OCHEC Homeschool Convention

The homeschool convention in OKC was a great experience! This was our first full scale homeschooling convention. The main speaker, Ken Ham, from Answers in Genesis was wonderful. He is very funny and explains complex topics like creation vs. evolution in a way that is very easy to understand and remember. Actually, most of the speakers in the classes we took were very good. Daniel and I learned alot!

One interesting idea presented, was that there is no need to teach cursive, because everything these days is written in print and they won't ever need to use it. Another was that if your child can't spell accurately, then they aren't truly literate even if they can read. Literacy is about communicating both ways, not just reading.

We found alot of great products including getting a very good price on some educational computer games. We got the 2005 edition of Elementary School Success for only $15! It has 23 subjects on 13 CDs, and the girls really like playing the games. We also got some neat workbooks that are filled with logic problems to develop their critical thinking...but we got them because Daniel and I like doing logic problems and we thought it would be fun to do them together. Another good find was a bunch of level 3 and 4 Step Into Reading books about history for Danya to read that were only $3 a piece. We also picked up a copy of "The Indian in the Cupboard". I've been reading it out loud to the girls and Daniel (who has never read it before) in the car. I wasn't sure if the girls could follow it, since it has alot of British terminology in it, but they've been enjoying it immensely. After we finish the book I'd like to do a unit study on the Iroquois Indians and learn what they were really like, since I know the book isn't an accurate representation. We learned so much, and got such great resources at the convention. I can't wait to go back next year!