Tapestry of Grace

[mommy4ever]

Social studies/history is one area, we don't thrive in. It isn't a topic of interest for me, I didn't do well in my own studies, hence my struggle to teach it. A few years back, I downloaded the first Unit of TOG, year 1.  I am thinking of pulling it back out. But it overwhelms me. I am missing something. I must be over thinking it and complicating it. 

 

Can some one give me some guidance? I'm going to be working with an upper grammar student.  She is a good student overall, but if I am not organized and understanding what we're doing.... I lose her. So we do great in my strong areas. But we struggle in my week. 

 

So far this year, I'm ashamed to say, we have only read some historical fiction, I really wanted to study our history (Canada) but what we've found to work with is set up so poorly. I don't have the background to create my own.  I need something concrete. And if I could wrap my head around TOG... I think it could work. I see lesson plans. I have a healthy budget to order books, as well as 2 nearby libraries.  I would really like to tackle it in the new year.

 

I'm failing at this, terribly. So much so, there are times I feel she'd be better in school, which I know is ridiculous. But thankfully, she is thriving in all other areas.

[maize]

As a mom who has used TOG, I would say that if you don't have much interest in history yourself and you feel overwhelmed with planning and scheduling this is probably not the best program for you. I would go for something less complex.

 

Have you been through the Story of the World series? An older child could do more than one book in a year. You might also take a look at what Memoria Press uses for history. There are numerous programs out there with everything planned and scheduled out.

 

I like TOG, but it remains one of the more complex and challenging for mom to implement programs.

[Saddlemomma]

I love TOG and DD loves TOG.  Her favorite aspect of it is the fact she's not relegated to a boring textbook.  For some reason, I find it very easy to implement, however, that could be because I only have the one kid. 

 

I agree with Maize that if you find it complex and difficult for you to manage, then something like SOTW may be better because it's basically open and go.

 

However, if you want to try that TOG unit again, here is my suggestion on how to just fit in history as a gentle beginning.  If you're only using it for your UG students, just print or look at the reading thread (usually pg. 4).  Highlight the UG books you plan to actually read.  Remember, you don't have to do them all.  We do them all, but you may want to start with just the core books to ease into it.  Then, I schedule history 3 days a week: Mon., Wed., & Fri. for 1 hour each class.  I split the reading assignments into manageable chunks on those 3 days. 

 

Since I enjoy learning history along w/DD, I often read aloud from the books. (I retained almost nothing from PS.) Often, we will stop reading to discuss some detail or event. Then continue until we find another interesting aspect to discuss.  For UG students, the reading and discussion could be enough.  However, if you want some other form of accountability, require an outline or narration of some specific event you've read about.  This could also be done if you just had your DC read the passages without you.  Call it done.

 

Slowly, as you can manage, you could add in an in-depth book or the suggested read-aloud.  HTH

[sweetpea3829]

Sweetheart, I was in the SAME exact boat.

 

Downloaded part of ToG two years ago...wanted so very much to love it.  I really do love the concept of it.  But it was just too overwhelming for this non-History loving Momma.

 

So...I bought Story of the World...and we are doing so much better with it.  

 

A few things that I do that might make a difference for you...

 

1) I don't school history and science concurrently.  I school history during the cold months, and science during the warm months.  Doing both proved too much.

 

2) I do not do any of the history projects in SOTW.  I'm just not a project kind of mom, and with four kids, the projects turned into busy work and really held little relevance in the overall scheme of history.

 

3) I bought History through the Ages Timeline figures.  I asked for, and received from Freecycle, a ream of continuous feed printer paper, and I created a working timeline.  As we study, I print off and color relevant timeline figures, and we add them as we go.  Actually, I did all of the relevant figures for Middle Ages ahead of time...which took some time, but I'm thankful now, that I did so.  I just cut out whatever figures we need and add it to the timeline.

 

4) Every week, I sit down and look through the next few chapters...I plan out approx how many sections/chapters we'll be covering in the next 3-4 weeks and I do a search on our library's website for the literature/history book additions that the Teacher guide suggests.  I request many of them...as many as I can, or think we'll need...and even extras if I find other good suggestions.  

 

5) Every day, the kids read the assigned section from the SOTW book...we sit down as a group, discuss the section, add relevant timeline figures, and do the mapwork.  

