I love going to homeschool conventions. I’ve been to several throughout the years and I always enjoy meeting other homeschoolers, looking through curriculum, and listening to great speakers inspire and encourage.
Although I have never personally attended one of the Great Homeschool Conventions, their speaker line up is impressive for 2012. Some of the speakers are:
- Chuck Colson
- Andrew Pudewa
- Diana Waring
- Dr. Jay Wile
- Amanda Bennett
- David Hazel
- Dr. Carol Reynolds
- Todd Wilson
- Sonya Shafer
- John Stonestreet
- Dr. Susan Wise Bauer
- Pastor Tedd Tripp
- John Rosemond
- Dr. Jonathan Sarfati
- Carl Kerby
- Dr. Jobe Martin
Personally I’ve been to sessions at other events led by Andrew Pudewa, David Hazell, Jay Wile, Diana Waring, and Todd Wilson and was impressed! I would travel several hours to learn from Andrew Pudewa, he is by far one of the best homeschool speakers I’ve ever encountered. In fact I like these speakers so much that I have purchased most of their recorded sessions and have been listening to them over and over for years!
The Great Homeschool Convention has several speaker tracks to chose from including a worldview track for teens, parenting track, creation apologetics track, as well as workshops on learning styles, Classical homeschooling, Charlotte Mason methods, gifted, special needs, unit studies and more. It seems like there will be something for every type of homeschooler at this event.
Not only do these events have great speakers they also have a large exhibit hall with over 100 exhibitors. I love attending conventions to get my hands on curriculum. While many websites give you the ability to virtually look through books, being able to actually thumb through all the pages really helps me determine if a curriculum will work for us.
At my last convention I spent several hours at different math booths trying to find the best program for my children. It was worth my time because both my boys are doing very well in their new program. I might have made the wrong decision had I used something based on a few pages viewed on a website.
The good news is that there are five Great Homeschool Conventions this year located all across the country so chances are there is one near you! This year the locations are:
TD Convention Center, Greenville, SC
Memphis Convention Center, Memphis, TN
Duke Energy Convention Center, Cincinnati, OH
Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach, CA
Hartford Convention Center, Hartford, CT
They haven’t released pricing details for 2012, but if I remember correctly from last year it was very affordable.
I have five family registrations courtesy of Great Homeschool Conventions to give away . To enter to win a family registration to any one of the five events please leave a comment. Giveaway ends October 3, 2011. Giveaway is for the registration only, lodging and transportation are the responsibility of the winner.
I have never heard of this convention before. I went to first one this year and had a blast! I got to go for free since my oldest is only 4 and can’t wait to go to my next one!
We were REALLY looking forward to going to this convention this year in Philly, but it got canceled by the convention center – boo! Planning to make a special trip to Hartford now
Would love to win free registration to make up for some of the extra gas money it will take!
I really enjoy going to the homeschool convention in Cincinnati, OH.
We’re in PA, about halfway between Cincinnati and Hartford, so we’d have to decide which way to go, but I’m sure that either choice would be great!
I’ve never been to a large homeschool convention, and I would love to go. We live within an hour of one of these, so it would be great! Thanks for the opportunity.
Just starting the homeschool journey (preschool to try it out) and would love to go to a conference!
I would love to go to my first homeschool convention!
I’ve never been to a homeschool convention so this would be wonderful!
This is my first year homeschooling. I would love to win!
I’m closest to longbeach Ca!!
I had such a great time at Cinci last year and have been looking forward to going again all year!
Would love, love, love to attend the convention in Cincinnati! I love homeschooling conventions.
Just found out about these this past spring….too late to go to Memphis. I am going to make plans to go this year.
Here’s to hoping I will be in Memphis, TN in April!
My husband and I love attending the convention! It’s a great way for us to talk about our plans for the upcoming school year, get new ideas and encouragement!
My family would so live the blessing to be able to attend the Greenville convention!!
Would love to attend the on in OH.
Yea! I would be so honored to attend one of these!
I would love to be able to go to the Long Beach CA homeschool convention.
I would love to go and get done encouragement and inspiration. Cincinnati
I have been wanting to go to one of these conventions! I think my family would love it!
I would love to attend one of these conventions.
We’ve been to Cincy the past two years and gotten a lot out of it. I think these conferences are such a great value (although free would be fun, too!) I’ve never heard Pudewa so I will have to look him up next year!
I had Professor Bauer in college before I ever dreamed I’d be homeschooling my own children. I have so much respect for her, as an individual and an educator, and hearing her speak has been the highlight of our conventions for me.
Thanks for the fun giveaway!
I would absolutely be thrilled to attend one of these conventions. We went to our first local convention this year in AZ and it was absolutely so insightful! Would love to go to another one!
We are definitely going to Cincinatti and would love to win this!
Enter Jason.
I went last year and would love to go again. Thanks for hosting a wonderful giveaway!
I am relatively new to homeschooling. This is our second year, and we love it! I would love to go to a convention. I know we have not even scratched the surface of the resources that are available. Memphis isn’t too far from us, either!
