Jonathan Brush – College Plus www.collegeplus.org/ Jonathan is a homeschool graduate and a homeschool dad. From being one of the first two homeschooled students admitted to the college he attended (he married the other one), to now homeschooling his own children, Jonathan’s homeschool experience has mirrored the birth and growth of the modern homeschooling movement. Jonathan worked for ten years in higher education admissions. He now serves as a Regional Admissions Director for CollegePlus, an innovative educational system founded with the mission of transforming higher education. What Colleges Don’t Tell You: 4 Secrets to Save Time and Money What does a student need to be successful today? A college degree? For many families, answering the college question is a difficult task. Often the cost, time required, inefficiencies, or negative college environment are too great an obstacle. This session will layout four proven strategies to help you make wiser decisions about higher education. Dual Credit on Steroids: Your First Year of College for Under $1000! This practical session will introduce you to the why, the what and the how of Credit by Exam (CLEP and DSST) programs which allow students to earn dual credit, saving you money and time while never setting foot in a college classroom. Attendees learn exam-specific study tips on the five general CLEP exams, which represent the equivalent of the first year of college. What You Really Need to Know: What a Student Should Learn Before They Launch What does a student really need to learn between the ages of sixteen and twenty-two to be ready for “real life?” Everyone focuses on academics, but you need more than academic ability to be fully equipped for the challenges and responsibilities of adulthood. In this session Jonathan will guide you through the seven essential skills and abilities that are crucial for successfully launching into adulthood. Eileen Cuce – Five Elements Holistic Health http://eileen-cuce.healthcoach.integrativenutrition.com/ Eileen is a homeschool mom and loves helping families learn about using food as medicine. As a Health Coach, she creates a supportive environment that enables her clients to achieve all of their health goals. Nutrition became her passion when her son was diagnosed with Type-1 diabetes. Around the same time her daughter was diagnosed with Celiac Disease and herself with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (Auto-Immune Thryroid disease). She has been able to restore her body to such a balanced state that she lives free of symptoms of the Hashimoto's and no longer needs the medication she was told she'd need for the rest of her life and she’s never felt better. Both of her two children are extremely healthy, living well and devoid of complications from their conditions. Mealtime as Ministry Americans are overweight and undernourished. Nourishment comes in many ways – so much more than what is on our plate. Mealtime can be a sacred place and a beautiful tradition – being thankful to God for all we have, enjoying the fruits of the labors of mother and father through our food and gleaning the support that comes from the people in the world who love us most. In this workshop I will talk about turning what many of us view as the mundane task of preparing the daily family dinner, to a fulfilling (and even fun!) experience and better yet a healing one, to both body and soul. The transition is not difficult and the payoff will last for generations. The Care and Keeping of Mom What do you do for stress relief? Did I just hear you laugh? Or did you merely, sarcastically mumble, “ When would I do that?” It is a challenge in the homeschooled family for the mom to find some alone-time, some sacred time for herself, time to de-stress. One of the biggest challenges I've found from working with many women, is convincing ourselves that we deserve that time. I’ll go over some simple, inexpensive (and some free!) ways and outline the benefits. We will even experiment with some stress relieving techniques that you can employ easily any time (even in the midst of a child’s meltdown!). Recharging your mind and body each day is essential to us bringing our healthiest self to be with our children each day –both you and your family deserve that. How to Eat More Food There is much debate about what constitutes a “healthy diet”. With so many conflicting beliefs, it can be difficult to discern what is the best way to feed your family. I’ll introduce elements of a whole foods diet and show how a diet showcasing them can be maneuvered into (even) the full schedules of the homeschooled family. Since the homeschooling family is often a single-income family, budget- friendly recipes will be introduced. Cathy Duffy www.cathyduffyreviews.com/ Cathy Duffy is best known as a curriculum specialist. As the author of the two-volume Christian Home Educators' Curriculum Manual (Elementary Grades and Junior/Senior High) she researched curriculum and methodology for all subjects and all grade levels. As