The Reluctant Writer

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I have a reluctant writer. He is an awesome student in many ways, but still, writing is not and never has been, his favorite way of expressing himself.

The problem comes in when I, the mentor, want the Scholar to be and excellent writer! I begin to worry (fear) he will not be a great writer and so start to feel panic (fear again) about failing to inspire him to love writing. This fear begins to permeate my thoughts. I've discovered that when fear begins to enter the picture, my conveyor-belt past begins to edge forward and want to take over the situation... literally! I want to fix it and I want to fix it now!

However, the Leadership Education way is different. It is not fear that leads to force. It is secure that leads to inspire!


"But, how do I do that?" you ask.

It is hard. I've been asking myself the same question. So, we had a Mentor Meeting with my son and discussed our "fears" that he would not be proficient at writing for his future. Since we have an open and loving relationship with this son, he then expressed how he feels his writing is good enough and that it feels like an assignment to him (which is what I had turned it into).

Hmmm...so we see he is not inspired to want to write the essay assignments I had given him. Looking back, I'm laughing at myself that I didn't see it sooner. Of course he is not inspired by my fear-based assignment! He needs a secure-based inspiration.

Today we sat down to discuss the types of writings that inspire him. I did also instruct him on the requirements that may be placed on him in the future, maybe in a career situation or his own businesses aspirations.

What kinds of things might he need to write? Advertising? Proposals of his ideas? Responses to inquiries about his business? Etc.

What skills does he need to adequately get his ideas on paper or electronic media? Punctuation? Spelling? Grammar? Etc.

So, what can he do to get those skills?

He decided that he wants to go back to a journaling approach where he records his ideas and interesting things that he learns about. OK. Not exactly what I was hoping for, but a step in the right direction, back to secure-based inspiration!

 

American Government Classics

I love learning about the birth of America, the various changes over time, and the current state of our great nation. This is one of the most important subjects to study from the classics. Textbooks have left out so much of what is true and necessary in the study of our government. One must study the original documents and the original words of the founding fathers in order to gain their own understanding of what government is and should be.

There are a lot of books listed here. For high school "credit", we choose from these lists and study for 100 hours to constitute a high school credit per Missouri law. That is pretty easy to do from this list, however, we continue with this list for Depth Phase.

From TJED for Teens:

• The Declaration of Independence
• The Constitution of the United States
• "The Gettysburg Address" speech by Abraham Lincoln
• "I Have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King Jr.
• The Real Thomas Jefferson by Allison, Maxfield, Cook and Skousen
• The Real Benjamin Franklin by Allison
• The Real George Washington by Allison, Parry, and Skousen
• The Making of America by W. Cleon skousen
• Democracy in America Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 by Alexis De Tocqueville
• The 5,000 Year Leap by W. Cleon Skousen
• The Law by Bastiat

Others we have added:

• The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin

Again, I would like to add sections of The Great Books of the Western World. 

• Volume 43 - Articles of Confederation, The Federalist, On Liberty by J. S. Mill
• Volume 2 Syntopicon - Chapter 3 -Aristocracy, Chapter12 - Constitution, Chapter 16 - Democracy, Chapter 31 - Government, Chapter 42 - Justice, Chapter 46 - Law, Chapter 47 - Liberty
• Volume 2 Syntopicon - Chapter 59 - Monarchy, Chapter 62 - Oligarchy, Chapter 63 - One and Many, Chapter 64 - Opinion, Chapter 90 - State, Chapter 95 - Tyranny, Chapter 98 - War and Peace, Chapter 99 - Wealth, Chapter 101 - Wisdom

TJED Conveyor-belt

Death of Socrates

I was going to post another Classics List for transcript purposes, but decided this needed to be posted instead.

On a Yahoo Group, of which I am a member, a discussion topic came up that has really got me thinking about TJED Conveyor-belt and the vast number of TJED based classes. I felt it need to be answered a bit more. So many people are looking for classroom environments for their Love of Learners and Scholars and I wonder if the choices out there meet the mustard.

