Convention Speakers & Workshops

A life-long student of motivation, Andrew has organized fundamental ideas of motivation into categories: four forms of relevancy, three laws of motivation, and two secret weapons. This expansion of Andrew’s previous talk Teaching Boys & Other Children Who Would Rather Be Making Forts All Day includes new and updated stories, tips, and information.

Most of us have presuppositions about what high school is based on our own experience. Times are changing, and the opportunities for home educating high schoolers have grown rapidly. Many of these opportunities will save time, help your family avoid higher education debt, and give your teens a head start on their next decade of life.

While we try to carefully choose and use the best curricula for our homeschool, several factors have a far greater impact on day-to-day teaching and learning than the differences in materials or methods of instruction. From schedule to diet and from exercise to environment, you can use simple lifestyle adjustments to make home education less stressful, more joyful, and more effective.

Learning to write is foundational to a child’s education, but for many students it is confusing and frustrating. Likewise, for some teachers, training students in composition can seem overly complex and burdensome. However, teaching students to write well is not only possible, but it can be enjoyable! Learn how to get started using IEW’s effective and enjoyable approach for teaching composition to reluctant writers, gifted students, and everyone in between. Using models, checklists, and a clear pathway for incremental skill progression—an approach we call EZ+1—IEW’s Structure and Style® writing method instills confidence and builds competence in writing for students of all ages and abilities. You can teach your students to write. We can help.

Many teachers and parents think that good readers will naturally become good writers. Others think that writing talent is just that—a natural ability—some have it, others don’t. Both are myths. History and modern research show very clearly how good writers develop and demonstrate the two most critical things needed for a high level of aptitude in writing. With humor and insight, Andrew will share the two easy but unbelievably powerful things you can do to build language patterns and nurture competent communicators in your classroom or family.

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the evil in the world and the complexities of modern life? While unassisted human flight, hurling ships across the ocean, and X-ray vision are still only comic book fantasies, we can make ourselves do anything we would want to (or should!) do, thereby being able to accomplish seemingly impossible things! Such superpowers are available and can be developed by the practice of three traditional Christian disciplines.

2012 was the hardest and best year of my life. On the one hand I had personal blindspots revealed which caused pain to those who were closest to me. At the same time, God revealed his unconditional love in a new way. I am now, by God’s grace, in the best place I have ever been with my wife and sons.

When we began our journey of teaching our children we purchased several little desks at a yard sale and refinished them. Then we acquired textbooks and workbooks and taped the alphabet to the walls around our school room. Later we moved to the kitchen table, and finally we discovered a well rounded education is not confined to a classroom, but embodies character, relationships, and God.

Steve begins by relating the ingredients for a doable plan of family worship and shares obstacles he wrestled with to lead his family. Then we will break up into small groups and practice having family devotions. Come and be equipped and encouraged.

Math is so much more than memorizing rules and facts. With a unique and humorous approach, Steve demonstrates how to use hands-on manipulatives to illustrate important math concepts such as place value, double digit multiplication, fractions, algebra, exponents, squares, square roots, and factoring trinomials.

This workshop is applicable for any earnest Christian who desires to develop this habit or needs encouragement to keep reading through the Bible. After examining the Scriptures and hearing about Steve’s own experience, all will be encouraged to continue to grow in their walk with God.

In this action-packed and fast-paced presentation, Will discusses the history of parental rights from the dawn of civilization to present day, how homeschooling fits in, and the challenges and battles ahead.

In this informative talk, Will discusses the law in your state, and how homeschool families can take steps to protect their children from abuse and neglect, as well as from unnecessary and traumatic investigations by CPS investigators.

Will shares from the heart about being a homeschool graduate and homeschool dad. In this session, he encourages dads of homeschool students, diving into Scripture, giving practical tips, and sharing what he has learned in his own homeschool journey.

In this informative and engaging talk, Will discusses the homeschool law in your state. He covers what parents should know, relevant court decisions and legislation, and issues HSLDA has been working on, both legislatively and legally, in your state.

Will draws on his 20+ years of experience as a federal lobbyist, federal bureaucrat, candidate for public office, and HSLDA attorney to discuss how homeschoolers can engage with their federal representatives. He shares tips on how homeschool families can effectively engage with their federal representatives, explains what HSLDA is doing on the national scene, and discusses UN treaties, future threats, and opportunities.

Everyone likes a good joke, and as much as some people hate on them, even a dad joke at the right time can brighten your day. But have you ever wondered what makes a joke funny? This two-part workshop will introduce your children to the art and science of constructing jokes and puns that are sure to break up any long school day.

