E•vent Library

The ability to write is a valuable tool to help your children express their beliefs in any venue God calls them to. For young people preparing to be 21st century apologists, a strong education in composition is especially crucial.

In this informative webinar, Dr. James Stobaugh overviews appropriate writing goals and objectives from pre-K to college. Learn to balance teaching writing skills with nurturing the heart to develop a capable student, ready and able to articulate with eloquence.

C. S. Lewis, considered the greatest apologist of the 20th century, was not a theologian—he was primarily a classicist, a student of literature. Dr. James Stobaugh shares his belief that the next “C. S. Lewis” God will call forth will emerge from a community that understands, analyzes, and appreciates truly great literature.

In this stimulating webinar, Dr. Stobaugh will specifically address the importance of learning how to analyze literature for effective college preparation and for the establishment of a firm apologetics foundation.

The study and appreciation of poetry is a vital part of traditional education. In fact, many of the best thinkers, authors, and statesmen of the past several hundred years had a comprehensive knowledge of poetry, and were well-versed in Homer, Virgil, Dante, Chaucer, Spenser, and Milton from a very young age.

Like many other foundational arts, poetry has been sadly neglected in our day. Classical education expert and homeschooling mom Kathy Weitz offers creative ways to remedy this situation in your homeschool using material from the Classical Writing curriculum’s poetry series. With Kathy’s tips and advice, you can learn ways to restore the strength of poetry in your children’s home education program. Kathy will allow time to for you to ask specific questions after her lecture.

Do your students know the difference between a “report” and an “essay”? If not, experienced teacher Lesha Myers is here to help! You can help your student move from simply reporting facts to the more sophisticated skill of using and evaluating facts in order to support an opinion. With several different essay models and through captivating introductions to compelling arguments and convincing conclusions, you can feel confident in training your students to be excellent essay writers.

As parents and teachers, we know that literature is an essential part of a good education. You may have several “classics” on your shelves at home, but do you know what makes a good story? Do you know how to teach literary analysis? Is there more to literary analysis than just writing “book reports”?

Unlock some of the secrets of literature with Lesha Myers! You’ll learn how to evaluate great books, and how to use literature to cultivate wisdom in your child’s education.

Would you like to give your child a classical education in this modern world? Classical education expert and homeschooling mom Kathy Weitz introduces the writing methods of Charlotte Mason in this enlightening webinar.

A highly respected educator of the late 19th and early 20th century, Charlotte Mason encouraged short lessons, copywork, narration, nature study, and picture study in early childhood education. She also advocated reading aloud carefully chosen, well-written books, memorizing poetry, learning hymns and folksongs, and making sure there was ample time to play and dream each day. Her methods were similar to the ancient classical approach to preparing young children for their formal education.

Kathy will discuss the benefits of these methods and how they can be used to prepare today's young students for a more rigorous education in following years. Kathy is the author of the new Classical Writing Primer series of workbooks for early elementary students. These workbooks are designed to help home educators establish and maintain simple, consistent weekly language arts practice. Come prepared with specific questions for the Q&A time with Kathy which will follow this presentation.

Now that you’ve been introduced to the Parents as Reading Tutors (PART) teaching method, Steven Duvall will cover the finer details of implementing your new reading plan. In this second of three sessions, parents will learn (1) how to use a specific error-correction procedure, (2) how to monitor real reading gains, (3) what reading patterns to expect when tutoring, (4) what adjustments to make when reading progress is slow to develop, and (5) to recognize when tutoring is no longer necessary.

Since language is the foundation of most other academic learning, a solid reading ability is imperative to your children’s education. The Parents as Reading Tutors (PART) teaching method can help you build that learning foundation.

The purpose of this three-part series is to teach parents how to apply PART—an easily learned, scientifically developed program that parents can use to help children with reading problems. In as little as 15 minutes a day, research has shown that reading speed, comprehension, and reading test scores increase significantly when parents use PART as directed, even for children with reading disabilities, learning disabilities, and/or dyslexia. Through this series, Dr. Steven Duvall teaches parents how to be involved and effective in helping their children learn to read.

In this first of three sessions, Dr. Steven Duvall introduces the Parents as Reading Tutors (PART) teaching plan. Parents will learn how to (1) prepare for a PART tutoring session, (2) recognize different kinds of reading errors, (3) determine their child’s reading level, and (4) graph their child’s reading progress.

