Andrew Pudewa
Andrew Pudewa is the founder and director of the Institute for Excellence in Writing and a father of seven. Traveling and speaking around the world, he addresses issues related to teaching, writing, thinking, spelling, and music with clarity, insight, practical experience, and humor. His seminars for parents, students, and teachers have helped transform many a reluctant writer and have equipped educators with powerful tools to dramatically improve students’ skills.
Although he is a graduate of the Talent Education Institute in Japan and holds a Certificate of Child Brain Development from the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, his best endorsement is from a young Alaskan boy who called him “the funny man with the wonderful words.” He and his heroic wife, Robin, have homeschooled their seven children and are now proud grandparents of 15, making their home in northeastern Oklahoma's beautiful green country.
Presentations:
7:30 p.m. Friday (Theater): NURTURING COMPETENT COMMUNICATORS
Many teachers and parents assume that good readers will naturally become good writers. Others think that writing talent is a natural ability. Some have it. Others don’t. Both are myths. History and modern research demonstrate how good writers develop the two most critical skills needed for a high level of aptitude in writing. With humor and insight, Andrew Pudewa explains these two easy but powerful skills, which build language patterns and nurture competent communicators.
9:30 a.m. Saturday (Theater): HOWEVER IMPERFECTLY: LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIRTY YEARS OF TEACHING
In this presentation, Andrew Pudewa shares many humorous experiences (and painful lessons) he has learned over thirty years of teaching and homeschooling. You will be challenged, reassured, and sure to leave with an expanded vision of your calling as a home educator.
1:30 p.m. Saturday (Theater): HACKING HIGH SCHOOL: RETHINKING THE TEEN YEARS
Most of us have presuppositions about what high school is based on our own experience. Times are changing, and the opportunities for home educating high schoolers have grown rapidly. Many of these opportunities will save time, help your
family avoid higher education debt, and give your teens a head start on their next decade of life.
3 p.m. Saturday (Theater): THREE BEST THINGS I DID AS A HOMESCHOOL DAD
While there are many, many things I could have done better as a homeschool father, there are three distinct things that I did try to do as consistently as possible during our years of homeschooling that were the most helpful according to my wife. Join me to discover the three best things I did and to glean some ideas for making your homeschool years the best they can be. Moms are welcome as well.
Although he is a graduate of the Talent Education Institute in Japan and holds a Certificate of Child Brain Development from the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, his best endorsement is from a young Alaskan boy who called him “the funny man with the wonderful words.” He and his heroic wife, Robin, have homeschooled their seven children and are now proud grandparents of 15, making their home in northeastern Oklahoma's beautiful green country.
Presentations:
7:30 p.m. Friday (Theater): NURTURING COMPETENT COMMUNICATORS
Many teachers and parents assume that good readers will naturally become good writers. Others think that writing talent is a natural ability. Some have it. Others don’t. Both are myths. History and modern research demonstrate how good writers develop the two most critical skills needed for a high level of aptitude in writing. With humor and insight, Andrew Pudewa explains these two easy but powerful skills, which build language patterns and nurture competent communicators.
9:30 a.m. Saturday (Theater): HOWEVER IMPERFECTLY: LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIRTY YEARS OF TEACHING
In this presentation, Andrew Pudewa shares many humorous experiences (and painful lessons) he has learned over thirty years of teaching and homeschooling. You will be challenged, reassured, and sure to leave with an expanded vision of your calling as a home educator.
1:30 p.m. Saturday (Theater): HACKING HIGH SCHOOL: RETHINKING THE TEEN YEARS
Most of us have presuppositions about what high school is based on our own experience. Times are changing, and the opportunities for home educating high schoolers have grown rapidly. Many of these opportunities will save time, help your
family avoid higher education debt, and give your teens a head start on their next decade of life.
3 p.m. Saturday (Theater): THREE BEST THINGS I DID AS A HOMESCHOOL DAD
While there are many, many things I could have done better as a homeschool father, there are three distinct things that I did try to do as consistently as possible during our years of homeschooling that were the most helpful according to my wife. Join me to discover the three best things I did and to glean some ideas for making your homeschool years the best they can be. Moms are welcome as well.
Jenny Bales
Jenny is a former English teacher and Catholic youth minister turned homeschooling mother of four incredibly unique children, ages 11-21 who have been (or were) homeschooled all of their lives. Over the years, she has adapted her homeschooling approach to find the best fit for each child, resulting in a “whatever works” philosophy. Her oldest two have graduated and are attending universities, one in liberal arts and one in STEM. She has experience with homeschooling special needs, as a working mom, and as a military spouse. Besides her husband, children, and Jesus, she adores chai lattes, red wine, college football, detective novels, and Eucharistic Adoration!
