COO
tobylauren@wisdomhomeschooling.com
tobylauren.burgess@gilbertineinstitute.com
"There are no teachers, only learners - it is my job as a teacher to create a learning environment." - Monty Roberts
Born to a home where 'baby talk' was never practised and learning was encouraged, TobyLauren was an avid reader and eager adventurer by the age of four. Her first day of school was a much anticipated event, but after continually being given colouring pages to do while classmates completed their lessons, she soon lost interest in formal 'learning'. She began home schooling in the middle of grade 3, and continued at home through high school, making the most of her time to include training horses and helping on the family farm, painting and writing, and learning and teaching piano and violin.
TobyLauren began full-time work with WISDOM after college, becoming Associate Office Manager in 1999 and Business Manager in 2007, followed by Chief Operating Officer of The Gilbertine Institute (WISDOM's school authority) in 2020. Besides the responsibilities included in operations management, TobyLauren enjoys representing WISDOM at conferences, and assisting parents with various concerns.
TobyLauren is married to Jim, and they live in the countryside with their five children. Their approach to education is a mix of styles with a focus on fostering a love of learning. They desire to spare their children the frustration and future impediment of an institutional mindset by cultivating curiosity and creativity.