What is Home with a Heart, The Art of Homemaking?
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Home with a Heart, The Art of Homemaking is a unique program designed to equip single mothers to effectively manage their homes. The contents are real, derived from Elaine's experience as a single mother, based on her training as a teacher, and success in mentoring women.
Home with a Heart imparts specific life-skills to women, step-by-step, by teaching them to organize every area of responsibility, such as routines, closets, cleaning, laundry, paperwork, meals, personal care, parenting, hobbies, employment and more. |
How did Homemaking Schools begin?
Originally taught from a pregnancy center unpublished, and then from Elaine's home as a government project in 1998, Elaine later taught the program at The Salvation Army in St. Catharines, ON. Major Gordon Armstrong encouraged her to expand the program by training other leaders, and, therefore, creating Homemaking Schools.
Who can operate a Homemaking School?
Christian organizations or women that agree to the Team Member Agreement at the end of the page can run a Homemaking School. The Team Member Agreement is a membership agreement between the Team Member and Home with a Heart for the sole purpose of upholding the integrity of Home with a Heart.
Who can participate in a Homemaking School?
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Single mothers of all ages or other women who desire to be equipped to manage their homes more effectively may participate in the program. We have had teen moms in the program as young as 13, single or married moms 20 to 40 years of age, as well as grandmothers nearing their retirement years, join a school. Some of these women are taking care of their grandchildren.
We even had a couple of women who were in their eighties who wanted to learn skills they missed earlier in life. Fathers are welcome - if they like pink! However, a group class of fathers works best. |
Why do women need a course like Home with a Heart?
Some women have never learned the skills taught; others want to become better organized with the easy routines that are the basis of the program. Often women are simply stuck. Therefore, the step-by-step goals help them move forward. Home with a Heart is unique in that it encompasses all areas of a woman's responsibilities.
Whatever, the age of participant, the dropout rate is very low, as women have fun and friendship while gaining control of their homes. It is very rewarding for both the teacher and the participants.
Whatever, the age of participant, the dropout rate is very low, as women have fun and friendship while gaining control of their homes. It is very rewarding for both the teacher and the participants.
How does instruction for participants take place?
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Women receive very practical instruction in a warm classroom or home setting for 2½ to 3 hours each week for 12 weeks. The teacher can instruct the class or facilitate the teaching through the online video course for the first 7 lessons.
For the remainder of the week, students carry out in-home application of each lesson. The teacher or volunteers provide mentoring throughout the 12 weeks by phone or in-home visit, depending on the organizational structure and needs of the participants. |
Are there other instructional options?
Another Homemaking School option to the 12-Week School is a One-Week School, whereby the participants attend classes for five full days with mentoring support as needed afterwards.
What materials do the students and teachers use?
Each participant enjoys learning from her own Home with a Heart Set. The teacher uses the same set of handbooks. Each lesson is laid out for the teacher in an easy-to-follow lesson plan in the Teacher Training Manual and Teacher Training Videos in the Team Members Only section. The new Let's Get Organized Online Course can be used to teach the first 7 lessons. Elaine teaches each of the lessons. Therefore, the teacher does not need to bring to class as many visual aides, as shown in the videos. The teacher would then teach Time for Mom, Hobbies, Parenting and Home Business.
Why does each mother need her own set of handbooks?
Home with a Heart, The Art of Homemaking was written for the mother specifically, not the teacher. Each chapter starts with a heart-to-heart story that engages the mother in the benefits of the topic. The handbooks are full of artwork and charts to enhance the teaching.
The handbooks not only walk the mom through the 12-weeks of learning the new routines, but also becomes a valuable on-going resource in her home.
The handbooks have many helpful hints and valuable tips that are not all needed at one time. Moms go back to the cooking and financial handbooks on a regular basis and the rest of the handbooks again and again over the years as applicable or as a refresher.
The handbooks not only walk the mom through the 12-weeks of learning the new routines, but also becomes a valuable on-going resource in her home.
The handbooks have many helpful hints and valuable tips that are not all needed at one time. Moms go back to the cooking and financial handbooks on a regular basis and the rest of the handbooks again and again over the years as applicable or as a refresher.
What happens when the participant graduates?
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Upon completion of the program, the teacher encourages the participant to network within her community for ongoing resources specifically designed to meet the participant's next step.
Those resources may well be within your own organization or in the community for friendship, educational or employment opportunities. Participants are always welcome to contact the school for further encouragement. |
Is High School accreditation available?
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Involvement in the Home with a Heart program may give a student up to two credits towards high school graduation. High School principals and Adult Learning Centers are recognizing the merit and outcomes of the program.
The teacher and the principal's discretion determine decisions on certification. Information is provided with the Teacher Training. |
Can I add additional classes to my Homemaking School?
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Yes. Sometimes teachers or volunteers desire to enhance the program.
The Salvation Army in Simcoe, Ontario added a cookie bake. The students learned how to bake, as well as show acts of kindness. They gave many of the cookies to other families in need, while also taking some home to provide snacks for their families. |
Who is currently involved?
The following types of organizations have offered Homemaking Schools.
- The Salvation Army
- Churches
- Pregnancy Care Centers & Homes
- Second Stage Housing & Assisted Living Apartment Complexes
- Homes for Addiction Recovery
- Correctional Institutions
- Inner City Ministries
- Youth for Christ Centers
- Community Living
How are Homemaking Schools funded?
