Questions using TOG 1 with grammar level

[A.J. at J.A.]

Okay, we started TOG 1 this year with my 3rd & 5th grade boys. It is going well, but I was just curious about something. I have TRIED to read all of the teacher notes for each week and there just ISN'T TIME! Is that truly expected of someone that is teaching it at the elementary/grammar level or is that mainly for someone who is supposed to converse with an older student?

 

I guess I"m wanting some reassurance that I'm not completely wasting our TOG years. We are reading most of the books (we like read alouds), doing at least one activity per week's lesson, doing a "fact" sheet (6-8 facts based on the Ancient History Encyclopedia book reading), mapwork and timeline. Is that good enough? As I type it here it looks like it should be good enough, but then when I look at the first blue page where it tells the children what to "look for" in their reading for that topic, I don't always see that the answers to their questions are obvious to me.

 

I'm a math person - history/geography has never been my strong suit but my kids LOVE it so we are enjoying learning it together.

 

Okay, here's a good one. We just started Unit 2 of TOG Year 1 and there was a section where the kids were supposed to read a Buddhist story and write down what question comes to their mind and what their teacher's answer was to it. Also, to answer the question, "how do we know this is a myth?" "What is something in the Bible that helps us refute this story?" (I'm paraphrasing horribly but am too lazy to get up and look at the actual wording). Anyway, I feel completely INADEQUATE to answer these types of questions, while I am a firm believer in Christianity I have not studied up on apologetics (as we're going to as the boys get older) and just don't feel equipped to answer these questions and didn't see anything to help in the teacher's notes. Frankly, I would like to know the answers too! I definitely don't want to poopoo the boys questions either. Anyway...help!?!

 

Anyway, how do you "do" TOG for the elementary/grammar level? Am I on target?

 

Thanks!

Angela

[johnandtinagilbert]

I find that using the suggested books for LG are enough, but once headed into UG and above, the Teacher's Notes help a great deal, particularly for a mom like me who didn't get the greatest history education. Although I haven't used year 1 (only 2 and 3, so far), I have not yet come across something that wasn't answered in the teacher's notes. I have sometimes discovered the answers after the Teacher's Notes, though in the section labeled "Literature."

 

On another thought, why not allow your time with TOG increase as you go through the levels with your children. Your description of what you do sounds like plenty to me. You can spend more time in the Teacher's Notes when you need them -- and you will need them for discussion once you enter the Dialectic Stage. They are invaluable.

 

Many of us are learning now too! You're definitely not alone there!

[mamato3 all-boy boys]

I've learned to follow the threads and really look at that to focus on what we need to learn for the week. Remember TOG was written by a mom who was hanging on to her last thread, homeschooling a high schooler with youngers hanging on. So, much of the overarching information is geared towards the older students.

 

I have an UG and LG -- 1st and 5th grader as well. I find that I teach to the 5th grader, and the 1st grader gets all sorts of extra information thrown in for fun. This is our second time through the time period, so I have bumped my 5th grader up to a few D level literature books, but the literature worksheets are too far over his head. I am Ok with that, though, because the books have really been great.

 

I do *try* to read the teacher's notes before our week begins, and highlight information that is pertinent to their learning threads. That helps me to week out all the other information.

 

Good luck. TOG is a wonderful resource and it takes time to figure out how to make it work for you.

 

Blessings,

[heart'sjoy]

For grammar history I picked one main thing I wanted the child to catch per unit.

 

Example:

Y1 Unit? Ancient Greece - The spread of the Greek language with Alexander the Great allowed the Bible to be spread in a common language.

 

Y1 Unit? Ancient Rome-The Roman network or roads and persecution of Christians allowed the Bible to spread into Europe

 

For child in upper grammar with some history reading in Dialectic, I pick a few points in the history discussion to talk about as we put in a few of the timeline events/ about 35-45 minutes a week.

 

If I'm not understanding the discussion as I make assignments the week before I read in the teachers notes. Sometimes I assign parts of the teacher notes to be read by the child if I think their reading is not detailed enough to prepare them for the Friday discussion.

[siloam]

Okay, we started TOG 1 this year with my 3rd & 5th grade boys. It is going well, but I was just curious about something. I have TRIED to read all of the teacher notes for each week and there just ISN'T TIME! Is that truly expected of someone that is teaching it at the elementary/grammar level or is that mainly for someone who is supposed to converse with an older student?

