THEO

mr.nejensen.teacher@gmail.com

Nathan Jensen returns to THEO as a recent graduate from the University of Texas at Dallas, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in Literary Studies with Honors and a Teaching Certification for 7-12 ELA (English). In the spring semester of 2019, Nathan worked as a substitute teacher for Allen ISD and taught as a long-term substitute for two months at Erickson Middle School in Allen. Also, Nathan has taught throughout his life at a variety of Church programs such as VBS, Awana, St. Paul’s Sunday School, and Grace Kids.

Having grown up in the homeschool community, Nathan appreciates the opportunity to offer the same outstanding education that he received to the next generation. As a child, Nathan struggled to learn to read, so he understands the challenges of becoming a proficient reader and writer and aims to nurture the reader that exists in every student.

Involved in theater since a young age, Nathan has performed in over 50 different productions, including both semi-professional and professional jobs. During the last 6 years, he expanded his focus to include film, creating and producing a web series on YouTube called Project Jumpchute. Working on every aspect of this project, from writing to constructing sets to editing, Nathan learned what it takes to produce filmed content and what mistakes for beginners to avoid. He is thrilled to have the opportunity to share what he has learned about the process of creating films with future filmmakers.

Stevehorvathguitar@gmail.com    Steve can also be reached at 972.665.8621

Experience

• Worship Leader/Band Director – 7 years
• Guitar Teaching – 15 years
• Playing and Studying Guitar – 23 years

Hi! My name is Steve Horvath. I am originally from California, but after I met my beautiful Texan wife, the rest was history! I have been in the Lone Star State about 16 years now. I have 15 years of private guitar teaching experience, as well as 7 years of worship leading experience in which I have led and directed a band.  I have been playing and studying the guitar for the past 23 years.  I love teaching and helping people reach their musical goals and aspirations!

I have been married to my wife Courtney for 16 years and we have three sons – Seth (13),  Caleb (11) and Ian (4).  I am also a fan of bold coffee, traveling and photography. I have traveled overseas on missions trips to Pakistan, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam and Ecuador. I was home schooled myself until I reached the 8th grade!

Students also have the option to participate in recitals and various other performance opportunities.  You can also look at our website or FB page included in the links below if that would be helpful.

My music studio has two locations: The first is near Parker Road and McCreary and the other is in Downtown Wylie.  For Theo students who would like to take lessons at one of our studios, we offer a $40.00 discount per month ($85.00/month as opposed to our normal rate of $125.00/month), for lesson times that would be considered homeschool spots (early afternoon).   We also offer piano lessons on Thursday and Friday at our downtown Wylie location.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Thank you!

Steve

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GuitarLessonsWylieTexas

Website: GuitarLessonswylietexas.com     Phone: 972-665-8621

gracefillednest@gmail.com

Hi, my name is Helen Green (a local Christian artist) originally from Boerne, Texas.  I’ve been married almost 20 years to my faithful husband, Kelly Green.  We have a 14-year old daughter named Grace, plus a loud Sheepdog named Darla.

I love to paint and encourage others along the way. Let’s conquer the fear of messing up and start drawing and painting. My style is light and airy from impressionistic to contemporary, yet I have a variety of styles in between.

My background has been in retail advertising as Sr. Art Director/Grahic Designer for sixteen years, yet, my real art enthusiasm began by watching my mother paint on canvas, going to galleries and flipping through her art magazines. Now my own daughter loves to design & create, and we hope your loved ones will be inspired too.

The past ten years, Philippians 4:8 has been my prayer and hope for future artist, “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things”.

I have sold my art through local stores, curators, Instagram, Minted.com and a major national retailer.  As an artist, there is joy guiding numerous art camps from small artisan batches to church size events, afterschool programs, homeschool (mostly in my little home).  Once per year, I donate paintings to Scottish Rite Hospital for their Summer of Colors silent auction.

Looking forward to our time together and grateful.

Helen Green
Text or Call 214-336-1489

instagram @helengracegreenart

lauren.a.gosnell@gmail.com

Lauren Gosnell

I have been married to my husband Josh for 13 years. We have a 12 year old daughter, Kennedy, and a 4 year old son, Brandt. We also have two four-legged family members; Logan is our blue heeler/husky mix and Lyla is our chiweenie.

Through homeschooling my own children and being involved with co-ops, I’ve experienced an up-close view of how truly different we all learn. Experience is a great teacher, and God has equipped me with how to alter my teaching style when needed. I trust that He will continue to equip me and grow me as a THEO teacher.

I have learned to trust God’s plan and truly appreciate His sense of humor, mostly through all those times I said ‘I will never (fill in the blank here)’, and then those same things come to life.

It is such a blessing to have this opportunity to share my love of math with THEO students and help them gain confidence in a subject that isn’t always well-loved.

