Official Press Release of the Homeschool Convention 2020

1. PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Homeschoolsingapore.sg, 06 April 2020
Contact: ​Mark Lim
Homeschoolsingapore.sg Media Liaison
mark@homeschoolsingapore.sg
Community At the Fingertips - The Inaugural Homeschool E-Convention
2020
HOMESCHOOLSINGAPORE.SG, have officially launched registration for the 4th edition of their annual
Homeschool Convention (HSC). The event, presented in partnership with THE HOMESCHOOL
GAZETTE (THG), will be held from 16-17 April, 2020 completely on online platforms.
Strings on Social Media and blogs such as KiasuParents express the social reality of the Covid-19
situation; extended time at home. How can I engage my bored child at home? What are some good
home-learning resources? How can I keep my child active? These are all relevant and frequently asked
questions during these trying times. Many parents have expressed the need for resources to engage their
young children and teens at home throughout the week. Here’s how homeschooling and the programmes
at the 2020 Homeschool Convention fit right into the equation with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s
most recent announcement of a “circuit-breaker” prompting a slew of measures to curb the spread of the
virus.
“The convention is an annual time for all homeschooling parents based in Singapore to be encouraged and
equipped,” Ms. Dawn Fung, the organiser of the Homeschool Convention, emphasised in an interview
with the Homeschool Gazette titled ‘All About the Homeschool Convention’. Having organised and run
the Homeschool Convention for 3-years in a row, Ms. Fung believes strongly in grounds-up connection,
providing a platform for homeschoolers to connect with one another and the community at large. This
year, along with her event team, she is exploring new methods to broaden the scope and reach of the
convention amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 2020 Homeschool Convention, returning for its fourth edition, is a whole new event in itself. With
recent developments in the global situation, Homeschool Singapore will be hosting its first e-convention
broadening the horizons for the future of the Homeschool Community. Mr. Mark Lim, who is heading the
team responsible for converting the convention into an online event, described this years’ changes as
‘phenomenal’, “As March 2020 drew nearer, the situation on the ground became more and more unstable,
and a decision was made to convert the convention from a traditional face-to-face format, to one that is
completely online. This means that the keynote speeches have to be pre-recorded and team members have
to learn new tools of online facilitation. But it also means that we have the opportunity to share with a
wider group of people.”

2. The 4th Edition of the Homeschool Convention is a two-day event, featuring multiple elements with each
catering to a diversified audience. Day 1 programmes (Feb 16th) are homeschooler-exclusive. Kicking off
with a Keynote Session, ticket-holders will be exposed to the realities of homeschooling shared from
different perspectives by parents from different walks of life. The Homeschool Village, hosts smaller
groups for people to converse around interesting, familiar topics in the homeschooling journey. Ms. Fung,
in her interview with the THG, illustrated the aura of Day 1 as a “uniquely-singaporean, TED-kampong
fusion”. The inability to congregate in person for the convention has not daunted the event committee.
“Let us move forward, not backwards,” Ms. Fung urged.
In addition to hearing from the parents on Day 1, Ms. Fung recognises the value that homeschool-teens
add to the well-roundedness of the convention. “These young people have been homeschooled, and they
have a story to tell,” she asserted, “The High School Day (HSD) is a public speaking platform for young
homeschoolers to share their lives.” Day 2 programmes (17th Feb) are open to the general public. HSD,
caters to homeschoolers and non-homeschoolers alike who are interested in getting an inside-scoop on the
nature of homeschooling. It is during which homeschool-teens aged 15-20 will share their personal
outlook on their form of education. Boasting an age-diverse line up of 7 homeschoolers, the programme
will be run from 11am-12:15 pm on 17th Feb for ticket-holders to access from the convenience of their
homes.
With homeschooling, one size does not fit all. The Curriculum Fair, that takes place after High School
Day, capitalises on just that. The Fair is a unique activity to showcase the variety within the homeschool
community. Providing an open environment for homeschoolers to share their original works, home-made
resources, and registered curriculums, attendees are exposed to the diversified and bigger picture of
homeschooling. This year’s fair features homeschool families, and focuses on a homeschooler’s journey
from preschool education to tertiary education. And the best part: it’s completely free! The stations have
been reinvented and transformed into online-workshops and they will be available to the general public.
In addition to the online-workshops, this year’s Curriculum Fair will be featured in a documentary by
homeschooled teens regarding the history and evolution of the Convention.
The convention can be summarised in one word; community. At the same speed that the convention
reaches out onto online platforms and towards the community at large, it also reaches into the heart of
education, and the forever-needed institution of community. “Come and be refreshed. Come and join us.
We are in this together!” Ms. Fung reassured, “When we relate heart-to-heart with one another, we feel
equipped as a result of being understood.”
For more information on the convention, do contact Mr. Mark Lim at ​mark@homeschoolsingapore.sg​,
visit ​homeschoolsingapore.sg website, or visit their social media page @homeschoolsingapore.sg to hear
from homeschooling families and convention organisers. Do visit ​sghomeschoolgazette.com for the full
interview with Ms. Dawn Fung, along with many other stories and testimonies published by
homeschooled teens.
###