Each organization is responsible to market and fund their Homemaking School. The Teacher Training Set provides funding proposals and guidelines. As well. the proposals are under the Team Members Only section. Organizations have received grants from $1500 to $70,000 to operate Home with a Heart schools.
To date, programs have been funded by:
To date, programs have been funded by:
- The Salvation Army
- Churches
- Government
- Community grants
- Foundations
- Rotary clubs
- Local businesses
- Food banks
- Correctional Institutions
- Individuals in the community
- Family members
- Fundraisers such as dinners and garage sales
- Participants
Is it easy to operate a Homemaking School?
Yes. Considerable preparation has gone into the planning of training resources to make the program easy to implement. Training is also available, however, it is optional and at your request.
What are Team Member benefits?
In the Teacher Training Set and on this site, there are listed many benefits of Home with a Heart to the teacher, moms, children and your community. Here are a few other benefits to becoming a Home with a Heart Team Member. You will:
- Have the opportunity to equip single mothers with effective & lasting solutions.
- Be involved in an ever-growing program with a proven track record.
- Find easy access to other Home with a Heart resources to help single mothers
- Be supported with start-up and ongoing help when needed by email or phone.
What is the first step to becoming a Team Member?
The first step to becoming a Team Member is to read and agree to the Team Member Agreement below. Upon agreement, you purchase the Teacher Training Set ($299 CDN) OR Oganization Training Set ($1299 CDN), which includes the Teacher Training Set and 10 Home with a Heart Sets for students. See SHOP for details.) If purchasing the Teacher Training Set only, you then order the number of Home with a Heart Sets you need closer to the start date of your actual Homemaking School.
You will find your Team Member password in your Teacher Training Set to allow entry into the section on the website that says Team Members Only. There you will find training videos, as well as resources similar to what is in the Teacher Training Set. This is helpful in case you lose your CD of resources.
In addition, you may want to purchase the Let's Get Organized Online Course to use as a teaching tool for the first 7 classes, which is called The Basics of Homemaking.
Upon becoming a Team Member, your name will be entered into the School Locations. and Team Members Only area on the website under Home with a Heart, The Art of Homemaking.
You will find your Team Member password in your Teacher Training Set to allow entry into the section on the website that says Team Members Only. There you will find training videos, as well as resources similar to what is in the Teacher Training Set. This is helpful in case you lose your CD of resources.
In addition, you may want to purchase the Let's Get Organized Online Course to use as a teaching tool for the first 7 classes, which is called The Basics of Homemaking.
Upon becoming a Team Member, your name will be entered into the School Locations. and Team Members Only area on the website under Home with a Heart, The Art of Homemaking.
TEAM MEMBER AGREEMENT
By becoming a Home with a Heart Team Member, I, as a Team Member, agree to:
A. Name
B. Organization
C. Street Address (Not a Post Office Box)
D. City, Country, and Postal or Zip Code
E. Phone number
F. Contact Name
G. Email address for contact person
- Uphold the integrity of Home with a Heart.
- Assign a teacher who is a Christian and that has reviewed and read all the training materials.
- Purchase a Home with a Heart Set for each participant in my Homemaking School. If I choose to only run a condensed version using the Let's Get Organized Online Course, then I agree to purchase for each participant her own online course or pay Home with a Heart $45 per participant.
- Contact the Home with a Heart office if the participants cannot read English at a grade 4 or 5 level to discuss another arrangement of sale.
- Abide by all international copyright laws that prohibit duplication of all Home with a Heart books and materials by any media.
- Not create my own marketing materials for distribution, unless granted prior written consent by Home with a Heart office.
- Use the Home with a Heart brochure and promotional materials.
- Promptly notify the Home with a Heart office of any conflicting use or any act of infringement by a party towards the Home with a Heart schools, or any action involving branding of Home with a Heart.
- Follow the guidelines in the Teacher Training Manual, yet adjust if needed for my students.
- Set a goal to teach a minimum of 5 single mothers a year.
- Agree to keep a current Police Check on file. (This does not have to be sent to Home with a Heart.)
- Contact Home with a Heart office if I no longer desire to be a Team Member.
- Agree that I will not teach a similar program after ending my membership for a minimum of three years.
- Be equipped with Internet and email access and a phone with an answering machine.
- Allow Home with a Heart to adjust book prices from time to time, as needed.
- Not use any other system or material to accomplish the same goal as Home with a Heart.
- Keep all training information supplied by or on behalf of Home with a Heart confidential and use solely for the promoting the sale and use of the Home with a Heart program.
- Not to use the name Home with a Heart, for example, as my company name, name of any bank account, Facebook page name or included in any email address.
- Not consider this Agreement as being a partnership or joint venture.
- The understanding that no party has the ability to bind the other nor shall Home with a Heart be liable for any of the obligations of the Team Member. The Team Member shall not be liable for any of the obligations of Home with a Heart, with respect to the existing development of the product.
- Agrees to indemnify Home with a Heart and all its directors, officers and related parties from any and all costs, damages and other expenses resulting from the activities and operations of the Team Members.
- Send the Team Member's contact information to Home with a Heart office by email or CONTACT Form, if the information is different than the information of the person using the credit card on the website when purchasing the Teacher Training Set or Organization Training Set.
A. Name
B. Organization
C. Street Address (Not a Post Office Box)
D. City, Country, and Postal or Zip Code
E. Phone number
F. Contact Name
G. Email address for contact person