A comparison SL vs. TOG?

[melmichigan]

 

I think I finally have a better understanding of why I want the best of both worlds. :)

 

I read a comparison today that seemed to sum it up well. It basically said that SL is a literature based program supplemented with history and TOG is a history program supplemented with literature.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

[calandalsmom]

Since SL is almost entirely history based that makes no sense to me at all.

[Mom0012]

What I have heard someone say recently is that SL will sacrifice history for the sake of a good book and TOG will sacrifice a good book for the sake of history.

 

Lisa

[TXMary2]

Not having started TOG yet I am not really speaking from experience, but from the reading of our TOG so far I can tell that TOG goes much more in depth than SL. We enjoyed SL for the most part, but I always felt I had to supplement with lit analysis resources and always wished there was more to the history than reading and the occasional map.

 

I can't remember where I found it but there is a list of SL books that are listed by TOG year......it was probably in one of the TOG yahoo groups. I have printed them out and plan to plug in books from the SL list that aren't already included in TOG.

[calandalsmom]

What I have heard someone say recently is that SL will sacrifice history for the sake of a good book and TOG will sacrifice a good book for the sake of history.

 

Lisa

I don't agree with this at all.

 

I have never used TOG so I can not speak to it but while I almost loathe SL as a company I can not agree that they either water down or sacrifice history. They use good books a discussion starters. Like anything else, where you go from there depends on YOU.

[Mom0012]

I don't agree with this at all.

 

I have never used TOG so I can not speak to it but while I almost loathe SL as a company I can not agree that they either water down or sacrifice history. They use good books a discussion starters. Like anything else, where you go from there depends on YOU.

 

Well, I'm not saying I agree with it, I'm just trying to clarify what another poster said. I love SL's books and we're getting ready to start our 6th core this fall.

 

I have no experience with TOG, so I can't really make any comparisons myself at all.

 

Honestly, even if I were sure it was true, it wouldn't bother me. I don't value much above reading great literature with my children.

 

Lisa

Edited August 2, 2010 by LisaTheresa

[TXMary2]

I don't agree with this at all.

 

I have never used TOG so I can not speak to it but while I almost loathe SL as a company I can not agree that they either water down or sacrifice history. They use good books a discussion starters. Like anything else, where you go from there depends on YOU.

 

 

I don't use SL anymore, but never heard of them being a "bad" company- so I am just curious why you loathe them.......

[melmichigan]

I don't agree with this at all.

 

I have never used TOG so I can not speak to it but while I almost loathe SL as a company I can not agree that they either water down or sacrifice history. They use good books a discussion starters. Like anything else, where you go from there depends on YOU.

 

Even with my current feelings for the company I wouldn't go so far as to say that SL will sacrifice history, but in my experience much of SL is fiction. With seven plus cores on the shelves I can go down the line and the vast majority is "literature", it is used to teach history, but it is still literature. I think that is more the reference, at least the way I am reading it. So far, in my limited experience, that doesn't seem nearly as much the case with TOG. I get more the feel that the literature is an after thought, with the focus definately being history. The depth and rigor in discussion and analysis is very obvious but that wasn't what I was referring to. :)

[melmichigan]

I can't remember where I found it but there is a list of SL books that are listed by TOG year......it was probably in one of the TOG yahoo groups. I have printed them out and plan to plug in books from the SL list that aren't already included in TOG.

 

Please, please share! (If you haven't already on the thread I started regarding just this thing.)

[momee]

I've used both and I don't think any of these comments give a good comparison.

 

Oh boy, this won't be good for me as I just put TOG aside to do SL this year.

 

I would say if you are interested in reading good books, over a slower pace, and not doing a ton of literature analysis, not covering a ton of great books in the high school years (not that SL doesn't they just don't do stuff like Inferno, Faustus, Four Shakespeare plays and numerous! other works in a year) you may be happier with SL.

 

SL lit analysis seems, and in my opinion is "weaker" than TOG if you look at it one TOG year plan vs. one core. I'm not a long time SL user but I think alot of their hs analysis is in 530.

