Christian Home Educators of Wisconsin

• Confirmed Keynotes
• Confirmed Workshop Speakers
• Exhibitors
• Schedule
• Workshop Descriptions
• Conference Hotel

Who: Speakers like Ben Carson, Zan Tyler, Brook Wayne, Kyle Justice, Pat Roy, Jay Seegert, Duke Pesta, Julaine Appling, Shannon Badger, Dave Bender, Faith Berens, Dan Degner, Lisa Dettinger, Dave Glander, Mark & Amy Herbster, Given Hoffman, Sierra John, Aaron Schneider, Dennis Siler, and more!

What: Christian Home Educators of Wisconsin 2023 Annual Conference

When: Thursday March 30th (12:30p – 6:30p) & Friday March 31st (8a – 6p), 2023

Where: Kalahari Resort & Convention Center, Wisconsin Dells

How: Register at https://homewischool.brushfire.com/2023/545506

Exhibitor Registration requires an access code – email info@homewi.school

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2023 Confirmed Keynotes

Thursday Afternoon Super Workshop

Friday Afternoon Keynote

Confirmed Workshop Speakers

Confirmed Exhibitors

On-site Assessments

If you have wondered whether your child may be exhibiting signs of dyslexia, you may want to consider having an evaluation done on-site at the CHEW23 Conference this year. Achieve More will be available to do 75-minute or 120-minute student evaluations, providing you with a better understanding of the specific areas of weakness that may be making reading and spelling difficult for your student.  

You will be asked to fill out a questionnaire and return it with some schoolwork samples, to our office prior to the conference. We are scheduling appointments in advance of the conference so please contact us early. The CHEW23 Conference Testing rate will be $300 for the 75-minute assessment and $600 for the more comprehensive 120-minute assessment. The fee includes the review of schoolwork samples, phone consultation and follow-up report.  

After the conference we will provide you with test results,  phone consultation and a written report as a follow-up. You will also receive recommendations for ways to accommodate your child in your homeschool endeavors. 

You can request an evaluation by contacting our office at 608-770-6847 or by emailing info@achievemorereading.com . Testing will be provided by Achieve More Reading Center. 

CHEW 23 Schedule

Thursday, March 30th, 2023

• 8:00 AM – Registration Begins / Exhibit Hall Open
• 12:30 PM – Opening Keynote with Zan Tyler
• 2:00 PM – Workshop Hour 1
• 3:00 PM – Workshop Hour 2
• 4:00 PM – Workshop Hour 3
• 5:00 PM – Dinner with Ben Carson / Exhibit Hall Closed
• 9:00 PM – Waterpark Closes

Friday, March 31st, 2023

• 7:30 AM – Exhibit Hall Opens
• 8:00 AM – Keynote 2 – Wisconsin Supreme Court Panel (the winners of the February primary will be invited to speak)
• 9:00 AM – Workshop Hour 4
• 10:00 AM – Workshop Hour 5
• 11:00 AM – Workshop Hour 6
• Noon – Lunch Break / Exhibit Hall Open / Pastors Luncheon
• 2:00 PM – Workshop Hour 7
• 3:00 PM – Workshop Hour 8
• 4:30 PM – Keynote 3 – Creation Experience / Exhibit Hall Closed

Kids Track

Coming soon!

Teen Track

Hosted by Reasons for Hope featuring Dave Glander

Keynote & Workshop Topics

Being Salt and Light with Jim Schneider- Scripture tells us we are the “salt of the earth” and “the light of the world”.  What does that mean?  And, how can we impact the world as salt and light?

Biblical Womanhood with Amy Herbster: Using Scripture in your parenting and homeschooling. (WOMEN ONLY)

BONDING WITH YOUR CHILDREN THROUGH WRITING TOGETHER with Zan Tyler

Do you feel at a loss when trying to teach your kids and teens to write? Do you ever dread working on writing assignments with them? Zan Tyler has served as an executive editor, development editor, and acquisitions editor for websites and traditional publishing companies, including B&H Publishing in Nashville, TN. Join Zan as she draws from her professional experience to give you down-to-earth advice on how to encourage the writing process in your children—while building stronger relationships with them and avoiding meltdowns. It is easier than you think to teach writing like a pro.

