Activities for group meetings

Some starter suggestions from Vicki Bentley (I think our group has done all of these!)

(If you aren’t sure what to cover, toss the idea out to them and ask what they’d like to know.)

Lesson planning
Record keeping
Homeschooling with little ones
Motivating middle schoolers
Homeschooling through high school       Specifics?______________________________
      (Otherwise, can be done as a 4-hour general high school seminar.)
Challenges of single parent homeschooling
Overview of various teaching approaches (traditional, unit studies, relaxed, classical, etc.)—Can be done as several individual topics in more detail or as an overview
Character training
Learning challenges—from disabilities to gifted learners
Testing and evaluations
Understanding your state’s homeschool law
Joyful motherhood
Hands-on dads
Curriculum Show and Sell Night or Share Fair (curriculum fun)
Getting dinner on the table the same day you homeschool (recipes and timesaving hints)
Getting kids to help at home
Portfolios
Teaching geography
Reading & literature
Learning centers/work approaches
I’m Only One Person—What Can I Do? (political activism and homeschooling issues)
Multi-level teaching
Learning styles
Time management for homeschool moms
Beyond book reports
Organizing your home for a lifestyle of learning (household organization; learning centers)
Creative writing
Foreign language
Making history real
Choosing curriculum
Planning for summer
PE in the homeschool
Summer activities
Used book sale
Moms breakfast/coffee
Moms sleepover
Group trip to state convention
What we are learning in history (or other subject)
History resources
Science fair or show & tell
Science ideas
General dad encouragement
General mom encouragement
Avoiding burnout
Vision for homeschooling/home discipleship
Life skills for kids
Q&A night (panel to facilitate?)
Making math less painful
Bible and character resources for kids
How can you tell when you need more help? (Recognizing learning challenges)
Game night (lots of board games and snacks)
Gym night (several basketball-style games/activities for family)
Parents’ dinner (sweetheart banquet? With teens to watch kids on premises)
Video night (esp a topic of interest to parents, or FunnyMoms, etc.)
Themed nights (such as Medieval Feast, Geography night, etc.)
Recitation night
Why we homeschool (effective for kickoff meeting; have a few couples share 3 minutes each—mom AND dad—on why they started and what they’ve learned)
Pizza party
Ice cream social
Recital
End-of-year awards celebration (parents give kids a certificate; we had our local legislator help, rented a gym with tables, and let kids have an open house)
Family picnic
Holiday ideas/traditions
Mother/daughter tea
Some sort of lesson (ballroom dance, square dancing, basket weaving, etc)
Mock general assembly (how a bill is passed)
Speed mentoring
Lessons Learned (Home Education 101 has worksheet; available at )
Any of the Home Education 101 chapters can be used for at least one meeting.