For contact information, see wisdomhomeschooling.com > About > The Team
WISDOM Home Schooling is a registered trade name of The Gilbertine Institute.
The Gilbertine Academy, Calgary, is an independent school operated by The Gilbertine Institute.
Phone: (780) 741-2113
Toll Free: (877) 425-8546
Facilitators:
Tiffany Arnold (403) 866-7822
Michele Barter (780) 363-3740
Pierre-Andre Beaudoin (780) 239-0381
Joan Bishop (780) 878-5380
Rhonda Caluttung (403) 846-0404
Lydie Delli Santi (403) 392-9209
Carrie Friesen (780) 217-4006
Simon Friesen (587) 222-1790
Rachelle Godin (780) 349-1827
Liz Gurnett (780) 349-1577
Nola Hutchinson (780) 781-2527
Anella Jantz (587) 297-1992
Desmond Kilgannon (780) 225-6688
Randy Kopp (780) 723-5382
Gordon Loewen (587) 298-7565
Taylore Maschmeyer (780) 270-0460
Mark Meakes (780) 231-6594
Kyla Mould (306) 716-6328
Simon Noster (780) 581-8885
Sue Peachment (403) 994-1963
Joy Ronald (780) 278-5557
Kim Schultz (780) 623-2886
Glenn Spiess (639) 894-0470
Brian Taje (780) 312-4525
Paul van den Bosch (403) 358-4497
Catherine van Kampen (403) 845-2923
Peter Weidman (780) 223-2414 Box
with questions: office@wisdomhomeschooling.com with contributions to the WISDOM Magazine: magazine@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Publisher:
WISDOM Home Schooling
Content/Editor /Desktop:
TobyLauren Burgess, Rebecca Bekolay, Amy Burkey
Desktop / Design:
Naomi Doyle
wisdomhomeschooling.com
North
Georg & Gayle Beinert
Rene & Karen Godin
Parent Advisory Council
To reach the chairman: pac@wisdomhomeschooling.com Bios and email addresses of PAC are on our website.
Fairview
Fort McMurray
Menno & Margaret Knelsen
Central
Darrel & Kristine Buchholtz
Theresa & Vince Holden
Michael & Victoria Hutchinson
Sheldon & Sharon Kok
Don & Bo Reid
Sheldon & Kim Richter
Cory & Sierra Rotchford
Peter & Kathleen Wing
South
Neil & Julie Aragon
Greg & Rebecca Joncas
Joe & Diane Pollock
Kris & Amanda Watson
Content:
WISDOM publishes articles by many Individual authors. The opinions of the writers are not necessarily those of WISDOM. We reserve the right to decline any submission, and to edit those submissions we accept for accuracy, clarity & length.
Unless otherwise credited, photography is courtesy of the Noster, Burgess, Tinant, and Doyle families. The people appearing in photos throughout this publication do not endorse any specific product, service, cause, association or endeavour. Images and photos are for illustrative purposes only.
First Things
May/June 2025
Greetings:
At this time of year, most of us are wrapping up the formal part of our home education program, and it can be very exciting and motivating! I enjoy hearing about the staggered end dates that are so common in home education: “I’m finishing my history program on May 16th” “My last day of Math is May 28th” “I’m going to be all done by June 15th”. There are some who plan to take a summer break, but resume the same resource in the fall. Still others will continue bookwork through the summer. No matter which camp you fall into, there is something beautiful about this time of year. I certainly hope that you continue with lots of reading through the summer, and take advantage of learning history and science through travel and enjoying the great outdoors.
There is one more group that we often overlook: the families who have officially finished home educating their last child and become “alumni families”. To you, I offer a special congratulations, and I hope that you stay in touch as alumni parents and students both. We have a great number of alumni families and will be recognizing them in a special way this summer.
We are celebrating WISDOM’s 30th Anniversary in this magazine, and this means we are honouring the people who have made WISDOM what it is. These include home educators both past and present and faithful staff. I hope that you enjoy the special articles. Further to this, we invite you to join us in celebration at our 30th Anniversary Family Camp from June 19-22 at Battle Lake. There will be a wide variety of activities for the whole family, culminating in a big dinner and dance on Saturday, June 21st. Register for all or just for the Saturday. I certainly hope to see you there! Learn more information in this magazine and register on our website wisdomhomeschooling. com/anniversary.
This magazine contains information on Spring Socials and Information Sessions. These are great opportunities to socialize with like-minded folks and introduce friends to the possibility of home education. Contact your Facilitator for further details, or visit wisdomhomeschooling.com/events/wisdom-familygatherings.
We are pleased to continue offering many options for WISDOM Events into the spring, including Foraging Walks throughout the province. Learn more at wisdomhomeschooling.com/events/ in-person-events
Registration for the Fall Term of Socratic Dialogue Online Program opens on May 12th. These enrichment courses are a great opportunity for your child to develop their analytical reading, critical thinking, and strong communication skills.
When I speak to WISDOM graduates about what they found most helpful and useful in their high school journey, the WISDOM Online Program comes up more often than any other single resource. Popular courses fill quickly, so do secure your child’s spot early.
Funding Deadline: The receipts must be submitted by May 30th for a July refund. Purchase Orders close on May 26th except for ahea vendors/attendees.
The ahea Convention will be taking place May 29-31 at Westerner Park in Red Deer. For those not familiar with the Alberta Home Education Association, they are a non-profit organization that advocates for home education freedom in Alberta, and they host an excellent convention every year. We are pleased to extend our Purchase Order deadline to accommodate those wishing to purchase curriculum at the ahea Convention vendor hall: Purchase Orders close May 31st for ahea vendors/attendees. Stop by our WISDOM booth to say hello! Complete convention information can be found at aheaonline.com.
If you Re-notify of your intent to homeschool with WISDOM by May 31st, you will be entered in a draw to win $200 that you can use toward online courses, any items in the WISDOM web shop, or with your favourite purchase order curriculum vendor! BONUS: Get TWO entries on June 1st if your epp is submitted to your facilitator by May 31st.
WISDOM is hosting a Dance in honour of WISDOM’s 2025 Graduates Graduating students, their families and friends are invited to join us for this potluck and dance on May 17th in Spruce Grove. Learn more and register on the WISDOM website under In-Person Events.
We once again have Graduation Merch: May 20th is the deadline for ordering Graduation Hoodie and Tassels from our Web Shop: wisdomhomeschooling.com/resources/shop-online.
The July magazine will once again feature WISDOM Graduates; please send a brief biography and photo by May 20th to magazine@wisdomhomeschooling.com in order to be included. Graduates, please join our WISDOM Alumni Association in order to stay in touch with us, and other WISDOM Alumni! wisdomhomeschooling.com/about/alumni.
At the WISDOM office, we pause to pray for you every afternoon at 3:00. Please do let us know of any intentions you would like us to include.
Simon
Noster, Principal, Home Education simon@wisdomhomeschooling.com
WISDOM Begins
(including excerpts from WISDOM’s 20th Anniversary Magazine)
By Kenneth Noster
Marlaneand Ken were forced into home schooling, really. Living in a small farming community, they experienced the local school as a centre of society. It was where friends and neighbours got together, and it was a means by which they recognized something in common: the welfare of their children. But the Nosters were forced to give up this community link when their 7-yearold quit school. By the end of grade 2, she announced: “If it comes out of a book, I’m not interested.” These were the words of a bright little girl who had taught herself to read at 4, was writing her own stories before kindergarten, and was purposefully “held back” by her parents so she wouldn’t be too far ahead of her grade.
By grade 3, she had begun showing signs of depression and frequently talked about the ways in which her faith was being attacked
by those around her. She would come home with statements like: “Sometimes I think it would just be a lot easier to be evil.” Her parents had to face their duty to intervene in some way, shuddering at the effects another decade of school would have on her. Finally, against their better judgement, they brought her home. Marlane will never forget the looks of abject pity lavished upon their daughter by school staff, genuinely grieved that she would never realize her potential in life.
It wasn’t long before their superintendent, unaware of the legal right to home educate, called Marlane and Ken into her office. After hearing them out, she somewhat grudgingly offered conditional amnesty from charges of truancy. The next year the Nosters sought out another school board, an option made possible by the 1989 Home Education Regulation that allowed access to non-resident boards. They
also found themselves surrounded by 3 other families who had been quietly watching and were convinced their own children would do better at home.
Their new school board had a deputy superintendent and a principal open to helping home schoolers, although the rest of the administration remained skeptical about the viability of home schooling and nervous about the board’s liability if home schoolers were to fail. It was an uphill climb, trying to demonstrate the merits and success of teaching at home. At the end of the second year, the 4 families invited the deputy superintendent to the Noster home and each presented a before-and-after view of the progress of their children. Their guest was duly impressed. At the same meeting, they demonstrated a contrast between what they had been able to do and what they could have achieved if the board had shared with them a portion of the government funding. The deputy superintendent arranged to have the parents make a presentation to the board, and the board became convinced. Funding to parents became a board policy.
There is no more effective means of communicating than to tell something to a home schooler. Within weeks, families from all over the province had heard about this board that was supportive of home schooling and was even offering funding, and many were eager to sign up for the following Fall.
In that summer of 1992, due to the sudden influx of home schooling families, the deputy superintendent asked Ken if he would be willing to help set up a home schooling administration. Marlane and Ken really hadn’t wanted to complicate their farm lifestyle with outside work, but the offer couldn’t have come at a better time. The family farm had just come through some major setbacks, and they needed at least parttime work to keep things afloat.
To Ken this seemed like a dream-job, for he would now be encouraging not only his neighbours but would travel all over Alberta facilitating home schooling. He loved visiting families but quickly realized he would be facing an ongoing struggle to support the integrity of home schooling within an organization that knew only an institutional approach. Standing in the gap between families and the education system,
he prayed for direction. He hoped for an easy solution, but the only answer he received was to persevere in charity, gently attempting to inform administration while doing all he could to support families. He remained in that job for 3 years, all the while becoming active on a provincial level.
The Nosters joined AHEA and Ken began to serve on the board of directors. Drawing from his insight into the workings of Alberta Education and the school system, he was able to provide background and support to the AHEA team in its negotiations with government. It was while assisting Eckehart Marenholtz in his struggle against the draft of the 1994 Home Education Regulation that Ken first realized how immoveable government bureaucrats can be. They simply have no reason to consider the will of anyone but themselves, and Eckehart’s truly brilliant arguments fell upon deaf ears. That year, government delivered home schoolers the worst regulation in Alberta’s history. After pouring far too much personal time into this black hole, Eckehart had been forced to step down as chair of AHEA in order to restore his farm and family.
Ken stayed on the AHEA board, continued to visit families and intercede for them to his school board, and to constantly consider ways the administration could allow parents more freedom. It had become clear to Ken and Marlane, through their own experience and that of others, that the greatest handicap to success in home schooling was the perception by parents that they were compelled to satisfy the expectations of government. It was only when parents stopped looking over their shoulder and began doing what they really wanted that their children began to truly blossom. They encouraged parents to take this autonomy and consistently witnessed the positive results. Ken and Marlane never stopped praying for clarity as to how parental autonomy could be supported without the parents receiving contradictory messages from administrators.
Ken researched the School Act and many of its regulations, eventually coming up with 2 possible ways to assure families would not be pressured to replicate school at home. One solution would be to start a private school whose mandate was to support home schooling, and the other would be to form a home school administration that could
contract its services to a board or private school, but meanwhile protect its families from being drawn into school methodologies.
Once it became clear what needed to be done, Ken began approaching other educators, trying to convince them to head up such a venture. He even offered to help with the organizing, but no one was interested. One went so far as to say: “Ken, I think you should do it.” Ken didn’t think so. He and Marlane knew such an undertaking would have a major impact on their farm life and young family.
Near the end of his 3rd year as a facilitator, Ken invited local home schoolers to a yearend potluck picnic, promising to provide the watermelon. Only one family showed up. Although initially the day seemed disappointing, it would turn out to be quite the opposite. That one family, Butch and Jocelyn LaRocque, let their girls run and play in the park while they sat with Ken at a picnic table and discussed the ongoing challenges that school administrators impose on home schoolers.
Ken told them about his research, ideas, and vision for the kind of support a home school administration could provide families, and by the end of the evening Butch said: “It’s time Ken, and it’s you.” Hearing those words seemed to tip the scale. Praying in the car all the way home, Ken could hardly contain his feeling of anticipation. Marlane agreed. Quite certain that they did not perceive a call to start a private school, they talked about the other solution: approaching a private or public school board with the offer
of providing a working relationship and a structure that would assure autonomy to home schoolers.
This would be a great risk, for Ken would have to quit his facilitating job, and this was 1995, the worst drought to hit their farm since before his grandparents homesteaded in 1911 Marlane and Ken trusted that they were being clearly called to this work, and so the One who was calling would see them through.
They spent some time considering who they should approach, and only 2 possible contacts emerged. One was a superintendent Ken had worked for 20 years prior, and the other was a couple they had heard about but had never met. This couple, Richard and Margaret Schienbein, had begun extending their home schooling to family friends, and this had led them to establishing a small private school.
Marlane and Ken thought this option would be a better fit for supporting home schooling, but they wrote to both contacts. The first never replied, and the second did. They said they didn’t think they wanted to get involved with such a venture but would pray about it.
Marlane and Ken left it at that and got on with making hay. After all, it was late June, and they were farmers, and in this drought they would have to start haying early in order to salvage what they could.
Some weeks later, rather unexpectedly, they received a phone call from the Schienbeins. Yes, after considerable thought and prayer they wanted to go forward with the plan. Marlane and Ken were rather dumbfounded. Suddenly the summer wasn’t so simple. All the lessons that the past 3 years had taught Ken about educational administration, combined with Marlane’s background in business, would be put to the test as they began to make concrete plans. However, first of all, this new home school administration would need a name. It was Marlane who said: “In all we do to educate our children, what is the one thing we want them to gain? Beyond skills and knowledge and any other benefits, what we want for our children is wisdom… so why not name this administration WISDOM?”
The Nosters expected a slow beginning, after all Ken had just resigned from working for a home school administration, and it would
be unethical to advertise. Between 2 friends with large families and their own growing family, they began with 17 students, and it seemed like it would be a lean year. However, they had underestimated the power of wordof-mouth among home schoolers, and there were by this time many families who knew Ken and were willing to take a chance with a brand new home school administration. By the time they reached the September 30 count deadline, WISDOM had received notification from the parents of 347 students. Marlane and Ken quickly realized that in order to keep an office going, plus visit these families, they would need some help. Upon approaching individuals who were experienced in facilitating home education, Marlane and Ken were surprised by the degree to which teachers cling to financial security. In direct contrast to the many parents ready to risk working with a new administration, teachers were unwilling to throw themselves behind an untried entity. Only one facilitator, Helen Raczuk, agreed to join WISDOM, and another, Merv Tuplin, agreed to contract part-time while maintaining his full time job. Meanwhile, Marlane’s sister, Helen Myshak began to work half-time in the office.
The WISDOM office naturally took over the small sunporch Ken had already been using as an office for a few years. It was built onto the outside of the house and had been initially used as a place for starting plants
each spring and a playroom on warm days. Unfortunately, it was cold in winter and hot in summer, but the 8-by-12 foot office had what it most needed: a door that could close out crying babies during business calls. The plants and kids were moved out, and it now would house a desk and small table, filing cabinets, bookshelves, and a photocopier crammed in the corner. Newsletters and other mail-outs would have to be collated and stapled on the dining room table, but that wasn’t much of an inconvenience, since the whole family would be doing most of that work anyway.
By halfway through the first year, the WISDOM office had already begun to impose itself on the Noster living room, for the work of the “finance department,” shared by Marlane and Helen, needed its own desk. The Nosters began to draft plans for an addition, although the very thought of incurring a building expense was somewhat chilling in the face of their cash flow. Although they would eventually be paid for their work in home school administration, the funding would always be late, at least in the first few years.
Alberta Education released funding to schools each Fall, based upon their student count the previous Spring. Adjustments were made late in the year but, meanwhile, WISDOM had a problem. The Schienbein’s school, Trinity Christian School, had taught about a dozen students the year before, so the first funding allotment of the 1995-96 school year was
based upon that small number. Meanwhile, WISDOM had agreed to pay parents for 50% of their resources in October and 50% in May. Thankfully, Nosters had a farm they could use as collateral at the bank, for in the first 3 years, WISDOM nearly doubled in size each year; encouraging to see, but difficult to finance. By the grace of God, many of those first WISDOM families didn’t get around to sending in their receipts until later in the year. For the most part, funding was the last thing on their mind. They wanted to be free to make their own home school choices, and this was where their treasure was.
For Marlane and Ken, financial difficulties were just details to work out and were minor compared to the satisfaction they experienced encouraging parents to take full charge of their home schooling. WISDOM quickly became recognized for its non-institutional approach.
Alberta Education noticed too, and there began a series of audits and meetings by bureaucrats who wanted to see more control. Various tactics were employed. At one meeting, AB Education employees used various hypothetical arguments, attempting to cast doubt upon the trustworthiness of Ken Noster. At another meeting they threatened to withhold funding if WISDOM did not impose Provincial Achievement Tests on home schoolers. Ken responded: “Fine, if you withhold funding, we will not be paying facilitators to supervise these families, and I know our families will be quite happy to receive no funding and no supervision.” The bureaucrats had issued an idle threat, and nothing more was said.
When asked about the worry of not knowing when and how WISDOM would be shut down, Marlane and Ken would answer: “WISDOM is not ours; it was initiated by the Lord and will endure as long as he desires.” Those early conflicts increased reliance on God’s grace at the same time as solidifying WISDOM’s purpose. Parental authority and support would be the constant thread in everything.
Based upon the drive to support parents, there would follow many times when ideas were accepted and developed, or scrutinized and discarded. For example, families, seeking better price and convenience, began asking WISDOM to market curriculum. It did not take long to realize that a vested interest in particular products could compromise WISDOM’s objectivity when giving parents advice on curriculum choices. How could facilitators promote something they were selling without seeming biased; or even worse, being biased?
Another decision became necessary when the government introduced blended programs. Home schooling families, many of whom were experienced and well-established, appealed to WISDOM to help them through high school by teaching some of the more difficult subjects online, or arranging to have students take a course or two at a local high school. Some presented a strong case,
indicating that this would fulfill WISDOM’s mandate to support parents, but it became necessary to carefully consider what truly would be the best support to parents. As with the decision concerning curriculum sales, it became evident that if WISDOM were to begin teaching Alberta Education courses it would be quickly perceived that WISDOM believed this method superior to the education provided by parents. Years later, WISDOM would be assisting families who perceive a need for provincial credits, but the parents would remain the teachers. Though Alberta Distance Learning and its eventual replacement would be options required by government, WISDOM would simply not be teaching provincial curriculum.
More appealing to some parents than help with teaching was the additional government funding for blended programs. When this funding epidemic hit, WISDOM immediately saw 200 families leave, significantly reducing the rate by which WISDOM grew that year. It was common to hear: “We have nothing against WISDOM, but we really can use the extra funding.” The rush for funding had two immediate effects on WISDOM. First, it identified the families who would accept less funding in order to stay with WISDOM, making their decisions based upon things they saw as more important than the money. It became possible for WISDOM to recognize
On Building Noah's Ark
and build upon this positive response, and families developed a stronger sense of solidarity among themselves. Secondly, with a slow-down in its growth, WISDOM was able to finally catch up physically and financially. At last, government funding each Fall was closer to actual student numbers, and staffing requirements began to stabilize.
Apart from one year, WISDOM continued to grow, the staff grew, and the number of facilitators grew. It became necessary to have office staff and facilitators meet on a regular basis to strengthen a team approach to serving families, along with the Parent Advisory Council. The WISDOM community continued to gain confidence and maturity to deal with the challenges continually imposed on home schooling.
Home schooling will always have enemies: in the public square, media, government, and the civil service. These adversaries may be wellmeaning, since often beneath their attack on home schooling is the perception that parents are not able to educate their own children. Going forward, not only would WISDOM need to concern itself with encouraging parents to take autonomy but would have to be diligent in educating the public, especially the most influential, about the importance of parental authority. Staff, facilitators, and members of the Parent Advisory Council would diligently negotiate for better home education regulation, challenge legislation, speak in the public square, utilize the media, and encourage parents.
In 2016, WISDOM faced a major political challenge. The attempted shutdown had two significant effects. First, it strengthened solidarity among home schoolers, with 1/3 of Alberta’s home schooling population standing shoulder to shoulder to resist being pushed to register with their local public school. Second, it began a process of reorganization that culminated in strengthening Home Education as the core value within The Gilbertine Institute. Recalling the two options that had lain before Marlane & Ken before WISDOM began, the untried one: “One solution would be to start a private school whose mandate was to support home schooling,” finally came to life.
The Gilbertine Institute began to operate as a school authority in 2020, in the midst of covid restrictions that produced a burst in
home education numbers. The following year, when schools resumed operation, many returned to the classroom, but an equal number had discovered a lifestyle worth holding on to and stayed with WISDOM.
Most families who begin with WISDOM choose to remain here for a number of reasons. Many supports make their home schooling easier and more effective than that of some of their forebears, but the most common reason to remain is the relationships that become foundational to family life and community. Children who began grade 1 supported by their facilitator are sorry to be at the end of the relationship when graduating grade 12.
Today, many parents considering whether or not to home school have no idea how different the home education climate has become, thanks to the efforts of Alberta’s first waves of home schoolers. In the early years of WISDOM there had been essentially 2 reasons parents chose to home school: education or religion. In some cases, parents perceived they could better educate at home and, in most cases, parents home schooled because of their spiritual commitment to raising their children in their faith. Because of the prevalent negative attitude toward home schooling, parents did not take on this task lightly. They did abundant research, they organized themselves and their children,
and they immersed their endeavour in prayer. They sought to encourage others by forming support groups, and they joined their provincial organization. When funding became available, many avoided it so as to limit their association with the government and its schools.
These parents were certain of why they were home schooling, even if the what, how, and when of home schooling were not always as easy to grasp. They were the torchbearers whose children and grandchildren are now home schooling with WISDOM, and they are the leaders we now follow. They took a risk in 1995 and the following years, willing to throw themselves into an organization that was new and greatly criticized by others, and they are the reason WISDOM was able to grow both in size and in the number of supports it developed. They truly demonstrated a pioneer spirit and, now that we are able to look back, we can recognize these families as the foundation of WISDOM.