Building a Ballot Out/ Ballot In Machine with Matt Batzel

This training will look at how the Left has done absentee ballot chasing and what the Right needs to do right now to play catchup. We will examine the absentee ballot process in Wisconsin with the challenges and opportunities. You won’t want to miss this look at what is changing tactically.

Character Qualities from the Life of Daniel with Jim Schneider. Daniel was a teen when taken captive, yet he excelled in times of opposition.  Learn the character qualities Daniel exhibited that equipped him for living in hostile times.

Communicating Effectively In A Loud World with Lisa Krug

The practice of respectful, articulate discourse in our society seems all but lost. It’s easy to be disheartened and frustrated, but as Christians, we are called to be salt and light in a dark and dying world! The effective communication skills needed to cut through the noise and confusion don’t come naturally to everyone. Come hear some practical tips to help your children be better listeners, thinkers, and speakers at every stage of their educational journey. Effective communication can be taught and used to help fulfill our role of ambassadors for Christ wherever the Lord calls us!

Creating intentional links from life on the farm to homeschooling with Aaron Schneider.  Our family has learned so much from being outdoors and farming.  The opportunity is there for so many lessons from everyday life that our kids could be learning from us.

Crisis in Contemporary Education: What Homeschoolers Need to Know by Duke Pesta

Critical Thinking in a Relativistic World with Holly Varnum

The world our children live in today is quite different from the one we grew up in. They are constantly bombarded with post-modernism, which says whatever you want to believe is your “truth.” Now more than ever, we need to provide them with the tools to discern and combat the lies being hurled at them on a daily basis, even if they are being educated in a home school or Christian School environment. In this session, we will identify some of these lies and learn what questions to ask to separate truth from deception.

DEMYSTIFYING DYSLEXIA with Robyn Jeffords
Dyslexia Specialist, Robyn Jeffords, will separate fact from fiction as she provides parents with a deeper understanding of dyslexia. Learn what dyslexia can look like in the preschool, elementary and teen years. If your child is showing symptoms, this workshop can help put you on the right track to providing the kind of instruction a dyslexic learner will need to overcome challenges with reading, spelling and written expression.

DESIGN A DINOSAUR (Parent + Child Activity)

Paleontology 101.  You be the paleontologist!  Use your imagination as you can create a clay dinosaur.

Dinosaurs & the Bible with Jay Seegert

Dinosaurs are both extremely fascinating and also the source of much confusion when it comes to trying to comprehend their place in God’s creation and the Bible.  The media often paints a picture that is difficult to reconcile with our understanding of Scripture, so many have concluded the Bible doesn’t mention dinosaurs or have even gone as far as to say that they never really existed! This presentation takes a look at the true history of dinosaurs, expels the myths and shows that the Bible explains the actual scientific evidence much better than any secular evolutionary stories.  Both youth and adults alike will find this talk especially intriguing and extremely informative.

Encouragement for Young Moms with Brook Wayne

Training a child is a lot easier sounding on paper than lived out in real life. Brook Wayne encourages moms with little ones in practical ways to train children, inspire listening skills, initiate meaningful conversations, and gently guide a child’s heart when correction is needed. This session also explores the need for young moms to take time to nurture their own souls as they seek to disciple and lead their children.

Essays for the Middle-Schooler: Easy as 1-2-3! With Lisa Dettinger

Description: Got a reluctant or rambling writer? Learn the simple numerical formula for writing essays that will transform your middle schooler’s attitude about writing from “No way!” to “Hooray!” Organized thinking translates into an organized essay. No purchase, program, or commitment necessary! Sound too good to be true? See it to believe it. Invite your 4th-8th graders to this session as well!

EZ+1: Making Sense of Writing from Deanne Smith, Institute for Excellence in Writing

Faith is Not a Four-Letter Word With Jay Seegert

It is a common misconception that skeptics base all their beliefs on “facts”, while Christians simply have “faith” which amounts to nothing more than wishful thinking and belief in fairytales… or as Mark Twain stated, “Faith is believing in what you know ain’t so!”  This presentation shows just how incorrect this view truly is and powerfully equips Christians to share and defend their faith without having to memorize lots of facts or have degrees in science, or Greek & Hebrew. It is very encouraging, eye-opening and easy for all to understand.

Fast and Easy College-Prep Essays with Lisa Dettinger

The long, drawn-out “writing process” is obsolete. Learn how your high schooler can write essays with three-step efficiency: 1.) Decide which essay-specific graphic organizer to use, 2.) Jot down a few notes, and 3.) Type it while incorporating evidence. Voila! Invite your high schooler to this session too!

