TOG So Far.. (and rambling)

TOG - Tapestry of Grace - is a homeschool curriculum that basically covers everything except math and science.

We're finishing up week 3.

Things we've learned/done (will post pics later):

• Ancient Egypt is fun for three weeks. Four would be overkill.
• We made cartouches and learned some Egyptian symbols.
• Some things are worth labelling on a map (Nile River, etc) and others (name of every pyramid) are not. And, it's fine for mom to pick which is which!
• Sometimes you have to read a book twice to be able to discuss it properly.
• Some books are worth reading twice.
• Some are not.
• There are a LOT of books used in TOG and for the first three weeks they're all called "Ancient Egypt" or some variation of that.
• TOG almost feels like cheating with everyone studying the same thing.
• The Israelites definitely felt cheated living on bread and water after seeing everything available in Egypt.. but I'll take bread from God, while free, over anything yummy while a slave.
• We made pipe cleaner people and turned them into mummies. It was much faster than the original process.
• We mummified an apple.. not sure if we'll try a chicken. (We might be done with mummies!)
• We painted wooden dolls and wooden snakes - the snakes were to be used to hunt birds. We skipped the bird hunting.
• Who knew it was easy to hit the 30 book limit at the library?
• Each child has to pick a name or vocabulary word to do their "report" for that week. It's not fair to give a little kid "Polytheism" or ... a word that escapes me right now.
• Co-op is FUN..
  
• (even though our children would rather be elves than Egyptians)
• Week four looks VERY relaxed after a busy three weeks.
  
• 1yo's are not interested in Ancient Egypt.
• 3yo's are not interested in Ancient Egypt
• 4yo's are not interested in Ancient Egypt.
• 5yo's are kinda interested.
  
• 15yo's will learn a LOT about Gods and Goddesses, but eh.. who cares about geography? (But her knowledge about the Gods was really indepth and she was obviously proud of it! A great role model for the other kiddoes).
• The almost 13yo wonders daily when we'll get to Rome.. or Wales.. and didya know that the Welsh blah, blah, blah..
  
• There are three major steps to creating a mummy.
  
• This school year is already better than last year. Yay!

Okay, so my list isn't exactly the glowing sales pitch for TOG. :) I will say that I'm very thankful we went to TOG and plan to stick with it longterm. It's easier to have everyone on the same subject. If Joseph is bored and Bethany is done, she'll often grab one of his books and sit to read with him. The others overhear Daddy and Charli talking about her studies and it just comes together nicely. We've had a few hiccups as we get back into the school routine - I'm hoping most of that is ironed out.

Having a *small* co-op has been a blessing. It also helps that the other family is similar to mine and the Mom is equally relaxed. We're working towards a bit more discussion/structure, but we mainly want the kids to enjoy the process.

I don't think I'd use this curriculum with just small children. I definitely see how it blends together nicely with various levels. I *do* think this curriculum will save my sanity as my children get older and such. The teacher notes are priceless and help me stay on top of everything. We have felt a little 'rushed' these weeks - probably due to the holidays and some other things influencing our school day.

My goal has been to always use a curriculum that I could do while pregnant and/or nursing. I'm doing neither right now - but I am planning to take on a few outside things. TOG allows me to know I'm covering all of the necessities without overwhelming me completely. The only thing I feel we're dropping somewhat is writing. We plan to focus more on that next week now that the initial 'rush' of starting school is passing. We'll also be covering Noah's Ark and that time period next week, which is one we're all very familiar with overall.

My other goals have changed as my children have gotten older. A few of them are:

• Character. Living with 8 people in a house makes for daily conflict-resolution. I don't want blind obedience and "perfect" little children. I want to raise sincere people who are able to function in today's world by applying God's best to them. I think this is where some people miss the mark. They think if 3yo Junior can sit quietly during a church service that they're parenting pros. But if you don't have a close relationship with 13yo Junior, you'll lose him to the world's temptations. So we might not get everything done academically, but if we're able to raise children of character, that's good for me.
• Unhurried childhoods. Charlotte designed a dress - freehand - and did all of the sewing herself. Was it perfect? No. Was it her idea? Yes. (And at almost 13 yrs old, she wasn't embarrassed to wear it either. She's not caught up in the peer pressure that many her age are dealing with!) I don't want to be the one that tells them everything to do with their day. They need to use their brains and take ownership of their free time. As I type this, James and Joseph are currently making up a game together. Don't ask me the rules, I have no idea, but they're enjoying brotherhood right now. Even Naomi benefits from this because she's growing up in a rich environment full of siblings doing stuff. :)
• Simplified schedule. I said "No" more times this year than a Nancy Reagan commercial. (Oooh..dating myself with that one! :). No music lessons this year, just play what appeals to you and enjoy it. Only one book club (1x/mo) and even that is being run by a low-key Mom. Sports are fine, but we're all playing the SAME sport during the same season. For the most part, we're home. We have two afternoon activities, but getting school done in the AM isn't that difficult. I think it's a blessing for my littles to not be dragged all over the place. It is also easier for us to do school work without feeling like we're cramming it in. (Too much of a good thing definitely turns everything bad!)
  

I still have similar academic goals for high school. I'd like to see them use CLEP to the full advantage and such, but we're not doing some of the stressed out things I see others doing. lol. Our day also has a very short segment for "table work" (mainly math and handwriting) and then the children use their planners to see what books to read, questions to review, and so on. For families that want a well-rounded Christian education, with plenty of world view, I definitely recommend checking out TOG. You can even see the first three weeks online.

I buy as I go, so don't let the sticker price scare you! Unit 1 was $60 and a lot of my books are from the library. The spines and some of the literature I did buy, but we'll re-use them with later children.

(btw, still singing the praises of www.teachingtextbooks.com - I hope they get the lower grades done soon! This program is a HUGE help for homeschool moms! It is worth every penny.)

Random pic:


Joseph, on the couch.. obviously we forgot to cover Couch Sitting 101.