Debbie Strayer Bio & Workshops

Debbie Strayer - has been a part of the homeschooling movement since 1988 when she and husband Greg began their journey as homeschoolers. Prior to that time, Debbie received her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in education. Since joining this wonderful movement that combines the importance of spiritual and educational development, she has many years of experience as an educator, author, speaker, consultant and homeschool evaluator.

Her accomplishments include:

  •  Former editor and co-founder of Homeschooling Today™ Magazine
  •  Author, Gaining Confidence to Teach
  •  Editor, The Homeschool Answer Book by Dr. Ruth Beechick
  •  A co-author of the Learning Language Arts through Literature series
  •  Co-author, Trail Guide to Learning, a new series published by Geography Matters

Debbie is grateful for the friendship and mentoring of Dr. Ruth Beechick, as well as the opportunities she has had to collaborate on The Homeschool Minute, published by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.

Debbie feels that her most important accomplishments are that she has been the wife of Greg Strayer for over 33 years, the mother of homeschool graduates Nate and Ashley and a homeschooling parent for 16 years. She speaks and writes about homeschooling topics with humor, honesty and encouragement.

Want Debbie to speak to your group? Contact her for details about scheduling her for your conference, book fair, support group meeting, or retreat.


Debbie's Workshops Include:


Workshops with a focus on geography:

7 Secrets to Help Kids Think for Themselves
Do you have trouble keeping your students interested in learning? Perhaps it's time you begin to think outside the box. Leonardo da Vinci approached knowledge from a unique perspective. Discover techniques used by da Vinci that, when implemented, will improve critical thinking and creativity, inspiring your students to want to gain knowledge. Included also in this workshop are ideas from the teachings of Ruth Beechick to develop thinking skills which help create a delight for learning and improves your children's ability to excel in any area they choose to pursue.

Making Geography Memorable
Teaching geography can be overwhelming for teachers and sometimes boring for students. In this workshop, Debbie and Ashley will offer helpful tips on making geography a memorable, and even fun experience. They will share how to incorporate geography into everyday life and your other schooling subjects. With hands on activities and practical ideas, your children will start enjoying geography, and learning about the world, we live in!

Bring Literature to Life through Geography
Make the most of your child's experiences with literature by connecting it to time, place, people and setting - all elements of geography. Develop important critical thinking skills often overlooked, and add to the enjoyment of great literature!.

Geography - The Big Umbrella of Learning
What ties science, history, literature, the Bible and current events together? They all have their foundation in geography! Understanding where something takes place leads to understanding how and why it takes place! Come to this workshop to hear practical ways to help your children make connections that will last!


General workshops

The Ruth Beechick-Charlotte Mason Connection - How to Teach Naturally
Connected because of their mutual respect for children and love of learning, come find out ways to apply the Charlotte Mason approach through the modern work of Dr. Beechick, a founding voice of homeschooling in America. Learn how to teach naturally, effectively and enjoyably!

Carried by Your Calling
How can you homeschool with confidence, even during trying times? Understand that the outcome is not dependent on you, but on the God who calls you! Come to this workshop to learn more about callings, their challenges and how to grow stronger in your callings. Place your feet on this solid rock and find new strength for homeschooling!

Teaching Young Patriots to Think
At no time in our history as a nation has this skill been more important! Though teaching our children to think can be natural, it also has to be intentional on our part. What can you do as a parent to raise children who can identify truth, expose deception and think for themselves? Indoctrination is not the key, so come to hear how to raise thinking children who have the skills and character to become powerful citizens and leaders. It's time to bring our Founders' patriotism back into style!

Roots Have Fruits - Where is Your Curriculum Taking You?
Trees can only bear the fruits of their roots, so teaching approaches have roots from their history and philosophy and certain fruits will appear. Come to learn about approaches to teaching, their natural outcomes and how to cultivate good soil for learning. Be prepared to remove any unwanted fruit that may be heading your way! Presented with humor and reality, this workshop is great for beginners as well as veterans who want to check their roots!

Gaining Confidence to Teach
Whether you are a newcomer to homeschooling, or a veteran of many years, this talk will encourage and refresh you. Debbie Strayer speaks with humor and honesty about the homeschooling life and the confidence available to all who feel called to home school.

Overcoming Burnout and Walking in Your Calling
Homeschoolers today face many demands and it is easy to feel that your best just isn’t good enough sometimes. Feeling burned out can happen to the most diligent and dedicated among us. Come to this seminar to find solid scriptural solutions for times of discouragement and practical steps for experiencing hope and peace in your homeschooling life.

