I am seriously considering TOG1 next year. Is it worth the price?

[katie5]

What extras would you recommend buying?

 

Thanks,

Katie

[Langhaven]

Admittedly, I am biased toward TOG. I do think it is worth the price, but I have 6 children, 4 of which are using the curriculum right now and a 5th that will start next year. To have 5 children in the same time period on different levels using one curriculum, with teachers notes, tests, answer keys, book recommendations, worksheets, etc. to me is very worth the money. Because I have used it, it clearly works for us, and we are committed to using the curriculum for all of our children until they have exhausted the content, makes it rather economical in my opinion.

 

Extras that I have used are the Evaluations, Pop Quiz (which dad can use to enter into the lessons - or you can use as a teaser for what you will cover during the week), and the Governmental Documents CD with my high schoolers. For maps, I prefer Uncle Josh's.

 

Blessings on your big decisions on what to choose!!!

 

Pam

[happygrrl]

I think it is worth it. I have a slower learner and a quick learner. This curriculum allows me to teach the material to them both at once, and they can both be challenged at their respective levels. We really loved the map aids CD, but then again we have not tried other options. The other things are useful but not necessary; I buy them and use them when the money is there, but the program is not compromised if you don't get them. They are truly "extras".

[WTMindy]

For us, it has been worth the money. I keep in mind also, that it has a good resale value and if I do want to sell it, I can get a big chunk of it back. We are finishing up our first year with it and we have really loved it. I love that I can tweak it and make it work for us and that someone has done all the hard work of pulling the resources together.

[G5052]

My two are fairly close in age and ability, and it was over-the-top for me personally. In theory it could have been great, but not for this time of life and my family situation. I decided some time ago to "delegate out" for 7th and up, so having a long-term curriculum past 6th wasn't a requirement.

 

A single Sonlight core for both kids has worked better for us the last few years than our time with TOG.

 

Naturally your mileage my vary...

[GraceinMD]

I love that I can tweak it and make it work for us and that someone has done all the hard work of pulling the resources together.

 

I only have one child, but have really enjoyed TOG1 this year (and will be gearing up for TOG2); I agree with WTMindy that the "tweakability" is key. With SL5 (which I loved as a transition year between SOTW 1-4 and TOG starting the cycle over), I somehow felt that I wasn't sucking the marrow out of the program if I didn't do everything listed. With TOG, though, there is no way you could do everything listed --- you simply have to choose. So, for my non-crafty ds, we just don't do too many of the projects - but we read a lot, and that's ok for us.

 

As far as extras, I've appreciated the Evaluations (mainly for ds to get used to thinking in terms of quizzes, and somewhat less for their actual ability to help me eval him --- I usually know what he knows, iykwim). We've used Map Aids some, and I'll use it for TOG2, but not as extensively as I thought I would have. I like lap books a lot, and bought the TOG lap books, but will not buy them again - I think they're not well done (no offense to anyone! I'm very picky about my lap books!) and not well organized - I would not spend the money on them again (although if YOU want to spend the money, I might sell them to you :)).

[katie5]

so it sounds like it will be worth the investment.

 

Thanks again,

Katie