the curriculum universe grew to be too immense for most homeschoolers to navigate, Cathy narrowed her recommendations down to the 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum (published by Broadman & Holman in February 2005). In 2012, she updated it with 101 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum (published by Grove Publishing) in both print and digital formats. Cathy's website draws thousands of visitors each day. Her free weekly enewsletter alerts readers to her latest reviews, and her Cathy Duffy Reviews Facebook fan page also lets her followers know when new reviews are available. In addition, Cathy has taken a broader interest in educational issues, authoring the book Government Nannies: The Cradle-to-Grave Agenda of Goals 2000 and Outcome-Based Education to address problems with "educational reform." Classical Education, Unit Study, Charlotte Mason, Unschooling? What Approach Should I Use? Confused by all the different approaches for home education? Cathy Duffy helps you understand the unique features of each approach and how they might work best in different situations. She’ll also address lapbooks, notebooking, and timelines and how they fit within each approach. Learning Styles: Choosing and Using Curriculum to Fit Each Child Having problems with uncooperative learners? Do you feel like your curriculum is as much hindrance as help? What about all those publishers who claim to have the best curriculum? How can we sort through all of this to figure out what will really be best for each of our children? Understanding learning styles help us overcome many of the problems we encounter in home education. In this session we will first identify our own learning styles and those of our children. Then we will discuss methods of teaching to our children’s strengths and overcoming weaknesses using examples from various math programs. Checking Your Homeschool Vision at the Reality Door Both new and experienced homeschoolers struggle with many unrealistic expectations that cause unnecessary pressure, strife between family members, and feelings of inadequacy and failure. Cathy shares from her experiences about seven challenging areas where we may need an attitude adjustment to be more realistic in our expectations so that homeschooling can be a successful and rewarding experience. 8 Keys for Choosing Curriculum Choosing the right curriculum for each of our children can be overwhelming. Cathy Duffy helps us simplify the process by using eight keys to make choices that accomplish the right goals with the right materials. Kristen Eckenwiler – The Struggling Reader www.thestrugglingreader.net/ Kristen Eckenwiler graduated with honors from the University of Central Florida, where she earned a Master’s Degree in Reading. She has taught first, second and fourth graders in the public schools, as well as a variety of courses in Elementary Education at the collegiate level. Additionally, she has taught writing and literature classes for the homeschool community. For the last 9 years she has stayed home to homeschool her two sons, while also staying busy testing, tutoring, and collaborating with her husband, Dr. William Eckenwiler, as they provide a variety of products and services through their educational business, The Struggling Reader, Inc. Reading: Am I Emphasizing the Right Things? Does your son or daughter seem to be faltering in their efforts to learn to read? Is it the curriculum? Is it you? Based on current research, Kristen and her husband have designed this workshop to help parents better understand the most essential elements of the reading process, along with those critical ingredients that must be emphasized to produce a successful, capable reader. Does My Child Have a Learning Disability? When a homeschooled child seems to flounder for no easily identified reason, parents often exhaust themselves in their search for answers. At some point a parent may wonder if there might be a learning disability at the root of their child’s struggle. Kristen and her husband have designed this workshop to help parents sort out the difference between routine struggles and those that could well be a learning disability. Gwen Fredette - Philadelphia Homeschool http://phillyhomeschool.wordpress.com/ Gwen lives with her husband and 4 beautiful children in Philadelphia, PA. She received her bachelor’s degree from Messiah College in 1994. She has been homeschooling her 4 children for almost 10 years. She enjoys playing games with her family, writing, and sewing in her free time. She is the creator of two homeschool science curricula, The Glory of Kings: Human Body, Space & Animal Classifications and The Glory of Kings II: Weather, Electricity, & Oceanography. Presently, she is working on The Glory of Kings III: Geology, Simple Machines, & Plants. She is also busy at work on her first children’s novel. A committed Christian, Gwen seeks to exalt Christ in all of her work. When Mom “Checks Out” My husband can always tell what kind of day we’ve had