Course Tutors
Mark was born in Edmonton, Alberta. He is the eldest of 10 children and was homeschooled with WISDOM from Grade 1-12. After graduating high school, he attended Our Lady Seat of Wisdom College (SWC) in Barry’s Bay, Ontario, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Catholic Studies, concentrating in Philosophy and Theology. Mark has studied Latin over the course of seven years, including taking all three of WISDOM’s online Latin courses during high school. He most recently completed a Latin readings course in his final year at SWC where he worked on translating selections from various classical Latin authors, including Caesar, Pliny, and Suetonius, as well as passages from the Vulgate
Mark’s interests and passions include studying and promoting good Liturgy, singing Sacred Music, and discussing The Lord of the Rings. He loves astronomy and meteorology - there isn’t a storm he doesn’t track! In the winter, Mark enjoys playing hockey on the large outdoor rink his dad builds, and is an avid Oilers fan. He also likes hiking and participating in other sports, soccer especially. Mark currently resides in Parkland County, Alberta, with his wife, Domenica.
Theresa (O’Reilly) Nelson has been long-time tutor for WISDOM for various terms from 2009 onward. Theresa grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, and has experienced both homeschool and public school education, giving her a deep appreciation for parent and student led learning. After finishing high school she studied the Great Books in California at Thomas Aquinas College, and graduated in 2008 with a BA in liberal arts. Over the next several years, she went on to teach reading programs for the Institute of Reading Development, taught for WISDOM, was a retail store manager, and finally obtained her Masters in Occupational Therapy in 2019. She is passionate about helping people reach their full potential in any educational setting.
She resides in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband, Johnny, and their 4 young children. In her spare time, she loves to read, try new cuisines, teach Irish dancing, and paint with watercolor.
Maggie is en route to completing her Master of Humanities and Classical Education through the University of Dallas. She has been passionate about classical education from an early age, attending a classical high school and then a classical university. She has had the joy of teaching at two different Chesterton Academies and loved her time spent discussing and reading all things humanities. With the birth of her son, Maggie thought that switching gears and teaching at an online school would be the best option for her and her family. She is very excited to begin this new chapter with WISDOM!
Maggie’s favorite things are snuggling with her baby boy, morning cups of coffee, reading anything Austen or Dostoevsky, making homemade lotions and salves, listening to music, and sitting by the water.
Laura Pastrone grew up in the inland northwestern United States, where she received a ‘normal’ education. Upon entering her freshman year at Thomas Aquinas College, she was astonished at the feast presented in their classical, seminar-based curriculum. She remains so grateful for the education in truth she received.
After graduation she taught geometry and Latin at a Catholic school in Arizona, but is so happy to have since returned to the northwest. She lives in Idaho with her husband and three small, to-be-homeschooled children, where she enjoys making her home and looking at trees.
Brian studied history in the University of British Columbia and graduated with a master's in humanities from Trinity Western University. The history of Christianity in the Western world—and especially the changes it underwent during early modernity—is his morsel, the meat and bread of all his studies. By learning about how Western cultures have influenced how we think, the way we feel, and what we desire, Brian has come to see that a solid, Christian education should involve the study of the great works.
As a writing tutor and teaching assistant, he has coached students from a variety of different disciplines for two years. His expertise lies in writing well in an academic context, such as brainstorming good research ideas, designing thoughtful essay structures, and crafting persuasive arguments with original insights. In his free time, Brian enjoys playing music with his band, expounding on the pressing problems of modernity, and basking in the rich imaginations of the Inklings.
Ben van den Bosch is both a graduate of WISDOM and a lover of wisdom. He found he was enthralled with the pursuit of beauty, truth, and goodness early on in life, nourished as he was by the fruits of the liberal arts and the Christian faith, and by being given the freedom to explore these and the greater world around him in a spirit of curiosity and wonder. His passion for philosophical discourse was particularly nurtured by family teatime conversations, as well as by taking every possible WISDOM online course available to him through high school.
Ben attended the faith formation program at St. Joseph Seminary in Edmonton, Alberta, for three years, while also completing his BA in philosophy at Concordia University, where he graduated summa cum laude. He loves to travel the world and share great ideas. He also loves camping, hiking, kayaking, and generally being outdoors. He is delighted to be returning for his second stint of tutoring online classes.
As a previous student and graduate of WISDOM, Elise fell in love with both the classics and Latin, which led her to the small classical college, New Saint Andrews, in Moscow, ID. There she received a B.A. in Liberal Arts and Culture with a focus primarily on linguistics and history. Her love of Latin was increased as she learned to read and translate Virgil, as well as dialogue in that ancient tongue with her classmates and professors. At this Oxford inspired school where they wore robes during exams, competed in rugby and rowing, and where student halls vied for the end of year cup, Elise was able to extensively study literature, theology, philosophy, and beauty. After a number of trips to Israel throughout her undergrad, Elise’s fascination with Jewish history and literature grew, and her senior thesis focused on the democratizing power of Christianity on ancient burial by comparing it against Jewish and Roman burial practices and beliefs. Elise’s interest in Jewish studies has continued as she heads to the Hebrew University in Jerusalem this October for a M.A. in Jewish Studies.
When not spending her time bent over tomes in—preferably—old libraries or bookshops, you can find Elise scaling summits, carving fresh powder, quenching her wanderlust, or jamming to Israeli pop music.
Scott and his wife, Kelli, are the proud parents of 8 children. In 2020, Scott completed his PhD in Philosophy at the University of Toronto, specializing in intentional action and free choice. Scott believes strongly in the value of the study of primary-source material and has facilitated primary-source reading groups on such topics as Aristotle’s Ethics, the philosophy of religion, the Early Church Fathers, and the Catechism of Trent. Recently, the Walshes relocated from Oshawa, Ontario to rural Saskatchewan, where they have been raising pigs, chickens, and turkeys while battling grasshoppers.
John was homeschooled throughout his childhood before attending Wyoming Catholic College, a small Liberal Arts school in Wyoming. His educational background has given him a deep appreciation for the homeschooling journey, and his experience as a former WISDOM student has called him back to share that journey with others once again. John loves reading and writing, especially when he can share such activities with others. He loves discussing challenging questions using the Socratic Method in the classroom, and looks forward to a life of teaching and sharing the same experience with others. John also loves spending time in nature and exploring the outdoors. He grew up on a ranch with livestock and a family garden, and is thankful that such an upbringing has grounded him in faith and family for the rest of his life.
Serena Warnky grew up in the mountains of Northern California. Being homeschooled through 8th grade gave her lots of time to play outside, read everything in the small, local library, and make art and science projects. She finished high school at a small classical school where she was first introduced to the Great Books. After a bachelor's in English at Hillsdale College where she also helped edit the creative writing publication, she worked on a small organic farm in Virginia before doing something completely different and moving to Dallas, TX to teach. While teaching, she earned a masters degree in literature from the University of Dallas. She married her husband in 2020, and they live in a snug RV with their daughter, Beatrice, while they work on starting a working ranch in North Texas.
Page 2 of 2