I am so excited to start with TOG with my firstborn. I've read some of the posts and a lot of you seem very supportive of starting TOG in Kindergarten, even if it's just reading the books and beginning to expose your child and yourself to the program....my question is: would you end up doing a year 2x at the rhetoric stage? How would you work that? By cycling through 4 years, 3 times - that leaves you with 12 years. By doing TOG in Kindergarten, you'd actually be doing 13 years...where would you put that extra year? I don't really want to do YR1 in K & 1st (I don't want to do the same year 2x in a row.)

I don't know if that question makes any sense, but I'd appreciate your input! I know I could save the program and start in when he goes into 1st, but I'm just dying to get started!

Thanks,
Monica

Well, you wouldn't necessarily be doing the same year at the same level. Let's plot it out just for fun. Here are the learning level designations I use as a general rule:
K-3: LG
4-6: UG
7-9: D
10-12: R
So, your plan would look something like this:
K: Y1LG
1: Y2LG
2: Y3LG
3: Y4LG
4: Y1UG
5: Y2UG
6: Y3UG
7: Y4D
8: Y1D
9: Y2D
10: Y3R
11: Y4R
12: Y1R

The only Yearplan you would cycle through 4 times would be Y1, but each time at a different level. There's a thread here on the forums somewhere about the benefits of covering Y1 as an upper-level high schooler. Also, your particular state may have a requirement for only 3 years of history (that's what mine has) and at that point your dc may wish to pursue other interests more in-depth. At that point, you may or may not choose to do history in that 12th grade year. My kids are generally enrolled in our local community college for at least 2 classes during their senior year, so I wouldn't worry at all about this considering that your oldest is just beginning K. Enjoy the time while they are little. The days may seem to drag on, but the years fly by!

I hope this was helpful to you!

I started TOG with my K child, but I'm choosing a different route. I LOVE the fact that TOG spends an entire year on each the 1800's (Year 3) and the 1900's-now (Year 4). They are such pivotal years in the development of our modern culture and modern church. BUT...that means Year 2 is JAM PACKED with material, from mid 400's AD to 1799. So, I've charted out a course where, when my oldest is in "high school", we'll spread Year 2 over 2 years. Then every one of my 4 children will have started in K and done the Year 1 through Year 4 cycle three times, but will have spent an extra year on Year 2.

Deanna

Oh, you guys are SO good! I love it! Now, I feel much better about starting in K, knowing that I do have some different options, ones that I really like. (And I had thought that Y2 looks a bit overwhelming, as well, so splitting it one of the years is a great idea!) Thanks gals! Any other input from people is gladly accepted, too!

Shellie - Thanks for plotting that our for me - I am such a visual person and got much more from that than had you just explained it! I've been thinking about YR1 at the upper level and even though I am not sure which thread you referred to, I've been thinking about some of the positive benefits of doing that. Definitely something to remember!

Thanks, gals!

Monica

quote:

Originally posted by deannatoby:
So, I've charted out a course where, when my oldest is in "high school", we'll spread Year 2 over 2 years. Then every one of my 4 children will have started in K and done the Year 1 through Year 4 cycle three times, but will have spent an extra year on Year 2.

Deanna, I'd love to see how you are able to spend 2 years on Y2 in the high school years. Do you count 8th grade as a high school year? We did Y2 this year and it was really a whirlwind. I'd have loved to have broken it down, but because I had a high schooler, I felt that we just couldn't spare the time.

Just thought I'd throw into this discussion that I just finished Year 1 with a kindergartener (as well as four older children). He was working so hard trying to learn to read and write that by the time we finished those things, he was much more interested in just playing. On occasion, he'd listen to what I was reading to my UG kiddos, and he did pick up quite a few things (even when it appeared that he wasn't listening!). But don't stress about it if your little one doesn't always find it to be something he wants to do. TOG at this level is like dessert for him. There's plenty of time!
Michelle