What is an “online conference”? A conference in your jammies!! An online audio conference uses the Internet as a conference venue. You will be able to access the conference from anywhere in the world using simple browser software which we provide. This software is compatible with all computers including Macs. All you need is a computer, internet connection, and speakers!
The conference will happen in real time but it will be recorded so if you can’t be there then you can still download the sessions to listen to at your convenience.
What you can expect:
Live sessions, entirely online, with some of the homeschooling community’s most popular speakers and authors.
Free access to download and save the MP3′s from all the sessions, as well as all the handouts, chat logs, and presentations.
Participation in real-time question and answer sessions with all of your favorite speakers.
A Swag Bag full of downloadable goodies.
A chance to win some amazing door prizes (during last year’s conference, we gave away $2000 worth of giveaways!)
The opportunity to make some new life-long friends and experience some fun and fellowship. Read what attendees have said about previous Heart of the Matter online conferences.
I will be speaking Monday, August 8 at 12:30 p.m. EST. My topic is “Study Skills for Grades 7-12,” and I’ll have a great PowerPoint Presentation that you can view on your computer while you listen. Of course, I’m still working on that part, but it’ll be ready on time. I’ll also be providing a handout that you can download for your reference. I hope you’ll join me!
Now comes the fun part! As a speaker, I get to give away a ticket—totally free!—to one of my totally fab readers. I will select a random winner from the comments below. So, if you’re a homeschooler and you want some pre-autumn encouragement from the comfort of your own home, leave your name and email address (or another way to contact you) in a comment below this post. If you’re viewing this post on Facebook, please click through to my blog and leave a comment there. The winner will be chosen and notified on Thursday, July 28, so the contest closes at midnight (EST) on Wednesday. As always, if you have any questions, let me know.
I am pleased to announce that I will be speaking at two upcoming, affordable homeschool conferences. Next week, I'll be giving two seminars at the HINTS Annual Book Fair in Matthews, NC, July 15-16. If you're local, you can't beat the $5 admission cost. Both of my seminars are on Friday. "Organize Your Homeschool" will be from 12:10-1:10, and "Pre-Plan for Your Best Homeschool Year Ever" will be from 4:00-5:00. I hope to see you there! New this year, you may preregister online (yay--no more long lines!).
If you're not local to the Charlotte area and are looking for a pre-fall homeschool conference, Heart of the Matter Online's Homeschool Conference is just the thing! Tickets are a very affordable $14.95 and include all sessions (live and mp3 downloads), goodies, drawings for more goodies, and more. Even better, you can attend in your PJs or while watching your kids splash in the pool. My session will be on Monday, August 8, at 12:30 EST. It's a study skills seminar for kids in grades 7-12, but of course moms are encouraged to listen in, too. This is the perfect time to get your kids ready for fall academics! The conference runs from Aug. 8 to Aug. 12.
It's that time of year again! The She Speaks Conference is coming up in July and Proverbs 31 Ministries is very generously (through Cecil Murphy) offering a number of scholarships to attend. I really, really, really would love to go, but I can't afford it, so I'm entering contests.
This particular contest is to tell a story that touches the heart. In only 6 words. I'm not Hemingway, but I did manage okay, my word-smith daughter thought up this:
Drum roll please! The winner of the FREE ticket to the online homeschool conference put on by Heart of the Matter Online from Feb. 21-23 is TN Quiltbug!!! Congrats, Susan! I'll pass your email address along to the HOTM conference people, so look for your log-in information to come from them!
Thank you all for entering and participating. If you didn't win, I encourage you to purchase a ticket; it's only $14.95 for 3 days of encouraging chats with some wonderful homeschoolers. Plus, if you miss a session, Mp3s will be available after the conference for you to download.
Join me LIVE and FREE tonight at 9:00 p.m. EST as I discuss "Ten Steps to an Organized and Christ-Centered Holiday Season" on the Ultimate Homeschool Expo. Here's the dial-in/log-in info: http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=89293&cmd=tc. You'll have a chance to ask me questions after the show is over, so get all those organization questions ready!
