Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-First Century

I can't imagine anyone actually able to implement this approach in a real life situation. It makes pretty broad-brushed assumptions that any student would regularly be self-motivated to study 12 hours a day. I just don't buy it. My kids LOVE to play video games and would do so 12 hours a day, but I can't picture them at 13 and 16 studying what I consider important for that many hours each day without prompting and accountability.

There are so many other factors that play into learning. What about temperament, differences in learning styles, possible learning challenges, the classical model that stresses the importance of the dialectic and rhetoric phases, etc.? What about the fact that physical exercise stimulates the growth of brain cells? What about the vast array of free learning materials on the web? What about integrated learning approaches? What about having various teachers who are experts and can provide keys to unlock learning?

I like the idea of coming alongside your child and working with them. But, let's face it, mom has other jobs besides homeschooling, like cooking, cleaning, vacuuming, paying bills, etc. etc. Some of us actually have to work at a paying job along with homeschooling.

I have never met anyone who learned social skills without actually being in social situations to practice those skills. So.... if these authors think that all knowledge that is worth acquiring can be found in books, I would have to heartily disagree. We homeschool, and as part of that, I knock myself out giving my kids the opportunity to practice communicating face-to-face with real people. I think that students learn a great deal by dialoging with others who come from different viewpoints.

Leadership Education (TJEd) has been a life changing experience for our family. As we begin our homeschooling journey, we are seeking to implement this philosophy of education, and indeed how we all learn, in everything we do.

Please be aware that Oliver DeMille and Shanon Brooks have invalid academic credentials and thus are improperly appropriating the title of "Dr.", which neither of them has earned. This usage is misleading at best. The Board of Trustees of George Wythe University no longer refers to either of them as "Dr." Both were forced to resign from George Wythe University for mismanagement and financial malfeasance. The position of "Chancellor," which DeMille had created for himself so as to move Brooks into the President position, has been eliminated. In a serious breach of ethics, DeMille awarded doctorates to individuals who completed no coursework at George Wythe College, while misrepresenting his own academic background, which included at least one bought doctorate from a diploma mill. This is all a matter of public record; here is a statement released by the George Wythe University Board of Trustees with the details - look up "Final Steps in the Administrative Transformation of George Wythe University by BOARD OF TRUSTEES on OCTOBER 10, 2012".

Brooks received his academic credentials from George Wythe College (now University) during his employ there, while he was teaching classes to other students. George Wythe College was never accredited, and George Wythe University remains unaccredited. George Wythe University is seeking accreditation for its undergraduate program; if secured, this accreditation will only be valid for its BA degrees, and will not be retroactively applied to previous degrees distributed by George Wythe College or George Wythe University. Because of DeMille's and Brooks' financial mismanagement, George Wythe University was hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt and on the brink of closure by the time their misdeeds were discovered. Legal charges may be filed against Shanon Brooks in the future over his egregious misconduct and misuse of funds. The Utah Division of Consumer Protection stipulated, in fact, that, as part of GWU's licensing requirements, Shanon Brooks must be permanently banished from any position at GWU that handles funds - the GWU Board of Trustees signed off on this requirement without reservation. Brooks' claimed 'PhD in Constitutional Law' is from George Wythe College; it is not a law degree, though it deceptively sounds like one. Because of this confusion, GWU has renamed the degree "Constitutional Studies." Brooks continues to misrepresent himself as "Dr." and cites his misleadingly-named "PhD in Constitutional Law" on the Monticello College website, but I have not been able to find his curriculum vitae (cv), which is a document that is normally posted publicly by higher education professionals at reputable institutions of higher learning to show the dates and locations where they completed their degree(s).

These are the same people responsible for creating "Thomas Jefferson Education" (TJEd), the "Face to Face With Greatness" seminars, and all the other money-making ventures marketed to the Christian homeschool community.

To close, my favorite TJEd quote: That said, anyone who thinks that the best method of math instruction for elementary-aged children is for mom to sit on the couch reading Euclid and muttering “that sure is interesting” until the child is so inspired by her example that s/he decides to begin to study math . . . wow . . . I just don’t have the words. - Julie M. Smith

When I first read this book, I got really excited about the concept. I can just educate myself and in the meantime my children will be inspired to educate themselves, without me every having to require them to do anything?

A Thomas Jefferson Education could be retitled "Unschooling In Disguise" because it's all about parents "inspiring" their kids to educate themselves but never actually teaching them anything.

