Other Conference Speakers
Ken Auer is the president and founder of RoleModel Software, Inc. <http://rolemodelsoftware.com>, pastor-elder of a family-integrated church (Southwest Wake Christian Assembly, <http://swcassembly.org>), board member of the Association of Restoration of Church and Home (ARCH, <http://restorechurchandhome.org>) and homeschool father of three children (ages eighteen, thirteen and four). After twelve years as a successful software developer and leader, he started RoleModel Software in 1997, and in 1998, he started RoleModel Software's apprenticeship system. By God's grace, he has been learning and working out what God's call for discipleship means in all aspects of life, how to integrate those aspects and what it means "to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers" (Luke 1:17, Malachi 4:6).
- Session 10, T, P Apprenticeship before (and as a Possible Alternative to) College, Ken Auer—If homeschooling offers more than classroom education for our children, why do we seemingly revert to classroom education in the college years without much of a thought other than how to pay for it? Although many think of apprenticeships as the way to become a craftsman such as a blacksmith, it can apply just as readily to more modern careers in areas such as business and technology. We'll discuss principles and examples of apprenticeship and our experience with apprenticeship at a leading-edge software services company before challenging the audience to apply these principles.
Regan and Amy Barr live in Holly Springs, NC, where they homeschool their own three children. Amy has advanced degrees in Latin and Classics. Regan has advanced degrees in both New Testament and Classical Archaeology. With more than a decade of excavating, traveling and research in the Mediterranean, they founded The Lukeion Project in 2005 with the goal of bringing excellence in the Classics to homeschooled and gifted students. The Lukeion Project teaches Latin, Greek, Classical history and literature to homeschoolers on three continents through live, online classes.
- Session 8, G History: It's Stranger Then Fiction, Regan L. Barr—History abounds with tales of the bizarre and the unbelievable. Sadly, the summary “just-the-facts” view of history often skips the most memorable stories. In this fun and interactive workshop Reagan Barr tries to stump the audience with a series of “what happens next” scenarios from ancient history. You'll walk away understanding that, when it comes to history, the fun is in the details.
- Session 9, T, P Unprepared for College: Life beyond the Transcript, Amy E. Barr—A stellar transcript will help you get into college, but can you make the grade once you are there? Amy Barr, who has taught at both the college and high school level, shares her list of most neglected survival skills that every college-bound student must be working on in high school.
Kay Bindrim is a wife and mother of five. She and her husband, Tommy, have homeschooled since 2000. Kay holds a master's degree in education, as well as a reading specialist certificate. She has sixteen years experience as a public school and homeschool educator. She worked for seven years in the public school system as a reading specialist, teaching a variety of ages, K-ninth grades. She has also worked in the area of adult literacy. Tommy and Kay operate Testing and Educational Services, where they provide a variety of educational services to the homeschool community. They serve on the leadership team of their local homeschool support group and serve the leaders and support groups in region twelve through the ministry of NCHE.
- Session 2, Y, O, L Teaching Your Child to Read, Kay Bindrim—There are five major components that comprise a solid foundation for reading instruction. This session will review the elements of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension and vocabulary and give teaching methods for each of these components. Whether you are just starting out or have a struggling reader, you can teach your child to read!
- Session 6, G What's Your Style? Kay Bindrim—Kay will look at learning styles and how they affect the educational process. Is your child an auditory, visual or kinesthetic learner? Teaching with methods that correspond to a child's learning style can aid the learning process and make learning more enjoyable. Teaching across the learning modalities can help struggling learners. Come learn about the various learning styles, educational activities that go with each learning style and how to determine what methods and curriculum correspond to each learning style.
Wendy Braswell has a bachelor's degree in communications with a minor in German from Mississippi State University. After working a few years in human resources she returned to school and became a registered repertory therapist. Wendy then obtained a second bachelor's degree in nursing and worked as an ICU nurse for about eleven years. Wendy has been using the RightStart Mathematics curriculum for five years and is starting her third child in the program.
