MACHE Convention 2013 Follow-Up

I made it home from convention....back to my blue eyed boy :)  Riley and Ruben went along.  The farmer stayed home with the babe and Angel.  Unfortunately, the LCD display broke on my camera sometime between home and arrival at the hotel so I wasn't able to take photos.  I am thankful I took these pictures of Levi playing in my suitcase as I was trying to back before leaving.

The convention was good.  There were three preconference tracks this year including First Class Homeschool, Homeschooling Through High School, and Homeschooling Struggling Learners.  I attended the Struggling Learners track given by Dianne Craft.  There were 4 seminars including one on dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and autism/aspergers, and sensory processing issues.  I learned a great deal and was able to network with other mom's teaching struggling learners at home.  I bought The Biology of Behavior audio DVD in hopes of learning more about nutritional changes we can make to help the kids overcome behavior and attention problems.  We are currently using Dianne Craft's Brain Integration Therapy manual with Ruben in hopes of developing a mid line to improve his reading ability.

                                                      

I spent the good part of Friday in the used curriculum fair scouring tables for a bargain.  I scored a few living books including...

William Bradford by Bradford Smith
Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman by Dorothy Sterling
The Death of Lincoln: A Picture History of the Assassination by Leroy Hayman
Wilderness Wife: The Story of Rebecca Bryan Boone by Etta DeGering
The Land of the Free by Enid La Monte Meadowcroft
The Story of the Old Colony of New Plymouth by Samuel Eliot Morison
George Washington's Birthdays by Wilma Pitchford Hays
The Story of the Atom by Mae & Ira Freeman

I also found Our Mother Tongue by Nancy Wilson and Commas are our Friends by Joe Devine.  I was tickled to find these used and may incorporate them into Angel's English study next year.  I just LOVE used book sales!!

Saturday was spent in the exhibit hall researching for the upcoming school year.  I really appreciate the opportunity to handle the books and flip through them to get an idea of whether or not they will work for our family. I ruled out a few things and I believe I finally settled on our math for next year.  The girls will continue with Math-U-See and Ruben will continue with RightStart.....I think ;-)   I'll post more about that later.

Angel is hoping to study Anatomy in her senior year and I think I found an alternative to Apologia Human Body.  I'll post more about that later as well.

I ordered the elementary level of Exploration Education Physical Science for Ruben.  I believe he's going to love the hands on activities offered by this program.  The creator is a former high school math, science, tech ed teacher, who's family is homeschooling their four kids.

RileyAnn found Nest of Lydia and fell in love with the idea of learning to sew clothes for her American Girl doll.  I ordered Grandma's Attic, which is a beginning sewing course.  The course is laid out through the story of Lydia, a young girl who finds a diary in her grandma's attic.  There are 5 different patterns included with step by step illustrated directions on creating garments for your 18 inch doll.  The course is geared for students age 9 and up and encourages hand stitching first with an introduction to the machine later.  It really looks fun.  She's super excited!

I ordered the audio version of all the conference seminars/speakers and look forward to downloading it.  I like to be able to listen year round for renewed energy and ideas.

Even though I'm wading through a sea of laundry, I'm thankful to be home and back into our everyday routine.