Exhibitor Workshops
Learn from our Exhibitors
Homeschool Exhibitors Workshops
Discover how to use the curriculum and resources featured in the HEAV convention exhibit hall.
Beyond Personal Finance ~ Dollars & Sense
Our children will spend less than a quarter of their lives in our homes. As parents, we have a narrow window to prepare them for the road ahead. We spend years teaching our children how to read, write, and do mathematics, but how much time do we spend teaching them about money? Financial illiteracy has the power to cripple our children as they enter adulthood. What is keeping you from training your children in this key area? Would you like some tips and tricks to help you guide them? Join a homeschool mom, financial consultant, and retired CPA as she talks through how to raise a fiscally responsible adult.
BJU ~ “We Now Interrupt This Homeschool Day!”— Homeschooling Through Distractions, Disruptions, and Disasters
Using my 23 years of experience as a distracted, disrupted, and disaster-surviving homeschool mom, I will discuss how we can prepare for, eliminate, and grow through events that are not on the lesson plan.
CAP ~ Civil Air Patrol: Benefits for Today’s Home Educator
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is the civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, with three primary programs: aerospace education, emergency services, and cadet programs (youth leadership development). Come discover how CAP benefits home educators, including access to STEM resources with or without joining CAP.
Classical Conversations ~ Classical Education – Make It Real and Alive in Your Home!
Are you languishing in your home with the overbearing tasks of checklists, tests, and finishing textbooks—along with worries about doing enough and fears of your child measuring up? Do you desire for the education in your home to be deeper, richer, and more redemptive? A modern education paradigm is what most of us are familiar and comfortable with, but to truly understand the value and importance of a classical education, we need to understand the education paradigm from which we are coming and grasp a clearer vision of how education in our home could be different. How do we make a paradigm shift from modern to classical in our own homes? Come learn and discuss what a classical education is, how its purposes are vastly different from a modern education, and practical ways you can make it real and alive in your own home.
College Prep Genius ~ Free College at Your Fingertips
Are you ready to make $500 an hour? Although it sounds too good to be true, it’s possible to earn this much in scholarships for college. Author Jean Burk will teach you two important concepts: how to get into the college of your choice, and how to find the scholarships to pay for it. You will learn methods of receiving substantial scholarships that go beyond tuition to include room and board, graduate school, and money to study abroad! Unlock the keys to finding free college at your fingertips!
Cornerstone College of Virginia ~ Selecting the College of Choice
How do you find a college that best fits your student’s desires, talents, and aptitude that will launch them into a successful, meaningful career? Choosing the “best-fit” college for your graduating senior does not have to be an overwhelming, intimidating process. By opening a conversation with your college-bound student, you can begin preparing your student now, with confidence and excitement, during this period of transition. Dr. Chris Van Buskirk will be leading the seminar with discussion topics that include understanding the application requirements, the collegiate selection review process, the academic abilities of the student as they fit the college requirements, along with the personality of both college and student. Chris will also discuss opportunities for financial aid, scholarship opportunities and much, much more.
The Family Foundation of Virginia ~ Public Policy Updates and Opportunities
This workshop will offer a legislative update covering the numerous public policy initiatives currently impacting homeschooling. We will discuss the many opportunities available for homeschoolers to engage in public policy through The Family Foundation of Virginia (TFF), including our page program, internship, worldview academy, volunteering with TFFA, and volunteering with other events. Come discover how you can be involved!
HSLDA Online Academy ~ Going Beyond Grammar: How to Grade a High School English Paper
Grading papers can be one of the biggest challenges for homeschooling parents, especially when your students reach high school. Now that they know the basics, how can you push them to the next level? What constitutes a “good” paper, and what should you look for as you’re grading? In this workshop from HSLDA Online Academy, you will learn tips, tricks, and time-saving advice for assessing high school English papers. We will discuss why it’s important to shift focus from grammar and mechanics to content and structure in your grading process, and provide concrete steps for doing so. We will also share simple strategies your students can implement to improve their writing and prepare for writing in college.
Institute for Excellence in Writing ~ EZ + 1: Making Sense of Teaching Writing
Teaching writing well is not only possible, but it can be enjoyable! Come and learn about an effective and easy-to-use approach for the very reluctant child as well as the natural writer. Using models, checklists, and a clear pathway for “EZ + 1” skill progression, the Structure and Style® composition program is guaranteed to instill confidence and build competence in students of all ages and aptitudes.
