The power of humor and mirth to aid in effective teaching is certain. Although some people have more of a natural inclination toward humor than others, everyone can study and learn how to use the elements of humor to improve their teaching and speaking skills. Join Andrew and learn to incorporate rhetorical techniques of Misunderstanding, Absurdity, Hyperbole, Exaggeration, Understatement, Double Entendre, and more.

Music has become such an ever-present influence in our daily lives, we seldom stop to consider what effect it has on us. But we must. As we changed over the last hundred years from being music makers to music consumers, we have gradually lost control over, and even awareness of, our auditory environment. In what way is music beneficial to our bodies and minds? In what circumstances can it actually be harmful? Solid scientific research provides some astounding answers to such questions—indeed, facts that must not be ignored by today’s parents and children.

A continuation of Andrew’s talk on “Fairy Tales and the Moral Imagination,” this presentation will go deeper into exploring the richness of traditional children’s literature, with an emphasis on what to read aloud as well as how to guide children’s reading so that it’s not only enjoyable but also helps awaken a sense of wonder while instilling character and virtue.

A student of motivation for decades, Andrew has organized fundamental ideas of motivation into three categories: Four forms of relevancy, the three laws of motivation, and two secret weapons. This is an expansion of Andrew’s previous talk, “Teaching Boys and Other Children Who Would Rather Be Making Forts All Day,” with new and updated information, stories, and tips to keep kids happy and learning well.

An in-depth look at the neurophysiological differences between boys and girls—how they hear differently, see differently, handle stress and pain differently, and the implications for our teaching of both boys and girls, this is an expansion on Andrew’s previous “Boys” talk. With added research, together with practical stories and humor, this presentation will delight and enlighten parents of boys, girls, both!

What is the nature of culture? Curriculum? How does one affect the other? What single element rests at the core of our success in teaching our children? How can we integrate all these as we work to build community with like-minded fellow homeschoolers in a time when we all feel an increasing need for it? Andrew will share from his three decades of teaching and parenting experience useful concepts and humorous stories to answer these questions and help invigorate your homeschool.

Come and contemplate the underestimated value of simple copywork, discover the power of text reconstruction, experience the delight of author imitation, and learn the surprising relationship between text analysis and creativity.