2023 Conference Schedule
Monday May 15th, 2023
12 PM (EST)
Diversifying the Feast: Finding Beauty Through Culturally Rich Learning
There are innumerable ways to integrate voices of color into our children’s lessons naturally and consistently through the years. Formal and informal opportunities for diversifying the feast exist within history, literature, music, art, poetry, and more. Some studies will lead our students to grapple with complex stories, tragedies, and trials. But we also have a unique opportunity to highlight the triumphs and joys rooted in every culture. This session will discuss specific ways to shape an inclusive home atmosphere that values people of color and the ideas their stories and gifts convey to our children.
1 PM (EST)
Courageous Identity
You scroll through social media, your heart in your throat, your mind racing…what has happened to sanity and truth? Why are there such blatant attacks on the identity of the youth of this generation? Has the world gone completely crazy? Where is the TRUTH in all of this chaos? What can you do to protect your kids and equip them to be salt and light in this terrifying culture? How can you guide them through the landmines threatening to destroy them before they get out your door? Between the outspoken condemnation of anything deemed intolerant and hateful and the sexualizing of our culture, we parents often feel outnumbered. We fight the urge to hide away or to find a middle-ground. But there can be no hiding and no compromising with Satan, who wants to destroy our families. We must step up and prepare for battle by knowing and teaching Who God is and who He says we are. In this session, Angela brings all of her experience and training to the table to lay out the battle plan to train ourselves and our children in Courageous Identity. Joshua 1:9 (ESV) “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” This session also includes a look at how digital technology has been affecting the brain development of Gen Z and how this is playing into the battle for their minds.
Track: High School, Biblical Worldview
2 PM (EST)
Lessons from the Valley
After diagnosing her youngest daughter with autism, Sonya found herself in a spiritual valley. Though your valley may look different, the giants that she encountered there may seem eerily similar to your own. Learn what Scriptures the Lord used to help her overcome five giants in the valley: the giants named Fear, Faltering Faith, Uncertainty, Guilt, and Self-Pity.
Track: Special Needs, Biblical Worldview
3 PM (EST)
Creating Nourishing Routines and Rhythms to Grow Heart, Souls, and Minds
We often can become so focused on “covering the basics” that we forget the importance of filling our homeschool days with truth, beauty, and goodness- then we wonder why homeschooling can feel so draining! In this talk, Julie Ross, the creator of A Gentle Feast, will explore how we can easily add more beauty in our days through nourishing routines and rhythms that will breathe life into our homes. Julie will show you how poetry, art, music, etc. are just as vital as any other subject in the educational feast. In fact, they are absolutely essential if our goal as homeschoolers is to develop students that are whole persons and magnanimous citizens that can bless the world with living ideas and love to learn for knowledge’s sake through the rest of their lives.
4 PM (EST)
Applying the Principles of Minimalism to the Feast
Are you inspired by Charlotte Mason’s philosophy, but overwhelmed with how to serve an educational feast to your children? In this session Ann will share how applying the principles of minimalism to your weekly lessons will result in a rich education, a joyful home atmosphere, and the abundant life you were created for. She will walk you through narrowing down your priorities, eliminating clutter in your homeschool, and focusing on quality over quantity. “Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.” -Charlotte Mason
Track: Absolute Beginners
5 PM (EST)
How to Homeschool Boldly with God at the Center
Homeschooling is a faith journey like no other. What does it mean to homeschool boldly? Does it mean you know exactly what you’re doing? Not at all! It means you have learned to be confident in the One who called you to this crazy and amazing role. Come hear Ashley (a homeschool graduate now homeschooling mom) share her experiences and encourage your heart in what really matters.
Track: Biblical Worldview
6 PM (EST)
Narration: How, What, & Why?
In Home Education Mason says, “Let us take the goods the gods provide. When the child is six, not earlier, let him narrate the fairy-tale which has been read to him.” (p. 232). Language, we know, is innate to all of us. It is part of the imago Dei within all of us as humans. Narration is simply a product of what God has already put within us. I have watched short videos of my new granddaughter babbling to herself, and her language has grown exponentially during her first three years of life. Mason wants us to use “the goods the gods provide.” Children, as she describes, love to retell stories and particular events in their own lives. How do we make use of this natural language development that occurs in most children? Getting a thorough understanding of narration can take a full day. In this short session we will explore: “What is narration? When do we narrate? How do we begin to narrate? What do we narrate? And, what types of narration are possible?” and much more. Join us as we start an exploration of the use of narration in a Charlotte Mason education.