Quote from a "TJED Muse" post: "When I asked the kids what they thought they'd REALLY like this class to look like, almost all of them agreed that they wanted to have a "sit down and take notes and lecture" part to the class each week, and they wanted it to last for 15 minutes. They also wanted a test. That was their request. Now, I wouldn't have designed a TJ Ed class that way, but it is what they wanted. So after four weeks, I talked to them again, and asked them what they had noticed. They noticed that they LIKED the lecture/notes, because they wanted to make sure that they were able to do that like the kids who attend public school."

My Answer: Have you ever considered that the reason these students asked for that type of learning environment is because that is the only picture of education that they have in the world today? Let's consider some other learning environments that brought people from thousands of miles away in a time when travel was difficult and time consuming, for example; Socrates, Aristotle, and Euclid.

How did they teach their students? Did they have tests, pre-essay and post-essay samples, or a syllabus? Or, did they inspire through asking and answering the tough questions, challenging the status quo, and showing by example what it takes to think for oneself? They taught their students in a Socratic discussion style in which they asked questions, deep thinking questions, and tried to answer them. These thinkers did not send out the questions before hand, rather they came up within the discussion.

As I read and study the great thinkers through the classics, I see very little classrooms that look like what we know today. For myself, I don't want my kids to get more of the world, I want them to get more of what is lost...a true educational experience that steps outside the box and asks the hard questions. In order to do that, it might mean taking the road less traveled and searching for those educational experiences that will impact them the most rather than a plethora of mediocre, which there is plenty of out there.

Does this mean we never experience the conveyor-belt? Of course not! There is too much around to avoid. But what it does mean is that we are careful and purposeful in what we choose to spend our time doing. There are many good things out there, but are they the best things? Only each family can answer that question for their family. I do hope, however, that we each keep the goal in sight as we make those decisions. Will this class, teacher, mentor, school, book club, group, friend, etc. lead my child closer to their end goals? Is this the best choice, or just a good choice?

For more on Socratic discussion, see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socratic_method and
http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/the-role-of-socratic-questioning-in-thinki\ng-teaching-learning/522

Shakespeare Classics

 

Shakespeare...need I say more? An entire year can be spent on Shakespeare alone. My children have grown to love Shakespeare so much that they have requested their own copies. We have a copy from The Great Books of the Western World and one from the National Classics Series, both are accurate editions.

In addition to reading the classics, Shakespeare needs to be seen and experienced in play form to be complete. We try to attend as many Shakespeare plays as we can. They can be disappointing, however, in how they are interpreted. We've seen some modernized versions that are so cheap and misrepresented that it gives a poor shadow of the original. There are some good ones too, even some movies are perfectly depicted and are preferred over poorly constructed plays.

In my humble opinion, no education is complete without Shakespeare. I once read an article about all the every-day sayings that come from Shakespeare, and is second only to the Bible in the number of sayings derived from it's works.

Here are our recommendations. The links provided have several versions for eReaders like Nook and Kindle as well as audio downloads.

Shakespeare Dramas/Tragedies:

• Hamlet, Prince of Denmark - Movie: Great Performances versions (free online streaming), Mel Gibson version
• Romeo and Juliet
• Julius Caesar 
• Antony and Cleopatra
• Coriolanus
• King Lear - Movie: Great Performances
• Macbeth - Movie: Great Performances
• Othello
• Timon of Athens
• Titus Andronicus
• Troilus and Cressida

Shakespeare Comedies:

• All's Well That Ends Well
• As You Like It
• Comedy of Errors
• Love's Labour's Lost
• Measure for Measure
• Merchant of Venice
• Merry Wives of Windsor
• Midsummer Night's Dream
• Much Ado About Nothing
• Taming of the Shrew
• Tempest
• Twelfth Night
• Two Gentlemen of Verona
• Winter's Tale

Shakespeare Histories:

• Cymbeline
• Henry IV, Part I
• Henry IV, Part II
• Henry V
• Henry VI, Part I
• Henry VI, Part II
• Henry VI, Part III
• Henry VIII
• King John
• Pericles
• Richard II
• Richard III

I Need Something More

Yesterday, my son (age 14), a self-proclaimed Practice Scholar who was having a Love of Learning day, came to me and said, "I need something more."

"What 'more' do you need?" I asked adding air quotes around the word 'more'.

"I don't know...I'm just bored with everything," he answered.