Was Thomas Jefferson really educated in this manner? If you do your own research, instead of just blindly trusting DeMille, you might find that in reality Thomas Jefferson received a mandatory classical education, not this "inspire, not require" and focus on "you, not them" stuff that DeMille preaches.

If you are passionate about unschooling, that's fine, but let's not pretend that this vein of unschooling is how Thomas Jefferson was educated.

DeMille lists Joan of Arc as one of the great leaders in history who received A Thomas Jefferson Education. In reality, we know very little about Joan of Arc and she was likely not even literate.

He also lists George Washington as one of the great leaders in history who received A Thomas Jefferson Education. The truth is that George Washington was not very well read.

Most of the other "leaders" he lists (Abraham Lincoln, John Locke, etc.) did not have a mentor in the sense that DeMille defines one.

Where did DeMille get the idea that all the great leaders were educated using classics and mentors? I'm not sure.

DeMille advocates children learning math by reading Isaac Newton's writings. I am a certified math teacher and I don't think this makes any sense. First of all, just because someone invented calculus doesn't mean he is going to be the best teacher of it. Second of all, notation has changed so much in 350 years that even if a student is able to read and digest Newton, he will not be able to function in modern day math situations (using Excel or Maple or other math software, reading math journals, etc.)

The learning phases he discusses (Core, Love of Learning, Scholar, etc.) are adaptation of Freud's Stages of Psychosexual Development. They have not been around throughout history.

These are just some of the many problems in this book.

I love the idea of a homeschool curriculum including the reading of lots of classics, and I appreciated the list of classics in the back of this book, which is why I'm rating it 2 stars instead of 1 star.

If you decide to read this book, I urge you to also read the blog Why I Don't Do TJEd so you can get a well-rounded picture.

For the record, DeMille CLEARLY and REPEATEDLY states that it is irrelevant where your child sits [whether it is at public, private or home school] to get the inspiration & fundamental tools of learning; and that TRUE education is not teaching WHAT to think (teaching to a test) or WHEN to think ("professional" training), but HOW to think. That is exactly what our young people need to learn! What a valid and refreshing objective in the current environment where "feelings" are taught to over-rule thought.

"Conveyor belt learning" for instance, is a mindset first followed by the approach that has led to the decline in literacy rates & rankings. As such, DeMille does not attribute the dysfunction only to government schools as LDS has asserted. Rather, he outlined/demonstrated the pros & cons of all learning environments and how all can fall under that category.

If LDS has indeed read this book and/or is a home school dad who did due diligence before deciding to home school (which looks doubtful after his review), then he would admit & understand this. Anyone can pick paragraphs here & there (out of context), make assertions/assumptions and then criticize for pete's sake. Perhaps he should read it again...this time slower.

Whereas I think DeMille's emphasis on the "classics" was a bit beyond what we work on with our children, his points were no less valid and his solutions were proven & attainable for ANY parent [again] regardless of their child's official learning environment.

I believe this is a must read for anyone looking to explore and/or apply different educational approaches based on the needs of their child(ren).

Oliver DeMille's book is a modern day classic, pointing out the massive difference between a true education and conveyor belt education. I have enjoyed all of DeMille's books, but this one is revolutionary. As you read this book, ponder back to your own education, asking yourself how much of your education was actually conveyor style training. DeMille's book is mandatory reading for anyone desiring to lead people or raise children who will lead people. I have read TJED numerous times; however, at each reading, I continue to learn more. This book has been part of our home school curriculum and is an essential part of most home schooling families studies.

Where do I begin? Incredible book, well written, easy read, inspiring on every level, LIFE CHANGING - you won't want to put it down once you open it!

If you have kids you need to read this book before they are schooled another day. If you don't have kids and you have accomplished any level of education (GED to PhD) this book is a must read. If you are a teacher or educator of any kind - again, a must read. You're life will never be the same!

2 years ago, I personally heard Dr. DeMille speak at a conference in CA and as he spoke it was as if someone had turned the lights on and I could finally see my kid's education AND my own clearly. I went out and bought the book (the first edition) as soon as he walked off the stage. As soon as the 2nd edition (this one) came out about a year ago, I bought 4 copies - one for our house, one for my parents and 2 to loan out.

"I've got a college degree but never liked school all growing up" - heard someone say that before? We all know there is something wrong with the current education system, but it's difficult to put a finger on just what it is. Everyone points blame in a different direction and at the end of the day nothing has been resolved and we're asked to throw more tax money at the problem we can't define.