Kenneth Noster and his wife Marlane live near Derwent, Alberta on their certified organic farm. In addition to his role as Head of School, Ken also contributes to his faith community as a deacon. Ken and Marlane home educated their 6 children through high school. Those of their nineteen grandchildren who are school-aged are also home schooled.
Memory Reel 30 Years
By Marlane Noster
• Our sunporch was outfitted as the new WISDOM office for 347 students with one part time staff, Helen Myshak, besides Ken and myself. Helen Raczuk was a facilitator, along with Ken.
• We doubled in size the next year and needed to fax all the notifications to Alberta Education by August 15th
• We spent a lot of time on the phone with families, and many came to our home to look at a variety of curriculum (which was mostly from the USA, as there was not yet much available in Alberta).
• Merv Tuplin joined us as facilitator. We rented the Derwent School for a workshop in writing, drama and basketball while the lovely Tuplin young ladies inspired the under-school-age children.
• The office spilled into our living room and then our children had to be very quiet in the house… and when they got mischievous I worried that Helen would never consider homeschooling her own children.
• We grew again….
• Drama Camp was the return workshop and once again we used Derwent School, where each family had a classroom to sleep in.
• Our rapid growth brought Alberta Education Strategic services out to our farm and WISDOM’s office in our house for meetings. I fed them a very sociable lunch and back we went to intense meeting…
• More growth, more staff, we added on to our home to accommodate the growth.
• We had one staff member live with us, and in exchange for rent she taught one school subject to our younger children.
• The office in our home did not have a washroom so there was a fair exchange with our growing family.
• There were a couple of times when we were in the middle of our daily routine when suddenly there would be a family touring our home as if we were the display model for homeschooling. This led to some interesting situations when they would wander into random bedrooms or check out the busy laundry room for our family of 8.
• The larger WISDOM grew, the more involved our children became, printing and folding and labeling magazines for mailouts, cleaning the office, listening to the staff.
• With time came more bureaucracy and more late night work, more facilitators and staff and adding on to our home again, but still no bathroom in the office as we needed every inch for filing cabinets and desks and a larger photocopier.
• More meetings with Facilitators and staff to remain a unified body.
• Imagining more types of extra service we could provide families. My children’s favourite remained ballroom dance and drama followed by geology camp.
• Yet more growth and time to add to the office again? NO, what about the old school portable that we had planned to use as a workshop? We beefed up that building, added services and moved WISDOM out of the house. I suddenly had two rooms for home educating and putting all our resources where I could close doors to the creative mess. Now we had to walk across the driveway to work, and the washroom became family-only (except when the water froze in the new office).
• Our relationship with staff and facilitators grew to lovely proportions; we were so blessed to be hiring all the right people. Our 4-day inservices each summer helped us to all grow together in knowledge and relationship.
• We added more services with Socratic Dialogue online classes, Mediated Learning and High School Conferences.
• What? We need to add on to the office again? We doubled it in size. We had to create more parking to accommodate the increased staff.
• All my children graduated, some married with each now homeschooling their own children.
• The dreaded Shutdown and the valiant efforts and support of staff, facilitators and WISDOM families.
• Learning to grow in grace and wisdom through trying times, yet always the beauty of working with such good people.
• Freedom
• Freedom, yes!
• The Lord allowed the WISDOM community of families to be served by The Gilbertine Institute, which began a beautiful era of support.
• Our office space was once more TOO small, and we moved down the road to a space that was triple in size. I
realized how much I appreciated the new privacy of our yard without staff and home school visitors and auditors. I \ we could still enjoy the team in the new space. In fact, community with WISDOM staff, facilitators and families had become a core source of joy for me.
• Each year, there was a small amount of growth in the number of home schooling families, but with Covid we were surprised by an amazing growth and faced the challenge of finding facilitators (via Zoom!) that would match our philosophy and be “for home schoolers by home schoolers.” By grace Ken, Simon and TobyLauren were able to find those facilitators, and we shored up the office staff to accommodate all the extra paperwork and phone calls. With this abrupt growth, we worked hard to maintain a common vision among our team, remaining responsive to individual family needs.
• Covid forced us to find creative ways to support families and build relationships, and we moved to a number of online supports: photography, drama, portfolio, chess, virtual farm tours and more.
• After Covid’s limitations were eased, many more events were added to support families. New ventures included Survival workshops throughout the province and many different types of Foraging events. Ballroom Dance workshops once more took to the floor, and the response
was amazing.
• To thank, support and create community, the WISDOM Alumni Association was formed, and we hope that this becomes a flourishing community. Many, including my own children, would love to connect with grads who shared their era. Home schoolers who graduated in the 1990’s have since graduated their own children at home… It is so amazing to have both parents and their children in the same Alumni Association.
• There continues to be a need for more facilitators and staff, and guess what? Our triple sized office space has become quite crowded, and we are looking for solutions yet again.
• Our own family continues to be integrally involved with WISDOM, and some also within the administration of The Gilbertine Institute as a whole. This is a great source of joy being able to work day in and day out with great staff who include my children.
• My greatest joy is having my children and 19 grandchildren all within 10 miles of me.
Marlane Noster is WISDOM's co-founder and Events Director. When she's not in the office, she dedicates time to her church, community and her family, including her six children and nineteen grandchildren.
Beyond the Books: How Mediated Learning Transforms Homeschooling & Hearts
By Lora Cardinal
Homeschooling is a calling rich with reward and responsibility. As parents, we wear many hats: teacher, mentor, caregiver, cook, counselor. In the whirlwind of daily tasks, it is easy to slip into survival mode, just ticking boxes to get through the day.
But what if learning could be more?
What if education became a source of deeper connection, lasting growth, and faith-filled purpose?
Enter Mediated Learning (ML), an approach that has quietly and profoundly shaped the WISDOM Home Schooling community for over 20 of our 30 years. Rooted in the belief that intelligence is not fixed, ML offers more than a method. It is a mindset. A mission. A movement that has transformed homeschooling into something meaningful.
What Is Mediated Learning?
Mediated Learning was inspired by the groundbreaking work of psychologist and theorist Reuven Feuerstein, who had a revolutionary belief: intelligence is not fixed, but can be developed through targeted interventions that focus on improving cognitive functions. He believed the brain is flexible and can change with effort. Unlike traditional education models that focus on what to teach, ML focuses on how a child learns. More importantly, it positions parents as mediators, as guides who help children think more deeply, respond with wisdom, and find purpose in their learning.
ML aligns closely with the Christian faith, reflecting the way Christ interacts with us: intentionally, clearly, with compassion, and with a
transformative purpose. It’s not just about academic achievement; it’s about shaping both minds and hearts in the image of truth and love.
The Four Elements of Mediated Learning
ML is built on four foundational elements:
1. Intention: Teach with purpose, not just to complete tasks.
2. Response: Pay attention to how your child engages. Their reactions reveal their needs.
3. Meaning: Connect learning to your child’s life and values.
4. Bridging: Apply lessons beyond the page, turning knowledge into real-world wisdom.
These principles are simple, but their impact is deep. They transform homeschooling from a daily duty into a lasting legacy.
From Theory to Insight:
Mediated Learning was warmly embraced by WISDOM’s homeschooling community. What began as a specialized approach for professionals grew into a powerful, family-centered movement. Parents recognized its potential not just to educate their children, but to nurture their whole being.
Among the many voices who carried this vision forward was John Hoekstra. Though he has gone to be with the Lord, John’s steady faith and quiet wisdom continue to guide us. His words from an earlier
issue of WISDOM Magazine still echo in our hearts:
“It is important to remember the highest level of Mediated Learning.
Intention: Christ came to seek and save the lost.
Response: He suffered and died.
Meaning: Salvation and grace.
Bridging: Connects to your daily choices, your life path, and your eternal future.
That is the ultimate level of ML. What the Great Mediator did for you.
Godspeed, John.”
A Faithful Foundation
WISDOM founders Ken & Marlane Noster and visionary staff like Susan and Glenn Spiess saw the potential of ML early on. Originally developed for psychologists and educators, ML training was intense. But these pioneers believed something profound: Parents are not only capable; they are called.
They did not just adapt the model. They built a movement.
The Mediated Learning program grew through the dedication and faith of many. Therese McDonald traveled great distances to bring this model to families. John Hoekstra and Susan Spiess advanced their training to include the Dynamic Assessment, an eye-opening tool that reveals how children learn, not just what they know.
Today, I am privileged to continue this mission with the deep conviction that Jesus is the ultimate Mediator. As a trained Educational Therapist, I draw on the insights of Piaget, Vygotsky, Luria, and Feuerstein, blending neuroscience with faith to equip parents with tools that reveal, support, and strengthen their child’s unique potential.
Workshops That Change More Than Academics
ML-based workshops are designed to be practical, interactive, and heart-centered. We cover everything from math and writing to executive function and learning how to learn.
One standout was a youth workshop for ages 13 and up. Teens and parents did not just learn what to study; they learned how to study, together. What followed was transformation: confidence, independence, and a deeper connection between parents and children.
Families left not only with theory, but with tools. Not with more to do, but with a new way to be.
ML in the Family: Building a Mission That Endures
Mediated Learning extends beyond schoolwork. It shapes how families live, relate, and grow. Many families have found new direction through creating a Family Mission Statement, using the same four ML Elements to guide their shared vision:
• Intention: What kind of family are we becoming?
• Response: How do we respond to joy, challenge, or stress?
• Meaning: Why does this matter to each of us?
• Bridging: How does our past and our hope for the future inform today?
This is not about being perfect. It is about being purposeful.
Why It Matters
Over 1,000 WISDOM families have experienced the fruits of Mediated Learning:
• Repaired: relationships, blocks in learning, emotional concerns, and behavioral challenges
• Academic breakthroughs, increased willingness to cooperate, greater resilience, increased optimism, independence and responsibility,
• Confidence and success in both students and parents
• Stronger marriages & stronger family attachments
• And most importantly, a deeper awareness of God’s grace at work in their homes
ML will not make homeschooling easy. But it will make it meaningful.
So, if you are feeling weary, unsure, or disconnected, take heart.
You do not have to be an expert.
You only need a willing heart.
Welcome to Mediated Learning, where families grow, minds awaken, and hearts are forever changed.
Resources:
Deacon Ken Noster, WISDOM Mediated Learning Over the Years
John Hoekstra, Mediated Learning at the Family Level
Mentis, M., Dunn-Bernstein, M., & Mentis, M. (2007, July 12). Mediated Learning: Teaching, Tasks, and Tools to Unlock Cognitive Potential (2nd ed). Corwin
Mutzabaugh, G. J. (1999). A Work of His Grace. Nat. Institute for Learning Disabilities.
Lora Cardinal feels blessed to be able to apply her skills and education in the WISDOM Mediated Learning program. Home school parents already have intrinsic teaching and mediational skills. Providing families with tools to enhance, develop, and vitalize these skills is rewarding. Witnessing the drive, determination, and love home school parents and their children have is inspiring. Lora belongs to the ‘Alumni’ of WISDOM home school mums, and her three grown sons are now embarking on the next phases of this wide world of opportunity. Lora’s interests are ever-expanding, and her love of reading has overflowed the space in her bookshelves.
May/June Birthdays
May 8, 2018 — Fillip H
Loves math & numbers, singing, playing piano, & being outdoors.
May 13, 2010 — Cassandra R
Loves cats, crocheting, & baking.
May 19, 2011 — Desmond L
Likes lego, skiing, soccer, food, & Greek mythology. His favourite colours are navy & cyan.
May 19, 2022 — Cornell D
Loves getting into trouble with his older brother, playing with Duplo and his trucks.
May 24, 2019 — Waylon Z
Enjoys playing with cards, painting, & riding his bike.
May 27, 2019 — Ethan D
Loves playing with lego/Duplo, animals, and his nerf gun.
Write to us with your child's name, age, 2-3 things they're interested in, and their birthdate. We will print them just like we do in the Penpal Club, but instead of an ongoing penpal commitment, this gives other kids a chance to send yours a birthday card!
(Please send this to us at least 3 months before your child's birthday, so we can get them printed in time.)
Eliza J, 8
I live on a farm 10 minutes away from Derwent. I have 4 bunnies and love them so much. I have 1 pig, his name is Boris and I also have 2 dogs. Their names are Ace and Max. I love to bake and cook. I have an older and younger brother and a Mom and a Dad. I hope to get a penpal soon!
Eva K, 16
I live in Alberta near Enchant. My hobbies are reading, baking, and playing with my dog. I like doing diamond art, playing volleyball, baseball, swimming, and spending time with my family and friends. I am the second youngest in a big family. I'd love to hear from other teenagers.
Tatum N, 8
Penpal Club Penpal Club
Stella L, 8
Hello! I live in Bow Island. My hobbies are lego, video games, riding my bike, basketball, and building crafts. I really want a good penpal!
Savannah R, 7
Hi! I love to play ringette. Some of my other favourite things are gym class, creating art, and playing with my big brother, sister, and friends. We live around Spruce Grove and have 1 dog and 2 cats.
Huxley M, 6
Hi! I like drawing, reading, writing stories, candy, unicorns, knitting with my sisters, and stickers. My favourite colour is blue. I would love to have a penpal!
Gunnr U, 12
I live in Alberta with two older brothers, one older sister and one younger sister. My hobbies are ants and bugs. I love to go outside and look at bugs. When I go outside I like to bounce on the trampoline and use a magnifying glass to burn stuff. I like to play with lego. I keep pet ants. It is my favorite hobby. I would love to have a penpal that loves bugs as much as me.
Aspen M, 8
I live on a farm. I like to colour and do cart wheels. I love all colours. My favourite animal is a rabbit. I like strawberry ice cream. I also like to ride my bike. I hope to hear from you soon!
Dionte P, 10
I like to hunt. I love lego. I have one older brother and two younger brothers! I love to cook and bake. I love to do airsoft and do tricks on a trampoline. I like to experiment with bugs. I hope to get a good penpal friend.
Leif M, 10
Hi! I like lego, driving our skidoo, riding on farm equipment, diamond dots, and building with popsicle sticks. I have 3 sisters and I am the second oldest.
Sienna, W, 12
I live in Fort McMurray. My hobbies are swimming, reading, writing, and soccer. I have one younger brother and one younger sister. I also have a bunny! I really hope I find someone my age to be my penpal!
Unity T, 12
Hi! I have one older sister. I love reading, especially Greek mythology. My favourite book series right now is Percy Jackson and the Heroes of Olympus. I also do dance (lyrical and musical theatre), love crafting, crocheting, and taking pictures with my camera. I would love to share some of my favourite crafts and recipes.
Hi home schoolers! I live in Rockyford. I have an older brother, Orion. I like walking my dog and playing with my big brother. I have one hamster. I love lego. I would love for you to be my penpal.
Jenna D, 11
I have one brother, 4 sisters, 1 sister-in-law and a niece. My hobbies are reading, jumping on the trampoline, swimming, and playing outside. I really want a penpal!
Vincent M, 11
I live near Cochrane, Alberta. My favourite hobbies are working out, building lego, playing soccer, cooking, archery, hunting, and obviously I like writing letters!
Charlotte W, 10
Hi! I am in 5th grade. I am into swimming, soccer, nature, and animals! I was on a swim team but I quit. My favourite colours are blue and purple. I love soccer! I won 1st place 3 times, 2nd place 2 times, and 3rd place once. I have sister that is 12 named Sienna and a 8 year old brother named Sullivan (Sully). We have 31 chickens, and a rooster named Kyle! We have a dog and 2 bunnies and I really hope to get a penpal soon!
Nikolas K, 14
Hi! I love reading, drawing, folding complex origami models, and playing advanced chess online. I also really enjoy lego stop motion, writing a fictional trilogy that I have been working on for many, many years, and writing letters to pen pals. Swimming in lakes and visiting farms are my favourite summer activities, as I live in the city of Edmonton but love escaping to the outdoors. Some authors I enjoy reading are J.R.R. Tolkein, Jonathan Stroud, Eoin Coffer, and recently Brandon Mull. I like writing riddles and jokes and once in a while they are funny. If you enjoy writing letters I hope to hear from you soon! P.S.You will receive lots of riddles.
To join
You are invited to write to any Penpal Club member listed here!
To join the Club, please send a short letter of introduction (like those posted here) to the WISDOM office, along with a note giving parental permission.
You may also ask your parent to email office@wisdomhomeschooling.com.
If you'd like to be a pen-pal of someone listed here, please send your first letter to:
[Penpal name]
c/o WISDOM Penpal Club Box 78
Derwent, AB T0B 1C0
Father’sAHomeschooling Perspective
By Dave Knoch
WhenSuzanne and I were married going on 31 years ago, there was so much we were determined to do. The next generation was ours to raise up and prepare to be God’s great image bearers, cultural reformers, holiness heralds and truth proclaimers. We were going to transform Canada with godly offspring and influence the nations in art, music, business, education, health and ultimately in all matters of truth. Jesus said, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,” so let’s get to work and see His kingdom come and His will be done.
Well, then we had our first baby. Then another and another and somewhere along the way to 6 and a thousand dirty diapers later and sleep deprivation and multiple flu seasons worth of 2am clean ups, it was enough to just get through the day, let alone take over the evil world and win it for Jesus. His Kingdom come and his will be done will perhaps need a deferment to a more convenient time. As we slugged through raising up the next generation I learned a few things.
One of the first things I learned is to not take myself so seriously and not to be so serious. Therese McDonald with Mediated Learning taught me a lesson once and that is that every good story deserves embellishments. It was at Paul van den Bosch’s home in Red Deer. Therese had about 20 of us laughing so hard that catheters would have been useful. Her story was about her son and an ambulance. The simple details of it could have been summarized in about 3 minutes but she managed to stretch it out into 45 minutes. She’s an artist in this craft and that craft is being lost in our culture. That day I saw the
value of being a good storyteller. Storytelling for the Knoch’s happens at the supper table, among friends and around the fire. It has been a big part of homeschooling.
Another significant thing I learned was from Bill Gurney, WISDOM facilitator. Over the years of doing WISDOM leadership meetings with Bill, I knew him as full of life, a man who loved learning and loved people. The last time I heard him speak was when his body was full of cancer, but it was important to him to tell the WISDOM leadership that in all his facilitator visits, he came to realize that, “instead of spending so much time cramming into a child what they ought to know, why not try pulling out what God had already deposited?” Bill died shortly after that speech, but as a man fully at peace. His words changed the way I thought about the lives God had given me to raise from that day forward. Thank you, Bill. Asking our children a lot of questions has been one way we’ve seen this implemented at home.
Then there was this time when Ken Noster drove 6 hours down to Lethbridge to talk to the Lethbridge Homeschool Association. It was a room full of go-getter Moms and me. I don’t even remember the topic of his speech as it was the private conversation we had afterwards that caused another curve in my road. He encouraged me to read The Lord of the Rings and not just watch the movie (Fellowship of the Ring had just come out). I was instantly hooked, and that day I learned the value of reading for pleasure. All of our children are now Tolkien geniuses. They’ve not only read the books, but they can
almost quote them chapter and verse. The “how to” books began their journey from the coffee table to the bookshelf and into a box (God rest their souls). There hasn’t been room on our coffee tables for a long time now. Great piles of books have seemingly taken over every square inch. On another occasion, Ken sparked my interest in the Trivium. It was at his regular once a year state of the union talks to WISDOM leadership. The Trivium is about the grammatical, logical and rhetorical stages of child development and education. Sadly, this teaching came a little late for us. Sue and I had crammed into those little brain sponges as much as we could during the grammatical years, and then came the logical, sigh...We didn’t do this stage too well. The robust questioning that should have spawned more dialogue was sometimes interpreted as a challenge to our authority and thus not always well received. Can’t re-do those years but we can recognize our wrong, admit it to our children and receive their forgiveness. This we have done and continue to do.
I’ve learned that I don’t want to become boring, old and grumpy. I think Suzanne and I were in our late 40s when we sat down with Patty and Jeff Marler and learned that they are both avid snow boarders, and most recently, that Jeff built and flies his own helicopter. Patty was a government liaison for AHEA, PAC member, and the last little while had worked for HSLDA. Keep carving Marlers. No one needed to teach us this lesson. It was just nice to meet another family who shared our interest in staying active. So, for fun, we Knochs would go to Waterton and hike up Red Rock Canyon. Not the government provided well guarded observation trail but the wettest possible way. Traversing under small waterfalls, jumping in the multiple pools and climbing moss-covered cliffs to get to the next bend. We would always come back scraped, bleeding, soaked and sore, but it was so much fun. After diapers were all done, we also taught all our kids how to ski. Two of them still strap 2 boards to their feet but the other 4 only one. The Marlers would be proud that we managed to produce 4 snow boarders. I can’t take credit for those 4 and their deviant snow boarding pursuits as I think I would cripple myself badly in attempting to relate. I don’t quite know how it happened, but most of our kids have become avid backpackers. Not the sanitized version of backpacking with marked trails and designated campsites. No tents – just a tarp and a rope between 2 trees. No compass –just the path they decide on when they reach the top of the next mountain. Being parents of such children has stretched us beyond our natural elasticity. And then there’s the rattle snakes. Every year we would head down to Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park and climb through the Hoodoos and swim in the river until we discovered all of the rattlesnakes and bull snakes and transparent scorpions under rocks and in the tall grass. We leveled up significantly that year.
I remember the first time I went to AHEA – oh boy! Let me just say, there ought to be pre-AHEA workshops for new homeschoolers and there definitely should be a pub for the dads as an option –complete with counselor bartenders that explain to their customers that the financial debt their wives are currently racking up in the curriculum hall will ease around the same time that all the books they purchased get boxed up and put into storage. I wish we would have bought just a few good books to simply read aloud for the first few
years and then slowly added to the library as our children’s interest piqued. In all fairness to my wife, she was trying desperately to figure this homeschool thing out and I was just overwhelmed with all the choices that we would need to make. Turns out we didn’t really need to make those decisions for a few years yet. AHEA over the next many years became a place of people connecting and less of a “how do we do this next part of our lives?”
Something else I learned is that all the slam dancing I did when I was younger does not translate well at a ballroom dance workshop. Strategic, ordered and well-timed foot placement does not mesh well with my chaos on the dance floor. I also learned that I am now prone to debilitating inner ear dizziness (vertigo) which will last for up to 2 weeks after Mike and Michele Barter are done with me. I also learned that some of my kids love dancing, and others would rather hit themselves with a hammer repeatedly.