Not to say SL is not strong overall. I think it will help develop well rounded students, give kids a thirst for knowledge, present them with high school level work, encourage them to work independently, and challenge them to be responsible writers.

 

TOG has MUCH more hand holding in their teacher's notes, lit analysis, background for each and every classic work, the history, gov't geography worldview, bible (mostly yr 1), and philosophy threads are also avail in each year plan for high schoolers. I think TOG's writing is much more deliberate since they've come out with Writing Aids. While not perfect, it is pretty awesome. With SL you need a sep. core or at least purchase as elective philos and gov't espec whereas TOG includes it each year. Whether your child can do it, or you want them to is up to you.

 

If you are a person who wants the best of all teaching aids in order to prepare your high schooler for a demanding four year college, do TOG. Really. It's hard, it's hand holding, it will challenge you and your child. I hope though that your child also is wanting that route. I say this because if they're going all out and want!!!! the rigor, it's there in TOG. If not, you will have quite a few head banging moments for you both and it could be very tense and setting the bar where it does not! need to be.

 

If however, you have a normal teen who wants to read some classics but not spend two hours a day reading, analyzing (sp?) and writing about a ton of classic lit, then move to history, philosophy, geography, government, etc. try SL.

 

I am constantly battling the love of learning vs. the rigor question. That's really where the ball landed for us this year. School was getting too intense, too hard for all of us and I was spending alot of time and money for school prep, then still had to have discussion and teach the youngers. It got to be alot, schooling three children and a toddler. I needed help.

 

Not that SL is perfect. There is a ton of feedback on the SL forums about the cores for high school. Moms are begging for more teacher's notes, more analysis and better organization of the cores. However, IN the 7 or so years I have been homeschooling and the, um, years:) I have spent reading about TOG/SL, the moms who are using SL comment their kids absolutely love! the work they're doing. THey love the books and for me, at this season of life, my guys need to love their books.

 

We've used TOG for 5 years and SL for only 3 months, I'm pretty versed on TOG but still getting familiar with SL. I have my year 1 redes. and year 4 classic on my shelves because I went into panic mode after selling my year 2 redes. stuff. I thought what if SL doesn't work, it seems so easy. Just being honest.

 

That's still up in the air at this moment though. So far we're only on week 5 and ds has to do those 5 weeks over because he only read the books and I didn't care because I was so burnt out. I couldn't even think schoolwork and have always longed for "easy" with SL. I read their reasons to buy and reasons not to buy in the catalog.

 

They made sense, dh was tired of my time spent planning, stressing and constantly shelling out money for year plans, books, upgrades, whatever. He said buy 3 cores, one for each child, do it for a year and reassess. The kids say please don't go back to TOG.

 

I can't tell anyone what to do, it won't work anyway. We're homeschoolers, we aren't obedient :)

Buy 1 TOG unit or try a SL core with their $ back guarantee. See how it goes. Saying this seriously, pray about it. Ask your husband...he knows how the thermostat in the home reads:)

Maybe it's a season you can handle a tougher time commitment from the kids for school and from you for studying ahead and planning and copying papers. Maybe not~

They're both great programs for different reasons.

I don't think you can know really, until you try. Think what will be important 5 years/10 years/20 years from now. Will your choice of program help you accomplish that goal? Then you have your answer, right?

God bless your decisions. It's not easy and unfortunately much joy and peace AND TIME is loss in the making of them!

Edited August 3, 2010 by momee
too wordy, trying to be more precise

[momee]

"TOG will sacrifice a good book for the sake of history."

TOG is great book focused, their lit list for hs is astounding. I don't even know where a comment like this came from~

 

"always wished there was more to the history than reading and the occasional map."

There is an awful lot more than this with SL, especially in the cores I'm using 3, 7, and 300.

My high schooler has to do a decade report, three current events reports (2 of those about international events), writing about the topic he's read, researching one event he's learned about that week, and some other stuff I don't want to type out :) and that's just history.

But it's more than just read for the core 7 too. I'm not too far into the 3 yet, but that's 4th grade, so I don't want a ton anyway, it's history, right?

