World History

Our room is ready, my files are filled, our schedule is planned through Thanksgiving - we are ready to go! However, with John getting baptized and family in town we will not be starting until September 1st. Over the next few days, while we're waiting for our adventure to start, I'm going to highlight some of the books/resources we will be using this year. I honestly had no idea there were so many fantastic things available.

We'll start with World History. The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer is amazing! Whether you homeschool or not, I would highly recommend it. Written by a professor of literature and writing at The College of William and Mary in Virginia, Ms. Bauer has created a wonderful world history read-aloud. We will be reading Volume One: Anciet Times which covers earliest written history to the last Roman Emperor. We will also be using the accompanying Activity Book, which provides various projects that correspond with the read-aloud in order to help history come alive (which is exceptionally important to me). We will be making a model of the Nile, creating cuneiform tablets, designing our own version of Hammurabi's Law Code Stele etc. The Activity Book also includes a variety of maps, encyclopedia cross references, suggestions for additional reading, review cards, comprehension question and answers etc.

We're excited!

Key #7 You, Not Them

“Set the example. The best mentors are continually learning and pushing themselves. Read the classics. Study hard... George Wythe studied as hard as Jefferson, and Jefferson contacted home with questions and for help through his life until he passed away. The mentor must lead the way, by reading what the student reads, discussing it with him and requiring quality work. …Children tend to rise to the educational level of their parents, and maybe a little above if their parents have shown them that this is important. The most effective way to ensure the quality of their education is to consistently improve your own.”

Oliver Van DeMille, A Thomas Jefferson Education, 2nd Edition, pages 52-53

We have fully embraced this in our home. Corey, through his pursuit of his degrees has done this quite naturally. While daily scripture study has been a constant in our home, I have loved transitioning to serious studying of other areas again. At the moment I am studying The American Founding, The History of the World - From Earliest Records to the Fall of Rome, The Abolition of Man, Algebra One (yes, my math is extremely rusty), and Jesus the Christ. It has been delightful to share what I have learned with my family at various times during the day. When do I have time to do this? It's a combination of getting up earlier to study and having a short study time with the kids during the day. The kids love to help me correct my math problems - always ready with a sticker if I get them all right. I cannot emphasize enough how much I have enjoyed implementing this key in our home.

Key #6 Simplicity, Not Complexity

“To achieve truly excellent education, keep it simple: Read, Write, do Projects and Discuss. The more complex our national curriculum has become, the less educated our society. …George Wythe structured Jefferson’s curriculum around these simple items: classics, discussion, projects, writing. Nearly the whole Founding generation did the same, and the further we have moved from this simple formula, the worse our education has become. What we need to improve education is not more curriculum, but better education, and that comes from classics and mentors.”

Oliver Van DeMille, A Thomas Jefferson Education, 2nd Edition, pages 48-49

Who am I to argue with keeping things simple? That's our plan.

Key #5 - Quality, Not Conformity

We will not be applying this key in our home at this time as it is designed for the older student. Oliver Demille describes the key in this way:

When Scholars do an assignment, either say “great work” or “do it again.” You can help them, but have them do most of the work and never accept a low quality submission or performance. Wythe was very demanding this way with Jefferson. Note that we’re talking here about more mature students, usually at least 12 and older, not of toddlers or children (A Thomas Jefferson Education, pg 44-45).

Key #4 - Structure Time, Not Content

Structuring time, not content is an important part of the TJed methodology. The idea behind this key is to provide, when the student is ready, a specific designated time devoted to intense study. While the mentor structures the time, the mentor does not structure the content to be studied within that time. The content studied is up to the discretion of the student.

We will be implementing this by having designated study time every day. We will start at 15 minutes for Madi and 30 minutes for John and hopefully work our way up through the year. As their mentor I will provide them with resources for what they have indicated they would like to study during that time frame. At the end of the designated time they will be responsible for telling me what they have learned - whether it's an interesting chess move or a fun fact about Besty Ross - the pursuit is up to the child. During study time I will be available to help them in anyway they wish, but I will not direct any of the learning.

We are hoping the implementation of this key will allow the children to find the joy in self-driven exploratory learning.

Key #3 - Inspire, Not Require

The thought behind the third key, Inspire - Not Require, is the idea that for a student to be truly motivated to learn he/she must be inspired by the teacher/mentor. Oliver DeMille states:

Mediocre teachers and schools use the require method; great teachers and schools pay the price to inspire. Instead of asking, “what can I do to make these students perform?,” the great teacher says, “I haven’t yet become truly inspirational. What do I need to do so that these students will see my example and want to do the hard work to get a superb education ?(The Seven Keys of Great Teaching)"

While this key sounds great, (don't we all want to be inspiring teachers?) the implementation of this key can be somewhat tricky. Most people following the TJed principles implement this key by encouraging the child to follow their own interests, whatever inspires them. They then, in turn, do not necessarily require other basic subjects, such as math or writing.

As a family, we will be applying this key somewhat differently then many others following the TJed idea. (If you are a TJed purest, I apologize) As previously stated, Corey and I feel our children need a solid foundation in the basics to be able to better pursue their own interests. So we will be doing some requiring. I don't really feel that it has to be all of one and none of the other. An inspirational teacher helps a student to develop enthusiasm for required work. The inspirational teacher helps make the leap from the drudgery of required work to the joy of meaningful, important work.

I think it's important to teach our children while they are young that sometimes life requires work, hard work, that they may not be particularly enthusiastic about. The key is to find joy in the process, in the labor itself and then the exhilaration of a job well done.

There is very little in this world that is more enjoyable then to see your child excited about learning. I feel weighed down with great responsibility to inspire my children daily, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Key #2 - Mentors, Not Professors

The idea behind the second key, mentors - not professors, is that a mentor has the unique ability/opportunity to create a specific individualized program for the student. Whereas in most cases a professor has a standardized curriculum for the whole class, a mentor creates a curriculum just for the one.

Homeschooling lends itself quite well to establishing a mentor relationship with a child. Corey and I have taken a very serious, in-depth look at our children's strengths, weaknesses, abilities and, most importantly, needs over the last few months. As we have discussed ideas, concerns and spent a great deal of time on our knees we have come to a better understanding of what each of our children need at this stage in their lives. And even though they are fairly close in age and back to back in school, I've been surprised at how differently each of their curriculums (for lack of a better word) have come together.

As always - it all sounds great in theory - we'll see how it goes in actual practice!