** Final workshop schedule. (06/07/10)
11:00 – 12:00
Experience Excellence in Writing
Pamela White
Excellence In Writing
Come and discover award-winning Excellence in Writing, a method of teaching composition that really works. Using this program, students of all ages will learn to write stories, reports, and essays with style. Best of all, parents and students alike find it easy to use and effective in all their writing endeavors. This workshop will give you an overview of the program and show you how you can get started with even the most reluctant writing students.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – The Big Picture
Beth Hand, L.C.S.W.
What is ADHD? How to recognize ADHD symptoms in your child.
Beth Hand is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed School Social Worker, and Parent Coach with a private practice in Cordova. She has served children and families through Memphis City Schools Mental Health Center for over 20 years.
The Mystery of History – An Author’s Introduction
Linda Hobar
The Mystery of History
Interested in teaching world history? Meet Linda Lacour Hobar, author of The Mystery of History, as she shares the heartfelt distinctives of her award-winning curriculum. This Classical, Chronological, Complete course is written from a Christian world view and is adaptable for all ages. Learn the heart of “The Mystery” and all that it encompasses in integrating Biblical history and world history together. For newbies, this workshop will include “how” to use The Mystery of History. For veterans, this workshop will give an inspiring and reflective overview of ancient times from Creation to Christ.
How to Eat the Homeschool Elephant
Tonya Richard
Getting started in homeschooling doesn't have to be as overwhelming (or as intimidating) as you might think! Whether you are starting with a kindergartner or a high schooler, Tonya will answer your questions and walk you through the process of getting started. Tonya Richard, veteran homeschooler of 18 years, will cover such topics as: making sense of the laws, terminology, grades, lesson plans and more.
Sand, Soil & Rock – Student Workshop
Pink Palace Museum
Grades 1 – 2
In this introductory hands-on lesson about earth resources, young students examine backyard soil for its organic and inorganic components. They consider ways the rock cycle breaks rock down into smaller pieces to form inorganic components of soil and processes that build igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic rock.
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12:30 – 1:30
The Way You Wish You’d Been Taught. Guaranteed.
Stacey Few
Sonlight
Flexible...Faith Affirming...Filled with Great Stories! Do you want to create life-long learners and equip students how to think, not just memorize facts? Are you looking for higher education success while building family bonds and enjoying outstanding literature that your family will want to read over and over in the years to come? Come see how Sonlight Curriculum has done the planning for you and compiled all the tools to make this year a learning adventure for a lifetime.
Parenting Builders and Dreamers … Hyperactive – Impulsive – Inattentive Kids
Beth Hand, L.C.S.W.
Practical day to day strategies for handling the challenges of a child with ADHD symptoms. Interventions that any parent can use … no diagnosis required.
Mastering Math
Greg Stablein
Gateway Christian Schools
Solving the math dilemma can be quite a challenge! With so many variables, it can seem overwhelming to find the right formula to fit your student. Are all math programs created equal? Learn from Greg Stablein, Coordinator of Gateway Christian Schools, as he helps you master math. He will cover the different approaches to math, how to choose a math curriculum, mental math, math shortcuts, manipulatives, and more.
The Importance of Saving Early for College
James Armistead & LaKesha Page
Attainment of a college education is important for success. Two key factors in helping a child achieve this goal are educational and financial preparation. Families should save early to be sure they are financially prepared for future college expenses. This session will explain 539 plans, and provide information about the Path2College 529 Plan. Like a 401 (k), 529’s are named after the section of the IRS Code that allows states to offer tax-advantaged means for families to save to cover the cost of higher education. This session will also provide guidance to help parents understand the importance of saving early for college and how the Path2College Plan can assist families with reaching their savings goal.
Owls Eat Whoo? – Student Workshop
Memphis Zoo
Grades 3 – 5
Students will take a closer look at owls and owl pellets as we discover “whoooo” they hunt.
Intro to Square Dance – MEET AT REGISTRATION TABLE
Samantha Marie Booker, Greater Memphis Area Square & Round Dance Assoc.
For students entering grade 1 and up
If you know your left from your right, and sometimes mix them up, you can dance with us! You will have fun, even if you have never, ever danced. Samantha will have you squared up and in a set before you know what happened! Give it a go as a Head or a Side, or “sit this one out” and watch. You’ll enjoy the music, either way. Bring a friend or meet some new ones! Come try it out, and then you can say, “I2 Dance with GMS&RDA
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2:30 – 3:30
Normal is a Setting on Your Dryer
Judy Pierce
“Normal is a Setting on Your Dryer” is a workshop that deals with the struggles and joys of home educating. It will encourage you to stay the course, while helping to deal with some of the issues all home schoolers face on a daily basis. Discussion will include tips on how to organize your everyday schedule, school schedule, and home. Come and be encouraged that you can complete the job God has called you to do!
Judy is the wife of James Pierce (athletic director for MHEA), mother of five children, and veteran home educator of 25 years. She was a support group leader for eight years and the MHEA conference director for ten. Three of her children are college graduates and one is a junior at Blue Mountain College. The youngest is a freshman in high school.
Components of a Complete Language Arts Program
Beth Ellen Nash
Cornerstone Learning Connections
Beth Ellen Nash is a certified teacher and Orton-Gillingham trained tutor with 12 years experience working with struggling learners. In this workshop she will address the many aspects that make up a comprehensive language arts program including: Phonics & Phonemic Awareness; Spelling; Vocabulary & Word Study; Reading Strategies, Fluency, & Comprehension; Grammar, Usage, Mechanics, & Editing; and Written Composition. We will touch briefly on handwriting and keyboarding, as well as how critical thinking, listening, speech, and drama are related to the language arts program. In each of these areas Beth Ellen will highlight a few resources that she has found the most useful in meeting the needs of the struggling learners she serves. She will provide a thumbnail look at what her top picks offer and what audience would most benefit from each of them. A helpful chart cross-referencing how several of these resources fit together will also be shared as an example of a way that multiple resources can be layered to provide the degree of support and practice an individual student may need.
Combining Classical Education, Charlotte Mason, and Unit Studies with a Christian Perspective
Lucy Robertson
My Father’s World
The myriad of homeschool choices can be overwhelming like interstates, highways, back roads and scenic roads. 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? Join My Father’s World as we show 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 individual interests in the afternoon.
The 4-year Plan
Karen Johnson - Sr. High Guidance Counselor with Home Life Academy
So you have a high school student? This workshop will give suggestions on Goal-based planning of your student's courses, a look towards college, building a portfolio, and a 4-year to-do list to prepare for the big graduation day!
Karen has graduated four homeschool high school students. As the co-sponsor who began the MHEA Chapter of Eta Sigma Alpha National Homeschool Honor Society, she helped write the national bylaws for the organization. She is convinced homeschooling gives high school students an edge towards college and that anyone with a plan can homeschool high school successfully!
Story Theatre & Prop Workshop – Student Workshop
Elise Rodriguez, Usborne Books & More
For students grade 4 – 6
Students will bring the story of Wombat & Fox to life in multiple voices through story theatre. Kids will design their own props for a role in Kane Miller's hilarious Australian story. Each cast will include 6 children. Art & story theatre workshop limited to 18 children.
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4:00 – 5:00
Getting Out of the Box: How to Homeschool and Love it!
Lani Carey
Home Life Academy
- How to teach the student instead of teaching the curriculum
- Taking advantage of the way kids learn to make each day memorable, from Kindergarten through High School
- Exploring the many different options for homeschooling through high school and beyond
- Practical ideas and examples of games and fun ways to teach grammar, science, history, and math to every grade level
Johnnie W. Lewis
The Five Finger Paragraph
The Five Finger Paragraph teaches students (and adults!) to write paragraphs and essays without the struggles, without the stress. The format taught in The Five Finger Paragraph books and workshops is very kinesthetic in nature, satisfying the learning styles of those students who need a “hands on” approach to their learning environments. This is the same five finger paragraph format recommended for essays written during the SAT or ACT exams.