This is a continuation of Part 1.

Come learn what it takes to be a good communicator as our CIBAD students share speeches that will inform, entertain, and inspire you!  Our students will demonstrate the basic types of speeches:  platforms, impromptus, and interpretives.  For those of you who enjoy a good argument, our students will also give a fun introduction debate and demonstrate that listening is a key to good communication.  We will enjoy teaching you communication skills through some fun interactive activities as well!

Join James and Arkasia Cox as they discuss walking alongside your children through the process of selecting a spouse.

Are you feeling overwhelmed planning your school year? Struggling to fit in your curriculum along with the extras you want to include? Perhaps in previous years, you couldn’t complete everything or spent so much time reworking the schedule that you felt discouraged. Roadmapping is designed to give you a flexible yet organized overview of your year, helping you outline your goals and tasks without getting bogged down in fine details. We will discuss techniques such as loop scheduling, journaling, & more. This class will provide ideas to help you structure a plan to stay on track and accomplish what you set out to achieve for the year, offering a clear path to success without overwhelming specifics.

Discover how to launch a family business with your kids, regardless of their age! In this workshop, I’ll guide you through practical steps and creative strategies to start a business together. Whether your children are young or teens, you’ll gain valuable insights on fostering entrepreneurial skills and creating a rewarding experience for the whole family. This workshop includes a hands-on and interactive experience of the first steps of starting a small business. We will work through the basics and you will leave with the confidence to help your kids or your whole family start a small business.

Empowering your children with essential life skills is crucial for their development and future success. This class will guide you through the importance of equipping your kids with practical skills such as financial literacy, problem-solving, home management, and more. We’ll explore why these skills are vital for building independence, resilience, and confidence. Learn effective strategies for integrating life skills into your daily routines. Discover how fostering these abilities prepares your children for the challenges and opportunities of adulthood, setting them on a path to becoming capable and self-sufficient individuals.

First we will dash through the days of creation and then focus on the dinosaurs. From their bones in the ground to stories from History, we will uncover the Mystery of the Dinos before moving on to the Tower of Babel and Ancient Man.

Brian and I were blessed with a two week trip to Africa. We saw everything from a baby rhino to a snarling badger, from tall giraffes to herds of elephants all while on an open jeep safari in the wild African Bush. Kids will not only see the animals in their natural habitat, they will learn of how they were uniquely designed for survival.

45 years ago, when Mt. St. Helens erupted, the surrounding topography was changed in a day. This picture packed PowerPoint presentation along with the hand motions, displays and song will help kids understand how the Flood of Noah’s day quickly changed the topography of the entire earth. Although this class has been especially designed for 5 to 12 year olds, it offers adults the joy of learning too and they are welcome to sit in.

This workshop will cover both math and reading. You will learn how to help your child grasp the math concepts of place value, addition and subtraction, borrowing, fractions, multiplication and division by using hands-on manipulatives and patterns. It will show how to simplify the basic concepts of kindergarten and also the abstract concepts of algebra. Whether your child has difficulty grasping mathematical concepts or just needs to be able to work at a quicker speed, you will walk away with some practical ways of helping them. The second half of the workshop will cover reading and spelling also in a hands-on, pattern driven format. Although the Art of Reading was specifically developed and successfully used to teach dyslexic children, the method can be used to quicken the learning process of any child.

Lessons learned from a second-generation homeschool mom. What to do when you’ve bought too much, or maybe you’ve discovered you need to switch curriculum because what worked for your friend is not working for you! We will cover all these subjects and more. We’ll explore strategies to simplify your homeschool day, so you can get back to what really matters—enjoying the learning journey with your kids. Walk away with practical tips that will help you create a homeschool routine that’s both effective and enjoyable for your entire family.

Boys and girls learn differently — it’s a fact supported by science! Join us for a deep dive into the unique challenges and opportunities of teaching boys to read and spell. You’ll discover why some common strategies fall flat with boys and learn new approaches that will keep them engaged and excited about learning. From what to do and what not to do, this session offers fresh insights and practical tips for keeping your active boys on track. Plus, you’ll take home a list of game-based activities that turn learning into a fun adventure, no matter their age.

Discover 10 easy strategies to add the FUN back into teaching your kids to read and spell together as a family! (And it’s not what you think!) It’s time to think differently, so you can ignite your kids’ curiosity and help them to develop a love of reading and spelling, even if they are reluctant readers, spellers, or even if they currently hate them both! Let’s ditch tedious learning activities and truly have fun while homeschooling. Great for ages... 2 to Teen!

