OCHEC Convention

Overcoming discouragement is something most, if not all of us, will have to battle at some point in our lives. As a seasoned homeschool mama of 7, who has walked through long bouts of depression, parenting disappointments, and homeschool burn out, this mama will share, honestly, how, in some seasons, one step in front of the other-all while clinging to Jesus- was the way forward. With moving true-life stories full of hope, scripture and practical steps- it is a reminder that no matter what our journeys may bring, God is always with us.

Rachael is a mother of 7 precious children and now a grandmother to 3. She has been married to Jeff for over 20 years. Greatly motivated by a love for teaching children about Jesus and the Word, she serves as a leader and teacher in her church children’s ministry team. Part-time, she is a Forest School teacher. Rachael has a passion for prayer that grew while walking through numerous challenging life circumstances over the past few years, including the diagnosis of various special needs in several of her children, marital challenges, a traumatic joint injury, and seasons of battling severe depression. She remains thankful for God’s continual faithfulness and care.

When your systems fail, your peace of mind is the first thing to go and everything can become overwhelming. Organized for Good is more than an organizational session; it’s a moment to reclaim peace in your day to day. This workshop provides a gentle, step-by-step roadmap to quiet the noise and build a year that feels spacious instead of suffocating. In this practical workshop you will take the time to map out the events throughout your year that you build your homeschool schedule around. You will walk away with tools to manage your calendar and move from striving to thriving.

Melanie is a devoted daughter of God and a homeschooler for life. As a wife to Dan and mama to five children, she has spent the last 23 years building a life centred on faith, family, and lifelong learning. Melanie is widely recognized within her community as a passionate advocate for rich curriculum and an unapologetic connoisseur of quality literature. When she isn’t deep in the Word or curriculum research, you can find her surrounded by her family, Starbucks and her ever-growing library.

This workshop is for working parents starting to homeschool and for homeschooling parents who are adding paid work to their lives, either in-home or outside the home. Rowan shares practical ideas to help working homeschool parents, especially moms, manage this juggle from years of experience as a working homeschool mom. She will also show you how to look at the big picture and to get on the same page with your spouse. While the focus is on moms, dads are welcome to attend to gain understanding as well.

Rowan is a second-generation homeschool mom of four children, now grown-up. She is the creator of the Headphone History Canadian history curriculum, as well as Canadian history and geography courses for high school, and the author of ‘Enough Already! Real Help for Homeschool Burnout, Freak Out and Zone Out’. Rowan hosts the Canada Homeschools podcast, and lives in beautiful Southern Georgian Bay with her husband Chris. Rowan likes to garden and spend time with her baby grandson.

Since the Renaissance and the rise of Humanism, STEM subjects have come to the forefront in our culture, while the Humanities (Literature, History, Philosophy and Art) have been relegated to a back seat. We will discuss why this has happened and explain why it is so important that these subjects be included in our children’s education for the sake of our society.

Rowan is a second-generation homeschool mom of four children, now grown-up. She is the creator of the Headphone History Canadian history curriculum, as well as Canadian history and geography courses for high school, and the author of ‘Enough Already! Real Help for Homeschool Burnout, Freak Out and Zone Out’. Rowan hosts the Canada Homeschools podcast, and lives in beautiful Southern Georgian Bay with her husband Chris. Rowan likes to garden and spend time with her baby grandson.

Shakespeare invented over 24,000 words- 2000 of which are still used today! His works are not only fun and valuable, but critical to include in your homeschooling journey. Sarah Jane will help you to prioritize and make it one of the best parts of your school week. She hopes to dissolve any hesitation that you might have about Shakespeare, give you reasons why it should be taught, and also give the practical tools for teaching it. Shakespeare nailed human behaviour, and without even trying, you will present direct character analysis of how to be a person of good, godly character, and how not to be!

Sarah Jane Hobbs has lived in Welland, with her wonderful husband William for the last 23 years. They raised five children, homeschooling all the way through, using the Charlotte Mason Method. As a homeschool mom, having disliked Shakespeare in high school, and teacher at their local co-op, she thought maybe she should give it another try. After that first year she never looked back! She has grown from confusion to clarity and helps her students gain enjoyment as they look at Shakespeare from a Christian worldview. She has edited and directed over 10 Shakespeare plays now and it never grows old.

Andy Luchies, father of 7 (so far), is an ex-military infantry combat veteran who fought in the Iraqi war in 2003. Upon leaving the army he married Jessa, the small town girl he’d known since 9 years old. He got a theology degree from Redeemer University and attended Hamilton Christian Fellowship for 13 years where he led various ministries, becoming an elder and associate pastor before stepping back from paid ministry in 2019.

Andy is a homeschooling Christian, freedom-loving, minimal government, Open-womb, carnivore bitcoiner. He loves making new friends and prefers to chat with people who disagree with him. Let’s find the truth together!

Cheryl Kowalski, missionary and mother of 5, served in Botswana for 8 years and in Uganda for 4 years. She also felt compelled to homeschool her children, and doing it in Africa proved to be an extremely rewarding experience. She offers insights and wisdom gained during that time that will encourage ANYONE to take their homeschool ANYWHERE in the world, even if it just means a move to another area of your province or city. She can help you navigate culture stress, culture shock, and loss, all while successfully homeschooling your tribe. Teens will also enjoy this talk as she shares a few stories about her children who experienced growing up in a culture very different from the one they were born into.

Build your children’s education on the Rock. But, if we boil down everything God says about education in Deut. 6:7, Eph. 6:4, Prov. 1:7, Col. 1:18, Luke 6:40, and James 1:22, what are the most basic principles of a good education for your children? What are the four pillars upon which to build something firm and strong for the Level 6 Hurricanes blowing across the Post-modern, Post-Christian world? Kevin Swanson will present on these pillars: Family Discipleship, Biblical Worldview, Good Christian Teachers and Books, and Worship and Life Application.

Feeling lost in homeschool jargon? Nancy breaks down the most common homeschooling approaches—from traditional textbook to Charlotte Mason to unit studies—making it easier to understand your options. Explore the pros and cons of each method to help you choose what works best for your family. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your approach, you’ll gain practical insights and a helpful resource guide to support your curriculum decisions.

More than ever, young people are grappling for purpose and direction in life. Drawing from Proverbs 3:5-6, Kevin Swanson explains how a young person can live a purposeful life, and find the path that God has laid out.