Ok, you Trisms people, you've peaked my interest.Comparisons between TOG and Trisms?

[Shelly in IL]

Please and thank you. Now it appears that Trisms is even more expensive than TOG (yikes!!). Does Trisms use whole books for literature, or only excerpts? It mentions that the lit. selections are included in the teacher's manual. Does that mean that kids don't have full books?

 

Now the initial investment looks quite high. The cost of the program plus the cost of the additional resources. Is it worth it? Thanks for the review.

[Linda in NM]

Hmm...I used TOG classic for two years (5th and 6th grade) and now use Trisms' HistoryMakers. First, I think Trisms for highschool (Ancient World, for example) is possibly cheaper than TOG, and it does include all the excerpts. Recommended readings (one/unit) can be found in the library if you don't want to buy them, although the pricing between the two was pretty comparable, I think....

 

Is it worth it? For us, yes. My son (science/math hockey boy) enjoys the research (self-directed, on the computer)...I like the map work, the content of the questionnaires, the recommended readings, the timeline...

 

What TOG has that Trisms doesn't is a Biblical worldview...also, TOG has all that information on topics and time periods, as well as the leading questions about literary analysis (which I do miss). Trisms doesn't have lots of hands-on activities, and, since my son is not a crafty guy, he's happy.

[jg_puppy]

I have been wondering how the discussion questions in TOG compare with the questionnaires in Trisms.

 

Jan

[Linda in NM]

Trisms doesn't include literary analysis questions...

[Shelly in IL]

My children enjoy projecty type things (well 3rd grader does anyway!) and 7th grader would probably as well. I worry about Trisms not offering anything for my 3rd grader.

 

I love the sound of Trisms; however, and do like the idea that religion isn't integral (as we are Catholic and do our own religion), but I guess TOG would be the way to go for us?? Right? I still have a bit of reading to do on Trisms and could be talked into it, though!! Who's indecisive?? I think we probably couldn't go wrong with either - they both seem fantastic!

[Linda in NM]

Have you looked at WinterPromise, Shelly? I like it because it comes from a Charlotte Mason perspective; if I were the student, I'd pick their programs over Trisms any day, but my son is the student, and he doesn't want to do any crafts. They include strong language arts programs, too...

[Jenny in Atl]

I'm struggling with choosing Trisms over SL.. I am secular and have used SL in combination with SOTW for the last 6 years. SL has become too easy/known/boring/not sure why - for my dd12, and Trisms looks interesting. I would use History Markers and just skip over the time periods we have covered with SL 6 & History Odyssey (ancient & Middle Ages). But, I can't decide! I know for sure we would go back to SL for 8th to do Core 100, and then if she stays home for HS I would switch back to Trisms for 9th-12th...

 

I don't know what to do... and I hate feeling so lost in all these choices.

:willy_nilly::willy_nilly::willy_nilly:

[Carmen_and_Company]

I find TRISMS more geared towards logic stage dc. I'm using the research worksheets with my 11 yo. I tried to beef up TRISMs for my highschooler and abandoned it during 10th grade--just too much tweaking & supplementing for rhetoric stage dc, but perfect for logic stage.

 

As far as cost, TOG is a much better buy, as TRISMs is a weekly outline of assignments with included mapwork & research worksheets. TOG offers back ground information for parents, higher level critical thinking, much more extensive map, vocabulary work, and writing assignments. TOG includes projects for those who like that sort of thing, where TRISMs does not.

 

I bought all my TRISMs materials off EBAY for $50 or less per volume.

[Shelly in IL]

Well, here is what I like about the sounds of TOG: Socratic method of teaching with helps to actually get you to ask the right questions to open dialog; integrated writing assignments; literature strongly incorporated; questions/answers for discussion; ability to fold in 3rd grader; uses actual books; fosters independent study; fun sides to round out learning (we haven't been very fun for a couple years); has all the info I would need to teach K-highschool - wouldn't have to buy again.

 

What I like about Trisms: seems easier to use, not as large of teacher workload, questions/answers for discussion; fosters independent study; includes science (which isn't really a huge plus for us as we use Apologia); Bible not as important; uses IEW - never used it, sounds like it would be good.

