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October 11, 2008
Tapestry of Grace, One Unit In
We've completed our first unit, our trial unit, of TOG. How did it go? I already have the next unit on my desk.
Yes, I love it. Ever since it was time to bump the older boys up to the next level, I've been floundering. I haven't gotten a good handle on how to challenge them, or to successfully require more of them. TOG has helped me to manage this.
Specifically, it's helped me to get them reading more consistently, and to discuss with them what they're reading. Yes, the discussion should be a no-brainer, shouldn't it? But some of us are ... easily distractible ... and really need that piece of paper reminding us what we're supposed to be discussing.
In the last 8 weeks, Connor and Aidan have read:
A retelling of Don Quixote
The Landing of the Pilgrims (Landmark)
Perrault's Fairy Tales
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
In addition, Aidan has read Diane Stanley's Peter the Great, and several chapters of Story of the World. Connor has read through book 7 of the Iliad, several chapters of This Country of Ours and Our Island Story, and four chapters of Locke's Second Treatise on Government.
(Not all those works are assigned in TOG.)
That's not bad, is it?
Yes, we like it. The schedule is flexible, allowing for students to move between levels as their abilities dictate, and keeps us on a good track. The discussion questions are good - sometimes even excellent. And it's not so time-consuming that we can't do our own thing, like classical studies.
I've got the two little boys working at the Lower Grammar level. Aidan is well-placed in the Upper Grammar level; I had him do some Dialectic readings, just to see. He can read the books, but slowly. Soon.
The Dialectic level is actually a little easy for Connor, but I'm not willing to bump him up to the high school (Rhetoric) level yet. So, at his request, we're adding the Rhetoric government elective to his work - hence the Locke. Does this kid rock, or what? Neither Locke, nor the Iliad phases him. I must have done something right.
We are also doing the TOG geography. We are NOT doing the church history, or the writing program. I substitute out about half of the literature selections. I almost wish they integrated a science program with the rest, except that I know what that science would be.
Posted by lynx at October 11, 2008 10:06 PM
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Comments
"Yes, I love it."? "Yes, we like it."?
NO NO NO! This isn't what you were supposed to say. You were supposed to say, "Oh, it's okay, but it sort of sucks how much work I have to do to make it suit our needs and I really wish I hadn't spent the money." That would be a MUCH better review. Really.
Or maybe you could say, "Yes, we like it, and I'll give you large amounts of money so you can try it."
Posted by: Gail at October 13, 2008 11:11 AM
I'm with Gail. You're one of the few people who can influence my homeschooling purchases. Ernie would really like it if you can re-write this review to express your dissatisfaction with it.
Posted by: KathyJo at October 13, 2008 11:43 PM