Pam Barnhill has a heart for connecting homeschool moms to practical solutions that will make a huge difference in their homeschools and their days. Her ability to break big tasks into small, manageable steps while keeping it real, makes her a popular choice for events.
When Pam Barnhill's not homeschooling her three kids, she can be found empowering other homeschoolers at pambarnhill.com. She is the host of "The Homeschool Solutions Show" podcast, rated among the top 10 for K-12 education on iTunes, and the author of "Better Together: Strengthen Your Family, Simplify Your Homeschool, and Savor the Subjects that Matter Most".
Pam lives with her husband Matt, three crazy kids, and a passel of family dogs in Alabama where she enjoys reading and watching football in her free time.
Presentations:
7:30 p.m. Friday (Theater): LET’S GATHER: EXPLORING THE WONDER, WISDOM, AND WORSHIP OF LEARNING AT HOME A special time where the entire family learns together is one of the biggest relationship builders and efficient uses of your time as a homeschool family. Pam will inspire you through practical tips, stories, and stunning documentary photos (see exactly what it looks like!) to begin family learning, as she breaks down the steps needed to get off to a successful start.
9:30 a.m. Saturday (Theater): LEADERS DON’T EAT THEIR YOUNG: HOW TO LEAD WELL IN YOUR HOMESCHOOL WITHOUT SACRIFICING RELATIONSHIPS You may have heard the adage that leaders eat last, but as homeschooling moms, we sometimes need a different reminder. In this fun and practical session, Pam dives deep into our attitudes, relationship-building actions, and proactive practices that help moms create a homeschool they love (almost) every day.
3 p.m. Saturday (Theater): SIX SIMPLE HACKS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR HOMESCHOOL: OVERLOOKED STRATEGIES THAT MAKE YOU SAY “WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT?’ Homeschooling is hard, and encouragement is important, but sometimes what we need is a simple idea that can have a far-reaching impact on our success as a homeschool mom. In this helpful and engaging talk, Pam outlines six listener-favorite ideas (she polled them!) that you can implement on Monday to have an immediate positive effect on your homeschool days. Full of tips, stories, and solutions, you are sure to walk away with something you are excited to try.
Phillip Campbell
Philip Campbell is a history teacher for Homeschool Connections, an online Catholic curriculum provider. He is also a prolific author of various historical works, most known for the Story of Civilization series from TAN Books. Phillip received a BA in History from Ave Maria University and a certificate in Secondary Education from Madonna University.
He has traveled throughout the U.S. and Canada promoting historical literacy. He has appeared on EWTN, Ave Maria Radio, the Catholic Faith Network, and numerous other programs and podcasts to share his love of history. Phillip comes from southern Michigan and is a homeschool father of five. His favorite food is lasagna.
1:30 p.m. Saturday (Room 1514): THE ROLE OF THE HOMESCHOOL FATHER Too often homeschooling devolves into being simply something “mom does” with the kids while dad is working or busy elsewhere. This talk offers suggestions an encouragement for how fathers can maintain an active, dynamic role in the homeschooling of their children even while observing a regular work schedule.
Nancy Bjorkman
After being a homeschool skeptic, Nancy began homeschooling her four children in 1992, and saw it work. Now a mentor to homeschooling families, she has spoken at homeschool conferences in over 10 states where she is known for her enthusiasm, energy, and encouragement. Although busy as a bookstore owner and speaker, her favorite times are spent with her growing family (grandkids - yeah!). She and her husband, Brad, own HEPPNER’S LEGACY, a homeschool store in Elk River, MN, where they minister to the unique needs of families year-round, and where parents say, “Come for the books. Stay for the Therapy.™”
Presentations: 11 a.m. Saturday (Room 1506): HOMESCHOOLING THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL This very popular, interactive workshop will help to answer frequently asked questions about homeschooling through the high school years. We will consider course requirements, transcripts, record keeping, curriculum choices, dual enrollment opportunities, co-ops, CLEP and other testing options, resumes, career assessments, and more. Attendees will leave with the tools necessary, and the confidence needed to homeschool through high school. 1:30 p.m. Saturday (Room 1506): EXPLORING LEARNING STYLES FOR MORE EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION Gain a fresh perspective on how your children’s actions and attitudes help you discover their natural bent, so you can plan strategies that will help them grow into the person they were created to be. We’ll peel back the layers to reveal pieces of the puzzle that go beyond the usual “auditory, kinesthetic, and visual” discussions. This workshop will provide you with insight into your children on a new level to help you reach and teach them more effectively.
