Hikin' Mama Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 How difficult is this to use? I just went to the website to print out a week's worth of lesson plans so that I could get a feel for it. It was 56 pages!!! Also, how much total does this program cost when you include the price of book you need with the program? Finally, would it be easier and more cost effective to use a spine (I'm looking at Spielvogel per recommendations on this board) and flesh it out with books listed in TWTM? Thanks so much! Kim :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraceinMD Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 You'll probably get lots of answers from experts, but I'll chime in: this is our first year with TOG (Yr 1, Redesigned) and I'm really liking it. Ds is 11, and we're doing mainly Upper Grammar, with occasional Dialectic level work. When I went to print out the 3-wk trial (Ancient Egypt), it made me crazy, because it WAS so many pages --- but now that I HAVE it, it's a little easier to understand. Here's what's in there (as I recall - I don't have it right here): an overview of what's going on in the week you'll be doing a 2-page grid that has Church History/History/Literature/Crafts-Art 'stuff' and probably some things I don't recall. So you (for example) look at the level that your child is working at, and then look at what's written in the box next to the subject --- so, for example, we've been reading D'Aulaire's Greek Myths for literature/Upper Grammar level. The book suggestions usually have Dewey decimal numbers with them, so if you can't find a particular book in the library, chances are you can use a book that's next to it on the shelf. Then there are writing suggestions (for all levels, I think - I don't usually use this) There are answers to LG/UG literature questions (e.g., worksheets that they may have filled out for a book they read) There are discussion questions for Dialectic and Rhetoric levels. There are extensive teacher notes (many pages; a lot from World Book, but also other background info that helps you pull it all together, and know more than your student :) ) The student pages have instructions for geography and timeline work (iirc) and worksheets/graphical organizers based on some of the reading assignments. My son is not very hands-on, so we typically just skip a lot of the craft projects, and focus on the reading --- but you can definitely tailor the program to how your own children best learn. I can't really speak to the cost -- I happen to live in the same state as the woman who developed TOG, so a lot of the books are available through the libraries. I probably wdn't buy a book that was only going to be used for one week, but that's me! The main spine for year 1 is the Usborne Internet-linked Encyclopedia of Ancient History, but even that isn't used as you would use a textbook. I'm not familiar with Spielvogel, so don't know how that would work. I hope this was at least a start, and that other's with more experience will give you more answers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 You'll probably get lots of answers from experts, but I'll chime in: this is our first year with TOG (Yr 1, Redesigned) and I'm really liking it. Hi Grace! We are starting TOG in March, and I can't wait--I've already ordered a lot of the stuff and it's sitting at my mom's waiting our return to the States. I just wanted to chime in and say hi! :) Diane (in Phoenix, in Europe, in Hong Kong, ...oh forget it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraceinMD Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Hey, Diane! Glad you're going to get going with TOG! You'll probably pass us (we're only on week 14 or 15, although we're on schedule with Science and Writing and Latin (sort of)).... Why are you Elinor Everywhere (I get the everywhere part!) - is there an allusion I'm missing?! Will you be back in your old house when you return? Grace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisawa Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 How difficult is this to use? I just went to the website to print out a week's worth of lesson plans so that I could get a feel for it. It was 56 pages!!! Also' date=' how much total does this program cost when you include the price of book you need with the program? Finally, would it be easier and more cost effective to use a spine (I'm looking at Spielvogel per recommendations on this board) and flesh it out with books listed in TWTM? Thanks so much! Kim :confused:[/quote'] I will share my experience.... 56 pages is a lot of pages! But depending on how many children you are using TOG with will depend on how many of those pages you need. Each week covers K-12 in more than 1 subject. I share this only to place the volume in perspective. Total cost is up to you.... The guide itself is $180.00 and will be raised in price Feb 1st to $225.00. This is a HUGE chunk o change, but when I rationalize what I would spend on guides every year for 12 years... it works out for me. I try to be realistic and look at it as never needing to buy History and many other subject guides again... I say this now because we have used it for over 4 years now and I have no plans on changing. Will you buy every book new or try to find used? I look for used first. This cuts the cost down. Many moms on here have mentioned book swap sites... I don?t remember what they are all called but one was called Book mooch... We do use a spine but we also use the suggested readings in History core and use the internet a lot! I like my kids to also research things they do not know, write them down taking notes and then writing it up in a little report.... If you can, look to see if TOG will be at your local State convention. Then you can see, touch and discuss it. *?* Its a great program..... Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 I have the year 2 unit one in front of me right now. I am doing planning for my dd that will be using this for 2nd grade. My high schooler will hopefully be safely installed in a college by then. After doing my own thing for history for a hs rotation, I can see how TOG would be great for hs. For the unit I am looking at here is what is scheduled for hs for a week for you to chose from. Two History spines, one of them is Western Civilization by Spielvogel. Five other history reading choices A Government reading 5 literature choices, one of them is Beowulf, one is from a book on poetry analysis, one from a book on lit analysis, and two lighter reads. A book on church history. there is a list of people to know there is a list of dates to add to a timeline there are three art activities suggestions there are three geography assignment suggestions There is a detailed writing assignment at different levels of difficulty there are 5 questions to see if they paid attention to the history assignment. there are 4 thinking questions about the history assignment that start with things like "Summarize, Ponder the general state of .., What results did the..., What events connected..." There are Literature questions on different levels, There are definitions of literary terms,. There is a two page government assignment. There are 7 pages of background information to help you put the information in context so you can know more about it it you chose to learn it in greater depth. There is an outline of a discussion at two different levels so that you can lead a good discussion once a week with your kids to help them think about the material. There are answers to all the questions. That is a lot of information. And each week has the same things for the rhetoric level. Each week focuses on a topic so it is easier to have discussions and for the kids to see connections. I think it is kind of hard to look at the sample especially if you had just printed the sample off in b&w - it is color coded. For the R level, you would just need to follow one color and not look at all of the pages for the other levels. The actual manual to me is easier to understand than the online sample, but it takes a few days because the R level is very rich. I like the discussion questions and background information that it provides. I have spent many hours gather the same type of things for myself. You could easily use a textbook and schedule readings and be very successful. If you used tog, you could save money with the library. I haven't used it at any level yet, I'm still studying, but I like what I have seen so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hikin' Mama Posted January 21, 2008 Author Share Posted January 21, 2008 :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Well, we were trying to think of another name so I wouldn't have to change it (we have an option of another expat somewhere, but at this point I think the kids would appreciate some stability), and Tessa is reading "Inkheart" right now, in which there is a character with that name. We liked the alliterativeness (is that a word? LOL) of it, and went for it. I'm looking forward to hearing more about your journey with TOG. Are you on the yahoo list? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Oh, and yep, we're going back to our house in Phx, although we bought a sailboat we're keeping in San Diego & we spend about 1/3 to 1/2 of the month there. We've done that for years, but now we finally get to sleep in our place (the boat) instead of constantly mooching off friends and relatives! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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