Conference Speakers

Israel Wayne of Family Renewal Ministries is an author and conference speaker with a passion for defending the Christian faith and promoting a Biblical worldview. His books include Homeschooling from a Biblical Worldview, Full-Time Parenting: A Guide to Family-Based Discipleship, Questions God Asks, Questions Jesus Asks, Pitchin’ a Fit: Overcoming Angry and Stressed-Out Parenting, Education: Does God Have an Opinion? and Answers for Homeschooling: Top 25 Questions Critics Ask.

Israel and his wife Brook were joined in marriage without dating and share their testimony of God’s faithfulness on an audiobook titled, What God Has Joined Together. Both homeschool graduates themselves, Brook and Israel are home educating their ten children.

Israel desires to see God’s people learn to think and live Biblically. Aiming for both the head and the heart, Israel’s goal is to challenge audiences to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ.

Israel's workshops at the 2019 OCEANetwork conference
See session descriptions here.

• Education:  Does God Have an Opinion
• Pitchin’ a Fit:  Overcoming Angry and Stressed Out Parenting
• Common Mistakes Christian Parents Make
• Is Homeschooling Just for Women (dad’s session)
• The Power of Affirmation
• Being Salt and Light Families

 

Andrew Pudewa is the director of the Institute for Excellence in Writing and a father of seven. Traveling and speaking around the world, he addresses issues related to teaching, writing, thinking, spelling, and music with clarity, insight, practical experience, and humor. His seminars for parents, students, and teachers have helped transform many a reluctant writer and have equipped educators with powerful tools to dramatically improve students’ skills.

Although he is a graduate of the Talent Education Institute in Japan and holds a Certificate of Child Brain Development from the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, his best endorsement is from a young Alaskan boy who called him “the funny man with the wonderful words.” He and his wonderful, heroic wife, Robin, have homeschooled their seven children and are now proud grandparents of eleven, making their home in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Pre-Conference High School Essay Intensive! In addition to the sessionss Mr. Pudewa will be doing at the confernece June 28-29, he will be doing a workshop on Thursday June 27th for high school students as well! Click here to find out more and register.

Andrew’s workshops at the 2019 OCEANetwork conference
See session descriptions here.

 

• Freedomship Education:  Rebuilding Your Education Paradigm
• Teaching Boys and Other Children Who Would Rather Make Forts All Day
• Nurturing Competent Communicators:  The Power of Linguistic Patterns
• However Imperfectly: Lessons Learned from Three Decades of Teaching
• Reaching the Reluctant Writer
• The Four Language Arts

Lee Binz and her husband Matt operate The HomeScholar (www.HomeHighSchoolHelp.com). Their mission is “helping parents homeschool high school.” Lee and Matt homeschooled their two children independently for eight years, from elementary through high school graduation. Both boys earned full-tuition scholarships to their first-choice university. Lee is now a homeschool consultant working with parents across the country and overseas.

Lee has three core beliefs about homeschooling: homeschooling provides the best possible learning environment; every child deserves a college-prep education whether or not they choose to go to college; and parents are capable of providing a superior education to their children. Lee does not judge your homeschool or evaluate your children. Instead, she comes alongside to help and encourage parents homeschooling high school.

Lee’s workshops at the 2019 OCEANetwork conference
See session descriptions here.

• 12 Keys to High School Success
• Homeschool Records that Open Doors
• College Applications Simply Explained
• High School Testing Simply Explained
• Super Scholarships for Humble Homeschoolers
• High School Grades, Credits and Transcripts

 

Brook Wayne of Family Renewal Ministries is an author and conference speaker. She is, with her husband, Israel, a co-founder of Family Renewal. Brook is a homeschooled graduate and homeschooling mother of ten.

Brook is co-author of the book, Pitchin’ A Fit! Overcoming Angry & Stressed Out Parenting. She has contributed chapters to the books, Full-Time Parenting: A Guide to Family-Based Discipleship, and Answers for Homeschooling: Top 25 Questions Critics Ask.