All attendees in The Five Finger Paragraph workshops will have the opportunity to participate as we write an essay during the workshop. Participants may take their “sample” with them.
“The Mystery of History” Looks at Famous Artists of the Renaissance
Linda Hobar
The Mystery of History
Need a crash course on teaching the rich and provocative Renaissance? Listen to Linda Lacour Hobar, author of The Mystery of History, as she provides a brief historical background to the Renaissance and surveys the extraordinary artists who made it famous. Through stories and slides, Linda will bring you up to speed on Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt and more. No previous experience in art history is needed to enjoy this presentation!
Rocks & the Rock Cycle – Student Workshop
Pink Palace Museum
Grades 3 – 5
Students examine topographic models to identify processes involved in the rock cycle. They examine rock samples to learn clues for identifying whether rocks are igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic. They discover surprising uses for rocks found in abundance in the Mid-South.
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5:30 – 6:30
Simplifying Family Meals and Saving Money
Shelly Cheng
Do you ever wonder on late afternoons what you are making for dinner ~ too late to defrost the meat, don't have all the ingredients, what are you going to throw together to make it look like a meal that was planned? If this sounds like your life, then join us to learn how to organize and plan your weekly meals, grocery trips and more! I’ll also share practical tips on coupons and weekly deals. This is a great way to get your 10 and older kids involved in the kitchen too!
Art, History, Science? Teach them together!
Elise Rodriguez
Usborne Books
Present art history, world history and science discovery in a timeline. Experience the Renaissance, the birth of humanism, education, and printing through the life of Leonardo da Vinci. The Industrial Revolution spanned from 1767-1851. Encounter portrait painter Francisco da Goya in the court of three generations of Spanish kings (1746-1828.) Studying the World Wars? Study modern art simultaneously and create splatter art in the style of American artist, Jackson Pollock (1912-1956.) Travel the internet with Usborne - art galleries, science labs, battlefields. This workshop is designed to give you a meaningful alternative to teaching art. Simple art supplies, along with Usborne Books as your guide, will transform your classroom into a studio!
Laughter and Learning with Lapbooks
Niki McNeil
In The Hands of a Child
Have you ever wondered what all the hype is about? Let us teach you how to use lapbooks to bring laughter and learning together in the hands of YOUR child. We will show you how simply they can be implemented without you or the kids becoming overwhelmed. Find out how they are made, the supplies needed, who benefits from using them and how to get started.
Science Made Practical:
Greg Stablein
Gateway Christian Schools
Science can seem boring and dry, but this workshop by Greg Stablein, Coordinator of Gateway Christian Schools, will help you teach science in a way that is relevant, tangible, and alive! Find the curricula that will work for you and see practical science experiments that you can do at home to illustrate science concepts.
Nano: Technology of the Future – Student Workshop
Memphis Zoo
Grades 6 – 8
We’re taking science to a whole new level: the nano level. Come join us to learn how the smallest particles can have the largest impact on our lives.
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SATURDAY:
9:30 – 10:30
Experience Excellence in Writing
Pamela White
Excellence In Writing
Come and discover award-winning Excellence in Writing, a method of teaching composition that really works. Using this program, students of all ages will learn to write stories, reports, and essays with style. Best of all, parents and students alike find it easy to use and effective in all their writing endeavors. This workshop will give you an overview of the program and show you how you can get started with even the most reluctant writing students.
Getting Out of the Box: How to Homeschool and Love it!
Lani Carey
Home Life Academy
- How to teach the student instead of teaching the curriculum
- Taking advantage of the way kids learn to make each day memorable, from Kindergarten through High School
- Exploring the many different options for homeschooling through high school and beyond
- Practical ideas and examples of games and fun ways to teach grammar, science, history, and math to every grade level
Lucy Robertson
My Father’s World
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.
