A Thomas Jefferson Education (also known as Leadership Education, or TJed)

There really is only one defining book on the philosophy of a Thomas Jefferson education, otherwise known as Leadership Education. It is A Thomas Jefferson Education, by Oliver Van De Mille.

In his book Van DeMille presents three systems of education:

The first is the public school system, which was originally implemented to educate students who could not afford any other schooling. The entire system was directed toward preparing these students to fill the American job market. Today, the overwhelming majority of American students receive this type of education. Thomas Jefferson educators refer to this as “conveyor-belt education,” which runs much like a factory. All students are given the same material at the same age, and are tested identically. No attention is given to individual talents or interests. The finished products of this system are indeed good employees, as they are taught what to think.

The second system is professional education, which is very similar to public education. These schools offer training in specialized professions such as law, medicine, business, and other trades. On this level, entry is more difficult and only the best students are able to compete. The finished product is a highly trained specialist who knows when to think.

The third alternative is leadership education. This is the foundation of a Thomas Jefferson education. These are the students, according to Van DeMille, who become the true leaders in government, the entrepreneurs in business, and the inspiring voices of great ideas, high morals and noble values.

According to Van DeMille, such leaders have historically been homeschooled, then moved on to quality schools where they studied the classics, guided and taught by mentors. These are the two pillars on which Van DeMille’s system rests. Mentors are the teachers who inspire their students to a great desire to learn. Classics are works (books, art, music, etc.) which were created by great minds; therefore reading them puts the student in direct contact with the greatest minds of the centuries. In this way they learn how to think.

Mentoring is accomplished when the mentor/teacher sets an example by reading and studying the classics himself, and interacts frequently and thoughtfully with the student, who is reading the same book. Both keep a reading journal, recording significant thoughts from the reading, and engaging in daily discussion. There are classics in every subject area of education, not just in literature and history, and they are the sole “textbooks” of a Thomas Jefferson education.

In a homeschool setting, the parents are the mentors for their children. They set the example by being students of the classics themselves, and leading the children in daily discussion of the reading. It will follow, according to Thomas Jefferson philosophy, that the children will develop a love of learning. Accordingly, they are given a great deal of freedom in pursuing their own educational interests. A school day might include an hour of math, an hour of discussion of a classic work, and two to five hours (depending on the age of the child) for the student to read and study on his own.

For resources and more information:

http://www.curriculumconnection.net/thomasjeffeducation.htm

http://www.tjed.org/

http://homeschoolblogger.com/LeadershipEducation/Thomas+Jefferson+Education/

Methods of Homeschooling:
A Thomas Jefferson Education | Charlotte Mason Method | Classical Education | Unschooling | Eclectic | Traditional Homeschooling | Unit Study Approach