tapestryofgrace.groupee.net Tapestry of Grace Learning Levels General Information: R Overwhelmed with amount of work|
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http://tapestryofgrace.groupee.net/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=1...841090003#1841090003
asked a rhetoric level question in the history year 1 forum about getting all the work done and picking and choosing if anyone wants to venture over and share their high school teaching experience. I could really use some help. |
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It sounds like this is your first year with Tapestry of Grace and I can understand why your student would feel overwhelmed.
My first year using Tapestry was when my oldest began 9th grade and we also started with year one. I ONLY did the history, literature and writing assignments EVERY week. We did some geography, not all. We did no philosophy or church history at all. I don't have a copy of the Year One Redesign so I cannot look at the weeks you mentioned to make specific suggestions but I would start by cutting out electives and doing the main part of Tapestry which is history, literature and writing. The literature is a lot I think, especially for a new student, but as TOG says in their introduction the philosophy here is that of a dressmaker. Start with a big pattern suitable to all sizes and cut down to size for the client that orders the dress. In this case, you are the client but you have to do the cutting. I would have my student focus first on the history reading. I agree with what Emma said. I have never had my children do ALL the Student Activity page questions and I decide what to cover during discussion time. My student should be filling in the holes during discussion time. I know it ALL looks great and important and maybe it is but there are few people on the planet that could absorb it all in one sitting, never mind a 9th grader. Pray and seek the Lord as to what you should focus on for your student. Even if it is only one or two points, she will at least remember this information rather than walk away feeling like his head is stuffed with cotton. Ok, the same applies to literature. The literature in TOG is VERY in-depth. However, no-one at TOG is suggesting you even try to do it all. Focus on the big picture first and add details as time goes by and the student becomes more comfortable with literature analysis. When you are unsure about what to cut, why not have the student just do the reading and then together you work on the questions and analysis together? I wish I could give you more specific help but I say when in doubt cut, cut, cut. From my experience it is more important for your student to gain confidence than to feel like they can never reach the goal set in front of them. If necessary stick with the writing assignments and do a bare bones on the literature. Look at it this way, even if you don't do the lit. discussion but the student reads it, they are still benefitting from the reading. Make sense? Also, I would not give too much credence to what the public school teacher says. From what I have seen in high school the expectations are miserably low. My guess would be that what is best for your son would be somewhere in between what TOG has all planned out and what the typical high school would offer. I believe in the Lit introduction TOG outlines the number of hours they expect a high school student to spend on their lit. assignments and I think it is about 7 hours a week. This may be a lot for your student (remember that is just lit) if they are not used to a literature based curriculum....so, let them build up to it rather than dive in. We can all eat more cake if we try to eat it over the course of day rather than in one sitting.  Hope this helps! Lisa in AZ |
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Embarrassed to say, no,
this is not our first year with TOG. It's our 4th but our 1st with rhetoric level. I appreciate your insight and have decided to approach this week by assigning the reading independently and we'll do the literature together, using the discussion as teaching "lectures" a bit each day. This way neither of us are overwhelmed, he gets to see the TOG lit done the right way, with me filling the charts in and him just watching so that'll prepare us for the furture when he is ready to venture on his own. ALTHOUGH I just got word from someone on another board it doesn't ease up in year 2. Whew. Praying hard over here. Thanks for your replies. They are helpful. Stephanie |
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Well I wouldn't be too embarrassed. I am doing lower grammar, dialectic and rhetoric and I think there is a HUGE difference between rhetoric and dialectic ESPECIALLY, (sorry for the caps but I wanted to emphasize) in the litertature.
And, I believe when someone mentioned that it does not ease up in year two, they were referring to the fact that there is a lot of reading and you cover a large amount of history in one year. However, if you do the rhetoric literature this year, in year one, trust me, it will be easier in year two. Both you and the student will be familiar with literary vocabulary and how to analyze literature. And you will have had a year under your belt and so you will be better at determining what to do and what to leave out. I truly believe one of the greatest challenges with TOG is deciding what to leave out. Lisa in AZ |
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Thanks, girls so much for posting this and your other thread, Stephanie! This was a great encouragement today after finishing up our Unit one studies today, and STILL being behind on our Lit questions - AGAIN!
first, it's nice to know that I am not alone. Even though this is our 5th year to use TOG, this is our first Rhetoric (with a 9th grade girlie) year. And she has always been a huge Lit fan, but I was fearing that she would lose that love with me pushing every little thing on her. second, again, even though we've been using this curriculum for 4 years, i still have a hard time leaving stuff out. It is all soooo great! So the reminder, once again, to figure out what works with our family is a well-received one. Third, it also is nice just to have a place to vent when things aren't really going the way I want them to here! LOL!!! again...I know I'm posting several months after the original thread, but the info was much needed today! I hope you have found a good groove with your children! I'm close...very close!!! blessings, sally |
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As a result of my seeking out an answer as to what to do about my quandry of not getting to everything in TOG each week, I felt I simply must share this good news with those of you who may be facing the same dilemma.
