A Review: A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-first Century

A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-first Century by Oliver DeMille
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I put off reading this book too long, long enough to form my own educational philosophy that was paradoxically a mix of two major styles: unschooling and classical education. I thought I was pretty weird for feeling this way, but the child-led, delight-led nature of unschooling just rang true... and so did the conviction that understanding the classics could create a new generation of renaissance men and women. I had believed these two philosophies to be in opposition to each other, despite both of them ringing true in my heart. Imagine my delight when I realized what Oliver DeMille was proposing: a marriage of unschooling (what he calls freedom education) and classical (an obsession with learning from the greats in every field through history). A common wealth school is being created for homeschoolers in my area and I'm very excited for my four boys and the strong mentors they will have available to them.

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The Responsibility of All Parents

Homeschooling vs. Schooling

The duty of parents

From HomeschoolUnderSeige.com:

"As a teacher, I would say that ALL parents have the responsibility to home school their children. Parents should be home schooling their children in the art of reading, basic number skills, colors, rules of polite society, the habits needed to study and learn something new on your own, problem solving skills, their native language (if they have one), skills like carpentry or art (if the parents have such skills), to name just a few. These are things that I, as a teacher, have limited ability to support in my classroom. Many are things that should happen before the child enters the school system, and continue afterward, so that the students have foundations on which to build their further learning. Learning that should continue, I hope, their whole life."

I agree with this teacher on this point: all parents have a responsibility to home school their children in the basics. 

Teachers cannot and should not be expected to teach children to read. That should be happening at home all the time. One of the things we don't talk about as much pertaining to the failure of the public schools is how parental attitudes have contributed to that failure.

I'll liken it to a doctor who tells parents not to try home remedies to resolve illnesses, to bring a child in immediately if there is a fever above 100 degrees. So they do. Then the same doctor complains that the parents are bringing in a child with just a fever and not taking care of it at home.

Likewise, certain educators have made a point of telling parents they can't resolve reading problems at home, can't possibly teach their own children to read. So they don't even try. Some parents have been told they could do damage to their children by trying to teach them to read before school age.

???

And then you get common-sense teachers like this one in the article who want you to teach your child to read before school.

So the wrong parental attitude of 'Let the school do it' is not only the fault of parents, but of educators who want to monopolize education regardless of the practical realities that make this impossible. 

Thankfully, the solution is already a nationwide movement. More people are homeschooling or "afterschooling" or "beforeschooling." More parents understand that the public schools will fail their children if they are not equal partners with their children's teachers. That's a wonderful thing!

In the next generation, we can look forward to more intelligent teens who know how to research, ask questions, and collaborate for greater innovation -- not teens who were taught to pass tests and expect spoon-fed knowledge.

Homeschooled teens become informed voters. Schooled teens become low-information voters, SNL-watchers who actually believe it's the "news."

So this trend toward homeschooling could save our nation, too.

Do you homeschool? Afterschool? Beforeschool? Or do you trust the schools to do it all?

The First Five Weeks of School

First day of school was August 20th

One of Gilgamesh's new subjects is PIANO

Sir Petrus hatched a personality. He's still a very serious baby, and quiet, but he loves to smile at his family.

Right off the bat we took a vacation and went to a festival! At the festival, our little knights built things at a Home Depot station. Alastor is here with Dad, showing him the goalpost he made.

Gilgamesh's first grade curriculum from Sonlight includes Usborne book, Peoples of the World. Crafts and activity ideas pepper every other page. It's been fun trying some of them out. Like the sarong, turban, Bedouin tents, and coil pots shown here. 

Gilgamesh is getting better and better at riding his bike!

When auntie came to visit, we showed her the Angry Birds game. Lots of fun!

A fun project I'd been meaning to do coincided with a poem in the Sonlight core: The House that Jack Built. We cut out pictures from the poem, like malt and a rat and put them in the finished house.

Nature walks and hikes by the local duck pond are always fun for our family.

Superdad shows Gilgamesh the ropes.

