If you are interested in becoming a Mosaic Freeschool Class Facilitator, please email us with class ideas or proposals and a brief description of your background and/or experience in homeschooling or education.
Meet the Facilitators!
Jayne Besjak
Jayne is co-founder and Director of Mosaic Freeschool. She and her husband decided to explore homeschooling for their three children as a transition vehicle when their family relocated from the Midwest to New Jersey in 2008. What began as a temporary and pragmatic choice evolved into a highly rewarding and welcomed lifestyle of personal freedom and enthusiastic, engaged learning.
Prior to diving into the world of alternative education, Jayne worked for 13 years as an Environmental Research Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory, and lectured in the School of Continuing Studies at Northwestern University. She holds an M.S. in Geoscience from Oregon State University where she worked with the EPA's Global Climate Research Program and has completed PhD coursework in the Department of Geographical Sciences at the University of Maryland.
Jayne is passionate about fostering a life-long love of learning in her own children, and is dedicated to the development of learning communities and academic enrichment opportunities for homeschooling families. She also works as a STEM Guide and High School mentor at The Socratic Experience online school.
Prior to diving into the world of alternative education, Jayne worked for 13 years as an Environmental Research Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory, and lectured in the School of Continuing Studies at Northwestern University. She holds an M.S. in Geoscience from Oregon State University where she worked with the EPA's Global Climate Research Program and has completed PhD coursework in the Department of Geographical Sciences at the University of Maryland.
Jayne is passionate about fostering a life-long love of learning in her own children, and is dedicated to the development of learning communities and academic enrichment opportunities for homeschooling families. She also works as a STEM Guide and High School mentor at The Socratic Experience online school.
Sachi Tripp
Sachi is a homeschooling mother of four children, two of whom are transitioning into a formal school setting. Sachi’s family began their homeschooling adventures years ago when their first-born daughter came of school age. A long-time advocate of alternative learning models, she initially chose to homeschool in order to shield her children from the long hours in a classroom, in favor of more time outside and with family. Homeschooling turned into a lifestyle for the Tripp family, enabling them to travel both at home and abroad, to explore alternative ways of learning (and different models from unschooling, to Waldorf, to Charlotte Mason), and to move from the East Coast to the West and back again with as little disruption in the education of their children as possible.
Sachi received her undergraduate degree in Literature at the University of Texas at Austin. Following this, she joined a program called Teach for America and committed to teach two years in rural North Carolina. After living and working in Gaston, North Carolina, Sachi moved west to Oakland, California where she taught Language Arts and History in an urban classroom. While Sachi never envisioned herself as a teacher, she found it deeply fulfilling and decided to pursue a Master’s of Education at the Teacher’s College of Columbia in New York City. After earning her M.A., Sachi took a job with Teach for America supporting teachers in classrooms throughout the five boroughs. Throughout her years in education, Sachi strove to maintain the highest standards for all students, especially those who the system seemed to have forgotten.
When Sachi is not teaching, she can be found walking her dogs, exploring fiber arts, reading, and/or hiding from her children while doing the aforementioned walking, reading, or knitting.
Sachi received her undergraduate degree in Literature at the University of Texas at Austin. Following this, she joined a program called Teach for America and committed to teach two years in rural North Carolina. After living and working in Gaston, North Carolina, Sachi moved west to Oakland, California where she taught Language Arts and History in an urban classroom. While Sachi never envisioned herself as a teacher, she found it deeply fulfilling and decided to pursue a Master’s of Education at the Teacher’s College of Columbia in New York City. After earning her M.A., Sachi took a job with Teach for America supporting teachers in classrooms throughout the five boroughs. Throughout her years in education, Sachi strove to maintain the highest standards for all students, especially those who the system seemed to have forgotten.
When Sachi is not teaching, she can be found walking her dogs, exploring fiber arts, reading, and/or hiding from her children while doing the aforementioned walking, reading, or knitting.