as soon as he walks through the door! My hope and prayer is that this talk will encourage moms to be faithful to God’s calling for them for each homeschool day. Bonnie Childs and Cyndi Dumire Bonnie and Cyndi, a pair of entertaining and encouraging homeschool moms for the past __100__ years, take some time away from running our Used Book Sale to share their experiences with you! Help! I’m Going to Start Homeschooling! I have to fill out a what, and it needs to be where when? If you are new to homeschooling and haven't quite got the hang of paper work, curriculum choices and such, this workshop is for you. If you need to know what a portfolio is, or when one needs to be handed in, come and join us. We will be going over filing requirements, portfolios, testing and evaluations. We will look at various curriculum choices and what will work for you. We will discuss length of school days and things like how to get credit for gym class. We will touch on things of interest for all grades, K thru 12– have some laughs and offer a good dose of reality as well. There will be time for questions and answers following the session. Susan Kemmerer – Schoolhouse Publishing http://shpublishing.com/ Susan Kemmerer is the author of the highly acclaimed book, Homeschool Supermom…NOT! She and her husband Dale have, by God’s grace, been homeschooling their nine children for almost twenty-five years – with 5 graduated and 4 to go (or nine more years of homeschooling ahead!) Susan has authored a number of textbooks, including “Apples Daily Spelling Drills for Secondary Students” and “Research in Increments.” “We publish our own books, but also carry all kinds of great curriculum. We discount everything we can as much as possible. We’ve had the privilege of using just about everything we carry over our 20 years of homeschooling, which makes us a little more than just a homeschool provider. We can actually talk about the curriculum and books we sell.” In her spare time, Susan enjoys reading, writing, and needlework. Homeschooling Martians Okay, we’ve all heard that boys are from Mars, and if you’ve ever tried to homeschool these little aliens so different from yourself, you’ll surely believe it. Once they hit the teen years, their alien-ness can seem to rob them of what little humanness they had (at least that’s the way it looks from our female point of view!) Susan, homeschool mother of seven boys will humorously share with you the joy and fun of teaching boys, and gently lead you to love and admire your own “Martians” – and to enjoy the journey. Exploding the Supermom Myth Faster than a speeding toddler. More powerful than a loco teenager. Able to fold tall towers of laundry in a single hour. It’s a maid. It’s a teacher. It’s Supermom! Unfortunately, Supermom I am not. There are just not enough hours in my day or energy in this old body. So, how do we homeschool mom do it all? Is it possible to succeed in keeping up with the housework and the homeschool? A homeschool mother of 9 shares with you the tools she uses to cope with the pressures of doing it all. Is Your Homeschool C.H.A.O.S? Oh, if only everyone could get along! But, instead it is C.H.A.O. S. (Constantly Heckling Always Over Something). How do you deal with anger and bickering in your kids so that your homeschool and your home run more smoothly? This was the topic chosen by my teenagers as one area in our family where God has demonstrated His power in us. You can learn how to deal with sibling rivalry and enjoy your children’s company once again. The fruit of PEACE can blossom in your home. I’m German and I have PMS Hey, I have a very good reason for being irritated. I have an agenda. It is a good and God-honoring agenda. It includes wonderful things, like raising godly children, homeschooling them, and instilling strong moral values in them. However, they don’t often seem to appreciate my agenda. They hate school and only do the minimum required, and they like things like rock music. It just burns me up! But wait…God wants me to patient and kind, even when my student puts out minimal effort. So how do I, a sinner, walk in patience toward my sinful children? This fascinating workshop studies the character quality of patience as it applies to our homeschooling and parenting. Cathy Muscara – Homeschool Evaluator CAMuscara@gmail.com Cathy Muscara is a PA certified teacher and a mom of two homeschool high school graduates. She has been administering standardized tests and conducting evaluations for 12 years to many families in the Bucks, Montgomery and Lehigh counties. Cathy enjoys spending time encouraging moms as they journey together in this ministry of homeschooling. Labels: How to Speak the Language of High School Transcripts What’s “an English?” How do I “count” that experience? What can I call my child’s interests that fill his/her days? From using an eclectic approach to homeschooling her children, Cathy understands the “dance” families experience when it comes time to construct a transcript for high school, or