Workshops

Lenore Colacíon Hayes is available to speak to groups on topics related to homeschooling children with learning differences and other special needs; families of color; and basic homeschooling information. Below is a list of available workshops, however, Lenore is also agreeable to developing workshops/discussion groups for your specific need.

Lenore Colacion Hayes is the author of Homeschooling the Child with ADD (Or Other Special Needs): Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the Child with Learning Differences, published in 2002 by Prima/Random House. Her now 22-year-old Asperger's Syndrome son was completely homeschooled since it was apparent at a very early age that he and a traditional classroom setting would not be a good "fit." Lenore has worked as a counselor at a public elementary school and at the university level. She holds an M.S. in community/clinical psychology, and is a registered intern practicing psychotherapy in Long Beach.

Special Needs

But I'm Not A Special Ed Teacher! How "Ordinary" Parents Can Educate Their Own
Examine the challenges and joys of homeschooling children with a wide range of needs, from autistic spectrum disorders to learning disabilities to those who simply march to the beat of a different drummer. Workshop participants will discover the benefits of one-to-one learning, a flexible learning pace, and having the opportunity to nurture and develop a child's individual strengths at home. An examination of the reasons why parents are choosing homeschooling over traditional schooling will also be included. Many parents are simply grown tired of fighting with school officials for desparately needed services to help their children succeed academically. Anecdotal accounts of families who have left traditional schools in order to educate their differently abled children at home will be used to illustrate the positive changes in children's learning and behavior, as well as the development of stronger family bonds. Additional areas to be discussed include: getting starting in homeschooling; building confidence to teach ones' own child' development of learning plans; and helpful public and private resources.

Parenting Tempermentally-Difficult Children
Do you have a child who meltdowns at the slightest change? Does he refuse to wear clothes made of certain fabrics? Won't eat foods because they don't "feel" (what happened to taste?!) good? Or is overwhelmed by loud noises, sounds that you can't hear, or too many people? If you answered "yes," to any of these questions, your child might not be an ill-mannered brat; instead, he/she may have ben born with a difficult temperament. Gain a greater understanding of your child's personality, its causes, its limitations and strengths. This workshop will also address strategies for working with your difficult child.

Homeschooling with Severe Physical / Emotional Pain
An often voiced opinion about homeschooling is that parents who struggle with physical and/or emotional difficulties should not attempt to undertake such a major responsibility as educating their own. This workshop will seek to dispel this argument and offer insight as to how to create empathic and academically-sound children.

I Think My Homeschooled Child is "Different," But Do I Need a Diagnosis?
Are you a homeschooling parent who suspects that your child may have special needs, but you're reluctant to seek a professional diagnosis? This workshop will outline the pros and cons of psychological diagnoses when a child is not attending a traditional school setting.

Demystifying the Labyrinth of Childhood Psychological Disorders
Confused by the overwhelming number of diagnoses now being assigned to children – ADD, ADHD, Asperger's, bipolar? An overview of the various "popular" disorders will be defined and reframed to make sense to the average concerned parent.

Homeschoolers of Color

Homeschooling Families of Color - We Are Not Dropping-Out. This discussion focuses on issues pertinent to homeschooling families of color. Such concerns as dispelling the notion that public education is the only way in which a young person of color can succeed (i.e. homeschooling looks very much like "dropping out of school" to previous generations); diversity (or not) within homeschooling support groups (or why is my family the only ones who look different?!). Meet and connect with other homeschooling families of color during this session.

Multicultural Resources for the Homeschool
For families who wish to incorporate ethnically diverse (and accurate) materials into their homeschool. Many of the education-based materials that are currently available actually serve to sustain racism! This workshop will dispel myths, offer suggestions and a resource list.

Fee Schedule

Contact Lenore for more information as fees vary depending on geographic distance from Long Beach, California.