Shannon Wendt
Shannon Wendt is the founder and CEO of Chews Life. She and her husband, Zach, have been married for 20 years, run 3+ small businesses and homeschool their 8 children in West Michigan. Shannon has spoken to audiences around the world sharing the story of her journey through grief and depression into healing through the power of The Rosary. She shares hope and also practical ways to live a well-integrated life, to become who you were created to be so that you can set the world on fire!
Presentations: 11 a.m. Saturday (Theater): THE WAY OF THE ROSARY Learn to walk hand in hand with Our Lady through the life, death and resurrection of Christ and discover lasting peace in your homes and lavish graces that will ripple through your life, your family, your community and the world!
1:30 p.m. Saturday (Theater): THE MYTH OF BALANCE Ditch the balancing act and embrace the ebb and flow of the seasonality of life and accomplish more than you ever thought possible. Lessons learned the hard way from a homeschooling CEO.
Cathie Baier
Cathie Baier and her six children began their homeschooling journey in 2003. Four of her children have graduated from high school with associate degrees. One is in graduate school. Two have graduated college, two are in college, and two are in high school. Before children, Cathie developed curricula and taught classes for adults worldwide on various topics in the computer industry at the corporate and post-secondary levels. She loves developing curricula, teaching homeschool co-op classes, and organizing clubs and classes for her kids. She and her family live in Bloomington, MN, and are parishioners at Nativity of Mary.
Presentation: 11 a.m. Saturday (Room 1514): BEGINNING HOMESCHOOLING - BEYOND THE BASICS Are you new to homeschooling? Where do you start? How do you ensure an excellent (not just adequate) homeschooling experience, especially in that important first year? This practical how-to session will help you determine the appropriate first steps on your homeschooling adventure. We'll discuss picking a curriculum, scheduling, and strategies for developing an independent child and strengthening your family and social relationships.
At 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Cathie will be hosting a gathering (networking, informal discussion) over lunch in 1160 (City View Grille) for parents of children with special needs.
Marcie Stokman
Marcie Stokman is founder and president of Well Read Mom (WRM), an the international movement and book club. With a passion for reading and motherhood, she writes and speaks to encourage women in a world of rising isolation, loneliness, and mental health issues. Through the power of reading together and reading well, Well-Read Moms across the country are finding friendships, meaning, and purpose through their shared reading experiences in their WRM book clubs. Connecting on a deeper level and serving others in their search for purpose is Marcie’s passion.
Marcie’s passion for the power of deep reading to transform lives and communities is central to her concerns and activism. Her training as a clinical nurse practitioner in mental health gives her a keen ear for listening and engaging in problem-solving and encouraging women in finding their passion and purpose. As an author, national speaker and panel facilitator, she seeks to awaken the best in women and families; re-vitalizing our culture through her mission to support more women to Read More and Read Well.
As a homeschool mom for twenty-five years, Marcie co-founded a classical co-op for high school students, bringing families together to support each other in their vision for excellence in education and seeking truth, beauty and goodness through the Western classical tradition. Marcie and her husband, Peter, have seven children and 17 grandchildren and reside in Crosby, Minnesota.
Presentation: 11 a.m. Saturday (Room 1512): CULTURAL RENEWAL BEGINS WITH YOU Do you desire to create an environment where you and your children grow in virtue? Through gentle humor and real-life stories, Marcie shows how reading and discussing literature through the lens of our Catholic tradition helps support an understanding of what it is to be human. Marcie shares five ways to cultivate cultural renewal in our homes.
Ana Braga-Henebry
Ana Braga-Henebry has a master's degree in Humanities from the University of Texas at Dallas. Originally from Brazil, Ana homeschooled seven children for 25 years. She has written for many publications and is the author of the upcoming Spark/Word on Fire picture book about Venerable Jerome Lejeune. She blogs at www.anabragahenebrysjournal.blogspot.com
Presentation: 1:30 p.m. Saturday (Room 1512): FOSTERING YOUR CHILD'S RELIGIOUS VOCATION IN THE CATHOLIC HOMESCHOOL The calling for religious life is the work of the Holy Spirit. The homeschool family can be a suitable environment for a child to discover and grow in this calling. How can a parent cultivate this? Although every homeschool family lives a unique routine, there are many ways in common they may do to foster a religious vocation. Ana's sixth child is a Norbertine sister in California. In this presentation, she will look back at her daughter’s early, and later, homeschool years, and highlight some of the steps that were helpful in this discovery and fostering process.