 

"I can not agree that they either water down or sacrifice history."

said by pp about SL, I agree...

 

"Even with my current feelings for the company I wouldn't go so far as to say that SL will sacrifice history, but in my experience much of SL is fiction. With seven plus cores on the shelves I can go down the line and the vast majority is "literature", it is used to teach history, but it is still literature"

Asolutely agree with this. In the cores I have the large part of the books is literature. I will say that in our experience there weren't many fun reads in TOG, scheduled just for a break - not tied to the history topic that week or focusing on the current time period. With SL they intentionally add some lighter reads to give the kids a change of pace. Like the Hobbit or The Great Brain. Some people think this is silly, below grade average, etc. I have a 16 yo boy. He NEEDS stuff like that to get his cells back to working order occasionally. I think my ds specifically would have enjoyed TOG more had I alternated between hard classic, TOG rhetoric book and a book to read just cuz it's great...he couldn't handle the rhetoric list. Check out year 2's lit list only. It's quite a doozy. It's a "great" "rigorous" program, but not for everyone by any stretch.

 

"I get more the feel that the literature is an after thought, with the focus definately being history."

About this statement - Christy Somerville would take offense at such a comment and I for one am saying I seriously disagree. She's a very amazing young woman who cares deeply about the products her family has created. Her love of literature is so evident and so God given that it's...well. It's not true in the way the statement was worded and could be taken by people who are not familiar with the program. Maybe they started out to write a history program (which I don't even think that was the case) but anyway...the lit being added wasn't an afterthought. It's an amazing college prep program that deserves high praise. And this from a mom who is no longer using it. That's saying quite a bit :) Hope this helps, definitely not being disagreeable or anything.

Edited August 3, 2010 by momee
poor grammar :)

[melmichigan]

Your right momee. :)

 

I did word that poorly and can see that it could be taken wrong. In the midst of a mess right now but I will try and come back and clarify.

[TXMary2]

Please, please share! (If you haven't already on the thread I started regarding just this thing.)

 

They are in the Yahoo Group called TOGLooseThreads in the file section.

[calandalsmom]

I don't use SL anymore, but never heard of them being a "bad" company- so I am just curious why you loathe them.......

 

As you know, I'm not an evangelical christian. The increasing focus on a certain brand and type of Christianity concerns me and I will no longer do business there.

 

Even with my current feelings for the company I wouldn't go so far as to say that SL will sacrifice history, but in my experience much of SL is fiction. With seven plus cores on the shelves I can go down the line and the vast majority is "literature", it is used to teach history, but it is still literature. I think that is more the reference, at least the way I am reading it. So far, in my limited experience, that doesn't seem nearly as much the case with TOG. I get more the feel that the literature is an after thought, with the focus definately being history. The depth and rigor in discussion and analysis is very obvious but that wasn't what I was referring to. :)

I do agree SL is based in fiction, but I think I agree with SL that well written and researched historical fiction really helps to deepen a person's understanding of history. That plus the spines SL chooses plus the home discussion, IMO, do the job.

 

I tried to look at ToG once and was hopelessly confused but I am certain it is very protestant and very providentialist so it doesn't appeal in any case.

[siloam]

What I have heard someone say recently is that SL will sacrifice history for the sake of a good book and TOG will sacrifice a good book for the sake of history.

 

Lisa

 

I would say that SL will choose a book that will make an emotional connection with the child over an original document, even if it doesn't have quite the depth. On the other hand TOG will choose the original document and the depth even if it is a bit dry-though if they have the choice between a dry book and a more engaging book, they obviously pick the engaging one. With literature SL will choose historical fiction as much as possible to again make an emotional connection, but it does also have classics. TOG does this at the D level but at the R level they do mostly classic literature.

 

But both companies overlap a lot in the middle.

 

Make sense?

 

Though the R level of TOG can be considered AP level and I haven't heard SL make AP claims. That isn't to say SL is worse, but that they again have different goals, different guidelines. SL is still way better, way more than the education I got at public school, of which I hated all of it and remember very little.