I spoke with the very talented young lady who wrote our TOG lit and she shared some thoughts I haven't found elsewhere. Here they are, in no particular order. They're just notes from our phone discussion and they have freed me tremendously from the pressure of getting it all done. "Take more time to read and enjoy. Take a highlighter to the notes and cover what looks interesting. Next year, you will focus again on these elements and you can focus more then on analysis. Cut Medea and Antigone if need be. Week 43, no lit so you can do N/T stuff. We'll study 4 greek plays, 1 per week. Attempt to spread those out. Think of it all as a 3 ring circus. Read, evaluate, and enjoy. There are 3 literature papers. Have fun with them. Take some liberties, do something like content, themes and evaluate from a biblical worldview or take on the topic of artistry. Explain epic similies and give 3 examples of each. For the literature analysis composition, compare 2 Psalms or 2 Odyssey themes. Take what the student is interested in. HOpe these thoughts make more sense to those who are further ahead in the year plan. The biggest thing I got from the discussion is that year 1 was a beginning year for TOG lit analysis. Although TOG yr 2 is crammed with information the lit is a tad bit easier to do practically with students. I plan to enjoy the process in year 1, take our time getting comfortable with an ever increasing workload and doing whatever lit analysis we have time for saving the rest for year 2. Our weeks are still quite busy but as time goes, I do see my son maturing in his ability to sef direct, self study and he is learning a great deal. Have a great schoolday. |
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I also came a very helpful post from Christy Somerville and wanted you all who are reading this to read her words directly. It's under this same forum, Rhetoric level lit ??s is the title I think.
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Though the frequent analogy of TOG is to compare it with weaving textiles, in our family we see Tapestry as nutrition! Allow me to expand. People generally eat food to obtain the necessary vitamins, minerals and proteins to make us strong and able to do the work to which we’ve been called. Occasionally we eat because we are famished, wanting the thrill of a certain flavor on our tongues, celebrating with family, or are simply feeling adventurous.
Here is how Tapestry relates: there are certain basic foods that one should eat in order to be fed well. In year 1, Bible/Church Survey and History would make up the main protein. This is not only the “recommended daily allowance”, but the heart of our very calling as Christians. If no other work in a week is possible, at least eat your protein. In my family, when it’s time for a big family gathering, there is an abundance of food. It is all so delicious that I want to eat it all! But my eyes are bigger than my stomach, so I take a sampling of each dish. Tapestry is like that too. Marcia has called it a smorgasbord. “In an extended sense, the word [smorgasbord] is used to refer to any situation which invites patrons to select whatever they wish among several pleasant things.” (Wikipedia.org). One would not dare go to a huge buffet and think it possible to clean all the plates. You are to sample the dishes, coming back later for more tastes when you are ready for more nourishment or another flavor. The challenge for Tapestry teachers is to know how much nourishment your student needs, and pick and choose with the child for a robust meal that will fulfill their dietary needs and leave them full. And God has given you the grace needed to be their nutritionist! From time to time, we want to expose our children to new tastes. Because, as adults know, foods were sometimes indigestible as a child, but can often become our favorites later in life. We train our little ones to “just try it” before they decide they don’t like it. In my house, we do this every few months even if they’ve said before they don’t like it; and lo and behold, we find one who used to despise squash, now loves it! Tapestry can be like this too. At first government or philosophy questions can seem like mushrooms and Brussels sprouts to a new Rhetoric, but keep having them sample them, and stretch them in discussions; they will likely grow taste buds for them! Because of the vast variety, yummy goodness, and abundance of flavors and nutrition one can harvest from Tapestry on a weekly basis, it is so very important for users to plan their menus carefully. This is not like a textbook where you begin at the beginning and do all problems through to the end. When one sees Tapestry as a tool to feed your family well, and then makes the appropriate meal plan, shopping for ingredients is much easier! Seek the Lord, and your plate (and cup) will be full! Blessings! Becky |
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Becky, My kids are not in Rhetoric yet but as my daughters are in UG, LG and almost D levels I forget that it's okay not to do everything. Your post was so clever and reminded me how I need to use Tapestry as a tool. Tapestry is just so good I tend to try devour too much!
 Thank you so much.Mom of four -Training the hearts of Sara, Hannah, Grace, and Silas for the Lord. |
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I am just finishing up my sixth year of homeschooling. I have four daughters 13, 10, 7 and 18 mos. Out of sheer necessity, I have spent a large amount of time preparing planners for our schoolwork that have been a lifesaver. When I switched to TOG two years ago, I came up w/ a system that has helped me and thought I would share in case it can help someone else. I have a small file cabinet/credenza in our classroom, but for this system you could easily use a plastic file storage box to keep out of the way in a closet or on a shelf. For each child, I have 36 file folders. (I have them color-coded b/c of my extreme Type A personality, red for LG, yellow for UG, etc... b/c they are all in different levels.) I label the folders with computer labels. Example: Week 1 Napoleon's World, etc... but you could just write wk 1, wk 2...whatever works!
