About the Author:
JoJo Tabares has a degree in Speech Communication and nearly 30 years of experience. She’s been writing since she was nine years old and began writing Art of Eloquence materials in 2002. Art of Eloquence studies have been endorsed by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine and recommended by the Homeschool Legal Defense Association.
It is JoJo’s humorous approach that has made her a sought-after speaker at various homeschool and Christian events, and she has been interviewed numerous times for her expertise in communication. She hosted a large online communication event, the Say What You Mean Convention, for five years and a weekly podcast show for three years, and a monthly seminar series on TalkShoe.com.
JoJo’s articles have appeared in various homeschool and Christian magazines like The Old Schoolhouse, Homeschool Enrichment and Homeschool Today as well as websites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr. Laura.com. In addition, JoJo has homeschooled her children for 15 years, having graduated her eldest who has since graduated from Vanderbilt University and Dallas Theological Seminary.
JoJo shares how Art of Eloquence Began
In 2002 another homeschool mom and I were talking about her daughter who was painfully shy. She discovered that I had a degree in Speech Communication so she asked me if I would be willing to teach a communication class out of my home that her daughter would feel comfortable enough to attend. Her daughter would have rather cut off her right arm than take a traditional speech course!
I began looking for a curriculum that I could use. I had specific criteria that I wanted it to meet. It had to be Christian based. I wanted it to be enjoyable enough to bring her out of her shell. It had to be more than just a speech course because before this young lady would have to speak in front of crowds, she would have to find a way past her shyness enough to meet people and make friends! And lastly, it had to be FUN! Humor disarms fear and helps kids focus - even the wiggly ones!! When I couldn’t find anything that fit the criteria, I decided to write my own!
Before I even had the study back from the printer, my class was full, and I had parents waiting on my doorstep to buy it for use at home! The co-op class was such a huge hit that I was asked to teach it at several other local co-ops. In fact, the whole notion of introducing humor to a powerful and intimidating subject was so well received, that I was requested to write a study for all different age groups and levels.
What is the Art of Eloquence Mission?
Art of Eloquence’s mission statement:
Effective communication is THE most important skill human beings can master. It plays a role in every aspect of our lives from our relationships to our careers and even how we witness for Christ. Mastery requires time and dedication so we advocate starting as young as possible. Art of Eloquence empowers people of all ages to speak with boldness tempered by grace in creative and entertaining ways allowing each of them to achieve the mission God has for their lives!
Art of Eloquence is unapologetically Christian in its approach to the subject of effective communication skills. We believe in the literal truth of all scripture. Our mission is to teach effective communication to the Christian community in order that they may learn to stand up for their faith and honor the Lord in all they do and say! We strive to find fun, unique and interesting ways to teach the communication skills that are vital to relationships, business, and ministry. We also help parents creatively teach their children to express themselves effectively. We pray that our products will bless you and honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
What Makes Art of Eloquence Products so Different? 
Art of Eloquence products have a humorous approach to teaching these vital skills that are often looked upon with fear or intimidation. As I was getting my degree in Speech Communication, I found that most traditional speech classes were filled with boring textbooks. It was the teacher and his passion for the topic that made the subject come alive in class. I am a goofball by nature and I was a very shy child. It was my humor and sense of fun that lead me from the dark and lonely place I was as a child to the exciting and purpose-filled place I am today. Humor disarms the fear and engaging activities allow shy children the confidence to take their first baby steps into the wonderful world of self-expression, confidence, and leadership. As they become more confident, they allow themselves to be exposed to even more experiences that help them overcome that shyness in order to blossom into the vital child of God that He created for a unique purpose. [Click the audio microphone for JoJo’s 10-minute seminar on humor!]
Art of Eloquence studies take a step by step approach that is less intimidating than the traditional speech class. Many of our customers are parents who are themselves intimidated to speak in front of anyone despite the fact that they had taken a speech class in high school or college. The old technique of throwing a child in the lake and letting them swim to shore has resulted in some good swimmers who looked upon that experience as one of surviving and overcoming. But others have looked back at that same experience with growing fear and a renewed conviction never to go anywhere near the water again. Art of Eloquence understands this and can help those who need to take smaller steps filled with confidence before they will take any more. The idea isn’t to get your children through a speech class. The idea is to get the communication skills through to your child! It doesn’t matter if they have made one speech or a hundred speeches. It is, however, a powerful tool in life to be comfortable and confident in their ability to speak up and speak out!
Art of Eloquence is the only communication approach I know of that starts at the beginning. Preschoolers have a natural lack of fear and social anxiety. I have used that to my own children’s advantage beginning at a tender age. The earlier children learn to be confident communicators, the more confident they will become. The later they learn to be confident communicators, the more difficult it is to overcome that fear once it has taken hold! I was very shy as a child and it really became debilitating in my teens. It took me years to overcome that shyness and realize that I wasn’t inherently shy; the shyness was simply masking the vibrant and strong personality that God had given me.
Art of Eloquence studies are wonderful for children with attention disorders. Both of my children were distractable learners. They are quite bright, but if not completely engaged in an activity, my message is lost. In the years I have been homeschooling my two, especially my son who has more ADD-like symptoms, I have learned to create lessons that use as many of their five senses as possible. It helps them to focus and even retain more of the information. Everyone loves having fun and studies show that humor helps students to learn more of what is presented.
Come and join the Art of Eloquence family of fun and educational courses and programs that help the Christian community speak with boldness tempered by grace.