Something else I’ve learned is that an attaché case, full of paper, functions quite well as a data server in the right hands. I learned this from Louis Sehn. We were all amazed how we could ask a question about a problem or need that we had and then watch Louis effortlessly rifle through hundreds of papers and pull up notes from a meeting he had made with another family six months ago which referenced the book that we should get. I found out that Google once studied Louis before developing their first prototype. I also learned from Louis that you can retire multiple times in the same year and that the benefit is how many parties you can convince people to throw for you. All of our family loves Louis and Joyce and are very appreciative for their support over the years.
I’ve also learned that life, when it involves marriage, children, homeschooling and working to provide for them all, is no small potatoes. The idealistic visionary I once was in my youth has been tempered in so many ways I couldn’t have planned for. When I look back, all that youthful idealism and zeal wasn’t all for naught. All of our children have learned how to work and are all significant contributors in every community they find themselves in. Without planning it, some have become musicians, writers, some artists, tradesmen, equipment operators, snake breeders, pianists, weightlifters, businessmen, volunteer fire fighters, singers, dancers, florists…Our kids haven’t become axe murderers and are actually quite nice big hairy adults that have, more importantly, become our friends. And we don’t really care so much what they find themselves doing as much as that do they enjoy doing it. You know, do they “feel the pleasure of God when they do it?”
We’ve had time with each of them to talk about the good, the bad and the ugly and these honest conversations have been fruitful. Every single relationship has been tested over the past 30 years – including the one with God. Homeschooling has been rocky but it also rocks! Four years ago, Suzanne was first diagnosed with Colon cancer. It’s been a roller coaster of emotions, multiple surgeries and a headfirst dive down multiple internet holes for answers. She’s technically stage 4 as it has moved around from colon to liver to lungs (thus the surgeries). You’d never know by looking at her as she’s super positive and full of faith. It has, however, forced us to focus on what is truly important in life. Cancer, or any difficult position in life can send you down a few pathways. Two big ones are Job’s wife’s response to Job,
“curse God and die,” or Job’s response “From dust I came, to dust I will go, I know my Redeemer lives.” God ultimately is our healer but if we focus on the manifestation of healing and not the healer, then we’ve missed the purpose of our suffering. Jeepers, all that said and I’m not even Catholic.
In conclusion, we all start out young and then there’s this old stage. People close to you start leaving the planet. In these last six years we’ve buried my parents, Suzanne’s dad, my sister and my niece’s boyfriend. But with death there is also life and new beginnings. We have also experienced two of our children get married, another one will this fall and in two weeks our first grandchild will soon get to hang out with reckless grandpa and not so reckless grandma. I’m really looking forward to this next stage in life. Suzanne and I are going to enjoy life as scarred up older, slower, wiser, fatter (me) people.
Really, in the end, homeschooling has largely been about relationship, community and a genuine one foot in front of the other kind of reliance upon God. Relationship with God and each other and community with those immediately in our circles and the greater church. These have been very important to us, but more significantly, entering into His rest – that has changed how I’ve looked at earthly pursuits. Not a conjured up strategic planning session but an at peace posture before Him. What I realize now as I recline my old body in my well-worn easy boy is that all the human, youthful effort and zeal I had 30 years ago of making His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven has actually happened without any of my help. Go figure.
Photos courtesy of the Knoch Family
IneverA Tribute to My Mentors -
Lorianne Hoven and Rhonda Caluttung
By Catherine van Kampen
really thought about homeschooling. When I look back on my reasons for starting, they are relational. Two friends I look up to recommended homeschooling and I ended up being persuaded. It turns out they had excellent reasons for this choice which I saw as ‘going against the flow’, especially as a former classroom teacher. Am I ever glad they took the time to share about home education with me!
First off, I’ll mention Lorianne Hoven, aka Lori, or ‘wife of Tim’. She’s a powerhouse of ideas and determination in the form of a pretty, not-too-tall, very humble woman. I got to know her through a Book Club that she started and graciously invited me to after we met through involvement at a summer camp (OLVC). In March of 2010, we were both pregnant with our sons who are now buddies. She called me up, because I didn’t have a cell phone then, to invite me to the Catholic Home School Conference in Edmonton. Her husband couldn’t make it, she had an extra ticket, did I want it...? But why would I want it? I didn’t really plan to homeschool.
I bet you can guess what happened, though. I did go. Andrew Pudewa was one of the speakers, and he did not disappoint. I met some neat people at the conference who were so friendly. I had great conversations with Lori on the long drive to and from Edmonton (I was living in Bentley at the time). Lori shared so generously of her time and expertise; I saw home education as quite an appealing option. I began to lean towards homeschooling, something I had never really considered.
The next part of my story involves another mentor friend – Rhonda Caluttung, aka WISDOM’s Subject Specialist in the Course Challenge department for High School English and Social Studies. So, she’s obviously very intelligent, but also genuine and kind. I met her back at her wedding reception, which I attended with my (now) husband. I sheepishly felt like a wedding crasher as I hadn’t met her yet! We laugh about it now.
In the Spring of 2012, when I was considering putting my eldest child into Kindergarten at the local school, I had some nice chats with Rhonda. We had a few nice walks together. Walks are great for broaching big topics, as many parents know, because you don’t have to look each other right in the eye. I think it puts one at ease. We discussed pros and cons of the local Catholic school and homeschooling. My eldest was struggling with juvenile arthritis at the time and her swollen ankle kept her from doing much for physical activity. This pushed me even more towards homeschooling. It made me really sad to picture her sitting on a bench in a gym while other children played soccer or jumped rope.
The nail in the coffin was probably reading the book Rhonda lent me: Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto. Oof. The title is rather inflammatory, of course, but it has excellent information. I recall one heated conversation that Rhonda witnessed as my husband Peter and I really wrestled with the ideas in this book. Eventually, Peter and I came to a logical decision. We would homeschool. It fit the needs and talents and goals of our family.
I am happy to wholeheartedly thank both Lori and Rhonda. There are good friends, and then there are those that go above and beyond. These women let themselves be used in the Divine plan to bring more truth, goodness and beauty into the world. My relationships with my children are thriving, and I’m so thankful for this...it’s so connected to the power of the relationships that Lori and Rhonda took time to cultivate with me.
Homeschool Over the Years
By Jean & Valerie Sylvain
Closeencounters of the homeschool kind!
That’s how seeds were planted back in 2004, 21 years ago.
Mixed with the desire to spend more time with our children, having a child with Cystic Fibrosis whose medical needs would require time out of the ordinary, and the opportunity to pass on our faith in God more thoroughly, the seeds germinated and took root.
Considering the life expectancy of CF individuals was around 35 years at the time, the realization that time was short impacted our decision to homeschool as well. The idea of no long bus rides, no frantic shopping for school supplies and not being restricted by a school schedule was appealing. Our decision was solidified after attending a homeschool conference, where we discovered a supportive and like-minded community embarked on the same adventure.
Happy to not be pioneers blazing new trails, we took inspiration from those who had, reading about their homeschooling philosophies and experiences. Looking back, homeschooling provided a greater sense of freedom to nurture our children and have a more fulfilling family life, especially adapting around medical appointments.
Highlights included us as parents being part of the children’s learning, having lots of good conversation, and building close relationships with our kids. It was great to be available to help out with extended family where help was needed, or in times of crisis. It is also wonderful to see our children be friends with each other as adults, willing to share their own perspectives as they gain life experience.
Growing up, activity with sports was an interest, whether it be hockey, gymnastics,
swimming or workouts. Farm life was helpful, too, in developing a good work ethic. Physical fitness was an important part of the journey, and it shows in how our children carry themselves.
The transition to university from homeschooling was an experience in itself. The concern of achieving the necessary admission requirements was allayed through guidance and assistance from our supportive facilitators and WISDOM staff. There was a prep year at St. Therese School of Faith and
Mission in Saskatchewan that was valuable, but unfortunately not creditable toward university. Wondering if they were prepared enough to learn at a university level, the kids’ anticipation was put to rest when they started to feel like they were overprepared rather than underprepared because of their homeschool experience.
It seemed that our kids’ experience of higher education was more information presentation and less heart (relationship) or passion. And sometimes the depth of instruction went beyond necessary. It was easy to ask themselves, “Why am I learning this?” The other nugget they learned is ‘credits do not equate to the value of education’.
There was an obvious contrast between the learning that went on at home versus the ‘feeding the prof’ with what was expected when it came to assignments. As the saying goes, ‘when in Rome…’. The difference in learning environments was obvious with the subtle clash of worldviews. We are glad to have sent our children out with a strong foundation of who, and whose, they are.
University entrance has been gained by four of our kids so far, two into business and accounting, one into education, and one currently studying business at Trinity Western University in BC. The family dynamics were rich enough that three of our kids are gravitating to working with dad in the family accounting business, continuing
reflections on our journey
the mentorship of father to sons. Two of the boys are now working with dad and on the long road to gaining their CPA. It is still surprising and heartwarming to witness the shift of time with mom and now time with dad (not to say that mom is being left out, though). Our eldest daughter is teaching religion and biology in a school, one son is still at university, our last son at home will be graduating and is still discerning his future, leaving us another five years in the trenches with our last daughter.
Our success in homeschooling was aided by the freedom to choose curriculum that was a good fit for our family, enabling the building of relationship. The perfect curriculum is the one that works for you. The use of WISDOM Online Courses were a great tool toward preparation for university study and we are very appreciative of them! Another big advantage was having lots of time to spend outdoors, whether helping on the farm, tending to personal projects, or engaging in sports. WISDOM Home Schooling provided the opportunity to live our best life, enjoy great facilitators (same ones for 21
years!), and build good relationships. They provided encouragement, guidance, and support in parent choices, and for all that, we are grateful!
We have one last thing to share. Our boys wanted to build a log cabin, and with help from dad and internet searches, there is now a cute little cabin in the woods that you can see on this link:
Jean & Valerie Sylvain and family hail from Girouxville, AB.
Photos courtesy of the Sylvain Family
Oh the Seeds You Will Grow!
IneverBy Sarah Shandera & Family
wanted to homeschool. I knew of some weird homeschoolers growing up, and that sealed the deal. Never would I ever…until I had my own children. Now I am proud to report, I have some of the best, weirdest homeschoolers in these parts. And I love it!
Our family has been homeschooling with WISDOM for about 13-14 years. Our oldest son, who is 19 years old, graduated a couple years ago, and is now a third year Heavy Equipment Technician Apprentice. Our other four boys and one daughter are still at home learning and growing, all unique and beautifully different.
Our facilitator team, Michele & Mike Barter, continue to be an incredible extension of our family. Through all our wacky and colorful adventures, they have been alongside us. Whether it’s sharing a meal, a tear, or a fear, giving words of encouragement, laughing at us, (oh I mean with us!), helping promote all of our crazy ideas and ventures, or reminding us that the M&M helpline is always available, our journey is so much better as we travel it together. Barters, we love you!
As a family, we have always been curiously enamoured with the natural world, and the abundant life bursting around us. We believe wholeheartedly that our purpose as human beings on this earth has been mandated from the very beginning. We are to be fruitful and multiply, to tend the earth and keep it (Genesis 1:28, 2:15). We aspire to express this in our vocations and hobbies, which include things like arboriculture, beekeeping, herbalism, outdoor adventures, parenting and homeschooling. I have always liked the metaphor of raising kids to being a gardener. We plant our little seeds, tend them, nurture them, harden them off wisely and gently, and when the time is right, they are planted to continue growing in their own patch of dirt. My husband reminds me often that my purpose is being worked out daily in our home as I nurture my little seeds, and as I struggle through those times when my thumb looks way more brown than green. In light of my love for this metaphor, I have decided to describe our homeschool journey and the things I’ve learned along the way in the form of a Dr. Seuss book. I hope you enjoy the story and are encouraged to grow on. Springtime is coming, it’s time to dig in!
Oh the Seeds You Will Grow!
Oh the seeds you will grow, In this garden of love, A patch of dirt lies before you, A gift from above.
Looking down on those seeds, Nestled snug in your hand, You think “Where shall I start, Where, oh where will they land?”
Being a gardener can be exciting, reflections
Photos courtesy of the Shandera Family
reflections on our journey
Full of intrigue, skill, and joy, A clear direction from God, A call to tend and enjoy.
Or it can be dropped upon you, Born out of some need, Not at all what you wanted, But perhaps best for that seed.
Oh the seeds you will grow!
Some seeds are straightforward, Any old gardener would say, They sprout, grow and blossom, Without fuss or delay.
Every day these ones bring joy, Require neither labour or toil, They grow tall and strong, No matter the soil.
Oh the seeds you will grow!
There are some type of seeds, To the wind they hold on, And in the blink of an eye, Your little seed is long gone.
Wipe your tears my sweet gardener, Their growing’s not done, They will land where they should, Find their own patch of sun.
Oh the seeds you will grow!
There may be that seed You think must be a dud! Will it ever even sprout, Let alone grow leaf or bud?
Don’t fret my sweet gardener, These seeds will still grow, But first they must be stratified Through ice, fire, or snow!
Do not fret or despair, These seeds just take some care, And patience, and strategy, They must be handled with prayer.
Though the process be painful, And may take years to begin, Tiny roots will emerge, Stretch down and dig in!
Oh the seeds you will sow!
Your green thumb looks so brown,
And you feel like you’ll drown!
Slogging and bogging through mud, Weeds constantly attack, Your steps start to grow weary, Your green thumb seems black.
The gardeners around you With their plants lush and grand, Appear to have it together, While you barely can stand.
But my sweet gardener, There’s always an end to the rain, And your tiny wee shoots Will soak up sunshine again.
Oh the seeds you will grow!
And strong they will grow, As you harden them off, Allowing them just enough wind, To keep them from being too soft.
Much too soon the season ends, A mature tree now stands tall, Bearing sweet, healthy fruit, No longer a seedling at all.
Now my sweet gardener, You can rest in the shade, Of that strong mighty tree, Whose foundation you laid.
Looking down at your hands, Dirty, callused, and rough, Your heart’s filled to bursting, And you know it’s enough.
A life well lived, Nurturing seeds from the start, You will notice sweet gardener, Growth happened most in your own strength and heart.
So… be your name Sarah, or Jenny, or Mary, or Lynn, Or Hubert, or Ronald, or Mildred, or Bryn, The dark winter is over, Something new to begin, Springtime is coming, It’s time to dig in!
the flexibility of homeschooling
By Kim & Dan Schultz
Homeeducating our children was a gift from the Lord that became of crucial importance to our family! We are so grateful for WISDOM Home Schooling who has led the way, which opened an effective door for us to nurture and admonish our five precious ones. When we began we didn’t know that all five of our children would have learning differences, or that home education would be the path to growing “up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ – from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love,” Eph 4:16.
We began this completely new trajectory in our lives in the year 2000. We loved the flexibility homeschooling offered us, whether it was to take a meal to Daddy in the oil patch on his day off, binge crafting in preparation for the local fair, or visiting and singing to an elderly aunt and her fellow residents. We loved making academic progress at our own pace, developing skills needed for life! Character development happened over time for both children and parents! We loved contributing to our church family life every time the doors opened, usually helping in the music ministry. Traveling on mission trips together made lifelong memories as we served people in Central America, setting up a love for missions in each one of our children. My husband’s entrepreneurial spirit inspired a lawn care business which he operated to teach our sons about running their own businesses. This has led the way for all five to keep one foot in a business! Two of our daughters became teachers and all three daughters and their husbands have begun the home education journey with their own children. One pivotal experience of time and travel for our family happened in 2011. Here is a peek into my journal entries from that time:
May 10 As we emerged from our driveway traveling toward the Edmonton airport, school buses carrying children to our hometown passed by us. Imagine our homeschooling family heading out on
the most amazing field trip in literally the opposite direction from mainstream society.
May 12 Many people have asked us how we are able/have decided to travel to Israel as a family. Homeschooling I say!
May 13 Our First Shabbat: In preparation for the evening meal, our children helped braid the challah bread (similar to Paska!) At the end of the meal, there was a time for individuals to bless and honour other people. It was a warm, beautiful time of hearts turned toward God and each other.
Shabbat is about choosing to lay down your work, evidence of faith that God will help you do all the work that needs to be done on the other 6 days. It is a time for the mother to be honoured, for children to receive a blessing, for families to spend time together.
Time together. We are so thankful for homeschooling. The words of our guide in Israel have remained in my mind: “Nothing of value comes easy.” I know that without the flexibility homeschooling avails us, experiences like exploring the land of Israel would not have happened.
May 21 The Mediterranean Sea was amazing: clean water, fine sand, and refreshing relatively warm water! Omar, the chef of the first place we stayed, provided a feast for guests but especially for us. He was so generous! We felt the Lord saying, “Welcome to My Land, Welcome to Israel!”
May 24 We learned that without the area of Benjamin, Judea and Samaria, Israel would be indefensible. In other words, without the West Bank, Israel would be only 12 km wide in one area! We have learned that for a vineyard to produce marketable wine it takes at least 7 years, which is evidence that the people are setting down roots and planning to remain.
May 25 Our first stop was the Mount of Olives where we continued
reflections on our journey
to film teaching, worshipful dancing, and amazing views. Some tasks our children have engaged in include lugging equipment, assisting in footage being filmed, holding the boom mic, dancing, singing, acting, playing guitar, still photography, and last but not least, being joyful! It is such a blessing! :)
May 26 Today started with a journey to Elon Morey, where few Jews and Christians travel. Our guide, Gershon, lives in this beautiful village with his wife and six children. We saw schools, neat homes and yards, some with rose bushes fully blooming.
Israel’s most important natural resource is people, and the highest export is ideas!
We then traveled to the Knesset (Israel Parliament) for a visit with 3 Members of the Knesset. Kristi, Kathleen, Karilyn, David and John sang the song Kristi had written – it was so special!
May 27 We were driving through a dusty, hilly, desert area, and a few minutes later our bus driver, Amos, stopped the overheated bus. We were in the Jordan Valley. The girls changed into their lovely costumes and danced on the road and on a gravel path with their leader. People drove by with varied reactions. Then a family with 6 daughters stopped to meet us. Perhaps the sacrifice of praise drew them (the temp was above 30 degrees with a blazing sun), perhaps curiosity, but at the end, Dan spoke to the father who gave us his name and phone number(!). We took pictures of them, gave Canadian flags and pencils; they smiled a lot, we smiled a lot. :)
May 29 The guide’s words have remained in my mind: “Nothing of value comes easy.”
May 30 Arriving at Kaser El Yehud, a baptismal site on the Jordan River, provided a first-time sight of Israeli soldiers on one side of the Jordan and Jordanian soldiers on the other. This was a very special experience because six of our family were baptized in the same river that Jesus had been. For us it was evidence of our desire to go deeper with God. Praying for our family, filming, and worshipping through dance made it very meaningful. One man spoke of worship being akin to digging wells. We’re not responsible for the water in the well, only to dig. There is great value in continuing to dig beyond the first bit of water so that more water can be held. The well diggers are the musicians who do the work, even if others just stand around and watch.
May 31 On the southern steps of the Old City, we were finally in a place where we could be certain that Jesus had once walked. We filmed dancing and declaration.
June 1 Our children joined others from our team to pick cherries in the hills of Benjamin this morning. More fulfillment of prophecy! Isaiah 61:5, “Foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.”
Perhaps the most poignant gift to my heart as a mother is that our children became each other’s friends while we home educated and lived life together. Today we continue to be blessed with relationships that have carried into their married lives with their spouses and children, always looking for opportunities to spend time together though our family lives thousands of miles apart.
Homeschooling is the good work. It is not easy, but nothing worthwhile and life changing is truly ever easy. Home educating has immeasurably changed our lives for the better as parents, children, and grandchildren.
Photos courtesy of the Schultz Family
Two roads diverged in a wood and I —I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.
-Robert Frost-
The Road Less Travelled By
By Mandi & Kelly Ochsner
Adozenor so years ago I had a dream, and, in this dream, I was on a bicycle at night and had turned away from electric lights into the desert. I was pushing my bike because I couldn’t see where I was going. Just then an invisible hand reached up and turned the moon on like a lamp. The moon illuminated the path in front of me and I could see that it passed through the desert and into the mountains.
I know dreams are deeply personal and only really have meaning for the dreamer, but isn’t that the reality of life for every homeschooler? Our journeys are as unique as our dreams and this dream describes my journey on many levels.
First is the physical reality of the landscape…desert, stones, boulders, and trails added to my reality that I was alone on a bike in the dark. There were a few families that homeschooled when I started, but nothing like it is now. I remember sitting in a doctor’s office and a homeschooling mom was in there as well. When I asked her about it, she mentioned WISDOM. My oldest was 10 and in public school and it just didn’t sit well with me. I heard other parents drop their kids off with a murmur of relief and freedom and I just felt loss.
WISDOM and their facilitators became the hand that clicked the light on for me and that’s what I needed. Mike and Michele Barter, our assigned facilitator team, became true ‘companions on the journey.’ So much so that when the NDP robo-called us and said WISDOM was shut down and we had two weeks to notify elsewhere/find a new
facilitator I saw this presented an impossible task. No thank you!
I would like to conclude with a short description of why I think WISDOM was able to be the hand that clicked on the light of the moon for me. As a Catholic, I understand that the moon represents Mary. She reflects the light of her Son. WISDOM chose to develop an administration that recognizes the fundamental dignity and responsibility of the family to raise and educate their children. It became a tangible expression of a religious truth, and this is a foundation built on rock. Their trust in God’s plan for families increased my trust in God’s plan for my family to homeschool and I am grateful.
Here’s a short anecdote of how homeschooling has impacted our family life:
On our anniversary a chunk of years ago, my husband and I decided to buy a grand piano. We had used a weighted electric piano keyboard for many years and decided to drastically upgrade. After it had been delivered to our home, we looked at it and asked ourselves, “Do you think this piano would be here if we hadn’t homeschooled?” We both decided that ‘no,’ it wouldn’t have been. Our life was able to develop inside the home because that’s where we were. Our life was able to develop together because we were always together, and music has been an expression of that.
The end.
Photos courtesy of the Ochsner Family
reflections on our journey
First,
How Homeschooling Has Changed My Life
By Tiffany Arnold
some background.
