Just over a month ago, Nicki & I attended the FPEA Homeschool Convention in Orlando.  Having decided to homeschool our oldest daughter for Kindergarten this fall, we attended this convention hoping to learn more, in general, about homeschooling.

Overall, it was a great time.  I thought I would share with you some of the things I learned.

1. You can’t homeschool if you are never home!
2. No two homeschooling families are alike.  I already knew this, but it was never more obvious than at this convention.  Homeschool families come in all different shapes and sizes.  Everybody homeschools differently.  This is very comforting.
3. It is important to have a vision for my children.  This is true for every parent regardless of whether they homeschool.  What do you want you child to be like in 10 or 15 years?  Answer that question and then develop a plan to make it happen. 
4. God created individuals – not classrooms.
5. Good Stories are better than textbooks.  None of us remember a favorite textbook from elementary school or high school.  Yet, we all remember our favorite stories.  Too often we quickly forget what we read in a textbook.
6. Long-Term memory is more valuable than short-term memory.  Teach for long-term memory.
7. Each child is uniquely created just like a fingerprint.  So, teach each child differently.
8. Use an inflatable globe.  It won’t break when it falls down the stairs or when it gets knocked over. 🙂
9. The essence of home education is the parent/child relationship.
10. Raising good people is more important than raising smart people.
11. Education and schooling are not the same thing.
12. I need to spend more time thinking through the concept of an Age Segregated Church vs. a Family Integrated Church.  I was introduced to this concept at the convention and I’m not sure what I think about it yet.  It is very interesting.  Look it up…\