Teach Them Diligently Conference Review
Are you thinking about going to a Teach Them Diligently Homeschool Conference? I’ve been there for 3 straight years, and I can give you some helpful info plus tips that apply to any homeschool conference you attend! Keep reading!
All the Details about Teach Them Diligently Homeschool Conference
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It’s hard to believe that we are just about wrapping up our 3rd year of homeschooling. My twin sons are 10 years old, just finishing 4th grade, and we’ve officially ‘been homeschooling longer than they were in public school.’
Since year 1, I’ve been attending the Teach Them Diligently Homeschool Conference, which fortunately for me, is a little over an hour away in Pigeon Forge.
It really is an amazing experience for homeschool families, and if you’re considering going or want to know what’s involved, today I want to share my experience with you!
I’m still processing it all (it was just last week), but God really used it to speak some important things to my heart in regard to homeschooling.
What Is the Teach Them Diligently Conference?
For those who might be new to all this, the Teach Them Diligently (TTD) conference is for Christian homeschoolers.
The focus is not just on the logistics of homeschooling and curriculum, but on family, parenting, kingdom-minded education, and living all that out with inside a biblical world view.
The name of their ministry comes from Deuteronomy 6:6-7:
“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”
Locations & Dates of TTD
TTD has several conferences a year (2 have passed at the time of this post, 2 more are still available for 2025!)
Dayton, FL earlier this year (March 20-22, 2025)
Pigeon Forge, TN (May 8-10, 2025)
Branson, MO (May 15-17, 2025)
Liberty University (July 31 – Aug. 2, 2025)
They all run for 3 days – Thursday – Saturday.
Well, it opens Wednesday night with a family movie, but the conference officially kicks off on Thursday at 9:15, with the first session starting at 10:15.
Pricing for TTD
After the conference, TTD emails out specials for the next year, and I was able to get a family pass for $70 for the whole conference.
The cost depends on when you purchase your tickets – they range from about $95- $120 for individual passes, $130-$155 for family passes.
There are also Add-On Specialty Classes you can take for an extra fee, but there’s only a handful of those. Everything else is included in the cost of registration.
However, they offer early bird specials and coupons through the year – get on their mailing list to get the best prices and don’t wait until last minute!
Whether you’re a veteran homeschooler or a rookie like I was 3 years ago, you’ll find something beneficial and it’s worth the money you spend.
If it’s your first year, be prepared to feel a little overwhelmed – that’s OK. I still feel that way sometimes! But just ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to what you need the most.
What to Expect at TTD
Like I said, it can be a little overwhelming, but honestly, just go with the flow, soak it all in, and let the Holy Spirit lead.
This isn’t just an expo of curriculum booths – though the Exhibition Hall with all kinds of vendors is amazing!
It’s truly what your soul needs as a homeschooling parent.
Here an overview:
Topical Sessions
There are 50-minute blocks where you get to choose a session to go to all around the conference center, with 30 minutes between sessions.
There are about 10-12 sessions to choose from for each block, and that’s where it becomes overwhelming! There are so many great ones to choose from – it’s hard to make a decision!
You’ll find topics ranging from Bible-based parenting and marriage to learning styles and curriculum help to special needs and special academic interests to apologetics and worldview.
If you’re worried about missing a session, you can join their TTD Membership where you can have access to all the sessions – even past conferences! You also have the option to bundle this membership when you register.
Gospel-Centered Speakers
TTD always includes top-notch Christian speakers like Heidi St. John, Phylicia Masonheimer, Dr. Kathy Koch, and Jeff Myers.
There is also a big-name speaker for the keynote session. The past 3 years, the key note speakers were Chelsea Noble (Kirk Cameron’s wife), Dr. Ben Carson, and Ken Hamm (Answers in Genesis) and Dr. Jeff Myers (Summit Ministries).
Honestly, there are lots of less well-known speakers, too – and in the 3 years I’ve attended, only a handful were a little disappointing (just keeping it real!). There are so many great options.
Vendor Hall
This is the Black Friday for homeschoolers! All kinds of curriculum vendors, ministries, Bible and discipleship resources.
