Homeschool Seminar by Barb Shelton in Portland, OR

Photo of Lake Sacajawea in Longview,

Washington, taken by Carlianne Shelton

You are warmly invited to

Real-Life

Learning:

a Day

of Refreshment,

Re-Focus, and

Equipping

taught by

Barb

Shelton

Dave and Barb Shelton

Here's the whole family at our annual

Shelton Family Christmas Tree Fetchin' Day last year!

L to R: Sharnessa (our oldest) and Sam, with Weston (3) and Chase (5);

Carlianne (our youngest), me, Dave, Tory (our son) and Chrissy, with Jonah (5)

Quick Links

to areas of this page:

What's this about? | When is it?

Who's "Barb Shelton" anyway? | Who's this seminar for?

Agenda | Food | Price & Payment | Registering

How to get the most out of this seminar!

Location & Directions | Policy on Children

Be sure to read through this entire

web page before signing up! We want you to

know exactly what you're getting into

and how it all works!

Jean Hall is my (wonderful) coordinator of this

event. If you have any questions that aren't answered

here on this web page, contact her or myself,

depending on who you think

has the answer!

(And if you're wrong, we'll just toss

you back 'n' forth between us!!!)

THIS SEMINAR WILL BE

VIDEO-TAPED and AUDIOTAPED

(AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE LATER)

...so we ask that if any audible distractions arise, you would come prepared ~ and be courteous enough ~ to remove them from the room immediately.

What's this about?

Barb Shelton's multi-faceted

homeschooling seminar:

DE-BURDENS HOMESCHOOLERS! - Does homeschooling feel heavy, frustrating, overwhelming? Not what you thought and hoped it would be? You are most likely carrying a burden the Lord never intended you to carry, or carrying it in such a way that is burdensome.

Come and learn about Barb's "lite" approach to homeschooling. If, in Matthew 28:11 Jesus says "My yoke is easy, my burden light," why is the "burden" of most homeschoolers so heavy?!? With vulnerability, humor, and God's Word, Barb helps us find out why ~ enabling us to remedy the situation!

EQUIPS YOU WITH MANY PRACTICAL TOOLS TO FREE YOU UP!!! - Barb goes far beyond the "why's" and also gives many many helpful, practical, rubber-meets-the-road tools that you can begin using now, but mostly your thinking and the way you approach homeschooling will be transformed. This, in turn, will begin freeing you up in ways you never thought possible ~ or never even wanted to be free in, but will now see quite differently!

HELPS YOU RE-FOCUS - on God's heart and purposes for homeschooling! You will come away refreshed, your vision renewed ~ if not outright transformed. What ever we think, THAT is what we go after! If our thinking is not aligned with God's thoughts ~ which are "higher than ours; His ways higher than ours" ~ we will follow after something He never created us to follow! Want to avoid burn-out? This is where to start!

When is it?

Date: Saturday; August 20

Time: 8:30am to 5:30pm

See Agenda for who

should come at what times.

"Who's Barb Shelton

anyway?"

(To find out more about Barb than anyone would ever

need or want to know, click on this photo.)

Barb is the author of eight books for homeschoolers including "Senior High: A Home-Designed Form+U+la" and the Homeschool Guide-a-log. (Click here to see the rest of the books she has written, as well as the CD's of the forms she has created, and her audio-taped seminars. They may all be ordered from this page as well.)

Barb's heart is to inspire parents to pursue God's unique plan for the education of their children, to listen to God's voice amid the many loud voices of the world. And she offers much practical help in doing so. You will laugh, cry, be challenged, irritated, convicted, moved to think and re-think your views about education, and best of all, get set free ~ or freer ~ in the Lord to homeschool as HE would have you do it! (He's been waiting; are YOU ready?!?!)

Barb and her husband Dave ("the wind beneath her wings") operate a small, home-based ministry to homeschoolers from their Longview, Washington home primarily through the books that Barb has written and the Forms CD's and audio-taped seminars she has produced. [Click here to see these.]

And Barb, with her sister-friend, Berdie Brennan (pictured at right in Barb's kitchen), hosts a Homeschool Moms Oasis every other month in her home! For an introduction to this ministry, click on this photo ! (Anyone within driving distance is welcome to attend!!! These Oases are FREE!!!)

Who's this seminar for?

WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Barb's whole ministry ~ and this seminar ~ is designed for homeschooling moms, the ones who are usually primarily involved in planning and implementing the nuts and bolts of their homeschool. However, Dads are welcome to attend! In fact, doing so is highly recommended as this will help bring the couple ~ and family ~ into unity on their educational approach. Barb's focus is on topics of vital interest to burning-out homeschoolers as well as brand new and wanna-be homeschoolers.

UNIQUE FLOW TO THE DAY: To accommodate the wide range of interests and needs of homeschooling parents with children of all ages, from tiny tots through high schoolers, the day will have a unique flow to it.

The first session will be for parents of children age 12 and under. If you only have children 13 and up, you will not need this session... unless you want to take it in so you'll have something to share with your younger homeschooling friends!

The next three sessions are geared for ALL homeschooling parents, and then we flow into the sessions just for high schoolers. This way, if you have only younger children, you can come for the first part of the day ~ hopefully staying all the way until 2:00pm. If you have only high schoolers, you can come at 10:30am and stay till the end. Of course, if you have children in both age groups, you would come for the entire day!

See directly below Agenda for specific recommended

times to come if you do not have children in both age groups,

but only in one or the other.

Agenda

Color-coding Key:

For Parents of just younger children (12 & under)

For ALL Parents ~ of both younger and older children

For Parents with just high schoolers (age 13 & up)

(Note! I have made a few changes to the schedule. Not huge,

but you might want to know about them. If you need to refer to the original

one, just look right below this

8:30am – Doors open; Muffins & Fruit; get your handouts and find a seat. (Get comfy! It's going to be a LONG day!)

These first two workshops are the hands-on "how-to's," for younger-child homeschooling,

but please stay for the heart behind it, in "The Heart of True Education" and “Preparing Heart, Soul,

'n' Guts NOW to Homeschool to the END!!!”as these two workshops are absolutely foundational!

We will take a short break part-way through the 9:00 workshops.

9:00 – “Smorgasbord of Real-Life Learning & Booklet-making Activities, Tools & Tips" *

Many ideas, how-to’s, and masters

“Creative, Flexible Organizing & Record-Keeping for Younger Children” *

How to organize homeschool, chores, and life

10:50 – 10-minute Break

Parents with high schoolers arrive; get muffins & fruit, and handouts

11:00 – “The Heart of True Education” *

11:50 – “Preparing Heart, Soul, 'n' Guts NOW to Homeschool to the END!!!” *

12:30 – Lunch Break (one hour) Barb will eat quickly and then return for optional workshop:

1:00 – “Heart-Helps & How-to’s for a Healthy & Fit Mom” * (We are starting this session 15 minutes later than planned ~ 1/2 hour after lunch time starts ~ to give those wanting to eat lunch in the lunch room (where we'll eat, too) time to do so, and to give me time to rest for more than just a few minutes. Plus, it isn't going to take that long for me to share on this.)

1:30 – Finish “Preparing Heart 'n' Soul 'n' Guts NOW to Homeschool to the END!!!” + “Q & A”

2:00 – “High School: Organizing, Frameworks, Record-Keeping, & Creating Classes"

(3:15 – 15-minute Break)

4:30 – “Q & A Time”

5:00 – Prayer / Close (We need to be completely cleaned up and out of the building by 6pm.)

* Workshop write-ups are HERE.

This (below) was the original agenda, in case you need to refer to it: (It's not a lot different; we still start at the same time (8:30, doors open, and 9am is the first workshop), still have lunch at the same time, and still end at the same time; but "high school" only's come 20 minutes later, as I realized the younger child portion needed more time than I had allowed.

8:30am – Doors open; Muffins & Fruit; get your handouts

9:00 – “Smorgasbord of Real-Life Learning & Booklet-making Activities, Tools & Tips"

Many ideas, how-to’s, and masters

9:45 – [ 1-minute stretch break as Barb switches gears ]

“Creative, Flexible Organizing & Record-Keeping for Younger Children” *

How to organizing homeschool, chores, and life

10:30 – 15-minute Break

Parents with high schoolers arrive; get muffins & fruit, and handouts

10:45 – “The Heart of True Education” *

11:45 – 5-minute break

11:50 – “Preparing Heart 'n' Soul 'n' Guts NOW to Homeschool to the END!!!” *

12:30 – Lunch Break (one hour) Barb will eat quickly and then return for optional workshop:

12:45 – “Heart-Helps & How-to’s for a Healthy & Fit Mom” * (For all who’d like to live to not only see your grandchildren, but to be able to play and help with them, and to walk up the aisle – unassisted – at their wedding!)