Following her passion to encourage, connect, and equip mothers through their homeschooling journeys, Jenny provides personalized homeschooling guidance based on her 17 years of homeschooling through her Heart of a Mother online ministry and Bloom Consulting services. In her local North Texas community, she cannot resist hosting retreats, book clubs, and other gatherings for Catholic homeschooling moms and has recently founded the Dallas FW Catholic Homeschool Conference. She especially loves sharing the beauty of integrating our Catholic faith with our homeschooling adventures and believes that every moment of homeschooling is a treasured opportunity to reach the hearts of our children for Christ.
Presentation: 11 a.m. Saturday (Room 1506): HEARTSTRINGS & HABITS: BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL HOMESCHOOL DAY
Cultivating loving relationships with our children and establishing routines which meet the needs of our unique families are essential homeschool building blocks! Jenny will share tips on how to embrace the flexibility and freedom of homeschooling to connect with our kids while creating a daily rhythm full of peace and joy!
Following her passion to encourage, connect, and equip mothers through their homeschooling journeys, Jenny provides personalized homeschooling guidance based on her 17 years of homeschooling through her Heart of a Mother online ministry and Bloom Consulting services. In her local North Texas community, she cannot resist hosting retreats, book clubs, and other gatherings for Catholic homeschooling moms and has recently founded the Dallas FW Catholic Homeschool Conference. She especially loves sharing the beauty of integrating our Catholic faith with our homeschooling adventures and believes that every moment of homeschooling is a treasured opportunity to reach the hearts of our children for Christ.
Presentation: 11 a.m. Saturday (Room 1506): HEARTSTRINGS & HABITS: BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL HOMESCHOOL DAY
Cultivating loving relationships with our children and establishing routines which meet the needs of our unique families are essential homeschool building blocks! Jenny will share tips on how to embrace the flexibility and freedom of homeschooling to connect with our kids while creating a daily rhythm full of peace and joy!
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 25 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 (Theater): TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEART
The ripple effect of parenting with certainty, habit formation, and reading for a more relaxed home school experience. With gentle humor and real-life stories, Marcie shares to encourage parents on the homeschool journey.
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 25 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 (Theater): TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEART
The ripple effect of parenting with certainty, habit formation, and reading for a more relaxed home school experience. With gentle humor and real-life stories, Marcie shares to encourage parents on the homeschool journey.
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.
Presentations:
11 a.m. Saturday (Room 1514): CO-SCHOOLING: MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL COHORTS FOR LEARNING
Around middle school, children benefit from more social learning. Is it surprising that many parents turn to homeschool co-ops or enroll their children in high school? Cathie will present how she’s invited children into her home for “co-schooling” opportunities and share others’ experiences with co-schooling. Co-schooling not only enhanced her children’s learning but also accelerated it. They could easily move into full-time PSEO — all four of Cathie’s children who have done it so far earned an Associate’s degree when they graduated from high school. Cathie will show you how to set up a co-schooling cohort for your children and their friends to give them an advantage as they move into college.
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.
1:30 p.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.
Presentations:
11 a.m. Saturday (Room 1514): CO-SCHOOLING: MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL COHORTS FOR LEARNING
Around middle school, children benefit from more social learning. Is it surprising that many parents turn to homeschool co-ops or enroll their children in high school? Cathie will present how she’s invited children into her home for “co-schooling” opportunities and share others’ experiences with co-schooling. Co-schooling not only enhanced her children’s learning but also accelerated it. They could easily move into full-time PSEO — all four of Cathie’s children who have done it so far earned an Associate’s degree when they graduated from high school. Cathie will show you how to set up a co-schooling cohort for your children and their friends to give them an advantage as they move into college.
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.
1:30 p.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.
Sarah Kostick, PhD
Sarah Kostick’s scientific career began with being homeschooled through high school. You could say that Sarah, the oldest of eight children, was the first data point in her parents’ relatively successful homeschooling experiment. After graduating from high school, Sarah earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from Michigan Technological University, a Master of Science degree in Applied Plant Sciences from the University of Minnesota, and finally, a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Horticulture with an emphasis in plant breeding from Washington State University.
Sarah currently works as a researcher in the University of Minnesota apple breeding and genetics program. She is also actively involved in youth and young adult ministries in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Sarah is passionate about the pursuit of truth and our universal call to become saints whatever our state in life.