In his final section of this three-part series, Steven Duvall helps you troubleshoot specific questions or concerns you may have regarding the Parents as Reading Tutors teaching method. During this live question-and-answer session, parents have an opportunity to (1) report their child’s reading progress and (2) seek direction in cases where their child’s reading gains are slower than expected.

Teaching writing to middle and high school students can be an area of frustration for some home educators. Kathy Weitz will discuss the tried and true classical tradition of the Greek progymnasmata—a graduated series of exercises by which the students of antiquity were trained in the arts of writing and oratory. Throughout the past two thousand years, this method has produced many of the best thinkers, authors, and statesmen of the Western world.

Kathy is part of the Classical Writing team, a group of four homeschooling mothers who have integrated grammar, logic, and literature analysis with the progymnasmata in a unique homeschool curriculum. Students study these disciplines by analyzing and imitating history’s greatest writers. With outlines and step-by-step instructions for planning and editing compositions, teaching writing can be a manageable task—even for a homeschooling parent with limited writing expertise.

Tune in to this webinar for an overview of the entire Classical Writing curriculum, with a focus on writing instruction for middle and high school students. After her lecture, Kathy will take your specific questions for teaching classical writing in your homeschool.

Teaching writing is one of the most important, yet sometimes the most challenging, aspects of home education. In this informative webinar, author and teacher Kathy Weitz will discuss the tried and true classical tradition of progymnasmata—a graduated series of exercises by which Greek students were trained in the arts of writing and oratory. This method has produced many of the best thinkers, authors, and statesmen of the Western world and can cultivate holistic writing skills in your students, as well.

Kathy is part of the Classical Writing team, a group of four homeschooling mothers who have integrated grammar, logic, and literature analysis with the progymnasmata in a unique homeschool curriculum. Students study these disciplines by analyzing and imitating history’s greatest writers. With outlines and step-by-step instructions for planning and editing compositions, teaching writing can be a manageable task—even for a homeschooling parent with limited writing expertise.

Tune in to this webinar for an overview of the entire Classical Writing curriculum, with a focus on the beginning stages of writing instruction from 3rd to 7th grade.

Would you like to help your word-weary young students become compelling writers? Award-winning author Daniel Schwabauer shares how storytelling can give your children valuable writing skills and broaden their view of the world.

By asking “The Write Questions,” your students can identify the five basic elements of a great story. Along the way, Daniel will share what makes fiction such a powerful teaching tool, how to balance mechanics with imagination, and how to choose excellent reading material for your homeschool—as well as curriculum that will foster quality writing habits. Give your children the gift of effective articulation and a love of writing by introducing them to the world of storytelling.

We've all suffered it at one time or another: frustration about writing assignments. Either on the receiving end, or perhaps now on the giving end, there can be a few distinctly discouraging aspects to teaching and being taught writing. The tough questions include: What to correct and how to give a grade? How much help is too much? Isn't the assignment clear enough? Why don't students find their own errors? Learn and avoid four teaching mistakes that contribute to this frustration: Overcorrecting, Holding Back Help, Unclear Assignments, & Over Expectation.

“What writing skills does my high school student really need? Am I adequately preparing my pre-teen or teen for college writing?” If you find yourself asking these questions, join Patrick Henry College Distance Learning Professor of Writing, author, and mother of 13 children, Erin Brown Conroy, to discover how to simplify teaching high school writing. Learn quick-to-implement tips on how and what to teach, as well as strategies to avoid common teaching errors. Upbeat and knowledgeable, Erin will share secrets to writing that will save you time and energy—enabling you to help your child succeed. You can bypass hours of needless frustration, ensure that your student learns what really matters, and teach your student to become a solid writer. Join us to discover how!

Do you want your children to become excellent readers? Are you looking for ways to help your children develop a lifelong love of reading along with proficiency in this skill?

Find out how in this @home e-vent! Be encouraged as you talk with MaryAnn about easy ways to help your children become confident, competent readers. You’ll discover that there’s no mystery or monotony in teaching reading and that you can incorporate a love for reading into your household. MaryAnn guarantees that you will leave inspired, with practical strategies for making this your best homeschooling year yet!