 

What I don't like TOG: a big learning curve for the teacher, Bible history a foundation for program (we are Catholic, I don't know how big a deal this really is, we really are interested in Biblical content, just want to make sure it corresponds with out beliefs and teachings); alot of expense to gather all the peripherals

 

What I don't like about Trisms: not as easy to fold in 3rd grade ds; not sure they use complete books, looks like it uses excerpts (I may be all wet, here, but that's what it looks like from the website), not as much literature study

 

So, am I missing something? It looks like TOG wins from what my pros and cons are. These decisions are so hard! Thanks for the read

[Shelly in IL]

Thanks

[rafiki]

.

[Linda in NM]

Well, I used TOG for two years, and we're currently using Trisms...I didn't sense the fostering of independent work from TOG--not like we do from Trisms. My son loves the research aspect of Trisms. I think you're right about the Bible worldview (esp. in the early volumes). I don't think you'd have any problems with it as RCs, though--we're Episcopalian, and I wasn't offended in any way...

 

I think that Trisms has just as much lit study; just not the questions from TOG. I find the questions limiting--just a different perspective. We prefer discussing the readings starting with narrative and developing from there...

[Shelly in IL]

I am just so wishy washy, here, sorry. Now you have me feeling some love for Trisms.

 

I have to ask about my (soon to be) 3rd grader. How hard would it be to fold him in? He is above level in reading, but I wouldn't say he is at a 5th grade level in maturity - so what do I do about him? Is there anything crafty about Trisms that he would enjoy? Anything, anything???...... Do you think, those of you have used TOG, that we could get some crafty things from them (Lapbooks, for example) and use them with the little for more fun and retention?

 

For those who use Trisms, how is the retention level going for your kids? Incidentally, my oldest is going into 7th and is an avid reader, so the excerpt portion doesn't scare me too much! Thanks so much

[Linda in NM]

Ah...sorry to contribute to your cognitive dissonance...I really want to use WP, but my son is such a Trisms' guy that I can't do that to him <sigh>...Crafty. Use the Evan-Moor history pockets books along with the time period studied--great hands-on history materials. You could always create lapbooks--my son tolerates those, and I plan to use them next year with Apologia biology for 9th grade...

 

The retention level works well for my son...my niece went through a fairly rigorous RC school in Albuquerque for Grades 1-8, and she has gaps my son doesn't have (she's in 9th; he's in 8th). We were playing some game over the holidays, and she did not know, for example, who Jack the Ripper was...(not that that's a huge issue, but just shows an example of what's missing that my son knows...)

[rafiki]

.

[M&M]

What I don't like TOG: a big learning curve for the teacher, Bible history a foundation for program (we are Catholic, I don't know how big a deal this really is, we really are interested in Biblical content, just want to make sure it corresponds with out beliefs and teachings); alot of expense to gather all the peripherals

 

 

 

 

There is a Catholic TOG users group. I think that Marcia is going to add some references to the Catholic Encyclopedia in the Y3 redesign. You can check the archives, but it seems that many Catholic users have little probelm with TOG. I think that the most obvious place for subsitutions would be the Reformation/Conter reformation.

 

I hope this helps, we are not Catholic, but we have friends that are and respect the Catholic pov.

[Shelly in IL]

Eldest ds, 12, will be in 7th next year

youngest ds, will be 9 in the fall (Oct. b-day) and will be in 3rd

[Shelly in IL]

When you used TOG did you use the Redesign? For anyone who has used the Redesign as opposed to Classic, did you notice if the independence increased from the way the had it set up? I really want to teach that independent learning!

 

I wish I could see these 2 programs side by side!!!

[Linda in NM]

I would think that the re-design would help--the original was just so unwieldy. Trisms is nicely laid out--you can see samples of the weekly schedule on their web site, and I believe TOG has a three-week sample of the new version available...

[Shelly in IL]

My eldest (soon to be 7th) has a great love for history, and thus is very well versed on most things we have studied this far (we have used SOTW and Veritas Press) up to Renaissance. Now if I plug him in in History Makers in 7th, the next course of study is Discovering the Ancient World for 8th grade. I plan (loosely, but still that is the plan) to send him to High School. Won't he be at a disadvantage if we keep going back to Ancients and he won't have thoroughly studied American history? It looks like Expansion of Civ., Rise of Nations, and Age of Revolution is high school.

 

Thanks and sorry I am so indecisive (actually, I'm not THAT indecisive, I just want to pick what is the best when I only have 2 more years at home with my son!!)

[Linda in NM]

Why not use HistoryMakers for 7th and 8th grade and start in the 1700s...you could add a focus of American History easily, using whatever resource you like (like Kingfisher's Encyclopedia or Hakim's History of the US)...we jumped over the 1800s (we've studied that century to death) to get to the 20th century...