 

To be honest both TOG and SL reading schedules are to heavy for us. We are all dyslexic to one degree or another, and while we love to read it has to be at a certain pace for us to enjoy it. When I did SL I slowed it down, and now doing TOG I slow it down or eliminate. I don't know how much R level work my kids will ever do because while they are smart they just aren't inclined to the heavy academics. It is after all history, the lowest of subjects on my priority list. :D

 

Heather

[shanvan]

the list for correlating MOH & TOG, but not one for Sonlight books. Did I miss something?

 

Shannon

 

They are in the Yahoo Group called TOGLooseThreads in the file section.

[shanvan]

Please, please share! (If you haven't already on the thread I started regarding just this thing.)

 

I haven't been able to find the Sonlight booklist correlated with TOG, even after searching the TOG yahoo groups. What I did find is this list of sonlight books by WTM four year cycles.

 

http://homescool-ed.blogspot.com/2007/04/sonlight-books-arranged-by-well-trained.html

 

I think it is fairly easy to line this list up with the 4 years of TOG.

 

I'm just looking for some options to replace a few titles in TOG, and a few extra books for my DS in the dialectic stage. He's an excellent reader, but not ready for Rhetoric level yet.

 

Shannon

[TXMary2]

the list for correlating MOH & TOG, but not one for Sonlight books. Did I miss something?

 

Shannon

 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TOGLooseThreads/files/Planning%2C%20Scheduling%2C%20Record-keeping/Books%20%26%20Booklists/

 

There are lists for Years 1, 2 and 3.

[shanvan]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TOGLooseThreads/files/Planning%2C%20Scheduling%2C%20Record-keeping/Books%20%26%20Booklists/

 

There are lists for Years 1, 2 and 3.

 

Thank you! I just never would have thought to look in the Planning, Record keeping and scheduling files! That was the one place I was sure I wouldn't find it. But...it makes sense to me now. Thanks again!

[melmichigan]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TOGLooseThreads/files/Planning%2C%20Scheduling%2C%20Record-keeping/Books%20%26%20Booklists/

 

There are lists for Years 1, 2 and 3.

 

Thank you!

 

I would say that SL will choose a book that will make an emotional connection with the child over an original document, even if it doesn't have quite the depth. On the other hand TOG will choose the original document and the depth even if it is a bit dry-though if they have the choice between a dry book and a more engaging book, they obviously pick the engaging one. With literature SL will choose historical fiction as much as possible to again make an emotional connection, but it does also have classics. TOG does this at the D level but at the R level they do mostly classic literature.

 

But both companies overlap a lot in the middle.

 

Make sense?

 

 

 

A great way to explain it, thank you Heather. I think they both have great things to offer.

 

(I try very hard to seperate SL the company from SL the curriculum when discussing SL on the boards, and hope that comes through in my posts.)

[TXMary2]

As you know, I'm not an evangelical christian. The increasing focus on a certain brand and type of Christianity concerns me and I will no longer do business there.

 

 

I do agree SL is based in fiction, but I think I agree with SL that well written and researched historical fiction really helps to deepen a person's understanding of history. That plus the spines SL chooses plus the home discussion, IMO, do the job.

 

I tried to look at ToG once and was hopelessly confused but I am certain it is very protestant and very providentialist so it doesn't appeal in any case.

 

 

OK- I see. They must be changing then because when we did some high school cores I didn't like how they seemed to lean and as you know we are on opposite ends of the spectrum. That's interesting.....have they updated the cores to be more conservative?

[melmichigan]

OK- I see. They must be changing then because when we did some high school cores I didn't like how they seemed to lean and as you know we are on opposite ends of the spectrum. That's interesting.....have they updated the cores to be more conservative?

 

:D Ah, the million dollar red hot question...it's been nice ladies, but :auto:.

[siloam]

 

(I try very hard to seperate SL the company from SL the curriculum when discussing SL on the boards, and hope that comes through in my posts.)

