Agency-Based Education is a non-profit organization devoted to it’s mission of working toward allowing all children to have an agency-based (or free will) educational experience. Each year our annual conference brings together a group of people who present on a variety of topics which will inspire and edify. Last year’s conference was well attended and generated comments like these:

Comments from the 2013 Conference:

“The entire conference was wonderful! Every speaker was well prepared and spoke eloquently. I was impressed by the commitment to teach correct principles. The entire day was a revelatory experience for me. The speakers would present ideas base on correct principles and the spirit of inspiration would fill my mind with more ideas about how I could personally apply the material. It was an awesome experience.” -Tammy Hulse

“This year’s ABE conference was one of the best conferences I’ve ever attended. I loved the present-then-discuss format that enabled a smooth transition between presenters and provided a much needed opportunity for the attendees to process what was presented. A fabulous conference! I’ll definitely be attending again.” – Jeniece Mitchell

“I was so impressed with the ideas behind this conference as well as the diversity of the attendees. Not only was I inspired to improve personally and in the educating of my own children, I was gratified to be with like-minded people from many backgrounds. I applaud the creation of ABE and will be promoting it in my circle of influence. Thank you for creating it!” -Tammy Jensen


 Click here to register for
the 2014 conference


Speakers for our 2014 Conference

Date/Time: November 22nd, 9 AM – 5 PM
Location: Utah County Convention Center, in Provo. (Lunch included)

 

Neil FlindersNeil Flinders (Neil’s book “Teach the Children” is the inspiration behind our organization)

Title: The Anatomy of Educational Philosophy: Roots of Factionalism in American Education

Description: What agency is and why it is important. How Custodialism emerged and gained control of American education.Fundamental assumptions that create factions in education: viz.Education is (a) an individual function (b) a family obligation (c) a church responsibility (d) a state interest. The four propositions that govern learning and teaching: (a) context (b) content (c) process (d) structure.

Bio: Author of numerous agency-based documents: e. g. Joseph Smith: America’s Greatest Educator (2014); Teach the Children: An Agency Approach to Education (1990); “A Restorationist Views the Modernist/Post-Modernist Debate” (Presidential Address, 1990) annual meeting of the Far Western Philosophy of Education Society; Moral Perspective and Educational Practice (1979). Emeritus CES and the BYU School of Education.

Link to video presentation

 

Margaret Dayton

Senator Margaret Dayton

Title: Parental Rights in Education

Description: Senator Dayton will present on the natural rights parents have and the state of those rights in Utah law.

Bio: Senator Dayton has served in the Utah Senate since 2007 serving District 15 in Utah county. Previous to that time she served in the Utah House of Representatives from 1996 through 2006. She has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the Utah system of higher education and has been a friend to good education policy during her time in the legislature.

Link to video presentation

 

Oak Norton

Oak Norton

Title: Total Transformation: A roadmap toward local control of education

Description: Over the last 200 years, our nation has seen education become compulsory, government controlled, top heavy, and a host of other negatives that occur when decision making is removed from the local level where it should be. This presentation reveals one path toward getting us back to local control.

Bio: Oak has spent the last 10 years engaged in education issues, battling for parental rights and real math education. In 2010, he organized Agency Based Education and currently serves as its director.

Link to video presentation

 

Mark CluffMark Cluff

Title: The Gift of Time, The Freedom to Learn

Description: You will learn of a school that uses time and freedom to help students develop their inner-genius, prepare themselves for university and career, learn to be self-confident and self-reliant, and become life long learners.

Bio: Mark is a Software Executive and Founder of an International Metrology Software company. He is Chairman of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Committee of the BYU Advancement Council for Engineering and Technology and serves on the boards of Agency Based Education and Parents for Choice in Education. He has served as Chair of the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools, Vice Chair of the Utah State Board of Education, Chairman of the State Board of Education Finance Committee, Western Director for the National Association of State Boards of Education, and Vice Chair of the Utah County Republican Party.

Link to video presentation

 

Rachel Benson

Rachel & Ellie Benson

Title: Customizing Your Child’s Public School Education and Getting an Associates Degree in High School

Description & Bio: Homemaker, Wife, Mother of 6 public schooled children. As a mother I have always believed that the primary responsibility for the education of children rests with the parents. However, I have found that to direct my children’s education, I have needed to take a very active roll in choosing teachers and classes, and exploring educational options to make the most of the many opportunities available within the public school system. We as tax payers are the “consumers” of public education, and as such should seek out the best “products” on the market for our children. Starting with my oldest child’s first year of high school, I began to learn about several different avenues to getting a high school diploma. By the time my 3rd child graduated, I had learned what was needed for my children to graduate with an Associates Degree at the same time they graduate high school. The time and money savings of graduating high school with the first two years of college already done are astronomical, and give students the opportunity to get a graduate degree in the same time their peers will be getting a Bachelor’s Degree. For students that accomplish this, the state of Utah currently offers a scholarship that pays approximately half of the next two years tuition, potentially cutting college costs by as much as 60%. All of this can be done with or without AP classes, and (most likely) at their regular high school. During my presentation, I will present the best way I have found of getting an Associate’s Degree in high school. I will be accompanied by my daughter who recently graduated from UVU and Provo High School. She will be available to answer questions about her experience, and give insight about how to help and support your children as they work to accomplish this goal.

Link to video presentation

 

Loy Brunson2Loy Brunson

Title: The Constitution’s Interpretation Clause

Description: Loy has discovered new Constitutional concepts that the National Center for Constitution Studies (NCCS) has decided to publish. He has published a new Constitution booklet which is being published by the Skousen Center for Constitutional Studies. This new booklet contains some of Loy’s intellectual Constitutional discoveries. This new booklet is the first publication in U.S. history to identify (and explain) Amendment IX as “The Interpretation Clause” and “The Governing Clause” of the Constitution.

Bio: Loy Brunson in the 80’s and 90’s appeared on over 60 national tv shows with his brothers, the Brunson Brothers. He is a Constitution/political scientist, activist and documentary film maker. He contributed two improvements to the NCCS version of the Constitution booklet that they are implementing in there 14th million printing.

Link to video presentation

 

Mary Biesinger

Title: Mentoring your child in their life missions

Description: From the time I knew God wanted me to homeschool my children, I felt the weight of seeking principles that would help me individualize their education in a way that would help them discover their unique strengths as well as prepare them for their life’s missions.  Looking back, I realize that it is the responsibility of every parent to do so, whatever the educational track of their children.  Faced with the diversity in our children, the task can be daunting but there are principles and practices that, when applied, open our children’s minds to their potential and motivate them to achieve it.   I have used these principles in my own life, my home and in groups I have mentored and seen amazing fruits.

Bio: Mary Biesinger is the homeschooling mother of nine children. She has been “mentoring” groups her whole life: from her time as the leader of the outdoor games as a child, through church responsibilities growing up, to her current homeschooling mentoring responsibilities–some with more success than others! She has mentored nine different scholastic-type groups–“child” to “adult”– since she began homeschooling in 1993; among her current ones are including Knights of Freedom, Kaysville Acting Troup, and Vanguard Youth.

Link to video presentation

 

QuinR. Quin Denning

Title: My Maverick Education

Description: Go with me from public education to home school to private school to self education. Learn the history of our education starting in the 1830’s, and see the results of things that were implemented before we were born.

Bio: As a teen, Quin did legal research for his family to defend in court, their ability to home school him. Now he runs a unique Agency-Based Education private school in Southern Utah. He will talk about his background and the unique school he founded.

Link to video presentation

 


Click here to register for
the 2014 conference


 

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