Is TOG too much for 1st grade?

[ruthie5573]

We are just about to wrap up MFW K5. We have really loved it! I have been drawn to TOG for a while, but I'm just not sure if it's the right place for us at this stage of our lives or if it'd be too much for me to organize and teach for a 1st grader. My kids are 5, 3, and 2...so would I be biting off too much to try TOG next year? Thanks in advance!

[WTMindy]

We are just about to wrap up MFW K5. We have really loved it! I have been drawn to TOG for a while, but I'm just not sure if it's the right place for us at this stage of our lives or if it'd be too much for me to organize and teach for a 1st grader. My kids are 5, 3, and 2...so would I be biting off too much to try TOG next year? Thanks in advance!

My answer is Yes and No. I love TOG and if you know you want to use it in the future, it might be good to get it now and start using it. If you are just looking for a first grade curriculum, then I think it is way overkill. Personally, I wouldn't trade the 4 years we had with SOTW, but if you really want to start TOG, I would just do the reading, the mapwork and the projects. This is similar to what SOTW is (in fact you TOG schedules SOTW readings as an alternate book) and keep it really fun and hands on and not get too bogged down in all the details of the curruculum and use the time for you to get familiar with the curriculum. The best thing about TOG is that it is as much or as little as you want to make it.

Again, my answer really depends on what you intend to do long term. I loved doing SOTW for 4 years and then moving into TOG. It was a good transition for us.

[ruthie5573]

I am looking long-term...it seems that TOG is similar to MFW in how you can teach multiple aged children together. So, I could do TOG and also add SOTW?

[Ria]

I'd go with Sonlight. It's more young kid-friendly.

Ria (who has used both SL and TOG)

[Karenciavo]

I am looking long-term...it seems that TOG is similar to MFW in how you can teach multiple aged children together. So, I could do TOG and also add SOTW?

SOTW is a book that scheduled in TOG Redesigned. I use TOG with my 1st grade son, it's going great. Otherwise, I agree with Mindy.

[Kayaking Mom]

I thought it was entirely too much for a 2nd grader and 1st grader together. I know - edit, edit, edit - but I still felt like a loser for only getting 25% of what they suggested done. Some people are fine with it - I couldn't deal with it. I will use it in the future with older kids - but SOTW with AG and additional reading is a great fir for us.

[Cadam]

Not necessarily but the temptation is there, especially with your oldest child. You have choices, you can't do everything and if you even try to come close, it will be too much. If you can discipline yourself about how much you try to accomplish and you have a good idea about what is age appropriate for first grade then it is a great program that will carry you a long way. I think SOTW is one of the alternative spines so that should work out just fine.


I am biased toward MFW, but to each his own!

[Quiver0f10]

I personally wouldn't use TOG with a first grader unless you had older ones using TOG and just folded the first grader in. For the younger ages I really liked the SOTW books.

[ruthie5573]

Thanks ladies! I found someone that is going to let me look thru her Y1 TOG, but I'm really thinking MFW is the place for us. I appreciate your input...I feel like it has just confirmed my thoughts to stick with MFW for this stage of our lives--why change if I love it!?

[Melissa in CA]

For once I really don't have an opinion [yeah, this is somewhat of a shocker, even for me :lol:]. I just wanted to pop in and say how much I love your avatar! :D

[fourgrogs]

That said, I have a strong reader who can handle the reading without me looking over his shoulder. TOG does an excellent job choosing age appropriate books. Just hand them to your Lower/Upper Grammar student; that allows me time to go teach my younger one to read.

I've used it for two years with LG/UG student