All of the speakers will have a booth where you can catch up with them after the sessions, plus literally hundreds more.
The Exhibition Hall doesn’t open until Thursday night, so plan accordingly. They do schedule in a shopping break on Friday, but it’s open all day on Friday and Saturday, even during sessions.
I usually will skip a session or 2 to roam the Exhibition Hall. It’s a little overwhelming, so I usually need to make a few trips through it before I decide what to purchase.
The vendor hall is really one of the best parts. It’s so great to be able to physically look through curriculum, compare, and talk to the creators of it, too.
It’s so helpful when you have those big choices to make.
And it’s just fun to shop a little for mom, too.
And books for mom who need a little creative inspiration.
There are lot of freebies and giveaways, too!
Special Tracks
Not only are there more mainstream topics, but you’ll find specialized tracks as well, such as Add-On Classes (for an extra fee), Homeschool to College, Special Needs, and a Teen Track.
These are color-coded in the app!
My Favorite Parts & Key Takeaways of TTD
There is a lot to love about TTD. For me personally, it’s just a visual reminder that I’m not alone or crazy in our decision to homeschool.
I was somewhat of a reluctant homeschooler – I taught high school English for 14 years and thought I’d go back after I had the twins.
During Covid, when my twins were 5 years old and starting kindergarten, all that changed – and here we are.
I second-guess my choice a lot… I wonder if they are missing out on a traditional school experience (I attended and taught at a Christian school and LOVED it), if I’m cheating them out of the other experiences.
However, God always confirms the decision to homeschool when I’m at this conference.
This year, a few of my takeaways were:
- The conviction that discipleship matters more than academics. Our kids are not just our kids but smaller, younger members of the Body of Christ, and we can disciple them and train them up as such, even in our own homes.
- The reminder that God gives us the Holy Spirit to lead us, even in our logistics of homeschooling. He is here to help. And, He is here to speak to our kids themselves, as we give Him room to!
- The need to take time to process, dream, and pray about how to go forward with homeschooling. It’s so easy to rush to get back into the swing of things at home, but it’s so important to take a few quiet moments to talk to the Lord about it all and let Him lead.
Some of my favorite sessions and resources were at the Pigeon Forge 2025 conference were:
Dr. Kathy Koch (Celebrate Kids): 8 Great Smarts: Helping Your Kids Believe They are Smart.
This was so eye-opening to how my boys are wired. There are so many things I can do better to help them learn to the way God created them.
I also grabbed her other book which included great strategies to teach all the academic subjects according to how your child is smart!
The Dearly Loved Company: Becoming Kingdom Families: Teaching Your Kids to Walk and Talk with God
This session was all about teaching us that our kids can hear from God themselves. I bought their devotional book to put this into practice.
Sonia Shafer (Simply Charlotte Mason): Laying Down the Rails: The Secret of Good Habits in Your Homeschool
There were so many practical steps here for parenting and our kids’ brain work.
Carla Cox: Reading Problems? Let’s Fix It.
Carla has been a reading specialist for 42 years and has a ton of experience in this department. She was so helpful when I visited her booth and spent a lot of one-on-one time with me.
I actually purchased her Sylladot curriculum for my sons who have screened high for dyslexia! She also offers free typing, math, and cursive on her site.
The United Tribe: Family Meetings- Biblical Elements for Leading Family Meetings
I have never thought about the concept of implementing a family meeting, but it makes so much sense from so many different angles – spiritually, logistically, relationally. Maya goes to our co-op and did an amazing job on this!
This is one I plan to talk over with my husband.
Every Woman a Theologian, Phylicia Masonheimer: The Theology of the Holy Spirit in Your Homeschool
I follow Phylicia on Instagram and was so excited to hear her speak at the conference this year. Always rock-solid in her theology.
A Realistic View of TTD and Some Tips (For Any Homeschool Conference)
While the heart of the event was wonderful, there are always a few challenges when it comes to attending any conference.
Here are some suggestions to make the most out of your time.
Pray before you go
Ask the Lord to speak to your heart and lead you to right sessions and even interactions with others. This really is the first step. You want to be led by the Spirit!
Be flexible with your planning
There is a LOT to choose from, and personally, I don’t recommend going to a session every single block.
