Writing and Rhetoric 2

Brenda Tchoundjo

Brenda Tchoundjo has a Master’s degree in Teaching and Learning with Technology (MATLT) from Ashford University and a certification for teaching English as a second language. She has taught in many different capacities from child development centers to community colleges, military environments and homeschool co-ops.

Brenda homeschools her two sons and was introduced to Scholé Academy through their homeschool curriculum at the co-op where she began her classical education journey. She also has a stepdaughter graduating from a Classical private school next year.

Brenda has an enthusiasm for learning in fun and creative ways which has been developing even more as she homeschools. She uses different methods of teaching depending on the children’s’ learning styles and has been learning the different needs of learners with autism, ADHD and dyslexia.

Brenda taught after school programs for American children on an Army base in Germany, international military students in Ft Jackson, as well as German children and adults learning English while living for 10 years in Bavaria. She has substitute taught for Baltimore County Public Schools.

As a a military wife and mother of 3, Brenda wanted stability and continuity in her childrens’ education. She was called to homeschool in 2023.

In her free time, Brenda cares for pets in her community while their owners are away or needing walks during the day. She continues to study French, German, Spanish and ASL. She enjoys arts and crafts, nature walks with her family and toy poodle and women’s Bible study. She and her husband volunteer in their church youth groups and marriage ministry.

Caeli Lanzilotti

Caeli Lanzilotti lives in Northern VA with her husband and two-year-old son. She is passionate about the Liberal Arts and pursuing a life fully realized. She has taught Ancient, American, and World Literature to 9th-12th graders in a private school setting for the past six years. Before moving to VA, she taught Middle School Literature-History, English grammar, and Religion for six years at a small classical school near Philadelphia. She loves the classical model of education, and she is deeply indebted to her former students and colleagues from whom and with whom she has learned so much about the virtuous life. She holds an MA in teaching and a BA in English with a minor in Philosophy. For leisure, she loves trail running and hiking in the woods with her husband, swimming, and baking.

Kara Lobley

Kara Lobley enjoys finding answers and imparting those discoveries to everyone. This passion for truth inspired her to earn her bachelor’s degree in history at Patrick Henry College (PHC), in Purcellville, VA. The classical experience at PHC and her own experience being homeschooled outside the classical tradition (K-12) showed Kara the beauties of each approach. She delights in witnessing how classical homeschooling equips students to identify and discover “the true, the good, and the beautiful” in the world around them and to share those breakthroughs with others.
Kara began working with children as a high schooler at children’s theater camps and at her church’s Vacation Bible Schools. During college and post-graduation, she spent five years as a high school writing tutor and one year as a preschool teaching assistant. Kara starting teaching lower and middle school Well-Ordered Language and Writing and Rhetoric classes with Scholé Academy in the fall of 2020 and is excited to return again this year. Outside of the classroom, Kara can be found reading, hiking, or singing.

Kate Weise

Kate Weise has worked as a teacher or school administrator for the last 15 years and has experience working with students from early childhood to the graduate level. Her favorite things to teach are literature and writing (although math ranks up there). Most recently, she helped launch an urban, Classical Christian school where she worked primarily in curriculum development and academic support. She believes any student can fall in love with learning and loves helping them embrace their unique giftings as God’s image bearers. She holds degrees in History and Writing from Union University and an M.F.A. in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She and her husband have three children, and it has been such a gift to be teaching with Schole Academy during this season of their lives.

Rebekah Furubotten

Rebekah Furubotten holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a Creative Writing emphasis from Western Washington University and is a lover of literature, beauty, and the story of Jesus. Gathering friends to talk about books is one of her favorite things in the world, especially when the story is filled with gorgeous imagery, interesting characters, and artful writing. As she has homeschooled her four children over the past twelve years, instructed at a classical co-op, and taught an acclaimed writing program to neighbor kids alongside her own, she has sought to display God’s Truth, Beauty, and Goodness in every subject, especially the literature they read. Loving their neighbors is an integral part of her family’s weekly rhythms, and you can find Rebekah hosting book clubs and parties for children and adults where they can discuss stories, ask good questions, and deepen their understanding of what they read and what makes good writing, good. Rebekah lives in Olympia, WA with her husband, four kids, and two dogs. When she isn’t teaching, chauffeuring, or reading, Rebekah enjoys making memories with her family, writing, cooking, moving her body, and redecorating her house.