TOG- a brief comment on how I've grown to like this curriculum

[battlemaiden]

I just wanted to say a word of encouragement to those looking into, or just starting out with Tapestry of Grace. Especially if you are teaching several grades.

 

I had a really hard time wrapping my mind around this curriculum. I almost gave up several times. But I'm not one to buy and pitch (mostly because I don't enjoy selling stuff online and I don't want to waste the money:D) so I stuck with it.

 

I will only say that this curriculum has somehow struck the perfect balance between rigor and flexibility that I wanted with my schooling philosophy. The socratic style discussion/lecture time has become a treasured time in our week. We make tea and snacks and we discuss the topic (they have finished all their readings and worksheets by this time).

 

I rarely do the crafts, but I can if I have the fancy. They give me the ideas, which for this artistically challenged person is essential.

 

I'm learning that I can let the kids read up or down out of their level without the world stopping- perfectionist moms unite! I can even substitute books if I think a fiction book would fit that period of history and it flows into the system nicely. I have skimmed over some weeks and taken two weeks on units that I find critical (Civil War and Reconstruction, etc.).

 

I just love it. But I didn't at first. I almost never visit their website- it hurts my head. It isn't the place to start, or spend any great amount of time, in my opinion. This is the type of curriculum that you just have to *DO* and then shape it, form it, into your family's rhythm.

 

I just had to share.

 

Jo

[specialmama]

:iagree: Sing it, sista!

[jewel7123]

Thank you for posting!

[battlemaiden]

I should also mention that my children have retained more information from this method than any other system I've used before. The lecture/discussion really knocks it out of the park. And since that is what I should be focusing on- not my usual method of "how is this going to cost me the least amount of pain :D- I'd say the start up cost has been absolutely worth it.

[johnandtinagilbert]

I couldn't agree more! I avoid the website too (although I have been using the Activities and Art links this year, a bit). I feel the same way! I loved your line about rigor and flexibility -- so true!

 

Nicely stated! Thanks for the encouragement!

[AmyinFL]

:DI looked at TOG for several years before I took the plunge, so happy now I did!

[mrsrevmeg]

My kids have retained soooo much since we statred TOG. It is awesome! I love to hear my three boys playing together and discussing something they have learned. It is great to have them all doing the same time period and same subject. They love to through each other's books and see the different perspectives of the same art etc. My oldest even get a kick out of going to some of the links on the TOG intended for younger kids and beating his brothers at the games.

[HerdingCats]

I've decided to take the plunge this fall with a small co-op. It sounds like just what I need in order to challenge my 8th grader and interest my younger boys while providing me with helps and a plan of action. I was on the website just last night listening to one of the tutorials. It sounds like just what we need! Thanks for posting!!

[ABQmom]

As I'm in the midst of planning TOG year 1 for the first time, you don't know how timely this post is! Thank you so, so much for sharing your thoughts. I will take the advice to stay away from the website--it hurts my head too!

[northcoast]

I've have been considering TOG. After using and really liking Sonlight's setup, I didn't figure I could pull this off. I do like what I see with the discussion type questions for TOG.

 

northcoast

ds - 11; dd - 8

[johnandtinagilbert]

I appreciate this, too. Everytime I consider TOG, I go to their website, and then get so confused I give up :blushing:. I've just figured it's not a good pick for someone organizationally-challenged like myself. Sounds like I should put it back in the running. It would meet our needs in so many ways, if I could just figure out how to implement it.

That's why you need TOG :) It takes that part out for you, so you can function :)

[Woodland_Mom]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I don't find the TOG website confusing at all--for me, it's the forums!! I can't seem to figure out where to post or where to go to read things! :confused::confused:

 

I purchased one unit of TOG in February to do some "practice planning" while I continue with my current curriculum. (I know that may seem crazy, but I needed to compare apples to apples!) When I first printed everything out, I thought, "This is really terrific, but it's, not for me." During the last few months, I've watched a couple of online training videos, read LOTS from the "general info" & "getting started" sections and pulled out various TOG week plans to study, compare and peruse. Each time I look at it, I warm up to it a little more.

 

I have a friend who uses TOG and couldn't say enough great things about the curriculum. She kept emphasizing the way a Christian worldview is woven throughout. (Love that!) She also greatly appreciates the flexibiltiy that TOG provides.