 

6) Every day, for a half hour, in the late afternoon, I have them sit and read whichever history books they want.  Usually, the library basket contains history selections from chapters we've just covered, chapters we are currently covering, and chapters we will be covering in the next week or two.  

 

So far...so good...it has worked well.  And to be honest, I'm actually starting to enjoy it a little, too!  

[sweetpea3829]

Let me also add...now that we have our bearings with SOTW...I would consider adding ToG back in...but not until they are older...middle school, even.  And I would still seek to keep something like SOTW as a spine.  

 

I think part of my problem with ToG was that there really isn't a spine per se.  Nothing to anchor the program...just a lot of pieces to try and fit together.  

 

And also...for me, it would be easier to have the printed version.  

[Saddlemomma]

Let me also add...now that we have our bearings with SOTW...I would consider adding ToG back in...but not until they are older...middle school, even.  And I would still seek to keep something like SOTW as a spine.  

 

I think part of my problem with ToG was that there really isn't a spine per se.  Nothing to anchor the program...just a lot of pieces to try and fit together.  

 

And also...for me, it would be easier to have the printed version.  

 

Once you try TOG again, I just wanted to point out that it does offer SOTW as an alternate book (pg. 5) as a spine.  I've found that the Yesterday's Classic books used in the core reading are the spines.  The other books most often extrapolate out from the YCs.

 

[freesia]

Let me also add...now that we have our bearings with SOTW...I would consider adding ToG back in...but not until they are older...middle school, even.  And I would still seek to keep something like SOTW as a spine.  

 

I think part of my problem with ToG was that there really isn't a spine per se.  Nothing to anchor the program...just a lot of pieces to try and fit together.  

 

And also...for me, it would be easier to have the printed version.

I use SOTW and History of US as the spines. It works well. All levels (and I have a K, young UG, D and R gather for the spine which I read outloud, then have their own independent reading. For my UG (who is in fourth) I choose one of the other reading choices for him to read over the week. As those 2 are UG choices, that would work well for you, as well. I have never had a UG do all the choices or read all by themselves. Since they don't have discussion times, I like the back and forth.

 

However, I didn't start TOG until my oldest was D and I still wouldn't. We did Sonlight, but I think simply reading SOTW and using the activity book would be great, too.

[Georgiana Daniels]

I love, love, love ToG!

 

That said, if you're not a fan of history this might be too overwhelming. Like any great buffet, there's a lot to pick and choose from, but if it's not your thing then it would be easy to skip whenever a time crunch arose. It might be good to stick with the basics that WILL get done. (This is exactly how I feel about science. Bleh.)

[mhaddon]

TOG is very very overwhealming. I LOVE history and geography and I had to shelf it. I also love to plan. It was still so much I needed something easier to implement at first. I wouldn't recomend it for that reason. However, I am planning for year 1 next year and love the program and am excited to bring it out again.

 

What ages do you have?

[mommy4ever]

I took all this information to heart. I really thought about how she works best. How I function best.

 

We snooped at some of the recommendation/suggestions. I decided to shelf TOG :(

 

It is simply too much and I know I would spend so much time trying to find everything.

 

I decided to go with Memoria Press. After talking with them on the phone, at length. We are using their lesson plan guide and doing the Ancient World and Ancient Greece. I have Story of the World if we want to do a little more reading on any particular era. Adding D'aulaires Greek Myths read aloud and discussion(she loves myths and fables) and read aloud Percy Jackson. And the goal is last week of it all we will do lots of movies with Greek Mythology as a base.

 

What works is that she thrives in workbooks. Maybe because it's ready to go, or maybe it's the structure. It works for me because it is ready to go. Life has been hectic, and this keeps us going.

 

I think it was a happy find :). I am so glad I asked!

[mhaddon]

Oh yes if she is a workbook girl then no way would TOG work. It would result in mommy tears first ;)   I am die hard planner, that loves to do all the planning leg work and it was still very overwhealming. My kids are antiworkbook so I know that they will love it. We did 4 lessons in first grade with my now 4th grade son. He thrived and keeps begging to use it again, but with 4 kids I had to give myself a sanity break. We will be doing it next year and I am already breaking out the books to start planning for next fall! I will have a 5th, 3rd, 1st, and K doing it so hopefully without babies/toddlers we can make it through :) We also love hands on projects and lapbooks/mapping/timelines.