Track: Absolute Beginners
Tuesday May 16th, 2023
12 PM (EST)
Nurturing Competent Communicators
Many teachers and parents assume that good readers will naturally become good writers. Others think that writing talent is a natural ability. Some have it. Others don’t. Both are myths. History and modern research demonstrate how good writers develop the two most critical skills needed for a high level of aptitude in writing. With humor and insight, Andrew Pudewa explains these two easy but powerful skills, which build language patterns and nurture competent communicators.
1 PM (EST)
How to Use Music to Grow in Your Faith
Gena Mayo will take you on a journey through fifteen different ways to use music to grow in your faith in God. These are for Mom to do in her personal devotional life, as well as for leading her children in their spiritual lives.
Track: Biblical Worldview
2 PM (EST)
Raising Screen-Free Kids
Join me as we discuss ideas for preserving the wonder, joy and innocence of childhood amid the addictions and distractions of digital saturation.
3 PM (EST)
Organizing, Planning, and Documenting Your Homeschool: The Neurodivergent Way
Do you feel overwhelmed trying to figure out how to organize your homeschool when you feel like you have no executive functioning skills left? Perhaps you feel that you never developed these important life skills in the first place. Join me as I share the system I created to allow me, as an Autistic and ADHD mom, to homeschool my children!
Track: Special Needs
4 PM (EST)
Unrecognized Beauty: Developing Eyes to See
Most people appreciate being surrounded by beautiful things. However, have you considered why the inclusion of beauty in your own and your children’s lives is so important? Miss. Mason said, “It is no small part of education to have seen much beauty, to recognize it when we see it, and to keep ourselves humble in its presence.” Together we will consider the significance of beauty in our children’s lives, how they learn to discern and recognize beauty, and how that leads them to a full life.
5 PM (EST)
Speaking Eternity into the Hearts of Our Children
Our children are born persons and created in His image. In our day to day moments with our kids, we have an enormous opportunity to be mindful of the impact we have on them, and intentional in our efforts to shape their understanding of the world and their place in it. By doing so, we can help prepare them for a life of purpose, meaning, and significance as children of God. Let’s talk about how we can instill in them a sense of the eternal that will guide them through all of life’s challenges and opportunities.
Track: Biblical Worldview
6 PM (EST)
Swedish Drill: Implementing Charlotte Mason’s Favorite Form of Physical Education
Get up and move in this fun workshop where we will teach you how to perform Swedish Drill.
Wednesday May 17th, 2023
12 PM (EST)
The Power of Visual Memorisation
How to teach effective, lasting concepts in a simple way.
1 PM (EST)
Taste and See that God is Good
After decades of serving Christ, I have begun to know Christ. I knew much about God’s goodness, and now I have begun to taste and see His goodness. This knowledge has transformed my relationship not only with God, but with my family, and the people of God.
Track: Biblical Worldview
2 PM (EST)
Toddlers in Tow: What to Do With Your Littlest Ones While You Homeschool
There is nothing like a baby or toddler to foil the best-laid plans of any homeschool parent. While our littlest ones can seem like a constant disruption, they are a part of God’s plan for our families and our homeschools. In this session, Kathryn will give you fresh inspiration for folding the cuddliest members of your family into your homeschool. She also shares practical tips she has gleaned from homeschool veterans and her own experiences.
Track: Absolute Beginners
3 PM (EST)
The Beauty of the Charlotte Mason Approach For Students with Reading Struggles
In this session, Faith will discuss the necessary foundational “threads” for building students’ “reading rope”, some of the underlying reasons why students may be struggling with reading, share teaching strategies to implement at home to address these areas, as well as talk about how Charlotte Mason’s ideas and approaches to teaching reading are beneficial. Additionally, Faith will discuss how and when “twaddle” may be useful (for a short season) in your Charlotte Mason-style teaching at home. Faith shares practical ideas, resources, and strategies that she has implemented with her own children and those whom she has tutored over the years.
