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The Teaching Home
E-MAIL NEWSLETTER
Information, Inspiration, and Encouragement
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Number 33
April 7, 2003
Cindy Short and Sue Welch, editors
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You are welcome to forward this newsletter in its entirety.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Getting the Most Out of Home-School
Conventions, Conferences, and Book Fairs
Benefits of Attending
Who Should Go with You
Registration
Preparation
The Day Before
Convention Manners
At the Convention
Exhibit Hall
Networking
Follow-Up
Copyright-Free Notice
Recommended Resources
Mathematics Enrichment Program Online
The Patterns of English Spelling
Homeschool Bookworm
Unless The Lord . . . Magazine
Sunny Side Up: Humorous Anecdote
Greetings!
Unique benefits await you at your local, regional, or state
home-school convention, conference, or book fair. We urge you
to attend!
And be sure to get the most our of any home-school event
with the practical check-list in this issue.
May the Lord bless you and your family for His glory.
Sincerely,
Pat, Sue, Heather, Holly, and Brian Welch
The Teaching Home is a 22-year-old, home-school family business.
http://www.TeachingHome.com
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Mathematics Enrichment Program Online
SchoolPlus Math Enrichment Distance Program covers
all topics of a standard mathematics curriculum for
grades 2-7. We expose kids to non-routine, challenging
math problems to encourage creative thinking in
mathematics. See free sample lessons online.
http://www.school-plus.com/distance_math
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Getting the Most Out of Home-School
Conventions, Conferences, and Book Fairs
Find out when your state convention is at
http://www.teachinghome.com/states/index.cfm
Benefits of Attending
The opportunities brought together in this once-a-year event
can renew and expand your vision for teaching and training your
children. Be encouraged, rejuvenated, inspired, motivated, and
better equipped to home school.
__ Speakers can broaden your horizons as they expose you to new
ideas, methods, materials, and approaches as well as remind you
of the basics.
__ Workshops give you practical training in various and specific
topics to make your teaching more efficient.
__ Exhibit Halls enable you to examine, compare, and purchase a
great variety of the latest and best of home education materials,
technologies, and products from hundreds of selections in one
place. Discuss products and speak to authors or knowledgeable
representatives to learn more and to get your questions answered.
You can also usually save on shipping.
__ Networking with other like-minded home schoolers can offer
valuable friendship and support.
__ Extras. Check to see if any of the following are offered:
* Used Curriculum Sale.
* Teens' or Children's Programs.
* Tapes of General Sessions and Workshops.
* Luncheon or Meeting for Support Group Leaders.
* Graduation Ceremony.
* Boxed Lunch or Snack Bar.
* Special Hotel Room Rates.
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Buy Teaching Home Back Issues Online
http://theteachinghomen.goemerchant7.com
Find Information, Inspiration & Encouragement
Select from 51 Never-Out-of-Date Back Issues
Search for Topics You Need
Each Issue Is Pictured and All Articles Are Listed
Practical How-Tos & Teaching Tips
Visit The Teaching Home Website for:
Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Home Schooling.
http://www.TeachingHome.com/started/q&a/index.cfm
Articles on Home-School Basics.
http://www.TeachingHome.com/started/index.cfm
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Who Should Go with You
__ Spouse. It is ideal for a husband and wife to go together in
order to share perspectives and to keep focused on family goals
and budget.
__ Friend. If it is not possible for your spouse to attend, a
friend can help you in much the same way.
__ Hotel Room. If you need to travel far, you may want to take a
room overnight in which you can also stow purchases or take a
brief rest.
__ Nursing Babies, of course, stay with Mom.
__ Young Children. Children may not be allowed and will be a
distraction; either you will not be able to get all you can out
of the convention, or you will not be able to give adequate care
to your children.
__ Teens and Older Children. If your convention offers special
programs for teens and older children you may want to consider
this option.
Registration
Check out these cost-cutting options:
__ Preregister Early. This can save you money that you can spend
on buying materials.
__ Volunteer To Work. A few hours or more can be a real help to
the organization sponsoring the event, and you may be rewarded by
a reduced entrance fee and/or other benefits. You will also get
to know some great home schoolers while working with them.
__ Join Organization. By joining, you help support home-school
efforts in your area, plus you may receive discounts on your
convention fee and on membership in Home School Legal Defense
Association.
__ Special Rates for couples, grandparents, teens, children,
pastors, and other full-time ministers.
