World Explorer Community
Our Flow
Literature Discussion
+ Related Projects
(See Fall 2025 Syllabus below)
We start each WE Day with great stories and other great works, spanning time and place. They are the “curriculum” of a world-class education. They will be the inspiration for our collaborative project and many other things we do.
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Every week we will have a 30-45 minute discussion on the reading for that week, often supplemented with art and music from the time period, and tangential studies.
Lunch + Nature Play
At WE, we do allow children the freedom to explore outside on their own (in groups, within
designated boundaries) and encourage reasonable risk-taking, such as (but not limited to): climbing trees, running and jumping off high places if the child feels comfortable, cutting and carving (with coaching and supervision as needed). Children wear emergency whistles in the woods.
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Club Time
This is where the Explorers can freely pursue their interests within a framework, with purpose and guidance! There are two choices each week, one hour total. Club Time will be pre-determined by poll.
Clubs from WE past:
• Garden club
• Art club (often connected to the art, story or time period we’re studying.)
• Cardboard Creations Club
• Fashion Design & Sewing Club
• Photography club
• Chess or Board Game Club
• Science Club
• Reading Club
• Theater Club
• Tech club
Fall 2025 Book Discussions
Books (to be read at home for discussion at WE) and related projects they can choose from. Images of these books and events will all go on on our visual timeline.
Fall 2025:
1100-1500
Book Club Choices:
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​Joan of Arc, by Diane Stanley
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Crispin The Cross of Lead, by Avi (classic children’s historical fiction, medieval, beautiful storytelling and powerful themes to discuss)
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A Single Shard, Linda Sue Park
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Leonardo DaVinci, by Kathleen Krull
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Starry Messenger, by Peter Sis (Galileo)
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A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeline L'Engle (contemporary choice for the session, which we will connect to the other literature)
Project Ideas (or create your own):
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Create a medieval magazine with articles on everything from fashion to ads for the latest weaponry, classifieds, the latest scientific breakthroughs and inventions.
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Build a table-sized European medieval village out of wattle and daub (with real sticks and clay and thatch), paper mache, wood, matboard and other natural and manmade found objects.
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Recreate Joan of Arc’s trial using the actual transcript. Watch parts of The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) for inspiration. May create costumes and film it.
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Cook a medieval feast.
Your mentor.
Angel Selden has been homeschooling her four children, and researching education, great mentorship, neuroscience and child development for 19 years. She earned a BS in psychology in 2003, but more importantly has had many life experiences around the world and read over a thousand great books spanning disciplines and genres, from classic literature to history, natural and social sciences, writing, business and biographies. This has given her a broad network of knowledge with some areas of depth, which she is able to weave into discussions with even her youngest charges; and she learns more and more every day.
The simple formula used by George Wythe to mentor Thomas Jefferson—
"Classics, discussion, projects, writing...[to children] read poems, stories, and brief biographical accounts of great scientists, doctors, mathematicians, artists, salesmen, etc...The stories of great mathematicians and scientists are necessary to effectively teach math and science...Biography is one of the best methods of teaching history...in-depth research of one historical individual per semester.”
Some thoughts from A Thomas Jefferson Education, by Oliver DeMille
World Explorer Fall 2025 Program
Information
September 2 - December 16
Ages 9-12
Tuesdays 9:30-2:30: Weekly book club & Mentor-guided projects with Angel, her helper and son Saul or a guest teacher.
​9:30-11:15 Great Stories/Works discussion & related collaborative project.
11:30-12:50 Lunch at the pavilion; nature play in the surrounding woods & creek.
1:00-2:15 Club time. May also continue working on collaborative project.
2:15-2:30 Clean up, pack up, playground if time (or alternative if snowy/cold).
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FEES: $800 per child. (15 weeks x $50/week + $50 registration/supply fee)
Sep 2 – Dec 16. No WE Nov 25 (Thanksgiving week)
There is no expectation to commit to Winter 2026 until November 1.
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World Explorers Philosophy
1. Every child is born with the ability, drive and desire to learn. Every child has gifts and interests they can develop to bless the world (or their corner of it) with--a life mission and magnum opus; a lifelong journey that has the byproduct of bringing great joy and fulfillment.* Every child is treated with love, gentleness, and respect and is shown that they are valued at World Explorers. There is no shaming, punishments, or rewards here.