At the age of 15, she began publishing a national magazine for young women entitled, Kindred Spirits, which she published until she married. Since that time she has written for numerous magazines and websites, including, Home School Digest, An Encouraging Word, iBelieve, and many others.

Brook’s workshop at the 2019 OCEANetwork conference
See session descriptions here.

• Choosing your Homeschool Style

Peggy Ployhar, SPED Homeschool Founder & CEO, is a leader in the special education homeschooling community and a frequent writer and speaker on special education homeschooling issues. Peggy’s journey into homeschooling started 17 years ago when her oldest child was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome.

Peggy is the former THSC (Texas Home School Coalition) Special Needs Team Lead, MACHE (Minnesota Association of Christian Home Educators) Special Needs Coordinator and MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) Area Coordinator for MN, ND and SD. She is certified by the American Association of Christian Counselors and trained as a Precept Bible Study leader.

You can tune in every Tuesday evening on the SPED Homeschool Facebook page to watch Peggy host SPED Homeschool Conversations, a weekly talk show about special education homeschooling or you can join her daily on her personal YouTube channel, Daily Revelations.

Peggy and her husband Doug live in League City, TX, where they still homeschool the youngest of their three children.

Peggy’s workshops at the 2019 OCEANetwork conference
See session descriptions here.

 

• The Essentials of Special Education Homeschooling
• Customizing Your Curriculum
• How to Write an IEP and Then Use it Effectively in Your Homeschool
• Biblical Encouragement for the Special Needs Parent
• Life Skills and Transition Planning for Homeschool Special Education
• Homeschooling Special Education High School

Zan Tyler was threatened with jail when she began homeschooling in 1984. For the next eight years she fought for homeschool freedom and good legislation in SC. In 1990 she founded the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools and served as its president for ten years. Her fight for homeschool freedom has led to her serve as the National Grassroots Director for ParentalRights.org, to advocate for homeschooling in the media (appearing on NBC’s Today Show) and at the nation’s capitol, and to write profusely about the benefits of homeschooling.

Zan is the author of 7 Tools for Cultivating Your Child’s Potential and speaks across the country and around the globe to encourage homeschooling families. She worked in Christian publishing and curriculum development for 16 years and now works for Homeworks by Precept/BJU Press Homeschool and Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) on special assignments.

Zan was awarded the Order of the Palmetto, the highest civilian honor given by the governor of South Carolina, and in 2015 she was presented with the Chris Klicka Award by HSLDAfor her dedication and commitment to home education worldwide. She considers the twenty-one-years she and her husband Joe spent homeschooling their own three children from kindergarten through high school to be the greatest privilege of her life. Zan enjoys traveling, reading, watching her adult children embark on the homeschooling journey, playing with her grandkids, and laughing hysterically with Joe wherever they go.

Zan’s workshops at the 2019 OCEANetwork conference
See session descriptions here.

• Ten Lessons I Learned on the Way to Jail
• Life in the Fiery Furnace: How to Avoid Homeschool Burnout
• Happy at Home: Four Elements of a Superb Preschool Experience
• Laughter Is the Best Medicine: Marriage Lessons from Real Life with Joe Tyler
• The Leadership Legacy
• Raising Children to Be Intentional Christians in a “Whatever” World (Worldview Training)

 

Joe Tyler spent thirty years in the corporate world as an information systems project manager. Most recently he served as the Operations Director for Apologia. He and his wife, Zan, have been married for 40 years and spent twenty-one years homeschooling their three children from kindergarten through high school. Ty is enjoying a sales career as a medical device salesman and John is a lawyer with the SC Housing Authority. Elizabeth is currently an executive producer with CBS LA. All three children attended college on a variety of scholarships. The Tylers have also been blessed with two wonderful daughters-in-law, a fabulous son-in-law, and 6 grandchildren.