FORGIVENESS IS MORE THAN SAYING I’M SORRY with Dennis Siler

An essential part of the Christian Life – easy to talk about, but often hard to carry out. Understanding the freedom and power in and through forgiveness. Learn the 7 steps of forgiveness that will help you evaluate what stage you are in. It is one series that is hard to hear, hard to apply, but provides a deep sense of cleansing.

Fostering your Children’s Gifts with Kyle Justice

Kyle shares how God has designed our children with gifts for the Kingdom and how parents can identify those gifts and help grow them.  He shares from his own life as a teenager getting into video and how his parents fostered his gifts and desire to serve the Lord.  Kyle then encourages the audience about how he’s doing the same with his children and gives advice on how parents can do that today.

FreedomProject with Dave Harper

Founded in 2011, FreedomProject Academy offers a first-rate, Classical education for Kindergarten through High School. FPA is a fully accredited school, recognized for authenticity and excellence, without compromising core values or academic standards. FPA is grounded in Judeo-Christian beliefs as promoted in the Constitution by our Founding Fathers, who strove to guarantee the preservation of our God-given liberties. FreedomProject Academy’s curriculum is designed to teach students HOW to think, not WHAT to think. Parents who consider enrolling their children in FPA must understand that our school seeks to build the broad and solid intellectual foundation that only Classical education provides. FPA offers LIVE and ANYTIME classes for students residing within the United States and beyond. The primary difference between LIVE and ANYTIME simply comes to scheduled classes and due dates. Our Constitution guarantees freedom for an educated and moral people. FPA’s rigorous and wide-ranged curriculum prepares students for adult life that may include college but is not exclusively for those who plan to attend college. Our Classical approach ensures a well-rounded education in myriad disciplines with an emphasis on achieving one’s personal best.

From Homeschool to University: Surviving College with Faith in God, Country, and Self Intact with Duke Pesta

FROM THE KNOWN TO THE UNKNOWN: INTRODUCING MULTIPLICATION CONCEPTS(ELEMENTARY) With Maranatha Sweet

Learning the foundational multiplication concepts can be a steep challenge.  Building on addition and subtraction skills the children already know allows us to turn a tough climb into a gentle incline.  A gradual step-by-step process to teach the concepts of multiplication will help children reach new heights in arithmetic comprehension.  The methods in this session also apply to helping a child who is struggling with a specific concept.

Getting your family into ministry with Aaron Schneider: We’re losing young people from our churches, and many families are satisfied with being ministered to, but not being active in ministry themselves.  This workshop would encourage families to have a ministry they do together weather full time, part time, lay ministry or an informal family ministry.

Genesis Flood: This Changes Everything! With Jay Seegert

Certain things, if true, are real “game-changers”.  The Genesis flood is just one of those events.  This talk covers the reality of this event both biblically and scientifically, showing how this truly changes everything. If the vast majority of Earth’s geologic features, including the geologic column, are the result of a catastrophic, worldwide flood and not slow, gradual forces acting over eons of time, then what we’ve been taught all our lives is in gross error, including the theory of evolution!  More than just an interesting story from the Old Testament, the Genesis flood is an amazing testimony of God’s judgment and the accuracy and trustworthiness of His inspired Word.

God and Government with Dan Degner

Growing Your Child’s Communication Skills with Given Hoffman

Looking for ways to teach communication in the midst of a busy life? In this talk, Given Hoffman shares practical steps for training your child in communication no matter what age they are. Be empowered to enjoy your children while in the process growing their ability to communicate.

“HLEP!” My Kid Can’t Spell! With Faith Berens

In this workshop, Faith addresses the importance of spelling and presents the developmental stages of spelling. She also shares various strategies, techniques, and fun, hands-on, multi-sensory methods for spelling practice, as well as specialized spelling programs and strategies to help you transform “I am a terrible speller” into “I am a good speller!”

HELP FOR STRUGGLING READERS with Robyn Jeffords
Is reading a struggle for your child? Are you unsure what to try next? You are not alone. There are many reasons children struggle to read, and there are plenty of strategies to overcome those challenges. Come and learn fun and engaging teaching techniques specific to reading. Yes, I did say FUN!
Your kids will love school as you implement multisensory games and fun activities to address letter reversals, fluency, comprehension, phonemic awareness, spelling and more.