First grader

Preschooler

Here's Petrus, already 3 months old and getting more active.

Superhero costumes ahead of October's Halloween

The spider building an epic spiderweb outside our place just as we finished the year's first readaloud book, Charlotte's Web!

Alastor's three-dimensional rainbow

Gilgamesh's three-dimensional rainbow

Gilgamesh's book of dreams. Can you tell who we support for the presidential race in November?

D is for dirt, part of the Letter of the Week program we're doing for Alastor's preschool. Gilgamesh participates and has a blast doing the more arsty, basic stuff.

D is for dog

Gilgamesh's masterpiece from his first official art class. They're candy apples from a lesson on circles.

We discovered one way to get through those busy Usborne books is to copy the pages and cut and paste the individual pictures and text blocks into staple books. He gets to make a book and focus on one subject at a time. It's great! Only downer is how much ink we use up. But really, who decided children's nonfiction should be so BUSY!? Gilgamesh doesn't know where to look, so he often looks away. In the future I might try the window method I've read about: cut a square in a white piece of paper and show just one part of the page at a time.

A construction paper robot Gilgamesh constructed all by himself after seeing a similar one on Sesame Street. Take inspiration from everywhere and run with it!

To keep hands busy during readaloud time one day, I printed out some templates for tissue paper collages. It was a lot of fun for the boys but nobody heard a word I read, so we'll stick with quiet time and bedtime for readalouds for now.

We have this great Disney Pixar drawing book that shows you step by step how to draw several popular characters. This is Gilgamesh's Wall-e and Eve. I was impressed!

Gilgamesh's planet Earth. Not an assignment, just a self-directed art project. We found a website that showed how to make rectangles for proportions before drawing the basic shapes of the continents, so the U.S. is still pretty boxy. 

Tribal masks for scaring evil spirits, another Usborne-inspired craft.

Alastor loves the dry erase board. It only keeps him busy for twenty minutes without adult guidance, though.

And guess who recently turned three! 

So we've been keeping very busy! Feels like we're always a week behind, but I guess that doesn't matter as long as we're constantly learning something new. So far I love Sonlight's Core B for first grade. The science and social studies are probably the most taxing part because there's so much reading of nonfiction. But when we couple it with youtube or other online resources, we have a blast learning about blue-footed boobies and nocturnal animals and habitats. The other day we spent an hour just looking up different cultural, traditional dances and instruments on youtube. Later, Gilgamesh thrilled to recognized flamenco dancing on Sesame Street because he'd seen it before and knew its name already! It's fun to see my five-year-old beginning to remember things he's learning. Thus begins the Grammar stage of the trivium - memorization and mass learning. It's going to be an adventure.

For Alastor, we need to kick up the preschool a notch, not because he's not learning enough for a three-year-old but because he wants to be more engaged in the school process. Art, math manipulatives on the floor, and anything on youtube are his favorites to be involved with. On days when those things are scarce, he sits around playing idly by himself and then asks for a TV show or something to eat. In short, he's getting bored. So my mission next week and beyond is to keep all my boys engaged as much as possible, while allowing that down time and independent, unstructured play are also healthy, even if they don't always like it. 

This is still a very new adventure for us. How long have you been homeschooling? 

Any tips for newbies?

The plain fact...

This picture caused a bit of feather-ruffling on facebook, so I thought I'd explain why I thought it was worth sharing.

My friend, who is a public school teacher and whom I respect very much, had this to say about it:

I don't completely agree with this. There are some school programs, and certainly school systems in the past, that fit this quote. My experience as a public school educator for the last six years has not been to produce "docile and uninquisitive citizens." There is a lot to say for and against any type of educating system, homeschool included. I think homeschooling fits in this quote as readily as private or public education. Just my unsolicited thoughts.

