The thread about Ken Ham got me thinking... what's the point? I've never been to a convention, so I'm asking honestly. Our's is a super big deal and you have to buy your tickets (which aren't cheap) months in advance. It's not "young child" friendly so they encourage you to get a sitter for the week. :roll: And the speakers are gobs of people I've never heard of. I've heard some local folks say things about going to browse curriculum. I understand this, but I can't see how paying big money to get in to the conference is somehow better than asking friends to see what they're using. Some people say they go for the discounts on curriculum, but at $150ish per adult ticket, how are you saving money?? I know I sound negative, and I am skeptical (which is why I've never attended), but I'd honestly like to know what the point is.
I have gone to 3 conventions. 2 were specifically to hear speakers talking about special needs, which is important to me. Some were worth the money, one wasn't at all. The other thing is to actually SEE how the curriculum is set up and how it works. Since ds is special needs, browsing the internet doesn't often show me what I need see in order to evaluate if its going to work. The last thing is to "gather ideas". Some things are way expensive, but it could be something I could pull together from other sources or use the idea as a foundation to make my own. Since the convention I use to attend has moved to over 3 hours away, it would now require an over night stay. And a hotel isn't in my budget at the moment. So to answer your question, it's sometimes worth it and sometimes not. Depends on what you're looking for. Marty
I use to go to the CHEO convention. REALLY enjoyed it; would go again except they moved it out of central Ohio, and it would mean staying the night somewhere. I wouldn't go to the Cincinnatti convention, and it really has nothing to do with the confusion about Ken Ham. I've read The Well-Trained Mind, and was NOT IMPRESSED at all. I'm not comfortable with her or with some of what she teaches. So the fact that Ken Ham has problems with what this other guy is teaching and he's connected with Susan Wise Bauer, I'm guessing I wouldn't care for him. That's my personal opinion. And while I appreciate Tim Hawkins, I really resent having to pay extra to see him or anyone else.
I have never been to a convention. I was going to go last year but really did not want to pay the price of the ticket and it was much less than $150.00. I am lucky and live by a Christian library that has a ton of homeschooling books I can thumb through. I have also come right out and asked just about every homeschooling family that I know if I could look at there curriculum choices as well. Another reason for me not going is because I would have a hard time relaxing, listening and taking it all in with my child in another part of the convention with strangers. Just too easy these days for a child to end up missing. If I wanted to listen to a particular speaker, made arrangements (left them at home) for my kiddos ,and really wanted to see a particular curriculum in person I might be willing to go, but there is no way I would pay $150.00 to do it.
Okay, we went to one once just to be able to see curriculum in person. It was worth it because it confirmed what we had decided sight unseen (which was a relief, actually). We did not go the next two years, but are going this year because there are speakers on specific topics DH & I want to hear. So, I guess my answer is that when we have a very specific goal, yes. But it's not a way I would spend time or money if I didn't have a very clear reason in mind for attending.
Most of the other parents I'm around are also homeschoolers, so I did the same thing with asking around and to see things. We also have a used Christian book store here that carries a lot of HS materials, so I can thumb through stuff there. And there's Mardel's, of course. I guess I'm just not a "speaker" person. I'll happily watch talks on video or online and I'll get their books from the library. But to spend a bundle just to hear people isn't my thing. I know it's other's thing, but not mine. Thank you all for your input. I just didn't understand the draw.
I've attended the big book fair in our area annually for the last 7 years or so. Our tickets are very cheap, though, at just $10 per adult ticket. I used to be a department head, and so I got used to being able to look at a curriculum all the way through. I don't like to rely on on-line stuff because you're just seeing a few sample pages rather than a whole. We have Mardel, but it only sells a handful of the curricula that's out there. I've seen vendors at the convention that I would otherwise never have heard of, and I like being able to see the curriculum as it follows year after year [e.g. science--- I like to know how the curriculum will progress; is it a curriculum I'd see sticking with for years to come?]. I also like the neat vendor booths that aren't curriculum per-se but sell cool 'extras' that I can use. There are usually a couple of used book booths as well, and I really have gotten some good deals just by purchasing at the convention rather than ordering online. We've gone to some of the speakers, but we primarily go to browse and buy. I could never see paying $150 for the experience, but $10 is a small price to pay for us as it allows us to see more than the usual curricula that people have and it allows us to ask questions of a human being in person.