HOMESCHOOLING: A GOD-CENTERED REVIVAL THAT BEGINS IN YOUR LIVING ROOM Keynote with Zan Tyler

Answering God’s call to teach your children at home can be exciting at first, but it’s easy to lose sight of the vision when you find yourself overwhelmed by the demands of the homeschooling life: teaching phonics, preparing transcripts, refereeing fights, and—oh, by the way—making dinner too. But in the midst of the madness, we must constantly remind ourselves: Our work matters because we’re building God’s kingdom! Come hear Zan Tyler share from history and God’s Word. And catch a glimpse of how God is using your family—and the homeschool movement—to usher in spiritual, educational, and family revival in our nation.

HOMESCHOOLING: BUILDING YOUR FAMILY ARK TO WITHSTAND THE CULTURAL TSNUAMI with Zan Tyler

As a young mom, Zan Tyler’s encounter with Noah’s ark (Hebrews 11) defined and empowered her twenty-one year homeschool journey. The lessons she learned kept her afloat through times of fatigue, self-doubt, loneliness, and prosecution, and taught her to trust God with her family’s welfare. Noah’s ark has amazing implications for us as homeschoolers today, even down to the materials used in its construction. And, like Noah, we live in an age that is often hostile towards God. In this workshop, Zan will share seven principles that can give you vision, energy, and staying power for your own homeschool voyage in these perilous times.

HOMESCHOOLING MULTIPLE CHILDREN – FEEDING THE 5,000 (GENERAL) With Maranatha Sweet

When home is looking like a one-room schoolhouse, we often need to get creative to stretch our time, attention, and resources.  If you are challenged to meet the educational needs of multiple children, then you will profit from the suggestions for grades to combine, schedule adjustments to make, and courses to rotate.

Homeschooling your special needs child who is “outside the box.” with Faith Schneider

Do you have a child with special needs who isn’t the “typical” student?  Join us as we delve into “how” to homeschool the child that needs to be educated in a non-typical or non-traditional way.  We will discuss the challenges and rewards of investing in the lives of our special needs children. 

Hope and Help for Homeschooling Students with Dyslexia with Faith Berens

In this workshop, Faith defines what dyslexia is (and what it is not), discusses the different types of dyslexia as well as levels of struggle (mild, moderate, severe), and then offers hope by sharing the types of necessary teaching methods, research-based interventions and programs, as well as options for implementation in your home school. Multi-sensory, structured literacy approaches are recommended. Faith offers hope and encouragement in addition to tricks, strategies, and resources to add to your teaching toolkit!

How and Why We Must Teach Christian Worldview Across Homeschool Curriculum by Duke Pesta

How and Why We Must Teach C. S. Lewis in Homeschool by Duke Pesta

How and Why We Must Teach Shakespeare in Homeschool by Duke Pesta

How and Why We Must Teach Greek and Roman Classics in Homeschool by Duke Pesta

How the Boy Brain Works with Holly Varnum

The Wonder of Boys (and it’s so much more than “snakes, snails, and puppy dog tails”!)

In our society and in education, boys are often challenged and expected to learn in ways that are in direct opposition to how our Creator God wired their brains. Join me in this session, where we will uncover what brain research in recent decades has revealed to us about the minds of boys and how we can best facilitate their education and development to ignite within them a love for learning and attaining goals.

How the Girl Brain Works with Holly Varnum

“Sugar and spice and everything nice”–Is that REALLY what little girls are made of?

When we actually look at the brain scientifically, it clearly shows us that God designed the female brain uniquely and specifically with intention, reinforcing what we read in Genesis 5:2, “Male and female created he them.” This goal of this session is to clarify our understanding of how the female brain is wired, considerations for teaching girls according to their bent, and
emphasizing the importance of biblical womanhood to empower our girls to be leaders in the roles God has for them.

How to Make Writing Fun Using Flash Fiction with Given Hoffman

Looking for solutions to get your reluctant writers writing? In this talk about flash fiction, Given Hoffman presents a fun, creative, and easy way to get your child past “I don’t know what to write” and into writing short stories that will teach them not just how to put together sentences but also how to craft clear and concise messages for all areas of life.

I Don’t Have Enough Patience! With Brook Wayne

Many moms feel like they don’t have enough patience to home educate their children. What do you do when your worst fears are confirmed and you realize you don’t have enough patience to continue homeschooling? Come learn about what patience is, what it isn’t, where it comes from, and how to grow and thrive in the pressure cooker of mothering.

