Wendy Priesnitz is a Canadian advocate of alternative education and environmentalism.^[1][2] She was leader of the Green Party of Canada from July 1996 to January 1997.^[3]

Priesnitz originally trained to be a teacher. She then decided to educate her children at home.

She founded the Canadian Alliance of Home Schoolers in 1979.^[4]

She focuses on lifelong learning and biomimicry as a reason to look at decentralised or home (or autonomous) education.^[5]

She is known for her advocacy of homeschooling/unschooling and home-based/green business. She describes the educational benefits as, "[unschooling] children generally live and learn, with the support of their families, based on their own interests and their timetables, and without curriculum, tests, or grades.".^[6]

Priesnitz and her husband run Life Media (formerly The Alternative Press). Since 1976, she has co-owned and edited Natural Life (magazine), an award-winning sustainable lifestyles magazine. In 2002, she founded Life Learning Magazine, which she owns and edits.

She is the author of several books on homeschooling.

• Priesnitz, Wendy (1976). Summer love, winter fires. The Alternate Press. ISBN 0-920118-00-3.

• Priesnitz, Wendy (1987). School Free - The Homeschooling Handbook. The Alternate Press. ISBN 0-920118-04-6.

• Priesnitz, Wendy (1990). Markham: Canada's community of the future : a contemporary portrait. Windsor Publications, in co-operation with the Markham Board of Trade. ISBN 0-89781-327-8.

• Priesnitz, Wendy (1991). The House Where I Grew Up. The Alternate Press. ISBN 0-920118-03-8.

• Priesnitz, Wendy; Heidi Priesnitz (1993). The Natural Life Cookbook. The Alternate Press. ISBN 0-920118-17-8.

• Priesnitz, Wendy (1996). Bringing It Home - A Home Business Start-Up Guide for You and Your Family. The Alternate Press. ISBN 0-920118-99-2.

• Priesnitz, Wendy (2000). Challenging Assumptions in Education. The Alternate Press. ISBN 0-920118-05-4.

• Homeschooling in Canada

• Biography of Wendy Priesnitz
• Life Media