This surprised me because he has been dutifully keeping himself busy with his favorite history book series, taking time out to saw on a wooden bow he is making, studying more methods for making his wooden bow, and studying online about ancient civilizations that interest him. I have noticed some lag time where he seems to wander around the house with the look of a 'lost soul'. At times like this, I typically ask, 'What are you working on today?' This usually sparks some conversation on what he is doing and why he has that 'lost soul' look.

I continued with my probing questions, "Everything, huh? Sometimes I feel like that too."

"I guess," he pauses, "...I guess I just want more from my history book. It just doesn't give me enough details."

"Okay," I nod, "you have read this set of history books several times and it is on a reading level that you have surpassed."

He quickly rolls his eyes and takes on a stance that says I've made a huge tactical error. My brain begins to have red flashing lights with 'CODE RED' in large letters. I have done this several times, make jumps into treating him like a Scholar on a Love of Learning day.

I try to think of how I can backtrack a bit. "Well, I do have some other books you can look at if you want."

"What books," he sighs. I take him to a couple of book shelves we have with the more Scholarly level books. He flips through a couple and after 15 minutes walks back out to the garage to work on his wooden bow.

Hmmm...now what? What is a mother to do? My conveyor belt training tells me to make him choose a book from the shelves I led him to. My mentoring self realized that he probably needs something we don't have. And so, my search for the right history books for him continues...

Making Weaponry?

I have had mothers question my choices in allowing my son to make "weapons". Our society has been leaning for some time towards "weapon free" play for boys. I personally think this is an agenda to keep us from defending ourselves, a way to "dumb down" the masses, creating a passive citizenry. I do not think ownership of weapons leads to war, quite the opposite, I believe it leads to self-defense and thus deters war.

Our son has made nunchucks, wooden and PVC swords, shields, slingshots, and now a PVC bow and arrows. Maturity level has been a major consideration in allowing him to make weaponry. He has also been taught the proper use and storage of his items. I believe that the teaching of Self Government is the key to a home with boys and their weaponry. Abuse of the rules leads to loss of precious items, items that were personally created by the individual and thus are far more precious than store bought toys. The teaching of Self Government with its accompanying consistency in loss of privileges has worked extensively well in all areas of home management, including all areas of parenting boys and girls.

Plus, the making of these items has taught him many math and engineering skills as well as provided hours of physical, non-electronic entertainment.


Some food for thought:

Risk, there is no real living without it. Die we all must, but try to knock all risk out of our lives and we lock ourselves tighter and tighter into a safe, comfortable, deadly box, and we die too, without ever having lived. - Alex Noble

Must we always teach our children with books? Let them look at the mountains and the stars up above. Let them look at the beauty of the waters and the trees and flowers on earth. They will then begin to think, and to think is the beginning of a real education. - David Polis

Now I see the secret of making the best persons, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth. - Walt Whitman

The most important education is that which leads to personal survival. - W. I. Thomas

Adult Transitions

I've written several posts about young adults (teens) transitioning to Scholar Phase. But, as I move into mentoring adults it is trickier to describe, analyze, and portray what transitioning to Scholar Phase looks like in an adult. This is largely due to the fact that we (the adults) all had a full conveyor-belt education. For those of us using Leadership Education methods, our children have been removed from that system (or are in the process of being removed) and being mentored by adults who are at least aware of what needs to change in some fashion. We did not have the luxury and we have several years of conveyor-belt thinking to "undo".

Adults transitioning to Scholar Phase are mainly blocked by fear -- fear of the unknown, fear of success, fear of worthiness, fear of being different, etc. I'm sure you can fill in your own fears quite well. I had a list of 12 fears when I made my list.

Here were my list of fears:

1. Age of when Scholar Phase "should" happen - I'm so old! Am I too old?
2. Impatience - I want it now!
3. Overwhelmed - It is too hard!
4. Time Commitment involved - I'm a working homeschool mom! When do I have time to study?
5. Application - "HOW" do I do it?
6. Preconceived ideas - Getting off the conveyor-belt.
7. Personal Experience - I was a good conveyor-belt student, but will I be a good Scholar?
8. College - Will my kids get into college?
9. Diploma - Will my kids education be accepted?
10. Graduation - Will they need this? Will they miss it if they don't have it?
11. Career - How will they make a living?
12. Initiative - I don't know if I have the "right stuff" to do this.

