If you had to choose between TOG and MFW, which would you choose and why?

[MommyInTraining]

My oldest is 9 and there are 4 younger under her.

 

Thanks for your input,

Terri in WA

[PeterPan]

Well do you like what you're doing with MFW? What makes you even ask? Why not just continue? I think TOG is bordering on overkill for 4th grade, which is what I'm assume your dd will be next year. You can, but with your others so little and so many other options for 4th, I wouldn't bother. If MFW doesn't look like what you want, how about MOH or VP? Either would be very easy to do with your oldest and the tagalongs. Nuts, you could do SOTW and just require more writing. I know someone who did SOTW K-3 and started over in 4th. You could do CHOW with the workbook available from Calvert that just happens to include outlining (a 4th grade skill). I'd pick something EASY for you to implement, whatever seems easiest and most practical.

[Quiver0f10]

I agree with OhElizabeth. If my oldest was in 4th and especially if I had a lot of younger kids too, I would chose something simpler such as MFW or just SOTW, which is what we did at that age and we LOVED it. TOG is very intense and I would save it for the next go round.

[momee]

Absolutely agree.

We're stopping TOG for now as I'm having a new baby and the library book research and putting things on hold and planning are not how I want to spend her first year with us.

That said, TOG is an awesome program, it's just very mom intensive if you don't have tons of money to spend on buying books.

 

Blessings on your new baby, enjoy this time!

[KerriF]

I was also trying to deicde between these two.:D We are currently using TOG Y2 (did Yr 1 last year) I have a 2nd grader and a pre-K.

 

I chose TOG because it stays with the four year rotation repeating 3 times. This was important to me. I also chose TOG because of the teachers notes and because I knew it was a program that I wanted to use later so I decided to just jump in. My boys really enjoy it.

 

I think MFW is a great program. :) The reasons above were just what helped me decide.

 

hth

[hwfquilts]

I have used TOG for four years now, so we've been through the whole rotation. I started when my older son was in 2nd grade, so until this year we've been grammar stage only. I really love it. Sure, it's overkill for the grammar stage, but I love that it is thorough, I can use it over and over, and that my younger one stays on the same page with us at his own level.

 

Now, I don't have lots of youngers, so take this with a grain of salt. :)

 

Heather

[Tami]

as I think TOG is overkill for you and MFW is just too much everyday to complete in your situation.

 

I would agree with SOTW - (get the audio!) and Activity Guide. Do activities once a week, or as a Family Fun Saturday. Let your 9 yo read related books from the library as suggested in SOTW. Trust much to good books and enjoy your littles.

[hsm]

You are wishing to simplify, right? concentrate on the basics, choose some good books/audio for history/nature read alouds and independant reading and enjoy. MFW is a unit study if that brings you joy and makes it easier then, maybe research it further....but I would just keep it simple

[Trivium Academy]

We're reading the primary source books, which are living books. We have abandoned SOTW for the living books in TOG's lower and upper grammar with a focus more on the lower grammar.

 

We're not doing ALL that TOG provides but I'm fine with that b/c I have multitudes of years ahead of us and I can see the path ahead and know what we'll be doing.

 

We're reading the books, I'm equipped with the teacher's notes to flesh out anything I want to teach at this stage, dd7 is narrating and completing the literature worksheets for each week and we're all very happy.

 

We're loving it but each family makes TOG their own, they do what they want within its' framework. Those that say it's too much, only say that b/c they cannot temper themselves to only do what is beneficial for their individual children. If you need a product to give you checkboxes and clear tasks to do daily, TOG is not for you.

[MelissaMinNC]

I don't think it's too much, but I don't have as many kids as you. :)

 

I have a dd6, in first grade, and a ds3 tagging along underfoot. I think TOG is only too much if you try to do everything; I don't have any problem leaving boxes unchecked, or only reading 1 or 2 selections instead of all. If you can buy the books to go with your child's age/stage/grade level, so much the better - it's even easier to implement if you don't have to reserve a bunch of books at the library. I do use the library myself, and it does take time; it's worth it to me at this point, TOG is just that good.

 

Just my .02, hope it's helpful--

:)

Melissa

[Lisawa]

I would choose TOG... I love it! :D

It sure can be overkill, but it doesn’t have to be. It depends on you... seriously.... and you can do a week in a week or a week’s lesson in 2 weeks...