Natasha Benkendorf
Natasha discovered her love for debate, mock trial, and public speaking through tournament competition early in life, and it led her to pursue a B.A. in Communications at Austin College in Texas. While there, she continued to fine-tune her debate skills through participation in political science classes and circles and by assisting with high school debate clubs and tournaments. Simultaneously, she regularly participated in theater performances and acted as a teacher’s assistant in advanced drama and Shakespeare classes. She also began working with underprivileged kids – to give them the opportunity for theater and dance.
These experiences and a desire to help inner-city youth brought Natasha to New York City where she worked as a tutor and camp director with the Bronx YMCA. She also co-led the Youth and Government program, designed training classes for program leaders, taught many drama classes, and developed original productions for the camps.
Natasha has always loved teaching – specifically with middle school students. When she became a mom, she quickly realized a desire to teach her own children at home. Learning alongside her clever and wacky four kids has been a tremendous blessing. She currently teaches writing, and she has been waiting for the day one of her kids would be old enough to begin debate and mock trial.
These experiences and a desire to help inner-city youth brought Natasha to New York City where she worked as a tutor and camp director with the Bronx YMCA. She also co-led the Youth and Government program, designed training classes for program leaders, taught many drama classes, and developed original productions for the camps.
Natasha has always loved teaching – specifically with middle school students. When she became a mom, she quickly realized a desire to teach her own children at home. Learning alongside her clever and wacky four kids has been a tremendous blessing. She currently teaches writing, and she has been waiting for the day one of her kids would be old enough to begin debate and mock trial.
Cristen Pantano
Cristen received her Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Vermont in 2005. While she loved the lab environment, her true passion has always been teaching. Cristen began homeschooling her own children in 2011, and that same year began teaching biology to local homeschooling middle-schoolers and loved the experience. Since then, she has developed hands on, child centered, science curriculum for the nonprofit Curiosity Hacked while teaching middle school and high school biology online.
Cristen is passionate about science education, science literacy and making sure that each of her students comes out of her classes with a deeper understanding of the world around them, and their connection to that world. When not teaching, Cristen can be found driving her kids around and feeding the family chicks, bunnies, and sheep.
Cristen is passionate about science education, science literacy and making sure that each of her students comes out of her classes with a deeper understanding of the world around them, and their connection to that world. When not teaching, Cristen can be found driving her kids around and feeding the family chicks, bunnies, and sheep.
Mariya Kovalyov
Mariya is an artist and photographer that resides in NJ with her family and three dogs. After graduating Rutgers with a degree in computer science and economics, and taking an unreasonable amount of math classes, Mariya turned her attention to the pursuit of art making and teaching. She has spent time working as a children’s book illustrator, a web admin, an art teacher, and for quite some time, a homeschooling parent. Currently, she is a teaching artist who spends her time making art and sharing her passion for it with her students. One of her favorite things to teach is art history and photography. She has taught art, art history, world history, economics, and photography to every age, from toddlers to adults, and enjoyed every second of it. A life-long learner, Mariya is pursuing her education further, seeking a masters degree in Art Education through AOEU, but has no intention of stopping at that.
John Taeschler
After twenty years teaching science at Gill St Bernards School, I had successfully retired in 2022. Previously I taught at Morristown Beard School and St. Peters Prep in Jersey City. My career has led me from freshmen science courses through AP Chemistry classes, each leaving a distinct and profound impression. My entrepreneurial wife had a successful advertising agency where I was the CEO for the twelve years our sons went through elementary and high school. My undergraduate
degree was in Environmental Science and my advanced degree was Computer Science in Education combination curriculum.
With my new free time I have been able to more fully explore my other interests: music, cycling, tai chi and meditation. It’s also afforded me some more free reading, travel and more family time with my wife, our two sons and their spouses. Our most recent addition has been our new grandaughter who is the new center of our universe.
The opportunity to teach homeschooled students at Mosaic seemed intriguing and I’m interested in learning a different educational experience, discussing chemistry, as well as spending time with students again. I’m really looking forward to this school year!
degree was in Environmental Science and my advanced degree was Computer Science in Education combination curriculum.
