Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Taking the TOG Plunge

When we first started homeschooling, I did what my neighbor did.  She followed The Well Trained Mind with her only daughter.  I was able to buy her old curriculum and get started with the Crafter.

As the years went by, things changed.  The first to go was Saxon Math.  We replaced it with Singapore.  Then we used Rod and Staff Grammar instead of ABeka.  Spelling Power replaced Spelling Workout, and then Spelling Workout returned as a supplement.   Science was a hodge podge of this and that with some Apologia here, some God's Design there, and a host of smaller topic studies.

The only curriculum in the original line-up that we still use is  The Story of the World.  That too is changing this year.  We are taking the Tapestry of Grace (TOG) plunge.  I came to the conclusion that I need more planning to be done for me.   I need the multiple levels and the multiple subjects coordinated for me.

I fought TOG for a long time.  I thought that I could do it myself by following The Well Trained Mind.   I balked at the cost of $400+ each year.  The Historian balked even louder at the cost of $400+ each year.  And the size and scope of it scared me.

I did my best, but  subjects kept slipping through the cracks.   Wild Thing started school, and more started slipping.  I no longer had the time to seek out projects and literature to go with history.  Art and music never happened.  Finally, I caved and ordered year 3.  The Crafter will ride the line between upper grammar and dialectic and Wild Thing will be in lower grammar.  Princess Pink will tag along.  Wish us luck.

3 comments:

  1. We are going to be in the same boat this year, plunging into TOG. Except, I am starting with year 1. I am actually excited. I am also going to order a unit at a time, just in case. Looking forward to hear how you like it.

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  2. I look forward to seeing how it all goes with you. We are considering TOG for middle school. I am pretty happy with SOTW for now. I am glad you were able to find me again. If I could just figure out links and videos and some of the sidebar stuff, I think I would be in business. I do find the friends list harder to manage then the old way but alas life goes on.
    Blessings,
    Dawn

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  3. I am also using TOG for the first time this year with my children - 1 lower grammar, 1 lower grammar/upper grammar, 1 upper grammar, and 1 dialectic.
    Last year we used SOTW and although we loved it, we needed a bit more "oomph". We will continue to use SOTW right along with TOG since the two can be coordinated and I still love SOTW.
    I also am looking forward to hear how you like it.
    ~ Kristal ~

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