WELCOME
Journey Education is a homeschool co-op that meets weekly on Thursdays in Covina, CA
Meet the Journey Ed Team
A1 Artistic Director. Meet the Masters, Hands on History, Humanities
Rebekah Mackie
Rebekah Mackie is a pastor’s wife, mother of five, and is eagerly awaiting the arrival of her first grandbaby. While she attended APU for both her undergraduate and graduate studies, she believes her most valuable education began 26 years ago when she left the traditional classroom to raise and teach her own children. She is passionate about Jesus, her family, mentoring younger moms, children's literature, musical theatre, and history. Rebekah has directed children's music and theatre for nearly 30 years and currently serves as the director of A1 Musical Theatre. For the past 15 years, she has taught various humanities courses in the homeschool community and looks forward to beginning this new journey with Journey Ed.
A1 Producer, Lego's, Hands on History, Humanities
Claire Scotti
Claire Scotti is a follower of Jesus, a wife, and a homeschool mom of two. Having been homeschooled herself from kindergarten through high school, she has a deep love for the homeschool community and a passion for teaching. She has been homeschooling her own children for nine years and has spent the past several years teaching classes to other homeschool students, bringing her love of travel, nature, history, geography, and literature into the classroom.
In addition to homeschooling, Claire is one of the producers of A1 Musical Theatre, a non-profit children’s theater company. What began as her daughter’s passion for musical theater quickly became hers as well, and for nearly a decade, she has been actively involved—her daughter on stage and Claire backstage in various capacities.
She loves the relationships that are fostered through homeschooling, fostering creativity in the classroom, and supporting the homeschool and theater communities.
A1 Production Assistant, Five in a Row, Science for Littles
Jennifer Pacheco
Jennifer is a homeschool mom, dedicated educator, and theater enthusiast who believes that learning should be an adventure. She and her husband, Dan, have been joyfully married for 24 years, homeschooling their two boys (10 and 14) with a deep love for books, nature, and hands-on exploration.
Jen teaches Five in a Row (FIAR), where she brings timeless picture books to life for TK-2nd graders. Each week, children step into the pages of a beautifully written story and explore geography, language arts, science, math, and art through creative, play-based activities. From silly math games to messy crafts, exciting science experiments, and outdoor scavenger hunts, she helps students experience the magic of learning through great books.
Her love for God, nature and science shines in her Science for Littles class, a Charlotte Mason-inspired journey through the seven days of creation. Children engage in hands-on experiments, nature journaling, and living book readings, developing both scientific understanding and an awe for God’s creation. Whether they’re observing the sky, sketching plants, or exploring the wonders of the ocean, Jen encourages young learners to see science as an adventure filled with discovery and faith.
Beyond the classroom, Jen serves as the Production Assistant for A1 Musical Theater, where she helps bring performances to life through backstage management and volunteer coordination. She treasures the way theater fosters confidence, creativity, and lasting friendships.
Jen’s passion is to create joyful, hands-on learning experiences that inspire curiosity, creativity, and a love for God’s world. Whether in the classroom, the theater, or the great outdoors, she is dedicated to helping children grow in wonder and faith.
Academic Writing
Zeph Scotti
Zeph Scotti brings years of experience teaching academic writing at the college level. He previously taught Academic Writing at Cal Poly Pomona’s English Language Institute and is a Philosophy professor at Pasadena City College, where he has been teaching writing-intensive courses since 2013.
Zeph believes that strong writing begins with clear thinking. His classes emphasize active engagement, where students analyze well-structured arguments, study how effective writers present ideas, and develop their own writing skills through instructor modeling, Socratic discussions, peer review, and timely feedback.
Having been homeschooled himself during high school, Zeph discovered a love for academic writing when he began taking college courses at Pasadena City College at age 16. That passion ultimately led him to a career in higher education. His goal is to prepare students not just to write well, but to think critically, engage with texts meaningfully, and enter college-level writing courses fully equipped for success.
Zeph and his wife, Claire, homeschool their two children. Their homeschooling journey gives Zeph a personal understanding of home education and a deep appreciation for fostering independent, lifelong learners.
A1 Music Director, High School World Literature
Riley Mackie
Riley Mackie graduated from The Master’s University in 2021 with a degree in Music and Business and has since dedicated her career to education and the arts. As a full-time voice teacher and the Music Director for A1 Musical Theatre, she brings a deep understanding of storytelling and creativity into the classroom. She is a lifelong lover of literature who reads nearly 100 books each year.
She is passionate about healthy & low-tox living, Jesus & serving in her church, being the best big sister to her 3 younger brothers & sister, curating a perfect dinner party, thrift shopping with an iced dirty chai in hand, and diving into the educational philosophies of Waldorf schools and Charlotte Mason. Riley believes that each child is a unique and valuable individual deserving of an education tailored to their interests and strengths. Rejecting teaching in a traditional school, she desires to foster a love of learning through living books, engaging discussions, and a holistic approach to education.
Latin, IEW
Josie Robles
Josie Robles loves Jesus, her family, and her friends. By the grace of God, she and her husband, Christian, have been happily married for 25 and a half years and are blessed with four wonderful children—Isaiah, Micah, Keziah, and Alexander.
Josie holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Southern California (USC). During her eight-year tenure with the Los Angeles School District, she taught grades 3-5. Subsequently, she transitioned into administration for two years before retiring from LAUSD to homeschool. She has been homeschooling for eighteen years.
Josie strongly believes that learning can happen anywhere and at any time, seeing every experience as an opportunity to grow and expand. Over years, she has provided instruction in Latin, Writing (IEW), Mathematics, and Logic for other homeschool groups.
Josie cherishes time with family and friends, whether relaxing at the beach, exploring God’s handiwork on scenic walks, or laughing over a shared meal, because seamless ordinary moments become cherished memories.
Math, Science
Kathy Kopp
Kathy Kopp is a retired teacher who can’t stop teaching!! From early in her childhood, Kathy
knew she wanted to be a teacher. She earned her B.S. in Biology from the University of
California at Riverside (UCR), and took her teaching credential classes at Cal State Los Angeles.
Her first teaching experience was at a Christian boarding high school in Kenya where she taught
science and PE for 8 months to approximately 200 Kenyan girls. After teaching 7 th and 8 th grade
science in West Covina Unified for 3 years, she then followed the Lord’s calling to a Christian
school in Colombia, South America. For the next 7 years she taught English to Colombian
students, pre-K to 9 th grade while serving as a missionary at Capilla Calvario Villavicencio. Upon
returning home to Alhambra, she began a 25-year elementary school teaching career with the
Los Angeles Unified School District. During that time, she taught kinder, moved up to 3 rd grade,
and then found her niche in 5 th grade where she remained for almost 20 years. Now retired from
full-time teaching, Kathy looks forward to sharing her teaching skills with the students and
families at Journey Ed this coming year!