UnCONVENTIONal Credits, Part 2

By Connie Overlock

 

Whether you take a laid back approach or use textbooks to teach your child at home, there is great benefit in taking a break now and then, reassessing your teaching styles and just plain doing things differently.

 

One of the ways you can do this is by attending the HOME 2017 Convention. HOME conventions are always full of educational opportunities for your family, as well as a great way for mom to find encouragement and be refreshed. Why not let someone else do the teaching for a few days.

 

Not sure what your kids will learn at convention? Read on, and find out how you can cover history, Maine Studies, writing, science, Bible, public speaking, fine arts, social studies, literature, health and more. You’ll discover how to guide your high schoolers through the challenges of planning ahead for college, as well.

 

Linda Lacour Hobar, author of Mystery of History, will be one of our featured speakers. In General Session 1 on Friday morning, she will be describing ten events in modern history that “shook the world.” She will also be sharing stories to enable a better understanding of the Early Church and the tumultuous Middle Ages, as well as the “Bad Boys of the 20^th Century!” 

 

Not only can you cover world history by attending the convention, but Maine history, as well. Three separate workshops by two different speakers will cover “Famous Mainers,” “The Underground Railroad in Maine,” and “The Ku Klux Klan Invasion.”

Some topics can be taught to cover multiple subjects at once. Linda’s “7 Artists of the Renaissance That Everyone Ought to Know” is just such a workshop. This course can count as history, fine arts or both. Linda will use family-friendly slides and a pre-test/post-test for art connoisseurs to present this topic. Another workshop that will cover fine arts for your student is Bill Clarke’s “How to Use Adobe Voice to Tell a Compelling Story with Video.” Students will produce their own video using Adobe Voice, as well as write a script for their video.

 

Friday’s evening performance will feature Mad Science of Maine. They will be providing a “forcible fantastic performance about Newton’s 3 laws of physics and other properties of the laws of motion and gravity!” Just when you thought jet packs were something of the future, you’ll see the Mad Scientist propel herself across the floor using the exclusive Mad Science Rocket Car. 

 

Sometimes health and science are interchangeable. In the case of the “Tick Talk” by Beatrice Szantyr, you will learn about one of Maine’s natural predators, as well as the diseases it can cause and how to prevent them.

 

Jean Burk will share the importance of soft skills that will help your teen get their first job. Work ethic, attitude, communication skills, emotional intelligence, and other personal attributes are the soft skills crucial for career success.

 

Communication is an important part of what makes us successful in our professions. Jean Burk will teach both parents and students alike the 3 keys to learning, understanding, and remembering words that increase effectiveness. Learn how to amass an arsenal of fifty-cent words to articulate efficiently and accurately.

 

Jean Burk will also share her secrets of SAT success that have helped hundreds of students raise their test scores as much as 600 points! Have a child going to college? This workshop alone could mean the difference between college debt and college scholarships for your teen.

 

What better way to teach social studies than to use museums and archives. Like detectives, historians use many sources of evidence such as court records, diaries, letters, photographs and newspapers to answer questions about the past. This workshop will present ways in which your student can use archives, libraries, historical societies and museums as primary sources in their Maine Studies and history curriculum. If you use a unit study approach, then all the reading and research they do will also count as language arts.

 

Andrew Peduwa will be offering an all day, high school intensive essay workshop that will offer immediate experience and inside tips toward high school essay writing.

 

Another aspect of language arts is literature. Darren Jones will be presenting on “Literature that Proclaims Christ.” In another workshop, he will offer practical tips for your family’s devotions. You should come prepared to receive specific, practical advice on how devotions can serve as an opportunity for the whole family to experience the love and grace of God.

 

Still not sure about attending the convention? There will also be nearly 50 exhibitors presenting curriculum and other materials that will make it easier to choose just the resources you need for your homeschool.

 

Whether you want to use the convention as a teaching opportunity for your family, chance to grow and rest as a couple, get encouragement and support or for some other reason, be sure to register today!

 

 

Connie Overlock is a homeschool mom of five children, 4 boys and a girl. All five children were homeschooled from kindergarten on. Two have graduated college, one is currently enrolled and studying abroad in Ireland, and one is a senior and currently applying to college. Still having one at home, her homeschool days are winding down, but she is hoping to pass on her passion for homeschooling to another generation.