With my new free time I have been able to more fully explore my other interests: music, cycling, tai chi and meditation. It’s also afforded me some more free reading, travel and more family time with my wife, our two sons and their spouses. Our most recent addition has been our new grandaughter who is the new center of our universe.
The opportunity to teach homeschooled students at Mosaic seemed intriguing and I’m interested in learning a different educational experience, discussing chemistry, as well as spending time with students again. I’m really looking forward to this school year!
Allison Sabatini
Allie fell in love with American history as a young child - constantly rereading her dog-eared biographies of George Washington, Clara Barton, and Martin Luther King, Jr. She picked up her first American Girl book in third grade, and an understanding that history is the story of people - not a boring list of dates - took root. This belief blossomed as Allie graduated from Loyola College Maryland with a History and Writing degree, and earned her Master’s degree in American History from the University of Delaware.
Allie has a varied teaching background. In college, she led groups on outdoor adventure trips up mountains and into caves. She taught American history for four years at a private highschool. She homeschooled her elementary school children for a year. For the past five years she has been the Director of Education at Ringwood Manor in Ringwood State Park, New Jersey. In that role she has created virtual field trips and activities, as well as homeschool programs and traditional field trips for students of all ages.
An active member of her community, Allie is on the Board of Trustees for her local library and a poll worker for her county Board of Elections. Allie believes sunshine and dirt are good for the soul, and is happiest around a bonfire with her husband and two children.
Allie has a varied teaching background. In college, she led groups on outdoor adventure trips up mountains and into caves. She taught American history for four years at a private highschool. She homeschooled her elementary school children for a year. For the past five years she has been the Director of Education at Ringwood Manor in Ringwood State Park, New Jersey. In that role she has created virtual field trips and activities, as well as homeschool programs and traditional field trips for students of all ages.
An active member of her community, Allie is on the Board of Trustees for her local library and a poll worker for her county Board of Elections. Allie believes sunshine and dirt are good for the soul, and is happiest around a bonfire with her husband and two children.
Lisa Young
Lisa is the founder and owner of Artfully Young Art Studio in Warren, NJ and has been specializing in teaching art to adults and children for over ten years. She is a member of the New Jersey Pastel and Watercolor Societies and her art work is held in private collections in North America and Europe. Lisa is a regular exhibitor at Art Fairs and exhibitions across the Tri-State area.
Lisa is passionate about wildlife and environmental conservation and this is reflected in much of her artwork. Many of her paintings and drawings depict endangered wildlife in natural settings. She is also an avid landscape artist and particularly likes painting places in her local neighborhood. Lisa uses a wide range of mediums, but tends to favor pastels, pencil and oils.
Lisa is passionate about wildlife and environmental conservation and this is reflected in much of her artwork. Many of her paintings and drawings depict endangered wildlife in natural settings. She is also an avid landscape artist and particularly likes painting places in her local neighborhood. Lisa uses a wide range of mediums, but tends to favor pastels, pencil and oils.
Renee Alejandro
Renee is a native New Jerseyan and homeschooling mom of four children. Her passion for teaching began at age 4 when she used to beg any neighborhood friends to join her in lining up their dolls and stuffed toys as pretend students, and she never wavered in knowing that was what she was meant to do when she grew up. She taught for 10 years in a traditional school setting before deciding to homeschool her own children. Homeschooling has provided her family with the opportunity to foster a lifelong love of learning, a passion for reading, and the flexibility to travel to see the places they are learning about. In addition, their homeschooling adventures have allowed them to work toward their goal of seeing all 50 states before their oldest graduates. Currently, they have just one state left to go! While Renee’s vision of what school looks like has changed dramatically over the years, she still considers it her greatest joy to work with students of all ages and backgrounds. When she’s not busy teaching, traveling, or homeschooling, Renee can be found with her nose stuck in a book.