Thursday Sessions ...
"Taking that first giant step into home education is quite unnerving! What if I can't do it?"
"Teaching anything past the basic reading, 'writing, and 'rithmetic is rather intimidating, to say the least! So how will I ever make it through calculus, chemistry, and college entrance exams?"
"Working with a struggling learner is totally exhausting because of the enormous amount of energy that is constantly required! I love my child, but I'm burnt out and I don't think I can do this much longer."
We at MÂCHÉ believe that the 2019 Thursday Sessions (formerly called Preconference Tracks) will help to empower you with confidence, encourage you to take one step at a time, and give you tools you need to be the most effective parent-teacher you can be. Home education offers significant opportunities to shape the lives of your children and their world. All children are special and God has equipped parents to teach them best! The Thursday Sessions consist of three different focuses, each with the purpose of giving you basic information, fresh ideas, and answers to your questions.
The FirstClass Homeschool Sessions are for parents who are still considering or are beginning to home educate in the coming fall. Parents who just need to 'bone up on the basics' are also welcome to attend. The High School and Beyond Sessions are for parents getting ready to teach their middle and high school children who are on the verge of launching out into their future. Students are encouraged to attend these sessions with their parents. The Struggling Learners Sessions are for parents of children who struggle to learn, who are gifted intellectually but struggle in other areas, or who simply need to learn in a "nonstandard" way ... meaning something totally different for each individual.
Parents are free to mix and match any of the workshops. Family members may split up and attend different sessions.
The Thursday Sessions are held on Thursday, April 11, 2019 from 9:30am until 4:15pm at the RiverCentre in downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota. Registration begins at 8:30am.
FirstClass Homeschool
Teacher: Kris Cox
Homeschooling: Starting Off Right
9:30am - 10:45am, Meeting Room 4
There are so many details and things to learn as you get started in homeschooling your children! This session will cover the most important things to know, such as the Minnesota homeschool laws and details on how to follow them, how to make learning a lifestyle rather than just “doing school”, the importance of discipleship and building relationships while homeschooling, the value of the team approach, and how to foster a love for learning and a love for the Lord. This session will get you off to the right start on your homeschool journey!
HANDOUTS - SESSION TS-1 - Homeschooling: Starting Off Right - Cox
Choosing Curriculum to Fit Your Family
11:00am - 12:15pm, Meeting Room 4
How do you choose the best curriculum for your children? There are SO many choices it can feel overwhelming! Curricula are actually just tools to help you in the process of educating your children. However, choosing these tools wisely can make school much more enjoyable! This session will give insights into the process of choosing curriculum, plus give you a better understanding of the most popular teaching methods out there. The goal of this session is to help you think through your family’s homeschool goals, help you understand your preferred teaching methods, and give you insights into how to make the best curriculum choices for your family.
HANDOUTS - SESSION TS-2 - Choosing Curriculum to Fit Your Family - Cox
HANDOUTS - SESSION TS-2 - Choosing Curriculum to Fit Your Family 2 - Cox
Understanding Your Child’s Learning Style
1:30pm - 2:45pm, Meeting Room 4
We know God has uniquely created each of our children, right? But did you know that their unique personality can have an impact on the way they prefer to learn? Although most children can learn in a variety of ways, we all have learning style preferences that can be capitalized on. Knowing these preferences can help you choose curriculum and help you teach your children more effectively. This session will help you to determine your child’s preferred learning styles as well as your teaching style.
HANDOUTS - SESSION TS-3 - Understanding Your Child's Learning Styles - Cox
Planning and Scheduling: Managing Your Home and Homeschool Well
3:00pm - 4:15pm, Meeting Room 4
Home educating your children requires some forethought and planning to make things run smoothly and efficiently, both in your school day and in your home. This session will provide suggestions for organizing your school plans and schedule to fit your family best. You’ll learn some tips on keeping the house up by having children do chores, plus ideas for meal planning and organizing your home. Routine and planning can make your home life calmer and more relaxed, with children knowing what’s expected and parents feeling less overwhelmed and stressed!
HANDOUTS - SESSION TS-4 - Planning & Scheduling. Managing Your Home and Homeschool Well - Cox
High School & Beyond
Teacher: Woody Robertson
How to Homeschool High School
9:30am - 10:45am, Meeting Rooms 5-6
In this session, Woody practically walks parents through the high school years and provides a fresh look at the unique opportunities of homeschoolers. He’ll talk about dual credit, transcripts, and getting ready for college. But, most of all, he’ll discuss how to escape the conveyor belt of modern education confining a student to a curriculum’s prescribed scope and sequence. Instead he’ll encourage a personalized education which gives students autonomy to learn at their pace and ability, provides hands-on application, and ultimately inspires lifelong learners.