Do you want to give your children a love for words and the tools to process them? Starting now, help your children record their life stories as they happen! This fun and natural approach will produce story after story as your children see the value you place on their life experiences. Whether writing comes easily to your child or it’s a struggle, you'll love the tips and techniques Jill Novak has developed over the years for working with children of different temperaments and learning styles. Jill is the author of The Gift of Family Writing, a delight-directed and practical method that inspires family members to communicate from their hearts and preserve a written legacy for generations to come. Whether your children are in preschool or high school, start unlocking their natural gift for writing!

If you have a child who struggles with writing, or your child has shown high proficiency in writing, find out how the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) can help your child reach his or her full potential. In this free and open-to-the-public webinar, IEW instructor Laura House will show you how to introduce the IEW method into your homeschool...guaranteed to be fun and effective! This webinar is for people who have never experienced IEW or new IEW users who are not very familiar with the program. You can listen, ask questions, and make an informed decision about where to start with IEW so that you can develop excellence in writing in your home!

How do you know if your teen is ready to take on college-level writing and composition? What is an AP English Language and Composition course like? Come find out in the free e-vent "AP English Language and Composition: How to Know It's Right for You," featuring Patrick Henry College DL writing instructor and Patrick Henry College Preparatory Academy master teacher Erin Brown Conroy. A college writing professor for 12 years who has designed courses and written books on college writing (and a mom of 13!), Erin will give you an overview of PHC Prep Academy's fall-semester AP English Language and Composition course, plus share the Top Five Tips for successfully teaching upper-level writing. With PHC Prep Academy, your teen can earn AP credit and prepare for the college life now. Sign up today to find out if this is right for you!

Where do students start to improve their writing? With Patrick Henry College Preparatory Academy's AP English Literature and Composition course, high school students will not only expand their writing skills; they will also be prepared for the rigorous college writing courses ahead. In this free and open-to-the-public e-vent, parents can hear from PHC Prep Academy Master Teacher Steven Hake about this two-semester course. Also a professor of literature at Patrick Henry College, Dr. Hake will map out the course objectives as well as tie in the biblical perspective on literature and composition. Find out if AP English Literature and Composition is right for your teen!

With all the video games and gadgets out there, how do you interest your sons in good, quality books? Find new ways to encourage reading in this special presentation by HSLDA Staff Attorney Thomas J. (Tj) Schmidt, who shares a handful of books and authors that have impacted his life starting from his homeschool years. Whether you are dealing with a son who won't open a book, or you can't find enough options for your voracious reader, this practical webinar will share new books and authors appropriate for boys of all ages and reading levels. Get ideas for encouraging reading as part of your homeschool curriculum, or reading just for fun!

Get to know The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis's masterpiece of children's literature, with HSLDA Senior Counsel Scott Woodruff. He has read the Chronicles over and over, and is ready to shed light on their beauty and majesty, as well as some flaws.

If you have never read the series, this presentation will let you know what to expect, and will encourage you to get ready for some quality reading time with your kids! The Chronicles present a powerful and attractive presentation of the gospel in a format superbly suited for children. The books' strongly allegorical elements point to the cross, the incarnation, salvation, hearing from God, growing in truth, the problem of evil, and more.

Awesome literature, awesome message, awesome time with your kids--find it all in The Chronicles of Narnia!

Due to technical difficulties, the beginning of this recording, which included The Magician's Nephew and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, has been lost. However, due to popular demand, Scott and Dave will be conducting e-vents that address each book individually. Make sure to check our website and our @home e-lerts for information on these upcoming e-vents!

HSLDA Senior Counsel Scott Woodruff will introduce you to one of literature's masterpieces: Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment. This fascinating novel deals with cold-blooded murder, guilt, prostitution, betrayal, suicide, love, faith, and the Christian hope of redemption. And since it's a Russian novel, we can't leave out exile in Siberia!

Dostoyevsky had a deep and complex faith. A masterful author, his characters are broken, flawed, desperate, and yearning for redemption in a dark world-just like us! Scott Woodruff assumes you know nothing about the book-yet. But maybe you'll want to add this classic to your mature teen's book list after the e-vent.

How can your family implement or renew reading time in your home? Join HSLDA Staff Attorney Thomas J. (Tj) Schmidt for his personal look at the blessings and benefits of reading to your children. Tj will share several books that he and his wife read to his children, as well as some of the opportunities that reading together has provided for his family to learn and grow. Join the conversation as Tj opens up for feedback and questions at the end of this e-vent.