 

I have not used MFW but have read many wonderful things about it. I like TOG because it grows with my family, I can use it K-12 and take it as deep or as light as I want.

 

Expense is an issue.... but when I first started I just used our library for most of the books... so it wasn’t to bad... and I already had a pretty good home library from my Beautiful feet studies and Sonlight in previous years. I know try to buy what I can....

 

I know its hard to decide.... but remember... they are young... any of the programs mentioned would be a wonderful year... I’m sure of it.

 

Just decide what you are looking for and your goals for the year and then decide if TOG, MFW or even SOTW fit the bill....

 

Are you looking to buy now, or can you wait till convention?? I know MFW is at WHO (Not sure where you are in the State) and SWB will be there this year!! Yeah! I know TOG will have a booth cause Im hosting it! lol Maybe after you can see and hear about it, you will feel more relaxed about what you choose.... Just a thought...

 

Hoping the best for you!!:)

[Heather in Neverland]

With the age of your kids, I would say neither...go with SOTW with audio CDs. It has been wonderful for us! I taught with TOG at a co-op and it is a good program and I agree that it can be as light or as in-depth as you make it BUT the mere act of trying to assemble all the necessary pieces, all the books and what-not, might be more hassle than you need right now.

 

My kids will listen to the SOTW CDs over lunch or while coloring or playing legos, whatever. I can throw a load of laundry in and when the CD is over, we talk about what we heard. We do the map activity and if we find a particular topic really interesting we read more, watch a movie from netflix about it, etc. It is amazing how much they are learning and they really like it!

 

ENJOY your littles...you have two more cycles of history after this one to cover things they may have missed!;)

[Johanna]

We were all set to go on to C2G for MFW since we are finishing (and having a blast ) with ECC. But, then i was getting an unsettling in my heart about going on to ancients next year with a 4th grader and a 2nd grader (my other 2 will do MFW K) and i wanted to keep my older 2 together. I just didnt feel that my 2nd grade ds would be ready for ancients (he is finishing MFW 1st). I feel that ANcients would be too over his head, and he'd get lost. Also, I feel it is important to get a year of America in for the littles, I felt it was imortant to do that for my ds. So, i didnt want to do adventures in MFW again, and i wanted something that would build off it for my dd (who has done MFWAdv.)

Well, God lead me to HOD (Bigger hearts for his glory) and it is going to be the perfect fit for us. So, maybe you can check out HOD....I fell in love with it when i found it. I didnt think it was possible for me to feel this way about any other curric besides MFW....but i really like the look of HOD!

Just some thoughts, HTH!

[1bassoon]

For me, I would do TOG, very light, and use the early years to get MYSELF up to speed on my own education - read the h.s. lit, etc.

 

But that's just me :) Hindsight's always 20/20, kwim?

[WTMindy]

If you think you want to use TOG in the future, you might go ahead and use it now although it is certainly not necessary. Personally, I loved SOTW for the first rotation, but either of the other is a great option. You can choose how much to use in TOG so you wouldn't have to "do it all" the first time around.

[LoveBaby]

TOG just looked like"to much" for me, although I have never used it so I really couldn't say.

 

I like MFW's simplicity. It is all there and easy easy to use. I don't have to sort through a list of possible activities or other resources and decide what to use. It's there, it's great, works well, is fun and simple for me to implement without being constraining.

 

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

 

 

yeah that!!

[siloam]

My oldest is 9 and there are 4 younger under her.

 

Thanks for your input,

Terri in WA

 

Terri,

 

I love TOG, but it isn't for everyone. When I came to it I knew exactly what I wanted, and knew that TOG would give it to me. The work is worth having my ideal hs.

 

MFW is going to be more open and go, but I am sure I would find some way to tweak it. That is just me, always messing with things. Part of the reason why TOG works so well for me.

 

Both are great program, so are the other suggestions made here. I think the place to start is to ask yourself how much time do you want to spend preparing history? How much time do you want to spend doing history? That will get you started in the right direction.

 

Heather

 

[Trivium Academy]

ENJOY your littles...you have two more cycles of history after this one to cover things they may have missed!;)

 

That is exactly WHY I like TOG over SOTW.

