About Walden Wonders & the Author

The Birth of Walden Wonders

One year I got downsized out of my classroom as the small school had gotten too small to retain two teachers. What to do? We hadn't been in that location long, we had purchased a house, and joined a loving and nurturing church. We loved the area and wanted to stay. "OK, Lord, what should we do now?" The Lord impressed me to publish some of the items I had created for my classroom and begin a business of making these resources available to other teachers. If they helped my students, they could help others. Thus, Walden Wonders was born (my last name: Walden, and we wondered how to pay the bills: Wonders. I did go back in the classroom for a number of years while keeping up my business on the side.

And the rest, as they say, "is history". The history continues even today in my retirement; God is still giving me ideas to work up that can benefit His dear children.

So, let me introduce myself. My name is Mary Ann Walden. I'm a Christian educator of 33 years, 27 in various multi-grade combinations of PreK-K through grade 10, having taught one-room schools for 11 years. Yes, that's all 8 grades in one room - just like in the early days of our country.

The last 6 years of my teaching career, I had the great pleasure of training future Christian educators at a private Christian college in Arkansas. The most satisfying job I ever had! I was able to bring all my teaching experience into play to prepare those young people for their future careers. Some of those young people went on as teachers and/or principals of schools in various cities, states, and even foreign countries.

My Degrees Include: ~ Associate degree from Columbia Basin College in Pasco, Washington ~ BS in elementary education from Southern University in Collegedale, TN ~ MS in elementary education with an emphasis on curriculum development from Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, CA ~ PMT (That's Put Myself Through - with a whole lot of help from our Lord!) As a single parent of three pre-teens, this was no small feat, but God led and blessed all the way. The university bookstore actually had a PMT diploma for the student to fill out and sign themselves. I figured I could celebrate in that small way, so I did. Yes, yes, I'm goofy sometimes.

The Growth of My Teaching Ministry

At six years of age, after completing first grade, I took my siblings down to the picnic table by the creek on our dairy farm in Wisconsin and began "teaching", not realizing that would become my lifework.

The following year, in second grade, I began my actual in-the-classroom teaching career. I realized that the first graders needed something more to do while our teacher was working with the upper-grade students in this one-room school of 48 students. The first graders were frequently getting in mischief. I asked my teacher if I could teach Art to first grade. She chuckled a bit, then caught herself and asked, "Well, Mary Ann, how would you do that?" I outlined my self-designed curriculum to her as "I would trace a page from my coloring book (Plagiarizing? We didn't know the term back then.) and make copies for the first graders on our old hectograph machine (an early copy machine even before spirit duplicators). Then I would teach them to stay in the lines and use appropriate colors - no green faces.

After a while of that, I realized the children still had too much free time on their hands and the teacher was having to call to them from across the room where she was working with the older students. Back to the teacher I went. My request this time was that she allow me to teach 1st grade Spelling. At that time, there was no such curriculum at the 1st grade level (at least, not at our country school). She chuckled a bit again, then caught

herself and asked how I would do that. "Well, I'd take little words like an, in, at, and put other letters with them to make new words. I would give them a list, help them study, then give them a test." Wow! I didn't realize I was making what is known as word families.

It was many years later before I realized that teaching was my calling. God was finally able to make that plain to me after converting me to Him. Finally, I was ready to work for Him. Praise the Lord! I can't think of a more rewarding profession than Christian education.

Here's My Passion:

As a young child, I had a very inaccurate picture of who God was and what He was like. It took years to get the correct picture. My passion is to help children get God's character correct early in life. Little ones should grow up knowing God is love, and God loves them.

Whether used in the classroom or in the homeschool community, I want every resource I create to enable students to enjoy learning, find that learning is easier and more interesting than they may have thought, and fall head over heels in love with God. I pray daily for every person who has seen my seminars or webinar class or has any other material God has caused me to create that they will see the true character of our Creator God and grow closer and closer to Him in recognition and appreciation of Him and loving faithfulness to Him. I sincerely hope to meet each of these dear ones in heaven.

Today...

These days I sell my Christian educational products to homeschool families and others in person, online, and at various festivals and markets.

Crafting is one of my hobbies as you can see in this photo. I have always enjoyed learning how things are made. That's why school field trips were so interesting to me. I try out virtually every type of craft I come across - just to see how it goes. Afterward, not needing all these items, I sometimes gift them to family and/or friends, or I sell them. I make jean purses, Christmas ornaments, small box tote bags, fabric bags, quilted wall hangings, and other craft items, as well as my Christian literature for children.

I keep busy, have fun, and try to bless others with whatever I do.

Mental whiplash all day long

But, Oh the memories!