Stepping Outside the School Box

Learning to embrace a natural, holistic way of education can make homeschooling doable and successful academically, spiritually and socially for both the students and the parents. It’s important to let go of our pre-conceived notions of what “school” should look like and instead major on the strengths of homeschooling – flexibility, real life learning, real books (living books), dialogue rather than formal tests, etc. Discover how to emphasize the benefits of homeschooling and avoid the burnout that happens when parents try to replicate a traditional school in their homes.

Stepping Outside the School Box

In the Valley of “How Long?”

Hard times come to every life. Most of us expect that. But sometimes a difficult season goes on so long that we wonder if it will ever end. In Psalm 13, David expresses the cry of all our hearts when he wonders, “O Lord, how long?” The struggles of life are given by God to every person and every family for a purpose. They come to us not because God doesn’t love us, but because He does.

In the Valley of “How Long?”

10 Ways to Boost Brain Power

We hear about the brain a lot these days and sometimes can be tempted to cram more book learnin’ into our children’s heads to produce little geniuses. But this is actually counter-productive. There are some important tips and tricks that you can easily incorporate into everyday learning and living to maximize your children’s learning potential. Come find out 10 key ways to help turn your child ON to learning and help that learning STICK!

10 Ways to Boost Brain Power

Peacemaking in your community

Are you experiencing conflict in your life? Is there conflict in your community that you would like to resolve? How can you be a peacemaker in your community? As a former litigation lawyer, and the oldest of seven children, Paul offers insight into the many forms of conflict we experience, and offers advice on how to be a peacemaker in these troubling situations.

Peacemaking in your community

Developing Life Long Learners

Come and discover how to prepare an environment which will cultivate life-long readers. Reading acquisition is so much more than merely reading mechanics. Whether you have a pre-reader, emergent reader, or fluent reader, this intensely practical workshop will give you tools to use (including developmentally appropriate activities, tips on book selection) as well as pitfalls to avoid (including jumping the gun, taking a cookie cutter approach).

Developing Life Long Learners

Does Homeschooling Work? Prove It!

For homeschooling parents, conviction is often enough to compel us to educate our kids. However, for family and friends who see us living out this conviction, and for those who are still investigating homeschooling for themselves, many questions remain: “Do homeschooled kids learn enough to be prepared for the marketplace/university/life? Can parents without degrees in education teach their kids? Won’t kids miss the opportunities of the traditional school system? Will they turn out weird? What about socialization?” Using up-to-date educational and psychological research, and stories of past and current homeschoolers, the talk will equip investigating parents to make an informed decision about homeschooling and provide active homeschoolers with the knowledge to address the questions of others.

Does Homeschooling Work? Prove It!

Can you really do High School?

Feeling overwhelmed and intimidated by the pressure of homeschooling teens? Afraid that your kids will be at a disadvantage and won’t be able to get into university? High school does NOT have to be a negative, scary experience for parents nor for their children! Come to this session and learn how it can be a fun journey, exploring traditional and alternative ways to prepare our teens for life beyond our homes. Hear stories that will help you catch a vision for the great advantages you can give your children by homeschooling them all the way through!

Can you really do High School?

Toddlers in Tow

Homeschooling with a baby on your hip and a toddler hanging from your legs can be quite a challenge. Or maybe you are wrestling with guilt about not doing enough with the preschooler when you are busy with your older kids… While homeschooling may appear easy, accomplishing this with toddlers added can seem near impossible. But really, having little ones around can be a huge blessing. We just need eyes to see the positives and a few tricks up our sleeves to help traverse the challenges. Renew your vision and arm yourself for this precious season.

Toddlers in Tow

20 Things to teach your children before they leave home

Academics are important, but they are not the key to a successful life. When your children grow up and leave your home, you want to be sure that they have learned the life lessons that will serve them well for time and eternity. This workshop discusses the issues that matter most in life and how you can pass them on to your children in the brief time you have with them.

