Back from the Homeschool Conference

OK, it’s true, I’ve actually been back from the conference for a week. But I’m finally getting a minute to write about it.

This was the first year I went to the conference with my kids, so I got to experience it from that point of view. And it was everything I’d hoped for! My very crafty younger child was in heaven. She dove into session after session, doing parent-led activities in art, science, math, and just plain fun. We came home with a huge bag of stuff she’d made or collected, including a solar oven made in a pizza box, two pairs of handmade earrings, and several inscrutable objects made from wood and nails. She was busy, busy, busy every minute of the day, which suits her well.

My 13-year-old held back from getting too involved in things at first. He’s more of a watcher, and he found a lot to watch. Finally, at the end of the first afternoon when I was busy giving a workshop, he went to a workshop on his own. He came back totally on fire, excited about the content and about the connection he’d made with the homeschooling dad who led it. The next day he was deeply inspired by listening to Jim Weiss tell stories of Sherlock Holmes. He didn’t connect with the teen conference, but I’m guessing that will happen slowly as he gets more comfortable with the scene.

I had fun watching other parents work with and play with my kids. One of the great things about the conference is how you get so much input from other parents for your own homeschooling journey. Even though every family is different and has different ideas of how to do things, finding out how one parent does it is very inspiring.

I also had fun doing workshops for other parents and teens. This year was punctuated with really excellent, intense conversations during my workshops. It was nice to be able to experience both sides of the conference this year, though I have to admit I missed the contemplative time that I usually have when I go without my kids.

This conference has a reputation of being “for unschoolers,” but as someone who is in no way a pure unschooler, I can assure you that any family would get a lot out of it. I think that homeschooling families working together and contributing to each other’s experiences—as we also do at the DLC—is one of the most important parts of the homeschooling experience. Although you might never do things exactly like other parents whose workshops you attend at the conference, you’ll gain ideas, insight, and inspiration.

For future reference, the conference happens yearly in August in Sacramento. Get on the HSC mailing list to hear when they open up registration for next year.

Posted by Suki 8/12/12