Ok, Coffeegal... I'll start thinking more positively! I like hearing someone else say their goal was to get to R before they graduate, because right now, that's how I feel! lol! You give me hope! I think one problem I have is that one twin is self motivated and a great student, but the other one kicks and screams and cuts every corner he can find with school. Argh! That's frustrating with any curriculum, but especially a challenging one like TOG. If they were both like that, I wouldn't even try doing TOG. But since I do have one that is very hard working and likes to be challenged, I don't want to sell him short. So I guess I'll focus on shooting high with both, and my little renegade child will hopefully come along. It's just so stinkin' frustrating sometimes! :-) Thanks for the encouragement! Holly

Thanks, Renaissance Mom, for the encouragement. I keep telling myself we can do this, but then I start thinking...I need to stop doing that!! :) I think I will go half speed and add in WttW. Does WttW also cover writing, or does it need a separate program?

Thanks for the replies! I considered doing 3 units each year but was afraid I would get overwhelmed on how to split each week. Going 2 weeks per 1 would be easier. :) Any thoughts on how to break up each week's lesson to do 3 units a year? I also thought about adding WTTW next year if I split it in half, but was leaning more towards adding BJU lit instead. Is WTTW easy to use? I've used BJU lit off and on over the past few years, and I know it's easy to use. I've never had WTTW in hand but have heard that it's great. Any thoughts on which is better for lit foundation--BJU or WTTW? I think I'm getting cold feet about TOG for high school. I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to handle it, or that they're not going to be able to handle it. R level looks soooo difficult! Getting VERY anxious about next year!!!! (Especially when my husband tells me to load them on the yellow bus and be done with it!) I also thought about switching to Biblioplan to lighten the level of difficulty... :-(- ??? Would that be something to consider?

Hello, We will be finishing yr 1 TOG this year, putting us in yr 2 for 9th grade (twins). We did yrs 3 and 4 of TOG in 6th and 7th, but we have not used yr 2 yet. I have heard many people say that they wish they had split yr 2 into 2 years. If we continue on schedule, we will be done with the cycle in 11th grade, leaving 12th to either do yr 1 again (ancients, which I REALLY do not care for, but then, I'm not the one that counts!), or basically be free to do whatever we want for that year. My question is, since we have an extra year to mess with, should we take 2 years to go through yr 2? Maybe we could do all of R level in 9th if we split it up (units 1 and 2 in 9th and 3 and 4 in 10th), because I don't think they're ready to do all of R level in 9th at full pace (at least one of them is NOT ready...). If we do all 4 units in 9th, I'd probably do mostly D level and a few of the lit choices for R level. Any thoughts out there from TOGers? What would you do? And let me say, while my boys are not behind, they lean more towards math and science, and history/lit/humanities is not their strong suit. Because of this, I have bounced around all year between ditching TOG for high school and doing BJU for history and lit, but being a lit and history lover, I just can't seem to be ok with textbooks!! I do, however, think they would be happier with the 1 textbook, get it done history.... Help!! Any suggestions? Thanks, Holly

Okay!! Thanks, Freesia! I like it!! I think I forget how little history most kids have in ps...I probably need to quit obsessing!

You know, I was just outside mowing, thinking about my "problems" with school, and I think part of it is, well, I really don't like ancient and middle ages history! Thinking back 4 years ago, I was a bit all over the place then too. By the time we switched to TOG, we were starting year 3, which gets me to where I like history! So, I think you're right. I think I will slog through the next year or so on our own, using MOH and Spielvogel West Civ as a spine and throw in whatever I want extra (like Famous Men series) just to get to exploration...which in TOG, is actually not that far off. I think yr 2 unit 2? Maybe they'll be ready for R level by then. I know I should like ancient history because of the Bible history, but TOG has about 6 weeks of the first unit studying the temple and Jewish holidays....no offense, please, but that just seems like OVERKILL!!! That's what sent me over the edge running half tilt looking for something else. I'm feeling a TOG peace coming on.....everything done for me.... Would it be wrong just to skip year 1? LOL Thanks, Elizabeth! Oh, yeah, I have twin boys. They're 13, soon to be 14 (8th grade). One of them is a very good student, and the other, well.... Not that he isn't smart, he just thinks he already knows everything and doesn't need to read or study! He's always SHOCKED when he scores poorly on tests! I haven't looked into how to "fill out" my sig, but we're using Chalkdust pre-Algebra (one kiddo is almost done and ready for Algebra I--guess which kiddo...); BJU space and earth; CLE for grammar, spelling, copywork; WWS I, almost ready for II, but will switch to Writing Aids if we go back to TOG--I'm getting tired of so many different books; BJU lit for lit analysis since we stopped TOG, with historical fiction thrown in there too. Ummm, what else, well, Bible reading along with MOH and whatever else of a mess I've gotten myself into since stopping TOG....lots of Ancient Greece, China, and Rome books that I'll throw at them. Just. Get. Past. Ancient!!

