Would you share how you use TRISMS?

[rafiki]

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[Happy]

I am very interested in using this with my boys for middle and high school. I was planning on using IEW anyway and will be starting that next year (my oldest will be in 3rd). I'd love to hear feedback on how others use this program, the pro's, and con's. I'm one who needs to see the long term picture. What subjects do you add to TRISMS? Do you use their literature suggestions or books that you have in your home library? Is each period a one year program? How do you juggle multiple kids with it? Is the schedule easy to follow? Do you adapt it much? I've been trying to get on the Yahoo group, but it still says membership waiting approval. Thank you for your time.

 

 

Hi Michele,

 

First off, try to sign up for the yahoo loop again. The loop has been very, very busy in the last few days and I suspect your request has been overlooked.

 

I love Trisms. We have used it here for two complete years (DAW and EOC) and are halfway through our third. (RON) High school level only.

 

With the first two years we did the literature as assigned. The excerpts and selections were just enough for my reluctant reader son. We got a nice taste of things like Gilgamesh without having to slog through the entire thing. In addition, I'd assign some sort of reading that went along with the history. Sometimes the book was on the list enclosed with Trisms, sometimes not. The idea was to get the boy READING. LOL

 

I like most of the writing assignments, but I also taught a writing class using IEW for a couple of years. That meant ds had to focus on class writing not just Trisms writing. When possible I combined them.

 

Things I love about Trisms:

Research based. That takes a few weeks to get used to, but is so worthwhile. I feel like my son knows how to look for information now. Plus, I think you get an interesting picture when take a look around. After all, you usually run into someting else interesting along the way. ;)

 

One of my son's favorite parts of this program is the humanities. He loves learning about art, music, and architecture. Those were fascinating to him. For example, learning that the Mayans of a certain time period had no stringed instruments, but the Chinese of the same time had hundreds. It is fun studying history that focuses more on how people lived than who was conquering who.

 

How it works:

When we first began, I scheduled every bit of it into daily work. As he gained skill, we let him start scheduling his week, simply checking to make sure it was all getting done. Funny, how you can completely ignore vocab for a whole week. :rolleyes: We always hear the interesting stuff he finds, so we are a part of that.

 

Each Trisms unit within each book, takes about two weeks. There are 18 units in each book for a 36 week school year. We modify that as needed. I figure it takes an hour and a half to two hours each day to do the work. Writing and some of the reading will add time to that--sometimes significantly. We ask him to find an image to accompany each questionnaire which makes his notebook more interesting to look at. From time to time, we have him write a short essay using only his questionnaires as his notes. :D

 

If I could start again, I'd start him on DAW in the eighth grade. The last book in the series, Age of Revolution could easily be two year's work. We started in ninth and I don't see us getting to all of that one. That's okay, we will have had a WONDERFUL time in history. :)

 

One area Trisms lacks is an indepth look at Early American History. A mom (who frequents this board as ereks mom) wrote a modified unit to cover Am. History with more depth. The supplement is in the files section of the yahoo loop site. My son and I are currently neck deep in that right now. It's working very well for us.

 

Now that I've reread your original post, I see your boys are still quite young. May I recommend Learning Adventures-A World of Adventure. It is great for 4-8. And, of course, Trisms History Makers is suitable for fifth or sixth through eighth grades.

 

We love Trisms at our house. So glad we found it!

 

Yell, if you have specific questions.

[rafiki]

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