SHEMA YISRAEL ADONAI ELOHEINU ADONAI ECHAD


Saturday, May 29, 2010

Among my favorite things to do is read, read, read. There is so many good books out there, that at times I find myself reading several at once. One great book I found that I'm currently reading is A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching A Generation Of Leaders For The Twenty-first Century. It immediately turned into one of my favorites, and I'm hoping to buy it at a later time since the one I'm reading is a library loan. This book focuses on learning by reading the classics, inspirational teachers, and mentoring. While the topic wasn't foreign to me, it did present some new points and some excellent tips to implement the method suggested. Many books are suggested in this book, which I am hoping to start reading soon. One eye opening topic discussed in the book was on the "conveyor belt school system". Little had I considered the ramifications of such a system being that I had no intention on relying on it for my own children's education; however the information will come in handy when talking with others in the future. Perhaps my favorite thing about the book is the emphasis placed on teaching future leaders, unlike the popular trend on teaching for the sole purpose of acquiring a job. From a spiritual view point I have to agree that this is the best method of learning for our family being that our calling is to lead and not be followers. In the Torah we are clearly taught that being the tail and not the head is a direct result of a curse that comes from disobeying Hashem's Holy Word. With this in mind leadership training should and will be emphasized in our everyday schooling. This book was clear, eye opening, and most helpful in the topic of education. Education is very important to us and the TJed system will no doubt be usefull to homeschooling.