Track: Special Needs
4 PM (EST)
Teaching the Knowledge of God to Our Youngest Learners
Have you believed that the Knowledge of God is too lofty a topic to teach your preschooler or kindergartener? Have you felt intimidated about when to begging sharing a Biblical Worldview or the basics of theology with little ones? Let’s talk about the when and how and why!
Track: Biblical Worldview
5 PM (EST)
Forging Your Own Path: How to Make the Charlotte Mason Method Work for Your Family
What would happen if you gave yourself permission to “CM Your Way”? Do you sometimes feel pressured to “Do CM” a certain way, to check certain boxes, or to do it perfectly? Do you feel like you’re not doing it right? How would your homeschool be different if you embraced the inherent freedom that is a true Charlotte Mason education? Freedom is built-in to the method. Rachel Lebowitz makes it her mission to help families find that freedom. Join Rachel in this workshop and find the CM Your Way path that was meant specifically for you.
Track: Absolute Beginners
Thursday May 18th, 2023
12 PM (EST)
Learning Naturally: The Way God Made Kids to Learn
In this session, Kay will share what she has leaned about developmental learning and how you can set up your home to be a natural learning environment
Track: Absolute Beginners
1 PM (EST)
Awaken Your Children’s Souls to Delight
Charlotte Mason wrote, “It may be that the souls of all children are waiting for the call of knowledge to awaken them to delightful living.” In this workshop, I will show you how to awaken your children’s souls to delight with all the beautiful subjects that sometimes get pushed aside by traditional school studies.
2 PM (EST)
How to Work with Your Teen’s Brain in the High School Years (and Not Against It)
In this workshop, we’re going to talk about different strategies for working with your teen’s brain in the high school years to help our teens to thrive, to help them learn about how they learn best, and to avoid burnout now and in the future.
Track: Special Needs, High School
3 PM (EST)
An Eclectic Approach to Homeschooling Charlotte Mason
Using the Charlotte Mason pillars for instruction as a framework for homeschooling can open up wonderful opportunities for learning while providing the freedom to customize curriculum and pace to meet the needs of your family and your students. Peggy Ployhar, SPED Homeschool Founder & CEO, takes the three basic pillars of the Charlotte Mason methodology (home environment, character training, and lifestyle learning) and expands them by sharing eclectic parenting and homeschooling ideas she used over her 19 years of homeschooling. In this session families will be equipped with lots of practical, and customizable, ways for using the Charlotte Mason pillars in their homes and homeschooling they can easily implement into whatever homeschooling framework they choose to use.
Track: Special Needs
4 PM (EST)
Applying Charlotte Mason Inspired Homeschooling When You Suddenly Have a High Schooler in the Mix
When your oldest goes into high school, it can be a big transition for your homeschool journey. But you don’t have to give up the rich and effective methods you’ve been applying from the Charlotte Mason method! In this session, Tauna from ProverbialHomemaker.com will share tips on how to continue using the CM tools you love with your high schoolers, with special encouragement for large-family moms!
Track: High School
5 PM (EST)
Spiritual Formation in Teens: Biblical Manhood & Womanhood Amidst Our Current Confusing World
“[Confusion] is not new, but the children are.”
However, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And the Word of God stands forever. We approach the current pervading ideas with humility under the Word of God. Though this limited time together in this workshop is not meant to be comprehensive, may our exploration be a beginning and a catalyst to turn to God first, again and again, before we allow ourselves and our children to be reduced to merely man-made constructs of temporal animals whose all-important identity is in our sexuality and emotions alone. Using Charlotte Mason’s “Kingdom of Mansoul” as a helpful tool, we will also discuss how we can be mentor and guide to our teens as they find their identity in Christ. God is the Alpha and Omega. He is our Creator. He had the first word, and He will have the last word. If you believe this, let’s join hands in prayer together for our children’s sake, and ultimately, for the sake of the Kingdom of God as we seek it first.
Mothers, we are our child’s first theologian. We do not shrink back in fear of this holy mantle God has given us. On the contrary, with help and power from the Holy Spirit, let’s get right to work as sentinels and watchmen of our gates. And the gates of hell will not prevail against us, for He who promised is faithful.
Track: Biblical Worldview
6 PM (EST)
The Art of Raising Great Readers
We know that being a great reader is important. But being a great reader is more than just being able to read. We want our kids to:
• do well in their studies,
• understand what they are reading,
• grasp the hidden meanings,
• be able to test well on the ACT or SAT, and
• be prepared for college-level classes with dense textbooks.