I was raised in the Public Catholic school system. I never knew much about homeschooling, what it was really about, or what it could look like, growing up. I became a public-school educator. Most of my career as a public-school educator was in early learning (preschool) for children with development delays or special needs of different kinds. In the school district that I worked for, their program followed a Reggio Emilia approach. Reggio Emilia (Reggio) is play-based learning that’s mostly child-led, with adults that are trying to follow the child’s ideas and expand upon them and enrich their learning.
I would later come to realize how important this was, how well this style of learning fit into my pedagogy and developed my understanding about how children learn. Later in my career, I taught grade school, specifically Grade 5, and it was here that I realized how different of an educator I am and how I didn’t fit into the system very well. Now out of that system, I realize why I didn’t fit and why being in early learning for so long worked so well for me and benefited my journey to homeschooling my own children.
At one point, my sister began homeschooling. I would hear from her about how hard it was, because often it is when you start something new, and I would encourage her to just send the kids back to school and her life would be so much easier. How little I understood! Fast forward a few years, and I found myself wishing and hoping for a way to homeschool my own children! My husband was not so sure about this. I was a full-time teacher. I didn’t know how it could be possible.
But the desire kept brewing. I didn’t know what was calling me to it exactly, other than the hope for something better for my children, for my son specifically, who at the time was struggling in school and feeling sick every day. He had a myriad of struggles all through his early life at school. He was in Grade 2 then. Soon after this, my husband and I ended up quite sick. He had a heart attack. My father-in-law almost died, and I found myself on a stress leave from work. My children were still in school, but I began to see an opportunity for me to try to homeschool them. My husband was not on board with this plan. My mother offered help and support anyway that she could. But I knew that this was something I would have to be able to do myself, and I didn’t know if I would be able to.
Three months later, I had gotten to a point where I was ready to take my kids out of school. It was Christmas break. I decided I was ready to take this leap and trust that I would find a way to make it work. It didn’t have to be forever if it didn’t work out, right?
We started out doing a lot of deschooling, but I still attempted to work, especially on math with my son. After a lot of fighting, we found that working in the evenings was a better time to work together. Trying to get through any work often led to a lot of fights and struggles and frustrations. None of this felt good to us. My personality and lifestyle at that time led easily to more and more unschooling and moving away from bookwork. Yet I would constantly try to add in supplemental worksheets or activities so that it felt like we were learning something and doing something. There was also pressure from my husband, and on myself sometimes, to make sure that our
son was learning and staying caught up (a fair concern that I think every parent can recognize at one time or another). This was a hard time in our homeschooling.
I was lucky to be on leave for just over two years. During this time, we tried many different approaches and ways of homeschooling, never really finding our groove. I often felt like I wasn’t getting it right. But deep down, I knew it would be OK and that all children learn at a different pace; there is no reason to compare. There was no right or wrong level for them to be at and their emotional well-being was really what I needed to focus on.
I think switching focus to emotional regulation and having the time and space to meet my kids where they are at every day makes the most impact for our family. They are safe to feel their feelings and make mistakes and to reflect on these feelings and mistakes. They are beginning to understand that these feelings are not shameful, but a necessary part of us that is guiding us, that helps us to grow and learn. When they are regulated, they are ready to learn. Learn the things they are interested in, learn from each other, learn from others, learn from frustrations. They also cooperate, take on new challenges and overcome hurdles.
There was a lot of trauma that affected our whole family, as there is for a lot of families. It brought us to our knees for awhile. From those ashes I learned many things, and I grew and changed and wanted different things. I learned to trust in a bigger plan. I relearned what I believed in. And I found a way to create a life that I wanted. That we wanted. A life that
reflected our core beliefs and values.
Work that Changed My Life
I was hoping to write this only about homeschooling and not about how I work for WISDOM, but I quickly realized that the two very much intertwine and overlap, as our lives do.
My whole journey of starting to work for WISDOM is another story, but it really was a journey of learning to trust more deeply. I learned to really let go and trust in a bigger plan. To trust the journey. And I developed a much deeper love and trust for myself and for God. Having this job and meeting so many other homeschooling families and colleagues has really helped me to solidify that people have the same beliefs as I do that children learn. Period. They learn.
They learn what they see, what they observe, what they practice, what they play. They learn at their own pace. They learn in their own ways. All these things I knew from all my time in preschool studying Reggio Emilia, playing with children. I relearned it all again in a way that applied to all of us. Basic stuff. But it led me to the deep trust again in what I am doing, and how truly amazing homeschooling is.
I can see how it has changed myself and my children; how they interact with each other, how they problem solve, how we trust in our feelings and share them with each other, how we work on communication. How we show love and gratitude and affection. How we rewind and replay, how we learn from our mistakes. How we never give up on each other. How we are always learning. How we use our strengths to help others, and we ask for help in our weakness. How we work through painful things together. How we put love into the things that we care about, we take care of them. How we love and forgive and apologize and make amends.
We now have started 2 family businesses that are another avenue of learning real life skills for our kids. It also encourages and inspires them in their entrepreneurship and they both are starting their own businesses as well. We also travel as much as possible, with a desire to expand our travels and for our children to learn about the world by seeing and exploring it.
We are far from perfect, but homeschooling has truly changed our lives in more ways than I can even describe or fully comprehend.
Image source: kaboompic
Have You Ever Dreamed of Road Schooling Your Kids?
By Sabrina Boyd
Have you ever dreamed of road schooling your kids? How about world schooling them? This is literally how we’ve been schooling our kids for the last 8 years! We’re Michael and Sabrina and we have travelled with our 8 kids to 12 countries, and road tripped across Canada and the US multiple times. So how did this adventure start for us? Well, 12 years ago, we were pregnant with our 5th child and living in the suburbs of Toronto. We had been talking about traveling around Canada and the US our entire marriage, but had up to that point just followed the example set by
van that could handle towing our trailer. Toward the end of my pregnancy, we put our house up for sale! Where is the normal part in all of this? Well, we convinced ourselves that this was only going to be an 8-month trip. Michael would take his parental leave, and that would cover our costs while traveling. We put all the money from the sale of our house into a savings account for the end of our trip, so that we could buy another house once we returned and Michael went back to work.
And that was exactly what we planned to do, and what we did initially.
toured Martin Luther King Jr.’s parsonage that he lived in while he pastored his last church, and visited the Rosa Parks museum. From there we headed to the Smoky Mountains in Northeast Georgia and spent some time with family, before escaping the oncoming cold by heading to southern Florida. We would have loved to winter in Florida a lot longer, but we were running out of time! So, we headed straight north, taking a tour of the State Capital in Washington, D.C., and a walk in Central Park in NYC. We hit a massive snowstorm on our way back home, but made it safely to southern Ontario, where we managed to find ONE single campground open for winter camping about an hour away from Toronto.
Michael went back to work (while we still lived in our trailer), and we started house shopping. We looked and looked, and for one reason or another, every house in the area that could fit our family of 7 didn’t work out. We had to make some decisions, since it was never our plan to stay in our trailer more than 8 months, and we had a storage unit full of our stuff just waiting to be unpacked.
We realized how much we loved the freedom to be on the move and traveling, and started brainstorming how we could do it more often. Almost all of our family was back in Alberta, which meant that every trip had to include a trip back there to visit everyone…unless we moved back there, and all our trips were based FROM there...! We also realized, if we were able to move further away from the main centres, that we could probably buy a house outright with the cash we still had set aside from the sale of our house. That would mean we would have no mortgage, freeing up a lot of our money so we could keep traveling…
So we did it! We moved all of our stuff out of storage and had it shipped to Alberta. We hunted for a house within our cash budget and succeeded. We also sold our brand new trailer, knowing it wasn’t going to be part of our long-term travel plans.
Since that first trip, we have planned our lives around having the ability to travel. We like adventure and a challenge, and don’t usually
reflections on our journey
do the same thing twice. Since we sold that first brand new trailer, we have had 3 more kids, bought, gutted and rebuilt a 30’ airstream, converted a 45’ coach bus, and converted a 36’ school bus. We have also left all of them behind and traveled overseas twice. We’ve visited Israel, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Netherlands, UK, Ireland and Greece, and our oldest daughter had the opportunity on our second trip to also visit Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
Homeschooling, unschooling, road schooling, world schooling, whatever you want to call it, it’s how we live our lives! Our kids know a few words in many different languages, but even more importantly, they are learning to communicate with people who speak different languages without any words. They have tried burekas in Israel, soda bread in Ireland, schnitzel in Germany, and bitterballen in the Netherlands. They have stood at the Western Wall, walked through the Danish countryside, toured the Colosseum and explored castle ruins.
Our oldest daughter, Adri, met a young man while we were traveling in Louisiana, and a year and a half ago, they got married and are now expecting their first child. I am so thankful that our lifestyle means that we get to go visit them regularly, and not just for a week! We usually stay at least a month, making the distance between us not feel so far. Our lifestyle of regularly experiencing different cultures has also made it so much easier for Adri to find her way in a new country and a new culture (and if you think the US isn’t that different from Canada, you’ve clearly not spent enough time in Cajun country!).
In trying to figure out a way to fund our travels that didn’t take time away from them, Michael decided to become a licensed RV tech. Our RV season here in Alberta is obviously not long, but it leaves us the whole winter to explore a new (or old) place. This winter we have already spent a month in Louisiana and a month on Vancouver Island. Next winter we have some more ambitious travel planned, but the beautiful thing about our lifestyle is that we have the freedom to change our mind, change our plans, and go with the flow!
We have met so many people that were intrigued with our lifestyle over the years that we decided to start sharing our adventures online! We would love to have you follow us on YouTube, Instagram or Facebook! You can find us on any of those platforms @boydfamilyadventures.
Photos courtesy of the Boyd Family
reflections on our journey
there would be less tension or frustration, and we would move on to something more doable. And if what we tried didn’t work, we made the necessary changes to be able to move on. Facilitator visits gave us a chance to reflect on, or sometimes realize, there was progress being made! Perspective is important.
Homeschool
By R&K Matthews
Our homeschool journey started in 1993, 32 years ago, and it is not about to end soon. We homeschooled our 6 children and now work with some of our grandchildren. In 2004, we switched over to WISDOM Home Schooling and had a wonderful facilitator, Bill Gurney, for 8 years until he took sick and passed away. We were then served by Mike and Michele Barter and have been visited by them for the last 14 years. Longevity amongst WISDOM facilitators comforts us with a stability we can count on, allowing time to build relationship.
My draw to homeschooling started before my children were of school age. An episode from Focus on the Family presenting concerns with school curriculum caught my attention. We started meeting moms who were homeschooling their children and also learned that the province provided support. We could have control over which curriculum we used! What a concept! We could also provide a Christian education for our children, a deeply important matter for us.
We had no idea what we were getting into but felt good about making the decision to homeschool. Good progress was happening as we got under way. As more children came along, it started to become overwhelming, especially when having to deal with morning sickness. At that point I, mom, would lay on the couch, point, and tell the kids what to do.
The beauty of homeschooling was understanding that readiness on the part of the student was critical. After we learned that lesson,
Learning to read was one of our highlights! We found with one of our kids that if the book had no pictures, they were guessing at the words so they could be done and go outside and play! Eventually the reading came with a flourish, to the point where they wanted to read for themselves, because we would be reading too slowly for them, or they wanted to watch the movie but couldn’t until the book was done. The Lord of the Rings was one such example. One of our children took to reading so well that they read the Little House on the Prairie series and a number of Hardy Boys books in one summer! For those more reluctant to read, we laid books out on the coffee table for bait. It worked! Curiosity is a helpful tool…the biggest takeaway for the whole family with reading was that the book is always better than the movie, if there was one made.
I was surprised to find myself learning alongside my children. In Math, I discovered short division! Don’t remember learning that in school. We also found our way into Classical Conversations and have taken advantage of that program’s structure and community. Its Christian foundation is a great fit for our family.
There were times we discovered gaps in learning and were grateful to have the freedom to go back and pick up the pieces. Learning one-on-one makes a world of difference! Life has its twists and turns, and medical challenges can certainly
add a different dimension. Thankfully, at this point in our life, some of our adult children are now homeschooling their families and were prepared and available to cover for us with our students when we dealt with hospitalization at a distance.
What do our adult children have to say about their homeschool journey? One son’s favourite part was being able to work at his own pace and be free to go play. He said, “it’s better to be done by 11, rather than 6.” Of course we don’t remember him ever being done by 11. We’d plug in a Drive Through History video while he was waking up…usually around 11. Another son appreciated the free time availability, and the emphasis of academics, much to mom’s surprise! He admitted learning a lot through the many discussions that went on. One of the boys was born ‘grown up’. A determined individual, he had things to do, wanted to get on with it, and wanted to be finished his homeschooling at 17
Homeschooling afforded us the opportunity to volunteer in the community and develop a good work ethic, and it has paid off. One lesson learned: if you are your own boss, you work hard, get the job done, and can go home early.
We’ve been very happy with WISDOM, appreciating the hands-off approach, being able to homeschool through high school, having a great relationship with our facilitators, having good conversation despite faith differences, and just knowing the support is there. Thank you!
Roger & Kim Matthews and family hail from Sexsmith, Alberta
Adventure
Photos courtesy of the Matthews Family
McCune Family
John & Sharon, Anne, John, Alex, David, Kerry & Hugh
By Sharon & John McCune
Much as we never knew exactly what grade our kids were in, we really can’t remember when we ceased to homeschool, but it must have been 8 or 9 years ago. In some ways, one really can’t tell. There are still shelves and piles of books here and there around the house... and you’re bound to find the odd text buried there. The piano still has a prominent place in the living room, just as it did in the past.
But, only one of our six kids is still in Edmonton. The five oldest are married. Anne married an American pastor who had a toe hold in Canada. Both his parents pastored in southern Saskatchewan when he was a child. After living in Texas, Pennsylvania and Michigan, they are now settled in Toronto while Hans completes his doctoral thesis. Anne enjoys being home with their two young daughters.
John continues to enjoy his carpentry; he and Stacey enjoy life in Calgary. They look forward to the June arrival of their first child and the July arrival of John’s twin, Alex, and Dana and their four boys. Alex and Dana and family have spent the last four years near Portland, OR, where Alex has been the music director of a large Catholic parish. While he greatly enjoyed his work, which included teaching music classes in the parish school, he has decided to accept a position as a choir director in Calgary. We will definitely enjoy having them and our grandsons nearer. Five grandkids in Calgary will find us in the car headed south much more often.
David’s desire to sing professionally and still be able to eat took him to Europe in 2018. Until this past summer, he and his wife, Nadezhda, whom he met at the World Youth Choir in 2016, lived in Bulgaria, where she finished her degree and he traveled back and forth to Norway to sing with the Norwegian Soloists Choir and freelance here and there in Europe. He auditioned for the Denmark Radio Vocal Ensemble last spring, and they and their two young daughters moved to
Copenhagen last August. They have been home twice, the second time in 2021 with their oldest daughter. Though not on our original bucket list, we have been to Bulgaria, and then last fall to Copenhagen and Oslo, attending concerts once again.
Kerry graduated from The King’s University with a BA, a B.Ed. and a husband :). She and Adam live in Barrhead. Kerry has taught two years in Neerlandia and a year in Dapp, but this year is in Westlock, teaching Grade 2 for the second time, with the possibility of a permanent contract, finally, and of moving along to Grade 3 with her class.
Hugh was in university when COVID closed it down. He has not returned, but after working three years with IATSE, setting up staging, rigging, and sound for major (and minor) concerts, has become a full member of the union. The variety of work has proved interesting, but he still plans on more education.
John continues to enjoy his work, though from time to time considers cutting back on his hours. I constantly consider cutting back on our library, but every effort finds me reading the books first. Occasionally I find a book I am happy to part with, but it is slow work. We kept the library so we’d have lots of reading material for all the grandkids we pictured living close enough to spend days with Grandma and Grandpa. What was that old adage about the “best laid plans of mice and men”? John and I also enjoy gardening, being involved at church, and keeping active so that we can walk for kms and kms in Europe and Toronto when we visit. God willing, this summer all of the kids will be home together for the first time in 8 years. It has been difficult for the kids to organize, but it seemed to John and me to be the very best way to celebrate our 50th anniversary.
Looking back, we are thankful for God’s call to homeschooling. Was it easy? No. Did it look like this UofA-trained teacher expected? No! Did it bless us with more family time? Most certainly. Did it help us to grow in our faith and recognition of our need for God in all things? Most certainly, and we pray that
of the families that were so much a part of our lives for so long, we have mountains of memories of ballroom dances, swim lessons, Love According to John, science classes, drama workshops, choir concerts, and Michele and Mike’s facilitator visits (always planned around lunch so the four of us could have a good catch-up). It was a blessing to share so many years with so many folks with whom we had so much in common. And it is always a blessing and a treat to run into WISDOM HS families at random times, such as creation science conferences, and even in the hospital shortly before my mother’s passing several years ago, when God surprised me with a brief visit with homeschool friends who happened to be there visiting one of their own family members, and whose daughter sought me out to pray for me. God is faithful.
“Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.”
~St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta~
Homeschooling is a time to build family relationships, allowing children time to grow and learn in the way that suits them best. Children are able to complete academic work with free time to develop hobbies and skills that will carry them into and through their adult years. Our family life was transformed with WISDOM Home Schooling, who helped us focus on our children and who cared about our family as a whole.
We started with WISDOM as our five-year-old son was anxious and ready to learn. Being a typical boy, he had trouble sitting still. Coupled with concerns of compromised teaching of our Catholic faith in the school system, our option became clear to homeschool. A dear friend who was already with WISDOM suggested that we enroll with them. With WISDOM, academics were important for student success, but not at the expense of family connection. As I look back 22 years ago, there was no way we could have foreseen the blessings that WISDOM gave our family when we began.
Home schooling & Family Life Home schooling & Family Life
By Candice Tucci
WISDOM facilitators bring their unique experiences and insights to families. Our first facilitator, John Miller (God rest his soul), was very dear to us and understood family dynamics. Our children looked forward to his spring and fall visit. They would always line up their projects, books, and accomplishments for when John arrived. John usually left an hour later than intended, as he took time with each child. John’s insight was impeccable. For example, he noticed that one of our children was more withdrawn than our other three. With John’s experience and reflection, he questioned if it was possible that our child stood in the shadow of an older sibling, which we missed amid the busyness of life. Being a past school principal, John also imparted his wisdom about helping children excel through fairness. John’s unique approach of fairness was to give each child time according to their needs. As a result, we focused on giving our children one-on-one time as they grew. These actions helped strengthen our family’s relationship with each other and became a positive tool to teach our children how to reach out to others. When John retired, he recommended Paul van den Bosch to be our facilitator for our remaining years of homeschooling. Paul’s patience and understanding helped our family navigate through high school to gain diploma credits and prepare for diploma exams. His insight regarding the strengths and abilities of our children were very reassuring, which eased our concerns about how they would manage in a post-secondary setting.
WISDOM also taught us that in raising children, relationship is the most important focus we should have. When parents and children have a loving, proper attachment with each other, learning is enhanced and children excel academically. Asking WISDOM staff’s advice about improving my relationship with one of our sons, they suggested taking a break from teaching through bookwork and to
spend time with him – time to focus only on our son and engage him in areas he was interested in. After this brief break, our relationship became stronger and our son enjoyed learning again. As parents, we sometimes miss the obvious right in front of us since we are busy with family life. Thankfully, their recommendation was able to resolve this challenge, which resulted in strengthening our family connection.
“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”
~St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta~
Online classes with WISDOM were a great benefit to our children. The Socratic method of classes helped our children process literature through questions from the tutors. Beginning with the first course in Fables and Tales, progressing to longer readings in the Classics, our children read and discussed topics through a different lens of positive attributes. Students learned about the characters according to their virtuous behaviours. Not only did they learn the plot, setting and characterization of the literature they read, but the classes put these elements together for full comprehension and instilled a love of literature. During these classes, our children and other students learned how to interact with one other in a virtual classroom. We witnessed students learning how to encourage each other while disagreeing courteously. The tutors assessed each student’s work and class participation objectively, which provided valuable feedback to us as parents. The structure of classes provided very positive study formation, which taught our children how to learn. This skill benefitted them not only later on in post secondary education, but in day-to-day life. Our adult children now collect the Classics for their own libraries due to the literature’s undeniable value, and their fond memories of their homeschooling years.
Reflecting over our 22 years of homeschooling, there are a few things I’ve learned and would change if I were to begin again. I hope the list below provides some helpful suggestions.
• Cherish your time together. Stop and enjoy the small things that the children are looking at. The days and nights seem long when you are in the early years of raising a family. However, the years pass by quickly and soon young adults leave home.
• Be intentional about making time with your children. Being so busy, I wish I read more to our children as my husband did. Being responsible for many household chores, parents can
lose sight of just being with the children. The father of a large family we know goes for a walk with a different child each day of the week to spend time talking with them.
• Don’t forget how to play. Take time from chores to laugh and play with your children. Keeping this practice will help you through all ages and when, God willing, grandchildren come into your life.
• Don’t compare yourselves to other families (strengths, children, finances, scheduling, etc.). God entrusted each of us to raise the children He gave to us, and if we trust in Jesus while honestly doing our best, He will multiply our efforts. I once heard it said, ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’.
• Put family and homeschooling first. When parents have homeschooled for a few years, it can be easy to let other distractions or people take up the time we should be spending with our children, especially during school hours. Stay on task.
• Take time with your spouse. Both parents have busy days, and connecting with each other will help give support and purpose to each other’s time.
• Listen to your spouse. As a mom, I wish I listened to my husband more about trusting myself. Our spouses know us well and have valuable insight.
• Involve Dad as much as possible in homeschooling (according to his time). Time spent learning together builds and strengthens relationships. Our husband taught our children finances and savings which have now helped our adult children.
Tucci children with facilitator John Miller
reflections
• Plan some down time. Moms, being on the front line can burn us out...and Dads working each day can also burn out. Sometimes, it is as simple as having a family over where children play with children while parents visit. This can be refreshing.
• Set a routine for each day. Routine helps to keep the family motivated to get tasks completed.
• Plan your meals and have the children join you. Baking is great for math skills, and meal preparation is a skill for life. (Our children have done well in spite of my weaknesses in scheduling and meal planning. They teach me now.)
• Give yourself permission to make some mistakes along the way. No education system is perfect. Keep praying and trusting God to guide you. Keep close your family and friends with the same mindset, to support you. Also, WISDOM is a call away if you need to talk with them.