[dani3boys]

I also almost gave it up when I first started using it, but stuck with it, and now it's my favorite!

[Verity]

Like another poster I bought a unit of ToG and am now on the last week of it. I feel like I didn't actually get alot out of it but I think that's because I just didn't have the time to do all of the studying of the Teacher's Notes before each week began. I see a great value of those notes and discussion questions for the upper levels. For my elementary aged students with a variety of learning issues they were wasted. I have been trying to do a classical formula of education (centered around a systematic study of history and focusing on cultures, beliefs, and Great Books) while integrating alternative teaching methods and lots of hands-on assistance from me. I think ToG might be really useful when the boys are a bit older (my oldest is on the cusp but due to his Aspergers still struggles with being an independent student) but for now I was just as well with my History Odyssey 2 and SotW. In addition, some of the books recommended were a real bust around here, too many with busy, busy pages (those Usborne books overwhelm my ld kids) and I really wished for more information, a parents overview, of the novels assigned to my UG/Dialectic student.

 

I'm on the fence about what to do next year. I love the *idea* and focus of ToG but think it may not be a fit for my family. I will continue reading this thread, and board, for other's takes on things and continue to look for ways to teach my special students the classics.

Edited June 7, 2010 by Verity

[ElizabethB]

Thanks for posting!

 

I am definitely doing HOD next year for K and 3rd, and had planned to start TOG for 5th and 2nd, but now you have me wondering if I should start a year earlier, or if maybe I should buy earlier and start doing some of the things on my own that match up with what we are doing otherwise. We move this summer, so it would be a while until I was settled enough to tackle TOG.

 

What do you think? Is it worth the effort for a 1st and 4th grader? Worth buying in advance and browsing through for a year or two?

[mama27]

I looked at TOG samples, printed them, read the, tossed them, waited a month and repeated.

I have done that for the past year or 2. lol

i finally bought aa unit figuring I have wasted 45.00 on dumber things and I am really glad i did even though the children using it are LG and UG.

I really like the Biblical content.

I am not using all the required resources, actually none of them because idon't have them. But I am finding it very easy to subsitute with other books.

I really like that there are certain things to be done each week but "I" get to decide what and when.

I also like that I can use this again and I won't have to go looking for more curric. I've done that too much!!

The only thing i am still debating is wether to keep buying DE or print copy.

Tammy

[mom@home]

Angela,

I have a question for you regarding MFW. I have been comparing and comparing curricula and have it narrowed down to about 4 :001_smile:. TOG and MFW being two of them. Since you have both of them how do you think they compare? Do you think I would get a lot more out of TOG than MFW, especially in the area Biblical Worldview? My children will be in the 2nd and 4th grades so I'm wondering if I need all TOG has to offer at this stage or if I could go with a curriculum that was easier to implement and they would learn just as much.

Thanks for any input!

mom@home

[DarlaS]

Out of curiosity, are any of you using it with just some of your (school age) kids? I'm just wondering as I will have two doing ancients, and one finishing up early modern this coming year.

[Annie Laurie]

I should also mention that my children have retained more information from this method than any other system I've used before. The lecture/discussion really knocks it out of the park. And since that is what I should be focusing on- not my usual method of "how is this going to cost me the least amount of pain :D- I'd say the start up cost has been absolutely worth it.

 

The Socratic discussion is what tempts me. Right now, Sonlight works well for us, but I admit to being a little disappointed in the high school levels. Not because of the books necessarily, which some people point to, but with the lack of organization in the IGs and the lack of discussion questions.

 

I'll have to revisit the TOG question when my soon to be 4th grade, 3rd grade kids, and 1st grade kids are older and the baby is older.

[Roxy Roller]

I have taken the plunge and bought Y1 - it is now neatly in binders. I am taking the next 3 weeks to really look over the first unit. We will be starting in July, but I am planning on taking two weeks to do each of the lessons at first, so that I avoid the much talked about 'TOG FOG'. When I feel like I have a sense of the flow, I will go to weekly lessons. It is very freeing to know that as I go through the lessons, I will be back through them again on our next history cycle. I am already making notes as I go as to what I want to do now and what I will save until then.

 

The only thing I am unsure about is where to place my 10.5YODD. She will be in sixth grade, so technically she should be dialectic, but she only really started reading fluently this past year. Looking at the UG and D literature, the UG is probably a bit easy, but I would say the D, is possibly a bit above her, in both reading level and content. I think I will probably start her out in UG with her brothers and maybe try to throw a few D books at her(that I have pre-read) through the year, so she will be more prepared for Y2 D.

