Thinking of using TOG next year

[mom2k&c]

I am considering switching from Sonlight to TOG next year for a 9th grade daughter who will be 14/15. She will be the only one schooling and prefers to work independently. I am trying to decide if this will work for us. I will list my questions.

1. Does TOG work for independent learners?
2. What age ranges for the D and R level?
3. Would it be better to start one level lower than age level since we are new?
4. Any words of wisdom for someone looking into TOG?

Thanks

[Sharon Land]

Hi,

Tapestry of Grace works wonderfully with independent learners! You are encouraged to do it this way! We suggest you even let the student copy his weekly assignment and break it down as he/she would like each week. This gives them flexibility and practice of how to break their assignments down into manageable portions. They will need to know how to do this when they transition to college level work.

Our D/R levels are based upon grade levels. Dialectic is usually middle-school students in grades 6-9. When they reach the age of puberty, have physical changes due to this (acne, deeper voices, etc.), and become argumentative you will know they are ready for the dialectic level!

Rhetoric is usually high-school students in grade 9-12, but some students are not actually ready for this level until 10th grade. When they are able to read, make connections, and participate in discussions (while backing up the facts) they are ready for this level. Keep in mind this is a process. They are learning in the dialectic level how to do these things too! It takes time and the ability of the student.

If your daughter did well in Sonlight and you didn't notice any problems with comprehension or understanding her work, then I would start her in the appropriate learning level in Tapestry of Grace!

Words of Wisdom...
1) I would starting out by trying one unit of Tapestry of Grace! (ex. Buy Year 1 Unit 1 in the year-plan, and Year 1 Unit 1 in resource books at Bookshelf Central.)
2) Don't push to hard! You and your daughter are starting a journey into a new learning process and it will take time and patience.
3) It is important for you as the teacher to read through the Teacher's Notes each week and be prepared for your weekly discussion time. Yes, it takes some time but the alternative (reading each and every book your child does) takes much longer. Most of all have fun with your discussion every week! It will get easier as time goes by!
4) Lastly, but the most important of all!!! Spend time in prayer over your homeschool! God is faithful and he will honor your commitment to teach your daughter at home!

I hope this information helps!

God Bless and have a great day!

[Pat]

The answer to your first question is YES! Tapestry is great for independent learners. They can plan their whole week of studies and then do the Socratic discussion with you at the end of the week.

You may find you will wish to either blend D and R levels at first or start only with the history core books and the literature and then slowly add in the history in depth and other books if desired. On the other hand I think a Sonlight student should have some reading experience so she maybe able to stride right in and start reading everything at the R level with no problems.

I found the hardest things for both I and my son to learn was the Socratic discussions. I wanted to lecture and he would have let me do that. You have to learn to draw out your student, break down big questions with smaller questions, and wait for them to answer.

Some of the R level literature years do have "cutting" charts which walk you through a way of pruning the material down to a more manageable level if you find your student can't keep up or wants to spend more time on some works.

[mom2k&c]

This will be the first year we did not finish a Sonlight core in a year. But, there has been a lot going on and she has been growing and changing as 14yr olds tend to do. The main problem is she does not like the discussions. I was planning on using TOG in a Charlotte Mason style with notebooking. Which will allow for the independence. Do you think this will work?I also work part time and she usually does her school work while I am at work. When I am home I try to do things that get her out of the house. We usually go to the dog park.

[Pat]

I think that to not use the Socratic discussions is to cut out the true brilliance of Tapestry. To notebook does not challenge your daughter to begin to go beyond the just the facts stage.

Also, I think it is a mistake to assume the Tapestry's discussions will be the same as Sonlight's. I doubt that would be the case (otherwise they'd be the same curriculum ).

Have you looked at the sample weeks? I'd look at both Year 1 and Year 2 sample weeks and I would compare the D and R level discussions.