Raise Up Your Children In The Way They Should Go:
The Benefits of Lutheran Homeschooling
The primary goal of every parent is to pass on the Christian faith to their children.  Realizing the necessity of this, Luther begins each section of the Small Catechism with these words,  “As the head of the family, should teach it in a simple way to his household.”  More than ever, this is a real challenge as our nation and its educational system is increasingly at odds with a Biblical worldview and even those who confess to be Christians.  This presentation will emphasize how Lutherans are uniquely and well equipped with God’s word and our Confessions to educate our children to endure and thrive as Christians amidst the challenges they will face in this quickly changing world.

Rev. Kevin Johnson was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa where he met his wife Ceci in German class.  After serving in the United States Marine Corps and graduating with a degree in architecture from Iowa State University, he attended Concordia Seminary, St. Louis until being called to be pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Carlisle, Iowa in 2004.  Along with Ceci, Pastor Johnson has been blessed to be able to use his experiences as a veteran, architect and pastor to teach his own children, as well as other youth in the congregation’s homeschool co-op.  Both Pastor Johnson and Ceci are overjoyed to say that homeschooling was a blessing to their family and their two daughters have grown into exceptional young Christian women.

Ordering Our Days: Forming Our Children in Their Baptismal Identity at All Times and In All Places
Deuteronomy 6 admonishes us to teach our children the truth of who God is and how we are to relate to our neighbor. This is to be done diligently and at all times and in all places. This can feel daunting, but fortunately, our Lutheran heritage sets us up to form our children in the faith given them in their baptism for life in this world and the next! In this session, we will explore resources and ideas to support you as you live out Deuteronomy 6 including:   Why a Lutheran worldview matters; Cautions in curricula; and  Great Lutheran resources and ideas.

Jocelyn Benson grew up in Fort Dodge, Iowa, attending Lutheran school through 8th grade. She has a B.A. in English-teaching and an M.A. in Educational Psychology from the University of Northern Iowa. She also completed three and a half years of doctoral work in Educational Psychology with emphases in Technology and Education and History/Foundations of Education at the University of Iowa. She loved teaching English and coaching many sports at the high school level before returning to school full time. Jocelyn lives in Chatfield, MN, with her husband, Justin, and their four children—Asher, Malachi, Ephraim, and Miriam. She serves as Head Teacher of Wittenberg Academy. In her free time, Jocelyn enjoys spending time with her family, reading, hiking, and playing games.

Taking The Leap:  God Guides & Provides
Home education is on the rise due to many different factors.  Have you considered homeschooling your child or children?  Making the decision to switch gears in your family and start homeschooling can feel like you’re taking a leap off a big cliff, especially if it is unknown territory.  In this session, we will talk about how this cliff may not feel so big when we have faith, knowing God will provide for our every need if we only trust Him to guide and direct us.  We will also discover why after a 3-year prayerful decision to leap into the home school world, the speaker and her family couldn’t imagine it any other way.

Presenter: Kristi Palma

We the Homeschoolers! Homeschooling and the Law
Can we really educate our children at home and not send them to a school? Should we? Gain a Lutheran perspective on education under the law. Learn about the history of Compulsory Education and the (re)legalization of homeschooling. Learn about the legal precedents that have guaranteed the right to homeschool. Get the resources you need to comply with your state’s homeschool law and find out what to do when challenged.

Presenter: Gayl Siegel

Outside the Walls
Homeschooling is not just sitting at home.  This presentation will give you ideas and opportunities so you can explore the 'extras' with your homeschooling family.   Art, music, theatre, sports, culture . . . the possibilities are endless.

Presenter: Kathy Dee

Homeschool Methods Explained
Whether you are new to homeschooling or have been at it for a few years, you can benefit from learning about the different homeschooling methods. In this presentation, we will focus on the most widely used approaches to homeschooling today.  You may choose one style or a combination of many; whatever you decide, you will be able to utilize the information given to find the right fit for your home and family.

Presenter: Melissa Nath

You CAN Homeschool High School
Just the thought of homeschooling during the high school years can cause terror in the most stout of heart. Let me assure you, with the right tools and attitude you can do this!  Discover important factors about selecting curriculum. Learn when to outsource certain subjects.  Understand why it’s important to provide grades for your student and how to put together a transcript. Provide skills for after graduation, whether they go on to college, a trade school, or some other vocation.  You know and love your high school student better than any other “teacher” which makes you uniquely qualified to homeschool high school.
 