My response:

I think there are those even today who do have this agenda, but they are not usually teachers. When you think of people in power (which power corrupts), you don't think of teachers as the top tier, do you? I certainly don't. As far as homeschooling being designed to push propaganda, I'd have to say that's a strange idea because homeschoolers are parents. Parents have a God-given mandate to teach their children and pass on their heritage - a stewardship which some choose to lend to outside teachers and tutors. Since children naturally question their parents' ideas, there's less danger of "gulping ideas ready-made."

The truth I see in this quote is that a person who has learned an idea as absolute fact has quenched his curiosity. When theories were being taught as theories, and opinions as opinions, there was plenty of room for curiosity and inquisitive students. Invention and innovation was at its height. But when theories are taught as if a general consensus proves fact (and some shameless teachers and curriculum-writers give opinions in place of knowledge), curiosity is quenched by something false - that is propaganda. Every parent has a responsibility to guard against this, and that's homeschooling, whether you do it in place of school, or after school around the dinner table. 

Being educated is not ultimately bad, but self-education is the best thing of all.

What are your thoughts on H.L. Mencken's quote? 

Preschool Fun September 1, 2011

This was today's adventure for Gilgamesh:

Leapfrog video: Code Word Caper (blends, silent E)
 Nursery Rhymes: Three Men in a Tub; One Misty, Moisty Morning Uncle Wiggily's Story Book: Uncle Wiggily and the Rich Cat
 Art: Learn to Draw Pixar Collection: Wall-e and Eva.
 Leapfrog video: Math Circus
 BrainQuest Kindergarten cards
 Magnetic bug puzzle by Melissa & Doug
 Foam letters, building words like Boat, Bus, Us, Bike
 Nature walk, leaf rubbings
 Shopping -helped me with the cart

All in all, it was a successful learning day. We're a bit pre-occupied with preparations for hosting a family reunion this weekend. Should be fun to have all the cousins in one place!! 

What are your plans for Labor Day weekend?

Knightly Preschool - August 2011

There's always drawing and writing to be done. Gilgamesh eats these things for breakfast.


Some folks are just starting school today, but since we aren't really of age for all that, we do year-round school with a super loose schedule. We're partway through the Sonlight curriculum for P4/5, which Gilgamesh* loves.

But he also loves Starfall.com's More section, which deserves a large portion of the credit for his early reading skills. Another big helper has been Leapfrog's video series on math and reading (The Tag electronic pen reading system has also helped a little).

Gilgamesh has really blown me away by how quickly he went from memorizing sight words to singing the phonics rules (when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking) to reading blends like 'st' and 'tr' on his own. Most recently, he's shown an increased interest in punctuation. He likes to guess which letters dropped out of a contraction to be replaced by the apostrophe.

Yep. That's my kid. A geek like me. :)

Today I utilized a brand new website I found called Homeschool Share. I went to Level 1 Unit Studies and picked one about Brown Bear, Brown Bear, one of my favorite picture books by Eric Carle. We didn't follow all the suggestions, but I had fun last night cutting out the colorful animals, attaching them to felt, and sharing them with the kids today. Alastor*, especially, loved putting the felt-backed animals on the flannel board as I read the story.

We also did the...

Music & Fingerplays

1. Teddy Bear Action Song:
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear touch the ground
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear tie your shoe
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear that will do.

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, go upstairs
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, brush your hair
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn off the light
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say goodnight!

2. Cave Finger Play

Here is a cave (bend fingers on one hand)
Inside is a bear (put thumb inside fingers)
Now he comes out
To get some fresh air. (pop out thumb)
He stays out all summer
In sunshine and heat.
He hunts in the forest
For berries to eat. (move thumb in a circle)

When snow starts to fall
He hurries inside
His warm little cave
And there he will hide (put thumb inside fingers)

Snow covers the cave
Like a fluffy white rug
Inside the bear sleeps
All cozy and snug (place one hand over the other)

and the TP roll critter craft:

We looked at pictures of real bears and talked about what bears eat, how big and strong they are, and how they hibernate in the winter. Later we made a bar graph of the different types of teddy bears in my kids' bedroom zoo:

Math-wise, we also swatted (regular fly swatter) laminated numbered bugs for a basic homemade addition game. He sorted the bulletin board bugs into families and counted how many there were of each.