Presentation:
11 a.m. Saturday (Room 1512): UNLEASHING WONDER: A HOMESCHOOL GUIDE TO TEACHING SCIENCE
Technical knowledge and skills, although important, are not at the heart of a good scientific education in elementary, middle or high school. Wonder and curiosity are the foundation of scientific discovery. You, as homeschooling parents, are very capable of successfully teaching science. This presentation will include: an overview of a philosophy for teaching science; encouragement for homeschooling parents trying to teach science; ideas for how to integrate science into your homeschool; and much more.
Sarah currently works as a researcher in the University of Minnesota apple breeding and genetics program. She is also actively involved in youth and young adult ministries in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Sarah is passionate about the pursuit of truth and our universal call to become saints whatever our state in life.
Presentation:
11 a.m. Saturday (Room 1512): UNLEASHING WONDER: A HOMESCHOOL GUIDE TO TEACHING SCIENCE
Technical knowledge and skills, although important, are not at the heart of a good scientific education in elementary, middle or high school. Wonder and curiosity are the foundation of scientific discovery. You, as homeschooling parents, are very capable of successfully teaching science. This presentation will include: an overview of a philosophy for teaching science; encouragement for homeschooling parents trying to teach science; ideas for how to integrate science into your homeschool; and much more.
Jacqueline Lucca
Jacqueline Lucca is the founder of Adventures in Excellence, a company which provides literature courses for homeschool students. She has over ten years of teaching and tutoring experience and has worked with students of a variety of cultural backgrounds and ages—elementary students to university students. She finds it rewarding to unlock a love of writing and literature in students who have struggled with English their whole lives, and enjoys challenging strong writers to become excellent writers. She believes that reading and writing stories that are true, good, and beautiful, leads to living stories that are true, good and beautiful. She encourages her students not just to be eloquent but also Saintly.
Presentation: 1:30 p.m. Saturday (Room 1512): BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS
How do we answer our children's questions about different world views with love and honesty?
Come for a presentation on how to answer difficult but important questions that arise in our modern era. We will glean wisdom from John Paul II's teachings on dignity and beauty as we look at diverse issues which are becoming increasingly prevalent in our society.
Presentation: 1:30 p.m. Saturday (Room 1512): BORN FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS
How do we answer our children's questions about different world views with love and honesty?
Come for a presentation on how to answer difficult but important questions that arise in our modern era. We will glean wisdom from John Paul II's teachings on dignity and beauty as we look at diverse issues which are becoming increasingly prevalent in our society.
Dr. Michael McMahon
Dr. Michael McMahon serves as the Vice President for Enrollment Management at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. After a successful career as an intercollegiate football coach, he made a transition to college admissions and enrollment after a “reversion” to the Catholic faith while at the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota. After several years in leadership positions in enrollment and admissions at UMary, he spent three years at his alma mater, Carroll College in Helena, Montana, before relocating to Minnesota in October of 2022. He and his wife Katie reside in Woodbury with their three kids, and attend Saint Agnes Church in St. Paul.
Presentation: 1:30 p.m. Saturday (Room 1506): PRACTICAL GUIDANCE FOR NAVIGATING THE COLLEGE SEARCH & FINANCIAL AID
Navigating the college search process and financial aid can be a complex and frustrating journey. Many families recognize the importance of considering more than just the practical implications, yet still find that their discernment process could benefit from practical guidance. In this presentation, Dr. Michael McMahon, a veteran enrollment leader whose own journey into this profession began after a profound reversion to his Catholic faith while at the University of Mary in Bismarck, will offer valuable insights and specific instructions for successfully navigating both the college search and financial aid processes.
Dr. McMahon brings a wealth of experience to this topic, having transitioned from a successful career as an intercollegiate football coach to leadership roles in college admissions and enrollment. He is dedicated to helping families make informed and faith-centered decisions about higher education. In this presentation, attendees will learn:
Presentation: 1:30 p.m. Saturday (Room 1506): PRACTICAL GUIDANCE FOR NAVIGATING THE COLLEGE SEARCH & FINANCIAL AID
Navigating the college search process and financial aid can be a complex and frustrating journey. Many families recognize the importance of considering more than just the practical implications, yet still find that their discernment process could benefit from practical guidance. In this presentation, Dr. Michael McMahon, a veteran enrollment leader whose own journey into this profession began after a profound reversion to his Catholic faith while at the University of Mary in Bismarck, will offer valuable insights and specific instructions for successfully navigating both the college search and financial aid processes.
Dr. McMahon brings a wealth of experience to this topic, having transitioned from a successful career as an intercollegiate football coach to leadership roles in college admissions and enrollment. He is dedicated to helping families make informed and faith-centered decisions about higher education. In this presentation, attendees will learn:
- Effective strategies for the college search process
- How to maximize financial aid opportunities
- Key factors to consider when choosing a college
- Tips for balancing academics, faith, and personal growth during the college years