Elizabeth, I threw MOH at them because I wanted to do the Bible timeline along with history, and MOH is really the only text I knew that did that. I'm adding Bible reading and the Early Times series (which I really like) and historical fiction along with it. It's going ok, and the boys like it (most likely because it's easy), but I'm having them read several lessons every day which will put us in the Middle Ages by January. Then I got thinking....yes, waaay too much thinking going on here (which is why I need something to guide me)....why not just have them read through all 3 MOH this year--easy enough as just a narrative--and then we would be good to start on American history next year!! And yes, I know about Biblioplan. In fact, just today I was thinking I should look into it again ( I tried it several years ago), but it seems rather light for high school. I don't know. I'm telling you, I had 2 years of peace with TOG. I never even looked at anything else. Now that I'm back to looking, I'm confusing the heck out of myself. Grrrrr!!! I want TOG, but I really don't like the book selections for D level for the next year or 2. I REALLY want something they can do on their own. I'm pretty busy helping dh with his hydroponic side biz. (This is the man who has an engineering degree and an MBA, and all he wants to do is grow lettuce! Ack! Thank goodness for his day job!) Maybe I'll look at BP again...but I already own TOG 3 and 4, so.....

Thanks, Elizabeth. (If you remember, I'm the one who went to school with your hubby--chalkboard eraser throwing...) We've been using TOG for the last 2 years, but I was feeling a little overwhelmed looking at the Rhetoric level, so that's when I decided to do 2 years American history followed by 2 years of world history using BJU for high school. I agree with note taking with the harder text; however, I was kind of liking the thought of NOT doing any reading with them. That's how TOG is. Just the discussions. We're doing BJ's earth and space this year, and it's going well with them reading on their own and me going over the comprehension questions with them. I was thinking that's what I would do with BJ's history, but I'm not sure they could handle the 11th grade text on their own. I'd have to read it with them and help them outline. Right now, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. We finished the 4 year cycle of TOG last year, and I'm a bit all over the place this year trying to pull stuff together myself. IDK--maybe I should just return to TOG and quit stressing myself out! It's just that the textbooks look so nice and tidy, but then I get bored thinking about doing it with them! LOL...bleh... The problem with TOG right now is, the D level is looking a little too easy for them (especially literature), but the R level looks, well, that ain't happenin' for a while... :( it looks VERY difficult. I heard they were working on a bridge between the 2 levels, but I haven't seen anything yet. We started this year with yr 1 of TOG, D level, but it was soooooo boring.... Anyway, right now I'm throwing MOH at them while I try to figure out a plan for high school...a plan like public school, maybe, mayhaps? :) Thanks for your thoughts and hope all is well in OH! Holly

Any thoughts on America: The World's Last Best Hope? I love the way it reads, but not sure if the "facts" come through. There was also another one suggested on this forum, but I can't remember the name of it. Something like Patriot's History...IDK

Hmm, ok. Thanks. Out of curiosity, which college texts did you use?

I'm planning on using the new Read with the Best American literature and comp program next year with my boys who will be in the 9th grade. It is a 2 year program, and she suggests using Hakim's History of Us over 2 years along with it. We already read those a couple of years ago. So...I want to use BJU's American history program, but I'm not sure if I should use the 8th grade or 11th grade text. I am planning on using the activity books along with the text and adding in historical fiction and biographies during those 2 years (9th and 10th). Since it will be spread out, I was thinking about using the 11th grade version. But, it is an 11th grade text (looks kinda hard for a 9th grader), and since I will be adding to it, I don't want to overwhelm them. I have one dc that would probably be ok, but the other one will probably just let his eyes go over the words and say he read it...hmmm... So, that makes me lean toward the 8th grade text "beefed up." My question is, since this will be their high school American history, will they be missing anything major by using the 8th grade text? Does the 11th text have info that is important to know before they graduate that the 8th doesn't have? But then I think about Hakim's History of Us, and I can't imagine BJU's 8th text would be easier than that. ??? Any thoughts? Thanks! Holly

Several years ago my brother in law, who worked for AIG at the time, gave me a complete set of the God's Design series. It is the older version. I was thinking about using the chemistry and physical science ones, but the new ones look so much better! Does anyone know if the content is any different? Would it be a waste of money to buy the new ones just to get it in color and in better format?

Hmmmm....okay, thanks. I was afraid of this.

Is Exploration Education advanced level too easy for 9th grade physical science? How about Science Shepherd Life Science for 9th? Too easy?

Is the Advanced level of Exploration Education physical science too easy for 9th grade? It says 7th - 10th, but not sure...