Mini Conference

Cost: $30.00 per family for the whole day (All Day Pass).
All Day Pass allows you and your immediate family members to attend any or all sessions.

Session 1: 8:30 AM–10:00 AM - Nurturing Competent Communicators
Many parents think that good readers will naturally become good writers. Others think that writing talent is just that—a natural ability — some have it, others don’t. Both are myths. History and modern research show very clearly how good writers develop, and demonstrate the two most critical things needed for a high level of aptitude in writing. With humor and insight, Andrew will share the two easy but unbelievably powerful things you can do to build language patterns and nurture competent communicators in your family.

Session 2: 10:15 AM–11:45 AM - Fairy Tales and the Moral Imagination
Are fairy tales good, even important for Christian students? Where did they come from, what can they teach our children, and should we spend our valuable time reading them? In this session we will discuss several basic themes in fairy tales and traditional children’s literature (goodness, truth, beauty, hope, honesty, wishes, etc.) as well as key archetypes of literature and their importance to the moral imagination. With the confusion surrounding modern fantasy writing, many parents feel uncertain in discerning the good and important literature from misleading and confusing books, stories, and movies.

Session 3: 12:45–2:15 PM - Teaching Boys & Other Children Who Would Rather Make Forts All Day
The title says it all! Learn how to motivate boys and other active learners by creating relevancy and respecting each child's individual needs. Research shows that not only do boys and girls respond differently to similar environments, children in general like to do what they can do, and they hate to do what they think they cannot do.

Session 4: 2:30–4:15 PM - Spelling and the Brain
Many children (and some adults) have difficulty learning to spell, but the difficulty may not be with the student so much as with the method of presentation. In this workshop, find out how spelling information is most efficiently stored in the brain, and why. With the greater insight into the nature of spelling and neurological function presented in this workshop, the parent/teacher will be well-equipped to meet the needs of all their children, not just the “naturally” good spellers.

Exhibitor: Gail Ledbetter