thinking about buying Trail Guide to Learning; Paths of Exploration. Comments?

[luciana11tx]

Has anyone used this? I'd love pros and cons about it, what you liked or didn't and why... I really haven't found many reviews out there. Thanks!

 

It's for my son's 3rd grade year.

[WIS0320]

The blogger who runs Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers has done a few review posts and apparently loves the curriculum. I'd look there! I've asked about this curriculum a few times and it is usually crickets around here.

[amyrjoy]

I replied to a few posts recently..if you do a search on this forum, you'll come up with what I said along with another others, HTH!

[jamajo]

The blogger who runs Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers has done a few review posts and apparently loves the curriculum. I'd look there! I've asked about this curriculum a few times and it is usually crickets around here.

 

Yep. I was just getting ready to recommend this. Here's the link: http://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/2012/02/review-and-giveaway-trail-guide-to.html

[5LittleMonkeys]

I used POE this year with dd9 (3rd). I liked it a lot even though there were some things about it that didn't work well for us. We stopped using it about a month ago in favor of using Time Travelers, although we did continue reading the books that were scheduled. We won't be continuing with the series, but only because it just doesn't fit well for our family. If I had less dc or could use it with multiple dc then it would be a definite keeper. My 5yo was too young for it and my 6th grader was too old for it so, my 3rd grader was doing it alone and it was not flexible enough to accommodate me teaching 3 other dc in addition to a toddler.

 

Some specific things that I loved:

 

1. All inclusive.

2. Living books.

3. Lots of geography.

4. All subjects were tied together and relevant - nothing was studied in isolation.

5. Planned.

6. Grammar was gentle and applied. No boring grammar textbooks.

7. Spelling and Vocab was VERY thorough imo.

 

Things that didn't work for us:

 

1. Not flexible. There were days when I would have liked to do just LA and math, but because the LA is tied to the other studies it can't easily be pulled out and done separately without skipping something or having to double up on that portion the following day.

2. It was too hard to fit all the week's work into 4 days.

3. A LOT of paperwork.

4. Not a lot of time left over for exploring rabbit trails or adding in other subjects. (This may vary for different families but it was taking us about 4 hours per day, not including math.)

5. Days became repetitive with not a lot of excitement to look forward to.

6. The middle school supplement was not enough for an average middle school student, imo, without adding a lot of supplement.

 

Overall, I liked the program and thought it did a wonderful job of pulling all the different subjects together. I probably am not the best person to use it though since I like variety, rabbit trails, and tweaking. If you are the type to want something laid out for you to follow and do not like or need to veer from the plan then this is a really good program for you.

 

If you need to ask any specific questions feel free to pm me.:001_smile:

[amyrjoy]

I will add something I didn't say in the other threads I responded to (I forgot to mention it but the PP reminded me of what WE did with LA)....I didn't really USE the LA as written. We did our own, so we COULD skip around/combine days just fine. In fact, I cut out a couple weeks with Jamestown and Pilgrims because I wanted to be done with those before Christmas. It all worked out well for us to tweak, etc. We went over some of the words, but my kids are on the younger side of this curriculum. We really enjoyed the reading/history/geography/drawing/nature studies/reflective writing. I did not do all the copywork for my first grader since he detests writing right now...I didn't push it. For my third grader, we did MOST of the dictation. It would take us 1.5 to 2 hours for using with 2 children. Plus, then we do other reading/math/English, etc.

 

Basically, I saw it a little bit differently- laid out but tweak-able in my case.

Edited March 15, 2012 by amyrjoy
to clarify myself a bit more!

[5LittleMonkeys]

 

Basically, I saw it a little bit differently- laid out but tweak-able in my case.

 

I tried to see it that way too but my "oh, I spent a lot on this program and I can't believe that I'm skipping so much of it and have to go spend more money on different LA programs" self got in the way.:D I really do wish it had worked out for us because I think it is an awesome program! In my next life I'm only going to have two dc close together in age...then I'll be able to use it from 3rd grade up to 12th! :tongue_smilie:

[amyrjoy]

:) HA! Yes, it did help to have two kids close together, and even though my middle child is only in first grade this year, it was quite doable for him. Sorry it didn't work out for you. I like it a lot, and am an eclectic type homeschooling kinda girl anyways. I have a friend who is going to use it next year perhaps- glad to share the love. It does resell pretty well, I think, fyi, if you plan on doing that!!!! :D