This book is refreshing! It's positive, optimistic and finally explains where the breakdown occurred and continues to occur. It gives SOLUTIONS - hallelujah! Its premise is brilliant and simple all at the same time. After reading it you will want more for yourself, more for your life, more for your children and more for our country. You'll have hope again.

That's what it did for us. After reading this book, my husband and I decided to implement a Leadership Education in our own home and it's been exciting to watch our children respond and get excited about learning. Even if you can't homeschool your children, you can learn from the philosophies in this book and make their education the kind you only dreamed about growing up.

If I had the money, I'd buy a copy for everyone I know, every college student and every parent walking aimlessly around at homeschool fairs. Enrich your life and your grandchildren's...leave the legacy you want to leave...BUY THIS BOOK!

If you're thinking of home schooling or UNschooling, if you're thinking of what sort of college you want to go to, if you're thinking of what really matters in education (certainly not standardized tests, sitting in straight rows, or walking single file down the hall under the watchful eye and ready ruler of the teachers) this will jumpstart you into TRUE education. It's a shame it is not required reading for every incoming school board member in every public school in every town in the nation (Mark Twain said: "For practice, God made an idiot; then he made a school board." It's easy to love this book and its sensibly simple solutions to the educational problems that beset us. Money won't solve them. More workbooks won't solve them. More assembly line education won't solve them. This book will.

I am deeply concerned about the assembly line, test-score-driven approach to education that takes the joy out of learning. I want my two young children to know the joy and fun of learning and exploring science, math, art, music literature, humanities, and whatever interests them. That is why I am committed to their Montessori education. But what comes next? This book provides a blueprint for the next phases of their education - elementary through high school. What this book has to say seems obvious, yet somehow its wisdom has been lost in our culture, while much of our education system focuses on test scores and standardized learning. That makes this sensible book a radical treatise. I recommend it to every parent, every teacher, and anyone who seeking an alternative to today's education system.

This is an outstanding work detailing today's educational system in comparison to others as well as education as it WAS and by all accounts should still be. I realize how much I missed and am thrilled that it is not too late to benefit from reading classics myself as well as share this education with my own children. They LOVE family reading time as we tackle Treasure Island (and others)and engage in spirited conversations. Even before I read this book, I realized school was not teaching my children to think on their own. My son's teacher even admitted in frustration "we have to teach for the test", meaning the dreaded EOG. What's nice to know is that there is still much we, as parents, can do even if we are not home schooling.

I literally devoured this book. I have personally had other parents tell me that this book has changed my life and my children's life since one month ago when I received it. It is amazing. I loved it. Very insightful. I found that just after starting to read this book that I have read to my children more. If that is the only thing that has changed... then it was worth it. But it wasn't the only thing that changed. We discuss everything. Since starting this book, and taking Mr. VanDeMilles' approach, one of my children has been more inspired to learn more already. In just the last few weeks. With no pressure from me? I don't understand why, but if it works.... It does work I am sure of it so read it...It is very insightful

With all the partisan selective censorship ongoing in the school text book arena, it would be a breath of fresh air to actually teach the TRUTH about the founding of this country.
While the corrupt rogue globalist controlled government has stated " The founders of this nation would be considered terrorists today" .
Instead of teaching exeptionalism they teach collectivism. Oppressive tactics and fear mongering is what this school system and this government teach, actually force socialist beliefs upon the impressionable children / youth.
This book is a insight as to how to bring forthright the values of one of the most well respected and often quoted founders of this nation, reweaving the fabric that this country was built upon.

I count A Thomas Jefferson Education as one of the most influential books that I have ever read. It has made a huge positive impact on our family. As a mother,I find myself constantly thinking about the principles that are taught in this book, and trying to apply them for the benefit of our children. This is a book for any parent who is seriously invested in their children's education and future. We love the patriotism. We highly recommend it to everyone we know. In fact, we have two copies now, just so we can loan one out. You're in for a treat!

....literally. We were planning on homeschooling our children eventually, anyway, but after reading this book, we gained courage and took the plunge. Now I feel confident that our children will be able to get the leadership education they deserve, and that I will facilitate that feat! Highly recommend this book to all who care about education and especially the education of their own children, homeschooled or not. Also recommend A Thomas Jefferson Education Home Companion, and "Core and Love of Learning: A Recipe for Success" reading available from gwc.edu for homeschooling parents of young children.

