We’re getting ready to wrap up this year’s convention schedule with our last conference of the summer, July 29-30 in Modesto, California.

Homeschooling families who live in California’s Central Valley will love the friendly, comfortable atmosphere of the Valley Home Educators Convention (VHE) at the Modesto Centre Plaza. Come be inspired and encouraged by some wonderful speakers, explore the curriculum hall, and enjoy the company of other homeschoolers.

Workshop

I hope you’ll join me (Kim ) for my exhibitor workshop: Inspiring Successful Writers

Vendor Booth

You’ll find our vendor booth in the main lobby again this year, so as you begin looking toward fall, it’s also the perfect time to stop by, ask questions, see what’s new, browse through WriteShop books in person, or pick up your free gift (while supplies last).

At the convention you can:

• See our full line of WriteShop products
• Purchase the newest WriteShop Primary books.
• Take a peek at the soon-to-be-released WriteShop Junior Book D!
• Learn how you can teach a WriteShop co-op class in your area.
• Receive much-needed encouragement about teaching writing.

Visit the VHE website for workshop schedule, exhibit hall hours, and directions to the convention. See you there!

If you live in Arizona, AFHE is a great opportunity to hear some inspiring speakers, check out new curriculum, meet new and like-minded friends, and get recharged for the new school year. This year’s conference is July 22-23 at the Phoenix Convention Center.

We’ll have a vendor booth again this year, so as you begin looking toward fall, it’s also the perfect time to stop by our booth to ask questions, see what’s new, or browse through WriteShop books in person. We’ll be in booth #514.

At the convention you can:

• See our full line of WriteShop products
• Purchase the newest WriteShop Primary books.
• Preview the up-and-coming WriteShop Junior books.
• Learn how you can teach a WriteShop co-op class in your area.
• Receive much-needed encouragement about teaching writing.
• Attend a WriteShop exhibitor workshop on Teaching Writing: The Big Picture Saturday at 1:30 in Rm. 154.

Visit the AFHE Convention website for workshop schedule, exhibit hall hours, and directions to the convention. See you there!

And don’t forget to check WriteShop’s convention schedule to see where we’ll be next!

If you homeschool in Southern California, you know that the CHEA Convention is one of the highlights of the year! With a great lineup of speakers and all sorts of curriculum exhibitors, you won’t want to miss this extra-special 28th annual event July 14-16.

This year, the CHEA Convention will again be held at the beautiful Pasadena Convention Center. Visit www.cheaofca.org for information, convention schedule, and downloadable workshop syllabus pages.

Vendor Booth

As you begin looking toward the next school year, it’s also the perfect time to stop by our booth to ask questions, see what’s new, or browse through WriteShop books in person. Find us in Booth #329.

At the convention you can:

• See our full line of WriteShop products
• Purchase the newest WriteShop Primary books.
• Preview the up-and-coming WriteShop Junior materials.
• Learn how you can teach a WriteShop co-op class in your area.
• Receive much-needed encouragement about teaching writing.
• Attend my workshop “Ten Stumbling Blocks to Writing” at 12:40 on Friday.

Visit the CHEA website for more information. Hope to see you there!

~Kim

Next week will bring us to the beautiful state of Washington, where Debbie and I will be exhibitors at the annual WHO Convention at the Puyallup Fair and Events Center.

If you live in northwestern Washington, this is a great opportunity to hear some inspiring speakers, check out new curriculum, and enjoy a weekend of refreshment and recharging.

And as you begin looking toward the next school year, it’s also the perfect time to stop by our booth to ask questions, see what’s new, or browse through WriteShop books in person.

At the convention you can:

• See our full line of WriteShop products
• Purchase the newest WriteShop Primary books.
• Learn how you can teach a WriteShop co-op class in your area.
• Receive much-needed encouragement about teaching writing.
• Attend Kim Kautzer’s workshop on Teaching Writing: The Big Picture on Friday at 11:00.

Visit the WHO Convention site for workshop schedule, exhibit hall hours, and directions to the conventions. See you there!

And check WriteShop’s convention schedule to see where we’ll be next!

Two of the largest homeschool conventions in the country take place this coming weekend, May 26-28, 2011. It’s the perfect opportunity to refresh and recharge, learn from great speakers, and browse through curriculum. Look for the WriteShop booth at both the FPEA and NCHE exhibit halls.

