Stephanie speaks at homeschool and encouragement conferences across Canada (and could be persuaded to visit the US, too). Below is a list of Stephanie’s workshops. If you are looking for something in particular and don’t see it on the list, feel free to ask.
What will it cost? Stephanie understands the challenges of working with a small group and limited finances. In order to join you for your event, Stephanie’s transportation, accommodations and event fees need to be covered. Normal workshop fees are $100/session, however, this amount is negotiable. It is Stephanie’s heart to be able to minister to your group and she will work with you to make that happen.
Practical Homeschooling
Alternatives to Textbooks for Teaching English
Are you looking for something more than fill in the blanks or questions and answers? Do you like to think outside the box and create conversation and stimulate the imagination? Discover some fun and fanciful but all practical strategies in this workshop. (1 hour)
Homeschooling High School
They’re teenagers; they drive, they work, they socialize, they sleep in, they have their own opinions. Many families choose to send their children to public school because the thought of parenting a teen along with the fear of not meeting their educational needs can be overwhelming. Discuss some of the things you can do to help make your highschool homeschool a success. (1 hour)
Homeschooling Multiple Ages
From the cradle through college, homeschool families are often faced with the challenge of not only caring for but also educating children of multiple ages. How can we make this work while still meeting everyone’s needs? Be prepared for open discussion. (1 hour)
Lapbooking
Do you enjoy hands on learning? Do your children like to colour, draw, cut, paste, journal and create? Lapbooking is growing in popularity and there are some fantastic free resources online. (1 hour)
Planning to Succeed
Does sleep elude you on Sunday night as you struggle to prepare for the upcoming week? Are you at a loss when you think of how to keep track of what everyone is doing? Taking the time to lay out a plan (one that works for you – not just one that looks good) can make all the difference. (1 hour)
Portfolios & Transcripts
What’s the difference? How do you prepare them? Who wants to see them? With post-secondary institutions admitting more and more homeschoolers, what are they accepting? (1 hour)
Preparing a Foundation for Highschool
Making curriculum choices (not what to use but how to choose), comparing to the provincial standards, using a rounded curriculum to keep doors open, record keeping, independent learning, keeping young people interested and most importantly, helping them develop into whom they want to be. A lot of information, but we’ll round it out as we go. (1 hour)
Record Keeping
When do we need to start grading? Who sees our marks? This topic can seem intimidating but these practical tips can help simplify your homeschool. (1 hour)
Unit Studies
A great approach for families who are schooling multiple ages or who want to delve deeper into any given topic. Discover some unit study techniques and advantages. (1 hour)
Encouragement
Are You Done Yet
Does this homeschool journey ever end? How do you know when they know enough? As summer and sunshine approach and the ‘traditional’ school year draws to a close, the burning question I face with every encounter is, “So, are you done yet?” (1 hour)
Becoming a Woman of Grace
God’s Word is very clear that He has something special in mind for His daughters. Very often we are challenged by the standards of the world which demand physical beauty. God, instead, requires an inner beauty that comes from loving Him. (1 hour)
For Such a Time As This
Like Jehosaphat, Esther knew one very important thing. No matter who she was, what was going on or what was being asked of her, the very first thing she needed to do was seek God’s direction. What is God asking you to do (or not to do) today? (1 hour)
Grace for the Good Girl
In a perpetual state of trying to please enough, obey enough and be good enough, we often lose sight of the fact that the only One ever enough was the Lord Jesus. (1 hour)
Jill of All Trades
Do you feel the burden of trying to be all things to too many people? Do you delight in being the one to solve the problem, present the teachable moment, having your children rise up and call you blessed? Is your house clean, supper made and your husband lacking nothing of value and having full confidence in you? Please, tell me how you do it! In this candid (and humorous) conversation, take a look at expectations and reality. (1 hour)
Our Homeschool Journey
Hear Stephanie share the ups and downs of her family’s homeschool journey: the good, the bad, and the ugly grateful. (1 hour)
Out of the Overflow of the Heart, the Mouth Speaks
What’s stored up in your heart? Do you find yourself frustrated and short-tempered? We all know the kinds of words we like to hear – how can we make that happen in our homeschools? (1 hour)
Working Together (with Jeff)
