This is our third convention and what has changed since we first started as a one day affair? Dawn Fung is the organiser of the Homeschool Convention 2019, growing it from a one-day event two years back, to a three-day event where 10 teams now serve the entire homeschooling community in its biggest event of the year.
“I am very pleased to see the homeschool community volunteer to serve in whatever capacity they can, from registration to KDOZ to speakers. We give it our all because it doesn’t make sense not to. This is something we can do with our children as they grow up, in fact, some of our teens will take the stage in this year’s Convention! My heart is to see families working together to create unity in diversity in this little niche group we call homeschoolers.
Each year’s convention seemed to have grown in leaps and bounds! When we started in 2017, the keynote session was in the morning, and the curriculum fair in the afternoon. In 2018, the convention was a 2-day event. On the second day was the breakout sessions for attendees to discuss a particular topic of home education in small groups. In 2019, we have now a third day where our homeschool teens do their version of keynote session in the morning. In the afternoon, we have a mother of all fairs – 4 in one, where everyone gets to play. The kids will be selling items, parents would be sharing resources. We’ve even got a presentation room where different homeschool groups will present excerpts of their learning. A community is a living thing. It doesn’t stay stagnant. It either shrinks or grows. Guess which end of the spectrum we are.
The Homeschool Convention has become a staple of the community calendar. (Other notable events are the Not Back to School Picnic in January, Sports Day in July and Homeschool Festival coming up at the end of year). What is different about this event is that the Convention programme is specifically for the homeschooling parents, not the kids. It is a time for us to take time off to get encouraged for the journey ahead. Yes, the kids are important but SO ARE WE. How are you going to give to the family when your tank is empty? The Convention is a love tank filler. Leave your kids at home, with the grandparents or at KDOZ. It is OUR TIME, ok? When we meet at the Convention, we know it is about honouring ourselves in the work we do.
I do tell parents with kids who are old enough for KDOZ that they aren’t allowed to enter the Convention hall. For one event a year, it is not about the kids. I do expect homeschooling parents to ‘get it’, and seize the opportunity to come hang out. We’ve made it so easy especially with KDOZ, our in-house babysitting programme. This year, we will be catering food for the adults so that you can have lots of time to mingle without feeling rushed or hungry. Listen… we got you. Come. Day 1’s keynote session and Day 2’s homeschool village are full of great messages for the soul.
For parents who are not homeschooling, come for Day 3’s High School Day and the fairs. The homeschool community would have been sufficiently recharged after the first two days. On the third day, we will be happy to chat with you about all things homeschooling in Singapore.
I want to say thank you to the unseen heroes helping out for this year’s. When you come for the Convention, be sure to get to know some of the Convention teams personally. These are homeschooling parents who have set aside time to serve you. Some of them have large families, so imagine the babysitting arrangements they have to make each day. Do get your tickets for the Homeschool Convention 2019 here. They are selling fast! See you!”