to fill in the blanks provided by transcript services. Let’s gather together to spend some time learning the “language” of transcripts, whether we are “speaking” to colleges, school districts, evaluators or neighbors! Matthew and Carol Newell – The Family Hope Center www.familyhopecenter.org/ Matthew has traveled and lectured internationally on all phases of brain growth and development. He has been certified at the Developmentalist and Teaching levels in Child Brain Development, and is a certified BodyTalk Practitioner. He is also certified in Craniosacral and Myofascial Release therapy. Matthew has taught and helped well over 15,000 parents in his 25 years of experience. Carol has over 25 years’ experience instructing and guiding parents of special needs children. She has taught parents to teach their children to go from blindness to seeing, from deafness to hearing, from an inability to read to reading at age level, and from far below average in intelligence and social awareness to above average in both these areas. How to Help Your Child with Special Needs Do you feel alone in your hope to help your child? Do you wish you really knew why your child struggles to concentrate and focus? Or does not connect emotionally to you and friends? Or why your child has difficulty with abstractions of time, space and distance? Or struggles to put sentences and ideas in an organized way? Matthew and Carol Newell will introduce you to a powerful and proven breakthrough program for parents of children diagnosed with learning and developmental disabilities, autism, ADD/ADHD, Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and more. How to Map Your Child’s Development and Have a More Organized Child Have you ever wanted to open you your child’s brain and look around? For the first time, you can not only access exactly how well your child has developed in key areas of his/her development, you will also be able to introduce simple exercises and techniques into your daily routine to strengthen areas. Carol Newell will take you on a tour of a normal, healthy child’s brain, and teach you how to evaluate your child’s neurological development. You will learn strategies and secrets that can finally unlock some of the mysteries that have held your child back in his/her learning or behavior. Sandi Queen – Queen Homeschool Supplies, Inc. http://queenhomeschool.com/ Queen Homeschool Supplies, Inc. was started by Keith and Sandi Queen in 1994 when homeschooling mom Sandi Queen was urged by a fellow homeschool support group leader to publish some of the books Sandi had written for her own children, so they might be available to others. Since those first few books ("From Girl....to Woman!" and the "My First Pets Phonetic Readers") were published, the company has expanded to publish several hundred Charlotte Mason style books from a Christian perspective, including those from a number of other authors. As a Certified Holistic Wellness Professional, Sandi Queen has been studying naturopathic treatments for many years, and is also a Certified Aromatouch Technique technician, as well as an Independent Product Consultant for doTERRA essential oils. You can visit that site at mydoterra.com/sandiqueen for more information. Today, the Queen family, including Keith and Sandi's six children, all of whom are also published authors, continue to run this company, along with several others, from their office and warehouse in New Freeport, Pennsylvania, as well as homeschooling their youngest children. Meet Charlotte Mason: An Introduction to Her Methods Who was Charlotte Mason, and what was so exceptional about her methods? Award-winning author of Charlotte Mason style educational materials and homeschooling mom of 6 Sandi Queen shares the many facets of Charlotte Mason's methods, and how they can easily be incorporated into your homeschool for enjoyable, natural learning for all ages. Habit Revisited: The Importance of Habit Training in Your Child's Education Award-winning homeschool author and publisher Sandi Queen, mom of 6 children, shares Charlotte Mason's principles for developing good and godly habits that will help your children not only in their education, but throughout their lives. A must for homeschooling parents of all ages! Homeschooling Through Adversity: Making it Through the Tough Times If you have been homeschooling for any length of time, the question is not, "Will I ever face having to homeschool through difficulty?" but rather, "WHEN will I face having to homeschool through difficulty?" Adverse times, such as illness, financial stress, loss of a loved ones, happen. No family is exempt to hard times. But, when it is YOUR family who is struggling through the midst of difficulty, and you are homeschooling when the difficulty arises, how can you keep going and keep it all together? In 2005, Sandi Queen's 3 year old son was diagnosed with cancer, and faced 3 1/2 years of daily chemotherapy, weekly spinal taps at the hospital 2 hours from home, and admissions to the oncology