Cha-Yen with Jan

One of our desires at PACE is to connect TCK education consultants with one another. We asked several of PACE’s Master Consultants to answer a few questions related to consulting and the advice that they would give consultants who are new to their role.

Our next article in this series features Jan Bentley, the AERC Executive Director. She has been  a consultant and the Assistant Director for AERC since 2002, becoming director in 2011. Jan has 30 years of experience working with families in Southeast Asia, starting with teaching and administration at a small international school in Indonesia before moving to Thailand. Jan’s areas of expertise include literacy, biblical integration, learning styles, and basically helping families with education any way she can.

Here are her answers to our questions. Enjoy!

In what roles do you serve, related to education consulting or not?

I am currently the Executive Director of AERC (Asia Education Resource Consortium). I first joined AERC as a consultant for families in Asia, later moving into the role of Assistant Director to this current role.

What’s the number one thing that a new consultant can do to build trust with families?

Establish a good communication system. Let them know you are interested in them and the needs they have. Learn the names of their children. Ask questions about them and their current situation. Listen, which means truly hearing what they are saying and engaging with them, clarifying when you are still trying to understand. Let them know you care. Be prompt in your replies if using email or messaging.

What issue are you most often asked about by the families you serve?

Am I doing it “right”? Am I teaching my child/children enough? Are they up to the standard they should be for their age/grade level? Do I need to do more?

What does a typical day look like for you?

I don’t have a typical day.  Some days I am in the office working on research, emails to families,  emails to other consultants, or networking with other educators or agency representatives. Some days I may be testing one or more children, scoring and writing up reports from that test and scheduling a follow up consult with the parents. Some days parents have scheduled time to come to the library with their kids to browse, return books, and check out new ones – and, while they are at it, have a consult with me, to make sure they are on the right track or because questions have come up. During heavy conference times – when agencies have large conferences in town, I am often providing a workshop, testing for families, and consults with families who are attending the conference.

How often do you travel?

When I started with AERC I would travel 3-4 times a year, often to other countries because we didn’t have enough consultants to reach certain key areas. Now at least every 3 months because of my visa, but usually more than that. I travel to connect with consultants in various countries. Also there are times of travel for helping agencies with the educational aspect of their regional or international conferences.

What homeschool curriculum do you see working really well for your families?

Math-U-See

What is one of the biggest challenges that you see families on the field facing?

Juggling – time with priorities. Education, family, ministry, personal private time, and all the other demands that can come out of nowhere. In addition to that, juggling teaching multi-ages, especially if there is a baby or toddler in the house.

What word of advice would you offer to an education consultant who is just starting out?

Set your boundaries. Be careful not to take on too much too quickly. Allow yourself time to figure out how much you can take on with this kind of work. Observe what other consultants are doing, but don’t let that dictate how you work with families or groups. Allow yourself the time you need to adjust as well as know what you can do and how you can help. There is nothing wrong with trial and error – try something and if it doesn’t work try something else.  Some consultants do homeschool weeks with a group of families every few months. Others don’t because of location, personality, groups of people they are serving, etc. If a family asks for help, whether by Skype, face to face, or email, answering promptly is good, but that answer can be: “I have received your message and I will get back to you.” or “Can we set up a different time to do this?” The answer to their question doesn’t have to be instant, rather letting them know they have been heard. Letting them know you have boundaries can be an example to them of how they can set theirs, as well. Just make sure to follow up. (smile).

What is a hobby or interest that you enjoy?

Only one?  Watching movies or shows; music; reading; being with close friends

Thank you, Jan!

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