Phases of Learning-TJed

Through the different research I have done, it seems like the TJed (Thomas Jefferson Education) will be the best fit for my family.  My husband and I have always been passionate about how much you can learn from reading the classics.  Since TJed is centered around this idea, it just seems like it will work for us.  The problem is that I don't have any idea how to implement it!

In one of my previous posts, I gave a little review on the Thomas Jefferson Education.  It gave a good overview, but nothing concrete.  I was a bit discouraged that it didn't have more information in it.  I joined the TJed group on Facebook to learn more, and discovered that there was a book that went further in depth.  I finally decided to buy The Phases of Learning knowing that I would probably want to reread it quite a few times.  I settled on the Kindle edition so that I could read it on my tablet in bed.

Right now I am about 20 percent through with the book, and I feel even more clueless than when I started!  I am trying to locate families in Ohio that use this approach, so that I can see firsthand how they do it in their families.  I am more of a visual learner, so this would help me.

Anyway, there are a lot of things discussed that I wasn't expecting.  I didn't expect to be told to do a purge every 6 months.  It makes sense, but it seems odd to be in this book.  I started it today.  I can't do much because of the contractions happening, but I had my son help me go through his toys.  I do feel better about the majority of his toys going elsewhere.  It will help me so much!  I can see how this can be an important step.

I also wasn't expecting to be told to "just say no".  They encourage mothers to make a list every six months of everything they do.  Then cross half of it off.  This helps them not be so frustrated.  Right now I am not doing much, so it doesn't apply to me.  I can see how it can apply to many mothers out there.

In fact, I started reading a second book today called The Burnout Cure.  It was a book that I bought a few months ago, but never started to read.  It is geared towards LDS women, but can be applied to any religion.  It is supposed to help women understand how to avoid the burnout we all experience, and therefore help us with depression/anxiety issues.  Since I suffer with depression, I wanted to read the book.  As it turns out, it will fit in perfectly with what I read with the Phases of Learning.  She basically said that same thing in the introduction.  We need to start saying no.

I hope that the two books will fit well together.  If they don't, that is ok too.  I often have multiple books going at a time.  In any case, I hope the further I read into the Phases of Learning will bring more clarity to me.  I want TJed to work, but I don't want to be frustrated.  If I think it will be frustrating, I will just move to a different approach.

If you apply TJed philosophy in your homeschool, feel free to contact me!  I would love any insight!

New Beginning

The past few months have been quite difficult for us.  Preschool just didn't stand a chance against hyperemesis.  TV has become a constant in our house, and that has been all my son has done for months.  I have felt incredibly guilty not being able to do the things I wish I could with him to begin his education.  I have watched his behavior drastically change from the amounts of TV, and I was tired of all the tantrums that have resulted from it.  Everything started to be a struggle, so I wanted a change.

This past week the hyperemesis has started to lighten up (in exchange for constant contractions), so I decided to start reading to him.  I ordered a copy of Charlotte's Web off of Amazon to read to him.  I didn't have any idea how it would go over with him, but I needed to try.  It turned out much better than expected!
The first day we read Charlotte's Web, we ended up reading 55 pages, and then he brought armfuls of other books for me to read to him!

I was quite surprised at his selection of books that he wanted read to him.  Many of them had pigs in them.  One even went into detail about what a runt is.  It wasn't a fluke because I watched him scan his pile to pick out the precise books he wanted read.  It's nice to know that a 3 year old can still follow along with a chapter book.

 My son sure did surprise me.  He loves reading "Charlotte's Spider Web Book".  Every few paragraphs he would steal the book from me to read the letters at the top of the page, and then tell me the page number we were on.

Today is the second day I have limited TV.  Yesterday he didn't watch anything.  Today I am letting him watch Happy Feet.  His behavior has greatly improved, but it does need to be tested.  The real test will come when we take him to a store.

Even though he is allowed to watch a movie, reading has been his priority.  We read a few pages in Charlotte's Web, and then he took a laundry basket to his room.  He then pushed this huge basket of books down the hall for today's reading.  He fully expects Mommy to read them all to him today.

Today has been a good day.  It started by going through his toys to pick out what we can give to other kids.  I expected a lot of push back from him.  Instead he enjoyed helping!  I want to get him down to things like legos, trains, blocks, and a few cars.  Everything else I want gone.  It just takes too much space, and requires too much cleaning.

Hopefully I can continue this to a certain extent.