SPEAKING | smoothingtheway

Mary James speaking topics:

Which Way Do I Go? (For convention planners)

This workshop explains the most popular teaching methodologies (textbook, living book, unit studies, classical, and unschooling), and gives attendees a close-up look at the convention exhibitors. This workshop is personalized for each convention, using your workshop schedule and exhibit hall floorplan.

Getting Off to a Great Start
This workshop will help you to begin those first steps in home educating and to set realistic goals for yourself and your children. Home education is not an educational choice; it is a lifestyle of learning. Mary will discuss common mistakes, burnout, and changes that might need to be made.

Organizing Your Time
Many new home educators have the vision to homeschool, but just don’t know where to start. This practical workshop will help you to look at the natural rhythm of your family and to know how to establish your school schedule accordingly. Mary will discuss making lesson plans, coordinating homeschool with household chores, and organizing your time to make it go farther. She will also cover yearly scheduling, daily scheduling, lesson plans, outside activities, cooking tips, and more.

Understanding Your Child
What is your child’s learning style? What is a learning modality? How can knowing your child’s love language help you to be a better teacher? Developing a better understanding of how your child is designed will help you to establish a more successful learning environment. From choosing curricula to choosing activities, you will make better decisions for your child when you are making choices according to your child’s needs.

Avoiding Resistance in Your Student: Pre/Primary School
The number one cause of resistant behavior with young children is burnout from too much seatwork. This workshop will give you practical teaching tips for this very important age group. Discover the importance of readiness-building activities for your preschoolers, as well as ways to make schoolwork much more enjoyable for your elementary-aged students.

Avoiding Resistance in Your Student: Middle/High School
Teaching middle and high school students can be a daunting task. This workshop will show you how special the teenage years can be and how to direct your child on the path that God has set for him. Learn how to focus on loving your upper-level student through the trials and tribulations of getting it all done.

Beyond Hormones: Homeschooling Teens with Emotional and Psychological Challenges
As a home school parent, you have probably experienced your share of challenges. None can be more difficult than teaching through an emotional or psychological challenge. Join Mary James for this firsthand look at some of the potential emotional challenges your teen may encounter and how to successfully teach through the trial. Topics covered in this session include eating disorders, self harm, depression, and more.

Top Ten Homeschooling Myths
Dispelling the top ten myths of homeschooling will clarify your understanding of what homeschooling should be.

Does This Child Come with an Instruction Manual?
If our goal in child training is simply achieving a desired behavior, we may find we have produced a well-behaved child with a very rebellious heart. This session will give parents tools for understanding and reaching each unique child, with the ultimate goal of discovering God's design for that child so that we may train him up "in the way he should go.”

Precious Preschoolers
The 2 R's of teaching preschoolers are readiness and relationship. What activities are important during these formative years? How do you capture your child's heart and instill in them a love of learning that will carry you through their school years? Gain insight and inspiration from a homeschooling mother of eight.

Staying the Way – Things I’ve Learned from Home Schooling
The mother of eight children, Mary James began home schooling in 1989. In this workshop, she shares from her heart about the joys and the trials of this challenging lifestyle. You will find encouragement for all stages of your journey.

Mentoring New Homeschoolers (For support group leaders )

Describes STW, but also contains general information. Why is it important to mentor new homeschoolers? How can we pass on the vision of home education, in addition to training parents in the practical aspects?

For information on having Mary James speak to your group, send a request to smoothingtheway@gmail.com.