extra-curricular activities and TOG

[Julie in MO]

Hi,
I was invited to a TOG "tea" last weekend and I feel TOG is the answer to my prayers. I will have a 7th and 5th grader next year. Here's my question...
This year I was very involved with a Bible study (Community Bible Study) that took two mornings per week. We love the Bible study and I could drop to one day per week if need be. Dd's only participate in one of the mornings - the other day they bring their homework and complete it with a retired teacher. We've managed that scheduled pretty well, using SOTW as our history/geography, but we've been through SOTW twice and want something new (hence the change!) Is it possible to pull off TOG with only 3 full days at home if they use that one morning I'm absent as a reading day? I haven't ordered TOG yet, just looked at samples and have been researching what has been said here. I understand it is more teacher and student intensive. What do you other TOG users say about "out of the house" activities. Does it wear you out to fit it all in, or will it all fit together if I organize well?
TIA. This has been a hard decision for me (whether to teach at CBS again or not).
Julie

[Karenciavo]

Oops, I see know the ages now. I basically have a four day schedule and it is tight with my 7th grader, but not impossible.

[Shari]

Yes, of course you could do it. It might take your students longer than one year to get through the TOG material, but so what? You could plan two calendar weeks for every one TOG week, or just move forward as your students accomplish the work. Where there's a will, there's a way .....

[Julie in MO]

Thanks to both of you!
Julie

[Janis in DE]

Hi Julie, I've been doing TOG for 3 years and we love it. My daughter will be in 6th next year, but I am bumping her up to what I think would be 7th grade work. I am planning now and it is going to be quite a bit. I think you will be able to do it since TOG teaches them to be independent. Since they can read when at bible study they should be able to do it. You could spread the first year over two, but as your oldest approaches high school I wouldn't recommend it. For high school credit they really need to be doing more.

Janis in DE

[Julie in MO]

and thanks Janis for your encouragement!

I sure wish I'd known about TOG sooner, since I'm starting now with a 7th and 5th grader, however, I didn't and here we go! If I do one year of TOG at a time, my 7th grader would end in HS on year 2 (having gone through 1-4 twice). Is that a good ending point? Is there a way to fully cycle through twice?

Sorry to keep asking....it sort of feels like HS is staring us down and I want to make wise decisions we can live with now and later!

Thanks,
Julie

[Angela]

Julie, have you seen this? It might answer some of your questions.

http://www.tapestryofgrace.com/Overview/four_year_plan.htm

Personally if my children only made it through year 1 twice I would be thrilled. I love the way it combines Bible & History. This year I did Year 1 on a 4 day schedule & had a hard time trying to fit everything in, but your children will be much more independant so it could work for you. Angela

[Julie in MO]

I had not seen this - it is very helpful. It is a very helpful website.
Thanks,
Julie