 

I have been homeschooling for 7 years, and I am beyond excited to be doing TOG YEAR 1. I have committed to it, to give my family an amazing insight into God's Word. I am excited to see the connections my children will make when they really MEET all of the biblical characters they have read about since birth, by understanding the time and place in which each of them lived. I truly think that the Bible will come alive for them(and me)! What an amazing gift that I can give to them through TOG!

 

I am also thrilled to actually be learning along with them. Until I read about TOG/WTM, I had never really thought about educating myself alongside my DC. I am starting slowly, by reading the D Literature, and doing the work expected. I am hoping to work up to the R level quickly.

[battlemaiden]

 

The only thing I am unsure about is where to place my 10.5YODD. She will be in sixth grade, so technically she should be dialectic, but she only really started reading fluently this past year. Looking at the UG and D literature, the UG is probably a bit easy, but I would say the D, is possibly a bit above her, in both reading level and content. I think I will probably start her out in UG with her brothers and maybe try to throw a few D books at her(that I have pre-read) through the year, so she will be more prepared for Y2 D.

 

 

 

The beauty here is she can still participate in a dialectic discussion even if her reading comes from the upper grammar column. Not all of the accountability questions will apply to the upper grammar readings, so she may just answer, "I didn't read about that" but that is okay, you can still discuss.

 

The background notes that you (the teacher) will read each week will give you a great overview to be able to draw out their knowledge and reasoning during the lecture.

 

Did I mention that I get to use a white board for lectures and I'm teaching my kids how to take notes? Love that! They don't really take notes, but I point out what to write down in bullet points on their paper and they like trying to beat me to it. :D

[mamato4]

Took a loooooong time for me to enjoy and actually like TOG. I started with redesigned Year 1 and it was torture. I have already suggested to them areas that need improvement for Year 1 and I hope they do make those changes for the re-redesigned.

 

Year 2 came around and I was dreading it. (Also not one who can easily change curriculum after plunking down so much money!) Lo and behold, we had a good year! The discussion time was something I looked forward to every week.

 

Now, my children are not totally sold on TOG because it does require more out of them, but we are all learning together (don't remember anything about world history and did not grow up in the US.)

 

So, TOG does take time to get used to but it is a wonderful curriculum.

 

:-)

[HappyGrace]

Jo-sounds great-we're starting TOG with yr 1 with my 5th and 2nd graders in the fall. I like the lecturing idea-can you explain that a little more? (Older dd LOVES that format.) Are you prereading and lecturing from the teacher's notes or the dialectic discussion stuff?

 

I'm envisioning the tea and discussion/lecture a couple times per week, with older dd taking some notes-can you expound upon that more; what are you putting on the whiteboard as notes?

 

A lot of their learning will just come from reading the books, doing the maps, etc., but I'd love to incorporate something like your idea! Dd did a sci class in co-op this year that was lecture and take notes style and she loved it and retained a TON!

[mrsrevmeg]

Thanks for posting!

 

 

 

What do you think? Is it worth the effort for a 1st and 4th grader? Worth buying in advance and browsing through for a year or two?

 

YES!!! My first grader loved the books, the crafts, the links to extra stories and games on their website. First grade is a wonderful time. My son seemed to really get a kick of some of the grossness in studying how mummies are made and the sewage systems of ancient civilizations.

[Spy Car]

nevermind

Edited June 8, 2010 by Spy Car

[HSMom2One]

I have shared many times on this board, but will say it again -- I love TOG!! My dd and I jumped right in last fall with our first year and it has gone beautifully. We are just completing Unit 3 of Yr 1 because we took some extra time and were not able to get all four units completed by the end of our school year. When we return to schooling in August, we'll start with Yr. 1, Unit 4 and then move right along to Yr. 2, Unit 1. At first I was stressing over not finishing Yr. 1 in one school year, but then I realized (finally) that one of the beauties of this curriculum is customizing it to our own needs.

 

I have an 11 yo that I'm going to transition from UG to D stage during Unit 4. We will read All UG, but will dabble in some D level reading too and we will have D level discussions. I plan to jump up to D level for Yr. 2, but will feel free to drop down to some of the UG materials if it seems right. Again, this is very doable the way the curriculum is laid out.