 

I guess I"m wanting some reassurance that I'm not completely wasting our TOG years. We are reading most of the books (we like read alouds), doing at least one activity per week's lesson, doing a "fact" sheet (6-8 facts based on the Ancient History Encyclopedia book reading), mapwork and timeline. Is that good enough? As I type it here it looks like it should be good enough, but then when I look at the first blue page where it tells the children what to "look for" in their reading for that topic, I don't always see that the answers to their questions are obvious to me.

 

I'm a math person - history/geography has never been my strong suit but my kids LOVE it so we are enjoying learning it together.

 

Okay, here's a good one. We just started Unit 2 of TOG Year 1 and there was a section where the kids were supposed to read a Buddhist story and write down what question comes to their mind and what their teacher's answer was to it. Also, to answer the question, "how do we know this is a myth?" "What is something in the Bible that helps us refute this story?" (I'm paraphrasing horribly but am too lazy to get up and look at the actual wording). Anyway, I feel completely INADEQUATE to answer these types of questions, while I am a firm believer in Christianity I have not studied up on apologetics (as we're going to as the boys get older) and just don't feel equipped to answer these questions and didn't see anything to help in the teacher's notes. Frankly, I would like to know the answers too! I definitely don't want to poopoo the boys questions either. Anyway...help!?!

 

Anyway, how do you "do" TOG for the elementary/grammar level? Am I on target?

 

Thanks!

Angela

 

Angela,

 

You sound more on top of TOG than I am!

 

I rarely get to the teacher notes, I will have to make the time when we get back to year 1 and my oldest is in Dialect, but until then I am not even trying. ;)

 

My oldest three do mapping, only my oldest does timeline, and right now NO ONE does any questions. I read aloud while the kiddo's eat, we discuss right there if anything needs to be. My oldest does additional reading that I assign, and we talk if one of us feels the need (most of the time I ask her what she like about the book type questions). My oldest does the UG or D level literature and my 2nd dd reads the LG level literature.

 

Right now we are on a paper doll kick (Dolls of the 30's, 40's, 50's...) so we aren't doing other crafts.

 

At this age it really is about exposure (there is a bigger world out there), I personally would assure you that there is plenty of time to be academic. You don't have to overly worry about skipping stuff. The better thing would be to keep it light and fun so that they enjoy history and want to continue to cover it.

 

Heather

[lovemykids]

Angela,

 

You sound more on top of TOG than I am!

 

I rarely get to the teacher notes, I will have to make the time when we get back to year 1 and my oldest is in Dialect, but until then I am not even trying. ;)

 

My oldest three do mapping, only my oldest does timeline, and right now NO ONE does any questions. I read aloud while the kiddo's eat, we discuss right there if anything needs to be. My oldest does additional reading that I assign, and we talk if one of us feels the need (most of the time I ask her what she like about the book type questions). My oldest does the UG or D level literature and my 2nd dd reads the LG level literature.

 

Right now we are on a paper doll kick (Dolls of the 30's, 40's, 50's...) so we aren't doing other crafts.

 

At this age it really is about exposure (there is a bigger world out there), I personally would assure you that there is plenty of time to be academic. You don't have to overly worry about skipping stuff. The better thing would be to keep it light and fun so that they enjoy history and want to continue to cover it.

 

Heather

 

Hijacking here. :o

Heather,

How long does your TOG day take?

 

Angela,

What about yours?

 

I know it varies etc., but I am curious. :tongue_smilie:

 

Angela,

One more question for you, how do you feel your children are enjoying TOG compared to SL?

Edited January 14, 2010 by lovemykids

[A.J. at J.A.]

Hijacking here. :o

Heather,

How long does your TOG day take?

 

Angela,

What about yours?

 

I know it varies etc., but I am curious. :tongue_smilie:

 

Angela,

One more question for you, how do you feel your children are enjoying TOG compared to SL?

 

I think I might have mislead...I actually have only successfully read one week's worth of the teacher's notes (even though we're now like on week 12 or something like that)...I just couldn't process them and they take a lot of quiet reading time - which I don't have much of. I guess I'm wanting to know that's "ok" that I don't get to those when my kids are in the grammar level.

 

We usually do history four days a week 15m-60m a day. Depending on if we have an activity or not.

 

We only used SL LA and always used SOTW for history before. DS #1, "says TOG is 'way better' because it goes into more detail and he's learning stuff he never learned before." He's my history nut. Little guy likes the projects.