1:30 – Finish “Preparing Heart 'n' Soul 'n' Guts NOW to Homeschool to the END!!!” + “Q & A”

2:00 – “High School Organizing, Record-Keeping & Frameworks” *

3:15 – 15-minute Break

3:30 – “Creating High School Classes” *

4:30 – 5-minute Break

4:35 – “Q & A Time”

5:00 – Prayer / Close (We need to be completely cleaned up and out of the building by 6pm.)

Food Notes

Breakfast & Snacks:

Muffins and Fruit will be available at both of the

morning arrival times of 8:30 and 10:30.

Coffee and tea (plus any leftovers from the morning) will

be available all day.

Lunch:

You have two options:

1) Bag + Barb

Bring your own lunch,

and we'll eat together, whilst I share*!

...OR...

2) Out for Lunch

Go out to a local eatery.

(NOTE: It's not an option to come late

to the sharing time with Barb.)

* During lunch, I'll be sharing ~ with ladies only ~ my

story and how-to's on losing weight (30 pounds thus far!) and getting

in shape ~ basically just getting this oooh-so-difficult

area of life under the lordship

of Jesus!

I invite any of you gals to attend who would like to, but

I am requiring that you come for "all or nothing." If you go

out to get food, you will not be back in time for the beginning

of ~ the foundational intro to ~ my what I'll be sharing, and this is

simply non-optional. After I start at 12:45, no one will be

allowed back in the room until I'm done at 1:25.

For a sneak-peek at this message, go here:

Barb's Health Plan

My Humble Thoughts on Losing Weight & Exercise

(This is not a sales gimmick!!!!!!!!!!!

There's nothing to buy, other than 2 books I recommend,

IF you want to buy them!)

Registering

First, go to this page

(you'll be prompted to click the "Open" or "Save" button; either will work)

and follow the directions there.

Then proceed to the box

below to pay...

Space is limited to just 240,

so if you really want to go to this,

sign up soon!!!

Price & Payment

$25/Mom

Husbands and Teens

(age 14 and up)

come for FREE!!!

(But they will all share

one set of handouts.)

First you

need to register,

(See box directly above.)

Then you have three

options for paying!

Again, no matter which way you pay,

we need you to fill out a registration

form and send it to us! So be

sure to read the next

section down!

...or...

2) Pay by Credit Card or...

This option is done at

Barb's online shopping cart.

To go there, click here:

...or...

3) Pay by Check or

Money Order

Just go straight to the

Registration Form, fill that out, and

then mail it to us with your check

or money order. (Address to mail it

to is on the Registration Form.)

When is it?

Date: Saturday; August 20

Time: 8:30am ~ 5:30pm

See Agenda for who

should come at what times.

How to get the most

out of this seminar!

Note from Barb:

If you have never heard my message before, you will still get plenty out of the seminar. Anyone is welcome to attend! However, if after spending some time at this website ("Homeschool Oasis") and the Article Chart, you are sensing that this message is for you, and that God has brought you to this place, you will get the absolute MOST out of our time together if you have read whatever books I have written that are for the level you are at, child-wise. (Click here to see them all.)

http://eclectichomeschool.org/reviews/individual_review2.asp?revid=441

If you have older children, 11 or 12 and up, you will want to get Senior High: A Home-Designed Form+U+la and have read as much of that as possible BEFORE the seminar.

Those with children 12 and under will want to get the Jumpstart Navigator and be as familiar as possible with it.

The Homeschool Guide-a-log is for all, no matter what the ages of your children. (If you read everything in my Article Chart, you will get almost everything in the Guide-a-log.) So this book is for everyone.

It is very likely that this is the only time our paths will cross this side of Heaven. I have had my years of speaking, and we are videotaping this one as it will be my last in-person seminar. Therefore it is going to be the most profitable and enjoyable use of your time if you have read as much as possible before the seminar so that you will come ready to get as much out of me being there in person as possible. If we are only "breaking ground" ~ just becoming familiar with my message ~ you will not get nearly as much out of this seminar as you can.