Little and big budding artists will enjoy Terri’s Mimic the Master classes, offering 3 sessions of Pablo Picasso on Friday, April 11. We will learn about the artist, giggle, and take home a completed 11x14 canvas and experience to cherish. Cost: $20 per student | 20 student max

Little and big budding artists will enjoy Terri’s Mimic the Master classes, offering 3 sessions of Bob Ross on Saturday, April 12. We will learn about the artist, giggle, and take home a completed 11x14 canvas and experience to cherish. Cost: $20 per student | 20 student max

Learn how to “Diagnose and Correct” learning disabilities, or just mild processing glitches.

This is for your ‘puzzling child’. Is it just a maturity issue, or is something else going on? If you have a bright, hardworking child who has to work too hard to learn, he is telling you that one or more of his Four Learning Gates is blocked. You can easily pinpoint which of your child’s gates are blocked. Learn how to be your own diagnostician using a checklist of symptoms, and then learn the necessary interventions. This can be done by the parents at home. It doesn’t have to be so hard for your child!

Find out specifically how the brain processes information, and where that processing can break down. You will learn things you have never heard of before in a Homeschool workshop. A homeschooling mom with a Ph.D. in special education said that she learned more in this workshop about how kids learn and how to make learning easier, than she had in all her university courses!

Is your child a right brain learner?

Half of the population is right brain dominant, and half is left brain dominant. You may have a right brain learner in your midst! These wonderful children learn in a different manner than their left-brain siblings. If you have a child who does not “like’” schoolwork no matter what you do, you will learn much in this workshop.

You will learn how to identify the right brainchild and learn many simple teaching techniques, such as Right Brain Spelling (making the words “stick instead of slip”) and Right Brain Reading. (As a bonus, you will also understand your spouse better since we tend to marry the opposite hemisphere…God’s sense of humor!)

By using a totally different strategy, we consistently see a two-year gain in reading and spelling in one year! Parents say, “I can’t believe it, but my child asks to do spelling now.”

Do you have a child who seems to be “allergic” to a pencil?

If you have a child who groans and fusses about writing, or still writes reversals, or spells a word orally correctly but leaves out letters when he writes, this workshop is for you! This child’s math papers are often hard to read because the numbers are lined up so poorly! These children are often thought of as sloppy, lazy, or unmotivated when they really have a writing glitch. They are using way too much energy for the writing process, so they are reluctant to put pencil to paper for anything. This often is a true Dysgraphia. The writing learning gate is the most common gate that is blocked with gifted kids. They know so much, but just can’t get their thoughts down in writing because of this blocked learning gate.

“Visual memory is far superior to auditory memory. It is essentially perfect.” The Brain Book, Peter Russell

Many people think that some are just born with a “photographic memory”. But we now know that this amazing ability can be easily taught. Teach your children the lifelong skill of studying for tests by taking a picture of the contents of a chapter. These memory techniques are commonly used by Cambridge University students to reduce studying time.

For some children, math is a monster! They hate it and always feel dumb when doing it. These children have difficulty learning math facts. They tend to do poorly on tests, because they “forget” how to do the math processes (division, fractions, algebra, etc.) In this workshop you will learn how to help your child 1) finally store the math facts in their long-term memory, and 2) finally store math processes in their long-term memory. Your child will finally be able to pass the math tests and go on to the higher math courses using right brain math. No curriculum to purchase… just fast, effective, right brain strategies to use at home to reduce math frustration and tears! So many moms report that their child now likes math.

These powerful visual memory techniques work with all types of learners and can be a Godsend for a child who has an auditory processing glitch. Have a happier child this year. Even works with adults!

Johnny is a constant motion machine. Tom cries in frustration over minor matters. Susie forgets what she has just learned. According to Dr. Sydney Walker, children tend to “act how they feel”. This fascinating workshop provides you with clues to your child’s brain/body chemistry. William Crook, MD, has found that over 85% of children who suffer with Sensory Processing Disorders or attention or mood disorders when older have experienced multiple ear infections as a young child. Untreated, these children often go on to have many hidden food allergies and asthma.

It is easy to correct these imbalances at home and dramatically affect your child’s learning day. The testimonies that we receive from parents across the United States who are using these simple remedies with their children are amazing!

Do you have a child whom you suspect has an Auditory Processing Problem? Become your child’s own diagnostician as you identify, bypass, and correct auditory processing problems with your child at home. There are ten auditory channels. Some channels affect academics (reading, phonics and sight words, spelling, and math), while others affect everyday life (easily confused, misunderstands verbal information, sequencing, hearing own silent thinking voice, can’t think with background noise, poor working memory, speech delay or articulation issues).