I received this book just this weekend - and have already devoured the new chapters - all very good additions. I noted that many of the little errors have been corrected, and the book is just beautiful - hardback, with a lovely dust jacket - and a nice black bookmark! Classic! All that said, my review still stands from the first edition:

I can give the education of our patriots to our children!
My theories, hopes, expectations, and dreams for homeschooling our children are all laid out in this book. It has classic book lists in the back divided by age range (Dr. Seuss is on the list!), step-by-step instructions for how to become an effective mentor to your child or classroom, and succinctly and interestingly describes the current failures of "traditional" classroom methodology. (I'm a former public school teacher, and I agree from experience!)

The only place I disagree with the author is in learning a foreign language - he states we should read a classic in the target language and discuss it. Reading don Quijote in Spanish to anyone who doesn't already know Spanish, will sound like gibberish...So to get a head start on your young one knowing a second language try Workbook and CD like Flip Flop Spanish instead.

Otherwise, this book is quick and extremely informational to read, - a new way of thinking for me, for sure! - and in another year, I look forward to testing its theories in our daily practical lives!
Sra. Gose
Author of Flip Flop Spanish: Ages 3-5: Level 1 &Flip Flop Spanish: Ages 3-5: Level 2

This writer has identified the limits of current public education, and the unnecessary expense involved. He promotes the importance to the world of a return to the classic educations that great men and women of the past received. They were mentored in the classic works written by the great men and women of all generations previous to them. He makes the point that we need to return to this tried-and-tested formula to continue into the future with more great men and women. Which makes a great deal of sense.The book is clearly written, but not fully developed into the kind of detail that would make you feel empowered to go ahead. If you didn't know there were seminars available in this method of education, close enough for you to attend, you could easily feel let down by the end of it.

Oliver DeMille has effectively packaged a timeless educational paradigm into an understandable reference book. Most impressive is the call for parents to lead the charge in their children's education, regardless of chosen venue. Bravo.

I received this book just this weekend - and have already devoured the new chapters - all very good additions. I noted that many of the little errors have been corrected, and the book is just beautiful - hardback, with a lovely dust jacket - and a nice black bookmark! Classic! All that said, my review still stands from the first edition:

I can give the education of our patriots to our children!
My theories, hopes, expectations, and dreams for homeschooling our children are all laid out in this book. It has classic book lists in the back divided by age range (Dr. Seuss is on the list!), step-by-step instructions for how to become an effective mentor to your child or classroom, and succinctly and interestingly describes the current failures of "traditional" classroom methodology. (I'm a former public school teacher, and I agree from experience!)

The only place I disagree with the author is in learning a foreign language - he states we should read a classic in the target language and discuss it. Reading don Quijote in Spanish to anyone who doesn't already know Spanish, will sound like gibberish...So to get a head start on your young one knowing a second language try Workbook and CD like Flip Flop Spanish instead.

Otherwise, this book is quick and extremely informational to read, - a new way of thinking for me, for sure! - and in another year, I look forward to testing its theories in our daily practical lives!
Sra. Gose
Author of Flip Flop Spanish: Ages 3-5: Level 1 &Flip Flop Spanish: Ages 3-5: Level 2

This writer has identified the limits of current public education, and the unnecessary expense involved. He promotes the importance to the world of a return to the classic educations that great men and women of the past received. They were mentored in the classic works written by the great men and women of all generations previous to them. He makes the point that we need to return to this tried-and-tested formula to continue into the future with more great men and women. Which makes a great deal of sense.The book is clearly written, but not fully developed into the kind of detail that would make you feel empowered to go ahead. If you didn't know there were seminars available in this method of education, close enough for you to attend, you could easily feel let down by the end of it.

Oliver DeMille has effectively packaged a timeless educational paradigm into an understandable reference book. Most impressive is the call for parents to lead the charge in their children's education, regardless of chosen venue. Bravo.

This book gives parents and teachers a glimpse of what education used to be, what it can be, and what it should be, in order for great nations to have truly effective Leaders. The principles found in this book have changed the way I teach, parent, and even how I personally learn. Every parent, school administrator and teacher should become familiar with the basic principles of leadership education, and this is the best place I've found to discover those truths.

"A Thomas Jefferson Education" is a life-changing CLASSIC!

this is a wonderful system, not only for homeschooling, but also some great direction for parenting in general! Much less stressful, and it would seem to produce a much better quality human being than some other systems.