So, how do we help our children to become great readers and boost reading comprehension? Join Dachelle McVey from Hide The Chocolate and Literary Adventures for Kids as she shares what makes up reading comprehension and how to help our children become great readers.
Friday May 19th, 2023
12 PM (EST)
Homeschooling with Compassion: Adapting the Charlotte Mason Method for Special Needs Children
Are you a Christian homeschooling parent with a special needs child, struggling to balance the needs of your child with those of your typical siblings at home? Do you want to create a positive and fulfilling homeschooling experience for your entire family, but feel overwhelmed and unsure of where to start? Join us for this empowering and informative class, where we’ll explore how to create a strong and successful homeschooling environment for both your special needs child and typical siblings. We’ll discuss a step by step approach for how to meet the unique needs of your special needs child, and the rich benefits that your entire family will receive by choosing to homeschool in an intentionally supportive environment. By the end of the class, you’ll have a comprehensive understanding of how to use the Charlotte Mason method to create a successful and enriching homeschooling experience for your entire family.
Track: Special Needs
1 PM (EST)
Languages and the Bible and Me
Do languages matter to you? More importantly, do they matter to God? This seminar leads us through the Bible’s main references to languages, their importance, and then how this information can affect our lives, our homeschool, and ultimately our walk with the Lord.
Track: Biblical Worldview
2 PM (EST)
Audiobooks: The Ultimate Homeschool Game Changer
Is listening to audiobooks really “reading”? Do our students excel in reading if they listen to audiobooks? Is using audiobooks in our homeschool considered “cheating”? Let’s tackle some of these myths and discuss how audiobooks can be a transformative addition to your homeschool and beyond.
3 PM (EST)
Post-Secondary Alternatives for Homeschooled Grads
What if my child is not university bound? My child isn’t particularly academic; what are her options if she doesn’t want to go to college after she graduates from homeschool? My kid doesn’t know what he wants to do! How do we plan for post-secondary school? As homeschoolers we actively seek the best educational opportunities for our children. When looking at post-secondary options, university is often seen as the gold-standard but it isn’t really for all students, is it? Let’s look at options for your child if they don’t know what they want to do, aren’t ready yet for college or university, or if they GASP should want to follow skills and giftings that don’t take them on a traditional post-secondary journey.
4 PM (EST)
Ten Dates to Know from a Biblical Worldview
There are a lot of dates to know in history—and opinions will vary on which are the most significant. However, as a long time student of world history, and a follower of Christ, I’ve got some personal favorites! Following is a brief summary I’ve titled, “10 Dates to Know – From a Biblical Worldview.” Do you know them? Don’t worry—most of us don’t.
Track: Biblical Worldview
5 PM (EST)
Living Books: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Them – LIVE Interview and Q & A
We are delighted to invite you to a fascinating live interview and Q&A session with Anthony Coafield, the founder of Living Book Press. Join us as we discover everything there is to know about living books, a delightful way to immerse ourselves in other worlds, times, and people’s lives.
As Charlotte Mason noted, “Children should have the joy of living in far lands, in other persons, at other times.” This is precisely what living books offer, an opportunity to experience the worldviews and lives of people we otherwise wouldn’t know. With so much polarization in our world today, this experience is more important than ever.
As Miss Mason wrote, “And all the time we have books, books teeming with ideas fresh from the minds of thinkers upon every subject to which we can wish to introduce children.” With living books, there is always something new to learn and be inspired by.
So join us for this exciting live interview with Anthony Coafield and discover everything you ever wanted to know about living books. Don’t miss this chance to ask your burning questions and delve into the world of living books. See you there!
6 PM (EST)
Schoolhouse Rocked Movie Showing
There’s a revolution transforming American education and it’s not happening in the classroom.
Schoolhouse Rocked: The Homeschool Revolution is a feature-length documentary intended to encourage and equip homeschool families to start strong and finish well. The movie follows host, Yvette Hampton, as she travels the country with her family talking with education experts, curriculum developers, college and university faculty and administrators, and homeschooling families at every stage in the process, from kindergarten to college graduation and beyond. As viewers follow Yvette on this journey and share in her challenges and victories as a homeschool mom, they will gather the necessary resources and encouragement to homeschool their own children with excellence.
