WTM hist/lit vs Omni and others

[Kathie in VA]

I'm still bouncing all over on what to use for history & lit next year for my rising 9th and 8th graders. I finally pulled out my WTM book to review what is in there. This looks interesting also, yet what I have here is the old version from 1999. I know there was an updated version out and now there is another update due out ... soon? Can anyone summarize what the changes were wrt hist/lit from the '99 version to the first update? I think I heard the spine changed?

 

How does WTM path differ from something like Omnibus I-III or History Odessey? (Well besides the theology in Omni and the fact that Omnibus has a 3 yr cycle and WTM & HO have a 4yr cycle). I see that both WTM and HO take the time to read How to Read a Book but Omnibus doesn't until they do Rhetoric in 10-12th grade. However I think Omnibus I-III has dialectical/rhetorical type questions to use to spur a socratic discussion w/ your kids but I'm not seeing that with WTM or HO. Am I missing something or does this end up not really being needed?

 

Thanks for any guidence. If possible I'll try to get out this week to see if I can get a newer copy of WTM from my library.

 

Blessings,

Kathie

mom to a rising 9th, 8th, 4th, and K(4).

CW-Homer OB, CW-Aesop A, SL core 100, CC-Foundations

[Michelle in AL]

Hi Kathie, I have the old WTM too, so I can't answer your ?'s about changes. I do use Omnibus and WTM though. There are some books in Omnibus that I don't care to read and others that are listed in TWTM that I don't want to miss. You're right though that Omnibus does have excellent socratic questions that WTM does not. Some questions in Omnibus I skip over, but the ones we discuss we've had great discussion with. There have been times when I don't use Omnibus because we're reading a WTM selection. When we're reading the WTM selections I often think I don't need Omnibus, I can do this myself, but when I come back to Omnibus I'm amazed at the level of discussion it brings. My kids do get into discussion fairly easily though and this may not work so well with less verbal kids.

[coop]

Kathie,

 

I can't answer your question about the difference between the 99 and 04 versions either. I have the 04 version and I have never seen the 99 version. I know that a new version is coming out, but I don't know when.

 

I am having the same problem you are....We have been using Sonlight for years, but when I looked at SL 100 for this year I was not impressed. So, I pulled out my WTM and started mulling over my options. I'm looking at Omnibus as well.

 

I'm wondering if you are just starting Omnibus if you start with I or go on to III with a 9th grader?

 

 

All this to say -- I hope someone can answer our questions:001_smile:.

[Colleen in NS]

I see that both WTM and HO take the time to read How to Read a Book

 

The 2004 version recommends using The Well Educated Mind now. I find this book easier to use than HTRAB.

[Kathie in VA]

I'm wondering if you are just starting Omnibus if you start with I or go on to III with a 9th grader?

 

 

When I looked at Omnibus III last year I was looking for my rising 7th and 8th graders. I emailed VP directly and they said that it should be fine. You can start with any of the first 3 books. They don't necessarily progress in difficulty. I decided against it because my kids hadn't really studied this time period yet and I wanted to do that before focusing on the ideas via the Great Books.

 

Oh, one more point, I've heard from VP that they are planning to release their Omnibus IV book out this year!

 

The 2004 version recommends using The Well Educated Mind now. I find this book easier to use than HTRAB.

 

Oh, that's interesting. Sounds like I need a peak at the WEM! Thanks for the info.

 

 

 

I'm really wishing the latest WTM was already out or at least I could find out when it will be released. ug. Anyway for now I'll continue to weigh the options and possibilities, continue to pray, etc.

[Colleen in NS]

However I think Omnibus I-III has dialectical/rhetorical type questions to use to spur a socratic discussion w/ your kids but I'm not seeing that with WTM or HO. Am I missing something or does this end up not really being needed?

 

I didn't read your post closely enough. The 2004 WTM also has a section with lots of questions you can use with logic stage kids, for talking about history/lit. books. I've just started using these this year with ds. It has been awkward for me to conduct, only because I've never done this before, but I am finding my way along now. It's getting easier and FUN. Also, the Well Educated Mind book I mentioned for rhetoric stage has TONS of questions and practical guidance on talking about books that are being read. It's broken down in to genres (right word?) of books, too, with specific questions for each genre. The 2004 WTM also has a section in the rhetoric section about what else to do with the history/lit. reading - it tells you a pattern to follow for each book - when to do what, and what types of writing assignments you can give, etc.. I imagine the 2009 version will have the same or improved.

 

hth some more!

[Rhondabee]

You can pre-order at Amazon. I couldn't find it just by search there, but there is a link buried in this thread:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79944

 

Last I checked, the shipping date was sometime in early May.

 

hth,

Rhonda