 

I tried to see it that way too but my "oh, I spent a lot on this program and I can't believe that I'm skipping so much of it and have to go spend more money on different LA programs" self got in the way.:D I really do wish it had worked out for us because I think it is an awesome program! In my next life I'm only going to have two dc close together in age...then I'll be able to use it from 3rd grade up to 12th! :tongue_smilie:

[luciana11tx]

Thanks! I do plan on using it with 1 child since my other 2 are a toddler and a baby... Seems like I only hear good things about it but I'm scared of the all-in-one curriculum afer the Lifepaks fiasco. :S

[amyrjoy]

Thanks! I do plan on using it with 1 child since my other 2 are a toddler and a baby... Seems like I only hear good things about it but I'm scared of the all-in-one curriculum afer the Lifepaks fiasco. :S

 

Aw, it will be quite different than the Lifepac curriculum!! I wouldn't worry about that! :)

[woolybear]

Things that didn't work for us:

 

1. Not flexible. There were days when I would have liked to do just LA and math, but because the LA is tied to the other studies it can't easily be pulled out and done separately without skipping something or having to double up on that portion the following day.

2. It was too hard to fit all the week's work into 4 days.

3. A LOT of paperwork.

4. Not a lot of time left over for exploring rabbit trails or adding in other subjects. (This may vary for different families but it was taking us about 4 hours per day, not including math.)

5. Days became repetitive with not a lot of excitement to look forward to.

6. The middle school supplement was not enough for an average middle school student, imo, without adding a lot of supplement.

 

Overall, I liked the program and thought it did a wonderful job of pulling all the different subjects together. I probably am not the best person to use it though since I like variety, rabbit trails, and tweaking. If you are the type to want something laid out for you to follow and do not like or need to veer from the plan then this is a really good program for you.

 

If you need to ask any specific questions feel free to pm me.:001_smile:

I found this very helpful. Not the OP, but considering it as well. Thanks.

[Berta]

Does anyone have the complete set for sale?

[Berta]

Does anyone have the complete set for sale?

[GTJo1996]

There is a Trail Guide users group on Facebook. Many folks are posting used sets for sale there.

 

I began using this curriculum with my 3rd grader back in October. It really clicked with us. Here's my summary:

 

PROS:

1. Open and go (as long as you have all the texts and readers handy)

2. It is easy to tweak up the work or lighten the load. We were bored with the Pilgrims and were ready to move on, but Jamestown was more interesting so we added extra readers. There are supplemental readers suggested at the end of the units for you to do exra work if you want to.

3. The set-up of this curriculum requires the student to listen to read-alouds and summarize what they heard. Also the child has a read-aloud they read to the teacher.

4. No busywork coloring pages. Everything is age appropriate and related to the topic at hand.

5. Some of the assignments are interesting to my 4yr old boy, but he doesn't sit down too long!

 

CONS:

1. It's time consuming. I spend at least 1 hour on this curriculum if not 2.

2. It's hard to transport if you need to travel while you homeschool. Maybe that is because I am a disorganized person though! When you need a text, 2 readers, an atlas, nature guide, and wildlife book PLUS kiddos binder, it is easy to leave something at home that you might need.

3. You have to add math (but no big deal)

4. You might want more in-depth grammar and writing.

5. Science may not be the right fit for what standardized tests will cover. Kids study more stars/weather/plants/animals than solid/liquid, mammal/reptile/amphib, earth science.

6. It's kind of expensive but you can save money by buying used readers or getting them from the library, but since each unit takes 6 weeks to complete, you will need to renew 3 times to get a unit done.

 

* Overall, I love Trail Guide and it works well for DD9. (I am only teaching one kiddo.)

 

*I love that the curriculum requires thinking skills. For example, the children have vocab words and must write sentences that utilize the words to retell the story. A kid cannot get away with writing lame sentences!

 

*I love that the child has to imagine themselves in that period and visualize what Columbus or Squanto saw or thought or felt. One assignment was to write a letter from home to a Pilgrim. She had to actually think about what the Pilgrims left behind and what they would have wanted to follow-up on (i.e. their farm animals or unfinished construction projects in their hometown)

 

*My kiddo does not do rote memorization well at all. She needs context and story to really cement an idea. TG works well for this type of learner.

 

*I like that there are drawing assignments and "go out and observe nature" assignments. I think it is important to teach thinkigs skills as well as the power of observation and deduction.