Saturday May 20th, 2023
12 PM (EST)
Theodicy and Motherhood: What is the scent of water?
In a dying world that is groaning for its Creator, the questions of how a good God can allow evil inevitably come up with our children, and even in our own hearts as we parent through these days. In this discussion we will be talking about the goodness of God in the face of evil and how we can gently navigate the questions of our children as they grow and develop their own faith in this wounded world of the “here and not yet” that is our faith in our faithful Christ.
Track: Biblical Worldview
1 PM (EST)
Homeschool Frustration: Why it Happens and Ways to Work Through it
Do you have homeschool days that are filled with frustration and stress? Don’t give up! In this actionable workshop, you can finally discover the root cause of why homeschool frustration happens and learn some simple tips to help you work through it. Let’s get back to providing your children with an enjoyable, life-giving education and put a stop to the continual homeschool frustration.
2 PM (EST)
Nature is the Best Classroom
Have you ever taken a walk outside with a three-year-old? It can take forever as each leaf is examined, acorns are gathered, and flowers are smelled. This is not just because your child is stalling before naptime. The outdoors is one of the best environments to teach all subjects, focusing on God’s amazing creation and its complex design. Research has also demonstrated that being outside improves attention, memory, and learning. Join Sherri as she explores the how and why behind taking your school outside and how to document what you are learning together. It is easy and FUN!
3 PM (EST)
Working, Homeschooling, Single Parenting and Why Charlotte Mason is the Perfect Fit
Are you a working mom, single parent, parent of multiples, or perhaps all of the above, and feeling completely overwhelmed by the sheer preparation and work homeschooling requires?
Fear not. In this workshop, we will discuss how the Charlotte Mason philosophy can completely change your perspective, transform your homeschool, and help you rest in knowing your children are capable of doing the job of learning on their own.
“The children, not the teachers, are the responsible persons; they do the work by self-effort. The teachers give sympathy and occasionally elucidate, sum up or enlarge, but the actual work is done by the scholars.” – A Philosophy of Education, p. 6
Following her philosophy of self-effort, self-education and a broad, diverse curriculum that encourages them to explore new subjects and ideas. Learning becomes the desire and responsibility of the learner, and takes much off the pressure off the teacher.
4 PM (EST)
How to Build Biblical Character & Habits in Your Homeschool
Discover 3 simple, practical tips to encourage Godly behavior and routines to keep Christ the center of your homeschool and your family. The basis for all character building and habit training is the Word of God. Put these tips in your daily homeschool, as you use a Biblical perspective to lay the foundation of Godly character in your kids. . . you’ll see changes over time in your kids.
Track: Biblical Worldview
5 PM (EST)
ADHD and Charlotte Mason: A Perfect Fit
With two of four children diagnosed with ADHD, Jeannie Fulbright discovered several methodologies that smooth the way and create the ideal learning environment for the whole family. Both her ADHD children went to UGA on scholarship, were often on the Dean’s List, and graduated with Computer Science degrees. In this talk, Jeannie will share the most effective methods for successfully homeschooling your ADHD children and creating an environment that fosters their unique gifts and talents to ensure a lifetime of confidence and accomplishment.
Track: Special Needs
6 PM (EST)
The Prophetic Office of Parents
“It is probable that parents as a class feel more than ever before the responsibility of their prophetic office. It is as revealers of God to their children that parents touch their highest limitations.” – Charlotte Mason
Parents, have you ever wondered about the calling and duty that comes with raising your children? According to Charlotte Mason, it’s a prophetic responsibility to reveal God to your little ones. Now, that’s a profound duty that cannot be ignored especially in these times.
In Ana Willis’ new workshop, “The Prophetic Office of Parents”, she will take us through the Bible and Charlotte Mason’s writings, exploring our divine calling as parents and offering practical guidance on how to train our kids in the ways of God.
We know that being a parent is tough, but is also a divine gift and one of life’s greatest calling. Let’s rediscover our role as parents and fulfill our divine calling. Join us for this life-changing workshop and prepare to be inspired, motivated, and transformed. Together, let’s raise children who are grounded in the ways of God and who will take that knowledge and share it with the world.
Track: Biblical Worldview