We did edible subtraction with raisins. He likes subtracting by one and counting again. :) Repeat until full.

Yesterday for Math, we played Store with play money after Gilgamesh up and decided he wanted to 'make money' like Daddy. (In case anybody was wondering, this is what I mean by self-directed learning.) I ordered a money/change game called Buy It Right with realistic-looking dollars and coins that teaches kids ages 5+ to count change that should get here in a few days. It may be a bit advanced for him now, but while he's showing an interest, I want to capitalize on the eager attention. And Dad and I will help him until he gets the hang of it.

For Alastor yesterday, we went through Starfall.com's free alphabet series that tells what sounds the letters make in a fun, flash setting. He also watched a time-lapse video of a yellow dandelion going to seed and becoming a wish flower. (I love that one.)

And of course, we read books together on the couch and in bed before naptime (current favorites are I LOVE YOU THROUGH AND THROUGH and GOING ON A BEAR HUNT). 

We also listened to this for our daily scripture study. I love the children's voices on this audio, especially during the Q&A that follows the story. There are songs before, during, and after, to help keep kids' attention.

If we do anything else today, it'll be the tracing, drawing worksheets Gilgamesh has been doing all year. Mostly, though, I think they want to play with their tents and 'go camping' in the living room. (Or watch Darkwing Duck.)

I'm off to finish dinner and take a shower before the missionaries arrive. Hope they like Beef and Barley crockpot stew. :)

p.s. THIS is on my want list. Got that, Santa?

*Gilgamesh is the 4-year-old and Alastor is the 2-year-old. Knight names, not real names.

You might be a good parent if...

I've always liked 'You might be a redneck if'-type lists. Here's a not-so-funny-but-feel-good list for moms and dads who often feel under-appreciated.

You might be a good parent if...

• If you've ever made a sticker chart to get your child past a particular challenge.
• If you stop cleaning/working/browsing the second your kid asks for a story.
• If you've tried to hold a crying child while doing something that requires two hands.
• If you kept your cool with goo or broken glass on the floor.
• If snot in your hair or spit-up on your shoulder barely fazes you.
• If you read to your kids every day.
• If you get up and dance with the kids during closing film credits.
• If you own any Barney or Sesame Street videos.
• If you say I love you more than once a day.
• If you cleaned all the poop out of the carpet and still loved that poop-smearer.
• If you sing songs you remember from your childhood and pass along the awesome heritage.
• If you're always trying to think of ways you can be a better mom or dad.
• If you got home from a stressful day at work and the first thing you did was play Climbing Tree... you being the tree.
• If you're teaching your kids chores are part of life.
• If you pray with your children.
• Basically if you've ever given something up or made a big life change for the sake of your children (quitting a bad habit, eating all organic, cloth diapering, homeschooling, watched only kid movies for a year).

You're a good parent because you put your love of your children before your love of anything else. You're good because of the sacrifices, big and tiny, that you make every day for their well-being, self-esteem, and education. You're good because you're trying.

You were put on this Earth to be your kids' mom or dad. That didn't happen by accident. Whether we chose each other or not, I don't know. I do know the kids you have are the kids you need, and they're the kids who need you. It's like magic that way.

So feel good about all the great things you're doing, and vow to add more to the list. They say childhood passes in the blink of an eye. Keep your eyes open and enjoy it. :)

Later, I'll post some pictures of our preschool-at-home: some fun silliness we get up to and some structured stuff that's well worth the effort. What are you up to today?

Why this blog on homeschooling?