In this book Oliver DeMille sells a promise and a hope to parents that are dissatisfied with public education. DeMille argues that we need great leaders like Thomas Jefferson to be able to meet the problems of the 21st century, and the way we get those leaders is that we give them an education like what Thomas Jefferson had. DeMille claims to have discovered what nearly all great leaders in the past have had:

"Find a great leader in history, and you will nearly always find two central elements of their education - classics and mentors. From Lincoln, Jefferson and Washington to Ghandi, Newton and John Locke, to Abigail Adams, Mother Theresa and Joan of Arc - great men and women of history studied other great men and women." p. 37

This is the basis for everything else he espouses in the book. However, Joan of Arc most likely couldn't read. George Washington was not familiar with the classics and it was something that he was a little self-conscious about. In fact, if you look at leaders of the past, including the ones DeMille lists as examples, virtually none of them were particularly well-versed in any classics and had any significant mentoring, if any at all. But this is the proof DeMille attempts to use to convince the reader that what he will describe is not only what great leaders in the past have done, but what we must do now.

Reading the classics is fine and anyone would benefit from reading them. But DeMille isn't even consistent with what he considers a "classic." For Thomas Jefferson, it was Homer and Livy, for parents now, it's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and books by Cleon Skousen.

Part of the Thomas Jefferson Education approach is that there are six "Phases of Learning." DeMille claims to have discovered them after researching the life of Thomas Jefferson:

"These Phases were first noted and identified in our research of the education of Thomas Jefferson, and were later seen to be a pattern of many luminaries in history who lived exemplary lives and changed the world for good." p. 31

What he fails to mention is that these "Phases" started with Freud's psychosexual stages, which were then modified by Erik Erikson to be social more than sexual and to extend past childhood into adulthood, which were then also modified by Jean Piaget, until coming into their final form by DeMille (his other book, Leadership Education explains this). These phases are not something DeMille discovered when researching Thomas Jefferson, but rather more likely something he discovered from studying modern cognitive development theorists and child psychologists.

DeMille also claims to have discovered 7 Keys of Great Learning (he later added an eighth about not being stressed). One Key is to only inspire your child, never require them to do anything academically. Another Key is that you should only focus on yourself. If you are having problems with his methods, the problem is most likely that you either aren't inspiring enough or you need to stop fussing over your child and focus more on yourself. In fact, DeMille gives and example of what happens in seminars when people say they are having trouble getting their child to do math. DeMille just simply asks the parent when the last time she (the parent) has read a "math classic" (Euclid, Archimedes, Newton), and when she answers that she hasn't, then DeMille says that's the problem right there. If you read it, then the child will observe your love to learn and will be inspired to discuss what you are learning with you and somehow either learn that way, or be motivated to go learn math through self-instruction (which should only be done through "math classics").

DeMille also advises parents and students to learn a foreign language through a "classic" in that foreign language. He recommends that in order to learn Spanish, you should pick up a copy of Don Quixote in the original Spanish in one hand, and English translation of it in the other. I highly doubt anyone could learn through that method. Regardless, the Spanish in Don Quixote is older and difficult, like Shakespeare is to English speakers now.

DeMille claims that we need leaders to secure our liberties and that only through such leaders will we be saved as a country. And these leaders will only come through TJEd:

"The leaders of the future will come from the schools, homes, colleges, universities and organizations where classics, mentors, and the other elements of Thomas Jefferson Education are cherished and seriously perused." p113

"Where are the new American Founders of the Twenty-first Century? None of us know who those statesmen will be. But this I do know-the great statesmen and stateswomen of the future will be prepared through the Five Pillars of Statesmenship." p133

He also repeatedly claims that the "conveyor-belt" education (public schools) cannot produce the needed leaders and results in unsatisfactory lives and jobs:

"Which one do you want for your children? If you want to be low-income, production, service, government jobs, you ought to be in a conveyor belt school; because that's what it will prepare you for, and will do it effectively...But if you want more, you'd better get into another system." p117

This book is big on promise, but low on details, and the details supplied are fatally flawed and insufficient for any education. The claim that virtually all leaders had an education of classics and mentors is not true (search around on the internet to find more on this claim, there are some good posts evaluating this), and there's no evidence that what he describes as a "leadership education" is at all what leaders in the past have had. He leaves out crucial aspects of Thomas Jefferson's life that probably were influential in his becoming a leader, like learning Latin and Greek at age 9, and graduating college before getting his "mentor" George Wythe when he was a law clerk, let alone Jefferson's natural intellect. I think this book appeals to parents who do want something better for their child, but are not able to properly evaluate the claims and promises DeMille makes.

Before anyone decides to do this approach, ask a few questions about the claims. Use some critical thinking skills. Don't be so quick to accept everything as gospel just because the author started off talking about how the classics were important.