• Remember to give back. Choose a charity you can donate time or money to. The Home School Assistance Fund through WISDOM is an avenue to help families in crisis during unforeseen circumstances (joblessness, illness, death, etc.). If each family is able to contribute an amount each year (even $25), the funds will
continue to grow and be a support for those in the homeschooling community who suddenly face adversity. Generosity is taught and learned through the years. wisdomhomeschooling.com/ about/home-school-assistance-fund
Words can’t express the depth of gratitude we have for WISDOM Home Schooling staff, for their help in shaping our children into the young adults they are today. We are very proud of our children who have learned to love and serve God, to be faithful and honest, and to act with integrity. Through homeschooling, our family’s relationship has been strengthened. We are grateful that our children are not only siblings but close friends who value and respect each other’s opinions and concerns. God has indeed blessed us with our children and so many dear families to support us in our homeschooling journey. We are indebted to God’s abundant goodness and graces, for without Him, nothing would be possible.
“It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.”
~St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta~
A Celebration of Homeschooling
By Gertrude Sherstan
Passionate, self-directed, resourceful learning. Those are the words that come to mind when I think homeschooling. It didn’t start out that way.
Protectionism and quality education: these were my initial goals. Inspiration for homeschooling began by watching my sister, but then in 2007 began in earnest while observing our older children in the school setting; it was a struggle academically and a steady downhill slide emotionally. We started out doing “school at home.” By the time we started school with the younger kids in 2013, our motto had changed.
Twelve years of homeschooling have often looked more like unschooling, and I am very
thankful for all those days we took time to do hands-on activities. Home educating three boys born in three and a half years, with atypical learning styles (but what is “typical learning”?) has probably taught me more than I have taught them. Our ‘structured’ schoolwork has been Math and Language Arts focused. Many years we ‘mostly’ finished the curriculum I had purchased. My main goal in home schooling increasingly became to foster a love of learning. The books all over the house have often seemed like so much clutter, and yet I have never had to force my kids to read. Leave a book on a coffee table and someone or another was soon fighting over who gets it first. History, Geography, fiction, anything except for poetry,
was always snapped up. In my rambling narrative of what homeschooling has looked like in our home, I will talk about our farm, our business in town, the people who have been part of this journey and through it all point to God, for without Him it would not have been possible.
Our lifestyle and business have shaped our learning. I tease the kids that they have an insanely expensive education. I cannot even begin to say how thankful I am to the Lord for giving us such a rich life that involved our kids each step of the way. We bought bare land in 2007, moved into our ‘temporary’ shop house in spring 2009 and have been building and developing ever since. We have a parts store in Westlock
that is our main source of income, but we also farm with a small beef herd and some hay land. Between those two opportunities the kids have a spent a lot of time at work and had tremendous learning opportunities. We have lived a somewhat “homesteading” lifestyle, the kids are all trained in gardening, raising animals, butchering, etc. We have worked as a family to do the work associated with growing our own food. Now that the boys are teenagers, I have turned into the helper and they can do all the steps to slaughter and butcher, and with various levels of skill, cook and get a meal on the table. The kids have been part of all the building projects; they could (and have) built their own projects out of recycled material, etc.
Thomas with his shed 2022
Kaden & Thomas butchering turkeys 2013
Mark & the boys moving the store counters.
Kaden & Thomas in 2024
Aaron's goat visiting the store 2024
Aaron learning a few welding basics.
A break from school work!
reflections on our journey
They have used these gifts to contribute to our church live nativity by building all the structures needed. One church member saw the boys setting up and offered the oldest a job last summer. All of this has turned into great opportunities. These opportunities would never have come about if I was trying to do “school at home,” but our approach has allowed for, “Yes, we can come get that calf,” or whatever else comes up. Probably the craziest thing we tackled was a “flip house” two years ago. We bought a little house, and we ended up gutting it and re-doing the whole thing. It was, in all honesty, too much. Sometimes the biggest lesson is learning what not to do! However, it turned out quite fabulous and the kids learned every step of the process as well as earning some money.
Our parts business, PAKT Automotive & Industrial Supply in Westlock has contributed to our education in major ways. I do not know how my personality would have taught some of the social,
“how to be in public” without the time at the store. My husband has not been able to be involved in the “books” part of our day (nor did he want to!), however the rest of his contributions have made our home school education what it is! Mark has so many times gathered the boys to where he was just by playing music that caught their attention, or by sharing yet another joke that was a play on words. His “dad jokes” have done a tremendous amount of teaching about using language and paying attention to the details in conversations. Mark was someone who did not fit the public-school education format and often found creative ways to avoid attending class. He has never complained as yet another box of books shows up at the store. Mark talks to and trains the boys as he would any other staff and often his expectations are just a bit higher. He has an ability to inspire our kids to reach higher and learn more. Many, many dinner hours have really been business training meetings, with such topics as the importance of respecting
your employer’s time, work ethic, personal appearance in the workplace, purchase price, margin, gross profit, interest, filing forms, freight expenses, source deductions… terminology to go with work that has turned many conversations into learning opportunities. The boys have spent unnumbered hours at the store, moving product, going with dad on callouts on the weekend, learning to build hydraulic hoses, etc. Mark has a great many skills as well, having grown up on a farm and with a dad who gave him tremendous freedom to “figure it out” when it came to playing around with mechanics, welding, etc. I am thankful for the efforts he makes after a busy work life to spend time teaching these skills.
Travel has also played a role in our education; my husband is quite confident that all our trips have really been field trips for school. We have been to the West Coast a few times, exploring Vancouver Island and part of Washington state. We have also driven to
eastern Ontario four times and flown a few more times, since our daughter married a dairy farmer there. These trips have been filled with mini trips to Quebec City, Ottawa, Montreal, Kingston and all points in between. Incredible time has been spent learning Canadian history and visiting all manner of historical sites.
Along with work and travel, we have been involved in the local church, with the Awana program and various musical adventures such as going to Provincials with piano and sound and music teams. Our church family has proved to be a big part of mentoring the boys in various ways, although some had to be convinced that homeschooling was a good thing. History Plus with Daniel and Amberly has been a monthly highlight that spread to a whole month of learning. We have completed various swim lessons and dabbled in baseball in the early elementary years with current involvement in the local tractor club. These opportunities would not have happened without many others
Kaden enjoying the history in Ontario at a museum. Live Nativity 2023
Thomas at AWANA ceremonies 2018
in the community embracing what we were doing and walking alongside our life journey.
I am thankful for our parents in all the various ways they are contributing in our kids’ lives, such as the time spend picking berries and then teaching pie making, hunting, doing tires on Grandpa’s big truck, or the winter the boys tied up part of Grandpa’s shop with a tractor restoration project, and used a lot of his time as well. This project was so neat because both grandpas worked together with the boys to get the job done, Grandma had snacks and life was good. Some of our parents’ influence is indirect, simply because they took the time to teach and raise us so we could be parents with skills and confidence. Now we get to teach our kids.
In the midst of all that hands on learning, I many, many times wondered if I was doing enough “school”. I often felt like the only thing I was truly good at doing, regarding
formal education, was reading. We have started out our day with reading aloud almost yearround since the kids were little and still read chapter books to start the day. There are certainly areas we could be a whole lot stronger in, but as I assess our high school learning, I am at peace with the process we have been through. Our older 3 kids are living on their own, both girls are married, and we have a granddaughter that comes daily to be part of life at our place. Kaden, who has been with WISDOM from kindergarten and will graduate in 2026, has had the opportunity to pursue his love of cows, and has almost completed all the courses he needs for trades with an overall excellent education. I cannot say enough good about a particular writing teacher with WISDOM, Benedict Coughlin, who absolutely inspired him and made him feel like he was a great writer while Kaden was taking Intro to High School Writing. We have also enjoyed many other WISDOM online courses, and it has seemed so often that
reflections on our journey
these courses pulled together various parts of learning we had done and gave them form. Thomas is now doing the “100 credits” route for high school and is well on his way to be able to graduate in less than 3 years with good marks, even in subjects we didn’t spend much time in. He learned to learn with how we did school. Aaron, bringing up the rear, is in junior high and following his passions such as coin collecting, pet goats, and working on his 1980’s truck. At this moment, he is with his grandpa and another 80 year-old farmer, working on a tractor restoration. That is the perfect ‘school’ for this spring day.
Our journey would have been entirely different if WISDOM did not allow for unique ways of doing things, or didn’t trust our parental guidance to our children. Our facilitator, Rachelle Godin, has been an integral part of that process and freedom. Another person that has been a big part of our homeschool is one of my sisters,
who with kids just a few years older, had valuable experience to gift me with. It is my hope to be that encouraging to others.
After all these years, I cannot even imagine not being part of my kids’ day to day life. I can look confidently to the future knowing we have a good God, and knowing my kids have a well-rounded education with a great many hands-on skills that I felt Holy Spirit led to teach.
My boys do not love to “sit down and do ‘school.’” That is a huge understatement, and this article doesn’t touch the learning struggles, the individual “crazy” things we tried, or some of the learning glitches and challenges. Those are for another day, today is about celebrating what has worked for our family, for praising God for the resources He has given us in the journey and the gift that our children are to us.
Our granddaughter starting her own learning. Kaden's start to his fullblood herd. The last load of hay is home! 2018
Photos courtesy of the Sherstan Family
reflections on our journey
Home School Memoir
By S Benoit
The Benoit family is most grateful for the many years of homeschooling with WISDOM. These years were filled with fun camps such as geology, reading, and baseball, as well as socials, dances, and other gatherings. Many friendships started at these events, both among children and parents. Who knew homeschoolers can be social? Our children also learned so much and their faith in Christ deepened. What are they doing now, the Benoit children? Joseph and his wife Corina have 3 children, and they will soon start homeschooling. Joseph is a scaffolder. Catherine and her husband Ben just had their fourth baby. Patrick teaches violin.
First employee to work for WISDOM
By Helen Myshak
WISDOM Home Schooling began so simply, almost naively I believe, in response to a need. It began as a thought, then a conversation, then a “sink or swim” commitment.
I had the privilege of being the first employee to work for WISDOM during its humble beginnings. There was no job description. There was no script to follow. As I reflect on those early years, it was a mercy not to know the roadblocks and obstacles that loomed ahead. But for every setback and discouragement for our home school community, there were great victories and paths providentially opened.
Never would I have predicted how WISDOM Home Schooling would evolve. In 1995, I registered the first handful of families. Today, WISDOM Home
Schooling serves a vast number of families with a scope and range of assistance that staggers me. To give some context to the littleness and limitations at the time I was the solo Administrative Assistant, I remember when Ken Noster and I pondered whether emails were an effective means of communication or if they would open Pandora’s Box. Yes, thirty years changes many things!
In 1999, I left WISDOM to start my own family. I knew home education was the path we would follow, and we did. I am so grateful for those pioneering families who braved the odds thirty years ago, who persevered when home schooling was anything but popular, and I am so grateful to WISDOM Home Schooling for fighting the good fight and continuing to fight the good fight to this day.
It has been a grand adventure. Happy 30th Anniversary, WISDOM.
Ifirstheard about homeschooling when our eldest was two, and I was intrigued. The next year I attended my first AHEA Homeschooling Conference and soon after, we began homeschooling with the primary motive of making sure that our children could read. My friend recommended WISDOM Home Schooling, new at the time, and we notified of our intent to home educate (a term I would later come to understand).
Early into our homeschooling, we joined the WISDOM Parent Advisory Council, to connect and become more involved in homeschooling. Prior to this, I had never considered how education is related to legislation. My eyes were opened at the PAC meetings as to the impact that provincial governments, legislation, ideology, and educational perspectives can have on education, education outcomes and the formation of children. My motivation for home educating began to change.
My new and budding Christian faith was fed by WISDOM Home Schooling, and I was compelled to live it out daily, in our home and in our education. Our study of subjects became much more meaningful and the depth and breadth in which we studied them grew immensely. Developing our children’s intellect became only one part of the education we provided. Feeding their soul, and growing their wisdom, became paramount. We no longer had only subject goals but added much more meaningful world-wise and eternal goals, greatly enriching our children’s education.
While chatting about some of the concerns around homeschooling in Alberta, a wonderful WISDOM Home Schooling facilitator – Michele Barter – suggested that I join the board of the Alberta Home Education Association to try to have an impact and influence on the direction of home education. I was voted onto the board that year and the only position that I wanted was the one that no one else did, Government Liaison. This began 7 years of working alongside another wonderful WISDOM Home Schooling facilitator –Paul van den Bosch – advocating for home
education freedoms of Alberta’s home educators. During that time, the forced (temporary) closure of WISDOM Home Schooling/Trinity School by the NDP government brought to life the impact that government can have on education, and not in a positive way. Our own home education grew to include civics and government in a significant way.
When I reflect on our home education, there are certainly moments and days that I would change, but I would not change our decision to home educate. Homeschooling is the greatest gift our family could have ever actively received, and I cannot thank God enough for the rich education, solid foundation, and time together that homeschooling offered.
All four of our children graduated high school from our parent-directed homeschool. Jeff and I are imperfect parents and were imperfect home educators, yet, by the grace of God, we raised wonderfulincredible-imperfect adult children.
They were encouraged to confidently make decisions after consulting God and each moved onto their own postsecondary, family and career pursuits. Each one has attended and completed
Growth Education Perspective
By Patty Marler
post-secondary studies in programs of apprenticeship, ministry, nursing, music, electronics engineering, and power engineering. Relationships continue to be very important for our adult children, and our family continues to be incredibly close. This is one of the great blessings of homeschooling.
I was not ready to leave the incredible homeschooling world, and I continue to support home schoolers and advocate for home education in my work with HSLDA Canada and the Canadian Centre for Home Education. Thankfully, this work often has me in contact with WISDOM.
The impact that WISDOM Home Schooling has had on our family cannot be understated. Their support, trust in God, love for families, godly and caring staff and leadership have had an earthly and eternal impact on our family. Thank you, Ken and Marlane, for your vision, passion, dedication, and service to the home education community, to your home educating families, and to me and my family.
With great love and respect, Patty Marler March 14, 2025
30 Years with WISDOM
By Mike & Michele Barter
Onceupon a time (1994), a young family with 4 children were ‘haunted’ by coincidental encounters suspecting them of being homeschoolers. Not having been exposed to such a thing, they kept shrugging it off. 3 families from their church frequently invited mom to come to a homeschool support meeting…
Interestingly enough, when there happened to be a day off school, mom found herself thrilled that her daughter could be home with the rest of the family! All other moms in the neighbourhood complex seemed rather disgruntled. Was this family destined to be different? Their eldest child was in Grade 1 at a French Immersion school, Christian by identity. A borrowed library book brought home so dad could read it to her opened their eyes to a disturbing lack of screening on the school’s part, and the appropriateness, or lack thereof, exposed an uncomfortable reality in the system of education that they were expected to trust.
The acceptance of an invitation to attend a presentation on homeschooling led to their embarking on a grand adventure. Assigned a facilitator by the name of Ken Noster, the family eagerly, and at times trepidatiously, entered the waters of this new world. A move from Edmonton to Lamont in July allowed them to quietly slip into the rural community with no outside expectations to integrate into town life.
Ken’s wonderful demeanour and encouraging words helped the family to overcome what they considered to be unwelcome shortfalls in their approach to teaching their children. His announcement to start a new administration was just short of solicitation, but with a comfortable relationship having been established, the Barter family signed on (or rather, notified) with WISDOM Home Schooling.
There was lots of reading, nature walks, paper routes, playtime, praying for an acreage, and welcoming new family members as they came along. Shortly after their 5th child was born, and after many prayers for an acreage (the kids prayed, “Thank you God for finding us an
acreage”), the call came, and in a whirlwind of change they moved, 30 days from January 17th, 1997, their first look.
With much scrap lumber and assorted materials found after the 3 feet of snow melted that year, much creativity flourished. Out came the hammers and nails to build rafts to float in the flooded field, a little country village, and a tree fort.
As the family grew in number, and their home felt smaller, a construction project was brewing. Rather than have outside workers come to build a basement while the family watched, it was decided to have everyone involved and to build a wood basement. They even got to experience an old-time wall raising! Providence found a home to be moved and watching that take place (by outside workers) added to the family’s life experience. Beyond that, renovations were the order of the day for quite some time after (still are).
Five years into their homeschool journey, the invitation was presented to consider joining the facilitating team, as Michele had her Education Degree. The shift in morale at Mike’s workplace provided inspiration to lay a fleece in discerning a change in employment. A ‘come and see’ opportunity was accepted and as they maintain, it was like ‘walking into the land of the giants,’ witnessing the big and beautiful hearts of the Facilitator team and Parent Advisory Council. The date was August of 2000. Thus started another adventure of twists and turns trying to juggle family life and work life.
The change in employment allowed for the Barter family to twice take an extended vacation to travel across the country to the East Coast and discover the beauty and diversity of landscape and to meet extended family members, thereby getting a sense of their family history.
Another fruit borne out for the Barter family were the WISDOM Ballroom Dance Camps and Workshops, after being ‘discovered’ at a fundraising event in 2002. Many families have benefited from the social activity that stretched many a mind. Many areas around the
province have enjoyed Mike and Michele’s contribution. Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Calgary, Cochrane, Olds, Red Deer, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, and more, with recent years being busier than before. (Poor unsocialized homeschoolers.)
Apart from the typical teacher/student battles to ‘encourage’ learning, Mike and Michele have weathered the years of the push-pull effect of reluctant learners and now can look back on the fruits of their labour. There is one more to graduate, but that will come next year...a second Grade 12 year can take advantage of a maturing mind, and the sudden realization that ‘there is still a lot to do! Finally time to buckle down...!’
Their eldest wanted to travel and have a family. After a school stint in New Zealand for 6 months, and a semi-solo European tour, sprinkled with jaunts to Germany, Australia, and international tours with the Edmonton Youth Choir, she and her husband, also a homeschooled student, have recently given birth to their 8th child and continue the family practice of teaching their children at home and raising their family to love God.
Their second daughter’s goal was to work with horses, which she did at a racehorse training stable, followed by a time working with a highway’s maintenance company, and in winters, driving a large snowplough truck. She also took an interest in flying and earned her private pilot’s license. She married a homeschooled gent and recently gave birth to their 6th child. They’ve taken an interest in hobby farming and live on 10 acres with sheep, cattle, chickens, and pets (dogs, cats, and a duck). They’ve tried pigs and goats too…the family is involved with their local church.
Their eldest son and third-born had a penchant for university (more like not wanting to work in manual labour), wrote his SAT and earned a Bachelor of Psychology degree. Grateful for the change in admission policies for homeschooled students in the institution he attended, he was able to go on and earn his Master’s from a school in Ottawa. The period between degrees saw him involved with a faith missionary program for two years and helped him put roots down back east. Now living in the Edmonton area, he is married to a missionary colleague, and they are parents to two boys (so far). He works from home as a psychotherapist and connects well with his siblings. At some point, a move to Australia may happen, as his wife is from there.
Son number two and their fourth-born was more adept at handson work and pursued work in the field of carpentry. Successfully gaining admission to NAIT, he pursued his trade studies and is now
a journeyman cabinet maker, has a successful business enterprise, married and their work has found them in BC, Alaska, and other far away places. Living only a half hour from home, it is still a chore to connect, as they have much on the go.
The original plan was to end the story here with only four children, but the fifth born, a son, was an answer to prayer. The older kids kept asking God for mom to have another baby, and He honoured their prayers. He is now married, and they are expecting their 3rd. He is pursuing an apprenticeship as a Heavy Duty Mechanic. Like his siblings, he and his wife are imparting a faith-based foundation to their children.
Number six child, a son, (should have called him Dennis…) was our wildcard. No experience was too dangerous to try. He is now settling down, married, is working between plumbing and heavy-duty mechanics, and embarking on the purchase of their 1st home. No kids yet.
Their next son, now 24, was an adventure, having been born at 26 weeks, and weighing in at 1lb 12oz!!! He is affected by mild cerebral palsy but holds down a job at a greenhouse and drives his own car.
A miscarriage of a little girl at 5 months added a whole new dimension to the Barter’s life experience, leading to dealing with loss, and finding how supportive a community they belong to.
After 5 boys, their next daughter arrived with no complications, and to the delight of her older sisters. Now 20, she did a year of mission work with a team of 7 others, traveling across the country to spread the Good News to young people. Preparing to settle down, she is getting her adult feet and learning about life. Strengthened by her year away, her faith continues to grow, and she stays connected with her family.
One more arrived, and early, two months early. Dealing with cerebral palsy but affecting his gross motor skill only, his mind is sharp, and he is a whiz at chess. He looks to finish his high school next year and anticipates what the Lord has in store for him.
Currently the eldest daughter is the only one who has any school credits (went to summer school to get English 30). Looking back at how all their children turned out, Mike and Michele are proud of them all, are enjoying 19 grandchildren, and are grateful to the Good Lord for their big family adventure.
Mike and Michele live by Chipman, Alberta.
Photos courtesy of the Barter Family
Our Journey to WISDOM
By Kristine Buchholtz
“Whycan’t we be with WISDOM?” my oldest daughter asked in the spring of her Grade 9 year, the irritation all too evident in her voice. “All my friends who are with WISDOM get to go to dances and do all sorts of things we don’t get to do because we don’t belong to WISDOM.”
It was quite honestly a sharp — and actually very welcome — turn from where she had been early in that school year, when she had begged us incessantly to allow her to attend public school, ostensibly “to see her friends.” I had made a sustained and intentional effort throughout the rest of the year to connect her on a regular basis with other home schooling youth, which included attending an afternoon gathering of local home schoolers each week, where the moms would study and discuss the Bible (and our lives) while the younger kids played and the older kids hung out with one another* (and enjoyed snacks; there was always food, a vital aspect of any event for youth). As a result, her longing to attend institutional school dissipated over the course of the school year.
While this group of home schoolers had already been meeting once a week for Bible study for years (and at other times during the week for other activities), we were nevertheless made to feel completely at home and welcome, even as newcomers to the group. As it turns out, many of these families were long-time WISDOM families. I had been resisting WISDOM for four years, and now, on account of her clearly expressed complaint/recommendation/preference, I found myself wrestling with even greater intensity the idea of joining WISDOM. In addition to our growing relationships with so many WISDOM families, our daughter was very attracted by WISDOM’s dance workshops, and I was drawn to WISDOM’s Socratic Dialogue
program — as well as to so much more that WISDOM had (and continues) to offer. While these WISDOM families were never pushy to the non-WISDOM moms about switching to WISDOM, their experiences with WISDOM were so uniformly positive that it was difficult to suppress the growing desire to join them at WISDOM.
