The Thomas Jefferson Education emphasizes a personalized education for each individual student, a focus on classic literature, and strong mentorship. Last month in Puerto Vallarta I was able to plug into several local homeschool / worldschool / expat communities. One of the greatest tips I got was about the Thomas Jefferson Education method. I had never heard of this educational model before, but I was told in the group chat that its very similar to Charlotte Mason that that they felt I would enjoy learning about it.
“The most important educational activity in the home is reading aloud together.”
— Oliver DeMille, A Thomas Jefferson Education
Well that was an understatement! I feel like I found the model that serves as the center of the wheel, combining the spokes of so many other methodologies that I love and adore. Waldorf, Montessori, Charlotte Mason, Free School movement, and others!! This book focuses on creating future leaders, and describes how Thomas Jefferson, and other great though leaders, were not produced from assembly line education systems, rather through a customized education that was unique to each of their interests, and contained a focus on classical literature and leadership training.
The Thomas Jefferson Method describes how learning should be play based, and chore based in the home until around age 8 when they are are becoming ready for a more academic focus. This aligns nicely with Rudolf Steiner’s concept of the Nine Year Change – where he states most children go through a change at age nine that leaves them ready to learn (if they didn’t naturally arrive there). During this time both (up to 8-9 years), both educational philosophies have an emphasis on family relationships, reading great stories aloud, and the expansive use of the child’s imagination. Waldorf does put a greater emphasis on memorizing rhymes and sing songing your way through early childhood, which I am quite partial to.
“The young child learns best through imitation, rhythm, and story.”
— Rudolf Steiner
| Concept | Thomas Jefferson Education | Waldorf Education |
|---|---|---|
| Delay formal academics | Yes | Yes |
| Emphasize story telling at an early age | Yes | Yes |
| Read aloud to children daily | Strongly encouraged | Central practice |
| Develop imagination before analysis | Yes | Yes |
| Literacy emerges naturally | Around 8–10 | Around 7–9 |
“In the early years the child should live in language before being asked to analyze it.”
— Rudolf Steiner
As a dyslexic person, and mother of a dyslectic child, I really do not like how easy it is for a child with a learning disability to slip through the cracks in the more Radical Unschooling types homes, and that’s why I find that Waldorf and Thomas Jefferson education have some stop gaps that allow for parents to identify children who ARE struggling to wire their brains for automatic reading. First and foremost – Radical Unschooling doesn’t actually encourage parents to do…. anything… outside of “creating learning opportunities”. Both Waldorf and Thomas Jefferson say READ TO YOUR CHILDREN. Both of these philosophies call on children to fall in love with language before being asked to work with it in the written form. Once a child is in love with oral language and story telling, the reading and writing part will become an internal drive and something they are excited to accomplish.
“Great readers are almost always raised in homes where great books are read aloud.”
— Oliver DeMille, A Thomas Jefferson Education
In fact, this same concept actually overlaps with Charlotte Mason who also advocated that children be read to aloud before they are expected to read complex concepts on their own. Charlotte Mason has an emphasis on reading what she calls “living stories” or book that are classic throughout time and can move any generation to deeper thought or even intentional action. Charlotte Mason advocates reading aloud to children FOR YEARS. Some of my greatest memories are reading allowed to my children – we read modern classics like Harry Potter Series, and now I’m reading a more dated classic with my Moon Child – The Peter Rabit Series.
“Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life.”
— Charlotte Mason
Charlotte Mason, much like Oliver DeMille of Thomas Jefferson Education, both advocate for GREAT BOOKS over TEXT BOOKS. They both advocate strongly that reading the classics and discussing them are going to teach you more about life than a text book. A great part of DeMille’s concepts involve the mentor/teacher reading these great books with the students and leading by example. In fact, leading by example is a core tenant of both Mason and DeMille.
In both of these models parents or teachers are encouraged to show a culture of life-long learning, by learning in front of your children! This means reading in front of them, learning a new skill (guitar, crochet, cooking, etc..) in front of them. Showing the children through your example what it’s like to slowly master a skill over time. When a child is shown this sort of academic and educational leadership in the home, it becomes a learned environmental skill they can carry through the rest of their lives.