2. A world-class education is one that prepares a person for his or her life mission. It is rooted in: (1) Strong family relationships and friendships. (2) Studying and discussing excellent literature, stories, and art--from around the world throughout history--via the Socratic method. (3) Nature. (4) Child-led free play and projects, and (5) Writing, when they are developmentally ready.
3. Through the above "curriculum," we focus on fostering curiosity and a love of learning, as well as nurturing thinking skills, including observation, imagination, asking questions, analogizing and hypothesizing.
“For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one's dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's surrender to a person other than oneself.”
—Viktor Frankl, psychiatrist and Auschwitz survivor
WELCOME
"Listening to the class discussion, hearing the experiences and connections and thoughts made my heart swell with a little healing, and a lot of hope. Definitely perspective expanding. Thank you so so much Angel for facilitating this! After class [my daughter] said, "Miss Angel said the wisest thing today. 'Barriers can create opportunities'"...I *loved* how you took that moment to encourage the youth to find "that thing" that they feel passionate about." - Lisa A
“Our goal in life is to become truly happy. The classics help us see that quest in others and how their choices fail or succeed...classics help us connect with individuals whatever their race, creed, age, culture and even place in history...laughing, crying, and above all, feeling, changing, becoming. And then, because we are better, we must go out and serve.”
Some thoughts from A Thomas Jefferson Education, by Oliver DeMille
What to bring to WE each day
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1. We're outside every day. Wear/bring clothing & footwear appropriate for physical activity & the weather that day.
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2. Must bring full winter gear when cold (even if child says they won't wear it): warm boots and socks (multiple layers if very cold), snowpants, base layer if needed, warm coat and extra sweater if needed for very cold weather, gater or face covering, warm hat and mittens. If they get too hot, they may shed some layers! I just need to make sure it's an option.
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3. Your child WILL get wet. Rain coat & rain boots on rainy days (we will still go outside unless lightning); rain pants and rain mittens optional. Waders highly recommended as almost all children here like to wade in the creek, which you can find on TideWe or on Amazon. We have found high quality all-weather gear at Polarn O.Pyret, Reima and Outdoor School shop.
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4. Warm weather gear: hat, sunscreen, bug spray and waterproof boots/shoes for wading in creek, if desired.
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5. A backpack your child could carry comfortably on hikes. The backpack should include: Lunch, Water bottle, Afternoon snack (if you think your child will need one).
6. NO CELL PHONES OR TABLETS. Thank you. :)
Guidelines
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WE is not the place for any type of discussion of a sexual nature, between children or children and adults.
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If your child knows that Santa, etc, are not real, please tell them not to spoil it for other kids!
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Only use kind, uplifting words and facial expressions at WE; no meanness or crude words. No excluding kids from activities.
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If something is bothering you (parent or child), please tell Miss Angel!
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When outside, you may leave the group if you 1. Tell Miss Angel, 2. Go with a buddy, 3. Stay within designated boundaries
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At WE, we do allow children the freedom to explore outside on their own (in groups, within designated boundaries) and encourage reasonable risk-taking
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Children and leaders wear emergency whistles. There is inherent risk in participating in WE, and while we take measures to minimize risk of serious injury or other harm to your child, we cannot guarantee they will not get hurt.
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NO CELL PHONES OR TABLETS.
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Sick policy: You are welcome to WE if you have a non-contagious mild cough and runny nose and feel well enough to play. If you have a fever, severe cough that may be contagious, vomiting, diarrhea, chills or muscle aches, OR don't feel well enough to play, please stay home. I am not afraid of germs or getting sick; my main concern is that if I (the teacher/host) get sick, I have to cancel WE for everyone. If your child seems too sick to be here and/or is just laying on the couch because they don't have the energy to play, I will call you to come get them. I trust your judgment! We will never require masking or proof of vaccination. No refunds given if sick.
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Allergens: Please do not bring peanuts/peanut butter, cashews/cashew butter, or pistachios to WE. We have two people with severe anaphylactic allergies to them in our household.
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Please do not text Angel messages regarding WE after 5:00pm on weekdays and do not text on the weekend at all. Thank you so much!