K21/LiveUp ~ Mentoring Boys into Manhood: Teaching, Leading, and Inspiring the Next Generation
Presently there is a big identity crisis among males regarding what a man is. There is no clear transition from childhood to manhood, and the culture has defined men simplistically. As a result, many fathers are relationally isolated and emotionally disconnected, leaving them at a loss for how to lead boys into manhood. This workshop will address the culture’s attack on boys/males, the impact of biology on boys’/males’ learning style, mentoring and educational principles to help boys develop into honorable men, and concrete action steps moms and dads can take in the developmental process of boys.
Math U See ~ Solutions for the Struggling Math Student
Math struggles can be so emotional for students and parents alike—a confidence destroyer for any age! How do you solve students’ math anxiety and help them succeed? Students and parents learn proven, practical solutions to restore mathematical confidence and reach grade-level proficiency quickly. This workshop is of benefit for any age of learner, but particularly to parents of teenagers who are struggling with middle and high school math.
Memoria Press ~ Memorization: The Cornerstone of Education
The discipline of Classical education contains within it a timeless tool: memorization. For this, we can thank the Greeks and Romans. But why memorize today when we have a “smart” device for nearly every hand, and we’re not wearing togas anymore? Why is memorization still an essential and effective tool in the age of “google it”? How do we properly wield this tool? We’ll discuss why memorization remains the cornerstone upon which you, the teacher, can impart new knowledge, built upon prior knowledge, to increase understanding. After all, Google can’t answer everything.
Regent University ~ The Benefits of Mythology
What is the benefit of studying mythology? Pagan gods, mythological creatures, immoral actions, absurd transformations—how can any of this be profitable for students? Relying partly on an essay about fairy stories by J. R. R. Tolkien and partly on the story of Christianity itself, we will look at several important benefits of studying mythology.
RFI (Religious Freedom Institute) ~ Did the Founders Get it Right?
Scholars from RFI will present America’s First Freedom Curriculum (AFFC). At a grade-appropriate level, AFFC explores critical questions, examines key figures and watershed moments, and reviews important documents pertaining to religious freedom and the American experiment. Workshop participants will receive a thorough review of the curriculum’s content and instructional design. Complimentary access to the high school and middle school versions of the curriculum, which includes supplemental learning resources and digital field trips, is included for all attendees.
ShillerLearning: Montessori at Home ~ Six Magic Phrases That Will Transform Your Homeschool
Come learn several overlooked strategies and tactics that will have you say, “Why didn’t I think of that?!” The ways you phrase things can change your child’s whole outlook on the day. Use Montessori’s powerful techniques to make the most of both verbal and nonverbal communication with your child. Set the stage for your child to become a principled, self-directed learner who takes ownership of his or her actions and decisions, making the homeschool environment more enjoyable for the whole family.
Trail Life USA ~ Trail Life—Quality Outdoor Education and Leadership for Future Men
Trail Life USA brings the best of outdoor skills, leadership training, and mentoring to boys ages 5–18. In this traditional outdoor program, boys are given plenty of room to succeed (and fail) while learning and growing competence from the experience. This is a slow-drip, character-building opportunity for the future men in your family.
Train Your Brain MD ~ Neuroplasticity: A Fusion of Neuroscience and Education
Children and adults have suffered for years from the challenges of learning disabilities. Students suffer from dyslexia as well as difficulties in reading comprehension, auditory memory, visual memory, attention, math, and handwriting. Dr. Furey discusses in detail how brain exercises can physically change the brain, allowing children and adults to learn and comprehend what was previously outside their reach. These exercises yield a permanent brain change. They can even be used as a simple tool to increase your cognitive brain power. The goal of all the exercises is to be free of the crutches and dependence on accommodations. Students who complete the exercises feel empowered in both learning and in life.
Virginia Chess Federation ~ Critical Thinking Through Chess
Numerous studies prove that chess helps children do better in school through improvement of focus, impulse control, pattern recognition, decision making, planning, calculating, and critical and creative thinking. Chess is also proven to improve self-esteem and reduce anxiety, and it can “level the playing field” for children with disabilities. These benefits are best achieved through a systematic study and pursuit of chess in a structured environment rather than simply through casual play. Learn about resources and opportunities for your child to pursue the study of chess—either individually or in a club setting—and to compete in tournaments at the local, state, regional, and national levels.