- Session 3, Y, O The Five Miscalculations in Math, Wendy Braswell—Do your children run and hide when it is time for math lessons? When you explain a concept, do they give you the deer in the headlights look? Are they bored to tears with worksheets and flashcards? Come and recalculate your math experience! Learn the five most common mistakes made when teaching math and bring back (or keep) the excitement!
Davis and Rachael Carman are passionate about family and homeschooling. They live near Charlotte, NC, where they homeschool their seven children. Their homeschool journey had a bumpy start when God “got their attention.” Thirteen years later, their oldest graduated from their family homeschool and is enrolled in college having received scholarships. Davis is the president and owner of Apologia Educational Ministries—a leading publisher of creation-based science curricula designed specifically for homeschoolers. Under Davis' leadership, Apologia has expanded to include new books and curriculum, online courses, networking and encouragement and conferences for homeschool moms. Rachael had the privilege to author a book for Focus on the Family entitled Soundbites from Heaven—What God Wants Us to Hear When We Talk to Our Kids. Rachael has enjoyed speaking and encouraging homeschool groups for many years. She is quick to admit her many imperfections and share stories that highlight her shortcomings and the redemptive hand of Jesus Christ. Since 2002, Davis has served on the board of North Carolinians for Home Education, currently as administrative vice president. He is also the NC Ambassador for The Home School Foundation, which is a ministry dedicated to helping homeschool families in need. Davis and Rachael are committed to staying true to the Apologia mission—to help homeschoolers learn, live and defend the Christian faith.
- Session 1, B Give Me One Good Reason to Homeschool, Davis Carman—Are parents really qualified to teach their children everything? What about socialization? These are just a couple of the concerns that make homeschooling seem impossible. But homeschooling has continued to grow. What are the top reasons? Davis discusses the moral, academic and practical reasons to homeschool and helps dispel the myths we all tend to believe. When you finish this workshop, you will know that if there was ever a time to homeschool, it is now.
- Session 6, B Me? Homeschool? Rachael Carman—In this presentation, Rachael discusses with great candor how she and her husband came to the decision to homeschool their children. This is great encouragement and inspiration for families trying to decide whether or not to homeschool and for those in a difficult first or second year.
- Session 9, M How To Have a H.E.A.R.T. for Your Kids, Rachael Carman—In Proverbs 4:23 Solomon wisely wrote, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." As we approach a heart relationship with our children, we need to focus our efforts on what really matters. As with so many things, the first step to having a heart is wanting to have a heart. This lesson uses the word heart as an acronym to suggest what really matters from a biblical viewpoint.
Steve Clark is a homeschool dad who personally homeschooled his own children from 1998 through 2004. He and his wife, Katrina, live in Louisville, Kentucky, and have five children, ranging in age from twenty to twenty-six. From 1997 to the present, Steve has worked with Video Text Interactive, where his main focus has been to advise and counsel parents who want to make sure that their children excel in high school math. In addition, Clark edited and produced Life Skills for the Homeschooler, a book that addresses dozens of practical issues that many homeschoolers forget to teach. Clark is also president of the Homeschool Speakers and Vendors Association, which helps homeschool speakers and vendors promote their products and services, to ensure that all homeschoolers in the US and Canada have access to the best curricula available.
- Session 2, G Ten Deadly Myths about Homeschooling Math! Steve Clark—Most homeschoolers feel uneasy when planning math courses for their children. We learned our math a long time ago, or we learned it a different way, or maybe we learned it not at all! How can we know if the methods we are using will achieve the desired results in our students? Steve exposes ten deadly myths about teaching math and counters those myths with solid, practical help for parents. You will also leave with a checklist that you can use to determine the best math course for your students. Don't be surprised if Steve challenges some of our normal ways of thinking about math. For example, you might just find out that practice makes perfect doesn't apply to math!
Jen Duncan has homeschooled her son for the past six years; she is also a co-op classroom teacher for middle and high school students. She has been using lapbooks successfully for the past three years. She has used lapbooks with children who are highly gifted to those with special needs.
- Session 3, G Beginning Lapbooking, Jen Duncan—You may have heard the term lapbooking but have no idea what it is; or maybe you are overwhelmed at the entire concept of hands-on activities and unit studies. This workshop will help you get a better understanding of how easily lapbooks can be used in your homeschool: what exactly they are, how to make them, who benefits from using them, what supplies you need— and, of course, we wouldn't send you off without some great tips and tricks for getting started! Learn how to bring laughter and learning back into your homeschool!
