SS#143: If you build it, moms will come

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Whether you’re a homeschooling mom or just someone interested in developing attention, you’ll find insights into how this year’s retreat can create a thriving community and foster real connections. Let’s dive in!

Bringing homeschool moms together

Today’s Hosts

Scholé Every Day: What We’re Listening To

Simply Put Podcast
5 Minutes in Church History Podcast
Things Unseen Podcast

These three super short podcasts keep Abby engaged with historical and theological nuggets to mull on and connect throughout her day.

Jordan Peterson Podcast #458 with Katharine Birbalsigh

This podcast episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in education, especially in a classroom setting. Kids are more secure when boundaries are clear and enforced, and therefore, they learn better. You can be strict without being a tyrant.

Knox Unplugged Podcast

When cooking or cleaning, Mystie often turns to one of these super-long podcast episodes (in random order based on the episode title). In it, Jason Farley helps Chocolate Knox recover a classical education and a Christian cosmology rooted in Scripture and history.

Scholé Sisters Retreats

Back in 2017, when we did our first retreat, online conferences were rare, especially in the homeschooling community. Initially, our decision to avoid hosting a large, in-person conference stemmed from a desire to foster genuine community connections without overwhelming logistics. 

Eventually, we shifted our format to avoid any guru positioning and to make the talks more interesting and engaging. Our primary goal is to start a conversation that your local community picks up and carries on in person.

Recognizing that 45-minute solo presentations weren’t fostering such desired discussions, we shifted to conversation-led sessions. These reflect a podcast style where we explore various angles and ideas, encouraging attendees to continue the conversation locally.

By starting the dialogue and allowing attendees to discuss further, we support a vibrant, interactive experience that moves beyond passive listening.

Retreat Session Discussions

Because discussion and application is our goal, we set up a few ways to make that happen.

1. Individually From Home: Engage in live online events, similar to a Zoom session, complete with live chats.

2. In Local Groups: Host or join a local gathering, where you watch the retreat sessions together and have in-person discussions.

Hosting or attending a local group offers several advantages:

– Convenience: Host events closer to home, reducing the need for costly travel or childcare.

– Affordability: Our pricing is accessible for most, especially compared to larger conferences.

– Focus and Engagement: By setting aside dedicated time away from home distractions, you can fully immerse yourself in the retreat content.

– Community Building: Discussing ideas with local friends or new acquaintances strengthens your local network, enriching your daily life.

These benefits align perfectly with our goal to build supportive, connected homeschool communities.

We make it easy to have a local event!

We’ve structured our retreats to make hosting easy. Hosts receive everything they need:

– Detailed Schedule: We provide the schedule, reducing the planning stress.

– Content and Speakers: We handle the presentations, ensuring high-quality content.

– Promotional Materials: Invitations and flyers are ready to send out.

Hosts can focus on the personal touches, creating meaningful, yet low-stress, events.

Our retreat topics resonate broadly with homeschooling families, regardless of specific educational philosophies. This year’s theme is Attention—a critical skill for both parents and children in a focused educational environment. We’ll cover practical tips and explore the habit of attention from multiple angles, ensuring everyone finds actionable insights.

Find past retreat replays here.

Homeschool Essentials: Attention

October 5, 2024

Live or Local!

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