Texas Homeschool Coalition Conference

This is our second year to attend the conference as a family. My husband insists on coming and he even commented on the fact that the next conference is during his busy time at work. So we may have to pick a different conference here in Texas to attend. We like to arrive early the first day and let the kids play and swim because we know by the end of the conference they will be totally wiped out. We really wanted to make sure we made it early this year so we could hear Gov. Rick Perry as he opened the conference. Let me tell you there is no better friend to Texas, homeschoolers (and public schoolers) then this man! Sorry, Kay (I love this congresswoman!!!). Gov. Perry gave a great speech and it was a wonderful start to a great conference!

This year Peyton attended the Special Buddies and Parker attended the Children's Conference and Pearsy hung out with Ma&Pa. In both sections the children learn Bible Verses & Hymns and at the end they do a performance in front of the attendees.

This year we saw Voddie Buchman, James Strobaugh , Sally Clarkson& Micheal Hazell.

Voddie was of course an awesome speaker and Wayne purchased a few of CD's for our listening enjoyment and to spur us on to greater works!

I think my homeschooling was most effected by Strobaugh and one line he said in his seminar which was 'what you teach is not as important as what you don't teach.' What he meant is that if we are trying to do too much we will not be able to teach anything well!Ouch!!! Every time he spoke I went to see him (Except the highschool talk!) Then I went to see his wife talk about spelling and I learned a great deal about the teaching of spelling. How blessed their children must be to have such thoughtful parents.

Sally Clarkson's classes made me want to grab my kids and hug them until their hair went straight! And I have already started to institutes some of her suggestions to enhance family togetherness.

Another very fruitful class that I attended was from the author of Write at home in which I learned a lot about how to teach grammar. I also won a free paper evaluation which was a $25 value.

Hazell's classes were interesting but they were clouded by his attempts to sell his curriculum 'My Father's World'.

I really enjoy attending this conference because its a combination of a giant homeschool pep rally and continuing education for teachers and don't we all need a little pep!

Happy Schooling!

RH Academy