Intentional Family Unity with Amy Herbster: Working diligently to have sweet relationships at home. (WOMEN ONLY)

Journey to Novarupta with Pat Roy

The biggest eruption in modern times happened in the Alaskan Peninsula in 1912. It was 30 times larger than Mount Saint Helens. A couple of years later Dr. Robert Griggs led an expedition into the blast zone. His book would inspire another explorer almost a hundred years later to return to this amazing wilderness to documents the evidence for a worldwide flood, and a biblical ice-age!

Laws Matter: Legislating Morality with Julaine Appling

Building Blocks for Reading Comprehension in the Pre-K to Early Years With Faith Berens

There are many fun and creative ways that parents homeschoolers their young ones are able to put into the place the building blocks of reading.  The ultimate goal of reading instruction: comprehension. In this session, Faith explores various types of thinking and processing skills required for proficient comprehension. Faith shares tips, techniques, and strategies for developing the vocabulary of very young, as well as good habits of mind in order to lay a solid foundation for comprehension with our wee ones (up to age 5).She also explores various types of thinking and processing skills required for proficient comprehension. Faith shares tips, techniques, and strategies for developing the vocabulary of very young, as well as good habits of mind in order to lay a solid foundation for comprehension with our wee ones (up to age 5).

LEAD Wisconsin with Sierra John

Made in God’s Image with Pat Roy

One of the biggest battles is the true value of humans. This presentation will show that our meaning and purpose comes from God himself!

Man Up: the construction of an upright man. By Mark Herbster

Psalm 18:25 “With an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright.”

MOTIVATED KIDS MOVE MOUNTAINS with Zan Tyler

Infusing our children’s lives with motivation instead of having to drag them from one lesson to the next—is that even possible? Most of us are just trying to keep them on task in the midst of math anxiety, sibling rivalry, mounds of laundry, and the daily demands of life. Now imagine this: As you lead your children intentionally through their day, they learn and grow exponentially as you work to cultivate their strengths and encourage their faith. This isn’t a dream—it IS possible! Zan Tyler shares four power-packed principles you can use right away to motivate your children and raise a family of mountain movers.

North Star Truth: The Believer’s Response to a Confusing World by Mark Herbster

Living in the world affords many moments of disorientation. Sometimes the world seems to be a stormy ocean, and the believer is a weary sailor struggling to keep his coordinates set.  For thousands of years sailors have used stars for navigation, particularly the North Star, because they are fixed, reliable points of light that guarantee a certain direction no matter what the sailor feels is right. Psalm 37 is one of those “North Star” fixed points that offers direction in a world of confusion.

Our Heritage of Liberty of Conscience with Tim Schmig.

Thomas Jefferson gave us the seed thought of our Liberty of Conscience when he wrote “We hold the truths to be [sacred and undeniable] self evident. He started it all right there. Let’s explore this great American truth.

A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER GOES TO SCHOOL—PEOPLE AND PLACES by Maranatha Sweet

Are you due for a little Swedish Death Cleaning? If you step into your school room to tackle a task and immediately think that you need a nap instead, then you will profit from the tips and rules that a professional organizer has to offer.  You will learn to apply meal planning principles, the capsule wardrobe concept, and, yes, Swedish death cleaning, to your life to decrease stress and increase productivity

Reading Difficulties: Remediation Strategies and Techniques With Faith Berens

Do you have a student who is having reading difficulties? This session introduces the 5 Pillars of Reading Instruction and Faith offers guidance for identifying the area and the level of your child’s reading difficulty.  Additionally she also shares practical teaching tools, strategies, and techniques for supporting your child and remediating reading struggles within the home school teaching environment.

Running Your Very Own Three-Ring Circus with Brook Wayne

Keeping up with the clutter, mess and chaos in the homeschooling years is a lot like running a three-ring circus! Given by a mother of 11, this session is for families of any size. Delve into ideas, routines and strategies to keep the stuff AND the people in some semblance of order. Also included are concepts for developing a happy homeschool day.

School at Home or Home Discipleship? With Brook Wayne

Giving our children a Biblical lens for the world around them isn’t just a high and lofty goal – it needs to be presented and taught in the most comprehensive way throughout each subject. This session also explores why character must come before academics, and outlines steps to help children tune in and listen.