When we had started home schooling nine years previous to this, our only two home schooling acquaintances were with a different supervising authority, so we notified that same supervising authority of our intent to home educate for our oldest when she entered first grade. We spent five years with them, the last two in a “blended” (now known as “shared responsibility”) program because (we were told) “nothing will change and you’ll receive more funding!”
Great!
Except it wasn’t great. Not at all.
Everything changed, including our facilitator. Suddenly we were required to hand in writing samples, to stay in touch regularly, to write PATs in Grade 3, and even to submit report cards. (Report cards? Aren’t those to let the parents know how their kids are doing? We actually *knew* how our kids were doing, thank you very much? Aaargh.)
By the end of our second year of blended home schooling — by far the two most unenjoyable years (to put it mildly) in our entire twenty-six-year home schooling journey — we knew we would be notifying of our intent to home educate elsewhere. We seriously considered switching to WISDOM then, but ended up choosing instead a supervising authority that was smaller (because it would have a stronger sense of community, I thought) and that professed to be experts in facilitating entry into post-secondary programs after high school, which would of course be super helpful if and when we got to that very nerve-wracking point.
Because truly, the decision to home school through high school wasn’t the easiest decision for me — far from it. I often compare that decision to our earlier decision to home school for kindergarten, except on steroids! Making the decision to homeschool when our kids were little had caused a lot of stress in my life, but one question really helped me at that time: “Home schooling begins at birth. Why stop because they’ve turned five years old?” I couldn’t think of a good answer to stop, and so we kept our daughter at home and continued teaching her, albeit not without some uncertainty and trepidation. Indeed, when she was in kindergarten, I can remember well-meaning friends and relatives asking me super-helpful questions like: “But what about Grad Night?” and “How will she get a high school diploma?” and the ever-popular “How will she get into university?” When I should have been more concerned about teaching our firstborn how to read and add single digits, I was instead obsessing about What about Grad Night? Oh no! And how will she obtain a high school diploma and get into university?
As the years passed — conquering the skills of reading and adding single digits and so much more beyond that — I was able to put those
*In another unexpected turn, one of those youth would become our daughter-in-law thirteen years later. Though by all accounts, she and our son never spoke to each other during these weekly gatherings as youth, when they reconnected as young adults, their romance blossomed, and their love bloomed quickly.
questions aside for a time.
But once junior high arrived, the panic associated with them returned in full force and grew in strength with each day her high school years drew nearer.
And then, in that Grade 9 year, we attended WISDOM’s very first High School and Beyond Conference and heard Ken Noster ask this question: “If what you’ve been doing so far has been working well, why change it now?”
Indeed. Why change it now?
It was a question that I could not get out of my mind.
It was a question that provided an amazing amount of encouragement and confidence.
It was a question that God used to confirm that we should, and could, continue to home school through the high school years.
After all, by not sending our kids to a brick-and-mortar school for the past nine or ten years, we had already been swimming upstream against what our society expected. What was so magical about the last three years of high school that we needed to give up the home schooling lifestyle?
After that conference, I spent some time talking about high school with our supervising authority at the time and came to realize that they weren’t what we were looking for or needed: the sense of community we had so anticipated had never materialized and their vision of home schooling through high school was very different from ours; even if they could help us with post-secondary admissions, we still had three or four years of high school to experience first. We wanted to make the most of those years.
Everything WISDOM was offering, in conjunction with our daughter’s strong desire to become a part of the WISDOM family, became a call we could not resist. And so, for her Grade 10 year, we notified WISDOM of our intent to home educate not only her but also her younger siblings.
That was sixteen years ago. And we have never looked back.
Indeed, we will always wish we had been a part of the WISDOM family ten years sooner (from the very start of our home schooling experience), but we will be forever grateful that we spent more than half of our educational journey with them.
In hindsight, I can tell you the years of high school at home were, for us, as magical as they were terrifying. They were far from perfect, but they turned out to be the icing on the cake after several years of building a foundation, with WISDOM’s Online Courses being a tremendous help in augmenting the rest of their studies. In some ways, the high school years were akin to the difficult work of climbing a steep cliff, while in other ways they were also like reaching the pinnacle of that home school mountain we had been climbing: when we arrived at the top, the view was breathtaking.
High school was the time when, after nine or ten years of laying the groundwork, we could really enjoy the fruits of our kids’ education and of the time we had spent together as a family. We could have discussions about just about anything, and it wasn’t unusual for our teens to want to talk late at night, sometimes starting at eleven o’clock or midnight. These talks made me tired the next day, but I wouldn’t trade them for the world, because they also included some of the most meaningful discussions we had. (And hey, since we were home schooling, sleeping in the next morning was often an option…)
I know all too well that home schooling, even through high school, is not a guarantee of perfect kids with perfect lives. I can say that we are grateful to have home schooled and to have continued on through high school, and we have no regrets. We had the opportunity to enjoy our kids at every age and every stage, high school years included. We have watched our four older kids graduate from high school at home (none with a government diploma) and then move onto post-secondary studies and marriage and parenthood and careers. We are incredibly proud of the people our kids have become and of the people they have chosen to marry. We still love spending time with them (and now with the incredible little people who are our grandchildren), and by God’s incredible grace, our kids appear to enjoy spending time with us. So far, we don’t seem to have ruined any of our kids’ lives by home schooling them, or by home schooling them through high school — which is a relief, since I spent a number of sleepless nights worrying that we were doing just that.
We now have a few short months left in our home schooling journey with our youngest child. We could literally count the days, should we want to. (Spoiler alert: We don’t want to.) Again, by God’s grace and in an unexpected twist, we now have grandchildren who are being home schooled (yes, through WISDOM), which means we don’t have to say a final goodbye to the home schooling lifestyle anytime soon.
For the past sixteen years, WISDOM has been an integral part of our home schooling: from friends to our amazing facilitator (and her trusty sidekick) to dances to online courses to workshops to Mediated Learning to various retreats to support and guidance on pursuing post-secondary admissions to serving on WISDOM’s Parent Advisory Council. WISDOM became a part of our family. As large as WISDOM was, and is, the sense of community we experienced was truly second to none.
WISDOM was, and will always remain, a great gift from God to our family.
Praise God for His hand’s guidance and protection of WISDOM Home Schooling from its foundation through the past thirty years. May WISDOM, by God’s grace, continue to serve home schooling families for the next thirty years and beyond.
Kristine Buchholtz is finishing her twenty-six–year journey as a home schooling mom of five with an overwhelming sense of gratitude to God for insisting all those years ago that teaching her kids at home was something she just had to do. The fruit that He has brought forth has been far sweeter than anything she could have imagined when she began.
Image source: Kaboompics
Thirty years, one day at a time
By Paul van den Bosch
It is said that a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step.
In the same way, a journey of thirty years starts with just one day.
I don’t know what the first day of WISDOM’s thirty years looked like (perhaps that story is somewhere else in this magazine), but I do know what the first days of the journey looked like for my family.
It looked like this: two young
people – a young married couple – trying to be good parents and searching for the best educational path forward for their children. We were living in Ontario then and there were many educational options. My wife Mary researched them all. Was it to be public school? Private school? If a private school was that to be a Montessori school or perhaps a Waldorf school? There were so many possibilities…One of the options was home schooling.
When the research was done
and after we had considered and discussed and prayed and discussed and prayed some more, we made a decision, a big decision for a young couple, a decision that shaped the life of our family and our future. Choosing to home school was the first step along a path of education, an education for our children and an education for the parents too. More than that, it was a choice that started us on a clear path of life.
Here’s the way Mary looks at it now: Thomas Aquinas says there’s no such thing as a neutral act. All of the decisions that we make have implications and bring us closer to or farther from God. So we made this decision – to home school our children – prayerfully, and we just walked forward, asking God to open and close doors to show us the way. And He repeatedly opened doors pointing to home schooling and He seemed to be closing doors about putting our kids back into school. We really feel that that was something that God was directing us to. After thirty years, that has been the best thing for our family’s academic growth but especially for our wholeness and holiness.
that there were other possible paths which we didn’t get to see, but I’m very grateful to say that home schooling has never been a path that we have regretted, so that our “road less traveled” could also be titled “the path of no regret”.
Years ago, I read a science fiction story called “What If” by Isaac Asimov. It told the story of a man who had a machine that could show you how your life would be different if you had made different choices in the past. In the story, one of the characters chooses to look into his own past and comes away from the experience wiser but much sadder.
I sometimes think of that story and reflect, with gratitude, that in this real life, we don’t get the opportunity to look into such a machine. I can’t help thinking, if I saw different outcomes (and some of the different outcomes could include vacationing in a different place, choosing a different career path, living in a different city or even a different country, renting an apartment in a city instead of buying a house on an acreage) that I would perhaps wish to change my life. I’m sure that would make me
It’s strange, isn’t it? Sometimes the “big moments” in our lives are obvious at the time. Sometimes they’re not. But when we look back, we realize how one decision led us onto other decisions, so that the road less traveled became a familiar path under our feet. At the same time, as Robert Frost notes in his famous poem, choosing one path means that you cannot choose some others. Our decision to home school meant
not only sadder but dissatisfied and perhaps even bitter. But, instead, I am grateful.
I know there are several decisions that I’ve never regretted, not once: marrying that honest and feisty and freckled Irish girl more than forty years ago. Becoming a home school facilitator with WISDOM twenty years ago. And deciding to home school our children, a decision that my wife and I made every year for thirty years. I continue to be amazed and grateful to my wife for her clarity and the research she did that brought us to that decision, and to her courage and fortitude and the love she continues to give to our family every day since.
When Mary and I added up the number of years we home schooled our children, our home school journey was thirty years. The thirty years of WISDOM didn’t exactly overlap the same thirty that my wife and I home schooled, but we were part of WISDOM for the last twenty of our thirty as a WISDOM family (and we are still with WISDOM as part of the team). And, really, is the journey of home schooling every really done, for are we not parents for eternity?
I remember years ago, when
we still lived in Ontario, I was a speaker at a home schooling conference there and I noted that, although our family had chosen home schooling, such a decision didn’t automatically mean that it was a “forever decision”. I mentioned that when our family was deciding what the educational future of our children would be, my wife had done an enormous amount of research, and that, as good parents, those who were attending the conference should make educational decisions with deliberation and prayer and care. Each family is different. Each child is different. What is best for your family? What is best for each of your children? Those are important questions to ask and to keep asking, because the answers may change. Or perhaps more accurately: the answers may stay the same but the reasons behind the answers may change.
Home schooling is a decision we make every day, and it is a decision Mary and I look back on with gratitude. We aren’t alone in that gratitude. This is from our son Ben: My parents started home schooling me before first grade, so when I was growing up it was something I didn’t often question. It was only as an adult that I became more aware of the other methodologies that dominate the typical present-day educational scene. It was also only as an adult that I realized, looking back, the individual struggles I myself had (and would have had) with the standardized school system, had I been forced to remain in it. With the clarity of hindsight -- and deep gratitude -I now know without a doubt that the decision to home school was
one of the best decisions my parents ever made on my behalf, second only to their dedication in passing down their religious faith. Home schooling has shaped me deeply, in ways that few other things have. It was an extraordinary fortress protecting me from (and ultimately equipping me against) the devouring dragons of the secular postmodern age. Good call, mum and dad. Thanks. :)
The question of what is best is a question that Mary and I asked thirty years ago, and we still ask today: how can I be the best possible parent for each child today? Today is truly the only day we have, and it could be a day like every other or it could be a momentous day that we look back on with wonder and say: “we made a big decision that day and look at everything that has happened since…”. Deciding to home school was just such a day.
That day of decision was a big day, and it is just such a “big day” that we celebrate when we think of the word “anniversary”. According to the Cambridge dictionary, an anniversary is “a day when we remember or celebrate something important
that happened on that day in a previous year”.
Thirty years ago, a decision launched WISDOM.
Thirty years later, WISDOM families – ours included –continue to make decisions every day, many times a day…
How can I be the best person I can be?
The best husband or wife?
The best son or daughter?
The best parent?
The best home school teacher for my children?
The best student?
The answers may seem complicated at times, and we may resist those answers because, well, home schooling isn’t easy and takes a great deal of time and energy and love. But we can find the right answers and we will be given the courage and strength to live out the answers if we ask one question first: How can I align my will with the will of God so that God’s will may be done in my life and the life of my family? May God bless us with clarity and courage as we continue on our path.
Paul van den Bosch and his wife Mary live in Lac Ste. Anne County and have been part of the WISDOM family for twenty years.
Photos courtesy of the van den Bosch Family
By Terry Yaceyko
It’s amazing to look back over 30 years and to celebrate WISDOM Home Schooling at this point in time. Our family has been with WISDOM almost from the beginning.
I can remember being with a homeschool board when we started homeschooling our children – I had a public-school teacher come into our home as a homeschool facilitator. She asked me to tell her about homeschooling! I remember looking at her and thinking “I wanted *YOU* to answer my questions about home education.”
My husband and I heard that Ken and Marlane Noster had started WISDOM Home Schooling, and we switched over to WISDOM as soon as we could. Even in the beginning it felt like coming home for me. We enjoyed the original “WISDOM Magazine” and being notified with WISDOM. Ken was our first homeschool facilitator and believe me, he could answer any question about homeschooling I had at that time!
We eventually ended up on WISDOM’s Parent Advisory Council. I loved promoting WISDOM and talking to WISDOM families about what WISDOM had to offer.
All 4 of our daughters graduated from WISDOM Home Schooling over the course of 26 years AND I am thankful WISDOM was there for our entire homeschool journey!
After our youngest daughter (Julia) graduated, I applied to work at WISDOM and started working full-time as a WISDOM Home School Consultant in 2017. That has also been a delight – being on the other side of the *home school fence* answering questions about WISDOM/home education and encouraging WISDOM Home Schoolers as much as I can.
I was thinking about WISDOM’s 30th Anniversary and came up with the idea of “30 Reasons to Celebrate WISDOM’s 30th Anniversary!”
(Here they are, in no particular order after #1.)
1. Ken & Marlane Noster – smile. I just have to start here. At this time in history there are lots of options for homeschool families… looking back 30 years ago, that was not the case, and I think WISDOM was one of the first options for homeschoolers in Alberta. Ken and Marlane had no idea how many families would end up homeschooling with WISDOM in the first year, much less over the last 30 years. Who knew their decision to start WISDOM Home Schooling would be one of the best decisions they ever made – not only for their family and friends, but for homeschoolers in Alberta?
2. The name *WISDOM Home Schooling*. I’m pretty sure this was Marlane’s suggestion, and what a great suggestion it was! There are so many names out there, but I know I appreciate saying WISDOM Home Schooling when I answer the phone and thinking of WISDOM – the word itself has such great definitions:
a. The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight.
b. Common sense; good judgment.
c. The sum of learning through the ages; knowledge. It definitely was what I wanted for our children when we started homeschooling!
3. WISDOM Home Schooling Group on Facebook. Looking back, I remember when WISDOM had Bulletin Boards (on the website) that parents could post on, but eventually WISDOM moved to Facebook (which is still the best place for homeschoolers to connect online) and created the main WISDOM Facebook Group. I can remember when it was a thrill to hit 750 members, then 1000 members, and currently we are at 2000 members (including WISDOM grads, facilitators, alumni, and current parents). Lots of homeschool encouragement, WISDOM information and inspiration are shared every week.
4. TobyLauren Burgess was the reason Ken and Marlane Noster started homeschooling and she has been an integral part of WISDOM for many years. She is WISDOM’s Chief Operating Officer and does a great job of keeping WISDOM on track.
5. Mike and Michele Barter love Ballroom Dancing and have taught so many WISDOM Ballroom Dance Workshops that our families enjoy and love. These are really unique to WISDOM! (Patty Marler says, “Ballroom Dance Classes changed what our lives looked like as homeschoolers!”)
6. WISDOM has been focused on traditional home schooling since it started almost 30 years ago – and it continues to be only parent-directed, which means parents get to choose what, where, when, why and how to homeschool AND WISDOM is there to support your family in doing so. I love that! (Parent-directed homeschooling gives parents the most freedom in educating their children!) It sets WISDOM apart.
7. Simon Noster is WISDOM’s Home Education Principal and father to 4 beautiful children. He is a well-spoken proponent of traditional homeschooling and does a wonderful job leading WISDOM.
8. All of our Administration, Staff, and Facilitators have direct ties to homeschooling and have had *years* of experience in homeschooling their own children OR being homeschooled. In fact, this year’s WISDOM Team had 1,029.5 years of homeschool experience (we did a poll!). So, when you ask a question or need homeschool support, our Team is there for you with answers. (We’ve been in the trenches of homeschooling, too!) This is huge for WISDOM and for WISDOM families. It really matters that Admin, Staff and Facilitators have years of experience!
9. The Office stops to pray for our families on weekdays. Not everyone will appreciate this, but those who do, really appreciate it. Life is tough and uncertain at times. Praying for our families is the most AND the least we can do.
10. WISDOM’s Home School Support Group List is updated yearly and is the most complete list in Alberta available for everyone to access. It’s a great way to find out what Homeschool Support Groups are available in your area.
11. WISDOM Spring Socials and Fall Family Gatherings are hosted by WISDOM Facilitators and enjoyed by so many WISDOM Families. They are a great way to make connections with other WISDOM families in your area and are lovely WISDOM Events.
12. WISDOM has a monthly Kindergarten Connections e-Newsletter (October through June) meant to encourage and inspire homeschooling families with little ones. This has had an alphabet theme since September 2023 and is very appreciated by our WISDOM Families with little ones.
13. The WISDOM Socratic Dialogue Online Program (and Philosophy Club) are very popular with many of our WISDOM families. They are founded on logic and discussion, limited to small online classroom sizes, and help families fully engage in a classical approach to learning. Nicole Noster does an outstanding job coordinating this program.
14. The WISDOM Family Magazine comes out bi-monthly and is a top-notch resource full of articles to inspire, encourage, inform and equip parents and students. TobyLauren Burgess does an
excellent job as Editor, while Naomi Doyle does beautiful work as Graphic Designer!
15. WISDOM Home Schooling is pleased to be partnering with Augustana Campus in a pilot project that invites WISDOM students to apply to Augustana with extremely homeschool friendly requirements. For the first time, home education students have a pathway to the University of Alberta that compliments the use of traditional homeschool resources, which are not Alberta curriculum specific. Students are able to pursue Truth, Goodness, and Beauty through the WISDOM Socratic Dialogue Online Extra Evaluation courses and enjoy a simple pathway to the University of Alberta, Augustana Campus.
16. Our WISDOM Facilitators are wonderful support for our families. We have everything from homeschool parents, homeschool grandparents AND even homeschool grads (3 this year!) serving our families as facilitators. WISDOM facilitators are accredited teachers, but they also believe strongly in parent-directed home education and are homeschooling (were homeschooled, or did homeschool) their children!
17. The WISDOM workshops, in-person events, online events, and gatherings continue to be a blessing for WISDOM families. Some of WISDOM’s most popular events are the Chess Workshops and Survival Workshops. Kyra Tinant and Marlane Noster do a masterful job at organizing WISDOM Events!
18. In 2022/2023, WISDOM had 347 graduates, while in 2023/2024 WISDOM had 381 graduates, with approximately 10-15% going on to post-secondary. How cool is that? I know so many homeschool graduates now!
19. WISDOM’s Mediated Learning Program is a unique program that helps parents become even better educators, leading the dance of learning with our children. This program helps WISDOM parents overcome obstacles to learning and is a backbone on which to build the entire approach to education. A mediational approach helps us to become better parents and home educators. Lora Cardinal capably leads our Mediated Learning Program.
20. We have a High School Advisor (Christian Bekolay) and Credit Advisor (Peter Weidman) on the team, as well as five High School Subject Specialists supporting and serving WISDOM families. They are so good at supporting our families through high school!
21. WISDOM’s TLC e-Newsletter (Terry’s Terrific Learning Connections) is a monthly (October through June) themed unit study style e-Newsletter meant to encourage and inspire WISDOM families. Recent themes have been Anne of Green Gables, LEGO, Joy, Homeschool Hospitality and Swiss Family Robinson. Many families enjoy it!
22. WISDOM’s Home School Resource Booklets are full of encouragement and inspiration and are free by request. (We have 32 current booklets with new ones coming for Fall ‘25!) The most popular booklets are Nature Studies and Games that Build the Brain!
23. WISDOM Online Chess Workshops are a perfect mix of fun,
education, interaction and chess mastery in one hour AND are so popular with WISDOM families. Intentionally small class sizes give our children another great way to make connections.
24. WISDOM has a Penpal Club, Birthday Club (NEW) and Mail Events for their families providing more opportunities for children and youth to connect with others. Janice Laurence does a great job with the Pen Pal and Birthday Clubs! Happy Mail, Christmas Fun, Valentine’s Day, In a Pickle, and Lighten Up & Laugh Mail Exchanges have been enjoyed by Mail Exchange families this year!
25. WISDOM has a Parent Advisory Council, a group of WISDOM parent volunteers who support the WISDOM community and are available to connect with WISDOM families locally. So many of WISDOM’s service ideas have come directly from PAC suggestions over the years. (This council is unique to WISDOM and a blessing to the homeschool community of Alberta.)
26. There are Extras Available for WISDOM Families (free and discounted programs; visit wisdomhomeschooling.com/ resources/external/extras-available-for-wisdom-families). The list is always growing and changing every year. Another bonus for WISDOM Families!
27. WISDOM hosts the only homeschooling through High School & Beyond Conference in Alberta every year (AND has done so for years!), helping students and parents to confidently homeschool through high school. It is also open to all homeschoolers in Alberta! Every year it is focused on a theme, and has special homeschool speakers to inspire and equip students and parents. Many post-secondary institutions and employment opportunities take part in an Exhibitor Hall and are available to speak with students and parents, too.
28. WISDOM’s Win It Wednesdays are a fun extra on the main WISDOM Home Schooling Group on Facebook. A number of new and used (in great condition) books, games and homeschool resources are listed on a poll weekly (October through June) and mailed out to the winning families. It’s another way WISDOM can encourage and support their families. I enjoy setting up the posts and polls!
29. WISDOM’s Useful Sites and Educational Links is a huge, evergrowing educational list for homeschoolers on the WISDOM website. Looking for a specific link? Check here first!