[MelissaMinNC]

we did MFW K last year and LOVED it. It's a wonderful program, and the other years look terrific also. It just didn't line up exactly with what I wanted for our hs.

 

And, as other posters have said, I LOVE the Teacher's Notes in TOG, and am reading several of the Rhetoric level selections to educate myself. I figure by the time my dd actually is R level, I'll be an expert - on how to implement the program, as well as on the material itself. Okay, who am I kidding? I won't be even close to an expert on the material, but I'll know a whole lot more than I do now. ;)

 

HTH,

Melissa

[Pretty in Pink]

have you downloaded the 3 week egypt unit available on the tapestry site? trying it out for a few weeks may help you make your decision.

 

i debated MFW and TOG, finally settling on tapestry, because we know that we want to continue in the upper grades and tapestry has that longevity. i really like the lesson plans as well, they are very detailed.

 

if your budget allows you always have the option of ordering the books you need from the Lampstand Bookshelf. we ordered the spines as well as the books that fall under the "history in depth" category. it is more than i have spent on curriculum in the past, but then again, it is so much less than private school tuition. that's how we look at it anyway.

[anewday]

We did MFW for 2 years (Adventures and ECC). Loved Adventures and didn't like ECC.

 

Haven't been brave enough to dive into TOG, but it's something we will be seriously considering on our next round through history (we're doing SOTW right now and though it was actually my "default" choice, it turned out to be exactly what I wanted :D).

 

I would make sure you really like the books for whichever one you go with. For MFW, I'd check them out thoroughly beforehand if you aren't familiar with them. I disliked ECC for that reason.

[Donna T.]

Isn't TOG a history curriculum? I know it has alot of great literature, but isn't it just for history?

 

MFW is a complete curriculum.

 

So, you could consider that. What do you need?

 

I've used MFW K, First Grade, and Adventures. I am now using Sonlight which I've previously used for a year and a half (before ever starting MFW).

 

I like MFW very much. It's easy to use, very simple. TOG looks very complicated to me but I always thought I'd give it a closer inspection when my boys get older. I don't know though because we are feeling very much at home with SL. I'm very happy with it and right now, I'm thinking we will stick with it. For the ages of your children, you should look at SL if you haven't already. The books are so much fun. My boys love all of them. TOG looks so deep. I'm sure it is wonderful but we are having FUN with SL.

 

They are all good. I didn't need the entire MFW package and to be honest, it became increasingly boring to me. I was bored, and I needed something that would interest me more.

[momofkhm]

I did K and first with my youngest. Then brought the girls home fro school and started with ECC. We were many weeks (13-15?) into CtG and my oldest (7th grade) was feeling like she was doing history. I prayed and prayed and finally went to the local homeschool store and found a copy of TOG yr 1 classic on the used side of the store. I bought it for the same amount I had jut sold the train table for.

 

My plan had been to switch my oldest to TOG and keep the younger 2(5th and 2nd grades) on MFW. Well that didn't last at all! I do still follow the MFW plan for science (youngers), art and music for my kids. I figure that I already have the books I might as well use them.

 

After I got over the 4 week fog, it's been great! I only regret all the copies I made at the beginning of the year.

[M&M]

No, there are more elements to TOG than just history.

[siloam]

No, there are more elements to TOG than just history.

 

Ok the annal side of me is coming out. I would consider TOG History, Geography, Music History, Art Appreciation, Writing and Science history. At the older levels also philosophy and Government.

 

But to Donna's point that is correct, TOG doesn't have Science or LA and Bible only in year 1 (that would meet my requirements).

 

I just use TOG because it has all these different pieces that I wanted.

 

Heather

 

[M&M]

I used MFW when we were having our 5th.

 

I wanted something that was scheduled so that I would be sure to finish school that year :eek:. Let's just say that just because we had a schedule didn't mean we followed the schedule.

 

I would choose anything that didn't make you feel like you are behind if you don't get everything done.

 

I think TOG is great for large families, if you wanted to do some prep for when your children get older TOG is great for K- Mom. But only if you know you wouldn't try to do too much.

 

We have slowed down a lot when we were expecting a new baby and my older children have not suffered. I wish I had TOG around to read when I was up at odd hours or nursing the baby.

