Guest Cindie2dds Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I have been very intrigued by TOG. I have a ton of questions, but I would love for someone to tell me what it exactly is. Is it just a guidebook or is it similar to SOTW, just a different focus? Do you buy literature with it; how does is work? I am a visual person, so I would love to see it at a convention, but that's not going to happen. Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelly in IL Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 The Publisher of ToG. They have a 3 week downloadable sample that you can try on for size. That way you can have it in your hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cindie2dds Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 The Publisher of ToG. They have a 3 week downloadable sample that you can try on for size. That way you can have it in your hands. Shelly, I've seen that. It looked like a just a guidebook, albeit a very extensive one. It has different grade levels on every page, which is wonderful. I was really wanting to know if there is any text involved like SOTW or do you buy your text on your own (as in history and literature)? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 (edited) Here is a link to Lampstand Press that explains the program. And here is a link to a virtual hs conferece booth with more information. Dd and I will be using TOG for the first time this year and are really excited. We have already purchased a new but used printed set of Yr. 1 Redesigned, brand new Writing Aids, Map Aids and a full year Yr. 1 lapbook kits. My next step will be to get the Yr. 1 resource materials for upper grammar level (which includes SOTW which we will use as our primary history reference book), plus language arts books that are recommended by TOG. By the time I am done, I will have spent $860 for the entire Yr. 1 TOG, and I will still need to provide math, science and Latin curriculum. (The price varies if you buy some or all of it used, borrow from the library, etc.) Yes, it is expensive, but I am keeping in mind that the master books will be either used again in five years when dd is in 9th grade, or I will sell it and recoup most of the investment. (BTW, TOG has a very good resale value.) There are a number of TOG users on this forum, plus there are several TOG Yahoo groups that welcome people that want to learn more about the curriculum. There is also a very helpful forum on the Lampstand Press website that I've really appreciated, although it is far less active than this wonderful WTM board. Blessings, Lucinda Edited August 1, 2009 by HSMom2One Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cindie2dds Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Thank you for all the information, Lucinda. As far as the price goes, even if that is one child per year with no resale value, it is still 1/10 the cost of a local private school. While hard to come up with at one time, I can't think of money more well spent, IMveryHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Thank you for all the information, Lucinda. As far as the price goes, even if that is one child per year with no resale value, it is still 1/10 the cost of a local private school. While hard to come up with at one time, I can't think of money more well spent, IMveryHO. :iagree:I couldn't agree with you more. Best to you as you explore your options!! Blessings, Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siloam Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I have been very intrigued by TOG. I have a ton of questions, but I would love for someone to tell me what it exactly is. Is it just a guidebook or is it similar to SOTW, just a different focus? Do you buy literature with it; how does is work? I am a visual person, so I would love to see it at a convention, but that's not going to happen. Thanks in advance! Cindie, I my mind TOG is a source for integrating topics, so they all work together to support one another and complement one another. They do have a "first choice" of books to use as well as alternates. If you like though you can also go off grid and use something not listed on either as long as it lines up with the topics at hand. :D The 3 week sample is similar to what you get from DE, the big difference being you can scroll through an entire week at a time, instead of having to look at it as separate components. If you like what you see in the samples then you would like the real thing. If you can't make heads or tails of the samples then I doubt you would like the real thing, unless you were extremely driven by a specific goal you knew TOG would fill. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cindie2dds Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 If you like what you see in the samples then you would like the real thing. If you can't make heads or tails of the samples then I doubt you would like the real thing, unless you were extremely driven by a specific goal you knew TOG would fill. Hmm, since I can't make heads or tails of it from the sample, I think I'll wait a year or two until my legs are wet, not just my toes. :tongue_smilie: Thanks, Heather! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staci in MO Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 That's how I explain TOG most of the time. Most homeschoolers I know in real life have at least a passing knowledge of how Sonlight works. TOG is similar. Like Sonlight, TOG pulls in living books and historical fiction. But, you have a little more freedom as to what books to use (they give you a few choices. Sonlight is specific to the books they choose.) TOG also provides worksheets, discussion questions, and extensive background notes for the teacher. The price is just for the year plan. The books are separate. It's expensive but it's all reusable. That's it in a nutshell. I love TOG, but it's not for everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irizarry4 Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 This will be my first year homeschooling. At first, I couldn't make heads or tails of the online samples, until a friend of mine walked me through them. I ended up loving it. We did a mock week of it with my dc. I borrowed the sample week's books from the library, we read, we did some of the activities, colored maps. We read the teacher notes and had discussions about what we read. It felt very natural, and it was really flexible. I realized, we don't have to do all the activities listed, because the ones we ended up doing taught us new things. The kids learned lots of new vocabulary. It was fun. Mine are Lower G and Upper G, so I am not planning on TOG being very intense right now. But when we come back around, I'll have a really good feel for it. So if you want to wet your legs, have someone walk you through it. It just looks daunting at first. If you don't have someone close by. I'll be happy to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omma Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 I also fit in the camp of not liking TOG when I originally looked at the 3-week samples. I even printed them all out and stared at them for quite awhile (lol). It wasn't until someone loaned me their Y4 Classic and I actually checked out the books and looked over the Map Aids that I realized I really liked it a lot! So don't give up too easily! Brenda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tatertotschool Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 I'm just not getting it, so pardon me. If you were to start with year 1 and K, do you use it again in the 4th grade? What subjects do you need to add to make it a full year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy in ME Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 You will only need to add math, science, grammar, and a foreign language if you also use their writing or Rod and Staff English. We are using TOG to cover history, literature, geography, art, and world view / church history as well as writing assignments. We are using it for grades 1 through 7 this year with a p-k who listens in to the books that interest him and likes to color his own map. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.