Speakers (2024)

Laena West

Keynote Speaker

Laena West lives in sunny San Diego with her husband, kids, and their rowdy dog Ranger. As a second generation homeschooler, Laena offers insight and experience from both the student and teacher perspective to the homeschool community. The West's two beautiful daughters were homeschooled through graduation and are now grown, one married and one in college. With two active elementary aged sons, Laena is still very much in the trenches of homeschooling. Her unique experiences have allowed her to become familiar with a wide array of learning styles, challenges, and needs. This has given her a passion for creating homeschooling materials that address those needs, are fun for kids to use, and make moms excited about teaching. Most days, she and her adventurous boys can be found exploring San Diego, one field trip at a time.

Presentation:

  • Embark on a transformative journey with Laena West, an experienced second-generation homeschool mom of four, in "Navigating the Ups and Downs of Homeschooling with Joy." Join her as she shares practical strategies to infuse your homeschooling routine with joy and resilience, transforming common challenges into opportunities for growth. Discover/remember the unique strengths of homeschooling, from personalized education to creating lasting memories with your children. Challenge the notion of an "educational emergency" and embrace the liberating freedom, flexibility, and joy that home education offers. This inspiring session reminds us all that homeschooling is a source of joy, curiosity, and lifelong learning, and equips us with tools to make each day a fulfilling adventure for both you and your children. No matter the age of your kids and or how long you’ve been homeschooling, plan on leaving inspired!

Blair Lee, M.S.

Blair Lee, MS, is the founder of SEA Homeschoolers. She is a passionate advocate of innovative academics, where the focus is on how subjects are best learned. Through her speaking and writing, her goal is to empower home educators to dare to be innovative and create learning that is unique, academically-rich, and profound when handcrafting their students’ education.

Through SEA Publishing, Blair has authored Microbiology, The Science of Climate Change: A Hands-On Course, and co-authored Project-Based Learning: Creating a Modern Education of Curiosity, Innovation, and Impact. She is the primary author of the critically acclaimed REAL Science Odyssey Series from Pandia Press. She has been involved in science education for over two decades, first as a community college professor and then as a curriculum developer. Blair writes concept-rich, hands-on courses that include mainstream science, presenting the accepted facts, theories, and models as would be recommended by the majority of practicing experts in each field of science.

Presentations:

  • Homeschoolers are able to handcraft a learner-centered education that meets the unique strengths, challenges, and passions of the individual. This type of education is a profound value statement that says, “I care how you think. I respect and honor what makes you unique. The way you access and process information is important to scaffold, nurture, and develop.”

    If that sounds like something you want to provide your child, join Blair Lee for this talk focused on tailoring an education for your learner. Blair will discuss the steps you can take to determine how your child learns, learning skills, and how to choose curricula that are a good fit for your child.

Pilar Bewley, M.Ed.

Pilar Bewley is a veteran Montessori guide, homeschooling mom, and entrepreneur. She holds a Master’s degree in Montessori education, AMI Montessori certifications for ages 3-12, and Positive Discipline parent and classroom certifications. She has over a decade of classroom experience at preschool and Elementary levels, and is in her sixth year of homeschooling her two children (plus a few of their friends). She supports parents online in her membership community, The Montessori Homeschool Hub, and through one-on-one mentoring.

Presentations:

  • Discover how Montessori math can supercharge your child's ability to understand and apply math and geometry concepts from an early age. We'll discuss the principles that set Montessori math apart from other math curriculums, explore a couple of lessons, and identify key materials and curriculum options for preschool and elementary.

Marisa Donnelly, MEd.

Marisa Donnelly, MEd, is an author, coach, content strategist, and teacher-mama with over 13 years of experience teaching in public, private, SPED, and alternative education sectors, and most recently, the founder of a full-time homeschool program turned K-3 Microschool. Marisa launched her business, Miss Donnelly's Daily Apple, in 2011 with the mission of supporting individuals and families with ELA/Reading tutoring and intervention. Since 2011, her business has grown to offer classes, courses, consulting, and double as a digital marketplace for homeschooling families and educators alike. Marisa is passionate about sharing her personal experience and guiding others along the path of homeschooling, alternative education, and pursuing your passions (without burning out).

Presentations:

  • The idea of homeschooling may feel daunting, overwhelming, or even impossible. But what if that was just the stigma and not the reality? While the prospect of shifting to non-traditional or 'alternative' education may not seem like a reality at first, the truth is that there are so many ways to create a unique and meaningful learning experience for your child(ren) and family if you just lean into the possibility. By adopting a 'yes' mindset - saying 'yes' to the unknown, saying 'yes' to taking your child's education into your own hands, and saying 'yes' to trusting yourself and your passions - you can and will make homeschooling happen.

Monica Cochran, M.Ed

Monica is passionate about nurturing the love of learning and has vast experience helping learners of all ages enjoy learning. Working locally in the Ann Arbor, Michigan area and virtually (online) worldwide, she especially enjoys helping learners who have unique talents and challenges develop their strengths and learn in ways that work to become lifelong learners and thrive in our 21st-century world. She has worked with children, parents, and other adults in a wide variety of educational, hospital, and business settings for over 40 years. She has worked with moms and babies, learners at all levels, and corporate training with engineers and new hires. She has been active in alternative education since 1978, home-educated two of her children, and worked with other home-educating families both on the ground and virtually for the past 25 years. She is now in private practice and serves families with kids who learn non-traditionally for various reasons using strength-based approaches and partners with others to facilitate workshops and courses on strength-based learning and resilience.