Maybe your list is different or maybe some things are similar. It doesn't matter if your fears are the same or different. What does matter is getting all your fears listed so you can face them...that's right. Make a list of all your fears so you can see what it is you are up against.

After you have made your list of fears, spend some time thinking about why you are afraid and how you might be able to overcome that fear. Is it a "real" fear or an excuse? Is this something that a change of attitude will cure or a challenge that needs to be rectified (example: spousal support, more education on the subject, etc.)? Is this fear a "stall tactic" to keep you from moving forward?

You...the Barrier

The biggest barrier to your success is...YOU! I have read countless self-help books that all pretty much describe the same thing...self-defeating behaviors because of fear hold us back from the things we want and need.

Some food for thought:

• Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses. — George Washington Carver
• Success is never found. Failure is never fatal. Courage is the only thing.  — Winston Churchill
• Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.— Thomas Alva Edison
• Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. — Thomas Alva Edison
• The line between failure and success is so fine that we scarcely know when we pass it - so fine that we often are on the line and do not know it. — Ralph Waldo Emerson
• One of the reasons mature people stop learning is that they become less and less willing to risk failure. — John W. Gardner
• We pay a heavy price for our fear of failure. It is a powerful obstacle to growth. It assures the progressive narrowing of the personality and prevents exploration and experimentation. There is no learning without some difficulty and fumbling. If you want to keep on learning, you must keep on risking failure—all your life. — John W. Gardner

Colloquium vs. Discussion

I have been thinking a bit lately about the difference between a true colloquium and a basic discussion of a topic. I think many people in Leadership Education (LE or TJED) become confused, especially those new to LE and TJED. I decided to expound upon them a bit here.


There are benefits of both types of discussions:

• Book Club (colloquium) is usually without children and for all adults (some young adults) in the home (if they can come). This gives husbands an opportunity to learn about it as well. Book club is usually for the more intensive learner, more of a Transitioning to Scholar Phase (even if you are still in Love of Learning but know you should be moving out of it) and/or Scholar Phase activity.
• Park Day Discussions are with interruptions from children and without your spouses involvement. I find this works best for the new-to-tjed person who is most likely in a Love of Learning phase. Scholar Phase and higher attend to help teach and expound ideas to others of all phases.

The key here is to decide what phase you are in and apply yourself to that type of activity. Those in Scholar Phase can participate in both, but should remember that in Scholar Phase we are working for a much deeper learning than we are in Love of Learning. The readings become increasingly more difficult as we learn and grow.

I hope this makes sense. I want to help everyone along their path to a leadership education. However, I think everyone needs to get a clear picture of what YOU want and make CHOICES and COMMITMENTS that will get you there. I am here to support you, but if you want to take the journey, then you need to make the commitment.

I am in Depth, moving towards transitioning to Mission. I know that not too many people feel that is the case for them, which is fine! Maybe each person should take time to study and ponder what the phases are and where you are in the phases.

Links to some helps in discovering what phase you are in:

• Basics of Leadership Education
• Four Phases of Learning
• TJED.org Phase Resources

Of course, if you have not read them, get started on "A Thomas Jefferson Education" and "Leadership Education" right away! They are both on sale at TJED Marketplace.


I am now offering mentoring to those who are ready for a Scholar Phase. Those who are interested can email me at springfieldtjed@gmail.com.

2010-2011 Curriculum Picks

I've stated a few times I'm sure that Thomas Jefferson Education (TJED) is not a curriculum, it is a set of principles when used properly can result in a fantastic Leadership Education. When we view what type of education many of the great thinkers in history had, we find that they had many if not all of these principles in tact. I, for one, want this type of education for myself and my children...really, if I'm honest with myself, I would love to help everyone be educated in this manner.

That said, here is a glimpse of some of the curriculum items that are helping us along this path. We add more throughout the year as new concepts are sought, breakthroughs discovered, and our minds are expanded to new ideas.

Language Arts
Reading List - All books on the TJED for Teens booklist (pages 23-34) click here for a checklist download. In order to understand what the "levels" mean on the checklist, please refer to TJED for Teens pages18-22. I have asked my Scholar Phase children to look to this list first and work their way through the list that is appropriate for their age, also making sure they cover anything before their "age" that they have not read.