30. WISDOM also celebrates Homeschool Grads! Everything from
Grad hoodies, tassels and charms, to the opportunity to be featured in the WISDOM Magazine with a short bio and Grad picture, to Grad Signs for your lawn, to being able to request a Transcript, WISDOM Diploma, or Certificate of High School Completion, to a Celebratory ball in honour of WISDOM’s Graduates! WISDOM would like to help families celebrate graduating students!
And some bonus reasons to Celebrate with WISDOM!
• Discounted Programs and Licenses in the WISDOM Web Shop. These include SOLARO, Minecraft for Education, Enriched Academy, Beast Academy, SuccessMaker, All the Right Type, CTBS, and IXL Math, ELA, and Science which are appreciated by our families!
• WISDOM’s website is amazing. From the home page to the graphics to the content – it has been carefully designed and crafted to be appealing and informative. There is so much information on there, it really is astounding. If you haven’t checked out the website lately, you should take a look! TobyLauren Burgess and Levi Breederland have done a great job!
• WISDOM’s Alumni Association is a great way for WISDOM Grads to share the benefits of homeschooling and to provide peer support for each other.
• WISDOM’s Home School Assistance Fund is a way to help WISDOM Families in Crisis. Those who are willing and able may donate funds to help homeschool families in need.
• As I read through this list, I realized that WISDOM is so much more – it is a family group of like-minded individuals. I enjoyed being part of it as a homeschool Mom and parent and I continue enjoying being part of it as a Home School Consultant. We have a marvelous WISDOM team that works together – everyone from our Founders (Ken & Marlane) to Simon to TobyLauren to the HUB – those who answer the phones and more – to the Data Team to the Funding Team to the Online Course Manager to WISDOM Events to the Facilitators to the Development Team to the IT Systems Administrator to Mediated Learning to the High School Specialists.
Happy Homeschooling AND Happy 30th Anniversary, WISDOM!
Weare very grateful for WISDOM Home Schooling for many reasons. Back in 1995 when we started, home schooling was still a relatively rare and “suspicious” behaviour. Ken and Marlane’s leadership was, and continues to be (now with Simon as well), a guiding light for many families. We will share our own experience.
Neither of us having been well read or catechized, we appreciated Ken and Marlane’s confident, rational, calming and encouraging counsel. The WISDOM family (facilitators and support staff) helped our family not only with academic goals but encouraged us to look at how the children were growing in areas of responsibility and virtue. One example would be WISDOM’s suggested “book lists” to fill the mind with worthy, wholesome literature that promoted a virtuous life and authentic history. We noticed that the school system/culture was eroding faith life, beginning with the role of the family and the authority of the parents. WISDOM advised us to pick an overall family goal/vision, gave some examples, and invited us to discern what was best for our own family. We chose “Seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness, and everything will be added unto you” (Matt 6:33).
Ken, Marlane, and their caring staff have given much of themselves to support home schooling families. Having been professional actors before they had a family, Ken and Marlane personally and capably passed on this gift by starting Drama Camps, adding to their already busy life! Our family particularly enjoyed these camps for quite a few years. They really encouraged family participation, not the usual dropping off of children. It helped each of us safely stretch beyond our comfort zones and meet and mingle with like-minded families. We all have some great memories from the plays we participated in and benefitted greatly by having wonderful experiences together and forming many new and lasting friendships. As WISDOM grew, they continually saw and met the needs of their families by adding Writing, Baseball, Geology and Dance Camps (to name a few), then
30th WISDOM’s Anniversary
By Veronica & Len Isinger
The WISDOM magazine was a highlight for me. Originally (in the mid-nineties), there was one amount of money from the government per child to support traditional home schooling. When “blended” funding became available, the per child amount almost tripled! Ken wrote an article to help parents think it through - more funding means more government control and pretty soon what you really wanted to spend time on with your children would likely go undone. Ken put into words what I was thinking but couldn’t quite verbalize. It was a clarion call to integrity! As he had predicted, a few years later, the hammer came down and again we were grateful for their vision and leadership for traditional home schooling. Ken and Marlane have stood in the breach with tremendous grace on many occasions, defending and supporting the rights of parents to be the primary educators of their children.
We have wondered what our family would look like today if we did not home school with WISDOM. All our children have graduated with a WISDOM home education diploma and contribute to society by honest and meaningful work. Each of our three sons have leadership roles where they work. Thanks be to God, our children all practice their faith and recognize they belong to a loving and just God. If this had been all we accomplished, we would be eternally grateful. Two of our children met and married WISDOM graduates. Three of our four children’s families have chosen home schooling for their own families. (The fourth family does not have school-age children yet.)
We believe WISDOM Home Schooling opened our eyes to see our duty and responsibility to educate our children as a God-given gift to embrace. Their leadership was a blessing, equipping and encouraging us - quite prophetic in many, many ways. We thank God for their leadership and influence in our lives and are pleased to have many of the WISDOM family as treasured friends.
online classes with a Socratic approach using “Great Books”.
Photo courtesy of the Isinger Family
By Nicole Noster
TheOnline Program is nearly as old as WISDOM is; at 23 years, this Program began close to the initial founding of WISDOM Home Schooling. “WISDOM was always shifting. It started as a response to needs from parents, and we just kept shifting every time needs came along,” Ken Noster described to me as he thought back on the decades of classical learning that WISDOM has encouraged. “We began to recognize the impact of taking a classical approach, not in terms of content but in how children learn. We encouraged families to utilize this approach. It’s good to read things that are difficult to understand, difficult to express, and to have discourse in order to process and essentially internalize the truths that are in beautiful literature and great philosophy.”
Ken laughed as he thought back to the domino effect of this encouragement, “The Online Program got kicked off by one homeschool dad who said, ‘Ok, Ken, you’ve got us doing this classical approach, but now we need a little help. Help us with this Socratic dialogue part; how do we get this process going?’ It was a fair question! Students need ongoing dialogue
to develop relationship so that you trust the people you are talking to. You can then actually divulge to them what you’re really thinking and to be able to be wrong in your surmise. You also need to be open enough to actually accept what they’re saying that might be new to you, so that you can actually apply it to your own thinking.”
In conjunction with this parent query, Ken also heard from a past WISDOM graduate, Jerome Spoeth, who had just received his BA from a classical liberal arts college, Thomas Aquinas College, in the US. Ken and Jerome discussed the need for active dialogue and how they could fill it, and having benefitted from the 4-year discussion-based program of Thomas Aquinas College, Jerome confirmed the idea that offering a related program would be a natural fit for home schooled students. Fortunately, it was also around that time that technology caught up to the need. Beginning with the Adobe Connect platform, WISDOM launched the first online course in the fall of 2002.
That first class jumped right into the Great Books tradition: they read The Iliad, The Aeneid, Dante’s Inferno, Hamlet, The
Little Prince, and dialogues and excerpts from Plato and Aristotle in conjunction with other literary and philosophical works. (If you want a first-hand account, ask our Principal, Simon Noster, if he was one of these guinea pig students.) While challenging, these first classes were a clear success. The needs kept presenting themselves over the years. Ken said, “The program continued to grow by people expressing what they would love to read and discuss. Really, its genesis was a very specific need to dialogue. Dialogue is critical.” WISDOM now offers over 40 courses to students in Grades 1–12, ranging from literature to history to philosophy to writing.
Ironically, we found that we were finally pros at something the world-at-large was not when the pandemic hit in 2020: online education delivery was second nature to us. This reality was due in a large part to the fact that discussion is a natural fit to any type of classroom, virtual or physical, and it suits the challenges of distance in a far better way than trying to bring a brickand-mortar classroom to a student’s living room. Blessedly, in those crazy COVID
days, we were able to keep to business as usual, which was a relief when so many other areas of our lives were turned upside down.
I connected with some of our WISDOM Online Program team who were homeschooled, took WISDOM classes, and returned to our “classrooms” as tutors themselves, among these Ben van den Bosch, Patrick Benoit, Elise Van Hierden, and Miriam Novotny. Ben agreed that the WISDOM class model was a good fit to his program. He said, “My mum registered me for an Introductory Great Books course with the WISDOM Online Program shortly after we first moved to Alberta and signed on with WISDOM. I quickly found that the format of these classes (their ease of online access, ability to attend class in my pajamas, open and often enthusiastic discussion with my peers about deep and inspiring ideas, and the encouragements, questions, and prompts provided by my online tutors) seemed tailor-made to suit my academic needs and desires. I was delightfully surprised to find so many other like-minded “nerds” among my online classmates, and those early online Socratic discussion experiences firmly cemented in me a great love and thirst for intellectual discourse. This had perhaps a bigger impact on my high school education than anything else I did during those years, because I came out of high school with a sincere passion for honest philosophy: a love of truth.”
Elise also shared that her first experience wasn’t quite what she thought it might be: “One of my first memories of WISDOM is sitting in a Latin class under the mistaken assumption that it was a course analysing English derivatives—not a language class (and a dead language at that!) with foreign terms such as “declensions,”
“conjugations,” and “parsing.” Yet, despite having accidentally stumbled into the class, ignorant of both English and Latin grammar, I became captivated by the language and yearned to understand it better—a captivation and desire that has since steered the course of the rest of my life.” I’ve often heard similar stories related to this idea: students take our courses expecting one thing, and then they continue on, having been entranced by something completely different, but ultimately more valuable.
To Ken’s earlier point on the importance of sharing ideas, both similar and dissimilar, Patrick reflected, “The countless disagreements and arguments that I had with my classmates over the years has built up in me a knowledge that people can disagree, and voice their disagreement, and argue their disagreement, and hammer away at their disagreement quite combatively—and yet respect, like, and even love each other. The classmates that I have the fondest memories of are the ones who challenged me, and especially the ones who were right when I was wrong. I am a more courageous and understanding person for having experienced such challenges.” How did Ken put it? “Dialogue is critical.” The more we live in our complex world, the more I think we all realize this essential need. Relatedly, Miriam expressed, “The WISDOM Online Program was easily one of the most formative parts of my high school. It allowed me to interact with peers who were as passionate about learning as I was, an experience that was rendered more enriching by the intimate class sizes. The quality of the course materials, the vigour of the conversations, and the guidance of the tutors developed my speaking, leadership, and critical thinking skills. Additionally, the opportunity to defend my position and
to pursue truth in this way informed my worldview and shaped me as a person.”
For these individuals, it turned out that their WISDOM courses also played a part in leading them to other, post-secondary pursuits. “WISDOM’s courses were profoundly influential in my choice of post-secondary education,” Elise detailed, “as they kindled a love for the world of the Classics. Upon graduating, I pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and Culture, focusing on ancient language and literature. The courses I was enrolled in at WISDOM—particularly Foundational Great Books and Before Tolkien—were deeply formative in developing my keen interest and love of language literature, a passion that has only grown since.” Ben affirmed that this high school experience directly led him to university. “I was delighted to enter a BA degree (with a major in philosophy) primarily because of my online class experiences. Attending university lectures as an adult was actually the first time I had ever been a student in the physical classroom setting (since Mum pulled me out of junior kindergarten to start homeschooling), and although I had no idea what to expect at first, I quickly discovered that my WISDOM online classes (along with other homeschooling experiences) had in fact equipped me for
post-secondary studies much better than the majority of my fellow classmates had been by the public system.”
I couldn’t resist asking the tutors to compare their experiences as students and now as tutors. Patrick detailed, “Moderating Socratic dialogue, for me, is mostly an exercise in keeping the mouth shut and ears open, whereas participating requires opening both. It was enjoyable to tutor courses that contained materials which I had discussed as a student: to witness the exploration of ideas that I had once explored, but from different perspectives. I hope that I was able to keep from spoiling the ending and giving away the answers!” “Being a tutor has deepened my respect for the WISDOM tutors who taught me, as I have come to realize that leading Socratic discussions is no easy task!” Elise shared. “Transitioning from student to tutor has also been beneficial in the fact that I vividly remember the fear of speaking up on the microphone when I first joined WISDOM, the debilitating feeling of not finishing readings, and the dreaded end-of-year comment: ‘Elise was a thoughtful student, but silent.’ This has given me a deep level of understanding of students who share a similar struggle, making me all the more eager to encourage and help those students succeed.” They’re right that it is no easy task to take a back seat as a discussion leader. I realize that this is the only appropriate time to encourage backseat driving; a good leader of Socratic dialogue guides but does not necessarily lead. Miriam agreed, “As a tutor, my focus is on the people as well as the ideas. I’m thinking, ‘How do I ask this question? How can I phrase it so as to encourage a thoughtful and truthful understanding?’ This means I’m considering the course materials from an entirely different angle,
one which deepens my own understanding even as I try to guide others.”
As WISDOM completes its 30th year, it’s a great time to try out one of our courses to encourage your students to hone their critical discussion skills in a tried and true process. Reflecting on reasons to use the WISDOM Program, Ben said, “A true Socratic approach (asking questions and prompting discussion; NOT lecturing or otherwise simply ‘giving’ information) is an all too rare thing in today’s academic world. For many of us it seems a counter-intuitive or even frustrating approach at first: ‘Why won’t you tell us the right answer!’ ‘This discussion feels like it’s taking too long and not getting anywhere productive!’ ‘Why aren’t we covering the same basic information that other programs always seem to?’ However, after many years of witnessing the Socratic method in action, I am convinced that it is almost always the best possible approach in most areas of learning.” Elise confirmed, “Though students may not remember every detail
from Homer’s Iliad or the philosophical thoughts underlying Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy, the courses provide a platform where students can be challenged—both by the tutor and their peers. The classes are not about making students agree with their tutor but about encouraging them to think more deeply and appreciating human experience in all its beautiful complexity.”
Fall registration opens in early May. Check out our website for developments and course announcements, and my virtual door is always open: nicole@ wisdomhomeschooling.com
Nicole is a booker, a baker, and wishes she was a candlestick maker (actually!). She enjoys homeschooling her 4 children in part because it makes her relearn things that she never appreciated the first time around. Her role as the Socratic Dialogue Program Manager gives her great satisfaction to spend time examining life through the facets of the classics, and she can’t resist recommending some more good reads: A Severe Mercy (Sheldon Vanauken) and Cry, Beloved Country (Alan Paton).
WISDOM Canteen
WISDOM Mug
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WISDOM Elemental Tumbler 40oz
WISDOM Hat -Adult
WISDOM Hat-Youth
WISDOM Toque
FREEDOM Sweater
Infinity Scarf
Polo Shirt -Adult
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WISDOM Hoodie -Youth
WISDOM Hoodie Zip-Up -Youth Cooking With WISDOM II
From Public School Student to Autodidact: Being
a WISDOM Student
Radically Changed My Outlook on Education
By Noah von Hatten
Youcan take the homeschooler out of the homeschool, but you can’t take the homeschool out of the homeschooler.
Yes, that’s a slightly re-worked version of an overused cliché, but it’s true. I may have graduated from WISDOM in 2019, but the principal benefit I gained from homeschooling has stayed with me.
I never thrived as a conventional student. Sure, if you put an assignment and a rubric in front of me, I could usually work out what was needed well enough to get a good mark. I even tested fairly well. But conventional school never worked for me. I could pass my classes, but I wouldn’t retain much, if anything, from the lessons. With WISDOM I was able to find an approach that helped me actually learn.
I can confidently say I wouldn’t be who I am today without homeschooling through WISDOM, though I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t recognise the main benefit I received from homeschooling until years after graduating.
The word autodidact appeals to me. It has a sort of enigmatic tone. It’s intriguing. In reality, it’s a mildly esoteric way to describe someone who self-educates, which I interpret as being a lifelong learner. It’s what I consider myself to be. It’s the main benefit I received from being a homeschooler. I’m immensely grateful for it too. I simply would never have become a lifelong learner without WISDOM.
I resented school when I was a student, at least in the early years. It’s important to note that I didn’t start as a homeschooler. In fact, my homeschool journey would see my view on learning and education transform into almost the complete opposite of what it was when I started.
Homeschooling is strictly illegal where I was born. Like every other German of a certain age, I started school by attending a public elementary school. It was there that I learned to hate school. It was also there that my rigid, check-all-the-boxes-or-you-haven’t-learned-anything outlook on education was formed. There’s one way that things are done in a school in Germany. Either you do them that way, or you suffer the consequences. You either meet the requirements through the prescribed methods, or deal with being labelled unintelligent.
Fast-forward to my family’s first year after emigrating. That first autumn in Canada, I experienced the completely foreign idea of homeschooling. There was a part of me that was immediately onboard. I get to stay home? I don’t even have to spend the entire day doing school? Brilliant! Yes please! Then the lessons began; I will admit, I struggled at first.
It wasn’t that my parents and I didn’t see eye-to-eye, or that I was deliberately difficult. I had simply developed the expectation that teachers treat students in a certain way. When my mother didn’t reprimand, criticize, or yell at me the way my first teachers had, I didn’t know how to react. It took some time to undo these expectations.
As a family, our first homeschool experience was not with WISDOM. Those early homeschool years were spent aligned, or partially-aligned, to the Alberta standard curriculum. It seems a common progression for families to go from attending public school, to replicating school at home—at least from a curriculum perspective—for the first homeschool years. This way of homeschooling suited us better than public school, yet it still didn’t fit quite right.
would only be fair to acknowledge him for being the excellent teacher he was.
Today, I maintain the approach of self-directed learning, and the belief in educational freedom that started when I was a student with WISDOM. I graduated with an Alberta Diploma; I even made it to the honour roll. But, more importantly to me personally, my natural curiosity and desire
Photos courtesy of Noah von Hatten
Growing Up with WISDOM
By Rachelle Godin
WISDOM
encourages families to have a vision for their homeschooling. They want families to really know the “why” behind what they are doing. Knowing your “why” is important because it provides clarity about your purpose in life, which can significantly boost your motivation, focus, and overall satisfaction by aligning your actions with your core values and passions, allowing you to make decisions that are meaningful and contribute to a fulfilling life, especially when facing challenges or setbacks. When we know why we are doing something, we are motivated to continue! I still know my why.
We started homeschooling in September of 1999. My oldest was six years old and the other kids were four, two and newborn, just three weeks old. I just wanted something better for my kids! I wanted them to be like their dad, who was homeschooled for 8 years of his education. I wanted them to be free to explore the world without the pressure of measuring up. I wanted them to love learning. I wanted my kids to be close to each other and I wanted to spend more time with them. Most importantly, I wanted my kids to love the Lord their God with their all their heart, with all their soul, and with all their mind and to live with Him forever in heaven! This is why we started homeschooling!
Our family has grown over the years. We have been married for thirty-three years, a third of century, and have been homeschooling for twenty-five of those years! We have moved a couple of times, and my husband has enjoyed a few different kinds of work. We have nine children, ages twelve to thirty-one. We have five girls and four boys, plus two in heaven. Seven of our kids have graduated and moved on to have productive lives. Two are married and one is engaged. Two have university degrees and one is working towards his degree. Another is working towards her Master's degree. One of my sons is a full-time missionary! The others all have good jobs that provide for their needs. They have happy fulfilling lives! They love God and each other. We have two grandchildren, plus one on the way, and one in heaven. We still have two kids at home with us who are homeschooling. We still love being together every day! My husband and I often say to each other, “We have a great life!” We truly do!
Someone once told me to do something that has eternal value every day. I believe homeschooling has eternal value! The souls that are entrusted to you are precious, unique, and eternal. Protect them, love them, nurture them, and then let them fly!
September 1999, our first field trip - Gondola in Jasper. Julie (6), Rolland (4), Danielle (2), Natalie (6 weeks).
June 2010, WISDOM's 15th Anniversary Camp - Julie (17), Rolland (15), Danielle (13), Natalie (11), Mario (8), Adam (6), Kateri (4), JP (1)
August 2010, taken on Vancouver Island - Julie (17), Rolland (15), Danielle (13), Natalie (11), Mario (8), Adam (6), Kateri (4), JP was 1, but was napping at the time.
May 2017, at St. Benoit on our 25th Anniversary - Julie (24), Rolland (22), Danielle (20), Natalie (18), Mario (15), Adam (13), Kateri (11), John Paul (8), Rose (5).
September 2024 - Adam (20) with fiancée Grace, Mario (22), Danielle (27), John Paul (15), Kateri (18), Mike, Julie's husband and Julie (31), Rolland (29), Rose (12), Natalie (25) with grandson Florian and husband Dean, Rachelle and Paul behind. Granddaughter Stella (2) in front.
Photos courtesy of the Godin Family
Let Them Sing, Dance & Be {Married} A Celebration of Family Culture with WISDOM
By Michéla (Barter) Labonté
Theyear of WISDOM’s beginnings, my parents jumped ship from their previous homeschool board and never looked back.
In 1995, the Barters were already a singing and dancing family; we sang in the car, we sang at bedtime, we listened to hours of good music – my earliest memories were sitting proudly on a stool beside my dad, while he played the guitar at church. In 2000, my parents began working as a Facilitator team (Mom the facilitator, Dad the full-time chauffeur and assistant) and outside of visits season, we were a full-time family, free to nurture our passions.
Mom and Dad danced, and taught some Ballroom classes while we were small, but when I was 12 or 13, it took on a whole new life. I remember the day we pushed aside the table in the dining room, and “slow, slow, quick-quick, slow” ...we were hooked, and the seeds of “Dance Camp” were planted.
Ballroom camps took off, and along with Baseball Camp and Drama Camp, it became the coolest thing to do. Here began an incredible culture of ‘dance etiquette’ where awkward boys could safely stick their necks out to ask a girl to dance and have the skill to guide her around the floor. WISDOM Ballroom Dance Workshops still continue today.
In the later years of our homeschooling journey, we continued to sing at church and retirement homes as a family ministry, some of us taking up music – choir or instruments – a bit more seriously, but music sprung out of the heart more as a form of prayer rather than a pursuit, and that spilled out of all of us as we left home. As adults, we still enjoy singing together today, and all of us can dance. (I LOVE to dance.)
I grew up alongside WISDOM. I’ve witnessed their explosive growth despite challenges that might have easily taken them out. The evolution of courses, workshops, the relationships of facilitators to their families, and the unity of their team have all astounded me.
Three of us kids have also met our spouses through WISDOM, and the legacy continues as we second-generation homeschool (and third-generation dance!) with home educators that had a significant hand in raising us – shaping our parents, who shaped our faith, supported our interests, and walked us down the aisle to an adult life where we could do the same for our own children.