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The Patterns of English Spelling
The only reference tool of its kind. Use its
general index to look up a spelling word such as
"delicious" and find the page (p. 885) where all
43 "cious" words can be found -- from "vicious" to
"supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." See:
http://www.spelling.org
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Preparation
The vast array of workshops and exhibit booths, combined
with a limited time to take it all in, can be overwhelming when
you walk into a convention unprepared.
On the other hand, if you go with a plan and focus on your
purpose and priorities, you can spend your time more wisely and
get the most out of the convention.
__ Your Spouse. This is an ideal time to discuss with your
spouse your overall and yearly home-school goals and plans.
First, accept our gracious Lord's offer of wisdom and direction
to those who ask in faith. Then pray about who should
attend the convention and what your purposes are in attending.
__ Gather Information. Obtain a convention schedule, list of
exhibitors, exhibit hall floor plan.
__ Make Selections. Choose speakers' sessions and workshops you
want to attend. Prioritize and mark as "must attend" or "would
like to attend if possible," and select sessions of which you
would like to buy tapes.
__ Compare your agenda with that of your spouse or friend
attending with you and see if you can each cover several
different sessions separately and then share their content with
each other.
__ Research. Check out publishers' and suppliers' catalogs (in
print or online) to plan exactly which materials you would like
to examine and consider. The more you know beforehand, the more
you will profit from the opportunity of hands-on comparison
shopping. You can link to 123 home-school suppliers at
http://www.teachinghome.com/resources/index.cfm.
__ Shopping List. You probably would not go to the grocery
store without a list. Make a list of specific materials or the
types of materials you will be looking for to meet the
instructional needs of each of your children according to the
goals you and your husband have discussed.
__ Identify four or five "must see" exhibitors, then prioritize the
rest. Mark your program or exhibit hall floor plan, or make a list.
__ Questions. Make a list of questions to ask exhibitors,
speakers, and/or other attendees.
__ Budget. Determine your budget with your husband. Along with
your shopping list and goals, this will help you make purchasing
decisions.
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Your Source for New & Used Curriculum on the Web!
Quality educational materials from publishers you
know and trust -- at family-friendly prices.
http://www.HomeschoolBookworm.com
Click on "Specials" on green menu bar at top of
our home page for reduced prices on "Childhood of
Famous Americans" series.
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The Day Before
Make these last minute preparations.
__ Family Needs. Spend some special time with your children and
husband. Prepare meals and make provision to meet other needs
while you are at the convention. Confirm child care arrangements.
__ Directions. Make sure you know exactly how to get to the
convention facility and what parking is available so that you do
not lose valuable time and emotional energy just getting there.
__ Schedule. Plan to leave in time to be early or on time.
Otherwise, at the end of the day, you will wish you had another
hour or two.
__ Pack items you will take with you. You do not want to be
laden down with too much stuff, but here are some essentials.
* Directions and/or map.
* Cash, checks, or debit card.
* Highlighter to mark your program.
* Canvas tote(s) for handouts and purchases.
* Steno pad and pens to take lots of notes.
* Return address mailing labels to use in filling out forms.
* Watch to keep track of time so you won't miss sessions.
* Comfortable walking shoes.
* Water, snack, and lunch, unless you have other plans.
__ Sleep and Eat. Get a good night's sleep and a good breakfast.
Convention Manners
Observe these guidelines to show consideration to everyone
involved at the convention.
__ Convention Rules. Follow the rules set out for the convention
regarding food and beverage in exhibit hall (check if bottled
water is OK), children, strollers, etc.
__ Exhibitors. Support the ones who help you. Do not take up an
exhibitor's time in counseling and explaining his products and
then go buy the same product from another exhibitor or from or a
discount supplier. Exhibitors help make the convention possible.
__ Babies and Children. Immediately remove a crying or
disrupting child from a workshop or meeting. Ask your child to
give his chair to an adult if there is not enough seating.
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Unless The Lord . . . Magazine
Encouraging and practical articles, testimonies,
and articles on some of the more "difficult" issues.
Topics include home schooling, child raising, marriage,
courtship/betrothal, health, childbirth/home births,
country living, home business, homemaking and crafts.
http://www.unlessthelordmagazine.com
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At the Convention
Once at the convention, follow your plan.
__ Schedule. If you have not already obtained and marked a
schedule and exhibit hall floor plan, do this first.