Kathy Franda

Kathy Franda homeschooled her 3 children for 12 years graduating the youngest in May 2011.  She has been teaching science, computer, geography, psychology, and elective classes at THEO since 2009 and other local co-ops since 2000.  She has a B.A. from University of Rochester in New York.  Kathy’s lifelong passion for science began at an early age growing up at and exploring the estuaries and intertidal zone of a barrier island in New Jersey. She has traveled to many of the states, countries, and marine habitats that she teaches about – often with National Geographic educational programs. She believes in “hands on” learning to improve initial learning, long term retention and student interest and teaches utilizing varied methods to benefit various learning strengths.

Email kathyfranda@gmail.com with questions about classes.

Email Ms. Farley at hannahfarley02@gmail.com

I have been homeschooled most of my life, except for one year while in 6th grade. I graduated from high school in 2022, and I am currently working
on my Associates’ degree in Business. I look forward to graduating in the fall of 2022.

I’ve always loved singing and music! My number one hobby has turned into a passion.  I love photography, and the ability to use my God-given gifts to serve the church and other small organizations, and families.

I started volunteering at VBS as soon as I was old enough, in the 5th grade. I appreciate mentoring students. It is very rewarding to see the shy kid quickly join activities or the extra energy kid become a leader. Having six siblings, I enjoy doing various activities with all of them. I have three siblings who are deaf, so I’m glad to see other students learning ASL (American Sign Language). I enjoy the fun of working with students and seeing them learn.

I am grateful to be a co-teacher at THEO Friday Adventures (THEO FA) in a Christian and safe environment. I am a new THEO Friday Adventures teaching staff this year in 2022. I am happy to have this opportunity to supporting other homeschool families. I am excited to work on musical-related activities and to share the love of Christ in all my interactions. One of my goals is to help all students feel welcome at Friday Adventures, whether they are newcomers or have been going to Friday Adventures for any number of years.

The scripture that has kept me going as I face the struggles in this life:  Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

elsacdeltoro@gmail.com

¡Hola! I am a native Spanish speaker, born and raised in Cuba. I am married and have three lovely girls. With the help of God, I have been able to home school all three. My two oldest graduated from THEO and are now in college. Through home education, I had the opportunity to pass on my native language to my daughters. Homeschooling them helped me discover a passion for teaching.

Outside of our home, my first experience teaching was under the direction and guidance of THEO’s presigious Spanish teacher, Shari Schwarz. She fanned the flame of my desire to impact the lives of home schooled students with the gift of a second language. I have enjoyed stepping in as a substitute teacher for many THEO classes, and I am excited to begin teaching my own classes this year. Alongside fellow THEO Spanish teacher, Julie Smith, I am in the process of becoming certified as a TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling) Teacher, and cannot wait to work with your students. It is going to be a fantastic year!

cooks4four@gmail.com

I have been teaching American Sign Language (ASL) at THEO since 2011.  Before THEO, I taught ASL classes with a Deaf friend at MArCH, a local homeschool co-op.  My friend and I also taught ASL classes at our church for several years. These classes were so much fun and the last couple of years we had over 100 people in attendance!  I served as interpreter for the Deaf at this same church for 8 years.  During that time my husband and I taught Deaf Sunday School and hosted a weekly Deaf Bible study in our home. My current church does not have a Deaf ministry, but I am planning to teach ASL classes soon due to lots of requests from church friends.

One of my favorite things in the world is to introduce students to the beautiful language and fascinating culture of the Deaf.  I get a tremendous thrill when students come to class excited to share with me about an interaction they had with a Deaf person they met somewhere that week.  I also love receiving messages from previous students who say they met a new Deaf friend and tell me they are so grateful they learned to sign.  Over the years I have had many students go on to pursue careers in interpreting and Deaf education, but most go on to use their ASL to interact with the Deaf they meet in their chosen field or in daily life.  Many people are unaware of the fact that 98 percent of the Deaf are unsaved.  This is largely due to the fact that very few Christians are able to share the gospel with the Deaf in their language.  My prayer is that more and more Christians will learn sign language, share the gospel message with the Deaf, and we change those statistics for the better.

The most exciting change to my ASL classes is the addition of my teacher’s assistant, Ally Farley.  Ally is a long time friend who was born Deaf.  She is a homeschool graduate, loves Jesus, and is currently pursuing a degree in teaching.  She is a huge help in the classroom and we are so blessed to have her!

matthew.k.considine@gmail.com

My name is Matthew Considine, and I will be co-teaching Worldviews here at THEO. As a former Worldviews student and THEO alumni (class of 2018), I understand just how useful Worldviews can be for higher education. I’ve found that it helps immensely in my ongoing college studies, and I’m excited to be able to give that gift of knowledge to my own students. I am currently an active member of Calvary Lutheran Church in Dallas, where I teach Sunday school and serve as Vice Chair of Youth Discipleship. I attend the University of Texas at Dallas, and I plan to pursue postgraduate education.

rjcloverbrown@gmail.com

Greetings from Robert Clover-Brown (Mr. CB) formerly known as “Shakespeare Man” – holder of a Master of Arts degree in History from Cambridge University (MA); a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (FCA); an experienced actor and touring teaching artist, and an American Citizen since June 2006!