We have a book fair here twice a year that is entirely different. I haven't been there yet, either, but mostly because I forget about it until it's already over. I DO see the point in book fairs.
WOW!!! If it were $150 per ticket, I wouldn't be there, either! When I went, it was often for both dh and I, and I would also include the cost of CHEO membership. Even so, it was nowhere near that price! Oh, and my mom got to attend for free. She really enjoyed going! I personally enjoyed many of the speakers. Carl especially liked Todd Wilson and Ken Ham. I think my favorite was Tammy...I forget her last name!...from Tobin's Lab talking about doing lapbooks. I had never heard of them before, and she took us step by step.
I call it a book fair, but it's a book fair/convention. They have speakers and curriculum vendors. There's a big convention in the Woodlands that has all sorts of activities for kids to do while the parents are shopping and listening to speakers. I've never gone to it and have no idea how much it costs [bit far away for my taste], but I've got a couple of ladies in my homeschool group who attend and absolutely love it; they say their kids love it, too, and have a blast when they go. I think conventions are probably a lot like homeschool groups and such. They serve an important purpose for some and are pretty useless for others.
I went when my kids were younger and didn't go again until last year and it was very helpful but, ours only cost $10 for the whole family. I wouldn't pay $150. It was helpful being that my kids are nearing college age and I was able to find some curriculum to use for this year.
Oh wow, I wouldn't pay $150 either. The ones I have attended are called bookfairs (I think both), but they have speakers also. I like to go and look at all the neat books and buy some (but not much). I know it is tempting to buy a lot, but I have to be realistic.
HA! That's my other worry: I went to the used curriculum fair a few years ago (yes, we have a TON of HS events around here) and I came home with way too much stuff. Stuff I never even used. I think I'd be more realistic now, but it's just so hard. I know when I go to Mardel's for a single workbook on a specific topic, I come home with three.
It's owned by the same company as Hobby Lobby. It's a Christian bookstore that has a HUGE education section. I don't know how it's laid out in other cities, but our education department is split about 75% homeschool materials and 25% classroom materials (like bulletin boards, posters, charts, etc). They carry gobs of curriculum including AOP, BJU, etc. And workbooks. Oh the workbooks! http://www.mardel.com/
I have been to our state convention once, and then just went to the big convention in Greenville. I actually like the state convention better, even though the big convention had more "high" power speakers. The Greenville convention was very slanted to the classical method of homeschooling. And while there were things of interest to me, a lot of it just wasn't pertinent. I like to go for the seminars which give me encouragement as a mom who is homeschooling. It is nice to get some little tips and some validation that I CAN do this. I actually think the speakers at the state convention were better. A lot of the ones at the big convention, while speaking on various subjects, were there to sell their books and curriculum. Nothing wrong with that, but sitting through an entire seminar about a certain math program is not helpful to me. A seminar by a homeschooling mom talking about how she manages when she "falls off her lesson plan" is. As for the book fair part, I make a like of curriculum I am interested in seeing. At the convention, I can put my hands on the book, flip through it and see if I like it. Sometimes things I think I would love when I see them online fall flat in real life. Also, many times there are discounts when you buy at the convention, and free shipping - every little bit helps! I think I will stick with the state convention from now on. Ours lets you go just for the book fair $10 per couple and you can attend the seminars for that day as well.
Yes, Cheryl!!! You really summed up how I feel (though I've never been to a "big" one!) But just reading about the Cincinnatti one leaves me with the sense of what you say!
Before GHC took over the convention circuit, our area had one called SEARCH that was just amazing. Last year was it's last year. GHC coming into the NE Philly area has destroyed an amazing ministry, the same way Lowes & Home Depot obliterate the mom and pop hardware stores. Makes me sad. I hadn't even signed up for it, even though it was the only one I'd be able to go to this year. I loved SEARCH. It was small, approachable, etc. GREAT Used book sale. AMAZING used book sale. I'm now looking into attending ENOCH. But, I feel pretty strongly, now about not supporting GHC. MORE than just over the Ken Ham issue.