Hi! Welcome to our homeschooling adventures. First a bit about who I am and why I'm here:

I'm the mom of two amazing little boys and for a long time I've been enthusiastic about the opportunities of a nontraditional education in our modern, technological society. For me, school was somewhat stifling. I had a few great teachers whom I still love today, but that's not what it's about. Day after day, I found myself in a boxy room learning boxed in curriculum. I started out with perfect penmanship, eager to please, writing poetry that my kindergarten teacher stole. At the end of the road, my learning had more holes than an insect jar. I'd given up trying to perform perfectly, and felt constantly insufficient despite my good grades and advanced classes.

When I went into a university, on my first day I met two girls from a different high school who'd earned the equivalent of a two-year associate's degree while in high school. They were going straight into their prospective programs without worrying about soul-crushing general electives like economics and history.

To be honest, I felt ripped off. I'd taken every advanced class available, took four AP tests, and did well on the ACT. But even with my new university's generous policy toward AP credit, I wasn't halfway done with college like these other girls. I was barely dipping my toes in. And the thought of those four more looming years of college, even at a university I loved, made me dizzy.

In short, I came out of the public school system ready to be done. I believed education meant having facts drummed into your head, staying up all night reading and BS-ing essays about books you didn't actually have time to read. A good portion of this is my fault: my personality, my work ethic, etc.

But it made me determined to try something different for my own children. See, I wasn't the only person who came out of the public school system feeling ripped off and worn out. There were others like me who knew learning should be invigorating and novel, and were disappointed it had become boring and requisite.

The number of parents choosing to teach their children at home has skyrocketed in the past two decades. Many of these parents are people like me who got a decent education but didn't feel like that was enough for their own children.

Is it hubris that makes me think I can offer them something better? Maybe. But I don't think homeschooling is going to make my kids smarter because I'm somehow a better teacher than all those other master's graduates. I think homeschooling is going to make my kids better prepared for life for the following reasons:

1) The best learning is completely customized to the individual (impossible in public schools)

2) I can already see at least one of my sons has the kinesthetic, visual learning needs I had, and classroom lectures where one is required to sit still and listen would crush his soul (and get him into needless trouble)

3) The real world is out there, and it lives in libraries, parks, museums, city streets, grocery stores, etc., etc. It does not live within the four windowless walls of a classroom.

4) Healthy social interactions begin in the home where parents and siblings teach young children the golden rule, and other social rules for making and keeping friends. You don't even want to know the dysfunctional social rules I picked up as a 6-year-old in school.

5) When kids want to learn, they learn! It's a miracle to watch and I've already watched my older son (4 years old) learn to read because he was excited about it, not because I required it. I want to see that thirst for knowledge and skills follow him through life, and the way to keep that spark is to feed it with time for self-directed learning.

6) (this is where Classical comes in) There are incredible resources available for teaching children by classical methods that encourage retention of a wide breadth of subjects. Homeschoolers can truly become Renaissance men. Latin, comprehensive history of the world, ancient studies, grammar, real spelling, etc.

7) Some of my favorite people have either been homeschooled or partially homeschooled (parent-led education after school and on weekends). I believe the extra care that goes into it truly makes a difference in the way the student sees the world. There are no windowless walls. They see endless possibility, and a clear path to their goals.

I could probably go on much longer, but I just wanted to give a brief introduction to who I am and why I'm doing this.

As to the question of, why this blog right now? Well, because I have three separate binders keeping track of the things my preschooler is doing (though our actual homeschooling day so far is very laid back and student-led). And my two-year-old is beginning to participate on his level, too, bringing me his attempts at letter-writing and sitting in with us during starfall.com games. I need someplace to chronicle what we're doing. As a writer, I already spend about a half hour every day on blogger keeping up my writing blog and participating in that community, so this is actually a more convenient place to record new developments than in a notebook which will (in mere seconds) be buried under a pile of new drawings my darling kids want to show me.

If you're reading, I hope you find something useful in our experiences. So far, they have been overwhelmingly positive.

I feel ready for the new challenges and opportunities facing us as my oldest prepares for more structured learning.

Any advice from veterans is much appreciated!

For more on our current curriculum, check out Knightly Curriculum. Thanks for stopping by! I hope your school year is a memorable one!