20 Things to teach your children before they leave home

Family time ideas for Dads

There’s nothing more rewarding to a faithful father than getting together with his wife and children for the evening “family time.” But it’s not always easy to make good use of the time when Dad is tired after a hard day’s work. In this workshop Rick Boyer shares ideas he has used over the years with his fourteen children. Now you can have the tools to make the evening get-together a blessing for the whole family–without a lot of preparation!

Family time ideas for Dads

Making Learning Fun

Thomas Edison was one of the greatest geniuses in history. Part of the reason for his brilliance was the fact that, after attending school for only three months, he was educated at home by his mother, who believed that learning can be fun. Her philosophy paid off, as it has for thousands of other home educators who have broken free from bondage to the “institutional” approach and returned to natural, sensible ways of teaching. Stop making a school of yourself! This workshop gives eight simple suggestions that can revolutionize your child’s learning and make home education fun for the whole family.

Making Learning Fun

The First 30 Years

Rick Boyer and his wife have been homeschooling since 1980. Starting out young and green in a time when only a handful of families were homeschooling, Rick and Marilyn found few resources to help them in their journey. They had to blaze their own trail, surviving such obstacles as skeptical grandparents, hostile school authorities, unhelpful curriculum publishers, blizzards, prairie fires…(just kidding). The Boyers are still home schooling today and now share their experiences around the world through their books and their speaking ministry. Rick will share some of the most profound lessons learned along the way, including: – It’s not schooling, it’s discipleship

– Life is the curriculum
– The kid is the can
– Socialization is for socialists
– George Washington survived without Little League
– and many more!

The First 30 Years

Why Homeschool through High School?

These are the questions going through most people’s minds as they contemplate the challenge of homeschooling through high school. As an exclusively homeschooled high school graduate, Paul discusses the various facets of this question. From socialization and sports, to advanced math and postsecondary admissions, this session will address the many questions on this subject, and also offer encouragement to those who are contemplating the challenge of homeschooling teenagers.

Why Homeschool through High School?

No Fear Homeschooling

Do you fear the “knock at the door” which announces a visit by a social worker or a government official? Or difficult interactions with local school boards? Are you unsure of how to defend what you do at home to your in-laws? In this session Paul Faris, President of HSLDA Canada, discusses the basis on which we can defend homeschooling to our neighbours and family, in discussion groups, in the media, and with the government. Speaking from case history and anecdotal examples, Paul will speak to the experiences of homeschoolers across Canada, and will describe what could be expected in Manitoba.

No Fear Homeschooling

Hope for Homeschool Mom

Homeschooling is a grand adventure, but sometimes there are moments or even seasons where we just feel stuck. Or maybe we’ve veered off course. It’s easy to think that changing curriculum for the umpteenth time, making a new schedule, or even throwing in the towel will solve the problem. It usually never does because the problem runs deeper… But there is hope, glorious hope, for us. Let’s rediscover together the secret to enjoying this journey and finishing strong!

Hope for Homeschool Mom (Audio)

Math – What does it take to succeed?

Manitoba’s math students are currently at the bottom of the pack compared to kids in other Canadian provinces. As homeschoolers, how can we buck the trend and graduate students who are able to use math effectively, either at home or on the job? Join us as we consider the answer to that question. We’ll discuss three things that characterize a math student who succeeds. We’ll also look at the four critical components of effective math instruction—components that will not only help you teach math effectively to your kids, but can also guide you in your selection of a suitable math curriculum in the first place.

Math – What does it take to succeed?

Teaching Struggling Learners – Panel

Teaching a Struggling Learner Forum If you find yourself a parent of a struggling learner, messages such as “a ‘real’ teacher could do better,” or “homeschooling doesn’t work” may distract and discourage you. Or the question of “when to trust the experts?” may weigh heavily on your mind. In this session, hear from others with experience teaching (or being) struggling learners. Come prepared to ask your questions and glean from their life-gathered insights.

Teaching Struggling Learners – Panel (Audio)