 

Blessings,

Angela

[johnandtinagilbert]

I think I might have mislead...I actually have only successfully read one week's worth of the teacher's notes (even though we're now like on week 12 or something like that)...I just couldn't process them and they take a lot of quiet reading time - which I don't have much of. I guess I'm wanting to know that's "ok" that I don't get to those when my kids are in the grammar level.

 

We usually do history four days a week 15m-60m a day. Depending on if we have an activity or not.

 

We only used SL LA and always used SOTW for history before. DS #1, "says TOG is 'way better' because it goes into more detail and he's learning stuff he never learned before." He's my history nut. Little guy likes the projects.

 

Blessings,

Angela

Sounds like you're doin' just fine for now! Be encouraged!

[siloam]

Hijacking here. :o

Heather,

How long does your TOG day take?

 

 

 

I read about 15 mins at lunch each day.

 

The girls do the mapping independently. I list 1-2 places for them to map on their independent worksheets each day, if they have problems finding them on the atlases we have they ask me for the answer key, which I have printed out and ready to go, so I just hand it to them.

 

My oldest does 1-2 timeline figures a day, without assistance.

 

The literature reading they do on their own.

 

Oh! I do use the Vocab too, they have to do 2-3 vocab cards a day, so they catch me and parrot them to me while I do something else.

 

Grand total of 15-20 mins a day.

 

Now if we are talking prep work, that takes more time, but I adore planning, so I don't really count it.

 

Heather

[lovemykids]

Thank you, Angela, for allowing me to hijack your thread, and for answering my question.

Okay, so you only use SL LA, interesting. That is the first time I have heard of that. I am going back and forth on SL LA, I like it and then I don’t. Overall, I would say we are enjoying it, my girls love it. (both of my girls are doing the writing portion together, but they also have other LA materials)

Sometimes it only takes you fifteen minutes?! :) Way better is good! LOL.

 

Heather,

Wow! Fifteen or twenty minutes; I’m astounded. I’m completely floored, and slightly jealous. Obviously, I haven’t completely ruled TOG out. I love to plan, but there are so many things to do when you have four children. (I am actually organizing everything right now, at one-something in the morning- :blink: my kids are so messy.) So, cutting down on prep time would be nice as well.

Thanks for your reply!

[A.J. at J.A.]

Thank you, Angela, for allowing me to hijack your thread, and for answering my question.

Okay, so you only use SL LA, interesting. That is the first time I have heard of that. I am going back and forth on SL LA, I like it and then I don’t. Overall, I would say we are enjoying it, my girls love it. (both of my girls are doing the writing portion together, but they also have other LA materials)

 

I used SL LA until last year. I was not pleased with the writing portion and didn't feel it gave me, as the teacher, enough information to actually teach writing. So, I use their book list, which I LOVE, and use R&S Grammar, which I LOVE, and have added IEW, which I LOVE - even my boys like it! So, we've done a bit of a switch on SL and moved away from it this year.

 

Thanks so much everyone for the encouragement!! It really helps me!

 

Blessings,

Angela

[siloam]

Heather,

Wow! Fifteen or twenty minutes; I’m astounded. I’m completely floored, and slightly jealous. Obviously, I haven’t completely ruled TOG out. I love to plan, but there are so many things to do when you have four children. (I am actually organizing everything right now, at one-something in the morning- :blink: my kids are so messy.) So, cutting down on prep time would be nice as well.

 

Thanks for your reply!

 

Right now I don't have a lot of choice. The basics come first and take up all my time.

 

Heather

 

[lovemykids]

Angela,

We use IEW as well. My girls love it; I am not sure how I feel about it. I think it’s cute that they can work together and enjoy so many of the same things. I do know that I like Wordsmith, and I think we will enjoy using The Lively Art of Writing (we haven't used it yet).

Heather,

I know how that is. We sometimes read history very late at night, just to fit it in. (and they beg to read just one more chapter)

[Pretty in Pink]

To the OP-

 

I picked up TOG with my oldest last year (5th grade), so he was UG. This year I have a 1st grader as well (though he doesn't really do TOG, we just do SOTW + AG). I don't think the TOG teacher's notes are necessary for the most part during the LG stage. I did use them last year with my UG child, and now that he is is the D stage I use the heck out of my notes. I try to read them through completely each week; sometimes I do better than others though.

 

I think what you're doing sounds good.

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

I recommend the Teacher Notes as well or even grabbing the spine for upper grammar (or the level of your choice) and refreshing yourself on the main topics.