Victus Study Skills System ~ Success Starts with the Basics
Studying is something all students are expected to do, but seldom are they afforded the opportunity to learn to perform this important task. Come learn about our systematic approach to study—not just isolated skills and individual components to be mastered, but rather a way of thinking about study. This system has helped prepare thousands of students in organization, time management, goal setting, note taking, test taking, and reading comprehension. We help students improve existing habits and learn new ones, so they’re studying smarter, not harder. Cathy Duffy says, “Effective study skills are essential for academic excellence, but few students are taught an explicit system for developing study skills. Most flounder around, gradually developing their own methods that might be more or less effective. The Victus Study Skills System is about developing effective study skills and achieving academic goals, but it also helps students apply the same process to other areas of their life such as faith and finances. ‘Victus’ is the Latin word for ‘way of life,’ and students are taught that planning in all areas of life is important.”
Young Musicians of Virginia ~ Music in Your Homeschool: You Don’t Have to Be Julie Andrews
You know that music greatly helps a child’s development, but you don’t know how or when to start. How do you develop your toddler’s musical ear at home when you have no musical background? Should your fourth-grader take private lessons or join a choir? Here you will learn several fun and engaging ways to cultivate a musical environment at home—even if you’re not a musician!—as well as tips on when and how to seek out more sophisticated instruction.
World News Group ~ “Equipping for Cultural Engagement: How to Turn (Scary) Conversations into Discipleship Opportunities”
Raising children in the Age of Information presents challenges like none other. Throw adolescence into the mix and the stakes immediately rise. This pivotal moment in discipleship deserves care and attention – not to mention well-honed tools. Whether you are a parent of teens or getting ready for that developmental stage in your family, this conversation is for you. Join Kelsey Reed to explore best educational practices focused on equipping children for biblical engagement of the world in which we live.
Shakespeare (for Those Not from the 1500s) ~ 14 Rooms
Gain the tools and confidence to take that dusty volume of Shakespeare off the shelf and tackle it once and for all! Shakespeare didn’t write for English classrooms—he wrote for the stage! This stage was vibrant, funny, dangerous, political, and dramatic. Learn the secrets to understanding Shakespeare…unlock the language that seems to separate us from the greatest writer in the English language. Getting to know Shakespeare can benefit anyone with a hungry mind…no acting required!
Steps to Transform Your Homeschooling Journey ~ A Reason for Homeschool
Homeschooling isn’t for sissies. In choosing it, you embraced a journey of tremendous joy—with accompanying stress and challenges. No one understands a homeschool mom like someone walking the same path, and “M.U.M. 3D” provides a simple plan for building relationships between women who share this passion and calling.
A Child’s Needs Met through Individualization ~ ACE
Who are we to say that all children should learn the same way? God wants each individual to use the strengths and talents He has given them to achieve their special calling in life. Find out how different minds work differently.
Dollars and Sense ~ Beyond Personal Finance
Our children spend maybe a quarter of their lives in our homes—it’s a narrow window to prepare them for the road ahead. We spend years teaching them how to read, write, and do mathematics, but how much time do we spend teaching them about money? Financial illiteracy has the power to cripple our children as they enter adulthood. Join me—a homeschool mom, financial consultant, and retired CPA—as we discuss how to raise fiscally responsible adults.
Master My Monster ~ BJU
There are many perils for a “classroom teacher” turned “homeschool mom.” Do I dwell on my inadequacies? Do my feelings stem from soaking my thinking in self-pity? Join me as we choose to marinate our anxious thoughts in biblical truths!
Inspiring Kids to Be Helpers and Sharers ~ Christian Healthcare Ministries
Learn the secrets of how utilizing medical cost-sharing inspires your children to helpfulness and improves your healthcare and your budget.
Homeschooling Kindergarten through Graduation ~ Classical Conversations
Classical Conversations® is a classical education resource for grades K4-12 used by homeschoolers in all 50 states and 30 foreign countries. The benefits of memorization in the grammar stage reach their fruition in the critical-thinking and communication skills of high-schoolers. CC now has more than 125,000 students enrolled in its tutoring programs, provided through 2,500 CC communities, which help students build positive friendships. Come see if Classical Conversations is right for your family.
How to Ace the SAT and Get Free College ~ College Prep Genius
This is a learnable test, and every question can be answered in 30 seconds or less. Test-prep guru Jean Burk will share the SAT secrets that have helped thousands of students raise their test scores by 600 points! Learn how to find shortcuts and save time on all types of questions—math, writing, reading, and essay are all covered! If you have kids in middle or high school, don’t miss this session on SAT success!
