CHEO Special Needs Conference Workshop Schedule

Come listen to Steve’s testimony of the last thirty years as the father of a child with special needs. He shares what his family has learned, and the special, rewarding, and joyful role John has played in their lives. Even in the difficult experiences of life, God proved faithful and His grace sustained them and brought good out of their struggles and disappointments.

Ever wonder why you can’t find curriculum that works for your special needs child?  Most homeschool curriculum is designed around grade levels, but children with complex learning needs often develop along a very different path. When parents focus only on curriculum, they can miss the developmental foundations that make learning possible. In this session, you’ll learn how your child develops over time and how those developmental stages affect your child’s ability to learn. We’ll explore several topics through a developmental lens including learning struggles, meltdowns, and the path to independence. Come learn practical ways to adapt your teaching, identify developmental next steps, and homeschool with a clearer understanding of your child’s learning journey. This workshop is especially helpful for those with children with more severe learning struggles, including those who don’t read, write or speak.

Anxiety doesn’t always look like worry—it can show up as anger, perfectionism, sadness, or even avoidance. In this reassuring session, Colleen helps parents recognize the hidden signs of anxiety in their children and teens, and offers practical tools to support them. Attendees will walk away with book suggestions, actionable strategies, and resources they can use right away to bring more calm and connection into their homes. 

Learn fun and engaging research-based brain games you can use at home to strengthen attention, memory, processing, and executive functioning. These engaging activities build the foundation for reading, writing, and math for children of all ages and abilities.

Join CHEO’s Legislative Liaison, Melanie Elsey, and Special Needs Coordinator, Jeannine Ramer to get an understanding of Ohio’s two scholarships available to special needs students, The Autism Scholarship and the Jon Peterson Scholarship.  Get an overview of the requirements and benefits of each of these scholarships and have your questions answered about Ohio’s current laws for home educated special needs students.

Learn how to implement brain-training games and exercises at home to improve attention, memory, language, executive functioning, and critical thinking for children across grade levels.

Believing the good news in our innermost being is transformative and restorative.  We can only give to our children what we have received ourselves.  As we comprehend God’s care and affection in new ways, we will be able to minister the same to our families.

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Why can your child spend hours on a passion project—but forget to brush their teeth? Executive function skills are the brain’s self-management system, and for neurodivergent kids, developing those skills takes extra support. In this session, Colleen breaks down what executive function really is, how it impacts learning and behavior, and what parents can do to help. Attendees will leave with simple strategies and resources they can start using right away. 

Navigate the vast sea of homeschool options for special learners, including those with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia, SPD, or medical complexities. Learn how to calibrate your educational compass, map out learning styles, and identify questions to ask new curricula you meet along the way. You will leave with a handy checklist to guide you along the journey, equipping you to choose curricula wherever your unique path takes you and your child. Additionally, our IAHE Special Learners team will serve as guides to you as you bring your own questions to our team during the question-and-answer portion of the workshop.

While not required, homeschool co-ops can certainly add benefit to your homeschool experience, especially for special needs families who may find themselves isolated.  But, how do you find your fit?  What happens when you are rejected by a co-op because of your unique learner?  How does a special needs or integrated co-op work logistically?  Let’s collaborate about how to help our special needs kids thrive in a co-op setting.

This session explores homeschooling your special learner through the lens of energy and rest, helping moms recognize when shifting into “low power mode” is both necessary and life-giving. This session highlights different kinds of rest and how each supports learning, regulation, and connection. Participants will be encouraged to view homeschooling on a flexible continuum, allowing daily rhythms to change with confidence rather than guilt.