Learn to identify the exact auditory channels that are affected. Learn to bypass the auditory learning glitch by using the child’s natural photographic memory and how to correct the auditory glitch by using the proven methods of home Brain Integration Therapy. MIT research shows that Targeted Nutrition Interventions (such as using the correct amounts of Essential Fatty Acids and a special supplement called lecithin) greatly improve memory in children and adults. Find out what common food can be contributing to a child’s articulation issues, by causing them to hear sounds, ‘like under water.”

This session will be a short introduction to American Sign Language. Participants will learn the manual alphabet, numbers 1-10, and basic communication skills as well as valuable Deaf Culture information. Opportunity to practice and use the language will be provided for a hands-on experience. $10 per student (includes both sessions) | 15 student max

Good books for boys are hard to find. Most boys read only what they want to read. Otherwise, they would rather be doing something. Boys are wired differently than girls, and they respond to different things. This workshop will be both informative and interactive, addressing how God designed boys to be, what boys need from parents and teachers, and what they need from books. Using illustrations from his own books, hearing you share your own experiences, and sharing guidance from other writers, Paul will encourage you in your quest to raise boys to be Christian men. He will bring a display of books on this important challenge.

In this video presentation followed by live Q&A, cognitive psychologist Dr. Amy Moore will share tips for understanding and helping children with ADHD. With humor and real-life examples, Dr. Amy will ask you to examine five lifestyle pillars of influence on your child’s behavior and learning including sleep, nutrition, physical activity, stress, and cognitive engagement. You’ll learn tips to help your kids manage the big emotions associated with ADHD and be able to engage more easily in thinking and learning.

Character is the most important fruit that parents can nurture in their children, and is the foundation not only for academic learning, but also for success in life! Discover how character is learned, and how to develop a plan for teaching it to your children. Kathie will give several creative & practical ways to encourage your children to develop in this important area and help your kids grow in Godly character.

Do you often feel like you end up getting off track by the end of the day? Are you just struggling to “get it all done" everyday, get your kids back in line, and your homeschooling rolling smoothly? How do you sort through the distractions, get back on track, and stay there?

As homeschooling moms, it is always a challenge to balance our many roles and accomplish what we need to without being distracted. But it IS possible! Kathie will share practical ideas on staying focused, and being a wise manager of your time, so you can get those important things done!

Homeschooling is more about discipleship than academics. We are investing in eternity as we prepare our children to fulfill God’s purpose for their lives, so there is no higher calling.  Often we forget this and get distracted from our vision, including the purpose and goals of homeschooling. Kathie will share 10 key things every homeschool parent should remember. You will be encouraged and inspired to stay focused on your God-given priorities.

There are no easy answers to teaching a number of children of different ages, and there's no doubt that doing so is a real challenge that requires patience and creativity. Though we may feel it's pushing us to our limits, it provides opportunities for our kids to learn responsibility, independence, and self-control. Kathie Morrissey, mother of 8 children, will share many practical tips and ideas to make your school time more productive, and your job easier.

Do you struggle with a child that is difficult or challenging? One that causes you exasperation and takes more time and energy than all your other children put together? How do you respond to the resentment and anger he stirs up in you? How do you responded to him? There IS hope and help! Get answers to these questions that will encourage you and help you deal wisely and lovingly with that child.

"What about socialization?" has been the most asked question in homeschool history. Few think biblically or historically about what socialization truly is. In this talk we will expose the bad roots of today's perspective of socialization and lay out both a biblical and relistic view of its implementation in culture.

Homeschooling without joy is like rowing a boat against a strong current... little headway is made and everyone gets worn out. Learn how to foster a spirit of joy and encouragement in your home.

Rexx and Jester are Characters from an exciting book series by Chris Solaas. They travel across dimensions keeping cross-dimensional pirates at bay and entertain with music, jokes, and magic tricks to keep their audiences entertained. They will wow kids with a 30-minute puppet show and sing-along about friendship and the importance of school, and then author Chris Solaas will teach older kids about how to create a story from just an idea, while his wife Rebecca entertains the younger kids with coloring pages and shows them how to make their own comic books.

Rexx and Jester are at it again with another puppet show about fear and courage. Full of music, jokes and magic tricks, they are sure to entertain. After they are done, author Chris Solaas and his wife Rebecca will teach the children a few songs about where to find courage in time of trouble, and help them make a craft keepsake to remind them.