There are many ways to homeschool. My family started out classically, following the suggestions in the book The Well Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise. While I still look to their book and website for ideas, I have been following the Thomas Jefferson Education (TJed)homeschool philosophy for the last several years. The change has been gradual but has grown out of the necessity of meeting the needs of my 4th son. My three older sons thrived on the rigorous drills, memorization, and reading that The Well Trained Mind suggests. The are all avid readers and writers. My oldest is already working on his first novel!
My 4th son is different though. He didn't like reading. He still doesn't like writing. He is very intelligent but learns in his own way. He and I were constantly butting heads with the old way of doing things. I started looking for something that might help and was able to go to a "Face to Face with Greatness" seminar that George Wythe College put on. I was hooked.
TJed has 7 keys to great teaching: classics, not textbooks; mentors, not professors; inspire, not require; structure time, not content; quality, not conformity; simplicity, not complexity; and YOU, not them.
All four of my older sons have blossomed with this new approach. My 4th son is now reading at an 8th grade level (he is only 9). My 12 yo twins are focused and spend their free time learning new skills. Both are accomplished musicians who love to share their talent with others. And my oldest (14 yo) is self-confident and a leader amoung his peers.
I can't wait to apply these keys to great teaching to our Business Adventure! I know that we will all learn so much!
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