TJEd My Way. Part 1

I have a dear friend who disagrees with the Thomas Jefferson Education. As I have been thinking about this (because I do TJEd) I had to take a deep look into why it is that I believe that it is good for me and my family. I will give you my take on the 7 keys of great teaching. The first that I think people have problems with is Key number 3 inspire not require. As I was pondering this key, part of me was thinking that it takes more then just inspiring my children to get them to learn. Then I heard another friend say that when you home school it is really your education and your children are along for the ride. That hit me so hard as truth. Yes, we do the three Rs more now with my older then with my younger children. My oldest went to school for a while and she was NOT ready. I have tried to make her learn what the public school kids her age are learning and we both get SOOOO fustrated. By the time we are done there are a lot of tears from the both of us. Through LOTS of prayer and pondering and guidance. She is now ASKING to do math, spelling, typing and other things that interest her. Yes, she is a lot older then most her age from where she is starting but I know that she will catch up because she wants to,and not because I require her. This is truly a blessing that she is ready and wanting to learn on her own! It has taken a long time but now that she is ready I know that she will actually value and understand what she learns. I have learned that when you introduce a subject and try to push it, like I did, that just creates fustration, tears, and broken relationships. I do introduce them to things. This is where I take a few minutes and read or do math or whatever and then tell them about it. Me AND THEM! We also play games and read books and do all sorts of things. It is our job to cultivate what it is our children are interested in. Daniel wants to scuba dive when he gets older and so Steve took him snorkling at Sea Base where he was able to experience swimming with salt water fish. Some of the sea life he was able to experience inclued Nurse Sharks, Stingrays, Angle Fish, Tuna, and a number of other fish. However, if a child is not ready for a concept and we try again at a later date then there will not be the tears and fustration connected with not being ready. When we take the time to learn ourselves then we can show them how it looks and feels to learn about things that interest us. A note about older children. Scholar phase children it is inspire AND require. With younger children they are also required to do some things as well. My children have to all sit through devotional even though my youngest is in and out, they are also required to do family chores. For me it is inspire until they can grasp new concepts. Again, when they are not ready and you force them it only creates fustration. If you mentor and the child sets goals and interest then they are required to follow through with what they said they would do. This is how I see this Key of teaching.