I had a feeling this book would provide the other piece of the puzzle. And that's what I've been doing here, folks. I'm on a quest, and these books each fulfill some part of that quest. Each gives me another piece, and when I'm finished I hope to have a whole vision of education for my boys, a practical as well as theoretical vision. Obviously, "Climbing Parnassus" was a rather large piece.
"A Thomas Jefferson Education" claims to offer a vision of education that creates leaders and statesmen. I don't think it mentions Latin. Essentially, a Thomas Jefferson education comes down to this: the student reads the classics, writes about them and discusses them with a mentor.
Yes, that's it. It's that simple. And at the same time, it's not simple at all. If you plan to be your child's mentor, then you have to - guess what? Read the books yourself, write about them yourself, and discuss them yourself. The kids have to see you learning as you want them to learn. That's where most people put this book down. I'm sure of it.
And even if they make it through that snag, the second one will be: "But how can you get a full education by just reading literature?" Ah, but DeMille reminds us that every subject, every discipline, has classics. Science has classics, as does math, music, art, philosophy, psychology, drama, film, and business. You want to learn about science? Go read Newton and Darwin. You want to learn about psychology? Go read Freud and Jung. Math? Read Euclid and Descartes. Yes, of course they're hard to read. That's why you need a mentor to help you through them, to discuss them with you, to encourage you to keep going, and to help you make sense of what you read.
This is how Thomas Jefferson learned. And why should these books be inaccessible to us, even if they are "hard?" How sad that they are for most of us!
He's right, of course. If you never take a traditional science course, but instead manage to read and understand Kepler and Hawking, well, you're probably pretty well prepared in science. (And no, the author does not encourage reading mathematics classics instead of learning calculation and how to use math.)
The other strength of this program is its emphasis on virtues. With every book the mentor is to discuss the virtues and values inherent in the work. What is good here? What is not? What choices were made? Would you make the same choices? What would you do differently? Was the character right? Wrong? Why? Is this true? If so, is it right? How will you act in this situation? Why do you not act like that right now?
Read it. You'll almost certainly have to buy a copy, as only 13 libraries in WorldCat have one to lend out. I think every homeschooler interested in classical education should read "Climbing Parnassus," but I think every homeschooler ought to read "A Thomas Jefferson Education." Its methods will work equally well in classical education and in a more laid-back, eclectic approach. Plus the world, and especially the U.S., needs more statesmen with this kind of education.
Posted by Steph at January 6, 2005 04:11 PMOk, ok. So my first Trophy Wife purchase will likely be this book, you convincing woman, you. I like what you describe, especially as it dovetails very neatly with my Christmas book: "The Well-Educated Mind". With the aid of this book as my mentor, I plan to read the classics. Just as soon as I finish my latest Lord Peter Wimsey mystery, that is.
Posted by: Sarah on January 6, 2005 09:45 PMYou sold me on it, too! The good people at George Wyeth say it's in the mail and should be here next week.
Posted by: Mungo on January 7, 2005 08:08 AMI've had this book in the back of my mind for quite a while; now I guess I'm going to have to read it, lol!
Posted by: Jill in OK on January 7, 2005 02:24 PMOk, so we got a date nite (whee!) and headed to Borders. I looked for both Climbing Parnassus and A TJ Ed. Found the one copy of Parnassus but no TJ Ed :-(. Used the rest of my gift certificats and bought the Parnassus and Ellen DeGeneres, The Funny Thing Is...
Then proceeded to get into a very nice conversation with a conservative Jewish couple (they have a son Zachary's age and the boys have been in classes at the Y). They are currently taking their older girls to a Jewish private school, w/traffic, an hour away one-way! I got to encourage another family to look into homeschooling, despite both of them working f/t day jobs!
Posted by: Diane on January 8, 2005 11:19 PMLOL, you go, Diane.
"A Thomas Jefferson Education" is just not available at most bookstores, not even at my local homeschooling bookstore. It was difficult for me to get on ILL. Amazon only has them for sale used. The link I used in my post will take you to a place that sells copies; www.classicalhomeeducation.com also sells it.
Sarah, I love Peter Wimsey. Which one are you reading? And I have not yet bought The Well-Educated Mind. I need to do that. The list is always so long ...
Posted by: Stephanie on January 9, 2005 12:37 AM Ah, a TJE -- I read that last January.
Wow, it's been a year already.
And I read CP over Christmas last month.
And I read Volume 1 of the Great Books of the Western World, which is the only one my library will lend out. The rest of the fifty-odd books in that collection are reference only. So much for that.
And I'm reading through "Science Matters" right now.
But I really came over to say hello and not necessarily to list my book reads. Thanks for sharing about your readings!
Posted by: J o y c e on January 9, 2005 02:00 AMThe first person to introduce me to TJ Ed (using this abbrev. actually confuses me a tad since we have a TJ high school, and I think a Middle school, and a TJ road - But it's for and old Gov of our's Thomas Johnson) was from our homeschool co-op. She was actually SELLING copies! She had a bunch of them and was holding seminars at her home. At the time, the way it was being presented, but this mom, it seemed more like a new money making pyrimid thingy - buy the book, come to the seminar, buy a bunch more and try to sell them to more people hold your own seminars OH! and you make all your money by selling the books this book suggests! LOL! I couldn't have been more wrong - OBVIOUSLY! I do know a few people from the co-op group that did buy copies. I'll have to see if any of them will let me borrow or buy their copy (buy being the best so that I don't have to put it at the top of my list (ref. to my recent blog)).
Ok, off to figure out where I"m sleeping (afterall, it's after 4 am here...bedtime right?). Hummm....baby is asleep in that chair over there...hubby is sleeping on that part of the big couch....son is sleeping next to me on this sofa...2 older girls are sleeping in my bed. sigh...girl's room is totally free and blood freezing!
Posted by: Diane on January 9, 2005 03:33 AMI was reading "Unnatural Death". Very good indeed. Now I'm done and I know who the vile murderer was.
Posted by: Sarah on January 9, 2005 12:10 PMI'm a member of a yahoogroup called Classical-LDS-hs. There's a big discussion going on there now about the legitimacy of Oliver DeMille's credentials. There are two files about it in the Files section. Three of his 4 degrees that DeMille cites are from Coral Ridge Baptist University, which apparently is a diploma mill. People who have attended their $160 2-day seminars have found that a lot of the seminar time was dedicated to hard-selling them the next seminar. If you're interested in more information, look into joining Classical-LDS-hs@yahoogroups.com to read these files and the current discussion.
Posted by: Sara on January 23, 2005 11:46 PM