Homeschool Convention

I wasn't sure I would be able to attend the homeschool convention because of my kidney stones issues.  But thankfully, my doctor took out my stent on Thursday and I was off to the convention with a friend Thursday night.

There are so many vendors selling curriculum - both new and used - that it can be overwhelming.  Since I'm sticking with My Father's World, I wasn't nearly as overwhelmed walking into that vendor hall as I was when we first started homeschooling.  David and Marie Hazel developed the My Father's World curriculum package and I had the privilege of meeting David Hazel at the convention.  He has several (probably many) videos on You Tube from speaking engagements that have helped to encourage me through our homeschooling journey.

I also got to speak one-on-one with several volunteers and vendors who gave me some fresh ideas in language arts, particularly with reading.  I sought these people out at the convention.  Sought not stalked!  I'm mostly drawn to the Charlotte Mason method of education, which MFW incorporates.  It makes sense to me and works well with our family.  But it has been hard for me to to accept this (even after all these years) because of the way I was programmed in my own education.  I won't attempt to explain CM methods - there's plenty of information on the internet that explains it far better than I could. 

My draw toward CM led me to the Simply Charlotte Mason booth at the convention.  One man tending that booth spent a considerable amount of time explaining the Spelling Wisdom program to me - how to use it, how it works, why it works.

He was so patient with me and answered all my questions.  Talking with him helped bring peace and ease of mind in our educational choices.

Another highlight of the convention was attending a workshop given by Jim Weiss.  What a fantastically talented story teller!  He LOVES what he does and it shows.  In this workshop, Jim Weiss presented ideas on how to effectively read books aloud and tell stories, using various voices, tones and pitches.  There really is an art to story telling, and Jim Weiss does it well.  One of the books we'll be using next year is Story of the World, Vol. 3.  Jim Weiss has an audio of this book and I'm thinking that I will probably get it.  I have his audio reading of The Three Musketeers and love it.

Other than going to some workshops, I spent plenty of time in the vendor's hall, shopping.  The convention went on from Thursday through Saturday and I went all four days!  Even though I had already purchased our curriculum for next year, I still found some other things buy.  Brace yourself!...

Among the list: Spelling Wisdom (Simply Charlotte Mason), a Pathway Reader book and workbooks, many readers, a reading comprehension story book, a bird feeder kit, Aesop's Fables Coloring Book, Bible study on the book of James (needed a copy for Katie), a set of president cards, a highlighter, a castle building kit (not pictured), and some stuff for the American Girl dolls (couldn't forget them!).  I also ordered a set of American Hero Classic videos which will arrive in a few weeks.

These are the bargain books I found for $1 each!

These are "You Choose" books - I loved books like this when I was a youngster!  I hope my kids will love them, too!  They are written in second person, placing you right in the story and you get to decide which way to go.  They are so much fun!  And lucky for the kids, this series is educational!  Ha!!!

This is the stuff I found for the American Girls.  Do you see those little Bibles?  They are real Bibles!  Of course, the best magnifying glass on earth would be required to read them!  The cards are AG trading cards.  And every girl needs new panties - even the American Girls!

I'm glad I got to go to the convention.  It was a great weekend.  :)