[Bassoonaroo]

I've not used TOG but like the looks of it. We've used several MFW programs and love how you have very little prep work. It's all planned out for you, and it's not too expensive. If you do the projects (such as sicence, crafts, cooking, art, etc.) then you'll need to run to Walmart for basic supplies.

 

I like planning things and adding things and shifting things around to fit US better, BUT, honestly, I don't always have time to plan out things. There have been some hectic weeks (due to illnesses, etc.) that I have been very thankful to pick up the MFW TM and ... teach.

 

Also, MFW has a terrific spiritual focus, if that's important to you.

[PeterPan]

BTW, for the extremely rude person who anonymously posted that I "shouldn't comment on things I haven't used" (not sure how you can tell what I've used, maybe just from my limited sig???), here's the run-down:

 

Own, have owned, and used in some fashion:

-TOG-several units

-MOH1 and 2

-VP

-SOTW 1, 2, and various AG's

-CHOW and workbook (particularly like this, which is why I recommended it!)

I own and have used MANY other things you can't see from my sig either.

 

Borrowed extensively from a friend to look over and make my own decision:

-MFW--like the idea, no problem with this, ended up not using, would definitely consider under other circumstances or with another dc

 

I think people should refrain from anonymous, inaccurate, deriding posts in the reputation spaces. If you have a problem with a person, say it face to face, say it politely, and put your name on it. I wouldn't even have a problem with a mild chide ("Did you have your coffee yet?") if it were followed by a :) . I would like to suggest that the best use of the reputation option (which I haven't even figured out how to work btw, haha), is to THANK posters without wasting board space. I've sincerely appreciated the people who've taken the time to do that and it's the only reason I bother to scan down there occasionally.

[Michelle My Bell]

I recently left MFW to go to TOG and WOW! I am so glad I did. Not because MFW is a bad or boring curriculum, but mostly because it just wasn't working anymore for us. Here are the levels for MFW we have used...

 

K - Not completely, just didn't mesh

1st - Still going through, although taking a break to catch up. It was too fast moving

ECC - Just borrowed this from a friend to try out. Liked what we did till we returned it.

Rome to Reformation - Loved our year with this although some of the books lasted for weeks which became tedious

Explorers to 1850 - Couldn't take it anymore. I felt like we were doing the same things week after week. We didn't enjoy using the same books for 8 weeks in a row. The book basket wasn't as full of rich living books as often stated and plus after all the tedious reading noone wanted to read anymore anyhow, projects were just O.K. and the younger level (the whole reason I was excited about it, so my 1st grader could join in with the older kids) sometimes didn't even have any reading at all for the whole week!! And then when it did, it would be the same textbook often. (American Pioneers and Patriots) which is not my definition of a living book.

 

So after looking at TOG for a while I decided to just order one unit to see how it would work. Well I have to say that YES!!! I love TOG!!!:D I didn't expect it to be so rich with FUN and Educational activities, I didn't realize the writing componet was in there, I didn't realize that the scheduled list of books would be so flexible and wonderful, and most of all I didn't realize it would teach ME so much!

 

That is the HUGE difference between MFW & TOG I didn't expect. MFW has hardly any teacher's notes, using just a paragraph or two a day. TOG is pages of teachers notes so that I understand the concepts being taught that week. The discussion outlines are also a huge surprise and hit with me. I love them!

 

So to me, and this is just my opinion... MFW is great if you want something light, ready to go, that requires basically nothing, but the downside is the learning may be light and understanding could be disjointed.

 

TOG is great if your interested in really reving up the learning, putting for the effort to learn with your children and have everything fit together like a beautiful, well, Tapestry! However this curriculum will need more effort by mom to read the notes, to plan the lessons, but for me this has been the best part.

 

I love to plan and I love to request library books. It is like christmas each week seeing what is new and ahead of us. I love the planning!!! The reading is so wonderful because I am learning too! I don't mind reading the Teacher's notes at all. It is actually bringing it all into focus finally.

 

Anyhow, this is just how I see it.

 

Michelle

 

5 dc - 7th grade dd, 4 grade dd, 1st grade dd, pre-k dd, baby boy.

[Trivium Academy]

TOG is what you make of it and it is not for everyone. It is the most comprehensive program I've seen that is all packaged together for multiple years use for one price.

 

You can apply almost any educational philosophy to it and yield great results. If you want living books, they've got it.

