shop online in your pajamas…
There’s just no substitute for community and face-to-face contact, and a homeschool convention offers benefits that you won’t find anywhere else!
Finding Your Tribe I can’t prove it, but maybe the reason homeschool conventions begin in early spring is because they know we’ve been cooped up all winter, and most families are suffering from ‘February Fever.’ We have to break out, find other homeschooling families, and shake off winter!
An Ounce of Encouragement It can be lonely homeschooling, whether you live in a big city or a rural area. Getting into a crowd of people who have made similar life choices can be affirming. Plus, you’ll be able to bounce ideas off of others, get new ideas, and remember that we’re all in this together.
Information from the Source It’s one thing to read a book. It’s another to actually sit down and talk with the author and get personalized information. You can actually do that at conventions! Reap the benefits and wisdom of experienced homeschoolers. You can do this in the vendor hall, in a one-on-one setting, walking around the hotel (but be mindful of their limited free time), or within the workshops themselves.
Workshop Paths Many conventions these days are creating ‘paths’ of workshops, meaning they have a series for new homeschoolers, those with special needs children, and those preparing for college. You’re not confined to those workshops, but by following the path that fits your family best, you have a pre-set schedule that will allow you to maximize what you learn from these experienced speakers. Oftentimes, there are special discounts offered within the workshops, too! J
Curriculum Discounts The exhibit hall is packed full of vendors offering fantastic discounts on their curriculum. There are usually some pretty nice extras to supplement the curriculum that you won’t find anywhere else, too! If you’re in the market for something new, you can actually flip through and examine various selections, talk to the publishers (or authors) about them, and make a well-informed decision for your family. You can maximize your time by looking ahead to see which vendors will be represented and make a note to visit their booths. (There’s a page for this in the convention planner!)
It’s a Family Affair There seem to be two types of convention-goers….those who take the whole family, and those who make it a girls’ weekend. (Having done both, my preference falls toward the latter…everybody needs to cut loose with friends sometimes, right?!) If you take the whole family, though, you’ll have a (typically) rare opportunity to get Dad involved.
Usually the dads are off working full-time so that moms can stay home and homeschool. Both parents care about education, but Mom is the one fully-entrenched. Taking Dad to a convention will give him a different perspective, and new appreciation, for the daily grind of homeschooling. As for the littles, there is usually some sort of day camp set up for them to enjoy time with other kids while Mom and Dad get some one-on-one time to either attend workshops or go sleep in the hotel room…
For some parents, having a special needs child is the impetus to homeschool. For others, it’s a nerve-wracking concern. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, homeschooling a special needs child is an adventure!
With the advent of No Child Left Behind, special needs children both gained and lost in the classroom. There is more advocacy and information, and accommodations are understood and generally more accepted, but there is still much temptation to box students in. Many families are choosing to homeschool because their special needs children’s needs are not being met in the traditional classroom.
It can be very overwhelming to homeschool a special needs child, especially at first. You not only have to plan the academics, but also the therapy and interventions that are required for your child. In some states, the school system will still help with these needs, but Oklahoma is not one of those states. We parents are required to find therapists and cover that cost on our own. It is one of the prices we pay for a lack of legislation and state-mandated testing for homeschoolers.
Getting a Diagnosis & IEP (Individualized Education Plan)
If your child has been in the school system, then he probably has an IEP. Know that it will expire and you cannot get a new one once he’s been pulled to homeschool. Don’t fret over it; just know it. Keep a copy of the IEP paperwork to take to therapists and doctors when seeking assistance. Your therapist will probably do a therapy-specific evaluation, so be sure to keep that paperwork, too. Start a file…
If you are starting from a homeschool environment, your first stop will be the family doctor, who will refer you to one or more therapists. They will do initial evaluations, which you will want to keep on file.
All of this paperwork is your ‘leg to stand on’ should there be any questions about your child’s performance in the future (not likely, but possible). They are helpful in building your case once you reach the upper grades — as your child may need testing accommodations. You are eligible to file for accommodations on tests such as ACT and SAT.
You are the Expert
No one understands your child like you do. You know his likes, dislikes, what bothers him, and what works best. Working with therapists, you can use his strengths and weaknesses to tailor a program specifically toward his needs.
For example, our son loves airplanes and aviation, so we have used many aviation-oriented games for therapy. Because he’s interested in the topic, he puts forth more effort into mastering those difficult tasks.
As parents, you have already spent years teaching your child and learning in which ways he learns best. Equipped with this knowledge, you are prepared to become an individual classroom teacher as well! Knowing your child’s strengths and weaknesses will help you to tailor the lesson plan to his needs.
For example, if he has dysgraphia, allow him to orally discuss topics, or teach keyboarding at a younger age. If he has trouble with multiple instructions, provide short, individual directions.