Mari Fitz-Wynn and her husband, the late P.E. Wynn, began their homeschool journey in 1994 with their six children. She serves as the NCHE lobbyist and resides in Raleigh.
- Session 6, O, P Middle School to High School to College: How to Help Your Student Make a Seamless Transition, Mari Fitz-Wynn—Mari will show six steps to ensure your student is prepared for the academic, social and emotional challenges they will face during this unique span of life.
J. Mark Fox is the pastor of Antioch Community Church in Burlington, NC, and has taught communications classes at Elon University for eighteen years.His weekly column for the Times-News has won three Amy Awards, a national honor given for "thought-provoking, skillful presentation of biblical truth, reinforced with scripture in a mainstream, non-religious publication." Mark has written five books: Who's Afraid of Public Speaking? (1998), Family-Integrated Church (2006), Real Life Moments: A Dad's Devotional (2008), You Can Write (2008) and Planting a Family-Integrated Church (2008). He holds a BA and MA from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and an M.Div. from Luther Rice Seminary. Mark and Cindy have been married for nearly twenty-eight years and have homeschooled for more than twenty. They have seven children, one daughter-in-law, one grandson and another grandchild on the way. Their children are Micah (wife, Kari), Caleb, Hannah, Luke, Jesse, Judah and Susanna, ages twenty-four to ten. Mark is passionate about preaching, writing, running and cycling.
- Session 7, D Prophet, Priest, Protector, Provider, J. Mark Fox—Are dads called by God to lead and provide for their families in these four ways? And, if He calls us to do it, does He also equip us? What are the practical ways dads can be the head of their households, as Scripture plainly mandates? This workshop is for men and young men of all ages and will be taught by a man who is still learning how to do these things himself. Mark has been married to Cindy for nearly twenty-eight years; they have raised six adults so far (who are thirteen or older), with one more to go. Come and be encouraged by what God has called you to do and be in your home.
- Session 8, G What I've Learned in Twenty Years, J. Mark Fox—Mark and Cindy Fox have had the privilege of homeschooling their seven children for more than twenty years, with only nine more years to go! There have been lots of lessons learned along the way, and Mark will share what he believes are the most important ones, including lessons about homeschooling, life and love. Come and hear the good, the bad and the hilarious.
- Session 10, D Two Roosters in the Same House, J. Mark Fox—Every chicken farmer will tell you that two roosters in the henhouse is a fight waiting to happen! But it doesn't have to be that way with young men growing into manhood under their dad's care and leadership. By the time a boy is eleven or twelve, he needs his father to accept the challenge of grooming him to be the leader God has called him to be. This is the time when he begins to challenge his authorities, especially his mother! What are the keys to helping this transition to manhood take place without a casualty? Dads and teenage sons are especially invited to hear this workshop, as Mark talks about the process he and his three older sons went through to navigate these waters (two more are in process), and emerge safe and healthy on the other side.
Amanda Garner and her husband, Wesley, have been homeschooling their children for six years and currently reside in Henderson, NC, where he is a full-time pastor. The Lord has blessed them with four children, two of which have learning disabilities. Amanda's desire is to encourage other parents who are educating their “learning-challenged” children.
- Session 10, G So You Don't Have a Super-Star Student, Amanda Garner—Research indicates that homeschool children excel academically and socially when compared to their public school peers. But what happens when your child doesn't? What do you do when he continually falls behind in spite of your best efforts? Whether your child struggles with mountains or mole hills, come receive encouragement and practical tips for becoming the teacher your child needs!
Amelia Harper is the author of Literary Lessons from the Lord of the Rings, a complete one-year literature curriculum for secondary level student, and is a contributor to the J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia. She is a contributing editor for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, a national homeschool publication. She has homeschooled her five children for twenty years, including three who have been homeschooled through high school. She is also a pastor's wife who works as an English tutor and as a freelance writer with over 200 published articles and poems to her credit.
