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Speakers' Bureau

 

MÂCHÉ Speakers are available

MÂCHÉ board members and district liaisons are willing to speak to support groups on topics such as Minnesota law, educational issues, encouragement, socialization, and more.  E-mail, call, or write MÂCHÉ if your group would like to invite someone to make presentations for an evening or weekend. Honoraria and travel expenses should be negotiated individually with speakers.

Kion and Eileen Hoffman

Sandy Norlin

Peggy Ployhar

John Tuma

David and Linda Watkins

 

 

Kion and Eileen hoffman

Kion is a medical doctor in northern Minnesota and Eileen is a homeschool support group leader. They have served on the MACHE Board of Directors since 2012. Kion and Eileen homeschool their five children.

  • Organizing Your School and Home Like a Homeschool - Eileen

This is a presentation on simplifying  the load of schooling and house management. It includes techniques for planning out your curriculum in two days before school starts with daily maintenance that is minimal, and planning meal and household maintenance schedules that remove some of the load that mom’s with a dual career (full time teacher and house wife/executive secretary) carry.

  • Encouragement - Eileen

How can we teach our children and ourselves to be encouragers. We have the opportunity to effect the people around us for eternity, but how do we do that? Learn what scripture says on this subject.

  • What Is a Calling? - Eileen

​Tips on helping our children find their life calling.

  • Biblical Headship - Kion 

  • Preparing Our Children to Minister to Hurting Teens - Eileen (and daughter Given)

Our children are light in a hurting world. Knowing how to help their friends, summer youth campers, and acquaintances work through their struggles in a Godly way is important. In this session Eileen and her daughter Given will share some of their experiences. You will receive an overview of some of the possible issues your child might encounter and the Biblical crisis counseling skills they can use. You will also receive some tips on how to help your teens have effective helping relationships.

 

 

sandy norlin

Sandy is a homeschool mother of three, a MÂCHÉ district liaison, has ten years of experience as a support group/co-op coordinator, and coordinates MACHE's Considering Homeschooling and Finishing the Journey workshops.

  • Understanding Learning Styles

This presentation is an overview of the three main modalities of learning and how to apply them as a trio in teaching new concepts to your children.  It includes a group interactive activity.  As time permits, the presentation also is an overview on learning style perceptions and innate talents and learning environment preferences.

  • Legalities of Homeschooling in Minnesota

This presentation covers the compulsory education law in Minnesota and how it applies to home school settings.  It gives the background of the law and how to make sense of its ins and outs.

  • Understanding Standardized Testing

This presentation is designed to encourage parents to look at Minnesota's annual testing requirements in a realistic way.  It explains the value of this yearly evaluation and its limitations.

  • Teaching Methods and Curriculum

There are many learning styles and a host of curriculum options.  How do these options work with a student's learning style and one's own teaching method?  This is for a newer home educator looking for what is a good fit for their family.

  • Avoiding Burnout

​Recognizing that over commitment and stress can lead to burn out, this presentation addresses our biblical priorities and couples that with time management tips and techniques.

  • Transcript and Resume' Building for Your High School Student

This topic presents much needed information on how to count credits and prepare a professional looking high school transcript for your home educated high school students.  Also includes suggestions on creating a sound work experience resume' for your teen.

  • The 5 W's of Home Schooling  

This presentation  is designed to help a family create their own mission statement for their home school by defining their reasons for this family choice.  It helps their family create a vision and long term purpose for home schooling.

  • When Homeschooling Becomes a Burden

Scenario #1: It's Monday morning, skies are gray again for the 12th day in a row. Somewhere down the hall you hear your two youngest children fighting about who left the cap off the toothpaste and now the end is dry and crusty. You pull the covers over your head to shut out the impending dread of doing battle with lessons, sibling rivalry, besides trying to keep your house from looking like it should be condemned as a public health risk. You are a homeschool mother. Scenario #2: It's Monday morning, skies are gray but you are up and at 'em. Where are your children? They should be washed, brushed, fed, and in their school desks by now. Goodness knows the morning is nearly gone as you look at the hands on the clock that read 8:00. Why were you given such lazy children! "Up and at 'em", you yell from the bottom of the stairs. Your oldest child stares at you with bleary eyes. "Is it Monday already?" he sighs. These children are homeschool students. It is time to reassess character, curriculum, and commitments.This presentation gives suggestions and helps us reevaluate the possible reasons that we are tired and frustrated with our homeschool program. It is useful in determining how to be refreshed and encouraged to finish the task before us.

