5 Alternatives to Homeschool Conventions

It’s that time of the year for homeschool conventions!

 

 

Now, before I talk about the five alternatives to homeschool conventions; I have a confession to make.

I’ve never in my 11 years of homeschooling attended a convention!

Not because I haven’t had a desire, there were several factors that didn’t make it doable for me: registration fees, my husband being out of the country (and me being with child at the same time), or other obligations.

As time went on, and I felt more comfortable with home-education I simply found other ways to continue to learn and grow as an educator.

Alright, now on to the alternatives!

 

1. Online Homeschool Conventions

I don’t know if I’ve been living under a rock, but this year was my first time hearing of online homeschool conventions.  Many of them have already taken place except for this one hosted by Digital Homeschool Convention.

On the site, there is an audio/video presentation from one of the speakers from last year’s convention.

The sessions are free for five days after they are released, but you do have the option to purchase them after that timeframe expires.

2. A Veteran Homeschooler

Now I say veteran homeschooler, but it could simply be someone who’s a little further along on the journey than you are. This could be someone from your community, church or even someone you “met” via Facebook.

Someone who can help point you in the right direction with basic questions and perhaps provide you with resources for you to look into on your own.

 

3. A Local Homeschool Support Group

When our family jumped into homeschooling back in 2006; I was so thankful for the friend who told me about several support groups in our area.

One group, in particular, met once a month and the children had an opportunity to play and participate in different age-appropriate activities together. Meanwhile, the mothers in the group shared on topics such as meal planning, teaching multiple grades, & helping struggling learners.

It was in this environment that I was able to develop friendships with women who were further along in their home-education journey and therefore were a wealth of knowledge & encouragement.

Especially when I felt like a failure after seeing my daughter’s test scores the first year!

 

4. Hire a Homeschool Consultant

When I needed help navigating & preparing for the college application process for our oldest child; I found Lee Binz through a Google search and paid for her services for almost an entire year.

And can I share some exciting news with you?!

I will officially launch my own homeschool consulting business The Homeschool Helper in the fall, putting 12 years of homeschool experience and a passion for helping others to use.

Be sure to sign up for my mailing list so I can share all the details with you!

 

5. Local Homeschool Facebook Groups

I know, I know.

Social media can be a mixed bag, and not all groups are created equal.

But if you can find a group that’s in your area, you’re more likely to find some face to face interaction which I absolutely prefer.

If you’ve never attended a convention, are there any alternatives that I’ve missed?

Feel free to share them in the comments!