 

My only regret about TOG is that I did not know about it sooner. While I realize we've maybe needed to grow into our way of doing things, I would have loved to use TOG for my dd's LG years. I cannot recommend TOG enough for Classical Christian hs'ing families! Whether you have one child like me or a house full, TOG is life changing.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[choirfarm]

Thanks for posting!

 

I am definitely doing HOD next year for K and 3rd, and had planned to start TOG for 5th and 2nd, but now you have me wondering if I should start a year earlier, or if maybe I should buy earlier and start doing some of the things on my own that match up with what we are doing otherwise. We move this summer, so it would be a while until I was settled enough to tackle TOG.

 

What do you think? Is it worth the effort for a 1st and 4th grader? Worth buying in advance and browsing through for a year or two?

Hi Elizabeth,

 

I tried twice yesterday to respond and it was lost both times, so I gave up. I LOVE LOVE LOVE TOG, but honestly in your case I wouldn't. I adore how I can switch between levels and use resources, but for the elementary grades it is overkill. I have only used it with my daughter (and I use that term loosely..as in read one book fromt he list, that's it) because I am doing it with my older ones. If you started in 5th, it would be perfect. You could go through two rotations with the oldest. She could do upper grammar or dialectic depending on her reading level and you could read the rhetoric if you so wished. It takes awhile to get used to and with your moving, I would wait until next spring and consider at the earliest. For me, it works best if I spend the summer prereading books, making their notebooks and planning out what I want to do. If I don't, it doesnt' get done nearly as well. With your moving, just say no. You don't need the stress.

 

One warning: don't buy the books for the year. Buy them a unit at a time at first as you won't have a feel for how they will do at a level and/or they get used to it. We did year 1 when my children were K, 5 and 7. That first year the upper grammar books were too easy for my 5, but the questions at the dialectic level were too hard. So I had him read the dialectic books with some upper grammar and he participated in the discussion, but didn't have to do the questions for dialectic. The next year he did the questions pretty well. This last year he got the reading and the questions done in 1 day, so he will be rhetoric level next year for 8th and he is so excited as history is his favorite subject. He did rhetoric for the Civil War and did it easily because he had already read all of the dialectic books earlier. When I moved him back to dialectic for unit 4, he told me it was too easy. That is the beauty of TOG. You can move so easily between levels. Next year, my 3rd grade daughter will be going between lower grammar and upper grammar. I either own the books in both levels or they are at the library, so I will just see how it goes. Some of the upper grammar books she could read, but others I will read to her.

 

Christine

[johnandtinagilbert]

Jo-sounds great-we're starting TOG with yr 1 with my 5th and 2nd graders in the fall. I like the lecturing idea-can you explain that a little more? (Older dd LOVES that format.) Are you prereading and lecturing from the teacher's notes or the dialectic discussion stuff?

 

 

Not, Jo, but I lecture from the teacher's notes, which covers the dialectic questions :) I started by giving them a copy of my outline notes so they could "add" to them. By the time they get to high school, they'll have enough of the picture painted that they can start from scratch -- great college practice!

 

 

About starting TOG with younger students...I say, if $$$ is not an issue, go for it! 2 reasons really:

 

1. EDUCATE YOURSELF. Seriously. You won't have nearly as much time for education when they're older, so soak up what you can when they're young.

 

2. How great is it to have all you need and need to know in one place? It really allows you to choose just what aspects of history to study when you want to study them, and then you'll have an easier time including other aspects the next time around.

 

I guess I think of it like gaps in grammar or math...change programs a few times and you're bound to have gaps, but stick with one and you always know exactly where you've been and where you plan to go.

[woolybear]

I am planning for next year using Year 2 and I can't wait. I wish I had had year 1 for this year now that I know about it. I am trying to cover some ancients and get to the fall of Rome by the end of this summer. It would be so nice to have TOG for that too. Sigh......I will just have to make do until fall. Glad to hear it is going so well for you.

[mama27]

Out of curiosity, are any of you using it with just some of your (school age) kids? I'm just wondering as I will have two doing ancients, and one finishing up early modern this coming year.

 

 

I am using it with my youbgest 5 ages 3-10. Course the 3 and 4 yo aren't really doing much.