Give Your Child a Solid Foundation in Science – Even If You Don’t Have One!
KaBao McCarver
Real Science 4 Kids
Let KaBao McCarver, as a homeschool mom, show you how easy and fun it can b to teach your children science … and she means REAL SCIENCE ... like Chemistry and Physics. She will teach you how her family went from “dreadin” to “beggin”! Yes, you can teach your kindergartener as well as your high schooler the basic building blocks of science now, to give them an advantage later!
Homeschooling Dads – Dad’s Only
Dad’s Panel
Do you feel like a homeschooling dad or just a dad who is married to a homeschooling mom? Do you want to be more involved but just don’t know how? Have you ever wondered if your homeschooling family is … “normal”? Join our experienced panel of homeschooling fathers for a candid and dynamic discussion on your role as a homeschooling dad. Come and discover practical strategies and solutions that work and pitfalls to avoid.
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11:00 – 12:00
Christian Classical Education Made Doable
Dawn Ayers
Classical Conversations
Classical Conversations, an education services company that supports home schooling families, invites you to learn more about how Laura Ingalls Wilder and other one-room schoolhouse teachers used the classical method of learning to teach children of all different ages from the same material at the same time. We have three flagship programs: our Foundations Program for k-6th grade which focuses on the grammar stage method of learning; the Essentials Program, which is a language arts program geared towards 3rd through 6th graders who are moving into dialectic stage; and our Challenge level programs, which are Christian, classical, college-prep programs, for junior and high school aged children utilizing dialectic and rhetorical skills.
The Five Finger Paragraph
Johnnie W. Lewis
The Five Finger Paragraph
The Five Finger Paragraph teaches students (and adults!) to write paragraphs and essays without the struggles, without the stress. The format taught in The Five Finger Paragraph books and workshops is very kinesthetic in nature, satisfying the learning styles of those students who need a “hands on” approach to their learning environments. This is the same five finger paragraph format recommended for essays written during the SAT or ACT exams.
All attendees in The Five Finger Paragraph workshops will have the opportunity to participate as we write an essay during the workshop. Participants may take their “sample” with them.
How to Eat the Homeschool Elephant
Tonya Richard
Getting started in homeschooling doesn't have to be as overwhelming (or as intimidating) as you might think! Whether you are starting with a kindergartner or a high schooler, Tonya will answer your questions and walk you through the process of getting started. Tonya Richard, veteran homeschooler of 18 years, will cover such topics as: making sense of the laws, terminology, grades, lesson plans and more.
Beyond Labels: Understanding Your Child’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Beth Ellen Nash
Cornerstone Learning Connections
In this workshop, Beth Ellen will summarize material about 8 systems of the mind from several resources produced by Mel Levine and the All Kinds of Minds Institute to help make it accessible to busy homeschooling parents. We will explore these 8 systems of the mind (or neurodevelopmental constructs): Language, Memory, Attention, Sequential and Spatial Ordering, Social and Higher Thinking, and Motor Skills. As we explore each of these you may discover specific breakdown areas in these systems that are part of your students’ weaknesses and other areas that are part of their patterns of individual strengths. These specific patterns of strengths and weaknesses that create an individual’s personal profile are often more informative as to how to help a struggling student than labels on an IEP or psychologist’s report, as important as those documents may be. Specific resources that may be useful in meeting specific needs will be mentioned as we explore each of these systems of the mind. Participants will be asked to keep their children in mind as we go through the material and note areas that strike them as particular strengths or weaknesses. This will allow participants to go home with a preliminary portrait of their children’s systems of the mind and how that can inform using their strengths and meeting their needs as we seek to go beyond the label to reaching the individual child.
Leadership 101 for Dads
Tod Stoner
International ALERT Academy
It is not easy to be a dad in today’s environment with so many competing time demands. However, there are tools and techniques available that can help a father to balance those demands and to provide a vision for his family.