They say that opposites attract and we are living proof! We partner in marriage and in parenting, but what happened when we tried to partner in homeschooling? Back and forth, Jeff and Stephanie share the turmoil, the lessons, and the grace that have laced their journey. (1 hour)
Support Group
Building a Homeschool Community
How do you start a group in your community? Who’s in charge? What do we need to do to actually be a group? (1 hour)
How to Do More With Less
Shared at the HSLDA Leadership conference, Stephanie discusses how HEMS works and the journey from small local group to provincial organization and international ministry. (1 hour)
Education Philosophy
Avoiding Burnout
Burnout is a compound word that strikes terror in the hearts of mums throughout North America. We live in a society that is so consumed with doing that we often lose sight of the why we are doing and how exactly we are going to get it all done. (1 hour)
Choosing to Succeed
Another “academic” year is drawing to a close and many families are feeling the pressure to ‘wrap things up’ and finish the last little bit of work or ‘catch up’ in areas where they’ve fallen behind. As I look back through this paragraph, I see a lot of ideas in quotations. Ideas that become expectations and expectations that can affect how we approach our homeschools and how we measure success. (1 hour)
Co-ops: Pros & Cons
Co-ops can be a great way to share the load and tap into one another’s skill sets but what happens when a group doesn’t see eye to eye on the goals or the way to achieve them? (1 hour)
Creative Learning
Any mum who has homeschooled multiple subjects for multiple ages knows what an overwhelming task it can be. Trying to meet the needs of any diverse group requires a lot of planning and often a lot of organizing too. Having a houseful of little ones or an assortment of children aged all over the grade spectrum, I’ve yet to meet a homeschool mum who would say that she has ‘time on her hands’. There are many different ways of organizing a homeschool program but thinking outside the box may just be the ticket to helping your homeschool stay fresh and encouraging. (1 hour)
Learning Stages
Exploring, discovering, emerging, progressing, mastering: no matter how old you are or your stage of life, in some element, you are somewhere on this step by step journey. (1 hour)
Learning Styles & Teaching Styles
How do we learn? Is it different for everyone? What if your children have different learning styles than your teaching style? What can you do to make it work? (1 hour)
Living Legacy
As our children grow older and we enjoy each new adventure with them, it is exciting to see where their interests develop and their strengths shine. Every child is unique and even though their life goals mature as they do, it seems that the center of their passions are somewhat evident from an early age. What we model in our homes and in our lives sets such a strong example for our children, it is not surprising that often their choices reflect ours. (1 hour)
Making the Most of Summertime
Summertime is a veritable garden of exploration and discovery. Beyond the worms, ants, spider eggs, seeds, bulbs and new life, summertime also holds the promise of unique opportunities and adventures apart from the more traditional schedule of the ‘school year’. (1 hour)
Mentoring Your Child
A wonderful aspect of homeschooling our family has been that it has taught us all how to make choices. Mentoring our children academically has meant making experiences and opportunities available to them. Mentors provide not only encouragement but instruction and correction also. It is important to remember that grown ups are not the only ones who can mentor. How can mentoring work in your home? (1 hour)
Not What But How
Our philosophy has always been that our priority is not teaching our children what to learn as much as it is teaching our children how to learn. Instilling in them a love of learning and the skills they need to learn anything has opened doors we never expected. (1 hour)
Striking a Balance
Academics, character training, faith training, family life… how do we fit it all into one day? (1 hour)
BIO
Wife to Jeff and mother of five, Stephanie has been involved in homeschool support since 1998. Living in the beautiful ocean community of the Eastern Shore in Nova Scotia, Stephanie and Jeff have five children, with just one left to graduate from homeschool. Stephanie has always developed an eclectic curriculum and has always been excited to see how that changes and adjusts to meet the family’s needs each year. Stephanie is the Executive Director of HEMS: helping, encouraging, mentoring, and serving, a provincial support organization in Nova Scotia. Stephanie has had two books published, Love the Journey, a collection of devotions, and Planning to Succeed, a help for homeschooling planning. She enjoys working alongside those embarking on their homeschool journey and has had great opportunities to meet homeschoolers around North America as a conference speaker and as a homeschool mum. For more information on what’s going on in Nova Scotia or to contact Stephanie about speaking in your area, please visit the HEMS website.
To book Stephanie to speak at your event, please email stephanie.hems.homeschooling [at] gmail.com