My 14 and 17 yo do other stuff.

tammy

[momteaches2]

Out of curiosity, are any of you using it with just some of your (school age) kids? I'm just wondering as I will have two doing ancients, and one finishing up early modern this coming year.

 

 

I am using it with my youbgest 5 ages 3-10. Course the 3 and 4 yo aren't really doing much.

My 14 and 17 yo do other stuff.

tammy

 

I'm actually thinking about using TOG Year 3 with just my older two next year. They'll be in 7th and 11th grades. I'm leaning towards using Galloping the Globe with my 2nd grader over two years, and cycling her in to TOG when we get back to Year 1. This is my only chance to do GTG with her before she outgrows it, and she really wants to do it next year.

[strawberry]

I appreciate this post coming from a mom of many children. I chose TOG as our first "major" curriculum purchase, but at the advent of our 4th child, I felt completely overwhelmed and succumbed to Sonlight's daily charts. I like daily charts (and the lack of planning required).

 

But I am still so fond of TOG. It makes me want to reconsider priorities and time commitments, etc. Thank you.

[mom31257]

Thanks for the post. I have been trying to wrap my head around it, too. I am considering starting it for the 2011-2012 school year. We are studying American history next year, so Ancients would be a great place to start. Dd will be going into 9th and ds will be going into 3rd that school year. I guess my biggest decisions will be the money and which level for them to begin with.

 

How much does a year really cost once you add in the books? I would probably want the print version, not the DE.

[Cinder]

How much does a year really cost once you add in the books? I would probably want the print version, not the DE.

 

 

Will you be doing R level with your 9th grader? I did this for 2008 and it was pretty expensive to gather those books. And I got most of those used. I did end up buying all the primary source books as well as Western Civ (mainly due to our co-op situation--you'll have a lot more flexibility doing TOG on your own). I also had a UG/D student to buy for. Sorry, I don't remember specifics as to how much I spent. I just remember it was a lot.

 

Cinder

[Karenciavo]

You could go over to the Lampstand website and make a list of books used for the rhetoric and upper or lower grammar levels depending on what you use with your ds. My system for purchasing books is use the library when possible, buy used, buy for the higher levels first and switch out for a different book if I already own it or the library has it and it doesn't make a significant difference.

 

I just did a resource list for Year 1 rhetoric and upper grammar, the total came to $960. There are many books I would get from the library and some I wouldn't purchase and some I would get used, e.g. Words of Delight is $34 - no way I would spend that but I would get it from somewhere because it's important - a quick search on Bookfinder.com shows 5 copies around $15. The Story of Painting is $43, no way would I spend that, Bookfinder shows 1/2 a dozen copies for under $10. Etc. Between the library and buying used and switching out I usually get a $1000 booklist down to a few hundred dollars. The time it takes to do it is worth it to me.

 

Karen

 

Thanks for the post. I have been trying to wrap my head around it, too. I am considering starting it for the 2011-2012 school year. We are studying American history next year, so Ancients would be a great place to start. Dd will be going into 9th and ds will be going into 3rd that school year. I guess my biggest decisions will be the money and which level for them to begin with.

 

How much does a year really cost once you add in the books? I would probably want the print version, not the DE.

Edited June 8, 2010 by Karenciavo

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

One note on the "overkill" in early elementary...

 

It really depends on the child. With my oldest two I couldn't (and still can't) find them enough history books. History is their favorite subject and has been all along. (I'll add that I'm not sure they think of literature as a discrete subject-or different from reading for fun.)

 

In the younger years I focus more on reading books aloud, adding in coloring pages from books like Dover or the related SOTW Activity Book, and even doing more of the crafts or the lap book projects.

 

I wouldn't say overkill until you find out if your child is engaged by the subject. For some kids perhaps but that is just too big of a blanket generalization.

 

BTW--Great post Battlemaiden!

[battlemaiden]

You could go over to the Lampstand website and make a list of books used for the rhetoric and upper or lower grammar levels depending on what you use with your ds. My system for purchasing books is use the library when possible, buy used, buy for the higher levels first and switch out for a different book if I already own it or the library has it and it doesn't make a significant difference.

 

I just did a resource list for Year 1 rhetoric and upper grammar, the total came to $960. There are many books I would get from the library and some I wouldn't purchase and some I would get used, e.g. Words of Delight is $34 - no way I would spend that but I would get it from somewhere because it's important - a quick search on Bookfinder.com shows 5 copies around $15. The Story of Painting is $43, no way would I spend that, Bookfinder shows 1/2 a dozen copies for under $10. Etc. Between the library and buying used and switching out I usually get a $1000 booklist down to a few hundred dollars. The time it takes to do it is worth it to me.