 

 

I hear you, I have been around SL long enough to have a little chip on mine as well, but I try to have grace. TOG also has issues that I think are absurd, like the no discussing other curriculum on their groups/forums policy. Again I try to have grace even though it drives me nuts. The with WP you have the no resale policy. It seems every company has it own niche on crazy. ;)

 

Heather

[Pammy]

comparing SL and TOG. I used SL for 5 years, and TOG for 4. This year I am using BOTH. I am doing that b/c I am crazy, and don't want to spend an arm and a leg buying books or messing with the library for all levels of TOG. I already have SL Alt. 7 and so my 13 and 14 yo will do that, and my 9 yo will listen in to the read alouds with SL and do Adv. 2 readers on her own.

 

My senior who loves TOG, will be doing Year 4 History, Govt and Literature on her own. If I can squeeze time in, I will do the discussions with her. If not, then she will be reading the teacher notes too. I plan on letting her try the AP English test and possibly 20th century history too after she is done. I am having to substitute the core history books though. I am using Spielvogel's Western Civilization and Kingfisher History. It is taking me some time to plan it out, but I think she will be happier using TOG.

 

I wish I could say that I prefer one to the other, but really, it depends on the kid. My oldest prefers TOG, my middles prefer SL, and my littles prefer FIAR. So. I am not the one to ask what to choose. It depends on finances, scheduling, and the child. Just MHO!

[3Rivers]

I read something recently that explained the difference between literature based and literature rich SO well...I just wish I could remember where it was. :confused: I'm pretty sure it was on the MFW forum. I'll have to give you a very rough paraphrase...and maybe someone else will know what it is.

 

I think the difference is in how the facts of history are presented. In literature based, it is more of an inductive process...facts within context. I think SL explains that on their website as well..that the facts of history are gleaned from the context of story and in essence, lifted out of the story. Those who advocate this approach say that information is understood and retained better in meaningful context. So when we read "Tolliver's Secret" we learned about secret messages that were sent to the commanding officers of the American army, sometimes putting the messenger in peril for the cause of freedom...that the British soldiers were quartered in NY... that the Hessians came to fight....in a way that comes alive because the information is learned through the emotional experience of the main character. That is literature based.

 

THen on the other side is the more deductive process of having facts presented directly, typically in the form of a text. You might read about Paul Revere's ride in a straightforward account of non-fiction. Then the child will be assigned fiction books from the historical period about that event or others that enhance the understanding of the facts. The literature enhances the facts but the facts come first. That is literature rich.

 

I would also add that Sonlight also has "facts" in the form of a few texts, timeline and mapping activities but in my experience they come second to the books, and enhance and solidify what is learned through the experience of "story".

[Geo]

I would say that SL will choose a book that will make an emotional connection with the child over an original document, even if it doesn't have quite the depth. On the other hand TOG will choose the original document and the depth even if it is a bit dry-though if they have the choice between a dry book and a more engaging book, they obviously pick the engaging one. With literature SL will choose historical fiction as much as possible to again make an emotional connection, but it does also have classics. TOG does this at the D level but at the R level they do mostly classic literature.

 

But both companies overlap a lot in the middle.

 

Make sense?

 

Though the R level of TOG can be considered AP level and I haven't heard SL make AP claims. That isn't to say SL is worse, but that they again have different goals, different guidelines. SL is still way better, way more than the education I got at public school, of which I hated all of it and remember very little.

 

To be honest both TOG and SL reading schedules are to heavy for us. We are all dyslexic to one degree or another, and while we love to read it has to be at a certain pace for us to enjoy it. When I did SL I slowed it down, and now doing TOG I slow it down or eliminate. I don't know how much R level work my kids will ever do because while they are smart they just aren't inclined to the heavy academics. It is after all history, the lowest of subjects on my priority list. :D

 

Heather

 

**Warning** This reply is off-topic.

 

Heather, I appreciate your candidness. We are switching over to TOG (Yr 2) after this year and I've been a little rattled reading some of the posts about it here.

