Hello, I have exactly the same question. Were you able to learn anything?

Hi, thanks for your reply -- its sounds as if you switched from R&S to AG. Would you mind if I asked why?

Hello, I am seriously torn between TOG and Biblioplan and would be grateful for any help. I will be teaching a 6th grader and Kindergartner this year. We have used SOTW as a spine in the past with supplemental books, but history has been light and I'd like to offer my kids more than I have in the past -- especially the 6th grader, who is a voracious reader and history lover. We've never used a set curriculum before, and the idea of starting something new is also appealing to us given the significant transition our home school will experience this year (our 9th grader will be going to school -- we will miss him! -- and our K-er will be joining our home school). I have perused samples of both programs and read as much as I can, on these boards and elsewhere. I know some families who use TOG and like it a lot, and some who have used it and disliked it. I don't know anyone personally who has used Biblioplan (which I heard of only a few months ago). I believe TOG has a great many more users than Biblioplan, and this also makes me wonder: If Biblioplan offers much of the best of TOG without the overcomplication and excess, why aren't more people using it? (Or are they?) (Is there safety in numbers? :)) I don't want to overdo history or spend all my time planning, but I definitely want to offer my daughter (who would be dialectic in TOG) the most I can. My main concerns about TOG are: Will it overwhelm and burn us out (as it seems to do to so many people), so that we do not get the benefit of it? Or will it take more time than we want to devote to history, so we end up using only a small fraction of what is offered? Either would be a very disappointing result, especially given its (to me) exhorbitant price tag. My main concerns about Biblioplan are: Does it offer fewer resources and less analysis and insight than TOG (both for parent and child), so that I will regret not having gone for more? Many thanks for any insights you can provide!

Bump:)

My dd has been doing R&S grammar (we use it primarily for grammar and skip most of the writing sections) for a couple of years, but we are a year behind. Last year she was in 5th grade and we did book 4. This year she will be in 6th so we would be doing book 5. Somehow we got off track in the years, and last year when I asked if she could skip ahead to her grade level, the R&S people advised me not to skip book 4 because it contained important material. Anyway -- we like R&S, although it is a bit repetitive (which is not a bad thing), and a bit dry. But it is annoying to my daughter to be "behind" by a year, and I'm not sure how to solve this problem if we continue with R&S. I'm considering switching to Analytical Grammar for 6-8th, which would resolve the grade-level issue, and might also be a refreshing change. However, I am wondering if AG offers the same rigor and thoroughness of R&S. Any insights into these programs (especially if you have used both) would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

This started plaguing my fruit-loving son about 2 years ago, when he was 12. One thing I find challenging is that his symptoms seem to wax and wane depending upon the fruit and the season, so it is hard for me to tell what is and is not OK for him to eat. Also, sometimes I think a particular fruit may bother him, but he may eat it anyway because he wants to. For example, I recall him saying that pineapple and cherries bothered him a good deal in the past, but this summer he has been eating them. Now that I think about it, this summer he has really been eating everything: nectarines, peaches, plums, apples -- that he avoided in the past year or two. Since his symptoms are not visible (mainly itchy mouth and throat), there isn't really a way for me to monitor what is going on, other than by a reaction that he reports. Is it healthy for him to eat fruits that give him an itchy feeling? Could it possibly exacerbate the syndrome?

I too am torn between TOG and Biblioplan, and would love to hear more pros and cons of each (especially from folks who have tried both!). I do not feel I would use everything offered by TOG, so it is hard to justify the expense and extra planning time. However -- it gives me pause that Biblioplan seems to have significantly fewer users and recognition than TOG. I have heard of TOG for years, whereas I only learned of Biblioplan a few months ago. I guess my question is, if Biblioplan offers the best of TOG without the excess, why aren't more people using it?

Thank you for these helpful responses! We've never used a pre-planned curriculum before, so we are treading carefully. We would like one that allows students of different levels to be studying the same period, which is why we are considering only TOG and Biblioplan. I don't think MFW offers this same option, and we do want something more for our little guy this year than just tagging along (which is the story of his life so far :). I didn't understand what you meant about using book lists from TOG. Is there a way to use the book lists without buying the curriculum? Also, do the book lists provide descriptions of the books that are helpful in choosing among them? Any further input on distinguishing these two programs would be greatly appreciated!

I am considering using a curriculum such as TOG or Biblioplan this year, after having used SOTW in the past. This year I will be teaching a 6th grader and a kindergartener. I think either TOG or Biblioplan might be a good fit for my older child, who is a voracious reader (and loves history). I would like to be able to have both kids learning about the same time period, however, and I am wondering which curriculum does a better job with the young ones -- which offers more for their level?