Mixed into those specifics is an AP-level education in French and German at school in England, and numerous, extensive road trips across the English Channel to experience the rich diversity of both countries in person – only once venturing into the “Chunnel” below the water. So teaching a year-long French 1 (Beginners) class and French 2 (Intermediates) class, is a real pleasure.

A FCA in England holds an equivalent business qualification to an American CPA, and for many years part of my brain was devoted to pursuing an entrepreneurial career as CFO for a diverse mix of corporations, and an investor. Teaching a one semester class in fall or spring – using Abeka’s “Economics: Work & Prosperity in a Christian Perspective” as our text book – is an enjoyably relevant experience.

Another part of my brain has been devoted, also for many years, to working in theatre, on and off stage, and on camera – being featured in TV commercials and in print advertising. My Central London agents were flatteringly called the Ugly Agency and several of my commissions involved portraying Shakespeare, in full costume.

Following a move with my family from London to Dallas in 2002, I have again been featured in TV commercials and print advertising; taught drama and AP European History, coached upper school actors at two private schools; devised workshop productions for performance by secondary school students; written and performed a teacher training DVD for Dallas Opera’s Education Dept., and worked as a consultant for CNM’s IMPACT Project for Performing Arts.

I have also created and taught after-school acting classes (5th grade, MS and HS) at the Dallas International School in Richardson – which follows the French curriculum – and the Anderson Private School in west Fort Worth.

As a touring teaching artist I created, wrote and performed a wide variety of “Shakespeare Man” programs in my one-man role as William Shakespeare, for local theatres, schools, libraries and adult groups across Texas and far beyond, including the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washinton DC.

A live appearance, in my Shakespeare costume on WFAA Good Morning Texas, sandwiched between two rap artists and Father Christmas with his reindeer, was intriguing and eye-opening!

While on tour, as Robert Clover-Brown I offered “Insider’s insights into English literature and history,” which drew on my lifelong fascination with, and study of, European literature and culture; made in-depth presentations about Shakespeare’s life; taught drama classes, and coached student actors.

Among many great novelists, poets and dramatists within the European Literary Canon – in addition to Shakespeare, as implied above – I am particularly drawn to the life and work of Austen, Cervantes, Chekhov, Dickens, Dostoevsky, Ibsen, Mansfield, Stoppard and Woolf.

I therefore feel especially blessed to be creating and teaching classes at THEO which, in addition to those mentioned above, include HS European Literature (including Shakespeare); JH Literature in Action – both year-long. I would also love to revive HS Literature in Action (year-long) and Storyboarding: Illustrating literature for grades 6-8 (one semester)

My year-long performance-based acting classes comprise Acting 1, 2 and 3. Their dress rehearsals and performances in Spring 2024 and both semesters in 2024/2025 will again be located at The Core Theatre in Richardson – an ideal small theatre for our students, their families and their friends.

For students who are eager to interact with creatively minded colleagues, but may not wish to take on a full acting commitment (or to learn lines!) the year-long Improvisational Theatre class (grades 6-12) has proved to be ideal.

For younger students (grades 4-6) my year-long Introduction to Acting & Stagecraft class is a great opportunity for them to learn acting basics, including age-appropriate line learning and kind, collaborative team work, and to enjoy performing at the end of each semester in my room at THEO.

I remain keen to continue THEO’s very successful involvement in the English Speaking Union’s (ESU) Shakespeare Monologue Contest for HS actors. Our representatives at ESU’s branch contests in 2020 and 2021 placed FIRST, amidst large groups of talented young actors from state and private schools. So it was all the more sad that both actors’ wonderful prize, an expenses paid trip to the National Finals in New York, was cancelled due to covid. However, at the moment ESU do not have a branch organizer in our area and their DFW contests have lapsed.

My American-born wife and I are members of HPUMC, where we were married in 1994. After teaching PreK/ECSE for 13 years around Dallas, Lesley decided to switch to elementary art in Richardson ISD for the 2023-4 school year.

Our daughter is currently a Senior Resident at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital (ranked #1 childrens’ hospital by US News & World Report for 2023-4), and will be continuing there with a Fellowship in the Pediatric ICU in June.

Our son is an Audio Engineer at a state-of-the-art music studio near Austin. He also plays the keyboard in a nationally recognized band – Briscoe (folk rock genre). My oldest son is married, living and working in technology near Northampton, MA.  They are the proud parents of my two grandsons, ages 7 and 1.

In previous years, I have volunteered for Night Owls and Jesters (now Spotlight) at HPUMC, which offer remarkable special needs programs, including theatre.

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Mr. Clover-Brown has some lively videos for you to view. Click on the title to view.

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Welcome
Acting
Economics
European Lit
French
Improvisational Theatre
Literature in Action
Spiritual Values in Shakespeare
Storyboarding