I used Sonlight years and years ago...for about 5 years (1997-2001). I used all the cores except 11/12 grade. Nothing in me wants to go back either. I didn't like us on Sonlight. It felt great in the beginning but after a few years it just felt...empty. Like the general feeling of unwellness that follows a long season of eating only what you like. I need, or rather we (the fam) need deeper (nourishing) ideas to chew on. I'm not sure if we're a "heavy academics" type of family either, but I want the opportunity to try...even if it means TOG-lite. We can handle much of the content...but not while running! A little slower pace or fewer books sounds alot like us. BTW, "Tartuffe" looks like a gas, but "Phaedra" hurts my head. :tongue_smilie:

 

Thanks for taking the fear out,

Geo

Edited August 3, 2010 by Geo

[DawnM]

I agree with you Heather!

 

We have done TOG (but honestly, it was NOT a good fit for me or my boys.) We switched to TOG during the first wave of crazy with SL, during the "poof." I know TOG says that the program is not book specific, but I found that we used so few of the books they suggest that it didn't seem like we were even doing TOG. And the research I had to put in to finding books that my boys liked to fit the time period was exhausting to me. I will say though that my boys loved several of the books we DID find to supplement/change out. We read the entire Mary Pope Osborne Tales from the Odyssey books as well as her book on World Religions. My boys loved those.

 

After leaving SL we went to TOG for over a year. My boys are just not strong readers and after trying to fit a sqare peg in a round hole for a year, we went back to SL but bought used. My boys had expressed an interest in doing US History vs. the 4 year looping and US History thrown in for about 3 weeks! So, we did Core 3. It was a bit dry for us, so I added in Time Travelers for more hands on.

 

My boys seem to retain information much better if we add in a lot of projects, timelines, activities, and fun hands on materials.

 

I am a former English teacher, so this is hard for me. I envisioned us all sitting around the living room reading for hours on end. Unfortunately, they all got my husband's gene for wanting to go and do and not sit around reading all day! :tongue_smilie: So, I have had to let go of my strong literature based approach and learn what works with them best.

 

This year I see us moving towards Winter Promise as that is really what we have been doing all along with SL tweaking. I hate their resale policy and I really don't like their catalog layout. I wish they had a simple list of resources like SL's online catalog. I simply cannot tell which of their resources are exclusives and which are not. It is driving me crazy.

 

Dawn

 

I hear you, I have been around SL long enough to have a little chip on mine as well, but I try to have grace. TOG also has issues that I think are absurd, like the no discussing other curriculum on their groups/forums policy. Again I try to have grace even though it drives me nuts. The with WP you have the no resale policy. It seems every company has it own niche on crazy. ;)

 

Heather

 

[juliecram]

momee, thank you for that reply. I am doing my 2nd year of SL, but have friends that do TOG. I have often wondered if I should switch. After reading your answer, I think I will stick with SL right now. This is still so new for our family that I want things to just continue to go smoothly, with as little stress as possible (for everyone).

[siloam]

I don't use SL anymore, but never heard of them being a "bad" company- so I am just curious why you loathe them.......

 

My guess is that the poster was one of the people left in the cold during the "poof".

 

SL used to be free like WTM. They built up all this hype about big, wonderful (implied) changes, but didn't tell anyone anything. One day we were all there then next, poof, you had to re-register and if you hadn't bought a core or at least $150 from SL in the last year you had to pay to be on the forums.

 

It isn't that they changed the policy. It is that they didn't give people warning and let them say goodbye that really hurt. People still wouldn't have resented it, but I think you wouldn't have had as much fall out, KWIM?

 

Heather

 

[Guest aquiverfull]

I agree Heather. I've used SL in the past and was part of the forums (under a different name then the one I use here.) Although, I wasn't really active, I did enjoy lurking..lol. I enjoyed being able to read warnings/reviews for the books used. I never really understood why they started charging for the forums. A few months ago, I bought a one month membership because I was considering using SL again, however I decided against it. I really believe the forum should be free for all.

[TXMary2]

:D Ah, the million dollar red hot question...it's been nice ladies, but :auto:.

 

LOL- OK- forget I asked. I don't really need to know anyway since I won't be using SL again.

[melmichigan]

I really believe the forum should be free for all.

 

With everything that has happened on the forums this last year, I can never see that happening. :smilielol5: I imagine they are trying to figure out how to further limit access right now.