Many will hear of this seminar later on, as we get closer to the date of the event, and will thus not have as much time to read my books beforehand, but even a few days of reading will get your mind and heart better prepared to get the most out of this! And if you are really unable to prepare yourself in this way, just come with shock absorbers and be sure to have spent as much time with the Lord so that you are ready for a greater spiritual and mental jolt than you might have had otherwise!

Go to this page, Books (Resources) by Barb Shelton, for a list of everything I have written, and pray about where the Lord would have you start. Note: You do NOT need to have read everything I have written to be ready for this! Just the ones mentioned above will be plenty! I will have all my books and CD's for sale at the seminar.

Here's a note I just received a couple days ago:

Hello Barb,

I'm a Homeschool Oasis customer and a homeschooling mom. In the middle of planning courses for my high schoolers today, I was feeling very overwhelmed until I pulled out my copy of Senior High Form+U+la. After reading a bit of its contents, it all felt so "do-able" again. (She has already read through the whole book at least once!) I finished my planning in no time! I just wanted to send you a quick "thanks." Reading your book really saved the day (and my sanity) for me.

Enjoy your day,
Jane D.

And last but not least, to get the most out of the day ON the day...

Bring your slippers, a pillow, and a travel mug of your favorite beverage! I am serious! I want you to be COMFY! ~ and to be able to relax and enjoy yourself, yet not fall asleep! This is going to be a BIG DAY of LEARNING! But FUN!!!!! ~ at least MY idea of FUN!

Location & Directions

Western Seminary
5511 SE Hawthorne St.

Portland OR 97215

You can get directions from

your home to Western Seminar at

MapQuest using the above address.

Policy on Children

at (or not at) the Seminar

The material of this seminar is designed for and directed

to parents. (Especially moms, but husbands are welcome, too!)

However, older children who are able to sit for a long period of time ~ and

stay focused and not be distracting ~ are welcome to attend with their parents.

This would be primarily high schoolers, but as young as 14 may

attend if the parent deems them capable of doing this.

(If they do become distracted or distracting, they

will need to find another room or place to

spend the day.)

That said, we realize that the topic of bringing

younger children to seminars is a sensitive subject for some,

especially since homeschooling IS all about children!

So we ask that you carefully

and prayerfully read what I have written below to see how

we have decided to handle this matter

for this seminar.

NOTE: It is very important

that you read this before coming

to the seminar!

Many of us have been to meetings where children ~ darling and innocent, but distracting ~ have kept those present from fully being able to enjoy and get the most out of the meeting. We who are planning this event for you have NO desire to be offensive or hurtful to anyone, but in order to provide a seminar that is refreshing to the group as a whole, and one that makes teaching the seminar as easy as possible for Barb, we need to let our attendees know that, except for nursing babies ~ four months and under (that are still young enough to be quiet and not active), you will need to work out other arrangements for your children while you attend this seminar.

And if a baby is being at all distracting to others, we expect the parent to be considerate enough to promptly remove the baby from the room.

This is not just my own view; many moms have shared the same sentiments with me. In fact, here is what one mom shared with me:

"I love my children dearly, but know that there are times and places for them to be and not to be. It is very upsetting to me when I've given up a day with my children to be ministered to myself and have the distraction of other people's children. It was especially hard when my kids were younger. I even feel this way when my husband and I go out to dinner alone. When I need a meal without the distractions of my own children, it's frustrating to be distracted by other people's children."

By "distracting" ~ for the purpose of my seminars ~ we mean "able to be heard or seen" which would include not only crying, but also fussing, whispering, playing, walking or crawling around, etc. If it becomes evident that we have different views of what exactly is "distracting," someone will ~ as kindly, and as discreetly as possible ~ ask you to remove your baby from the room… not because we don't love you or your little one, or because we enjoy embarrassing people, or because we want you to miss out on the seminar, but because we have a responsibility to those who have given up an day of their lives to join us, as well as to the one who is serving the group by presenting this seminar to us.

If you have never taught a seminar, you can't imagine how much concentration goes into keeping one's thoughts in order as one is speaking. People tend to have a "TV mentality" and think that, like the TV, the speaker isn't aware of distractions just because he/she isn't letting it show. But indeed it is very difficult to concentrate on the content of a seminar when "anything" is going on in the room, and people are looking to see what's going on.

None of those putting on this seminar together relish this responsibility, so we hope you will be sensitive to this and act accordingly so that all may get the most out of this intense day, and none of those hosting the event will have to deal with worrying about the possibility of offending a precious sister in the Lord.