This is also something found deeply embedded in the Greenbriar Community School methodology. Check out our mission and vision statements that directly address this concept:
| Concept | Thomas Jefferson Education | Charlotte Mason Education | Waldorf Education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Goal | Develop leaders through mentorship and self-directed learning | Develop the whole child through habits, character, and living ideas | Develop the whole child (head, heart, hands) in alignment with developmental stages |
| Role of Parent/Teacher | Mentor guiding individualized paths | Guide presenting rich ideas and cultivating habits | Authority/guide who protects childhood and introduces learning in stages |
| Structure | Flexible, personalized, interest-driven | Structured but gentle with consistent routines | Highly structured, rhythm-based, developmentally timed |
| Curriculum Style | Customized to student interests and goals | Broad “feast” of subjects using living books | Story-based, artistic, theme-based blocks |
| Use of Books | Great books, classics, leadership literature | Living books (engaging, narrative-driven) | Stories, myths, and teacher-led content (fewer early textbooks) |
| Early Childhood Focus | Play, work, and family life before academics (~age 8) | Habit training, stories, nature, and gentle academics | Play-based, imagination, movement; no academics until ~age 7 |
| Approach to Reading | Often delayed until interest/need arises | Taught gently early through phonics and exposure | Delayed until ~age 7, taught artistically |
| Writing & Expression | Based on interest and readiness | Narration (oral → written) is central | Drawing, storytelling, and form drawing before formal writing |
| Role of Imagination | Encouraged through real-life and classic literature | Highly emphasized through stories and nature | Central focus—fantasy, storytelling, creative play |
| Assessment | Individualized, no standardized testing | No tests; narration and observation | No testing; teacher observation and developmental readiness |
| View of the Child | A future leader with a unique mission | A person deserving respect, capable of great ideas | A spiritual being unfolding in developmental stages |
| Daily Rhythm | Flexible, varies by family | Consistent, short lessons | Strong daily/weekly/seasonal rhythms |
| Independence | High—student-led learning over time | Gradual independence through habits | More teacher-led early, independence comes later |
| Social Learning | Mentorship, discussions, real-world application | Family discussion and narration | Group learning, class cohesion emphasized |
| Philosophy Roots | Classical education + leadership focus | Christian humanism + classical tradition | Anthroposophy (Rudolf Steiner) |
“Someone who approaches twenty students with identical curriculum, methodology, goals, and plans is not acting as a mentor. The mentor helps each student identify where he or she is, and then says, “Okay, let’s develop a program for you. What do you want to become? What do you want to create? What do you want to learn?” Once the mentor gets the answer from the student, he helps the student develop a personal plan to achieve it. You can’t train leaders on a conveyor belt; if you want to teach students how to think, their studies must be personalized.”
― Oliver DeMille, A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-First Century
Quiz: Is Thomas Jefferson Education Right for Your Family?
Answer each question with:
A = Strongly Agree
B = Somewhat Agree
C = Not Really / Disagree
Quiz: Is Thomas Jefferson Education Right for Your Family?
I’m willing to adapt and evolve my child’s education as they grow. (A/B/C)
I believe education should be tailored to each child, not standardized. (A/B/C)
I’m comfortable stepping into the role of mentor rather than traditional teacher. (A/B/C)
I want my child’s interests and passions to guide their learning. (A/B/C)
I don’t feel the need to follow a fixed curriculum or grade-level expectations. (A/B/C)
I value leadership development and critical thinking more than test scores. (A/B/C)
I’m okay with a less structured, more flexible daily routine. (A/B/C)
I believe children should spend their early years playing, exploring, and reading with family before formal academics. (A/B/C)
I want my child to read great books and engage in deep discussions rather than worksheets. (A/B/C)
I trust that learning doesn’t have to look like traditional school to be effective. (A/B/C)
Your Results
If your answers are mixed across all three:
You don’t need to fit into one method—building a customized approach that blends elements from multiple philosophies may be the best path.
If you answered 7–10 A’s:
Thomas Jefferson Education is likely a strong fit for your family. You value mentorship, personalization, and raising a self-directed learner.
If you answered 4–6 A’s (with mostly B’s):
A hybrid approach may work best. You resonate with Thomas Jefferson Education but may want some added structure.
Suggested models to explore: Charlotte Mason, Classical Education (blended with TJEd principles)
If you answered 7–10 B’s:
You may prefer a balanced model with some flexibility, but also clear guidance and routine.
Suggested models to explore: Charlotte Mason, Classical Education, Eclectic Homeschooling
If you answered 7–10 C’s:
You likely prefer a more structured, curriculum-driven approach with defined expectations and consistency.
Suggested models to explore: Traditional School-at-Home, Classical Education, Waldorf (for structured rhythm with creativity)
