APHEA (Alaska Private and Home Educators Association) is hosting its 29th annual homeschool convention in Anchorage on April 17th & 18th at Anchorage Baptist Temple. More information and registration is available on APHEA’s website: http://aphea.org/convention/
Attending a homeschool convention is highly encouraged, especially in a state as vast as Alaska. It is at a convention where you can find and receive support from others in a personal, face-to-face atmosphere. If you are feeling burned out or burdened, it is at a convention that you can renew your mind, spirit, and vision while educating yourself to excel in your calling as a homeschooling parent! Conventions such as the one hosted by APHEA help us to remain steadfast in our journey through the renewing of ourselves, something that cannot be accomplished full force through online symposiums, webinars, vendor catalogs, etc.
Andrew Pudewa of Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) describes the benefits of attending a convention:
In reality, a conference is a retreat—a place to gather with like-minded people, see and hear new ideas, ask questions, and contemplate. Even if the talks you attend aren’t the “incredible” talks that change one’s life, there are ideas everywhere, and I’ve found that one small idea from an unexpected source can improve my life forever. Sometimes those ideas don’t even come from speakers or workshops, but from one-on-one conversations with other homeschooling parents.
Taking the time to attend a convention is a little bit like doing exercise or practicing music: You may not want to do it before you do it, but after you do it, you are happier for having done it. So step out, get yourself to a convention this year, fill yourself with inspiration and ideas, make some new friends, and if you’re afraid of the exhibit hall, just don’t go in! (Although that’s where you’ll usually find me, and I do hope you’ll come by and say hello if we’re at the same show.)
This article can be read in its entirety here: http://iew.com/help-support/blog/why-attend-homeschool-convention-year
For extra information and encouragement about the why’s and how’s of attending a homeschool convention, check out this PDF by Terri Ann Berg Olsen that is hosted on Knowledgehouse.info:
http://www.knowledgehouse.info/homeschool_convention.pdf
Will you be attending this year’s APHEA Convention? If you can’t swing this one, start making plans for the next one!
North Star Independent Homeschoolers 