Applying the Keys of Great Teaching

This is a blog post that I wrote for TJEd Trenches. I am a regular contributor and I've enjoyed writing for them for the past year and a half or so. The following is my most recent article.

Over six years ago, when I was first introduced to Thomas Jefferson Education I knew instantly that that was the truth I had been seeking! Applying it through the years as been a journey though.

For a long time I had deluded myself into thinking that as long as I read classics to my children (and still carried on conveyor belt education) I was "doing it." Fast forward a couple of years and I begin applying the Keys of Great Teaching. What a marvelous tool! Looking back in hindsight I discovered however that I had them mixed up a little. I realized that I was doing the following: Inspire and Require, Structure Time and Content, You and Them, etc! I had inadvertently inserted ANDS in the place of all the NOTS.

I can safely say that I was missing the point. What do you think? The last six months has finally brought that break through of awareness. I have learned to drop the ands and insert the nots. Wow! I can only say amazing things have since happened.

First all share the blessings and then I will share some how to's. I have a son who's behavior was frustrating and I was almost hopeless with. Within a month of changing my behavior and our environmental he was "reborn." He hasn't looked back since. This was a miracle for our family. We've seen increased obedience, less contention, greater happiness, vast intake of knowledge by our children, an atmosphere of peace and an increased amount of personal responsibility and self-management! It's been a wonderful time for our family and we will not go back.

Since the key "Inspire Not Require" seems to generate some of the greatest interest on this blog I was share what this looks like in our home now.

I have always been effective in the inspiring department. I read 2-3 classics a week, take piano lessons, eat healthy, write essays, do math problems and absolutely live by my golden rule that is never violated, "We will never require our children to do anything that we are not willing to do ourselves." However dropping the 'not' proved difficult for me; at least I had one out of two right? Hmmm.

Children are required to obey and they are required to work. But just what are we requiring them to do? Each of you must choose what you will require and what you will not. Within the field of education research shows that children out perform when we don't make them do school work, let them choose. This is tough. This is painful. This goes against everything you every learned in public school. This goes against everything society has ever taught you. It's gonna hurt.

Well, I can say after six months the brain pains are gone and we're running with this. The first step is to tell the kids, "You are no longer required to do this. " (shock, gasp, recoil) The second step: Get rid of 90% of your school junk and their toys and leave only the 'best' books, toys, and supplies. The third step: Get rid of all the distractions. This means they may do what they want, but they are not allowed to watch TV/movies, play the Wii, play with friends, play entertaining games with each other, etc. during certain hours. These hours will vary from family to family, our personal window of these popular distractions is opened for a very limited time during the week. The beauty is that they will chose to learn. Maybe not right away, but they will. I've seen in over and over every day in my house.

Today my children (this was my 3 core/lol boys) choose to learn about reducing fractions, general fractions, make bread, read about World War 2, read their scriptures, practice the piano, make a bow and arrow, go on a walk in the rain, read in chapter books, write a story, draw pictures in their sketch books, asked me how to spell multiple words, find out why Denmark owns Greenland, listened to me when I read Silas Marner by George Elliot for an hour, and many more things. They choose, I provided the atmosphere. They are happy. They think life is fun and they think learning is fun.

I can hear you say, "You're crazy!" This exercise in applying the 7 Keys of Great Teaching is really an exercise of faith (but you make this based on your own serious research and the truth that you've discovered). Perhaps in another post I will delve into our "new day." It's shocking, it's revolutionary and it's the best thing we have ever done.

Has anyone else stumbled along in the Keys of Great Teaching like I have? I hope this post as inspired you on your journey through Leadership Education.