Anthologies or books for TOG?

[iteachmine]

I will be using TOG yr 2 classic (bought used) with my 10th grader. TOG recommends Norton's: World Masterpieces vol 1 anthology for the literature readings.

 

My dd does not care for the anthology (print size & book size).

 

Has anyone just bought the books? Are there pros/cons to this?

 

Any suggestions would be helpful. This will be our first time using TOG.

 

Thanks

[Staci in MO]

But I think the anthologies would be easier.

 

In the assignments, it only gives the page numbers in the anthologies. So, for example, when only a portion of a work is assigned, you won't really know what portions are to be read unless you have the anthology. In some cases, the anthology contains the complete work, so in those cases just reading the book would be easy. But at other times the anthology only contains a portion of the work.

 

I can't give an intelligent answer as to how often the complete work is assigned as opposed to just a portion. I believe only a portion of The Iliad is assigned, but I think The Odyssey is read in it's entirety.

 

I think when this question has come up before, others with more experience have added that buying the books is going to be a lot more expensive.

 

You might check on the TOG forums. I know I've read a discussion on this somewhere.

[Anna]

My dd's are opposites with this. Dd#1 doesn't care for anthologies. She'd rather read the entire work. Dd#2 enjoyed anthologies and for the works she liked, they encouraged her to delve further and read the entire works elsewhere.

 

Now to your questions--

 

:::Has anyone just bought the books?

No. I did both books and anthologies.

 

:::Are there pros/cons to this?

 

Pros to using anthologies only:

 

*much cheaper than books

*easier to read for reluctant readers

*easier to digest if a particular work is dull and boring. As adults, we don't enjoy ALL the classics, do we?

*saves time in high school. Student may read again in college using full work where second time around it will be easier to read..... sort of like going from grammar books to logic or from logic books to rhetoric.

 

 

Cons to using anthologies only:

 

*don't always get full work but sometimes you do

*book is usually fat and awkward to handle. But [here's a pro]-- Check around. We purchased and used Norton's 6-vol. set of World Lit along with their Guides for Instructors. Each vol. is nice and slim. The Guides contain questions that are excellent for essays.

*sorry, can't think of other cons for using anthologies.

 

[coopers5]

We used a mixture, as well, both the anthologies and single books. It just depended on what we already had on the shelves or what we were able to get used, etc.

It's good for kids to learn to adapt to things that they aren't necessarily comfortable with. We all know this, I guess.

 

It is much handier having the single work to hold, sit and read and carry around. But my daughter understands the value, as well, of using the anthologies when works were in there, instead of our having to go spend mega bucks buying them individually. No doubt, that is a much more expensive way to go - getting everything individually. Plus, actually, there are many works that you cannot get individually, such as smaller pieces, some of the poetry, for example.

 

And, just a note to add, regarding someone else's comments about not knowing what portion to read if you have a different book, etc., since the assignments give page numbers. In a perfect world, yes, it's wonderful to think you'll have all the same editions that are recommended, but, anytime this year that I had to use, say, the Norton World Masterpieces volume of works (containing the assigned work), rather than the Norton Eng. Lit volume (which was the assigned volume), if the exact assignment wasn't clear in the charts and whatnot, I could simply get online on the forum and ask. I always got a quick answer as to exactly which chapters or sections were required for the assignment. So, it's not like you're left all alone struggling and wondering if you have to use a different volume or edition for something.

 

Good luck with your planning. It's a great program and we love it. We covered a great deal this year and I felt so good about it.

 

Sincerely,

Jo

[Denise in PA]

I so appreciate reading "Coopers5" comments! Thank you. Ditto for me too!

 

In my imperfect home school world my teens have read from anthologies and primary sources - depending on what I can lay my hands on. TOG has really been my life-line, but I teach it without breaking my meager bank account. Many times my rhetoric children have read different versions of the literature assignments and have adjusted well when TOG page numbers do not jive with their publication's pages. Maybe they have to work at it a bit more, but they also have to read the entire selection! A very handy accountablility tool for me! Yes, I try very hard to select books from the recommended TOG list but have also had no problems choosing substitute titles too. Please remember TOG is designed to be very flexible to fit your children's learning needs. If you feel one of your students needs a dialetic book (even though he or she is in high school) for a particular title then you easily can adjust. TOG offers a plethora of reading titles. I also feel quite comfortable to select my own titles from my local library regardig the history section, providing they cover the same theme.

I hope this information helps! It was a very good question. Enjoy your summer.

[coopers5]

Really, thanks, this was kind of you to say.

 

Sincerely,

Jo