Two women smiling in a green field with a quote from Proverbs 11:25.

Our Story Began With a Friendship

The Living Education Retreat began with a friendship. In the early 1990s, Nancy Kelly and Karla Taber were both new residents of southwest Minnesota and became friends through their church community.  Around 2001, they were excitedly learning as much as they could about Charlotte Mason. Together they were leading a book discussion on Karen Andreola’s A Charlotte Mason Companion and thought it might be nice to present a little one day gathering for others wanting to learn more. So they contacted Ambleside Schools International and Mary Ellen Marschke (now St. Cyr and founder of Ambleside Schools International) agreed to come and talk to us. She came all the way out to Shalom Hill Farm in Windom, MN, along with her then-colleague Dr. Carroll Smith (founder of the Charlotte Mason Institute). It was a simple gathering of about 40 enthusiastic public, private, and homeschool educators who devoured what was shared about Charlotte Mason's philosophy that day.

Five years later, while attending the first CMI conference in North Carolina, Nancy and Karla looked at each other and said, “We can do this in Minnesota!” In 2006, the first official Living Education Retreat was held out on the prairie at Shalom Hill Farm with Sheila Carroll from Living Books Curriculum as the speaker and 35 people in attendance. The retreat has sold out every year since and has expanded to 150 participants with people attending from all over the world.

As the LER grew and expanded, they prayerfully considered meeting the growing needs of Charlotte Mason educators, incorporating handcrafts, nature study, narration, research, relationships, and more. While the original purpose was to help local educators learn about Charlotte Mason and to build community, God had a bigger plan. All praise and glory to Him as the LER approaches its 20th year of sharing this living philosophy of education!

Illustration of three overlapping leaves with outlined veins.

Living Education Retreat People and Places

    • Nancy Kelly

    • Karla Taber

    • Heidi Jahnke

    • Kristin Spittle

    • Sally Almodovar

    • Art Middlekauff

    • Shawna Hartley

    • Dave Stillwell

    • Jess Swedzinski

    • Anita Carrette

    • Katie Klein

    • 2006 – Shalom Hill Farm, Windom, MN
      Sheila Carroll – Living Books Curriculum

    • 2007 – Business, Arts, and Recreation Center, Windom, MN
      Nancy Kelly – Sage Parnassus

    • 2008 – Windom Evangelical Free Church, Windom, MN
      Art Middlekauff, Donna Johnson, Jan Wright, Nancy Kelly

    • 2009 – Shalom Hill Farm, Windom, MN
      Dr. Carroll Smith

    • 2010 – Shalom Hill Farm, Windom, MN
      Theme: Education is a Life: Ideas That Transcend Time
      Dr. Jack Beckman

    • 2011 – Shalom Hill Farm, Windom, MN
      Theme: Charlotte Mason: The Art of Mindfulness
      Laurie Bestvater

    • 2012 – Shalom Hill Farm, Windom, MN
      Theme: Pursuit and Passion: Charlotte Mason and Science
      Jennifer Gagnon

    • 2013 – Shalom Hill Farm, Windom, MN
      Theme: I am, I can, I ought, I will: A Thoughtful Motto for Life
      Nancy Kelly, Richele Baburina, Tammy Glaser,

    • 2014 – Shalom Hill Farm, Windom, MN
      Theme: L’Umile Pianta: For the Children’s Sake
      Dr. Jennifer Spencer, Gladys Schaefer, Nancy Kelly, Amy Tuttle

    • 2015 – Villa Maria Retreat Center, Frontenac, MN
      Theme: Frontenac Gathering - 10th Anniversary
      Nancy Kelly, Sandy Rusby Bell, Art Middlekauff, Dr. Carroll Smith, Dr. Donna Johnson

    • 2016 – Lakeshore Center, Okoboji, IA
      Theme: Charlotte Mason’s Three-Fold Cord
      Nancy Kelly, Dr. Donna Johnson, Jason Fiedler, Jack Kelly

    • 2017 – Lakeshore Center, Okoboji, IA
      Theme: Simplicity
      Nancy Kelly, Art Middlekauff, Jeannette Tulis

    • 2018 – Buffalo Ridge Resort, Gary, SD
      Theme: Parentcraft
      Nancy Kelly, Jenn Stec, Jason Fiedler, Art Middlekauff

    • 2019 – Buffalo Ridge Resort, Gary, SD
      Richele Baburina, Kent Handfield, Nancy Kelly, Art Middlekauff

    • 2021 – Koronis Ministries, Lake Koronis, Paynesville, MN
      Theme: Meditation: Narration of the Heart
      Nancy Kelly, Jason Fiedler, Art Middlekauff, Shannon Whiteside

    • 2022 – Koronis Ministries, Lake Koronis, Paynesville, MN
      Theme: Joy: Mainstay of a Living Education
      Nancy Kelly, Brittney McGann, Dawn Duran, Art Middlekauff

    • 2023 – Koronis Ministries, Lake Koronis, Paynesville, MN
      Theme: Learning To Live
      Nancy Kelly, Kerri Forney, Don Rhymer, Art Middlekauff

    • 2024 – Koronis Ministries, Lake Koronis, Paynesville, MN
      Theme: Abound In Hope
      Nancy Kelly, Art Middlekauff, Dawn Rhymer, Jason Fiedler