While we like to proclaim our thankfulness at the overloaded dinner table and we make sure that our manger scene is unpacked, we often act like this is the season to overwork and over-schedule ourselves. Then, of course, we complain about how exhausted we are and how eager we are for the season to be over. Instead, let's focus on our true reason for thankfulness and celebration. Discover ten easy steps to a more organized, simple, less stressful, Christ-centered Thanksgiving and Christmas with The Organized Homeschool Mom, Bethany LeBedz.
It's totally free to listen live, but if you'd like a recording of my talk and any of the other, many, fabulous talks from this fall's expo, click here to buy your ticket. This ticket also gives you a TON of fabulous downloads and prizes! essions for you to listen to before you purchase a ticket. These have been pre-recorded.
The First Three BONUS Sessions have been recorded and are here to give you a preview!
Free Books: Arts and Crafts book ready for immediate download by Visual Manna and Holiday Memories: the Recipes and or Traditions from the speakers (including me)!
Friday, April 30, 2010
I just got an email from my friend, Cindy Rushton. She is pumped about her Ultimate Homeschool Expo resource library. Actually, she is so pumped that she has just shared a sneak peek into her Membership Site.
One of the neat things about the Ultimate Homeschool Expo is that everything is ONLINE as more than a convention--it is the ULTIMATE homeschool resource library.
With every online event that Cindy plans, she builds a private, exclusive Membership Site that includes everything from the UHSE in one place--it has audios (from all of the sessions and from the bonus gifts that her speakers give to us), ebooks, complete unit study guides, articles, printable notebooking pages, cookbooks, on and on. I can't believe all of the things that we receive for only $39.95. It is truly ULTIMATE!
Cindy just sent me permission to give you a sampler of one of her free gifts that is included on the Membership Site. I am so excited to give it to you! It is a audio and ebook set that she actually sells on her website, but she is giving away on the Membership Site.
A Quick Start for Notebooking Mini-Set!
Need ideas for encouraging your young writers and QUICK? Ready for a FUN way to encourage your most reluctant writer to write AND like it? This fun-filled, hands-on workshop is one that you simply CANNOT miss! Cindy Rushton, who has become known through the years as THE BINDER QUEEN, uses Notebooking for EVERYTHING! She will show you how to begin whether your child is a toddler or the most skeptical high schoolers. This workshop is sure to light a fire that will equip YOU to help your children deepen their studies and document learning all along the way! TOPICS FOR THIS WORKSHOP INCLUDE: Hey! Do I Have A Chance At This? Why On Earth Notebook? Down to the Nitty Gritty . . .WHAT Do I Need and HOW Do I Do It? Step-by-Step Through Notebooking; Scrapbooking! YES! You CAN Have Fun Homeschooling; Hey? What is Legal? What All Goes Into A Notebook? Developing FUN Studies That Teach and Inspire! Copywork . . . Answers to ALL of Your Questions; Taking the Writer From Reluctant to Researching; Ideas, Ideas, Ideas, There’s Gotta Be One for You; PLUS much, much more! Cindy doesn't stop with the workshop, she also includes the Q/A Session after the workshop AND her handouts/samples of student notebooks.
Samples of Student Notebooks: http://www.cindyrushton.com/Ebooks/SamplesofStudentNotebooks.pdf
Isn't that FUN?
You know the saying that a picture captures a thousand words,well...what about a a gift like this??? And, just think . . . this is only ONE of the awesome gifts included on the Membership Site. There are hundreds more!
Take my word for it, you will WANT a ticket to this event and access to all of the wonderful resources. Grab your ticket here, or click on the link in my sidebar.
Online Seminars with With 35+ Speakers!
Virtual Vendor Hall!
Free Gifts--ebooks, audios, downloads!
Special offers from your favorite Online Vendors!
Mp3 Downloads for all audios (over $1000 in workshops!)
I presented a workshop entitled "The Organized Way to be Your Child's Tutor: Helping You Provide a Fuller and Richer Education." People listened live on April 26 when it was recorded, and it's available as one of the audio downloads in the workshop package. I'm so excited
to be a part of this virtual homeschool convention and I hope you'll
be able to join us!
Ultimate Homeschool Expo 2010
May 3-7, 2010
Ready for a big dose of encouragement?
No time to travel?
No extra money for hotels…parking…and eating out?
Can’t break away from your family?
Well…we have the PERFECT solution! Join us for our:
Ultimate Homeschool Expo 2010!
May 3-7, 2010
Ready for a fun Virtual Homeschool Convention??? One that promises to make homeschooling easy and doable? This is your event!
Right there in the comfort of your home you can join us! We have an amazing speaker line-up,a fantastic vendor hall full of special offers and free gifts, PLUS a Mommy Grab Bag that is completely amazing! Just imagine….
No crowds!
No makeup!
No parking!
No walking for blocks and blocks!
No expensive trips or hotel stays!
No babysitters!
Talk about FUN! This is one that you will not want to miss!
Everything is recorded live online here at our site in our private conference room so you can join us for each and every workshop–no conflicts with the schedule (you know how your local convention has 4-18 workshops an hour–we record one at a time so you can join us and enjoy all of them!)! You can listen bit-by-bit to every one of our wonderful speakers! AND! We record them so you can enjoy them for years to come. Plus! We have a WONDERFUL Membership Site available for all attendees (unveiled on Monday, May 3, 2010!!)–filled with articles, audios, and free ebooks to help you kick-off your best homeschool year ever!
Oh! That is not all! We have the most AMAZING gifts for you from fellow writers/speakers/vendors. They are already being added into our Membership Site, ready for you to dig into when the site is unveiled (Bright and early on May 3rd!). It is one of the most amazing offers ever! You will definitely want to join us!
PLUS! When you sign up! You get more!
* Free ebooks!
* Free bonus audios to help you get started on the right track!
* Doorprizes and special gifts!!
* Membership to our Ultimate Homeschool Expo Membership Site –With lots of free articles, bonus Mp3 download audios, free printable planning pages, and wonderful savings from our speakers and vendors!
Y'all know I've been dying to attend Proverbs 31 Ministry's She Speaks Conference this year (for a few years now). I posted about it a few weeks ago in hopes of winning a contest sponsored by Lysa TerKeurst. I didn't win that contest. Sigh.
But, Glynnis Whitmer, P31 Woman magazine editor, is sponsoring another contest to win a full scholarship to this year's She Speaks Conference. It involves writing an article that would be appropriate for the magazine to publish. That's great news except that the last article I sent for consideration ended up in the slush pile. Oh well. I'm trying again. Check out Glynnis's contest on her blog. You'll be among the first to know if I win this contest, I promise!
Q4U: What's one thing that you really, really want--to do, to have, to see, to whatever--that would advance your ministry or educational potential?
And I want you to join me! As a homeschooling mom, I look forward to homeschool conventions with the same fervor I looked forward to the county fair as a kid. The huge stuffed animals, the impossible ring toss game, school friends I hadn’t seen in a while, dirt up to my ankles, overpriced hotdogs, the scent of greasy food, and yes, the Zipper and the Gravitron, preferably after a funnel cake and a snow cone! Can’t you just hear the vendors offering you a free dart if you buy three? Remember the thrill of winning the first blue ribbon for a craft project or a 4-H display?
Let’s shift that excitement to homeschool fairs (conventions). Imagine the crisp smell of new books, the sound of vendors explaining exactly how to maximize their curricula, and the sight of all those goodies in the freebie bag. Imagine hearing and meeting some well-known homeschool speakers and authors. I’m getting energized just thinking about it already! Imagine being able to preview all of the writing curricula you’re trying to decide between and having the authors right there to explain the differences.
Now, stop imaging and start making it a reality! Homeschool events happen in just about every state. Some of them are extremely affordable, although some of them are a bit pricier. If you can, I strongly encourage you to make the effort to attend an in-person homeschool convention. The personal inspiration is incomparable, plus you’ll have the touch-feely benefits.
I'll be at the HINTS Bookfair in Matthews, NC (July 16–17). Look for me to speak on “The Organized Way to be Your Child’s Tutor” and “Organize Your Homeschool.” The best part about this fair is that the entrance fee is only $5!! So, if you live in North or South Carolina (or want to travel here), we want to meet you in July. Stop by our booth and introduce yourself.