Understanding Teaching and Learning Styles
Our goal as homeschoolers is to teach as effectively as possible, so it can be stressful when the lessons we teach aren’t understood, or our children seem frustrated. Come to this workshop to learn how to overcome obstacles that may limit your ability to teach, and your children’s ability to understand. Shared with humor and honesty, Debbie will provide tips that can help your children achieve their greatest learning success.

Reviving Your Teaching and Your Students
Homeschooling can seem like an overwhelming and exhausting task, with one of the first casualties being creativity and the joy of learning. Come hear practical ways to encourage your children and enhance their learning at the same time. These ideas are useful with any curriculum or approach, so come hear how to bring greater enjoyment and success to your homeschooling.

The Natural Approach to Teaching Thinking
Thinking skills are buzzwords in education today – everyone wants to include them in their curriculum plans! In this seminar, Debbie will explain what thinking skills are and how to incorporate strategies into daily life that will bring great results in your child’s ability to think. Include these ideas to add critical thinking to any curriculum! For Christian homeschoolers, this is a great way to prepare your children to give an account for the hope that is in them.

Language Arts that Really Communicate
Children are born with a God-given desire to communicate! In this seminar, Debbie will talk about the key areas of communication and how to develop your child’s skills in each area. As Christian homeschooling parents, we have been freed from “worldly philosophies” and are able to do what is efficient and effective. Come and learn about ways to decrease stress and increase productivity in your language arts instruction!

The Unified Approach to Tying Teaching Together
Want to teach your child how to think and learn? The unified approach is your ticket! Show your child the connections between all areas of learning paving the way for lifelong learning. You can use science, history and worldview as your base while teaching the "tool skills" of reading and writing! Come to hear how you can increase efficiency, enjoyment and interest in your homeschooling life.

Keys to a Strong Homeschool Curriculum
Just starting to homeschool, or feel like you need to make some changes? Come to hear what makes a curriculum strong educationally, effective and motivating! Learn how to maximize the opportunity you have to make a plan that is perfect for your family!


Leadership Seminars

Giving and Receiving Grace for Leadership
While the worldly model of leadership gives advice for success, servant leadership asks us to lay the groundwork for growth. As you lead and mentor leaders, grace is important in all you do. Come to hear ways to sow and reap a harvest of grace for your group, and more importantly, your family during your season of service!

Surviving the Blessings of Leadership
Answering the call to lead requires much and sometimes the cost is high! While leadership may seem glamorous to some, those in the trenches know the truth. If God has called your family to leadership, come to hear ways to reap the blessings of laying down your life for others and meeting the needs of those most dear to you!

Leading the Next Generation of Homeschoolers
As leaders everywhere know, this generation of homeschoolers seems different from those who have come before them. While they may be different, they are also no less called than those who have gone before them are. Come hear ways to see the needs of this group and meet them with God's grace.

Mentoring the Leaders in Your Home
When you serve as a leader, your plate is full. It would be easy to overlook or put off mentoring the most accessible pool of applicants for leadership - your own children! Listen as Debbie shares ways to draw your children into your ministry of leadership, instead of requiring them to wait on the sidelines. Show your children their importance as teammates and see the fruit for the entire family!

Encouragement to Run the Race
Leaders of homeschoolers toil to serve groups both large and small all around the world. This work is not in vain though some days that may be hard to remember. As you answer the call to lead, know that you have an adversary who will resist you - but greater is He who is in you, than He who is in the world! Come hear encouragement for staying the course and doing with strength all God has called you to do!

Principles of Unity for Homeschool Leaders
How can homeschool leaders and groups function in unity? By focusing on the principles of service, support and success! Walking in our freedom to homeschool is only the beginning - come hear how our unity strengthens the homeschoolers of today and paves the way for the homeschoolers of tomorrow!

Paths of Exploration by Debbie Strayer & Linda Fowler $150.00	Paths of Settlement by Debbie Strayer & Linda Fowler $160.00	Paths of Progress by Debbie Strayer & Linda Fowler $160.00	Gaining Confidence to Teach by Debbie Strayer $12.95
Debbie Strayer's Encouragement Toolkit by Debbie Strayer $14.95	Dr. Beechick’s Homeschool Answer Book by Dr. Ruth Beechick & Debbie Strayer $12.00	The Blue Book by Debbie Strayer & Susan Simpson $98.00	The Red Book by Debbie Strayer & Susan Simpson $88.00
The Yellow Book by Debbie Strayer & Susan Simpson $27.00	The Orange Book by Debbie Strayer & Susan Simpson $27.00	The Purple Book by Debbie Strayer & Susan Simpson $27.00