    • 2025 - Koronis Ministries, Lake Koronis, Paynesville, MN

      Theme: Vitality

      Nancy Kelly, Leah Boden, Amy Fieldler, Art Middlekauff

2009 LER Flyer.jpg
Flyer for Living Education Retreat on July 30-31, 2010, promoting Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy with speakers, featuring Dr. Jack Beckman. Event held at Shalom Hill Farm, Windom, MN.
Flyer for the Sixth Annual Living Education Retreat, featuring Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy. The event is held on July 15-16, 2011, at Shalom Hill Farm, Windom, MN. Includes a featured speaker, Laurie Bestvater, and highlights the educati
Flyer for Seventh Annual Living Education Retreat, August 10-11, 2012, at Shalom Hill Farm in Windom, MN. Focus on Charlotte Mason education philosophy. Features speaker Jennifer Gagnon. Contact details for organizers Nancy Kelly, Sally Almodovar, Ka
Illustration of a bird with text promoting the Eighth Annual Living Education Retreat at Shalom Hill Farm, Windom, MN on July 26-27, 2013. The event focuses on Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy. Featured speakers include Nancy Kelly, Richele B
Living Education Retreat poster featuring ornate border, event details, and an image of the retreat team. The retreat is at Shalom Hill Farm in Windom, MN, on July 18-19, 2014, focusing on educational philosophies. Listed speakers include Dr. Jen Spe
Flyer for 2015 Living Education Retreat in Frontenac, Minnesota, featuring event details and a quote by Charlotte Mason.
Poster for the Eleventh Annual Living Education Retreat, July 7-9, 2016, at Lakeshore Center, Okoboji, Iowa, featuring a nature scene with trees, a lake, and a person in a canoe. The retreat focuses on Charlotte Mason’s philosophy, offering discussio
Twelfth Annual Living Education Retreat event poster for July 6-8, 2017, at Lakeshore Center, Okoboji, Iowa, featuring themes of simplicity and Charlotte Mason philosophy. Includes details about discussions, activities, and speakers like Nancy Kelly.
Flyer for the 13th Annual Living Education Retreat at Buffalo Ridge Resort in Gary, South Dakota, July 12-14. Includes information about parenting, Charlotte Mason's philosophy, and speakers. Features silhouettes of a family and a dog against a sunse
Flyer for the 14th Annual Living Education Retreat from July 11-13, 2019, at Buffalo Ridge Resort, Gary, SD. Includes details about the retreat, the LER team members, and a quote from Charlotte Mason. Features floral graphics and a background image o
Event flyer for the 15th Annual Living Education Retreat by Koronis Ministries, Lake Koronis, Paynesville, MN, July 8-10, 2021. The theme is 'Meditation: Narration of the Heart.' Speakers include Nancy Kelly, Jason Fiedler, Art Middlekauff, and Shann
Flyer for the 16th Annual Charlotte Mason Gathering "Living Education Retreat" with featured speakers Nancy Kelly, Brittney McGann, Dawn Duran, and Art Middlekauff, focusing on themes of joy and education. Event at Lake Koronis, Paynesville, MN, July
Promotional flyer for the 17th Annual Charlotte Mason Gathering titled "Living Education Retreat." Features floral and bird artwork. Includes details on date (July 6-8, 2023), location (Lake Koronis, Paynesville, MN), keynote speakers (Nancy Kelly, K
Poster for the 18th Annual Charlotte Mason Gathering, titled 'Living Education Retreat,' taking place at Lake Koronis, Paynesville, MN, on July 11-13, 2024. Image features a loon swimming and a landscape with trees and sun. Speakers include Nancy Kel
Poster for the 19th Annual Charlotte Mason Gathering titled 'Vitality,' featuring event details with floral and animal graphics. Scheduled for July 10-12, 2025 at Lake Koronis, Paynesville, MN. Lists featured speakers Nancy Kelly and Leah Boden, and
A promotional flyer for 'A Living Education Retreat' featuring details about an educational event. It includes event dates, location, costs, and seminar topics like planning for learning and literacy. Contact information is provided at the bottom, al
Flyer for the 2nd Annual Living Education Retreat with autumn leaves as decoration. It includes event details such as date (September 22, 2007), location (Windom, MN), and description of activities like sessions on Charlotte Mason's methods, homescho
Flyer for the 3rd Annual Living Education Retreat on September 6, 2008, at Windom Evangelical Free Church Worship Center in Windom, MN. The retreat focuses on Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy with featured speakers Art Middlekauff, Donna John
Line drawing of a floral arrangement with various flowers and leaves

 Karla and Nancy,

This Living Education Retreat the two of you conceived of, created, and nurtured over these last 15 years has been a true labor of love. The ideas about education that Charlotte Mason was given by the Holy Spirit, the same ones she lived out, penned, and preserved for posterity, were recognized by the two of you many years ago. These ideas sparked into a flame and then He spread it into a raging wildfire through you and this humble retreat. It is impossible to overstate the importance of the ideas, relationships, joy, and fellowship that have grown in dozens, even hundreds, of families because you were willing to follow the call on your lives to lay this feast before parents. Through these parents, countless children have been strengthened, educated, and fortified for the call that God has for their own lives. We have been blessed beyond measure by both the faithful process and the resulting fruit of this retreat, and we want to thank and honor you in this remembrance. To God be all the glory!

In gratitude and love,
Heidi, Sally, and Kristin

July 2021

Four men sitting at a round table, having a discussion, with plates and cups on the table. A banner with the words "I am, I can, I ought, I will" is hanging on a brick fireplace in the background.
A diverse group of people sitting in a classroom setting, smiling and engaged in an activity or discussion. Some individuals hold notebooks and pens. The atmosphere appears friendly and interactive.
Banner with quote 'The Glory of God is the human being fully alive...' by Irenaeus, with a sun illustration, hanging by a window.
Outline drawing of flowers and leaves

All other bodies of workers, whether of hand or brain, enjoy the help and profit of association; commonly, of cooperation.
Thus the wisdom, the experience, the information of each is made profitable for all; enthusiasm is generated by the union of many
for the advance of a cause, and every member is cheered by the sympathy of his fellow workers.
~ Charlotte Mason, speaking about one of her conferences, 1888 ~