Presentations:

  • Imagine a world where neurodivergent learners thrive, not just survive. Where their unique brain wiring isn't seen just as a problem to be fixed. Where the challenges associated with their unique brain wiring are supported and accommodated so that their strengths and talents can shine through. Neurodiversity is the idea that different ways of thinking and learning are natural and valuable. Neurodivergent learners are those who have diverse neurological characteristics. They could have sensory sensitivities, have a brain that runs too fast, process information in more unique ways, or have experienced trauma that makes learning feel unsafe. Often, we give these learners labels such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or others. For too long, we chipped off the edges of these unique learners to make them fit into a one-size-fits-all system that focuses on their struggles instead of their strengths. In this workshop, you will learn how to use strength-based approaches with neurodivergent learners, and discover the secret sauce ingredients that make this approach work.

Kerin Groves, PhD

Dr. Kerin Groves is a career planning advisor who coaches students, young adults, new graduates, and restless wanderers. An award-winning expert in personal and professional development, she is the author of "Career Exploration for K-12 Students," a handbook for parents and a curriculum for students. Kerin enjoys helping young people transition into adulthood and showing parent educators how to intentionally weave career awareness and exploration into K-12+ education and everyday home life.

www.KerinGroves.com @KerinGroves

Presentations:

  • What do students need in preparing for life beyond graduation? In this presentation, Kerin shares wisdom from thousands of her clients and focuses on practical dos and don’ts for parents. Attendees will learn how to help students cultivate their strengths and interests, prepare for the world of work, manage confusion and uncertainty, and prevent Failure To Launch.

Terri Novacek

Terri Novacek

In addition to homeschooling her own children K-12, Terri has worked in the homeschool charter school industry since 2002. Her passion for meeting students where they are and empowering them to drive their own learning are reflected in the practices of the Element schools: Community Montessori and Dimensions Collaborative. Terri shares the wisdom and science behind agentic learning through the Element is Everything podcast, parent workshops, and educator training.

Presentations:

  • Skills for success are changing at a rapid pace. How do we prepare students today for a future we cannot predict? Those who learn the skills and mindset to be agents of their own learning will possess the ability to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing world. This interactive workshop will provide research, practice, and strategies for supporting your child(ren) to drive their own learning.

Jennifer Mercer, M.Ed.

I am incredibly blessed to have always been able to do the work of my heart -teaching, leading, facilitating, supporting, nurturing – and I’ve been doing this with the HLC program for the last 12 years! I’ve spent the past 30 years developing and growing those skills in many different ways as a classroom teacher, special education teacher, lead teacher, college instructor, tutor, mother, partner, Girl Scout leader, mentor, and learning consultant. I homeschooled my two amazing daughters who are now adults I love to hang out with. My oldest is a senior at UCSB and my youngest is a junior at UC Davis. Our learning journey grew with us over the years. We’ve done it all, from “school-at-home” to radical Unschooling, to learner-centered co-designing. I hold a B.A. in Elementary Education and an M.A. Ed in Special Education from American University in Washington, D.C. I’m passionate about supporting homeschooling families to grow together! In addition to my work in the HLC, with my partners Jill Pearson Keltner and Teresa Draguicevich, I run Learning Journeys Forum- a community space that supports parents and students in San Diego through consulting, tutoring, Positive Discipline parenting classes and high school classes for homeschoolers. https://www.LearningJourneysForum.com/ To relax, I am most often found at the table playing whatever game is my newest obsession (seriously, hit me up if you want suggestions), reading, Zentangling, tie-dying and spending time with my family (human and kitty!).

Presentations:

  • What we thought we knew about learning ten, twenty, or thirty years ago is being turned on its head as study after study currently shows how our brains actually approach tasks. Using contemporary research by leaders in neuroscience, psychology and education, we’ll dispel some common misconceptions about the brain and consider ways, as home educators, that we can apply this knowledge to enhance our own family’s learning journeys.

Jill Pearson-Keltner, M.Ed.

I love education and learning. It is what I do and who I am. I love exploring the world, sharing knowledge, learning from others, making connections, co-designing activities, creating, experimenting, and playing. In our learning communities, we discover more about ourselves and our world. My favorite educational experience was homeschooling my two boys in K-12th grades. They are now young men, one a graduate from UC Berkeley and one working in the film industry in San Diego and LA. I’ve been an educator for 30 years, learning with young kids to adults and working in tradition and very untraditional settings. I teach Iyengar yoga classes and workshops at the San Diego Yoga Studio. Together with my partners, Jennifer Mercer and Teresa Draguicevich, I helped create Learning Journeys Forum, a community space that supports homeschooling parents and students in San Diego through parent professional development and high school homeschool classes.

Through all these experiences, I have learned that when learners are given agency over their learning journeys, they find they are able to effect positive and powerful change in the world; this is a goal I have for all learners of all ages. When not teaching, I love to do yoga, read, travel, kayak, hike, and play with my dog and my kids.

Presentations:

  • Agency is the capacity to independently guide our actions according to our beliefs. Student Agency increases engagement and motivation in learning. When students have agency over their education, they are able to state their learning goals, work well with others, engage mentors, and make a plan to enact their learning goals. Students must be taught the skills necessary for agency: making and voicing choices, communication and collaboration, planning and enacting their learning. They must be given many opportunities to grapple with the challenges of enacting their learning. Ultimately, students must have agency over their education and their lives. When people have agency, they know they can affect the world in powerful ways.

    In this workshop we will explore the skills of agency and talk about methods we can use to empower our kids to build, explore, and demonstrate agency in their education and their lives.