Hi,

I have a question about the trimming chart for Y4U1. I know you are actively working on the Loom documents for Y4U1. Do you know which Literature selections will be "trimmed" in unit 1? I was all ready to order books for the first unit and then realized I need to know which books may be trimmed, before we purchase. I tried to figure it out from the SAPs, but don't know if I am interpreting it exactly right. Our co-op is planning to follow the suggestions for Beginning Rhetoric students this fall.

I appreciate any input you can provide. If I need to wait for the materials to be posted on the Loom, that's fine. I'm just trying to do as much planning as I can in the early part of the summer.

I am so thankful for the Rhetoric support Tapestry provides in the unit plan and all of those wonderful charts and guides. Every time I read the Teaching Rhetoric Literature document, I stop and give thanks to God for His provision. We are excited (and a bit nervous) about launching into Rhetoric, but we know you'll be there to help us navigate our way. Thanks so much!!

Blessings,
Eia

Hi Eia! Thank you for the encouraging words. :-) The Y4 version of "Teaching Rhetoric Literature" for Unit 1 is almost finished and will, I hope, be posted within the week. The "cuttable" book for this unit is "All Quiet on the Western Front," though if you cut it you might still go ahead and try to do the war poems included in Weeks 5 and 6 (which are part of our free 20th century poetry supplement coming soon on the Loom, so no extra book purchase necessary!).

Since you are in a co-op, I'd recommend that you especially look at the new appendix in "Teaching Rhetoric Literature" when it comes out for Y4. This time around I've included a sample syllabus, a record-keeping tool, and a sample format for students turning in their SAP work. I beta-tested these with my own co-op class last year and am happy to be able to offer them as extra tools for you! They're just a small addition, but hopefully will help. :-)

God bless!
Christy

Christy,

Wow! Thanks for taking such good care of us. We are richly blessed by your kindness to us. The only problem now is that you are making it hard for me to wait patiently for all those extra goodies you've just highlighted for me It all sounds very helpful. Especially to someone just starting out with Rhetoric students. Very exciting!!!

We have been studying the Teaching R Lit. doc from Y3 for the information that is not year specific, just so we can start to prepare. Having the document for Y4 in June will be fabulous! I've enjoyed reading your posts over the past two years. I've been cutting and pasting tips and suggestions you give to other moms in preparation for our big start this year. As I look forward to our new adventure, I am so glad to know you're close by when we need help.

Looking forward to another great year with Tapestry!
Eia

Christy, I too am looking forward to traveling through 20th c. literature with you as our guide! thanks for all you have done and are doing to help us learn and teach our children! Those goodies you were telling Eia about sound great!
Blessings,
April (anxiously awaiting arrival of yr4 books ordered yesterday!)

You ladies put me in awe of being allowed to serve, but I also want to share with you that from day to day I feel so inadequate to carry out this task well---especially with Year 4, where the literature is frequently saddening. If you think of it, would you please both pray for me, that God would give me wisdom, insight, and words of understanding but also words of hope for this century's literature? You could do me no greater kindness. :-) I'm so grateful for all the insights God has already provided in the Unit 1 class plans; I believe He richly blessed me in writing those. Pray that He will continue to do so!

It is, without doubt, question, or qualification, my utter delight to spend my life serving the homeschool moms of the world. You dear women are my heroines! I want to be like you when I grow up. :-)

Christy

Christy,

I, too, will be praying for you as you are working on Y4 Redesign this year. It is, indeed, a very heavy era.

As an encouragement I want to let you know that I used Y4 Classic with my oldest daughter her senior year ('07 - '08) and returning from her freshman year in college she said that ToG Y4 was the "best thing I ever did in homeschool to prepare me for college". BTW, she had a cumulative GPA of 3.95 in the Honors program. Thank you for what you have put together here. I can't wait to go through Redesign with my younger kids in a couple of years (we will do Y2 this fall.)

I will be praying for you too Christy. It can be so discouraging to wade in the worldview that permeates the 20th century, I got depressed pre-reading The Metamorphosis last week. I am so thankful for the help you provide as we sift through this era with our children. God's grace and peace be with you.