FPEA

If you live in the Orlando area, run—don’t walk—to this year’s outstanding Florida Parent Educators Association (FPEA) Convention at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center. On Friday, May 26, Kim Kautzer will be speaking on “Teaching Writing: The Big Picture,” giving an overview of what to teach and when—and sharing loads of ideas!

• FPEA: WriteShop booth #329

NCHE

And if you homeschool in North Carolina, don’t miss out on the annual North Carolina Home Educators’ Convention (NCHE) in Winston-Salem.

• NCHE: WriteShop booth #41

At the conventions you can:

• See our full line of WriteShop products
• Purchase the newest WriteShop Primary books.
• Take a sneak peek at the exciting new WriteShop Junior series (coming soon)!
• Learn how you can teach a WriteShop co-op class in your area.
• Receive much-needed encouragement about teaching writing.

Whichever conference you attend, it will be a great time to stop by our booth to ask questions, see what’s new, or browse through WriteShop books in person. Visit the convention sites for workshop schedule, exhibit hall hours, and directions to the conventions. See you there!

And if you live on the West Coast, make sure to check WriteShop’s convention schedule to see where we’ll be next!

. . . . .

To learn more about WriteShop, visit our website at www.writeshop.com.

New High School Track

In addition to regular sessions of general interest, there’s also a High School Track this year.

The high school track offers practical and informative sessions by speakers whose expertise lies in the area of higher education. Encourage your high school student to join in—the Expo has some great things in store! If you currently are teaching a middle school student, this track will also help prepare you to successfully homeschool through the high school years.

Kim Kautzer on Timed Essays

I’m looking forward to sharing a session called “Teaching the Timed Essay,” which will be of interest to both parents and high schoolers.

Invite your teen to sit in on the session as I give tips and suggestions for approaching this often-overwhelming side of high school writing.

How to Participate

If you have already purchased a ticket to the live event, you can join in on the workshop “Teaching the Timed Essay” Thursday, May 19 at 1 p.m. EDT/noon CDT/10 a.m. PDT.

Live tickets are sold out, but don’t despair if you missed out. You can buy an Expo to Go ticket, which gives you access to every workshop presentation—including accompanying PowerPoint slide shows—via MP3 download. You can hear each session at your convenience—over and over, if you like.

Expo to Go tickets are available here: www.schoolhouseexpo.com/?page_id=14

Visit the WriteShop Virtual Vendor Booth for some special offers and freebies: www.schoolhouseexpo.com/?page_id=4823

See you there!
~Kim

If you homeschool in the Dallas area, the annual Home School Book Fair is coming this weekend to nearby Arlington May 6-7, 2011! With great speakers and all sorts of curriculum exhibitors, you won’t want to miss this extra-special conference!

This is a perfect time to stop by to see us at Booth #707 to ask questions, see what’s new, or browse through WriteShop books in person.

At the convention you can:

• See our full line of WriteShop products, including the popular new WriteShop Primary series.
• Take a peek at our brand-new WriteShop Junior (coming soon)
• Browse our writing and grammar supplements, such as All About Homophones.
• Learn how you can teach a WriteShop co-op class in your area.
• Receive much-needed encouragement about teaching writing.

At only $10 per person, this is one of the most affordable home school conferences in the country! For workshop schedule, exhibit hall hours, and directions to the Arlington Convention Center, visit www.homeschoolbookfair.org.

Attend Kim Kautzer’s workshop

Don’t miss Kim’s workshop, “Ten Stumbling Blocks to Writing.” You can catch it either Friday or Saturday.

2011 convention schedule

If you don’t live in Texas, check WriteShop’s convention schedule to see where we’ll be next!

. . . . .

In 2011, WriteShop will be exhibiting at 10 brick-and-mortar homeschool conventions where you can see our line of WriteShop products in person, get the skinny on our upcoming WriteShop Junior series and, at most locations, sit in on an informative workshop.

I’m also speaking at a handful of online conferences—which make a great alternative if you’re unable to attend a convention in person.

March 31-April 2: Cincinnati, OH

MidWest Homeschool Convention
www.cincinnatihomeschoolconvention.com
UPDATE:
Kim Kautzer is a featured speaker - ”Teaching Writing: The Big Picture”

May 2-6: Online Conference

Ultimate Homeschool Expo
www.ultimatehomeschoolexpo.com
Kim Kautzer is a featured speaker – “College Prep: Is Writing on Track?”