3. ANNEX A
Day 1: Keynote Address & Homeschool Village
Day 1 is a homeschooler-exclusive programme. Events and speakers are highlighted in Tables A and B.
TABLE A: Keynote Sessions on Day 1 of the Homeschool Convention 2020
TITLE SPEAKER
“ACCEPTANCE” Grace Suryani
“LEARNING AS A FAMILY” Ding Zhen Xin
“BEING COLIN’S MOM” Jonnansical Boo
“HOMESCHOOLING WITH GRIT” Kalsum Harun
“FREED BY FAILURE” Daphne Pang
“UNDER CONSTRUCTION” Cassandra Shepherd
“CLASSIC DO’S AND DON’TS” Catherine Tan
TABLE B: Homeschool-Village Discussion Group Topics
CATEGORY TOPIC
ADULT PARTNERSHIPS Involving the Spouse in Homeschooling by Connie Chua
Support (When You Have A Challenging Family) by
Jonnansical Boo
Involving Your Children at Work While Homeschooling by
Ding Zhen Xin
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
TRAITS
Discipline: Smooth and Easy Days by Grace Tan
Peacemaking Heroes of Homeschooling by Anju Tupili
Resilience by Angela Lim-Er
INNER-DEVELOPMENT Boundaries: Preserving Your Sanity by Sophia Ong
Failure by Daphne Pang
Self-Care by Audrey Chua-Teo
You are enough: Self esteem and the HS Mom (& Dad) by
Sue Tan

4. ORGANISATIONAL THOUGHT Developing Your Vision – Know Your Why by Cassandra
Shepherd
Freedom within Structure: Planning Your Homeschool by
Serene Lim
Parenting & Homeschooling On Purpose by Mark Lim
What Makes A Homeschool Community Unique by Dawn
Fung
PARENT-EDUCATORS AS
LEARNERS
Fun-Filled Conversations by Wendy Koh
Hobbies by Grace Suryani
Teaching What You Do Not Know by Kalsum Harun
TEENS, TERTIARY
HOMESCHOOLING
Homeschooling Teens by Vivian Kwek
Homeschool Pathways Post-PSLE by Catherine Tan
FOR EXPLORERS [NEW-TO
HOMESCHOOLING]
Exploring Homeschooling by Tsui Ling Hoy
Homeschooling – A Journey by Apple Wong
Attendees can attend a max of two Homeschool-Village Sessions. Each Workshop will be running for 40
minutes on Zoom at 2pm and 3pm respectively. Workshops are kept to a maximum group size of 5-6
attendees to keep the event as personal as possible.

5. ANNEX B
Day 2: High School Day
Highschool Day is a programme that has been extended to the general public. Speakers are listed in the
following table.
NAME TOPIC - TITLE
Anna Tan The Problem Of Uncertainty - Just Keep Playing
Li-Ann Teoh Creating Art - Inspiration from Art
Hannah Hoy Breaking Free - The Pillars Of Support
Rebecca Teoh Dreaming With No Regrets - Finding Meaning
Lim Jinn The Anomalous Students - Overcoming Anxiety
Titus Ho Overcoming Challenges - Stepping Stones In Life
Ethan Wong The inability to compare with peers - Journeying into the Unknown