Take some time to sit some out, go for a walk (in Pigeon Forge, there’s a beautiful river walk right outside the building), and just have some down time to sit on a bench and process.
The mental load can be overwhelming if you attend every single session.
I recommend planning your day loosely—leave space for rest, a little exercise, mentally debriefing, fellowship, and downtime.
Think about food and meals
Our location was limited to vendor stands for meals, so packing lunch/snacks can help save money on overpriced conference food. We also went off site for meals too, just to get a break.
If you’re in Pigeon Forge, there are lots of option on Teaster Drive, right behind the conference center.
My favorites are:
Pigeon Forge Nutrition for a delicious protein shake
Downtown Flavortown (an annual tradition!)
Moonshine Mountain Cookies Company.
All delicious choices within minutes of LeConte (on Teaster Dr) that I’d highly recommend!
Wear comfy shoes & clothes
There’s a lot of walking, especially through the vendor hall. In my opinion, it’s a little chilly inside, so wear layers.
And, it’s nice to take a little break outside and go for a walk, too.
Plan your sessions in advance
While you should be flexible, I’d recommend doing some planning ahead of time so you can really prioritize the ones you want to go to, and loosely schedule the ones that would be nice but aren’t necessary.
In the app, you can create your own personal schedule!
Bring a notebook and highlighters
You’ll want to remember these sessions, although lots of people will take pics of the notes on the screen.
Writing helps me process a little better, and it’s easier for me to look through my notes on paper after the session rather than more scrolling on my phone.
Visit the vendor booths with discernment
It’s exciting, but overwhelming! It’s definitely easy to fall prey to shiny object syndrome!
I recommend walking through it first (even a few times!) before purchasing, and definitely pray before making big purchases.
Think through who you attend with
There are all kinds of ways you can attend this conference.
Lots of people attend on something of a vacation and brought the whole family (there are things for kids to do there also!).
Since I’m local, I’ve driven back and forth with moms from my co-op for my first 2 years.
This year, I stayed in Pigeon Forge with friends.
It can be a lot to handle if you have little kids with you, so I think you (and your spouse) might get more out of it if you didn’t have littles (just my opinion). It can be very overstimulating! Older kids might be more manageable.
But if that’s your only way to do it (or you feel strongly about your whole family being there), then definitely do it! It would be better to go any way you can than not go at all.
This year, it was really helpful to stay in town and have time to process what I heard, rather than to go home at night and immediately be thrown into the chaos of family life.🤪
My husband stays home with my sons, and I attend, and that works for us.
I’d recommend going with friends if you can – it really feels like a Moms Day Out, but don’t be afraid to go solo! Totally worth it!
Would I Go Again?
Oh yes. In fact, I’m already looking into next year’s dates.
This conference is for anyone who wants to homeschool with intentionality and faith.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, unsure, or just worn out while homeschooling. This conference is definitely a spiritual boost and encouragement.
Final Thoughts: You’re Not Alone
I felt very overwhelmed when I started even thinking about homeschooling. I was very fortunate to find a super-supportive community (several, in fact!) in my area for homeschoolers.
I hope you have that, too. But if you don’t, this conference is just what you need.
If you’re weary or wondering if all this is worth it, God has commissioned you and therefore He will give you everything you need. He will be faithful to complete the good work He started in you and your family.
Attending the Teach Them Diligently conference reminds me that homeschooling isn’t just about education and curriculum—it’s about the eternal souls of our kids and the impact they’ll make for the Kingdom of God themselves.
There is nothing more worthwhile or noble.
I hope you’ll get the chance to go someday! Your heart—and your homeschool experience—will be better for it.
More Help for Homeschooling
If you’d like some more resources, take a look at these posts:
Homeschool Weekly & Daily Schedule Planner Free Printable Template
25 Phenomenal (& Free) Preschool Homeschool Resources for Activities and Printables
15 Amazing DIY Homework Stations for Back to School
25+ Functional (& Pretty!) Family Command Centers
31 Scripture-Based Back-to-School Prayers {Free Printable}
Thoughts or questions? I’m happy to help! Drop them below!
