LillianinAL Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 If you have used both programs, which one takes longer for Mom? I have used SL all along, but with two Core programs with two sets of Read-Alouds, it's taking more of my time than I really have to give it. I am looking at TOG to use instead. I love to spend time schooling my kids, but just need a bit more time in the day for homemaking and other pursuits. Would my daily time involvement using TOG with Dialectic, Upper and Lower Grammar be less, more, or about the same as using two SL cores? Thanks so much! Lillian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zee Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 It's a trade-off, I think. While Sonlight seemed to take more of my time during school, TOG seems to take more of my time when we aren't in school (planning and reading). I think both require a lot of teacher time. If you are looking for less planning and implementing time overall, I don't think that TOG will fit the bill, IMHO. Have you downloaded the free unit yet? I would look that over and then you'll be able to compare both programs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 I've used both, and frankly the planning time is what really sent me back to Sonlight after two years of TOG. I looked at the redesign, and it still is too much thinking and doing for me. I have a good friend who has used Sonlight for 15 years now for her large family, and she borrowed my TOG for awhile and then gave it back with the same conclusion I had. The one-on-one with the kids is about the same for both, but the planning and reading on her own would be more with TOG. She still pre-reads some of the books that her teens read over the summer (she goes on the forums to see which ones might have "issues"), but that's about all the preparation she does other than keeping the books ready, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debra in CO Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 I can't give you an answer - but have you looked into using some audiobooks for the SL Cores? Some cores are easier than others as far as this goes. Right now, we're in Core 4 (and A) and I find that I can do about 2/3 of the read-alouds as books on tape from my library... I still discuss the books and all that, but it does ease up some of my teaching time. Debra Mom of five Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zee Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Audiobooks were recommended to me when we did Core 4. It did help me "catch up." Good suggestion. I forgot about that. :-P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susie in tx Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 I've been doing Core 1/6 with a little bit of Core B thrown in for good measure for this school year. I spend a lot of time planning. Actually, I spend a lot of time coordinating the Cores and trying to keep everyone in about the same place wrt chronological history. Recently, I purchased TOG. I don't think it will take as much time as it has for SL once I get everything figured out. I didn't purchase all of the books from TOG, so purchasing and making sure that I have everything takes more time. We're not doing hands-on activities, so I won't have to worry about getting extra materials for the hands-on. However, I've planned one week, so far, and I have to say, it's nice not to have to figure out how to coordinate everyone in the same time period. I just pick the books, pick the activities and type them into my planner. For us, it will probably take more time each day for my kids because we weren't doing SL geography. So far, it also seems as though TOG goes more into depth, but does have less historical fiction to read. Dunno how I will manage that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 I was rewriting much of the SL schedule. By the time I was doing Core 2 I had a 7yo, 6yo, 4yo and 2yo. My 6yo didn't care for SL RA's, finding them too mature and needing hands on as she is a kinesthetic learner. On top of it my 4yo was demanding to be part of it all, so I set up Time Traveler and Usborne World History to be read to all, CHOW to the oldest two and I added Mystery of History 2 for my oldest (who adores MOH and is a serious history buff). For me TOG is MUCH simpler and less planning. It is also philosophically more where I want to go, with more focus on training the child to independence, more focus on logic, mapping and writing. If you actually use SL as an open and go curriculum without modifying it, then TOG will probably not be for you. It isn't for everyone. For me, I spend the same or less time planning, and our time actually doing history is less. About 30 mins a day. We would be up to Core 4 if I had continued with SL...or 3 if I were behind, which I probably would be, but I suspect either would be more than 30 mins of reading a day. Despite spending less time on history, I feel like we accomplish more learning. SL is great and SL books are good. but I do feel you spend too much time reading about the same thing out of 3 different books and I find that a lot of people never get to mapping, discussion questions or writing because they are so busy reading, or at least I never got to them. It is nice to finally nail all of it. No more guilt. Ahhhh..... Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisawa Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 If you have used both programs, which one takes longer for Mom? I have used SL all along, but with two Core programs with two sets of Read-Alouds, it's taking more of my time than I really have to give it. I am looking at TOG to use instead. I love to spend time schooling my kids, but just need a bit more time in the day for homemaking and other pursuits. Would my daily time involvement using TOG with Dialectic, Upper and Lower Grammar be less, more, or about the same as using two SL cores? Thanks so much! Lillian Hi, I have used both and when using SL combined cores. For me, combining the 2 cores and trying to keep them at the same time period was far more work than I ever have had to put into TOG..... TOG keeps you and the kids all on the same page. You shoul dspend a few hours reading teachers notes, deciding what to do and not do... but this should be during non school hours and maybe once a week. I read over the techers notes in the evening and I schedule a unit at a time, so once we are in a unit, I have very little prep each week.... So for me... my time is reduced...a ton... I need to spend time in discussions w/ my daughter on Fridays too so that takes time.... but TOG took what I wanted SL to be and made it so. If you want to continue on with SL... my suggestion would be to drop some read alouds... pick and choose but dont try to do both... your kids will enjoy what you read. *Ü* SL is a great literature based program too... TOG just simplified things... My kids were dialect, UG and G when we started... I hope you can find the perfect balance.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie in Oh Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 What do they consider Upper Grammar and and what do they consider Dialectic? What grade do you transition over? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melora in NC Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 What do they consider Upper Grammar and and what do they consider Dialectic? What grade do you transition over? Thanks. I am reading their introduction right now (well you know what I mean;)), and Dialectic is 6-9 grades. However, they emphasize that the distinction between Upper Grammar and Dialectic is very fluid, and you pick assignments from one or the other based on your child's strengths or weaknesses (such as easier readers but more challenging map assignments, if your child were weaker in reading but stronger in map skills). We will be starting with my ds in 5th grade, so we will probably be picking materials & assignments from both UG and D for the next couple years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 I have used 3 SL cores with my oldest. I spent a lot of time reworking the schedule, doing extra research to prepare myself for discussions and generally adding more to it. I am a tweaker and I really don't like being told what to do. I purchased a unit of TOG to try with my dd for next year. I wish I had tried it earlier with my ds. It lends itself well to my tweaking. I think they are both excellent and either could take a lot or a little planning time from the parent especially in the lower grades. It is just personal preference as to which one follows the sequence that you want and how willing and able you are to follow something with daily plans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susie in tx Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 The assignments between UG and D don't seem that dissimilar. There does seem to be more required of the D student in terms of thinking through the material read, though. FE, a UG student will read his or her history assignment. There may or may not be student pages for him or her to work on. The D student will have a similar reading assignment but there will be accountability and thinking questions to answer/respond to during a history discussion. The student at a D level seems to need to have a more in-depth knowledge of the material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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