FAQs
My child gets bored or resistant when I try to teach them. How can I make learning more engaging and less of a battle?
When youth understand, truly understand, the reasons why they should choose to take ownership, the battle decreases. They know there is a purpose to their learning and accomplishing the tasks necessary to completing their projects.
How do I know if I’m teaching my child correctly, or if they’re actually learning what they need to know?
The process of the JSP takes each youth to an end result of individual projects called journey assessments (projects along the way) and destination assessments (projects at the end of each session). The end result of each of these projects and the discussion after will help you determine the learning level of your youth. Every youth is on their own path of learning, we just want to make sure your youth is progressing in their learning skills and management of their own education.
I feel overwhelmed by all the curriculum choices and planning. How can I simplify my homeschool routine and stay organized?
The Jefferson Scholar Program has most of the planning and process built into the program. The more and longer you follow the process within the program, the less you will feel overwhelmed. The learning skills are practiced using language arts and social studies. Your youth will choose the projects and dates those projects will be due, you will just hold them accountable for those choices. All this is done within the structure of the JSP.
How can I ensure my child develops strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, not just memorization?
As a youth practices the learning skill and works on projects through the session, they will naturally learn critical thinking and problem-solving skills. During this time it is necessary to let the process be the teacher and that is a difficult task for the facilitator/parent. However, challenge and experience can be the best teacher, we have to let the natural process happen.
What if I don’t feel confident teaching a particular subject, what if my own knowledge gaps limit my children’s learning?
Because the Jefferson Scholar Program focuses on the skills first and content second the content comes as your youth uses the skills. As the facilitator/parent, you will learn from your youth, you will not teach them content, they will teach you.
I've tried other curriculum, what makes the Jefferson Scholar Program different?
The Jefferson Scholar Program is different because we do not focus on content first, we focus on learning skills and allow the content to present itself. The youth do the seeking, the finding, and the presenting of content while you enjoy the process and helping youth within the schedule of projects they are preparing.
As youth prepare their projects, they learn to take ownership of the content and the progress toward ownership of their own educations. You will guide your youth in learning and becoming, you do not teach them content, they teach you.