Read Aloud books - This year I plan to read aloud "The Hiding Place", "A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe", "The Taming of the Shrew", "Hamlet" and "The Making of America".

Grammar - Nayna is studying Latin and Chris is studying Japanese, which both cover and reinforce their English grammar. (see more under Foreign Language)

Composition - Each child writes essay's about the books that they read and daily journal entries. Nayna is in the process of writing another fantasy fiction novel.

Mathematics
Math is one of the areas in which I do buy "curriculum", we are still using Math-U-See.

Mathematical readings - "Mathematicians Are People Too" book 1 and book 2. "Flatland" which is largely geometry related.

History
We spend a great deal of time on history, especially American History. I purchased the American Classics Series (one recommended by Glenn Beck as well as the TJED books - pictured at the top of this post). We are hoping to get through all three over the next two years. We are also adding "A Brief History of Time".

Science
I think this is my most challenging subject to keep interesting. We are using a series of Discovery Channel DVD's from the library in addition to our Concepts and Challenges of Physical Science, Chemistry for Every Kid, Biology for Every Kid, and 150 Captivating Chemistry Experiments Using Household Substances books. One thing I like about the 150 Captivating Chemistry...book is that it also has the chemical formulas in the book and helps describe the actual reactions.

TJED Teens Club
I started a club for youth to meet together and discuss ideas on freedom, participate in simulations, and build friendships. We are using "The 5,000 Year Leap", "Robert Rule's of Order in Brief", "You Decide", and "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens" as curriculum for this class. Nayna and Chris are very excited about this class as are the other youth involved!

Logic

I have looked at several logic books and curriculum packages. Some I purchased and thought they were OK, but not really teaching what logic is at a level even I can understand (feeling a bit dumbed down in this area). Then I ran across "The Fallacy Detective" and "The Thinking Toolbox". I really love these books! I have learned a ton from them myself. We just go over one lesson a week, reviewing past lessons as needed. I have found that I make a lot of errors in logical thinking. We have been able to pick apart several political speeches lately for fallacies...pretty interesting stuff!

Foreign Language
Latin - Nayna is studying Latin. We decided to continue with a video format with First Form Latin. It is more than I would like to spend, but she learns it so much better with the videos.

Japanese - Chris found a book at a garage sale last week for 50 cents, Japanese in Thirty Hours, and has not been able to put it down. He decided he does not want to continue with Latin, so I am still looking into more curriculum for him in Japanese language. This little book does a nice job and in combination with Chris' ability to find ANYTHING on the Internet, he is already finding his own way to learn the language.

Chris' Binder - Practice Scholar

Chris has been Transitioning to Scholar Phase the past 6 months or so. It has been an exciting thing to see as he begins to value studying more and he has asked me to oversee his work more - a sure sign of him turning himself over to a mentor! (See Leadership Education pages 193-211.)

Chris studies the following subjects:

• Fractions (Math-U-See)
• Literature - American frontier stories and settling of the West, mythology, and some science fiction.
• Grammar - Winston Grammar for review to help him in his writing.
• History - The Middle Ages - He is learning about the Anglo-Saxons and the various wars and turnovers of leadership.
• Science - Chemistry from a Creationist point of view.
• Physical Education - Chris is studying various sports and how to train to be an athlete.

Books on his "To Read" List Include:

• Finish the Ender's Game series - Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, and Children of the Mind.
• Louis L'Amour's Sackett series - Sackett's Land  and Too the Far Blue Mountain 

I encouraged each of my children to "own" their binders this year and organize them as it suits them best. 

Chris's Binder Tabs:

1. Compass - His personal plan for the next 6 months.
2. Weekly Planner - This is the first year that Chris is keeping his own weekly planner. When my kids are in Love of Learning, I typically keep their records for them. His planner includes - yearly calendar with vacation dates marked, weekly schedule of subjects and the materials available for those subjects, daily record keeping planner for recording each day's work by subject.
3. Book lists and records of the books he has read and when.
4. English - Winston Grammar practice and vocabulary notes.
5. Handwriting - He is improving his cursive writing.
6. Scouts - He keeps all his Merit Badge worksheets here.
7. Mentor Log - This is a weekly meeting log where we can each write what about how the week went and if there are any improvements that need to be made. It is a quick way for him to look back over his progress and for me to remember what each meeting is about.