Hi, I'm Ellyn Davis. I have four children on earth and two in heaven and I homeschooled my three sons all the way through high school.
I've led a very eclectic life. Here's a brief retrospective to give you a taste of who I am. I was born and spent most of my life in the Southeastern United States and am a Southerner born and bred. I've also lived in Ankara, Turkey, Sedona, AZ, Kansas City, MO, and Redding, CA. My husband and I have taken in 9 teenage foster children; raised four wonderful children of our own, two with severe medical challenges; home schooled three of them all the way through high school; pastored several churches; and built several successful businesses.
I've visited five continents. The other two are on my "bucket list."
I've loved horses since I was a child and have been active in the 4-H Horse Program, the American Quarter Horse Association and the National Snaffle Bit Association where I was instrumental in instituting rule changes that have made the horse show industry a much more humane environment for horses. At one time I owned a world-class Quarter Horse breeding facility that produced multiple show champions.
I've always been an entrepreneur. I haven’t had a “real” 9 to 5 job since I was a research assistant at Emory University during graduate school. Whenever we’ve needed money, I’ve started a business. Some of my businesses have been wildly successful and others have not done quite as well. I have a passion for teaching people how to build their own businesses and I would like to see every child have an entrepreneurial education as well as be taught academics and life skills.
Although my B.S. and graduate studies are in scientific fields, after a brief career in research at Emory University in Atlanta, I took time off to raise a family and develop several businesses. In 1986, I founded THE ELIJAH COMPANY which eventually became one of the world’s largest suppliers of Christian home education materials. During the nearly 20 years the Elijah Company was in existence, I wrote three bestselling books for Christian homeschoolers and was a contributor to leading home schooling magazines as well as a speaker at home education conferences throughout the nation.
I also am a publisher and editor and have helped over a dozen different authors write and self-publish their books in both paperback and Kindle format. DOUBLE PORTION PUBLISHING is my publishing company, and if you're an aspiring author, you can check out what we offer at www.DoublePortionPublishing.com.
Over the past ten years I've had a desire to bridge the gap between Christianity and the discoveries of quantum physics as well as discover God-truths hidden in quantum mysticism and the New Age, so I recently co-authored the book THE PHYSICS OF HEAVEN.
Right now I'm in the process of putting together a series of Unconventional Homeschooling Guides that cover topics that, over the years, homeschoolers have asked me more about.
My vision of education is derived from Michelangelo’s perceptions about his sculptures, and I have spent the better part of my life working out this vision with my own children and encouraging others to do the same with theirs.
Most people are familiar with Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the David. An admirer once asked Michelangelo how he had managed to work with the rock to produce such an exquisite human form. Michelangelo replied, “In every block of marble I see a statue as though it stood before me, shaped and perfected in attitude and action…. I chipped away all that was not David.”
Another time, when asked about his magnificent angel statue, Michelangelo responded, “I saw the angel in the marble and I carved until I set him free.”
Not only was the artist able to see in average slabs of marble what none of the other great artists and sculptors of his day could see, but, since his statues were meant to tower over anyone standing near them, he changed the proportions of the figures so that when viewed from below everything seemed proportional. Michelangelo not only released what he saw in the marble, but he released it in such a way that everyone else could clearly see what he had seen in it.
So, what does this have to do with education? Everything.
Each person is, in a way, like Michelangelo’s sculptures. They are masterpieces hidden within “blocks of marble” that we get to help “free” so that they can fulfill their destinies. Freeing them from the marble should be the goal of every pastor, coach, mentor, teacher, and parent.
My books about home education share this vision and also include practical advice for creating a home environment where your children can thrive as well as the best ways to teach the different subjects.
I SAW THE ANGEL IN THE MARBLE focuses on discovering who your children really are and how they learn best: creating the attitudes and environment in your home where learning and relationships can thrive; understanding the many options that are available to you when you are home schooling, and much more.
I CARVED THE ANGEL FROM THE MARBLE focuses on the nuts and bolts of schooling at home and the everyday aspects of teaching and learning together. It covers how to set the stage for learning to occur as well as the best ways to teach the major subjects at home – from language arts, to math, to history, to science. It also has a chapter on teaching high school at home.
In addition, there is a series of Unconventional Homeschooling Guides you can find on Kindle and on my website: www.HomeSchoolMarketplace.com.
More recently, I have collaborated with psychologist Dr. Russell Johnson on a curriculum proven successful for middle schoolers, high schoolers and young adults diagnosed with autism (ASD), Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Anxiety Disorders (AD). KELLY BECOMES A SUPERHERO is the first in a series of upcoming graphic novels that teach individuals with ASD, ADHD and AD how to successfully navigate social situations at home, at school and at work. The remaining teaching materials are available on Dr. Johnson's website at ICONzAssociates.com.
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