12.27.06
A Must Do Homeschool Conference
If you are at all able to make it to Chicago, I highly recommend that you put this on your calendar and plan on coming. The In-Home Conference is Feb. 23 and 24 and they are about to post the schedule and open up registration (Jan. 5).
Now why is this the conference you shouldn’t miss?
I’m so glad you asked.
First, is that this is a family conference. They actually have more things for kids to do than the parents. Kids under 4 are welcome to join you at the adult sessions and (in the past, so I expect it’ll continue) each room has baskets of books and toys to keep them happy while you listen to the speakers. For older kids, they start with a general playroom for the next age group and then for have actual sessions for the oldest couple of age groups. Older kids are also welcome to join the adult sessions, but mine have always found better things to do. My kids have done drama workshops, creative writing classes, D&D, taken things apart (like computers and toasters and such), and board games to name a few. For older teens there is also a Teen Hangout room. Last year they had a poetry reading and Teen Dance.
Second, they do not (traditionally) have a restricted vender hall. Even if you can’t make/afford the conference, you can still enter the vender hall and do any browsing and shopping that you want. Any time it is open!! (I dislike the local state Christian conference that charges $20 to just go into their vender hall and then only after 2 PM)
Third, they call their conference ‘nonsectarian’ (the ‘n’ in In-home). I call it secular. But they don’t reject anyone’s religion. No, they welcome everyone and in my experience that means that there is everything from very traditional to very laid-back. They just take the religious aspect out of the discussion. It’s very refreshing when you live in a state where the state conference’s keynote address is: “Our Children: A Letter of Christ to the Culture.”
So mark your calendars and plan on coming.
PS: They give $ credit for volunteering, so you can save money by spending part of your weekend helping out.
December 27, 2006 at 12:39 pm
I second this confirmation of a great conference! I’ve been attending and presenting at this conference for about five years now, and the thing I like most about it is how family-oriented it is . . . and it feels like a family to me. I always bring 2-3 of my 7 children who absolutely LOVE attending and learning through the great children’s and teen’s workshops. I also personally love the diversity among the adult workshops . . . I’m always looking for new ideas and perspectives and there is always a lot to choose from in any given section.
It is my favorite conference (and I attend 2-3 a year) and I hold it up as a great example of how to run a secular and diverse family homeschooling conference!
-Cindy
Frankie said,
December 28, 2006 at 2:14 am
I’m green with envy, this would be fun.
You know, even though I call myself a “C” I just cannot stomach some of that stuff in the evangelical culture. Okay, most of it. lol
I think I’ll buy a lottery ticket tomorrow, and if I win, I’ll go to the conference. =)