Scientific Evidence for the Inspiration of the Bible with Jay Seegert

Everything we believe as Christians rests on the assumption that the Bible is actually the inspired, error-free Word of God… but how can we be certain? It’s not politically correct to claim the Bible alone is the inspired Word of God and most Christians cannot adequately defend this belief.  Are we to exercise blind faith, or is there a great body of evidence supporting this crucial point? This topic presents incredible scientific evidence showing beyond doubt that the Bible is truly the inspired Word of God!

Second Amendment Training with Nate Nelson

Are you passionate about your Second Amendment rights? Do you want to know how to be more effective in your efforts when legislators are working on this issue? Would you like to build good working relationships and rapport with your elected officials? Attend American Majority’s Grassroots Second Amendment Lobbying training with American Majority Wisconsin Executive Director Nate Nelson.

Tackling Tricky High School Issues: Practical Help and Guidance for Homeschooling High School Students with Special Needs with Faith Berens

This informative and encouraging workshop addresses some of the challenges associated with teaching struggling or atypical learners at home in the high school years. Do you have questions such as “How do I award my child with special needs a diploma?” or “What do I do since my child with dyslexia can’t read typical high school level material?” Faith discusses alternative coursework, specialized curricula and learning materials, assistive technology, transcript options, possible graduation guidelines, high school programs for special learners, and post–high school options. She also offers tips for navigating the process of applying for testing accommodations for College Board tests.

A TACTICAL PLAN TO THRIVE OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE With Maranatha Sweet

Have you found yourself facing a task that is outside your comfort zone? Are you filled with dread or, worse, resentment? Are you thinking, “This is not what I signed up for”? It is time to change your thinking, your attitude, and your heart. Take time to develop a deliberate plan to turn your dreadful task into an amazing opportunity to learn, grow, and joyfully thrive.

Teaching Communication Skills with Heather Neumann

The fear of public speaking is a common phobia and one that is believed to affect up to 75% of the population. Although we have entered into the age of technology- emails, zoom calls, texts, and snap chat, learning the art of communication is still a fundamental skill in the 21st century. Unfortunately, more and more educators are doing away with class presentations, speeches, or reports. As homeschoolers we need to look for ways for our students to excel in communication. Simply put we should be giving more opportunities to practice public speaking- not less. Heather Neumann, the Ms Frizzle of Public Speaking will break down…

– Why learning to be a good communicator is an important skill.

– How to teach communication skills to homeschoolers.

– What can be done at home or in your community to practice these skills.

Teaching Reading and Building Literacy Skills with Andrea Evans

(geared towards parents of K4-2nd grade students) 

• How to teach your young child through phonics
• Using your reading curriculum
• Resources for building literacy 

Teaching your child to read is a daunting task. Where do you start? Who do you listen to? Do you have to buy an expensive reading program? The reality is, you CAN teach your child to read, and I will help you find the starting line. Use your curriculum to build a simple, daily routine to jumpstart your little one’s reading for a lifetime of learning.

Teaching Several Grades at Once with Brook Wayne

Teaching several grade levels all together can seem daunting, however, what might at first appear to be overwhelming can be turned into a benefit in your homeschool. Let’s look together at planning ahead, group teaching, leading older children in sharing knowledge and ideas that bring the family together.

Teaching the Providential View of History with Tim Schmig

 God is Sovereign yet man is responsible for his own actions. Through God’s design and destiny of world history we’ll look at the sovereign hand of God in the glove of world history.

Teaching with the Brain in Mind with Holly Varnum

God’s design is amazing!

It has only been in recent decades–with the development of technology capable of scanning the human brain–that neurologists have been enlightened as to how learning occurs and how we can optimize new knowledge. This session will address some of the principles of brain-based learning, best practices in engaging students for optimal learning, and how God’s Word teaches us to think for learning retention.

Three Secrets of Influential Parents (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) by Dave Bender

How to maximize your influence by understanding your child’s personhood

Ask yourself this hard question: How much lasting influence do I really have on my children?

Influence is the ability to affect the very course and direction of our children’s lives. And we can do this by touching their lives and connecting with them at their deepest parts.

Your children are created in God’s image, and so we know a little something about the basic “parts” of human make-up. By touching these parts, you can have strong and lasting influence in your children’s lives. (You can’t control outcomes, but you can influence them.)