Presenter: Ceci Johnson

Kathy Dee is a homeschool mother to five children in middle and elementary school age range.  Kathy is a former public school music teacher, but as soon as their family started growing, she and her husband knew that homeschooling was the path for them.  Teaching reading to each of her children, and watching them learn to love reading, has been one of the most rewarding experiences of learning at home.  Aside from everyday learning, Kathy enjoys teaching music as well as homeschool coop classes.  She also loves getting her children out hiking and exploring, and spending many hours with them at the library.   (Presenter)

Gayl Siegel describes herself as a Homemaker and a Home Educator, although in the past she has been a practicing Veterinarian and a Public Health Officer for the Air Force.  She and her husband, Jeff, decided early on that they wanted to homeschool their children. They have one daughter, Helen, in the third grade and have homeschooled her since age 4/Junior Kindergarten. In addition to teaching her daughter, Gayl has also taught basic science, calligraphy, and ornithology classes for our homeschool co-op, and has tutored German, Chemistry and Physics for highschoolers. (Presenter and Panel Member)

Ceci Johnson and her husband Kevin homeschooled their daughters, Sarah (Lutheran schools K-3) and Bekah.  At some point they realized having their children home with them would be beneficial to a pastor’s family where Dad is busy on weeknights, weekends, and holidays. It also gave them the opportunity to raise their children with their Christian values. Both girls have gone on to successful college experiences.  As an English major, Ceci especially enjoyed teaching language arts and she continues to teach creative writing, Shakespeare, public speaking, and art appreciation for our homeschool coop.  (Presenter and Panel Member)

Melissa Nath, along with her husband, Lance, have been homeschooling since 2008. They wanted to provide their children with an individualized education that would allow them to learn at their own pace. They also realized the importance of being able to teach the faith and instill their values in their children without the constant contradiction of a secularized school system. They are coming to an end of this homeschool journey, with only a high school junior still at home. They have graduated two other children. Carter is 23, married, and has his own piano tuning and repair business. Kristina is 20, married, and is a new mom, planning to homeschool in the future. She also does freelance artwork from home. Jakob, who is 17, will be graduating in 2023, and he plans to go on to study computer science. Melissa’s favorite part of homeschooling has been reading great literature with her children. (Presenter & Panel Member)

Kristi Palma has been married to her husband, Juvenio, since 2008.  Together they have 2 children, Logan (6) and Madison (11) & have homeschooled since 2019.   Juvenio & Kristi were both raised in public school but became more curious about homeschooling after being around multiple Lutheran homeschool families.  After much prayerful consideration, their family took the leap as Madison was pulled out of public school and Kristi left her full-time job.  Juvenio & Kristi both see the wonderful benefits this has had on their family.  They enjoy encouraging other couples who may be considering homeschooling but are afraid to take that final leap. (Presenter and Panel Member)

Kristina Helfert is a homeschool graduate and the daughter of Lance and Melissa Nath. She and her husband, Tyler, just had their first child, and are making plans to homeschool once that time comes. Kristina quit her retail job to become a stay-at-home mother and freelance artist. Whether she is painting iconography for church, illustrating children’s books, or teaching art to the homeschool kids she is always eager to continue learning. She feels that homeschooling gave her the tools for learning that have helped her become successful. While being homeschooled her favorite subjects were Latin, logic, and literature.   (Panel Member)

Christina Williamson and her husband Josh have been traveling the world and homeschooling their children along the way.   Currently they are living in Des Moines and hope to stay a while. Christina always knew that being a mother and homemaker was what she was meant to be.  Homeschooling just seemed like the natural choice for their lifestyle.  In addition to teaching her children, she enjoys tinkering with photography, baking, reading and taking field trips with her family and homeschool co-op.
(Panel Member)

Kathryn Feldt and her husband of 32 years have 3 children.  She earned her K-12 teaching degree from the University of Kansas and has taught in both public and private schools.  In college, she was staunchly opposed to the homeschooling concept. However, despite living in an “excellent” school district, it became obvious that the secular agenda of schools conflicted with their confessional Lutheran worldview thus necessitating an attitude adjustment about homeschooling.  With the gentle encouragement of a dear friend, after 4 years of having kids in the public school, she and her husband decided to homeschool.  While homeschooling has been challenging, the blessings far outweigh the sacrifices made.  The Feldt family enjoys playing board games, doing puzzles, cheering on the Iowa State Cyclones, going on “educational” vacations and making music together. (Panel Member)