In this encouraging episode of BaseCamp Live, Davies Owens is joined by Joanna Hensley, Lower School Headmaster at Wilson Hill Academy, mom of six, and passionate classical educator. Together, they explore what it means to be intentional curators of our children’s education—without letting school overwhelm the joy of home life.
Through her personal journey—from studying Latin as a college student to parenting across continents—Joanna shares practical wisdom for finding balance between school and family, reclaiming restful weekends, and reframing education as a community-supported endeavor.
📌 Highlights include:
✔️ Redefining productivity in the home
✔️ How online classical education can free up family life
✔️ Simple scheduling strategies that create space for joy
✔️ Why focus and even failure are essential to a thriving education
Whether you’re homeschooling, enrolled in a five-day school, or exploring hybrid options, this episode is a must-listen for families navigating the pace of modern life with classical priorities.
🎧 Don’t miss this practical and heartening conversation!
Joanna Hensley has enjoyed teaching Latin and literature online since 2007. Active in classical education for over two decades as a teacher, writer and conference speaker, she has published several chapters in the Omnibus series, which forms the backbone of Wilson Hill’s The Great Conversation courses.
Inspired by her own high school Latin teacher, Joanna studied classics and art history at the University of Minnesota, double-majoring in Latin and classical civilizations and graduating with honors. She teaches Latin and Great Conversation classes for Wilson Hill and serves as faculty advisor for our Junior Classical League chapter. Joanna also serves Wilson Hill as the Headmaster of the Lower School on our Academics leadership team.
A pastor’s wife and a homeschooling mom, Joanna lives in St. Louis, MO, with her husband Adam, who is a professor of Hebrew and Old Testament theology, and their six children. Joanna enjoys reading, road trips and finding ways to make difficult subjects a pleasure to learn.
Connect with Joanna: