Session 2    10:45 - 12:00 Seminars shown below are 2010 seminars

Room 101 Accountability In Homeschooling: Are We Acountable To God, Government Or Both?     Lisa McColeman

It is a privilege to homeschool in Ontario with so little government interference. As Christian homeschoolers, we must make a commitment to do the best job we can in homeschooling our children by providing a solid academic program that meets our children's needs and by providing Godly teaching to help them grow in faith. They go hand in hand. A balanced program will help prepare our children to be successful adults.  Lisa is a qualified teacher and homeschooler. She has run a homeschool support program for the past 14 years and has worked with many families. Lisa, Rob and family live on a farm outside of Fergus.

Room 102   Living Math  

Cori Dean

Numeracy, like literacy, is an essential skill for success in any area of adult life. Math, therefore is a key and foundational subject for our students. This seminar looks at ways to study math in order to bring this area of essential study alive and move it beyond the pure science of theoretical study into the realm of everyday life. We will look at the goals of Numeracy training and ways to accomplish those goals. These will include "mental math" and "pencil and paper" skills, as well as making links between math and various aspects of "real life", and ways to develop a passion for math. Cori, the owner of Maple Tree Publications, has homeschooled for the past 7 years. Cori has been a math tutor for over 15 years, and brings her passion for this subject to her workshop.

Room 103   Leaving A Legacy, Letting Go    

Kelly Smith

We all have a “story” to tell and we all leave a footprint where we have walked. What sort of footprint are you leaving on history, what legacy are you leaving behind? Follow the Smiths, as Kelly talks about their “legacy” and lessons learned along the way. They are veteran homeschool parents, whose children have all left the nest and are busy building legacies of their own. Find out how the family used Scripture, ceremony and story to begin to build a lasting heritage. The Smiths are proud grandparents of one beautiful little girl, the next chapter in the story God is building in their lives. Kelly, a relaxed, no-nonsense, practical mom, has mentored many moms throughout the years. Their oldest is working on his doctorate, and the other two on undergrad degrees.

Room 104   The Primary Grades Without Curriculum   

Emily Beilby

Come join Emily, mother of 4, who has joyously embarked on the journey called "homeschool" with her family. Emily has used an eclectic mixture of resources as she has lead her children down the paths of delight based learning. Emily will share what "school" looks like when you leave behind the realm of textbooks and forge off into uncharted territory. Emily will provide stories from the road, as well as some of the resources she has found most useful over the years. This workshop is sure to open your eyes to the wonders of creating your own schooling path.

Room 105   Success Secrets Of Spelling     

Bev Rempel

Contrary to popular wisdom, spelling matters! It reveals literacy, education and intelligence. There are two activities involved in spelling: correctly storing information in the brain, and correctly retrieving that information. In this seminar, Bev will reveal a multi-sensory approach, which will dramatically improve your student's ability to master the sequential nature of spelling.  Bev is a veteran homeschooler, who operates Excellence in Writing.

Room 106   Inspiring A Love Of Learning With Unit Studies    

Diane Geerlinks

Are you spending most of your time trying to motivate your children to “get their work done”? Are you tired of the same old, same old? Why not take a break from ‘school’ and dive into a Unit Study with your whole family? Imagine the buzz in your home as all of your children are learning the same topic, exploring and creating stuff together and loving it! Diane will share practical tips on how this method of homeschooling really can work for your family. Come and be inspired to take the plunge! Diane Geerlinks has been involved in homeschooling her 5 children over the past 20 years.

Room 108   Tips And Tricks For Homeschooling With Toddlers and Preschoolers

Shelley Smilek

Are you looking for ways to keep your preschooler busy while working with older kids? The book Preschool Activities in a Bag by Paula Roetz and Sherri MacLean contains 34 self-guided activities that a preschooler can do by him/herself. The activities are fun and teach valuable skills at the same time. In this workshop, we will talk about how to organize an Activity Bag swap based on the ideas in this book. Other tips and tricks for homeschooling with little ones around, including scheduling, organizing, and independent activities for older kids will be discussed. Shelley,  a mom of 4 kids, has never homeschooled without babies or preschoolers. She organized an Activity Bag Swap for the KWCHEA group last year. She and her husband live in Waterloo.

