“Enjoying Homeschool” – An Oxymoron?

Aaaargh! It’s the start of another homeschooling day – and a Monday at that! You want to turn off the alarm and duck back under the covers. Do you find yourself hardly able to drag yourself out of bed in the mornings as you face the coming day with dread? Do you find that you hate homeschooling, yet you have compelling reasons that force you to stick with it? Do you feel like a failure? This homeschool thing certainly doesn’t seem to be working the miracles you were led to expect. If only you could recapture your joy! “Homeschool” and “joy” do not have to be antonyms. Rediscover the contagious fruit of JOY, and watch it grow in your homeschool.

100% Mommy, 100% Teacher

Do you have a baby, a toddler, or a preschooler running around while you are trying to work with your students? Maybe you have several little ones wreaking havoc on your home while your older students suffer from your lack of attention! I’ve had as many as 3 preschoolers (plus 5 students) at a time, and will share with you the joy I’ve discovered in homeschooling with preschoolers. This heart-hitting, heart-warming workshop will help you to recognize the work of God in your heart. Then, you will learn tips and tricks to help make your day run more smoothly and be reminded of the amazing grace available to you. Courage! You can be 100% Mommy and 100% Teacher - at the same time!

A Recipe for Success

Okay, so, Susan has homeschooled for more than two decades (and has more than a decade to go). Surely she’s learned some secret for successful homeschooling! Is there a formula that any mom can apply, or a recipe that will guarantee a successful homeschooling experience? Susan shares 4 ingredients vital to any truly thriving homeschool. A fun and lighthearted, yet hard-hitting workshop that will strengthen your homeschooling foundations and insure a successful endeavor.

Confessions of a Disorganized Homeschool Mom

I always thought I was an organized person – until I had 9 kids and homeschooled. Now I am faced with the humiliating truth. I am a messy! However, I have learned a number of tricks to make homeschool run more smoothly. I’ll share with you my daily log ideas, my multilevel teaching ideas, and my daily “schedule.” A fun workshop for the organizationally challenged.

Exploding the Supermom Myth

Faster than a speeding toddler. More perceptive 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 moms do it all? Is it possible to succeed in keeping up with the housework and the homeschool? Or do I just hope nobody phones in a tip to the Environmental Protection Agency that my home is a hazardous waste sight? A homeschool mother of 9 shares with you the tools she uses to cope with the pressures of doing it all.

Grace-Drenched Homeschooling

Wow! This homeschool thing is hard work! It's messy (referring to both your home and your relationships) and discouraging. At first you were so sure God was calling you to homeschool, but now you aren't so sure. You know God's grace is available to you...but what exactly does that mean? It is God's desire to abundantly display His strength through your weaknesses throughout your homeschool endeavor. Find out how at this hope-filled, hardhitting workshop.

Homeschooling Distractible Kids Who Don’t Like School

You’ve been blessed with this amazing bundle of energy. He has spent the first years of his life climbing anything vertical, “shooting” anything that moves, turning every serious moment into a wrestling match – and doing it all at top speed. And now you want to put a book in his lap and convince him that reading word lists and adding columns of numbers is fun??? Yeah, right! Homeschooling is the perfect learning environment for this child! Susan, a mother of 9 children (including 7 wiggly boys) shares with you ideas on how to homeschool these distractible little bundles of energy (who’d rather be doing anything other than school) in such a way that you’ll be enjoying and utilizing their boundless energy instead of quenching their fire. And, of course, we’ll look at our own heart issues which are so quick to well up and spill out on those energetic little heads. This is a fun workshop that will keep you laughing. (A popular topic…)

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 be patient and kind, even when my student puts out minimal effort or buys the latest Christian punk rock CD. 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.

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.

Servanthood 101…Teaching Kids to Serve

You’re a homeschooling mom. That means you now hold down a fulltime job. The hours you used to spend in keeping house are now spent teaching science and correcting papers. Unfortunately, the housework doesn’t just go away. Things are piling up. The mess and dirt are making you crazy, and you don’t like who you are becoming. You’re tired and don’t have the strength to stay up late to catch up. And no one is helping you. You’re tired of nagging, tired of everyone’s laziness, and tired of being everyone’s slave. When, if ever, will those kids learn to shoulder their share of the responsibility?

The Sarcastic Homeschooler – Duh!

Oh-h-h! It’s so frustrating! Your students make the same obvious, stupid mistakes over and over again. And it’s not just their school work…it’s their overall attitude towards school, chores, and family. And what is my “normal” response to such obvious bad attitude? I’ll tell you this – a kind and gentle response do not top my list as natural reactions! Yet the Bible tells us…no, commands us…to put on kindness and pursue gentleness! Abundant grace is available to help you be a woman kind and gentle in your homeschool. You’ll be laughing and crying at the same time in this humorous and hard-hitting workshop. (A popular topic…)

What About Me?

You are now a full time homeschool mom married to a single-income, conservative kind of guy. The four walls of your home define you. Hobbies, romance, adult conversation, and me-time seem like things of the past for both of you. You feel you are losing your identity. Is it possible to find fulfillment and joy in this “new” domestic model of you? Is it possible to rekindle the romance and passion that seems to have been buried under the avalanche of dishes, diapers, and dirty laundry? Susan will encourage you in this humorous presentation, giving you many practical ideas on how to creatively find “me-time” while embracing with joy this season of your life. (A popular topic…)

Homeschool Supermom...Not!

Have you ever wished you could be a fly on the wall of a truly successful homeschool family? In her book, Susan (a veteran homeschool mom of 9 children) invites you into her homeschool. In complete honesty and transparency, this homeschool mom climbs off the pedastal and reveals what it looks like when a "normal" family homeschools. Full of tips and hints, photos (of her messy house and all!) and project ideas, and wisdom that comes from two decades of successfully educating her children, "Homeschool Supermom...Not!" will strengthen and encourage you, make you laugh and cry, and ultimately point you to your Savior. Highly Acclaimed.

Schoolhouse Publishing 2010

Apples Daily Spelling Drills

Apples is designed for the older student (junior high or high school) who struggles with spelling. Apples, however, is unlike any spelling program you have ever used. Have you wished you could take your struggling older student back to the beginning with phonics, but hesitate to do so because the available phonics books are so…elementary??? And, what you don’t need is another spelling program with more lists and tests to further demoralize him. You just need some simple (but not elementary) daily phonics drills that go over, again and again, the basic phonics rules. That is exactly what Apples does. It takes less than 10 minutes a day and can be used in conjunction with your current language arts program. An Apple a day does help keep your student’s spelling woes at bay (corny, but true).

Schoolhouse Publishing 2005

Research in Increments

"Research in Increments" is a step-by-step (incremental) guide to writing research papers. It is written simply enough that an elementary student can use it, while being thorough enough that a high school student can use it. It is truly a multi-level tool. What makes Research in Increments unique?  It is written from a Christian perspective, constantly encouraging students to seek truth in research and to recognize the Bible as the source of truth.  It teaches that research is much more than an exercise assigned by a teacher. It has both practical application and eternal value.  It breaks the research process down into small steps – small enough that if done conscientiously, a grade-A paper can result with as little as ten minutes of work daily.  It includes worksheets and examples to simplify the process.  It teaches a manipulative method of writing papers that is suitable for all students and helpful for kinesthetic students.  It works well as a supplement to all major language arts curriculum.  It is designed to be self-teaching and is perfect for multi-level homeschools. "Research in Increments" is the easiest-to-use guide available!

Schoolhouse Publishing 2004