Joe and Zan began homeschooling in 1984, when the State Superintendent of Education threatened Zan with jail. Since then Joe has been very involved in homeschooling, both through his own family and the homeschool community at large. In 1990, Joe was a founding board member of the South Carolina Association of Independent Home Schools (SCAIHS) and currently serves as the Chairman of the SCAIHS Board.  Joe also serves on the Board for Excelsior Academy—a large homeschooling co-op that the Tylers founded. Joe was a very involved homeschool dad during the course of the Tylers’ 21 years of homeschooling. He has served as an elder in his church since 1984 and has taught parenting and marriage Sunday School classes and Bible Studies. Joe enjoys speaking with Zan at homeschooling conferences both nationally and internationally.

Joe’s workshops at the 2019 OCEANetwork conference
See session descriptions here.

• Laughter Is the Best Medicine: Marriage Lessons from Real Life with Zan Tyler
• Raising G-Rated Sons in an R-Rated World
• Leaving a Legacy: The Vision of the Homeschool Dad and Husband

Ashley Wiggers grew up in the early days of the homeschooling movement. She was taught by her late mother, Debbie Strayer, who was an educator, speaker and the author of numerous homeschooling materials. It was through Debbie’s encouragement and love that Ashley learned the value of being homeschooled.

Currently, Ashley is the Editor-in-Chief of Homeschooling Today magazine, Public Relations Director for Geography Matters and the author of the Profiles from History series. Ashley makes her home in Somerset, KY, with her loving husband and their two boys.

Ashley’s workshop at the 2019 OCEANetwork conference
See session descriptions here.

 

 

• 10 Benefits of a Natural Approach to Teaching
• The Importance of Understanding Learning Styles

Tauna Meyer is a homeschool mom of 6, Digital Communications Manager for OCEANetwork, and owner at Proverbial Homemaker. She has a passion for encouraging moms to point themselves and their children to Christ. She also provides unique tools and strategies to help moms overcome the challenges of real-life homeschooling and parenting so they can thrive.

Tauna’s workshop at the 2018 OCEANetwork conference
See session descriptions here.

 

• Busy Bags and Blessed Moms (busy bag workshop)

Aaron and Tauna Meyer are members of the OCEANetwork leadership team and homeschool parents of 6 children. They have a passion for educating their kids for the glory of God and encouraging other families to do the same. They’re also computer nerds and Lego lovers with a Sci Fi streak.

Aaron works at Apple as a technician and serves on the preaching team in the Meyers’ home church. Tauna nurtures and educates little people at home. She is also the Digital Communications Manger for OCEANetwork and owner/writer at ProverbialHomemaker.com.

Aaron & Tauna’s workshop at the 2019 OCEANetwork conference
See session descriptions here.

 

• Technology in Your Homeschool: Safety, Balance, and Some Cool Ideas

Joel Thomas has been teaching science since 2000.  He taught for a period of time in a formal classroom setting, then moved outside to direct outdoor school programs on the Oregon coast.  After nearly 10 years he started Glen’s Gizmos alongside his wife Roxanna and they have been blessed to travel and teach together.

Recently they started the Glen’s Gizmos Homeschool Hub in Vancouver, Washington to serve homeschoolers in the Pacific Northwest through classes, curriculum and outdoor school programs.

Joel will be running six hands-on science sessions for elementary and middle school students (a parent must attend with their child)

See session descriptions here.

 

• Battery Cells
• Electromagnets (make & take)
• Electric Motors (make & take)
• Mineral Testing
• Frog Dissecting
• Bug Pinning

Joyce Padilla is a veteran homeschooling mom of seven sons.  As a family, she and her husband were blessed to have been able to serve the homeschool community in Oregon for over two decades.  Recently widowed, life is changing, but Joyce’s commitment to home education remains strong. Presently, Joyce is enjoying being grandma to her two very precious grandsons and mom to her wonderful daughters-in-law.

Joyce’s workshop at the 2019 OCEANetwork conference
See session descriptions here.

• Freedom from Fear