__ Breaks. Take breaks to rest your feet, reassess your
progress, and write notes while your impressions are fresh.
__ Speakers. Don't expect to agree with everything a speaker
says. Compare everything to God's Word; accept and use what you
can and let the rest go.
__ The Unexpected. Allow some free time to take advantage of an
unexpected opportunity.
Exhibit Hall
__ Work Your Plan. Use your prioritized plan of booth visits
and your shopping list to do your "must see" visits first, then
go through the exhibit hall finding and learning more new things.
__ Talk to vendors about their products' methods, goals, and
philosophy, and how to use them. Use your list of questions.
__ Purchases. Use the parcel check if available, or take your
purchases to your room or car rather than tire yourself carrying
them around.
__ Busy. If the sales representatives are busy at a "must see"
booth, go on and return later, or ask to be included in the
discussion by saying, "I'm interested in this product too. May I
listen in?"
__ Sleep on It. If you are attending two days, gather
information the first day, and then think and pray overnight
about the purchases you are contemplating before making the
actual purchases.
__ Also visit nonprofit and service organizations' booths to
find out what they can offer you (e.g., your state organization,
Home School Legal Defense Association, and National Home
Education Research Institute).
__ Give Feedback. When appropriate, tell a vendor about your
needs, opinions, and experiences so that your input can help them
produce products and services that better meet the needs of home
schoolers. Try to give a brief, succinct, one or two sentence
statement that it is clear, focused, and does not take up too
much time.
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Please Thank & Support Sponsoring Advertisers!
These free newsletters are made possible financially
by the fine suppliers who advertise in them.
Please remember those that have advertised in our
last issue (below) as well as the ones in this issue.
The Bible in Living Sound.
http://bibleinlivingsound.gospelcom.net
Hands-On Bible Curriculum.
http://www.handsonbible.com/homeschool.htm
Timberdoodle Co., a Mailorder Homeschool Resource.
http://www.timberdoodle.com
Henty Books and The Captain magazine.
http://www.prestonspeed.com
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Networking
__ Meet and talk to other attendees; greet old friends and make
new ones.
__ Ask advice. Get feedback on ideas and products and
share opinions and experiences. You may get your most valuable
information and encouragement from another home-school mom.
__ Offer to help someone. Hold a baby and give a mother's arms a
rest; find a new home schooler (it will be obvious) and give a
word or more of encouragement; find someone alone who needs you
to just listen for awhile; offer to help a speaker or exhibitor.
Smile at everyone.
Follow-Up
__ Debriefing. Have a debriefing discussion with your spouse
or friend. Talking over the ideas and products you encountered
at the convention will help you sort through things, keeping some
and discarding others, focusing on how to get the most out of
your experience.
__ Just Do It. Return home with at least one new idea that will
make a difference in your home school to put into practice. Look
over all your notes while they are fresh, and narrow down all the
wonderful things you would like to do to no more than six. Then
prioritize your list and start on the first one the following week.
__ Be Accountable. Ask your husband or a friend to pray for you
and keep you accountable to work on your goal. It is good to have
ongoing accountability to share ideas and objectives and require
updates from each other on a regular basis. The results may
surprise and encourage you.
__ Share the information you have gathered with your support
group or someone who was not able to attend. Let them know if you
would recommend that they plan to attend next year.
__ Clean Up. Sort literature you received into four categories:
1) take action 2) save for future reference or reading,
3) pass on to someone else, 4) toss.
__ Thank Yous! Write a thank you note to those who put so much
effort into planning and putting on the convention, a speaker
that ministered to you, or an exhibitor that took time to help
you.
Copyright-Free Notice
This article, "Getting the Most Out of Home-School
Conventions, Conferences, and Book Fairs," is offered for you to
use free of copyright. You may adapt it to your particular event
and print it or post it on your website.
See policies at the end of this newsletter for reprinting
other articles.
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Sunny Side Up
After a spelling test, I was checking for mistakes when our
4-year-old daughter gave me her paper. She had written "NDN,"
her version of "Indian."
Sent by Donna S., North Las Vegas, Nevada
You are also invited to submit your humorous anecdote.
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God Loves You.
Because we were separated from God by sin, Jesus Christ died
in our place, then rose to life again. If we trust Jesus Christ
as our Savior and Lord, He will give us eternal life.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of
works, that no one should boast" (Eph. 2:8, 9).
http://www.TeachingHome.com/about/salvation.cfm
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