A Thomas Jefferson Education discussion

Hi Becky,

This is Cami's sister, Emily. This is a super popular book here in Provo. I checked it out twice, but it was requested over and over before I finished it. I thought it was fascinating and had a lot of truth to it. I have some extended family who do all of their homeschooling based on this book's philosophies. I don't know that the benefits of homeschooling outweigh the benefits of public school. What is your take?

I am on my second reading of this book and I am finally grasping the concepts. Being new to home school, but this book has provided effective sign posts for helping children love learning and choose to educate themselves.This diminishes the likelyhood of burnout. I like that is doesn't dictate curriculum, focuses on classics and parental inspiration. When you say it has a lot of truth to it, I have seen first hand that you are correct...I was not the most enthusiastic home school parent initially, but the proof is in the pudding. I am a better parent (and a more educated one) for applying the principles of TJED.

This is a must read for every homeschool parent, especially those who have been educating their children for a considerable amount of time. It is refreshing and gives a different perspective on how we educate our children. I found "The Thomas Jefferson Companion" is very helpful in implementing the principles of this book. There are also various workshops offered in the Mesa area that are phenomenal (so I've heard). This "curriculum" is Mormon-based but there are parts of that I appreciate because of the emphasis on "religion" explained in educating children. The reader should also be aware of this philosophy being quite child-centered, rather than parent directed. With that in mind, my husband and I have tweeked it to work for our family. This book has changed my whole outlook on homeschooling and I find myself challenged to figure out how to let it permeate my mindset and really implement these ideas, rather than jumping on the bandwagon and educating my children "conveyer-belt" style.

If you liked this one, and haven't read "Leadership Education" by both DeMille and his wife, I definately recommend it. The second book is a much needed extention with more in-depth explanation on how to implement some of the ideas in the first book into your home.