Arise Home Education Conference Speakers

Kev Wong

Kev is passionate about Jesus Christ and serving Him in the local church. He loves to spend time with his family exploring the area where they live, attempting various crafts, making music or playing a host of different games. Kev also enjoys following motor racing, ice hockey and football. 

Home Ed Experience 

Kev has been married to Lucy for 17 years. They have a 14 year old son and three daughters aged 12, 10 and 6, all of whom are home educated and have been based in Livingston for the past five years.

Professional Degrees & Experience

Kev has qualifications in finance and in mechanic engineering. He’s also completed a course at Merseyside Bible College and various other courses on Christian leadership. 

He currently works in finance at the Banner of Truth Trust and has been serving as an elder at Grace Baptist Church – Edinburgh for almost 5 years. He has also previously served five years as an elder at a church in Liverpool, the city where he grew up. 

Session: The Christ Empowered Family: 10 Biblical Tips

David Mitchell

David is a husband, father, missionary, pastor, and music teacher who is thankful for Jesus. He loves his family, the people of God and the mission of Jesus. He is particularly inspired by every person crazy enough to consider home education – especially his wife, Agnes, who he has been honoured to support as the primary home educator in their household. He enjoys mountain biking, reading, street hockey, and playing music. 

Ministry & Home Ed Experience 

David and Agnes met in Edinburgh, served a church in David’s Canadian hometown for fifteen years, then sensed a call from God to Scotland, coming here in 2015. From 2015-18 he studied full time and ministered in churches of various denominations throughout Scotland. Since 2018 he has pastored Connect Church, Kirkcaldy, an Apostolic Church affiliated with the Evangelical Alliance and Affinity networks. His role includes government engagement on faith related issues behalf of the Apostolic Church. He and Agnes have been involved in starting a home education coop in central Scotland and an annual camp week for Evangelical home education families.

Education

• Diploma, Faith Mission Bible College, Edinburgh
• BA in Biblical Studies, Trinity College, Indiana
• Bachelor of Theology and Masters of Theology (research), Edinburgh Theological Seminary

Session: Current Events in Home Education

Shannan Swindler

Shannan is a wife, mum, and saved-by-grace, child of The King. Her home base for the last 9 years has been Scotland, where she home-educates her 15-year-old. Her 18-year-old is at university after receiving an unconditional acceptance using the USA qualification model for Scottish university acceptance. She is a classical-style home educator living out her God-breathed dream of raising her family in Europe.

Home Ed Experience 

Shannan has been home-educating for 13 years, with nine of those in Scotland. She is passionate about many things, especially helping others learn on location using the world as their classroom. She encourages students & parents alike to pursue their God-breathed dream, no matter what it is! 

Professional Degrees & Experience

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon, USA. She teaches live, online, and self-paced high school home ed. courses at Arise Home Education. She also produces home education curriculum and family travel resources on her website Captivating Compass. She is active in her local homeschool co-op and speaks around the country about how to use the USA High School Diploma and Transcript model to meet admission requirements for university acceptance.

Shannan currently teaches the following high school classes for Arise Home Education:

• World Geography
• Contextual British History Year 1 and Year 2
• Navigating Life: Skills for Success
• The Complete Self-Paced Course: USA High School Diploma & Transcript Model or HE Success in The UK – a course for home-educating parents.

Session: High School Launch Pad: Exams, Transcripts, and Your Teen’s Future

Emma Cummings

Emma is mum to six children. She enjoys great books, hiking in the beautiful Scottish hills and woods, swimming in lochs, and a good cup of tea. As well as wonderful literature, Emma has a passion for science and maths, and looks in wonder at God’s creation.

Home Ed Experience 

Emma is currently educating four of her six children, along with her one toddler and a baby. Her eldest is overseas on mission, before university. They have always home educated. Through the high school years, she has taught maths, sciences, and English. Also, Emma is actively involved in leadership within the home ed. community and has taught at home ed. coops for a number of years. 

Professional Degrees & Experience

Emma has an honours degree in Mathematical Physics from the University of Edinburgh – Scotland

Emma teaches the following high school classes for Arise Home Education:

• British Literature & Composition Year 1 and Year 2
• iGCSE Maths Year 1 and Year 2
• Intro to Astronomy

Session: Philippians 4:13 – A Practical Approach

Lucy Wong

Lucy is a Home Ed mum to 4 kids aged 14-6 and has been home educating her kids all the way. She has been involved in kids work both in church and Home Ed co-op groups for many years. Married to Kev an elder at church she seeks to balance supporting Him in his role, serving her church family, educating the kids, and being actively involved in local home Ed groups.

Session: Home Educating With Little Ones