ward any time he developed a fever. Through it all, the Lord was there to uphold her family and pull them through. In this session, Sandi shares just how He did that, and how He can do the same for your family. The Writer Within: Unlocking Your Child's Creative Writing Potential Sandi Queen, homeschooling mom and multiple award-winning author of the "Language Lessons" series and over 300 other titles shares tips to encourage your own children in creative writing! Sandi's 6 children range from ages 11 to 26. The five oldest are all award-winning published authors, and her youngest is currently working on his first book for publication. Paige Timer – My Father’s World www.mfwbooks.com/ Paige Timer, the daughter of a pastor and lover of music and theatre, is passionate about building relationships and strives to lead others to engage and invest in the lives of those around them. A self-titled free spirit, Paige is an encourager who loves helping parents discover tools for leading their families toward success. She and her husband, Josh, have been homeschooling their two children for the past eight years. They now work for My Father’s World, where Paige is a curriculum consultant and speaker. Reality Check: Why Homeschooling Alone Isn’t Enough Many parents hope that by homeschooling—removing outside, worldly influences from their children’s lives—their children will naturally take on a Christ-centered worldview. Unfortunately, homeschooling alone isn’t enough. Explore what it means to disciple your children—not merely educate—and build vibrant, real relationship along the way. Establishing Loving Authority in the Homeschool Whether you realize it or not, the decision to homeschool changes your identity. No longer “Mom,” but “Mom and Teacher,” establishing loving authority and setting realistic expectations in the homeschool are vital for long-term success. Learn to set attainable goals and model godly leadership as you live and school together. Combining Classical Education, Charlotte Mason, and Unit Studies with a Biblical Perspective The myriad of homeschool choices can be overwhelming, similar to the choices between interstates, highways, back roads, and scenic routes. There are so many ways and opinions, how can one navigate through it all and still homeschool effectively? Why not blend the best of each method? Learn how to instill Christian values while integrating great literature, chronological history, geography, hands-on activities, notebooks and timelines, narration, study of Greek and Latin roots, nature studies, and more. Enjoy short, well-planned lessons in the morning with time to pursue other interests in the afternoon. What to Do with Insecurity and Doubt The reality of our own lack, weaknesses, and struggles can bring crippling discouragement to many homeschooling parents, especially when we compare ourselves to others who seem to be “better.” Maybe, like Paige Timer, you have felt at times that your children might be better off with someone else. Paige will examine common areas of struggle, help identify strengths, and most importantly, encourage you to remember that God knew your strengths and weaknesses when He placed your children in your home. Occupying Preschoolers While Teaching Older Children *WORKSHOP Our children are precious gifts from the Lord but sometimes they can interfere with our human plans. These little ones seem to seek attention at the wrong time. What can we do at these times to creatively involve them in the learning process? My Father’s World shares many suggestions on how to educate and occupy little ones. Gayle Tuttle Music FUNdamentals Gayle Tuttle founded MusicFUNdamentals for Sola Gratia Musicians in Hatfield, and also offers these classes in Hilltown and Lansdale. For children ages 2 ½ -8, these classes are designed to increase a child’s musical aptitude and fundamental skills to prepare them for Youth Choir and /or individual instrumental instruction. Gayle is a certified Kindermusik and Musikgarten instructor. She was also certified in 2008 and 2010 as a level 1 and 2 instructor of Music for Young Children, a group piano program which integrates keyboard, rhythm, ear-training, music theory, creative movement, singing, sightreading and composition. Co-director of Sola Gratia Musicians Junior and Youth choirs, Gayle also owns Klavier Kids, a piano studio located in Lansdale, PA. It moved to its own location at the corner of Valley Forge Road and Sumneytown Pike in the fall of 2011 She offers both private and group piano instruction. She brings a lifetime of methodology in teaching children to experience the joy of music. Workshop Description: Is music important in the development of your child? If so, when should the training begin? Come and join us in this 45-minute interactive workshop. Sit in a circle with your children and join the fun as we explain the pathway to musical literacy that can be developed through singing, dancing, drumming, and listening. |
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