If you want a textbook approach, they've got it.

 

There is a new Simple Start guide available now, anyone considering TOG might want to take a look.

 

No program is going to be right for everyone, no matter how wonderful TOG is as a product- it is useless if it isn't used and sits on a shelf. Find something that you will use and enjoy. Don't worry about how many people like it or how it works for them, it has to work for you.

[KristineIN]

I had the chance to borrow MFW Creation to the Greeks from a friend and we loved it(used it last year), I thought, I'd go back and do ECC cause someone else I knew had it, I didn't like it. Next year I can borrow Rome to Reformation and I'm going to go with it. I ended up kind of doing a review of Creation to Greeks with stuff that I had and we are doing some geography, but I just could not get into ECC. Maybe I didn't stick with it long enough, I don't know.

 

Anyway, it's always hard telling, I have looked at TOG and it just looks overwhelming. I am the type of person that I need things simple and I think less is more. I've looked at a variety of things, I didn't like Sonlight because I felt like nothing was tied together. Anyway, you just have to try stuff out for yourself.

 

Goodluck.

Kristine

[MommyInTraining]

However this curriculum will need more effort by mom to read the notes, to plan the lessons, but for me this has been the best part.

 

I love to plan and I love to request library books. I love the planning!!!

 

5 dc - 7th grade dd, 4 grade dd, 1st grade dd, pre-k dd, baby boy.

 

Michelle,

 

Thanks so much for this. It is just the kind of feedback I was looking for, especially from someone with many children.

 

So, after reading how you loved to plan and read all of the teacher's note, I was surprised to see in your signature line that you have so many young children! This is where I am getting hung up on being able to plan. PLEASE share with me HOW you get the planning done with little ones to tend to. When do you do your planning?

 

Looking forward to your answer!

[Michelle My Bell]

I do all my planning on Sunday's. It takes about an hour to type up the lesson plans. I also request all my books through the library 3 weeks in advanced and keep those books seperate from our other books. Then, the books I am going to use for the week get moved into another basket with their language arts and math books. I will attach last weeks lesson plans so you can see how I type them up. In the past I would label them M-F, assigning certain page numbers per day, but I really like just putting a weeks plans together and doing as much as will work each day. I haven't found us with too much to read on Friday's doing it this way.

 

Also, I will add that we are currently homeschooling at 1:00pm each day instead of the morning so that we can do it during my youngest child's nap time. It works really well this way. In the past I homeschooled at 6:00am-9:00am before my baby woke up, but now that I am really incorporating all the kids together, it works better in the afternoons.

 

Michelle

 

 

 

 

Lesson Plans TOG Week #29 March 3, 2008 – March 7, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bible / Church History –

Prudence and the Millers

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Trial and Triumph, pg. 213, David Brainerd

History -

George Washington (d’Aulaire) pg. 1-37 (coloring pictures)

Liberty! How the War Was Won! pg. 2-5

Hasty Pudding, Johnnycakes (Ichord) – Chapter 2

 

Upper Level History –

Battles of the French and Indian War (Smolinski) 5 pages a day

 

Independent History – (Allison only)

George Washington’s World (Foster) pg. 73-91 (not A Young Poet Names Phyllis) pg. 93-110

Accountability Questions w/ mom

Science –

Ben Franklin Book of Easy and Incredible Experiments:

Keep notebook pages of various experiments that are done.

Pg 15-19

Timeline –

Add the following to your timeline as you read about them:

French & Indian War 1754 – 1763

Franz Joseph Haydn 1732-1809 Austrian composer

 

Projects –

Begin a display board that examines the pursuits of Benjamin Franklin. This week, present information about Poor Richards Almanac. (Week 2 of 9)

Begin a display board that shows and explains about colonial fashion. This week, focus on men’s clothing. (Week 2 of 4)

Activity: From Revolutionary War Days, make a pierced tin lantern.

 

Practical Work & Handicrafts –

Sewing: Finish sewing your skirts from last week.

Read Aloud –

Sign of the Beaver (Speare) Ch. 5-8

Worksheet on Friday

 

Music – Franz Joseph Haydn

Listen to http://www.classicsforkids.com/shows/showdesc.asp?id=16 Franz Joseph Haydn

Read The farewell symphony (Anna Harwell) (Listen to the symphony)