  • Multiplying Your Efforts

Looking at the options for high school students regarding PSEO, CLEP testing, AP Classes and things to consider in determining if that is a right choice for your students.  What about the 'hard stuff'? 

  • Navigating the Waters of Post-Secondary Enrollment Option

Minnesota's Post - Secondary Enrollment Option for high school juniors and seniors has been in existence for quite some time.  Speaker Sandy Norlin explores the ins and outs of this program as it pertains to your overall homeschooling plans.   Information given will include: what the program is, how it can be of benefit to your student financially and educationally, what are some of the disadvantages and concerns to weigh regarding this alternative, how this plan may work for your student, how to use it to your student's best advantage.

  • The Benefits of Simple Notebook Recordkeeping

Speaker Sandy Norlin has been dragged into the technological age kicking and screaming but realizes its benefits.  However, sometimes less is more.  In this workshop Sandy presents a very practical, easy way of keeping track of your child's real life experiences and tying them together to create some non-traditional course work that could be applied  while developing your student's high school transcript.  Plan to take some notes in your own notebook.

  • Homeschooling Basics (how to get started and be successful)

  • Establishing and Maintaining a Healthy Support Group (how to share responsibilities in a healthy support group or co-op without losing your mind)

  • Time Management and Organization (how to find balance in a hectic schedule)

 

 

peggy ployhar

Peggy is a homeschool mother of three children, a writer, lecturer, certified counselor, and farm wife. She is the former MÂCHÉ special needs coordinator.

  • Shedding Light on Depression (depression among children is growing rapidly. Learn how to prevent it and overcome its power)

  • The Gift of Anger in the Character Training Process (for those who struggle with parenting anger)

  • Customizing Your Curriculum (the most commonly asked question among special needs parents)

  • Teaching the Special Needs Child 101 (answers basic questions about homeschooling special needs children)

  • Resting on Your Side of the Yoke (describes how Satan can deceive us as to where true rest can be found)

  • The Impact of Influence (she dissects the Word of God as it relates to living a life of influence to the ordinary)

  • What About Me? (speaking to the needs of the parents of special needs children)

 

 

john Tuma

John is a homeschool father of two, lawyer, former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, and the MÂCHÉ legislative watchdog.

  • Homeschooling Law

  • The Legislative Process

  • Education Policy

  • Special Needs

  • Dyslexia

  • On-Line Academies

  • Fathers and Home Education

 

 

David and Linda Watkins

The Watkinses are homeschool parents of eight and grandparents of fifteen. David is MÂCHÉ's Executive Director and Linda is the director of the annual MÂCHÉ conference. David also pastors Heritage Baptist Church in Blaine, Minnesota.

  • Homeschooling a Large Family - Made Easy - David and Linda

​With 20+ years of experience in homeschooling a large family and lots of lessons learned the hard way, David and Linda will share many tricks of the trade and practical insights which they’ve learned that helped their family survive homeschooling.  It’s not hard if you follow a few basic rules.

  • Getting Grandparents On Board with Home Education (for parents) - David and Linda

When the Watkinses began homeschooling in 1986, it was a brand-new idea for most families; and convincing grandparents that you weren’t ruining their grandchildren was a major issue.  Now, with eight children, four children-in-love, fourteen grandchildren, both sets of grandparents still living, and 20+ years of homeschooling behind them, the Watkinses have some unique insights about helping grandparents to love homeschooling just as much as you do. 

  • Grandparents' Tea Time Out  (for grandparents) - David and Linda

​This workshop is a pleasant break for the grandparents who ventured with you to the conference. While they enjoy refreshments and a respite from the noise in the exhibit hall, we will help them understand how important they are to their grandchildren and give them practical ways to help home educate them. This will be a very encouraging workshop.