 

But I digress, back to your regularly scheduled program...:lol:

 

Heather, thank you for all the insight, off to try and figure out these map aids...

[TXMary2]

With everything that has happened on the forums this last year, I can never see that happening. :smilielol5: I imagine they are trying to figure out how to further limit access right now.

 

But I digress, back to your regularly scheduled program...:lol:

 

OK- now I am just curious. What happened? Why does there seem to be so much drama associated with SL forums?? It has been well over a year since I have been there - mainly because I refuse to pay for it.

[Guest aquiverfull]

OK- now I am just curious. What happened? Why does there seem to be so much drama associated with SL forums?? It has been well over a year since I have been there - mainly because I refuse to pay for it.

 

You have me curious too. I'm out of the loop since it's been 2 years since we used SL. When I bought the monthly membership, I didn't really spend much time over there, so I have no idea of the drama on the forums and what SL is doing as a company that seems to be upsetting so many people.

[calandalsmom]

**Warning** This reply is off-topic.

 

Heather, I appreciate your candidness. We are switching over to TOG (Yr 2) after this year and I've been a little rattled reading some of the posts about it here.

I used Sonlight years and years ago...for about 5 years (1997-2001). I used all the cores except 11/12 grade. Nothing in me wants to go back either. I didn't like us on Sonlight. It felt great in the beginning but after a few years it just felt...empty. Like the general feeling of unwellness that follows a long season of eating only what you like. I need, or rather we (the fam) need deeper (nourishing) ideas to chew on. I'm not sure if we're a "heavy academics" type of family either, but I want the opportunity to try...even if it means TOG-lite. We can handle much of the content...but not while running! A little slower pace or fewer books sounds alot like us. BTW, "Tartuffe" looks like a gas, but "Phaedra" hurts my head. :tongue_smilie:

 

Thanks for taking the fear out,

Geo

Oh for pete's sake. Seriously? If you cant come up with nourishment and deeper ideas using SL that isn't their fault, its you. Tho I will admit their high school reading list makes me sigh since 1/4 of it is 6 th gr level stuff. I do think there are PLENTY of good books in there tho.

 

But this aspersion cast on SL (that its all shallow brain candy) is unfounded and wrong.

Edited August 3, 2010 by calandalsmom

[calandalsmom]

LOL- OK- forget I asked. I don't really need to know anyway since I won't be using SL again.

Sarita got a message from God in some conservative christian book and now we cant say anything at all derogatory about evangelicalism or anything which might "pull someone away" from that faith at all ever or we'll get the hand smack.

[Geo]

Oh for pete's sake. Seriously? If you cant come up with nourishment and deeper ideas using SL that isn't their fault, its you. Tho I will admit. their high school reading list makes me sigh since 1/4 of it is 6 th gr level stuff

 

But this aspersion cast on SL (that its all shallow brain candy) is unfounded and wrong.

 

In reply to your rather rude remark, I admit that I do need help with background and context in many areas of history and government. After all, I received a public school education. I'm trying to raise the bar for my kids. My opinion of SL is one I developed after 5 years of use. I've earned it. I've read alot of opinions here on the boards I disagree with. I don't expect everyone to share mine. How about you?

 

Geo

Edited August 3, 2010 by Geo
grammar/phrase-ology

[momee]

We are venturing far from the topic of this thread gals.

[Geo]

We are venturing far from the topic of this thread gals.

 

 

You're right, my apologies to those following this thread. I should have expressed my sentiments to Siloam via private message.

 

 

Peace,

Geo

Edited August 3, 2010 by Geo
phrase-ology/clarity

[TXMary2]

Sarita got a message from God in some conservative christian book and now we cant say anything at all derogatory about evangelicalism or anything which might "pull someone away" from that faith at all ever or we'll get the hand smack.

 

 

Well, it is her company.:tongue_smilie:

[melmichigan]

I wonder if some of my problem is that I have a DD who hit Dialetic at 9, and my twins are already upper grammar? That doesn't leave as much SL for us, since a good part of the "high school" is our middle school. :) Maybe that is my draw to both.