 

Karen

 

I just bought Year 4 today and I plan on spending a good bit of time going through the booklists, the library online catalogue, and bookfinder.com. I try to buy any new books from bookshelfcentral.com because I like them. :D But next year I will have five grades and I will have to be very thoughtful about what I choose to read with the younger kiddos. I buy for rhetoric/dialectic first.

 

I was just telling my husband that I may spend a lot on books, but I just bought our history/lit/geog/art/government core for less than $400 (including evaluations, maps, lapbook templates, and more) for **5 grades**! And I might as well call it a course for myself too! I think that is very reasonable for a rigorous program.

 

The books add up, no doubt about it. But now that I have found a plan that I have been able to work with and adapt to, I know I won't be throwing any of the money down the drain or repeating this information with a different system in the future.

 

As for the weekly lecture: I only lecture on History readings with heavy doses of geography and worldview. I use a mix of dialectic questions and teacher notes. I make an outline while I read the teacher's notes and I write the absolutely key, they-must-know-this-in-their-sleep, information on the white board. We go through the dialectic accountability questions during that time, but sometimes I get carried away and we don't get to them all. :D I LOVE being able to draw out the information from them. THIS is why I homeschool. Small group, individualized socratic discussion.

 

For literature discussions I usually only require an oral narration (excellent time for a walk around the block with the toddlers in the stroller). When my oldest is in rhetoric level next year he will need to do more literary analysis, but for now it is just an informal discussion.

 

I'm not sure if this will ever make sense to anyone, because it is just what we have found works for us. I'm on week 30 of year 3 and I'm now in the perfect rhythm- just in time, btw, for the kids to be fried and ready for summer. :D They got all of Feb. off when their Dad had military leave, so too bad! :tongue_smilie:

 

I'm enjoying reading all the posts. I have to say, that I think the multiple grades is the deal sealer for me. I have done Sonlight and liked it, and I have put together my own WTM system. They all were sufficient. TOG is exactly what I needed for this multiple grade period in my life. I don't think I would try to do different programs with older kids. The TOG rhetoric program is excellent and then all the information for the younger kids is right there. If I only had younger kids, I might wait until the oldest is in 4th or 5th. But, again, it is so very adaptable.

 

Jo

[HappyGrace]

Thanks, Jo and Tina, for the lecture info-very helpful! :)

[Woodland_Mom]

Angela,

I have a question for you regarding MFW. I have been comparing and comparing curricula and have it narrowed down to about 4 :001_smile:. TOG and MFW being two of them. Since you have both of them how do you think they compare? Do you think I would get a lot more out of TOG than MFW, especially in the area Biblical Worldview? My children will be in the 2nd and 4th grades so I'm wondering if I need all TOG has to offer at this stage or if I could go with a curriculum that was easier to implement and they would learn just as much.

Thanks for any input!

mom@home

 

Narrowed it down to four, huh? :lol: It's so HARD to decide!! I am also trying to make curriculum decision and have been busy comparing MFW and TOG. Both TOG and MFW are excellent programs and they both do a great job of meeting the needs of their customers. MFW is great for someone who wants to teach K-8th together, and moves the highschooler into more independent studies. For someone who doesn’t want to plan, but wants scripture, history, music, art, and even some science woven together, then MFW would be a great choice. Even though MFW has a set schedule, MFW still leaves a little flexibility for customization in the areas of notebooking, book basket, writing, math, spelling, foreign language, and grammar. They also have a schedule that lends itself to 4 or 5 day scheduling. If you want detailed background information in the teacher notes, evaluations/tests, or the ability to keep ALL of your children together (K-12th), then TOG might be a good fit. TOG is a great choice for large families or families with big spaces between children. But . . . small families (like mine!) will GREATLY benefit from the vast array of tools that you can choose and use. A few tools that familie with younger children can use are: reading lists, literature and literature comprehension worksheets (with light literary element questions included). TOG offers mapwork, vocabulary words, many hands-on options, evaluations, and much more. If you have a feel for the type of routine you'd like to have at home with some of these things, then it probably won't be too difficult to plan how much to include in your weekly studies. TOG may be a good fit for the person who doesn’t mind planning or for someone who wants lots of customization. They integrate a Biblical worldview into history, fine arts, philosophy, government and literature. TOG has many tools such as evaluations, vocabulary, rich discussion outlines/notes. One thing that I've notices about TOG is that when it comes to Church history, I can look at the dialectic and rhetoric reading assignments and read them for my own benefit. I generally would not even be aware of this reading if I had not notice the Church History assignments for the upper levels. This makes it easier to learn educate yourself.

