by Julie Woolfolk

When we began homeschooling, I was not prepared for my first homeschool conference. I was overwhelmed by the choices set before me. A little preparation on my part would have saved me wasted time and money and I might have enjoyed the experience more. My hope is that this article will help the new homeschooler, who is about to attend their first conference, keep their sanity.

Why attend a conference?

Conferences can provide you with a wealth of information, a feeling of not being "alone" in this endeavor and, well, let's be honest, all those books to buy. It is a relief to actually look through those two curriculums you are thinking of and get a feel for which will meet your children's needs. If you live in an area where you may be the only homeschoolers you know, getting to meet real homeschoolers and see how "normal" they are will be worth the drive. You might even experience a feeling of "validation" in the choices you are making for your children. It is refreshing to spend a couple of days with hundreds of folks who believe as you do that the best place for education and learning is in the home. The workshops can inspire you to try new and different ways to help your children. You may be challenged to look at "education" in a whole different way. Various conferences will also have workshops on child development, learning disabilities, discipline/family life, political action, and state law issues, along with various "how to" workshops.

"The best thing about attending these conferences for me, when I was new to homeschooling, was seeing how many "normal" people homeschool. I was totally amazed at how many people homeschool. It was encouraging and I felt like I was not the lone ranger." --DeAnn in Arkansas'

Types of Conferences

There are many types of conferences, which are also sometimes known as bookfairs. They range from the large national conferences, such as The Link and Rethinking Education, which are spread over three or four days and have almost a community feeling to them, to small informational seminars from local support groups. You will also find conferences that focus on one homeschooling philosophy such as unschooling or classical education. Numerous conferences and workshops are found around the country that focus on a particular curriculum such as KONOS or Sonlight. For the sake of space, I will be referring to the regional and state events that most of you might attend this summer.

"In general, homeschooling conferences reflect the fundamental schism between homeschoolers: those that are organized around religious beliefs, and those whose primary focus is on homeschooling." --Barb in WA

How to Prepare

Often, your state homeschool organizations will be able to provide you with the dates of upcoming events in your state. In most states they will be the conference organizers and can send you all the information you need. The program will list the various workshops/seminars being offered along with which vendors will be in attendance. Make sure to check whether or not your children are welcome. A few conferences, for whatever reasons, do not welcome kids, except for nursing babies. Others not only welcome children, but also have activities for them. Your older kids may want to attend so that they can have a hand in picking out the materials they will be using.

"If you get an advance program guide like we do in FL, take some quiet time and read through it and highlight all that you want to see and hear. Put it away and take it out a week later. Now look at it again, what do you really need? " --Shelly in FL

Go through all of your catalogs to get an idea of what you might be interested in. Check with your children to see what they may be hoping for in the next year. Make a budget; this may help you keep from buying things you do not really need. Expect to buy one or two items you will never use; we all do it.

"Take a list of the items you want to look at and of those you want to buy. This will help curb the "impulse buying" that we all know so well!" --Markie

"I would say go the first night with a commitment not to purchase anything. Just make a list of what you are interested in and go back the next day when your head is not so overwhelmed and look it over again to see if you really want it. Don't feel you have to purchase everything that looks interesting. Try to get opinions from other homeschoolers you know to see if they would recommend it. Several months before the convention you should order all the catalogs you can find, to look over there curriculum. That will give you a better feel for what your family will need. " --Bonnie

"Wear comfortable shoes and bring bottled water and carry pocket snacks! And relax...." --Shelly in FL

Bring one or two canvas bags to carry your purchases in. Wear comfortable clothes, especially very comfortable shoes since you will do a lot of walking. You will probably want to save all your cash for purchases, but, if not, you can normally find some type of food available from snacks to full lunches.

What You Will Find

Vendor Halls

For most event attendees this is the main draw. This is where you will find all the "goodies". publishers, catalog companies, curriculum providers, etc., who will have set up booths in this area hoping for your business. They can be extremely helpful and a large majority of them are experienced homeschoolers. Take your time, talk to folks and try not to make any impulse buys. Go around at least once before you make any purchases, as prices will vary. One thing, though, please do not spend a lot of a vendors' time, mining their experience and advice about various books and curriculums and then buy out of a discount catalog. Support the folks who are willing to share their time and experience with you.

Used Book Sale

If you are lucky, your conference has a used book sale. That is where we sell all that great stuff we bought last year, but never used. You will also find gently used curriculum at these. If you are looking for a bargain, this is the place to find it. Most homeschoolers re-sell their used books at 50% of the new retail price. Some used sales are open the whole time the event is open. Others are only on the second day of the conference. When you register for our state conference, you receive a time which is when you may go and buy at the used book sale. Folks who are willing to volunteer and help sometimes get to make their purchases first. Buyer beware. Make sure you know what it is you are buying, what the retail price is and, if it is a complete curriculum, that you have all the pieces you need.

Workshops and Seminars

A well-planned conference will have many types of workshops to attend. These can range from a basic, "How to Homeschool," to "Dealing with the Media." Most state conferences will have seminars on your state laws and ways to deal with them. Vendors normally give a variety of workshops. There is nothing wrong with that, just make sure you know that they are probably selling something. You may want to attend some of these workshops if you are considering purchasing the product. Most conferences will also have a keynote speech which is normally given by a nationally known homeschooler. Try to attend these, they can be very worthwhile.

"Remember that the people giving talks are just other homeschooling parents, for the most part. Don't take them as "experts," but listen as you would to friends giving you the benefit of their experience. Remember, in a few years, it could be YOU up there talking." --Pam in CA

"Also, make a list of all the workshops you want to attend. If you can't attend one; see if tapes of the various workshops will be available for purchase." --Markie

"Seminars...this is hard...attend only those of real interest. Stay away from sales pitches on curriculum. Go for the speakers that are once in a lifetime opportunities to make you feel refreshed inside. At the Florida convention they sell audiotapes of most of the speakers for around $5.00 a tape, so you can purchase whatever you miss. Most of the bigger support groups buy a complete set of tapes for their library." --Shelly in FL

"Attend the "How To" seminars as well as many of the curriculum vendor seminars. Talk to other homeschoolers who are there and have been homeschooling for a while. The greatest advice I got from our first conference was that you should sit down and write out your objectives and goals for homeschooling, kind of like a purpose statement. That way, when you get overwhelmed, sidetracked, or discouraged you can pull it out and read it and get back on the right track." --Deann in AR

Fellow Homeschoolers

For me, the best part of our state conference is the chance to see folks from all over the state. Most of these people I only see, in person, once a year. Take the time to start conversations with other homeschoolers. The chance to talk to real, live homeschoolers is invaluable. They can help with advice, help you see other options, and find local support groups. We are our best resource. When we are at our best, we build each other up, support each other's choices, and renew each other's vision.

"Although I was tremendously inspired by the speakers, it was one kind person in the vendor hall who sat and talked to me one-on-one for an hour or more who REALLY helped me by responding to my specific questions and concerns." --Pam in CA