This workshop is geared toward fathers to assist them in leading their families well. We will explore how to:
- create a vision that motivates the entire family to action and cohesiveness
- see each family member as an individual with specific hopes and dreams
- exhibit behaviors that draw a family closer
- eliminate behaviors that split a family
- become a servant leader
12:30 – 1:30
Your Family Can Make an Eternal Difference
Andrew Gray
Gospel for Asia
The Lord wants us to have the same heart for people that He has. Learn practical ways for your family to love the lost, especially those not yet reached with the Gospel, and to focus on what lasts forever.
Don't All Homeschoolers Make A's?
Terry & Pat Wade, Faith Heritage Christian Academy
Do you struggle with record keeping? Are you confused about when and how you should give grades? What are some effective ways of evaluating your child's progress? When do grades help and when do they hinder? Join Pat & Terry as they tackle this sometimes confusing topic.
Hands-on Kindergarten and First Grade
Lucy Robertson
My Father’s World
Overwhelmed? Try our easy-to-teach complete curriculum that incorporates phonics, reading, writing, art, Bible, hands-on science, math, history and more. Incorporate preschoolers and older kids in many of the interesting activities. My Father’s World shows how easy-to-teach yet flexible lesson plans eliminate preparation time without sacrificing the FUN.
Mathnasium Method
Dan Roberts
Mathnasium – The Math Learning Center
The “Mathnasium Method” draws deeply from Larry Martinek’s 35+ years of experience as a math teacher, educational consultant and father. His tips are focused on introducing children to math through oral, visual, and mental as well as written modalities. In this workshop we will share his tips on developing “number sense” – an approach to teach math in a way that made sense to kids.
Building Literacy in Your Homeschool
Silvia Mondragon
SEM Educational Services - Spell to Write & Read
Every home school parent desires to produce literate children who can read the Word of God for themselves and who are prepared for the literacy demands of our complex society. How to actually achieve this goal is sometimes baffling and a matter of more than choosing Publisher X’s curriculum. This workshop addresses the various elements necessary for building a complete language arts program from preschool through high school that ensures our children are able to Read, Write and effectively communicate with their world.
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2:00 – 3:00
How To Teach a Child to See God in Nature
Nancy Riddle
HimVisible Teaching Curriculum
This workshop will examine some of the reasons why children cannot see God in nature. It shares Nancy Riddle’s revelations from God about discovering God in nature. Many of the teaching techniques that Nancy used in her classroom are revealed. Many examples of the “double meanings” of animals and plants are discussed. Many “aha” connections will be found. You will be taught how to use these principles in science and other courses from kindergarten through eight grade. Of everything taught in elementary school, teaching a child to see God in nature may have the most profound impact on their life.
Helping Children Reach the World Through Prayer and Action
Ron Leonard
Christian Aid Mission
A special session designed for teachers, home school parents, and mentors on how to use “Prayerline for Kids” in the classroom for education and spiritual formation. Developed by professional educator and curriculum editor Jackie Peakes of Christian Aid Mission.
Laying the Nutritional Groundwork for Your Family
Andrea James
GNLD Whole Food Nutrition
Eating to give God glory! Building a good foundation on the foods we are meant to eat, and consuming foods that are nutrient dense that will keep us looking and feeling our best. Also, what to look for in choosing supplements. Recipes and menu ideas that focus on "real foods."
Christians Considering College: What Every Student & Parent Should Know
Dr. Paul Criss, Ph.D.
Praxis Bible College
There are many things for students and their parents to research and consider as they prepare to attend college. This workshop will help students to maneuver through the latest data and statistics regarding educational quality, environment, cost, and student debt.
Meal Planning Made Simple
Dell Self
MHEA Vice President and support group leader
Sick of the “What’s for dinner?” dilemma? Tired of the “Meatloaf, again?” gripe? Wouldn’t you love to:
- shop once, cook twice and eat for two weeks
- save time, money and your sanity