If you can’t make it to a physical event because of financial, time, or family constraints, how ‘bout booking yourself for a virtual homeschool conference? The only thing you’ll be missing is the smell of new books (only delayed until your boxes start arriving in the mail) and being jostled by other eager homeschool moms. What could be better than attending a fair in your jammies without having to travel anywhere? No need to worry about a babysitter or the laundry. No packing, no gas to buy, and no lumpy hotel bed. The best thing is that the sessions are usually recorded and available to download, so you can listen at your convenience, and listen to a particular session multiple times if you wish.
Proverbs 31 Ministries has long been a favorite of mine. And I’m not just saying that because I want to win their contest! Seriously, these ladies embody the ideals they espouse. They’re real women; they don’t sugarcoat their daily lives and struggles. The stories they tell on their daily radio show sound just like what goes on in my life. When they write an encouraging blog post and I comment, they often comment back—personally. Their books inspire me.
So, how did they get from housewives to writers, speakers, and leaders? The She Speaks Conference holds the key. Rather than try to paraphrase the benefits of attending She Speaks, I’m going to borrow Lysa TerKeurst’s motivational endorsement (not that I needed to be persuaded myself).
For Speakers:
Whether you are ready to take the main stage and start speaking at conferences and retreats or whether you want to learn how to more effectively teach a ladies’ Bible Study, this track is for you. After attending this conference you will be equipped to:
* Know how to develop a great message from start to finish.
* Understand what keeps an audience engaged and how to make your message memorable.
* Deliver your message in such a way that not only inspires your audience but also motivates them to make life changes.
* Increase your number of booked speaking engagements by using proven marketing strategies.
For Writers:
You have had a passion for writing and have even had people encourage you to write a book, but have never known how to get started on the pathway to publication. You will have the chance to attend sessions taught by some of the top Christian publishers: Zondervan, Harvest House, Cook, and several others. You will also be able to make appointments to pitch your book proposal.
Or maybe you are a blogger and want to learn how to more effectively connect with your readers, increase the impact of your blog, and hear from someone who successfully got a book contract by maximizing her blog platform.
Whatever the case may be, if you are a writer in the making, after attending this conference you will:
* Discover your unique writing voice and the mechanics of effective writing.
* Understand what publishers are looking for and how to write proposals that get their attention.
* Better understand how to build your writing portfolio by getting published in magazines.
* Know how to write a book that will impact your reader from start to finish.
For Women’s Ministry Leaders:
You know firsthand the unique opportunities and challenges that present themselves when you lead a ministry in your church for women. You give and serve all year long—now is your chance to get filled back up with encouragement and training. You’ll have the opportunity to attend a Pre-Conference Intensive session as well as the women’s ministry leadership track where you’ll learn how to:
* Build a dream team of ministry partners.
* Cast your vision for ministry in a way others will catch it.
* Distinguish God's direction for your ministry with confidence.
* Celebrate milestones of your ministry's effectiveness and keep your team inspired.
I will only add that I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want to attend She Speaks this year! I want to be a Proverbs 31 woman, and I want to inspire other women to be Proverbs 31 women as well. My faithful blog readers will remember that among the goals I posted for myself this year were improving my writing skills, publishing more magazine articles, exploring the possibilities of writing a book, and speaking in more venues. The best way to achieve my goals is to attend the She Speaks Conference sponsored by Proverbs 31 Ministries.
Sounds easy enough, right? Just visit the She Speaks Web site and sign up. Oh, and pay the registration fee. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very reasonable fee for everything offered. Unless you’re a freelance writer who writes for free and a freelance editor who keeps reading, “We don’t need any editors right now, but we’ll keep your resume on file.”
Solution: Lysa TerKeurst is sponsoring a She Speaks Scholarship Contest here. Woohoo! The three winners will receive a fully paid scholarship to the 2010 She Speaks Conference. Did I mention that I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want to win this contest? Just checking! The best part is that I don’t have any travel costs (I live in a Charlotte suburb). So, if I win this contest, I can get the training I need to take my writing and my speaking to the next level.
Even though I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want to win, I’m also aspiring to be a Proverbs 31 woman, so here is the link to Lysa’s blog so that you can enter the contest, too. If you don’t win, visit the She Speaks Web site to register for the conference.