Edited June 9, 2010 by Pylegang

[everettrj]

As I'm in the midst of planning TOG year 1 for the first time, you don't know how timely this post is! Thank you so, so much for sharing your thoughts. I will take the advice to stay away from the website--it hurts my head too!

 

Yep~Exact same here ^^

 

I was back and forth between TOG and SL, not sure if I should spend the $$ because so many people said how difficult and time consuming it was but thenI stumbled upon this gem just a few days ago and it SOLD me! http://www.tapestryofgrace.com/sample/egypt/index.htm

I printed out the week plan as suggested went through their tutorial page by page, taking my own notes on the printed copy and was able to finally make sense of it all! I don't even remember how I found this tutorial but imho they should provide the link to it in giant bold red font on the home page! *Bonus convincer to going to TOG was the very next day when I went to a local homeschool book swap and found the one and only person there selling TOG who just happened to not only have Y1, already in binders with tabs, and the eval CD, but only wanted $20.00 for the WHOLE thing! :w00t:

I am so happy this thread was started because it is the reassurance that this is probably the right curriculum for us (I hope ;) )

[Heather in WI]

I went to a local homeschool book swap and found the one and only person there selling TOG who just happened to not only have Y1, already in binders with tabs, and the eval CD, but only wanted $20.00 for the WHOLE thing!

 

 

:thumbup: Wow! What a deal!!!

[jewel7123]

Wow, what a deal! It was the redesign? Good for you!

[Dina in Oklahoma]

I appreciate this, too. Everytime I consider TOG, I go to their website, and then get so confused I give up :blushing:. I've just figured it's not a good pick for someone organizationally-challenged like myself. Sounds like I should put it back in the running. It would meet our needs in so many ways, if I could just figure out how to implement it.

 

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree: Maybe another look?!?:tongue_smilie:

[Capt_Uhura]

Is anyone here using TOG secularly?

[weaver_67579]

Is anyone here using TOG secularly?

 

It sounds like a program with a nice set-up.

[1bassoon]

I can't chime in about the secular aspect, but just wanted to share. . . .

 

The Tapestry Teacher Training seminars (look under the Virtual Conferences) are EXCELLENT. Not just for TOG users - I showed the beginning of one to some friends of mine the other day, and they were really encouraged.

 

For those of you who are looking at TOG, keep in mind that there's lots of teacher education available for you! As a veteran homeschooler, I've even learned a few tricks and been inspired as I've watched.

[Lostinabook]

Mama Lynx does. She's written about how she does it here & on her blog.

[johnandtinagilbert]

Is anyone here using TOG secularly?

 

It sounds like a program with a nice set-up.

 

Mama Lynx does. She's written about how she does it here & on her blog.

That's what I was gonna say :) It doesn't seem too hard. There may be a yahoo group, too? I *think* there is a spot on the TOG forums for secular users.

[Capt_Uhura]

Thanks! I'll look for her blog.

[classics4us]

Yep~Exact same here ^^

 

I was back and forth between TOG and SL, not sure if I should spend the $$ because so many people said how difficult and time consuming it was but thenI stumbled upon this gem just a few days ago and it SOLD me! http://www.tapestryofgrace.com/sample/egypt/index.htm

I printed out the week plan as suggested went through their tutorial page by page, taking my own notes on the printed copy and was able to finally make sense of it all! I don't even remember how I found this tutorial but imho they should provide the link to it in giant bold red font on the home page! *Bonus convincer to going to TOG was the very next day when I went to a local homeschool book swap and found the one and only person there selling TOG who just happened to not only have Y1, already in binders with tabs, and the eval CD, but only wanted $20.00 for the WHOLE thing! :w00t:

I am so happy this thread was started because it is the reassurance that this is probably the right curriculum for us (I hope ;) )

I just tried this link and it's taking me to the Egypt page. Am I missing something? Thanks