THERE ARE NO HANDOUTS AVAILABLE FOR THIS WORKSHOP.
Navigating Your Student’s Future: 3 Keys to Life Preparation
11:00am - 12:15pm, Meeting Rooms 5-6
Most parents have a secret fear of watching their children grow up to make poor, purposeless choices. You are not alone. And when speaking with young adults, we find that many of them feel overwhelmed by the amount of choices they face. However, parents can walk with their children through these decisions, not by knowing the future, but by exploring their child’s unique life purpose, asking the right questions, and pursuing real-life experiences.
THERE ARE NO HANDOUTS AVAILABLE FOR THIS WORKSHOP.
Dual Credit on Steroids: A Radical Approach to the Junior And Senior Years
1:30pm - 2:45pm, Meeting Room 5-6
How did our Founding Fathers graduate from college at 15, 16, and 17 years old? This practical session gives an inspiring overview to what’s happened to education and how today’s students can maximize their high school study by incorporating a souped-up version of dual credit into their daily schedule using the curriculum they already own. Topics covered include: how to combine high school and college and earn your bachelor’s degree by age 18, how to record dual credit on a high school transcript, how to create a daily schedule, and much more. Learn how to graduate from college by the time your peers are graduating high school. We’re serious!
THERE ARE NO HANDOUTS AVAILABLE FOR THIS WORKSHOP.
8 Practical Steps to Life after High School: Training Starts Now
3:00pm - 4:15pm, Meeting Rooms 5-6
In a day when education standards have plummeted and the job industry is glutted with a lackluster and clogged employee base, there is tremendous opportunity for those with passion and skill. This information-packed session prepares students to launch into the next phase of life with vigor, excellence and confidence. Topics include: dressing for success, creative conversation techniques, essential character qualities, time management, résumé and business building, and more! Today’s activities and choices will either help or hinder future successes. Look out world! The next generation of leaders are on their way.
THERE ARE NO HANDOUTS AVAILABLE FOR THIS WORKSHOP.
Struggling Learners
Teacher: Peggy Ployhar
The Essentials of Special Education Homeschooling
9:30am - 10:45am, Meeting Room 3
Homeschooling is the ultimate individualized education plan, so it’s not a wonder why parents of special needs children consider this educational choice. In this talk, Peggy Ployhar, the CEO of SPED Homeschool, covers what it takes to get started homeschooling, avoiding and conquering common pitfalls, and how to homeschool special education through high school. This talk is filled with practical advice from the trenches of homeschooling for 14 years and working a decade as a special needs homeschooling consultant.
HANDOUTS - SESSION TS-1 - The Essentials of Special Education Homeschooling - Ployhar
Customizing Your Curriculum
11:00am - 12:15pm, Meeting Room 3
As the CEO of SPED Homeschool, former Special Needs Team Lead for the Texas Home School Coalition (THSC), and former Special Needs Coordinator of MÂCHÉ, Peggy Ployhar speaks to one of the most frequently asked questions she receives: “What curriculum would be best to teach the unique needs of my child?” Whether you have a child who has a specific diagnosis or one who just struggles in one area of school, Peggy addresses in this talk how to take the curriculum you already own (or plan to use), adjust it to meet the specific needs of your child, and consequently dissolve the struggles you are currently seeing in homeschooling your unique child.
HANDOUTS - SESSION TS-2 - Customizing Your Curriculum - Ployhar
How to Write an IEP and Then Use it Effectively in Your Homeschool
1:30pm - 2:45pm, Meeting Room 3
An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is a tool that public and private school special needs teachers use to set progress goals for their students. Join Peggy Ployhar, the CEO of SPED Homeschool, for a very "how-to" oriented introduction on the basics of writing and implementing an IEP, homeschool style. This talk will take you through the entire process of the hows and whys of an IEP, the legality of the using a homeschool IEP based on the American Disabilities Act and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as well as many teaching strategies on how to reach IEP goals for specific diagnosis and learning struggles.
HANDOUTS - SESSION TS-3 - Writing an IEP & Using It Effectively in Your Homeschool - Ployhar
Homeschool Special Education with Cheap Online Resources
3:00pm - 4:15pm, Meeting Room 3
Peggy Ployhar, the CEO of SPED Homeschool, has a Pinterest board featuring over 6,000 online resources for special needs homeschooling parents. In creating these boards, Peggy has discovered countless free and cheap resources parents of special needs students can use to teach at home. From teaching basic elementary concepts to high school level courses, in this talk, Peggy will highlight her favorite resources for parents. Come and see how you can save some money while meeting the specific needs of your unique learner using cheap online resources.
HANDOUTS - SESSION TS-4 - Homeschool Special Education with Cheap Online Resources - Ployhar