Michéla is a WISDOM alumni, wife and WISDOM Home Schooling mother of 8. She and her husband, Guy, are dragged along to almost every dance workshop by their oldest children, who certainly have inherited a multigenerational love of the arts and good fellowship.
Photos courtesy of Michéla Labonté
The Fehr Family Adventure with WISDOM Home Schooling
Interview by Mike & Michele Barter
Whenthe time came to decide how to school their children, James and Heather Fehr were no strangers to home education. James was taught at home from Grades 4-12. Heather did her last three years of high school at home. After James and Heather were married and had added a few children into the mix, they knew that home schooling would be a very natural choice for their family. Both Heather’s and James’ parents were a wonderful inspiration to carry on the tradition, as they had created a loving and very successful learning environment for their children during their home schooling experiences.
Heather and James began their own family’s homeschool journey 22 years ago, in 2003. They were the first of their siblings to start home educating, with several of their married siblings following suit. Operating in a traditional education mindset, they have focused on the 3 Rs and expanded from there as they discerned
their children’s learning needs. They have done their best in parenting their sizeable brood, trusting in God’s grace to bring good fruit. Their faith and trust in God and a love of music have played an integral part in both learning and family life.
Being musically inclined, both James and Heather encouraged and taught their children the discipline of music. All of their children started piano lessons at around the age of seven, which was taught mostly by Heather. Deciding wisely to minimize outside activities, they then could focus on building family relationships, and musical skills. Throughout the homeschool journey and as each child came of age to begin piano lessons, a short recital was performed at each facilitator visit. Over the years, they saw the children’s musical abilities grow significantly. After a few years of piano lessons, each child was given the opportunity to try another instrument and lessons outside of the home gave rise to musical talent, broadening the scope
of the family’s performance dynamics. The older children branched out to other instruments, including guitar, banjo, mandolin, violin/fiddle, tin whistle, cello, and ukulele. They took a liking to bluegrass and acoustic folk style music and eventually formed a family band. James, the dad, complements the sound with standup bass, and mom, Heather, sings and plays piano. The whole troupe engages in vocals as well. Incorporating the Gospel message with much of their music, the Fehr Family Band have played to many audiences, sharing their heartwarming talent. They are currently engaged in recording their next musical project. The family’s travels have at times taken their homeschool and turned it into ‘on-the-road school’ as they play at various venues around the western provinces.
High school completion was an exciting and intimidating new territory that had to be explored. Very thankful for the staff at WISDOM, each of their older students
has been able to be guided through high school with a minimum of anxiety. With the process evolving each year, they feel that they are getting a handle on how to finish through the high school process. Seven of their children have graduated from homeschooling, and are experiencing adult life and finding their way in the work world. Of course, they find a way to make it dovetail into the family band activities. Post-secondary activity amongst the grads has included study at NAIT for computer software development, working at a bakery, creating an online editing business, teaching English as a Second Language, farm help, drywalling, and teaching violin, guitar, mandolin and ukulele.
One of the benefits of homeschooling for the Fehr family has been the freedom to adjust scheduling when coping with medical situations, having had to deal with a serious medical event about 13 years ago.
Part of a like-minded community, other homeschoolers have stepped up to help and support them.
Looking back, Heather and James are very happy with their home schooling journey and feel very blessed with their continuing relationships with their children. They are grateful for the freedom to teach their children from Christian curriculum as well as to incorporate the learning of many instruments into their homeschool. Their family has a very close bond and they are excited to share their love of God, love of family and love of music through their family band.
Some things that have proven very helpful for the Fehr family over the years have been to choose activities wisely without overcommitting their time, to follow passions where the activity brings joy and not burden, and to work hard at schoolwork
and music practice when time allows so that they can give committed effort to the band opportunities when they come up.
With another 7 years of homeschooling to go, and the great support from WISDOM’s team, the Fehrs will move forward with confidence to complete their homeschool journey. They have greatly appreciated the kindness and patience of the WISDOM staff in navigating high school concerns, and they deeply value the time with their facilitators. James and Heather are very blessed to be connected to WISDOM, and their children are happy to have the experience of homeschooling.
For those who are curious, you can take a look into the musical dynamic of the Fehr family by checking out their YouTube Channel, Fehr Family Band, and their website fehrfamilyband.com.
Photos courtesy of the Fehr Family
you have a
Celebrate with WISDOM Class of 2025 wear order before May 20
oodie
$55 + free shipping
Order your WISDOM Class of 2025 Grad Hoodie now!
• Made with 100% soft ring spun cotton fabric
• 1x1 rib cuffs and waistband, Relaxed fit, seamless body
• Available in S-4XL
Custom order means we're only ordering once, so don't delay - place your order before May 20. Call the office or order online: wisdomhomeschooling.com/resources/shop-online
Optional: add custom embroidery of your first name on the right sleeve
raduation S i G n S
Celebrate your graduation!
High School
Download these signs FOR FREE from our website and print to place on your lawn or in a window. Available in 8.5x11 and 11x17
WISDOM DIplOMa, CertIfICate Of COMpletIOn, & tranSCrIpt
Go to wisdomhomeschooling.com/high-school for more information.
You may choose to give a percentage or a letter grade to each course, and you may list grades 10-12 or only 12.
In order to provide as much time as possible to complete these, please submit your request as soon as possible.
G raduation
$10WISDOM logo charm and 2025 charm on one tassel will be a treasured keepsake for your grad for years to come.
July WISDOM Family Magazine
Graduate Feature
Grads, may we feature you in the magazine?
Names of our 2025 graduates will be listed in the July WISDOM Family magazine. We will also include photos and short bios from as many of you as possible. Send these to magazine@wisdomhomeschooling.com by May 20. Submissions may be edited for clarity or length.
If we do not hear from you, you will not be listed.
WISDOM Science Laboratory Seminars New & Improved for 2025-2028!
Register early; limited spots available.
WISDOM Science Laboratory Seminars offer hands-on, experiment-driven learning to deepen students' understanding of key scientific principles. With updated content for 2025-2026, these engaging seminars provide essential lab experience in Chemistry, Physics, and Biology, supporting course credit challenges and advanced studies. Spaces are limited—register early!
General Physical Science Lab Seminars
(5 sessions-Sept. to Jan) This program will develop the student’s understanding and skills with the scientific method in the realm of Introductory Chemistry and Physics as they study and conduct experiments regarding Matter and Motion. This lab seminar will serve as the prerequisite for the Senior Chemistry and Physics Lab Seminar.
Senior Physics Lab Seminars
(4 sessions-Feb. to June) This program further develops the student’s understanding and skills with the scientific method as they study and conduct experiments regarding: Conservation of Mechanical Energy; Dynamics; Electrical Fields; and Optics. This lab seminar could serve as a support to the Physics 20 and/or Physics 30 course credit challenge. (Prerequisite: General Physical Science Lab Seminar)
Senior Chemistry Lab Seminars
(4 sessions-Feb. to June) This program will further develop the student’s understanding and skills with the scientific method as they study and conduct experiments regarding: Ideal Gas Laws; Stoichiometry; Titrations; and Oxidation/Redox reactions. This lab seminar could serve as a support to the Chemistry 20 and/or Chemistry 30 course credit challenge. (Prerequisite: The General Physical Science Lab Seminar)
Biology 20 Lab Seminars
(4 Sessions-Sept. to Jan.) This program will develop the student’s understanding and skills with the scientific method in the realm of Biology as they study and conduct experiments regarding: Evolution (from a Christian perspective); Photosynthesis; General Anatomical Systems (Fetal Pig Dissection); and Pulmonary Functioning. This lab seminar could serve as a support to the Biology 20 course credit challenge.
Biology 30 Laboratory Seminar
(4 Sessions-Feb. to June.) This program will the develop student’s understanding and skills with the scientific method in the realm of Biology as they study and conduct experiments regarding: The Neurological System (Dissection of Sheep’s Brain); Endocrine System, Reproductive System (Pregnant Sow Reproductive Tract Dissection); Genetics. This lab seminar could serve as a support to the Biology 30 course credit challenge.
Register Now!
Join us for the 30th Anniversary Celebration of WISDOM Home Schooling!
June 19-22, 2025
Battle Lake 4H Centre (Dorms, Trailers, and Tents available – Limited Capacity)
Join us for a family camp full of indoor & outdoor activities and events including Ballroom Dance instruction and a formal dance, as well as a celebratory dinner on Saturday. (Additional meals may be purchased in advance.)
Don’t miss out! Watch our website for registration details & book early.
Let’s celebrate 30 years of home schooling excellence together!
Camp Registration is Open!
More details at wisdomhomeschooling.com/anniversary
Share WISDOM
Spring Socials & WISDOM Open House Events 2025
Join us for exciting family gatherings across the province! These fun and engaging events are open to all current WISDOM Home Schooling families—and we encourage you to bring friends curious about the homeschooling journey. It’s a perfect opportunity to connect with other homeschooling families, chat with members of the WISDOM team, and explore how we can support your homeschooling experience.
From full-family socials to parents-only information sessions, there’s something for everyone!
RSVP today by completing the free registration at wisdomhomeschooling.com > Events > WISDOM Family Gatherings or reach out to the event host directly.
We can’t wait to see you there!
Open House Events
Spruce Grove Open House Event
When: Thursday, May 8, 6:30-8pm
Where: Spruce Grove Alliance Church - Oasis Room, 250 Century Rd
Are you considering home schooling? Join us at our open house event to gain more insights into home schooling through WISDOM. Already home schooling but know someone who is interested? Invite your friend/ neighbour to come to our information night.
The WISDOM Facilitators present will reflect on their own home schooling experiences. We will also provide some basic information about home schooling in Alberta with WISDOM. Then we will open the discussion to all in attendance to introduce themselves and share their thoughts on home
schooling. To be followed by a Q&A session.
Coffee, water and snacks provided. Door prizes and children's activities, too.
RSVP by May 5 on the WISDOM website.
For questions and late registrations, please contact: Desmond Kilgannon 780-225-6688 or email desmond@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Randy Kopp 780-723-5382 or email randy@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Spring Socials
Grande Prairie & Area Spring Social and Potluck
When: Sunday, May 4, 2-4pm
Where:
Current home schooling families and anyone interested in home schooling are welcome! Spend time with other home schoolers and members of the WISDOM team, ask questions and find out more about how WISDOM can serve you best.
RSVP on the WISDOM website.
Questions?
Anella Jantz 587-297-1992 or email anella@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Randy Kopp 780-723-5382 or email randy@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Paul van den Bosch 403-358-4497 or email paul@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Gordon Loewen 587-298-7565 or email gordon@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Central Alberta (Camrose & Area) 1st Annual WISDOM "Ice Cream Cup Olympiad"
When: Wednesday, May 21, 6:30-9pm
Where: Stoney Creek Centre & Rotary Pavilion, 5320-39 Ave, Camrose
Come for a fun evening of "wide games" where we'll have some fun playing crazy games on teams. All are welcome to participate or to sit on the sidelines and cheer others on. Current home schooling families and anyone interested in home schooling are welcome! Spend time with other home schoolers and members of the WISDOM team, ask questions and find out more about how WISDOM can serve you best.
Plan to arrive by or before 6:30 pm so we can get everyone into teams and start our "Olympiad." Following our games, we'll take time for ice cream and watermelon (provided by WISDOM) and visiting.
Please wear comfortable clothing and footwear; bring a chair or blanket, if desired, water bottles, bug spray, energy and a sense of fun!
RSVP by May 14 on the WISDOM website.
Questions?
Simon Friesen 587-222-1790 or email simon@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Nola Hutchinson 780-781-2527 or email nola@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Joan Bishop 780-878-5380 or email joan@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Fort McMurray Spring Social
When: Friday, May 23, 11-2pm
Where: Doug Barnes Cabin, Tamarack Way, Fort McMurray
Current home schooling families and anyone interested in home schooling are welcome! Spend time with other home schoolers and members of the
WISDOM team, ask questions and find out more about how WISDOM can serve you best. This is a potluck event. We will be going for a nature walk on the trails (weather permitting).
Please bring: A potluck dish and dessert to share (with ingredients labeled), lawn chairs, outdoor footwear appropriate for a walk in nature, board games (if wet weather).
RSVP on the WISDOM website.
Questions?
Karen Godin 587-644-1825
Dan & Kim Schultz 780-404-3356 or email kim@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Gordon Loewen 587-298-7565 or email gordon@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Calgary & Area Spring Social
When: Sunday, May 25, 1:30-4:30pm
Where: Glennfield Blackbird (East), Fish Creek Provincial Park
Directions to Glennfield - Fish Creek Provincial Park
Current home schooling families and anyone interested in home schooling are welcome! Spend time with other home schoolers and members of the WISDOM team, ask questions and find out more about how WISDOM can serve you best. We will play some group games and enjoy some cookies and ice cream together. Feel free to invite those new to WISDOM, too. There is a large shelter so we will plan to be there rain or shine. We will have information packages, booklets and prizes available.
Please bring: Cookies/a snack to share, lawn chairs, lawn games, board games, water and sun protection gear. WISDOM will provide drinks and ice cream treats. Please indicate on your registration if you have any allergies or dietary restrictions. Feel free to bring your own picnic lunch, snacks and drinks for your family if you'd like.
RSVP by May 24 on the WISDOM website.
Questions?
Carrie Friesen 780-217-4006 or email carrie@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Liz Gurnett 780-349-1577 or email liz@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Other WISDOM facilitators will also be in attendance.
(there are picnic tables but not enough for everyone!). Also feel free to bring any yard/lawn or board games to play with the group!
RSVP on the WISDOM website.
Questions?
Tiffany Arnold 403-866-7822 or email tiffany@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Brian Taje 780-312-4525 or email brian@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Lethbridge & Area Spring Social
When: Tuesday, May 27, 4-8pm (**Please note: this event will be on a Tuesday this year rather than the usual Monday)
Where: John Martin Recreation Centre, Pavan Park, Lethbridge
This event is open to all current WISDOM home schooling families as well as those families who are contemplating home schooling with WISDOM in the future. This is a great opportunity to visit with other home schoolers and members of the WISDOM team, and find out more about how WISDOM can serve you best.
WISDOM will provide hamburgers, hot dogs, buns, condiments and beverages. We will enjoy a meal together as well as have an information time, door prizes, games and socializing. This event will run rain or shine.
Please bring: Please bring potluck sides, salads and/or desserts to share with the group. (Please note: if you have a highly restrictive diet, feel free to bring your own food if you wish.) There are many activities to enjoy at the facility, but you are welcome to bring other lawn games, board games, or lawn chairs if you would like.
RSVP by May 26 on the WISDOM website.
For questions and late registrations, please contact:
Liz Gurnett by text at 780-349-1577 or email at liz@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Brian Taje 780-312-4525 or email brian@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Red Deer & Area Spring Social and Potluck
When: Sunday, June 1, 3-6pm
Where: Bower Kin Community Center, 85 Boyce St. in Red Deer
All are welcome! This potluck event is for current home schooling families and for anyone interested in home schooling. Join other WISDOM families plus WISDOM Facilitators Rhonda Caluttung, Lydie Delli Santi, Sue Peachment, Catherine van Kampen, and Paul van den Bosch to ask questions and find out more about how WISDOM can serve you best.
WISDOM will provide the main course and beverages.
Please bring: Salads and desserts, your favourite board games, and some favourite outdoor games also.
RSVP on the WISDOM website.
Paul van den Bosch 403-358-4497 or email paul@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Rhonda Caluttung 403-846-0404 or email rhonda@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Lydie Delli Santi 403-392-9209 or email lydie@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Sue Peachment 403-994-1963 or email sue@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Catherine van Kampen 403-845-2923 or email catherine@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Westlock & Area Spring Social
When: Sunday, June 1, 4-8pm
Where: Bethel Bible Camp - 10 minutes west of Westlock
Directions: bethelbiblecamp.ca/directions to Bethel Bible Camp
This event is open to all current WISDOM home schooling families as well as those families who are considering home schooling with WISDOM in the future. This is a great opportunity to visit with other home schoolers and members of the WISDOM team, and find out more about how WISDOM can serve you best.
WISDOM will provide hot dogs, buns, condiments and beverages. We will enjoy a meal together as well as have an information time, door prizes,
games and socializing. This event will run rain or shine. Please bring: Please bring potluck sides, salads or desserts to share with the group. (Please note: if you have a highly restrictive diet, feel free to bring your own food if you wish.) There are many activities to enjoy at the facility, but you are welcome to bring other lawn games, board games, and lawn chairs if you would like.
RSVP by May 31 on the WISDOM website. For questions and late registrations, please contact:
Liz Gurnett by text at 780-349-1577 or email liz@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Rachelle Godin 780-349-1827 or email rachelle@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Athabasca, Lac La Biche, Plamondon Spring Social
When: Saturday, June 7, 1-4pm
Where: Atmore Community Hall, Atmore
Current home schooling families and anyone interested in home schooling are welcome! Spend time with other home schoolers and members of the WISDOM team, ask questions and find out more about how WISDOM can serve you best.
Please bring: Outdoor games and/or indoor board games depending on the weather.
RSVP on the WISDOM website.
Questions?
Kim & Dan Schultz Call or text 780-404-3356 or email kim@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Join us for our Spring Social! We welcome both WISDOM families and those considering home schooling with WISDOM. We will provide ice cream treats (please email dietary restrictions and we will do our best to accommodate). We will have access to bouncy houses and the sports field and equipment where we can play volleyball, soccer, basketball and carnival games. Please wear appropriate clothing for these activities.
Please bring: Chairs or blankets for seating, water bottles, sun protection/weather gear.
RSVP by June 6 on the WISDOM website. Questions?
Taylore Maschmeyer 780-270-0460 or email taylore@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Carrie Friesen 780-217-4006 or email carrie@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Liz Gurnett 780-349-1577 or email liz@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Joy Ronald 780-278-5557 or email joy@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Michele Barter 780-363-3740 or email michele@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Vermilion & Area Spring Social
When: Thursday, June 12, 6:30-8:30pm
Where: WISDOM Home Schooling Office Front Green Space - near Derwent
(Request directions if needed when you RSVP to Peter Weidman or Glenn Spiess.)
Join current home schooling families and anyone interested in home schooling in an evening of socializing while playing Bones or cheering on the teams. Members of the WISDOM team will be present to answer questions and help you find out more about WISDOM Home Schooling.
Please bring: Lawn chairs. A snack to share is optional. Water and juice will be provided.
RSVP by June 11 on the WISDOM website.
Questions?
Peter Weidman 780-581-1601 or email peter@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Glenn Spiess 639-894-0470 or email glenn@wisdomhomeschooling.com
Students grades 2 and up learn music connected to the church's workshop, led by experienced conductor Laura Hawley.
No audition or cost to join.
Rehearsals: on Wednesdays, 5-6 pm, Anglican Parish of Christ Church (12116-102 Ave Edmonton)
Rehearsals include not only music education, but also a snack and fellowship, as well as Christian formation. The choir has been a place for the singers to build friendships, develop confidence, grow in their faith and musicianship, and have fun! New members are welcome at any time in the year!
Contact: decchoiryeg@gmail.com
Home ScHool
A ssistA nce F und
Donate to the Family Assistance Fund to assist WISDOM families in crisis with shortterm support, so that they can maintain their freedom to home educate.
Credit Card Donations (Monthly or One-Time):
Either scan the QR Code or simply visit wisdomhomeschooling.com/ donate.
Make sure to select Family Assistance when filling out the form.
Cheque Donations: Make your cheque payable to WISDOM Home Schooling.
Family Assistance Box 78 Derwent, AB T0B 1C0
Charitable receipts will be issued for any 2025 donations.
Find the symbol above hidden somewhere in the magazine and email us to tell us what page number it is on - we will enter you in a draw for a fun prize.
The draw will be held on June 30th. magazine@wisdomhomeschooling.com
July May
June
August
Finding Help
· Call us at 780-741-2113 or 1-877-425-8546 · · Email us at office@wisdomhomeschooling.com ·
Funding
The funding year closes at the end of May. Deadlines are as follows:
May 26 - Purchase orders
Access purchase orders for direct billing at select vendors until May 26
May 30 - Mailed Receipt Submission
Your expense claim submission must be postmarked no later than May 30. If you are mailing it that day, go into the post office and ask them to stamp it in your presence; don't put it in the mailbox. NOTE: Postal strike may affect mailed submissions.
May 31 - Uploaded Receipt Submission
You may submit receipts at any time through May 31 via our encrypted online submitter. A successful submission results in a confirmation page; if you do not see the confirmation page, your submission did not go through! Please try again.
We will process the final reimbursement on July 15. Generally, deposits make their way into your bank account within 3 business days of the deposit day.
Go to wisdomhomeschooling.com/funding or read your funding handbook for complete information.
Questions? Email finance@wisdomhomeschooling.com or call 877-425-8546 x 2 during business hours.
A note on emails
We always respond to emails. If you do not receive a reply from us within two weeks, we did not receive it. Please send it to us again.
When you Call Us
Call us at 780-741-2113 or toll free at 1-877-425-8546
We take calls between 9 and 4, Monday through Friday, with an hour off at noon.
If you reach our voicemail, you may enter the extension of anyone in the office at any time during the greeting. To speak to a home school consultant, dial 1. To speak to a member of the funding team, dial 2. To leave a general message, stay on the line or dial 3
We endeavour to return calls as quickly as possible. If you do not hear back from us within two business days, it may be because the message didn't come through clearly, so please call again.
Connect with WISDOM families
We offer many ways to connect with the larger WISDOM community, from events and workshops, to our Social Networking phone and email list, to Facebook Groups just for WISDOM parents. This year, we are working to add local WISDOM communities around Alberta! For more information on events, email events@wisdomhomeschooling.com. For local community connection, email terry@wisdomhomeschooling.com.
Subscribe to The WISDOM Family Magazine
(The Magazine is free to WISDOM families.)
□ Option A - paper subscription ($30 in Canada, $44 in USA)
□ Option B - digital subscription, delivered to your email inbox ($18) Where should we send it?
Name:
Address: Phone Number:
Email:
Method of Payment:
□ Cheque payable to WISDOM Home Schooling
□ E-transfer to billing@wisdomhomeschooling.com
□ VISA/MasterCard
Number
Expiry
Name on Card
□ This is a gift subscription Detach form and send with payment to WISDOM Home Schooling, Box 78, Derwent, AB T0B 1C0. You may also request subscriptions by emailing magazine@wisdomhomeschooling.com
