Would you still use TOG if you had no library?

[ALB]

Just thinking way ahead, I LOVE the look of TOG, but has anyone used it that needed to purchase every title? I'm thinking of buying the books, then reselling them once my youngest has done that level. Does anyone do that successfully? We have no English library here!

[TracyP]

If I was in your shoes I would use SOTW either by itself or with TOG for your first cycle through. TOG schedules SOTW on its alternate resource page. I would have a hard time buying all those books for such young kids. When it came to 5th grade and up I would go ahead and buy the books. JMO!

 

On the other hand, if you decide to go for it, you do not need EVERY book they list - not even close. So make sure you get your hands on TOG before you buy books so you can just pick the ones you need.

[bethben]

I like buying the books even though we have a decent library. I just like to not have to rely on the library and fuss about it.

 

I have a ds starting LG with kindergarten (he's joining big brother who is in UG). I'm only having him do the literature books for the first half and then only adding in the history core books to that. He's got enough other stuff to do with learning to read fluently, write, add, ect...I started big brother in 3rd grade and found that to be plenty early.

 

Beth

[Shelly in the Country]

I use TOG without the library. We buy all our books. I mostly buy for my 10yo though. I rely primarily on SOTW1 as scheduled in TOG for my 6yo. I cherry picked a few titles that looked good for him.

[HollyDay]

For my budget, no, I would not. We have a very poor library and I would need to purchase quite a bit. I have looked at TOG and seriously considered it. But, I just cannot make it work.

[Guest ToGMom]

In my experience, the hardest year to find books at the library is Year 1. There just isn't much out there that librarys will purchase for LG and UG -- I did find a few D level books but by-and-large, the library only had R level books for Year 1.

 

We have found that we prefer to purchase the books -- knowing that we are building a great library and that we will use them over and over again.

[frankcassiesmom]

If I could afford it, I'd buy the books and I'd love EVERY minute of it!!!

[bcanode]

I would use TOG even without a library. I used to rely on the library, but I've joined a co-op with 10 families. Since we all arel using the same library system, I can't rely on the books being at the library. I've bought most of my books used and love having them here versus trying to get to the library.

[Gooblink]

We started TOG 2 years ago when my boys were UG/LG and I bought all the books and sold them, successfully, when I was finished. Having said that, there were several titles that we could have done well without and books I've discovered since that I feel do a better job illustrating the topic.

 

Your kids are very young, and I agree with a previous poster who said she'd use SOTW as your main text. SOTW is engaging and quite thorough for its targeted age.

 

I do try to buy the multi-unit/multi-year books, but have abandoned the practice of buying it all. :)

[Wendy in ME]

I also like to purchase the books. I have four boys so they will be well used and I hate having to go to the library.

[mrsrevmeg]

I like buying the books myself. I had planned on keeping all of ours. We actually had a woman ask about buying our books. I think they sell fairly easy. You could post them here or the TOG forum and get them sold.

[Quiver0f10]

I buy all our books too. I justify it by knowing they will get used over again. It's really nice not having to worry about the library.

[specialmama]

I buy 99% of the books and resell (a selection of them) when we're done. It's worth it even for one child using TOG! I just hate always having to go to the library and then there's the hassle of books not coming in on time, books that you can't keep for more than 3 weeks because someone else has reserved them, overdue fines, lost books, etc. Besides, so many of their selections are ones you'd want to own anyways; they're just beautiful books! I consider good books an investment.

[Aubrey]

I'm thinking about TOG for the fall of 2011, when my oldest will be in 5th g. Thinking about the cost & the books has been very all-consuming, but then I realized--if I'd treated the supplementary materials in SOTW/WTM w/ as much reverence/importance as TOG, *that* would be an expensive program, too.

 

So. I've had a lot of time on my hands w/ a sprained ankle. I went thr SOTW 4 from the pt we're at now & put all the titles that I thought I *might* be interested in on a wishlist on Amazon. In the process, I came across a lot of others that look great & added them, too. I read descriptions, customer reviews, looked at sample pages, & I looked at the cost.

 

Ultimately, I've realized that some topics just don't justify a $20 book that is ultimately priced so high because it has so little demand. For those, I'll keep an eye out for something similar at library sales, use the library, or...I don't know...go w/out?

 

But since I've realized that there are some I won't really care to own & others that sound so completely wonderful I want them *now,* lol, I've started requesting them from the library (the SOTW books) now, so I can preview them before the time comes that we need them. If they're awesome, I won't have that sinking feeling that I don't *really* want to spend $12 on ONE book that we're already 3/4 thr w/ anyway. Even though I *know* we'll read it again. (Spreading out costs, kwim?)

 

This doesn't really answer OP's question. I got the impression that you're overseas--I guess because there's no *English* library? Anyway, obviously you can't do what I'm talking about, & I have no official experience w/ TOG.

 

Wouldn't it be nice if you could rent the lot of books? All $1000 worth for a yr for, say, $250 + shipping. Except, after 4dc, it'd be a wash for me. And really, it's the # of kids we've got that starts making me think again about buying books.

 

Anyway, if you DO decide to do TOG, I really have loved looking at everything on Amazon first. It might give you a good idea of a couple of books you don't *have* to buy. Or you could look thr the books you've already got for something similar. (If TOG works that way.)

 

In the end? Part of me would love to live where I had the excuse to buy more books AND use a curric that fed that habit. :lol:

[lovinmomma]

My plan (with us living overseas without the benefit of a library) is to purchase books used for multiple weeks, books that are attached to literature worksheets, and a few that I just REALLY want or think fill a gap. I also will be buying an encyclopedia or two. To fill in the gaps I will use SOTW which you can usually get for cheap. ;)

[HSMom2One]

I have one UG child at home and we are using TOG YR 1 this year. We do not use a library because the closest libraries to our rural home charge a hefty annual fee for those not living in city limits, and they are somewhat small libraries that don't have all of the necessary books when we need them anyway. I'm glad for this actually, because I like having our own books on our own library shelf so we don't have to worry about due dates, etc. and because a great many of the books are worth owning.

 

We either buy or mooch online from book swapping sites. Some of the books are beautiful picture books that have made lovely gifts for giving others when we were done with them. Still others have been recycled on the said book swapping sites, while others will be sold at the end of the year as used books for TOG YR 1 users that are in the market. I have sold books on a couple of different websites and expect that I will be able to do this.

 

I am very happy with this arrangement because we love TOG and we love owning good books. If you keep your eye out on various books sites, you can find bargains and set them aside. I already have close to twenty books set aside for next year, and nearly all of them have come from book swap sites so I've gotten them essentially for free.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[Gooblink]

The thought of renting books reminds me...there is a place that works like Netflix, called Bookswim.com. I have a friend who loves it, though I haven't used it myself. She said you can request titles, too, and they'll often acquire them to add to their offerings.

 

Might work well if you are not near a library and don't want to buy all the books.

[johnandtinagilbert]

Yes. So many people buy and sell the books, it's not hard to find them...they do go quickly when sold at discount prices, so keep your eyes open!

[siloam]

Just thinking way ahead, I LOVE the look of TOG, but has anyone used it that needed to purchase every title? I'm thinking of buying the books, then reselling them once my youngest has done that level. Does anyone do that successfully? We have no English library here!

 

I don't go to the library. They are very strict and I had tones of problems with them, so I quit going years ago.

 

I buy every, most of it used the rest on the Amazon buy 4 for the price of 3 sale.

 

Heather