- Session 3, B Exploring Your Homeschool Options, Amelia Harper—Are you wondering why so many people are turning to home education? Are you confused by the homeschool lingo you hear—terms like Charlotte Mason and delight-directed? Amelia will explain why so many people are turning to home education and give an overview of the various popular approaches so that you can discover what is best for you and your family.
- Session 6, Y Teaching Your Child to Love Reading, Amelia Harper—If you teach your child to read, you have accomplished something. If you teach him to love to read, you have made his life richer and your own job easier! Learn ways to begin to create this love of reading and writing at an early age and foster it as your child grows older.
David Hazell has been involved in homeschooling since 1987. During several of those years, he was a stay-at-home dad directly responsible for educating his children. For eight years, David and his family lived in Russia, where he served in Bible translation in Siberia and helped coordinate Bible translations in eighty languages. His six children often ministered with him as he traveled throughout Russia and Europe. David and his wife, Marie, now devote the majority of their time to the development of My Father's World curriculum with the goal of providing support for Bible translation and raising up generations of families that see the world through God's eyes and live according to that knowledge.
- Session 3, G Equipping Our Children to Be Self-Motivated Christian Thinkers, David Hazell—What is the ultimate goal for our families? We all desire to give our children a Christian education that prepares them for the rest of their lives. One important aspect is teaching our children to become successful, independent, thoughtful Christians. We need to wean them from being spoon-fed and lead them to being internally motivated to learn for themselves. We must establish a foundation for self-motivated learning based on moral values. This workshop is designed to give you a path for guiding your children in their life-long process of education and discipleship.
- Session 5, G Homeschool: School at Home or Family Discipleship? David Hazell—For many homeschoolers, school is defined by the basics: history, math and English. Textbooks, worksheets and academic performance become the benchmarks. How easy it can be to lose sight of the ultimate reason for homeschooling! Academics, though important, should never overtake character development. By redefining homeschool as family discipleship, it is possible to transform our expectations. Education is far more than learning from books. It is also learning to be active, intelligent participants in the Kingdom of God. We must teach our children what we want them to pass on to our grandchildren. Make sure the school in your home is designed to create a Christ-centered family.
Ernie Hodges is the founding director of the NCHE Athletic Conference. He formed the first homeschool basketball team in NC and is actively involved in managing the athletic conference with the assistance of the NCHEAC committee. Ernie and his wife, Iris, have three children who are all homeschool graduates.
- Session 11, P Homeschool Sports: How to Get Started, Ernie Hodges—Ernie will talk about homeschoolers and sports, how to develop teams and leagues and what NCHE has to offer.
Bonita Lillie wears many hats: freelance writer, editor, writing instructor and author of Hands-on Essays. Most importantly, she has been a homeschooling mom for the last twelve years, and her oldest child is graduating in the class of 2010. Bonita wholeheartedly believes that learning should be an enjoyable adventure and has spent many years cultivating the art of teaching with a fun twist. She and her husband, John, reside in Charlotte, NC, where they are experiencing the joys of parenting two teenagers.
- Session 5, G How to Write This and That, Bonita Lillie—This is a simple, straightforward workshop where you'll learn the components of writing papers such as reports, essays, stories, and book reports. As we examine each type of writing, Bonita will show you the basic structure, offer teaching tips and possible assignments. She will also walk you through how to evaluate each type of writing. Whether you use a writing curriculum or not, this session will help you feel more confident as you teach your child to write.
- Session 7, G Reality Homeschooling, Bonita Lillie—What happens when the image you had in your mind doesn't match the day-to-day experience of homeschooling? This session will help you learn how to reconcile your homeschooling ideals with realistic goals and expectations. You'll discover ways to avoid burnout, to homeschool during a crisis and to decipher what kids really need to know to survive and thrive in this world. The goal of this workshop is to reduce stress and to help you experience the true freedom we have in homeschooling.
G Of general interest to all parents
T Of special interest to teens
B For beginners and inquirers
L For parents of children with learning disabilities
Y For parents of young children preschool to early elementary
O For parents of older elementary age (may include middle school)
P For parents of teens (and possibly teens)
D For dads
M For moms