May 6-7: Arlington, TX

Home School Book Fair
www.homeschoolbookfair.org
Kim Kautzer is a featured speaker - “Ten Stumbling Blocks to Writing”

May 16-20: Online Conference

Schoolhouse Expo
www.schoolhouseexpo.com
Kim Kautzer is a featured speaker – “Teaching the Timed Essay”

May 26-28: Winston-Salem, NC

NCHE – North Carolinians for Home Education
www.nche.com/conference

May 26-28: Orlando, FL

FPEA – Florida Parent Educators Association
www.fpea.com/Convention/index.htm
Exhibitor Workshop – Teaching Writing: The Big Picture

June 17-18: Puyallup, WA

WHO – Washington Homeschool Organization
www.washhomeschool.org/convention/convention.html
Exhibitor Workshop – Teaching Writing: The Big Picture

June 23-25: Philadelphia, PA - CANCELLED

(We were sorry to learn that the NorthEast Homeschool Convention has been cancelled and rescheduled for 2012.)

July 14-16: Pasadena, CA

CHEA – Christian Home Educators Association of California
www.cheaofca.org
Exhibitor Workshop – Ten Stumbling Blocks to Writing

July 16-17: Charlotte, NC

HINTS Book Fair
www.hintsonline.org/bookfair.htm
Exhibitor Workshops
- Inspiring Successful Writers (K-6th)
- Inspiring Successful Writers (7th-12th)

July 22-23: Phoenix, AZ

AFHE – Arizona Families for Home Education
www.afhe.org/conventions.htm
Exhibitor Workshop – Teaching Writing: The Big Picture

July 29-30: Modesto, CA

VHE – Valley Home Educators
www.valleyhomeeducators.org
Exhibitor Workshop – Ten Stumbling Blocks to Writing

Will you be attending any of these events? Let us know. And if you’ll be there in person, please come by our booth in the exhibit hall and say hello!

~Kim

And it’s bigger and better than ever! With the theme “Celebrate Homeschooling,” this fabulous online homeschool conference is coming October 4-8, and you won’t want to miss it! After all, you can attend from the comfort of home–no childcare, travel expenses, or costly admission fees. Who could ask for more?

I haven’t homeschooled since my youngest graduated in 2003, but that didn’t stop me from having a blast at the live online event in May—and not just because I was one of the speakers! What made it so much fun?

• Inspirational, encouraging, humorous, and practical workshop sessions.
• A chat room that buzzed with excitement and comaraderie.
• Door prizes and giveaways galore.

Bonus Preview Shows

As part of the Fall Expo, there will be two lively preview shows to kick off the October event. I’ll be speaking at the September 21 preshow. My topic is “Teaching Writing: The Big Picture.”

Homeschoolers tend to excel in so many areas, yet writing remains an admitted weakness for many of you. I’ll give you a general overview of writing for K-12, with the particular goal of encouraging and inspiring insecure parents.

In addition, I’ll talk about the steps of the writing process; what to teach and when; the importance of editing; content, style, and mechanics; and more. It’s a look at the “big picture” with helpful tips you can apply right away.

Don’t Miss It! Register Now!

Tickets for the May event sold out really quickly, so TOS is encouraging you to grab your ticket early! Plus, tickets are $5 off this week, making the live event a bargain at $19.99 and the Expo to Go MP3 package an even sweeter deal at $14.95. The live event has more perks, but either one will give you access to all the workshops for a full year.

• Preshow #1: August 24
• Preshow #2: September 21
• Schoolhouse Expo: October 4-8

• Register for the LIVE Expo here: http://bit.ly/fall_expo_2010
• Register for Expo to Go here: http://bit.ly/fall_expo2go
• Get more details here: http://bit.ly/9Nkc5h

Hope to see you there!
~Kim Kautzer

Families from around the state will be gathering for family fun and homeschooling encouragement at the California Homeschool Network’s annual conference, which will be held at the Ontario Marriott. 

Workshops

If you’re looking for fun, creative ways to boost writing this year, I’ll be presenting a workshop at 9:30 a.m. August 6: Gone Fishing: Tips and Ideas to Motivate Young Writers.

Vendor Booth

On August 6 and 7, visit our vendor booth (#117) to ask questions, see what’s new, or browse through WriteShop books in person. Don’t forget to ask for your FREE gift! You’ll love it!

At the convention you can:

• See our full line of WriteShop products
• Purchase the newest WriteShop Primary books.
• Learn how you can teach a WriteShop co-op class in your area.
• Receive much-needed encouragement about teaching writing.

Visit the CHN website for workshop schedule, exhibit hall hours, and directions to the convention. See you there!