Thursday, March 1, 2012

I searched and searched and TOG is the best!


I am a researcher.  When it was time for immunizations I put together a chart calculating the percent chance that my children would get a certain disease and the corresponding chance that they would develop a reaction to the vaccine.  I spent hours looking at design styles when it was time to redo the paint colors and curtains in the dining room.  From switching to a membership-only retail warehouse club to using cloth diapers I love to learn about and research my options.  So, you can imagine what I did when it was time to choose a homeschool curriculum!
Abraham Lincoln's log cabin

I searched and searched and TOG is the best!  

We love books.  TOG emphasizes enjoyable quality literature.  TOG is a “living books” curriculum.  We get to read fiction and non-fiction, memoirs, adventures, poetry, historical fiction, classics, etc. concerning the different sides of many issues/events and decide for ourselves the value that comes from each side.

Moccasins like Lewis and Clark
Tapestry is so thorough and easy to customize.  This is our second year of TOG.  Last year I was not expecting number 5 and things were a little easier.  Last year we didn’t know one of our little campers was dyslexic and things were a lot easier.  This year is different than last year, and although my children are in vastly different places with regard to reading ability and propensities, Tapestry makes it doable!  We can have several different ages, stages, and abilities and yet be on the same page with regard to events, topics, and subjects.

Becoming educated is not just about learning information.  Since my children are young there are a lot of things they have yet to learn, and I dare say most of them are not academic.  I really like the focus of TOG on the excellence of the education, but even more than that is the view that the education we are giving them is the training ground on which to build character, teach them to think critically, practice patience, learn to fail, learn to persevere, respect authority, and value scripture and turn to it for the truth.  I used to hope I was including all of these things in our education, but now I’m confident I am. 

Making a salt dough map

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for your review! I am planning to homeschool my son for the first time this year, and am really drawn to TOG.

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  2. I work for Tapestry of Grace and we'd love to include some of your posts on our new website. How can I get in touch with you?

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