Aside from God and His Word, there is nothing more influential in the life of a person than the life of another person.

In these three sessions we’ll walk through the basic parts of human personhood and show biblically how we can “touch” those parts in order to create strong bonds and generate lasting influence.

Three Things Every Kid (and Parent!) Should Know with Shannon Badger

Classical education has become very popular recently in the United States’ Homeschooling movement, but it is not new. God came up with it! No matter where you go in life, you will find the Three Things, whether it is in a child’s neurological development, how knowledge works, how children learn, how curriculum is written, how an adult career progresses, or how we grow spiritually. Shannon will explain how to be pro-active in completing the Three Things in every area of life.

TRAUMA AND YOUTH TODAY with Denis Siler

If only there was an “easy button” for parents, caregivers, and youth workers to push when it comes to helping hurting youth. It takes time and thought, and usually more than anticipated. It is not a task we can do alone. Even with training the task requires divine compassion and help and strength to walk the journey with “our” children that have been placed in our care.

Families today are being devastated by addiction, abuse, and broken relationships. The result is an epidemic of youth who bear the scars of emotional and spiritual trauma that make them very resistant to the gospel.

These young people are showing up in our homes, churches and schools with increasing frequency, and unfortunately the tried-and-true formulas for ministry simply don’t work with them. This workshop will provide basic training in Child Traumatic Stress. Topics covered include: What is trauma and how does it happen? How to recognize the symptoms of trauma. Effective strategies for ministering to youth who have been traumatized. The discussion will include case studies. We will consider God’s Design for relationships and the effects of sin. We will earn to apply forgiveness and how it can impact the healing process.

Uniquely Designed with Kyle Justice

Kyle uses Ephesians 2:10 to share how each believer has been given a role by God in the Kingdom with unique works for us He prepared before the creation of the world. He shares about the lives of David, Joseph, and Peter as well as from his own life.  He points out that our path to being used by God isn’t always a straight path, but involves challenges which grow our character and faith.

Using Biography in the Lesson with Tim Schmig

Lives of great men all remind us we can make our life sublime. History is not boring if you tell the story of the lives of the great ones of the past. Join us for some great biographies to share with our students.

What’s your bent? (Personality Matters when it comes to learning.) with Holly Varnum

If you have more than one child, you know first-hand that they come to us uniquely “crafted” by our Heavenly Father–no two are alike! This fact is especially challenging when giving instruction and trying to plan what to teach. This session will:

• Address the imperative given to us in Proverbs 22:6 to “Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent]” (Amplified Bible), 
• Include several “personality” test options to help you understand your students and how they learn best. (I will also present the cautions with personality tests and how we as believers should approach them.)
• Provide teaching/learning strategies to help you utilize this information to inform your educational efforts.

Who Am I? With Jay Seegert

Who we are determines what we do and who we are is 100% driven by where we think we came from… i.e., our origins.  The world’s answer to this question sits in stark contrast to what we find in Scripture. This presentation not only highlights who we are in God’s eyes, being created in His image, but also shares some fascinating details from science that powerfully confirm the accuracy of the biblical narrative… we are “fearfully and wonderfully made”!

Why Speech and Debate with Heather Neumann

As a home educator for almost 30 years, Heather Neumann says enrolling her children in speech and debate has been one of the best gifts she has given her kids. It’s through speech and debate where students can learn and try a variety of skills, such as…

– Limited Prep Speaking

– Platform Speaking

– Interpretive Speaking

– Analytical Skills 

– Rhetorical Skills

– Research

– And Much More!

Heather coaches students, parents, coaches, and clubs nationwide, and helps them navigate the art of communication through speech and debate. Come to this interactive presentation on how speech and debate can be an amazing fit for anyone’s homeschool curriculum. 

Wife As Servant/Leader with Shannon Badger

Men have been encouraged to be servant/leaders; but every leader needs to serve under someone’s authority, and that includes Mom! This talk discusses the importance of supporting Dad’s vision for the family and how to organize your family under that vision, even if Dad doesn’t know that he has one! Using leadership techniques from great Christian businessmen and teachers, Shannon applies those techniques to organizing your home so that your family can become the family you always dreamed it would be.

2023 Conference Hotel

Christian Home Educators of Wisconsin has a block of rooms available – including admission to the indoor waterpark.

Hotel FAQS

2023 Conference Location

Presenting Sponsor