Customer Reviews

A Thomas Jefferson Education Home Companion

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book along with the Thomas Jefferson Education are the only two books I needed to homeschool my four children. When I started this system of education I had no idea what I was doing, then Diann's book came along as the "companion" and all was right with the world. The forms, systems and processes in this book work hand-in-glove with Dr. Demille's book. I recommend both books as the core system for homeschoolers wanting to raise leaders.

Diann's writing style and easy-going approach to homeschooling will leave you feeling totally in control and not wandering around in the dark forest of philosophy. Her systems are easy to use and her language is easy to read.

Janine Bolon, financial coach, speaker, radio talk show host, and author of [ASIN:1411643437 Money...It's Not Just for Rich People!]]

A Thomas Jefferson Education is a thought provoking, stimulating look at the ideas that drive a classical education. As a springboard for discussion the book is ideal; as a guide to quality education it is essential. The book inspires critical thinking while providing ideas to all who want to experience education devoted to the love of learning, to the expansion of knowledge and to the promotion of leadership. As homeschool and alternative educational ideas abound books such as the Thomas Jefferson Education can lead us home once again.

Save yourself some time and get this book to start applying principles and techniques of Thomas Jefferson Education that took me ten years to figure out! I first read A Thomas Jefferson Education almost ten years ago and since then have been incorporating techniques to apply it into my everyday homeschooling and personal education. Suffice it to say when I read this book I was nodding my head in agreement in several places. I love Dr. DeMille's answer to the overwhelmed mom that empathizes with her and then inspires her(and the rest of us) in his response. Rachel DeMille and Diane Jeppson are inspiring and knowledgeable in their writing as well. The chore chart that Dianne suggests has worked well for my cousin who uses it while I work from the motivatedmoms.com chore list.

This book completely changed the way I think about education, both for me and my children (and my husband, come to that). It describes the "factory model" on which the modern American educational system is built, and explains that this way of thinking about education was designed only to provide basic literacy to those who could not afford a better, classically based education. We have substituted the inferior for the superior as a culture, and are paying the price in every aspect of our lives.

Because of the brilliant and clear, well reasoned writing by Mr. De Mille, I have been inspired to turn off the dreaded TV, organize my home, and return to the study of the great works of Western Civilization, from Euclid to Hugo (and beyond)in the hopes of becoming a better citizen and inspiring my family to follow suit in becoming the stewards of their own educational destinies. Every homeschooling parent must read this book, but I would go further and say that every parent must read this book, and perhaps every individual committed to a functioning democracy - because that is what this book is really about. I was not inclined to homeschool my children (who are not yet school-aged) before I read this book, and although I am now considering it, I know that they will benefit from a Thomas Jefferson Education in their lives regardless of where they spend their days. If you enjoy this book, buy and read Mr. De Mille's other works, including the Home Companion, which is a practical application of the Thomas Jefferson Education ideology in a family, and the Core and Love of Learning audio series, which is also excellent in that it provides even more detail for those stages of development.

I was floundering, trying to get my TJEd homeschool organized. That effort is still in progress; but I don't think I could have even attempted it without this book, especially Chapter 8, to guide and encourage me. Thanks especially to author Diann Jeppson!

If you already have read "A Thomas Jefferson Education" then you can guess what this book has to offer. I have been using Oliver DeMille's book for 8 years and have been reaping the rewards. I feel sorry for people who have a desire to home school and are intimidated by it, but have not read this book and the "Thomas Jefferson Education" together. I have not met a person who has read this book and didn't wish they had know about it earlier. What ever you think home schooling is, you will see it and life very differently after reading the two books together. I own and enjoy horses and think that homeschooling without this book is like owning a horse without Clinton Anderson or Pat Pereli training.

There are many useful "how we do it" chapters in this book. Each addresses specific areas within the Thomas Jefferson Education. I am not implementing every single area put forth in TJE (at least, not yet :) ), so it was very helpful to flip to a specific chapter and then put together my own plan of action using ideas from Dian. Very much worth the investment!

I bought this book for my daughter-in-law to use for home schooling. She had requested it and just loves it.

This book has been extremely helpful in my journey with homeschooling. It is a masterful product for seeing how to implement ideas in the Thomas Jefferson Education way. It is a viewpoint of a mother who is currently doing it, which I find very refreshing and helpful. Obviously not everything that works for her works for me, at least right now but it is wonderful to see how it works for her and get her insights. Some of her insights helped me to view things in a different way so that I could find new ways to approach our concerns. Good product.

I didn't think I needed this book after reading Phases of Learning, but the ideas in here are inspiring and a great "spring board" for me to find ways that this works for my family