  • Ten Things to NOT Tell Your Pastor — David

​Many home educators feel tension between themselves and their churches, but do not know what to do.  We can all think of many “helpful” suggestions or comments we could offer to our pastors, especially concerning home education. But are those suggestions really helpful?  Let David Watkins - pastor, former Chairman of the Board and now Executive Director of the Minnesota Association of Christian Home Educators, homeschooling father of eight, and grandfather of fourteen - share with you some things NOT to say to your pastor! Learn what homeschoolers are really like through the eyes of their pastor.

  • But I Didn't Volunteer for This Job (for support group leaders) — David

​…or perhaps you did volunteer but wish you hadn’t!  If 20% of the people do 80% of the work (and you are in the 20%), how do you keep from getting over-worked and becoming resentful? Hear insights which every volunteer leader needs to apply. Your sanity may depend upon it!  

  • Staying the Course — David

​Our children are a gift to us from God.  The scriptures make it clear that He has called us to teach them; but home educating parents are often tempted to turn their children over to someone else to teach, whether it is a school or a co-op. God instructs His people to remember certain things; and remembering the seven key points addressed in this session will help you realize Christian home education is a process, not a project. God’s Word will navigate us through the course set before us.  Keep on doing the right thing!

  • Practical Aspects of Discipling Godly Children — David

​While there is no sure-fire formula to guarantee that your children will turn out to be a “success”, there are timeless and proven principles that, when implemented, will lay a powerful foundation upon which they can experience significant accomplishments.  This workshop brings to light real help in properly training our children.

  • Weathering the Storms — David

​What can we do when we hit troubled waters in our homeschooling, our families, our lives, …? Understanding a key four-step cycle of life found in scripture has encouraged many ‘broken’ people and given them hope as they face their dark days. Giving more than a pat on the back, David will share what we can do to navigate through those turbulent times and how we can find peace in the midst of a storm.

  • How to Impress God with Your Diploma  (or, The Eternal Significance of Christian Home Discipleship) - David

​What happened to cause some homeschooled students to reject the Christian worldview that was important to their parents? Jesus encountered four dangerous mindsets and their negative results when He walked among His people. Homeschoolers can easily fall into one or more of these traps and, in so doing, can bring serious harm to their families. This session will explain how giving focused attention to one command of Christ will help home educators recognize and avoid those four damaging viewpoints, while at the same time helping them experience satisfaction and eternal significance in their efforts.

  • Alphabet Soup — Linda

​Are you old enough to remember Campbells "Alphabet Soup" with all the little noodles shaped like the alphabet letters? As children, we used to take the little noodles out of the soup and make words in our plates. But while in the soup, the little letters just floated around in all different directions and never formed a word that made sense. This is similar to what it's like when you decide to educate your children at home, but don't know how to put it all together to spell "h-o-m-e-s-c-h-o-o-l." Where do you start? What is homeschool supposed to look like?  Why is everything so jumbled up in your brain and nothing is making sense? This workshop will help you to sort it all out for a successful first day of homeschool. 

  • TimeChangers: Getting the Most out of Your Day — Linda

​Wife, mother, domestic engineer, teacher, tutor, babysitter, nurse, counselor, friend, woman, helper, participant, ...  With all the hats we wear and roles that we need to fit into a 24-hour-day, how can we possibly do it all? Surely there must be an easy way! We will discuss general time management skills, especially in light of all the extra time constraints that home educating mothers face. Consistency and flexibility are the keys.

  • Chronic Chaos Challenge — Linda

"If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." Our ability to be organized - or lack of it - sets the mood in our families. When we are disorganized we don't feel in control and, when we don't feel in control, our stress-level rises. Eighty-five percent of our stress is caused by disorganization and this alone can be the biggest enemy of our homeschool efforts. Organization has no room for procrastination. This workshop will give you some tricks of the trade to be more organized - and to feel more organized. (There is a difference.) Come prepared to take home lots of encouraging ideas.

  • Learning. It Can't Be That Hard! — Linda

​I wish I had known that there was such a thing as learning and teaching styles when I began homeschooling my own children.  I thought everyone thought and learned the same way I did. I was in for a big surprise when I began home educating my own eight children and found that my teaching techniques didn't work so well for everyone. After I learned that there were definite differences in the way children learn - and the way parents teach - I made changes and saw very rewarding results in my children. This workshop will give you a good start in understanding your children and streamlining your teaching efforts.