Moving at a New Pace
If your child grasps a concept immediately, feel free to move forward. By the same token, if he’s having trouble understanding something, take as much time as you need. For subjects like math and language arts, a failure to build a strong foundation leads to crumbling academics later on. In a traditional school setting, there is only so much time for each concept, but in the homeschool, you have the freedom and flexibility to take as much time as necessary!
Don’t look at it as your child being six months behind in math. Look at the fact that you are putting in the time to cement a solid foundation. Some children are ‘jumpers,’ meaning they don’t show any academic growth at all for a long time, but then ‘jump’ two or three grade levels over a short period of time. Given a strong foundation, things will eventually click into place! Without that foundation, however, you’re merely building an academic house of cards. Move at your child’s pace…
You are Not Alone
Support for special needs homeschool families comes in many places! Here at Homeschool House, every single one of our leaders has at least one, if not more, special needs children. Feel free to ask us questions, and we’ll do our best to point you in a helpful direction.
There are special needs-specific homeschool conventions, Facebook groups, and even local playgroups (look toward your cities, Tulsa and OKC) for these families.
Most curricula offer ways to tailor toward special needs learners. You may have to call the curriculum publisher directly, but they’re usually amenable to discussing how it can be adapted. The Book Shack can also help you with locating curriculum to fit your child’s learning style.
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability – to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It’s like this……
When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip – to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.”
“Holland?!?” you say. “What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.”
But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It’s just a different place. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…. and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills….and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy… and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.”
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away… because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But… if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things … about Holland.
As the school year comes to an end, I see so many changes. Teaching two instead of one been the biggest change, but I have to say…big brother has really stepped up with advice for his sisters!
It’s funny how as the year progresses, the Light Units disappear! We are planning the closing of the year with much anticipation! The sunny days make school seem, well, DULL. The girls are enjoying bike rides, new kittens, and all the flowers!
This year I had to rethink my teaching. My number 2 daughter was really struggling with pre-algebra. So, being a somewhat creative mom, I came up with an IEP plan for homeschooling! I want her to succeed; so she and I set goals and discussed what she felt would help her with the transition into more difficult math. And it is working! Not every child will be an Einstein, but we as home educators have the ability to take what could be a DISABILITY and turn into a work of PROGRESS!
On another note, I found that both of my daughters really enjoy writing. They write short stories and essays with a flare!
And of course we had our “planning conference” for the next year. I really encourage the children’s input for curriculum. So we are ready to put down the moola for school year ’19-20!
It seems like if was just yesterday I taught my oldest to write his name, and *POOF* he is a full grown man -working and driving, being a productive citizen! So my pearl of wisdom is: enjoy these times…all of them. From getting b’s and d’s written in the right direction, to learning times tables, suffering through endless history lessons, and the tears and arguments…because…they go by way too fast!
So dear friends….as we close another year, may your pencils forever be sharpened with erasers, that rulers, compasses, and protractors never be lost, and that our wee ones always know, how much we truly love them!
It’s that time again! Every homeschool mom’s delight! Homeschool children are singing the song of “their People”……Yes! It’s homeschool convention time!
We plan for months, checking the vendor list, noting what we need to purchase (free shipping!!), what we want to look at, and of course, the gathering of the freebies! Our children get excited, they will be amongst children like them! I know that mine were excited for the book vendors, the hands on exhibits, and the most important….the young entrepreneurs booth.
I have to admit…I have been homeschool conventioning (is this a word?) since the denim jumper days! I still drag my “box on wheels”, which by the way, gets some strange looks! I carry a small spiral notebook that has my needs and wants…when I visit my curricula booth, I am welcomed with a big hug and and friendly, “Good to see you again this year!”
Every year I meet up with all my home school moms and we plan our yearly lunch….a walk downtown to our favorite Mexican restaurant! And this is with at least 9 children in tow! If you have never been to a convention….you are missing out! The smell of new text books, an entire booth dedicated to paper products! (YES) There is a booth where you can purchase the dreaded frogs and squids for dissection, and there are books galore for reading enjoyment! And this mom purchased two fabulous novels written in the 1800’s!
Oh! The freebies! Pens, pencils, water bottles, candy, lunch bags, and keychains…..of course some of the best are the free drawings for curriculum, i-Pads, and lap tops! From one home school mom to others…if you get a chance, visit a homeschool convention! It is day of fun and encouragement! PLUS….this can be considered a “professional day” for your records!
Next year….my plans are to attend 2 (yes..TWO) conventions! I may go into book overdose! Here’s to lazy summer days! Oh…who am I fooling! I don’t know about y’all, but this girl has some deep house cleaning to do!