I went to Cincinatti last year but would love to go to the Memphis one. It is a lot closer to home.
I’m hosting a Fall Giveaway if you and your readers are interested!
http://www.keepinitreal-gina.com/2011/09/im-thinkin-i-need-to-give-something.html
I’m sure hoping that we can go to the Cincinnati conference. That would be great. Probably need to spend some time at the math booths myself. Thanks for your contest and blows.
We try to make the Cincinnati each year but were not able to make it this year 2011. So I would love to win a trip for 2012. We have never been to any of the others but would not mind going to one close to Ky. I learn so much at the convention and it is such an encouragement to keep on, keeping on. Thanks for offering this.
I would love to attend the Cincinnati Convention. I went last year and it was amazing. I loved being able to see all my curriculum options in one place and make good decisions. I also loved the sessions I went to, especially Todd Wilson! I am hoping to bring my husband along this year so he can take part in all the madness!
I would love to go!
I would love to go to the one in Cincinnati! I’ve never been to one but this is my third year of homeschooling. Sounds awesome!
I would love to go as well. Just researching recently to make the switch to homeschooling and I’m still on the fence. So glad to see one in my area (CT) since very little comes up this way! Thanks so much. What a great giveaway!
We would love to win, we will have to travel to go to any. We have also, never attended a convention before.
I homeschool 2 kids…one in high school , one in elementary. I would love to go to the convention in Long Beach! I’ve never been to a big homeschool convention before!
Wow! Just starting out homeschooling a 5 year old. I would love to go to the Long Beach convention- thanks for the chance to win!
I am a new homeschool mom and pastor’s wife. My kids ages 6, 4 and 1 year old and I am really loving my time with my kids. We are following a Charlotte Mason approach, and as a new homeschool mom, I need all the help I can get. I’ve been trying to read as many books as I can, but I would just love to attend a homeschool convention and get equipped even more to give my kids the best education I can give them. I love that verse “train your child in the way he should go……”. That part “the way he should go” actually means “toward his bent” or train him knowing how your child is wired. I am still learning that with my kids and would love all the resources of so many homeschool voices in one place!
And I would need the Long Beach, CA convention…..we are in CA.
I would love the opportunity to attend my first homeschool convention!!!
This sounds like a great conference!! I’ve heard Andrew Pudewa speak before…and would love to hear him again.
Thank you for hosting this giveaway!
I went to the Memphis one last year and it was PHENOMENAL! I would love the chance to go again!
This looks like a great conference. I’d love to go to the one in SC!
I have considered going several times, but a free pass would make the decision easier.
I would absolutely love to attend the conference in Cincinnati. The homeschool community is large there. I should know, I lived and homeschooled there for four years. Thanks for the opportunity to enter this contest!
Being NEW to homeschooling, I would love to attend a conference (Long Beach)!
Wow! What a great line up! I would love to be entered to win!
I was fortunate enough to attend the one in Memphis last year. It was my first homeschool convention and was a great experience! Looking forward to the next one!
I would love to go to the California homeschool convention!! We’ve never been to one of the big ones in our 6 years of homeschooling. What a blessing that would be…
We’re in our second year homeschooling and would love to go to the convention in CT. I’ve heard they are wonderfully encouraging. It would be great, especially to get ideas/tips to help our child with special needs.
We’ve gone to the conference in Cincinnati the last 2 years. ABSOLUTELY worth the drive and money. It is very affordable. I highly recommend attending if you can. We can’t wait for April 2012 to roll around again!!!
I have been to the Cinci convention the last two years, and it is such a great time of refreshment and refocusing, I love it!
Very impressive! I’ve never been to a GHC either, but would love to attend the one in SC or TN (closest to me)!
I would love to be able to take my family to a homeschool convention. We have always wanted to go but have not been able to. This will be such a blessing to the families that win!
It would be such a blessing to go to the Cincinnati conference…and then to the Creation Museum…and then the Newport Aquarium…such a neat area! Oooh! Pick Me Pick Me!!! ;0)
I’m hoping to go to the one in Memphis in April. Registration costs would really help!
I had wanted to go to one of their conventions this year, but didn’t make it. This would be such a blessing!
Great giveaway! I’d probably pick the Cincinnati location.
I would love to win one of these. I have just started teaching my five year old son. Going to a convention would help very much see more of what is available out there. Thank you so much for this opportunity. I am would gladly go to the SC, OH, or TN conventions. I am afraid the other two would be out of my budget to travel to.
I would love to go to this. I am going to start home schooling my son (2nd grader) right after Christmas. I will be finnished working by that point to I will have all kinds of time to spend planning and working with him. I am a bit worried about it though because I have never done anything like this. But I am sure if I can make it to the convention than I will get a lot of information on the best way to plan lessons and the best place to get help with the home schooling…
We went to the South Eastern convention as a family and really had a great time Tim Hawkins was the highlight for sure!
I would love to go next year— we had to miss this year due to funds—- thank you for a chance to win!!!!!