Then, I put all of the week's papers for that child into that folder. Math worksheets, science papers, spelling worksheets, TOG Lit worksheets, maps, readings, art project copies, lap book copies...all of it. On the front of each week's folder I print off the TOG Student Page for that child and staple it on the front of the folder. (This takes time, but enlist the kidds to help if you can.) When we start school in the fall, I have the whole year laid out. Each Monday, I go to the file drawer, pull out that week's folder and give it to each child. Everything they need for each subject that week is already there. As they do their work, everything goes back in those folders. When I am ready to grade, I can just grab a folder and do it. I can take them with me and grade during a soccer practice, piano lesson, whatever. After they are graded and at the end of the week, I just put the folder back in the file cabinet. At the end of the school year, I can go through, pull out what I want to keep in a portfolio and recycle the rest. I can even re-use the folder. Each child also has a planner that I have custom-made myself for TOG and the other curriculum I use. I do this b/c during the summer I have a lot more time to make copies, write up lesson plans, etc... than during the school year. Then, the only preparation I have during the year is to pre-read teacher's notes, and teach! Once school starts w/activities, sick kiddos and company calling I just don't have time to be writing lesson plans and spending my whole weekend preparing for the next week of school. Preparation and organization has been the key to not being overwhelemed during the school year, especially since I had my fourth. One final note: I do prepare ahead, but all of my planners are in pencil, so I do allow myself to change things as needed for the year if I need to. I would be more than happy to share my planners if anyone would like to have them and tweak them to your own child/curriculum. They are in Excel. I preint them off an add things to them like a school calendar, reading list, our homeschool mission statement, etc... Then, I take them up to Office Max and have it bound for about $3.00. This sounds like a lot of work, but is actually pretty easty. I write in my lesson plans on the road or whenever I'm waiting somewhere.... I hope these organization ideas can help w/feeling overwhelemed during the school year |
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Yes, I would be interested in your planner. I could not figure out how to email to you personally so I am posting here. You can send a link or attachment to dajonesfamily7@gmail.com
Thanks so much Andrea |
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OOOOh- I would love a copy of your planner- it seems to fit into my Type A personality!!
Can you email me at lalbinus@windstream.net Thanks! lisa |
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by BecauseOfHim:
I am just finishing up my sixth year of homeschooling. I have four daughters 13, 10, 7 and 18 mos. Out of sheer necessity, I have spent a large amount of time preparing planners for our schoolwork that have been a lifesaver. When I switched to TOG two years ago, I came up w/ a system that has helped me and thought I would share in case it can help someone else. I have a small file cabinet/credenza in our classroom, but for this system you could easily use a plastic file storage box to keep out of the way in a closet or on a shelf. For each child, I have 36 file folders. (I have them color-coded b/c of my extreme Type A personality, red for LG, yellow for UG, etc... b/c they are all in different levels.) I label the folders with computer labels. Example: Week 1 Napoleon's World, etc... but you could just write wk 1, wk 2...whatever works! Then, I put all of the week's papers for that child into that folder. Math worksheets, science papers, spelling worksheets, TOG Lit worksheets, maps, readings, art project copies, lap book copies...all of it. On the front of each week's folder I print off the TOG Student Page for that child and staple it on the front of the folder. (This takes time, but enlist the kidds to help if you can.) When we start school in the fall, I have the whole year laid out. Each Monday, I go to the file drawer, pull out that week's folder and give it to each child. Everything they need for each subject that week is already there. As they do their work, everything goes back in those folders. When I am ready to grade, I can just grab a folder and do it. I can take them with me and grade during a soccer practice, piano lesson, whatever. After they are graded and at the end of the week, I just put the folder back in the file cabinet. At the end of the school year, I can go through, pull out what I want to keep in a portfolio and recycle the rest. I can even re-use the folder. Each child also has a planner that I have custom-made myself for TOG and the other curriculum I use. I do this b/c during the summer I have a lot more time to make copies, write up lesson plans, etc... than during the school year. I, too, would love to have your planners. I will be starting my first year of homeschooling and TOG in the fall and am looking for a good way to plan, plan, plan this summer. I am hoping it will make the year a little more doable. My e-mail is kss2305@gmail.com. Thanks, Kathy |
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Would you please send me your planner. I would love to see it. It may be a good fit for me because I do the folder thing, too, only just for TOG not for everything else, but....I may have to incorporate the other subjects in now that you've given me the idea. Thanks for sharing. My email is champagnes88@yahoo.com. Grace & Peace, Ellen |
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Oh my.....this is an answered prayer. This will be my first year using TOG and I would love to receive your planner and anything else you think will help me plan for the upcoming year. Your plan is what I need to start working on now so that I am not overwhelmed. With your ideas and planner, it gives me the courage to take the plunge.
Thank you so much for sharing this information and being a blessing to so myself and so many others. You may send the information to GIL95@comcast.net I can not thank you enough.
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