Room 110   Worldview Training And Apologetics For A New Generation   

Gisele Baribeau

Why teach worldviews and apologetics? It will help your children to better understand their faith and make it their own. It will help them to  become more effective in their witness. It allows them to articulate their questions and address their doubts in a safe environment. Strategically teaching these subjects prepares your students to enter the post-secondary world where they are up against a powerful secular media, skeptical teachers, and unbelieving peers. This session covers an overview of teaching worldviews and apologetics and discusses various curriculum options. Gisele  is the Executive Director of CYWAL(Christian Youth Worldview and Leadership), a non-denominational Christian organization dedicated to training youth to think and live in accordance with a biblical worldview, so that they will serve Christ and exercise leadership in the culture. Gisele and her husband Jack have homeschooled their six children since 1994. An accountant by training, Gisele also works part time for the family business.

Dining Room A  The Positive Conclusion: Ending Discipline Times With Impact

Chris Pacholczak

Does your child attempt to dodge responsibility for their actions by blaming others; developing victim mentality; piling up endless excuses; justifying themselves? This type of behaviour can make things very difficult and overwhelming for parents. Even more important, it is essential for a child to learn the 'skill of confession' in order to benefit from future life lessons and develop healthy relationships in adulthood. This seminar equips parents with the ability to help children (from ages 3 to teens) take responsibility for themselves by imparting the 'skill of confession'. The Positive Conclusion is a discussion a parent has with their child to clarify, plan, and encourage.  Parents just might develop a more healthy way of thinking about their mistakes too. This session is one segment of the NCBP seminar entitled, Cooperation, Consequences, and Keeping Your Sanity. Chris hails from Thunder Bay, Ontario where he is the Lead Pastor of Grassroots Church (grassrootschurch.com), a growing church consisting of many young families. Also, Chris is currently launching a public speaking initiative under the brand enthuse (enthuse.ca). Adults of all ages have enjoyed Chris' down-to-earth and enthusiastic communication style. Chris & his wife Shawnee home educate their five enthusiastic children.

 Dining Room B   Set Your Family Up To Win! Designing Your Homeschool Style To Fit Your Family     Karen Pasqualucci

Every family is a unique combination of people with their own skills, needs and goals. Seldom does any family simply fit straight into any one off-the-shelf homeschooling style. That direction is the short route to burnout. Learn about the 5 essential points to consider when you choose your homeschooling style and how to customize your approach to work for your family. You will need to consider exactly what you plan to achieve for each person and how. This will give you food for thought, whether you are new to homeschooling or your homeschool is ready for a change. Karen is a homeschooling mother of three. She is passionate about learning - learning anything! Karen immigrated, apprenticed as a silversmith, earned her pilot's license, is a second degree black belt, has swum with dolphins and been kissed by an elephant! She has also written several books and spoken internationally. Karen looks forward to  learning with you!

Portable A   HSLDA: A Guard At Your Gate And Guide On Your Journey   

Cory McKenna

Have you fortified your family against the legal forces that threaten your homeschool? In this session, Cory  will provide you with "need-to-know" legal information and the important updates affecting homeschoolers in Ontario. Cory serves as Vice President with HSLDA. The convergence of Cory's experience as a sales professional, pastor, evangelist, and apologist enables him to creatively communicate truth and relationally connect with virtually all demographics. He specializes in teaching applied apologetics, worldview, leadership and evangelism. He and his wife Dawn live in London, Ontario with their homeschooled sons.

Portable B   Central Auditory Processing Disorder?  What You Can Do At Home

Pauline Turton

Central Auditory Processing Disorder is not only one concern, but a collection of weaknesses in which the auditory system does not process sound from the environment efficiently. Pauline will briefly explain what it is, what behaviours to watch for if you suspect CAPD, how it affects learning and what you can implement in your homeschool that has significantly impacted auditory processing for others. Pauline homeschooled her own two sons, both of whom had serious learning disabilities. Their struggles caused her to take courses, searching for a way to turn disabilities into abilities. After both boys achieved a break through in their learning, Pauline turned her attention to helping other children in their struggles.  Pauline operates Breakthroughs in Learning, a company designed to help change the lives of those of any age who have learning disabilities.

Round Room   Choosing Literature For Your Family   

Christine Gayfer

Do you long to fill your bookshelves with great literature, but feel a bit overwhelmed with the sea of choices? Have you heard the term 'living book' and wonder about applying this idea in your homeschool? Join Christine, a veteran homeschooling mom of six, as we explore together the qualities that make books come alive for children. We will discuss how to choose great literature for each stage, from toddler to teen, as well as review a few resources available to assist you in selecting great books.