Thinking ahead: Add WWTB to Preparing? Or do CTC?

[farmfamily]

I am a little concerned that my 4th grader in Bigger is being underchallenged right now in the area of writing. We are in Unit 22 of Bigger and I am considering adding the poetry-based creative writing lessons from the Preparing guide (which I own), and possibly also getting started on written narrations. Language arts are this daughters strong suit. Her reading is exceptional, spelling is good (half way through dictation level 4), and grammar in R&S 4 is going fine. She just doesn't do much actual writing! When we get to Preparing she will be in R&S 5. Originally I had thought I would just continue with R&S full speed as written in Preparing, but then I thought perhaps I should go half speed with R&S 5 and add WWTB as written in CTC.

I even wonder whether I shouldn't just bump her to CTC in the fall, where she places right now except that she hasn't done written narrations or creative writing (though we have 12 units of Bigger left to work on those skills). My only concern with her in CTC is that she doesn't always have the best time-management skills. Some days she works well, but other days she dawdles, especially if work is challenging. She has made progress in time-management this year, though, and often likes to work on things independently - she already does science notebooking independently and did DITHOR 4/5 independently among other things. Also she would have to uncombine from her younger sister, which we may have to do anyway if sister needs to slow down.

[Tidbits of Learning]

I have read through your recent posts about combining/uncombining and your younger child still needing help with the ER's. If it were me and older dd placed in CTC except the writing, then I would start working on those skills. CTC walks through written narrations at first I believe (if I am remembering correctly...like it gives a sentence starter at the beginning of the year to get them going). If you wanted to work on writing while finishing BHFHG, I would suggest getting Ignite Your Writing 1 from HOD and work through it before starting CTC. I would also suggest slowing your younger dd down to 1/2 speed at first in PHFHG.

[my3sons]

Tidbits of Learning had some good advice here, and if you are going to separate your 2 dc, and dd places solidly in CTC, then CTC could very well be a good fit! Going half-speed with younger dd would be good for her too. However, it is not every 9 yo that is ready for CTC (especially if they have not done PHFHG at 8 yo), and if dd struggles with time management skills in Bigger Hearts, I think she really might struggle with them in CTC. So, what about moving younger dd to half-speed BHFHG now, and starting older dd on full-speed PHFHG now? We found PHFHG to be a good guide for easing dc into good time management skills, as more of the guide is beginning to be independent. It is also a super guide for teaching written narrations well from the start, as well as teaching creative writing via the poetry lessons each week. You could always add "Igniting Your Writing" to it once each week if you felt you wanted more writing instruction. It also would be a way to see if your older dd finds a solid match in it, or if CTC may be a better fit. Your younger dd will do PHFHG anyway, so you'd have it on hand for her when she finishes BHFHG. However, if you are going to keep your dc combined, then adding the extensions' follow-ups and "Igniting Your Writing" may be a good idea - though it sounds like slowing things down would be a better fit for your younger dd anyway. What do you think though?

In Christ,
Julie

[farmfamily]

Thanks for the replies. My younger dd is doing very nicely in Bigger right now. In the beginning of the year, the writing in Bigger notebooking and R&S lessons were definitely challenging for her, but now she is doing so well with everything that I would hate to slow her down to half speed. On the other hand, I am a little concerned that Preparing will be a lot for her, particularly in the area of reading & possibly writing. I don't like the idea of her reading her own history/science independently any time soon - I fear she would continue to skip over a lot of the more difficult words. I would want her to read the history/science to me - but that will probably slow things down, making half-speed a nice option. On the other hand she may be able to do fine in Preparing full speed next fall. It's hard to say. She is an easy-going child who gets on with things and rarely complains, but she does need me to sit by her for practically everything right now.

Older dd's skills fit very squarely in CTC right now according to the placement chart. She has not done written narration, but I had her do one of Preparing's creative writing assignments last week, and she did a fantastic job. Looking back over R&S 4, she has actually done a fair bit of writing in there, if you count the friendly letters, book report, retelling a Bible story, etc. She is very good at oral narration and remembers a lot of details (often more than I do!) I feel confident that her skills are where they should be for CTC, especially if we add in written narrations over the next 12 weeks.

That leaves the time-management issue. Honestly, one of the best things about combining my girls has been that my older one has been encouraged to work faster so that little sister does not finish things before her. She is really MUCH better now at getting on with her work than she was a year ago. She no longer sits and daydreams over work at her desk, though sometimes she doesn't get started on the next subject unless prompted. She likes to work independently & she has let go of most of her perfectionist tendencies that used to make notebooking/art take all day. She can be very slow on math (her least favorite subject) or piano practice if she is learning a new song.

I really think I'd like to split them up, though I know my older one will not like it if her work takes significantly longer while her sister's might even take less time than right now. My current thought is that I'd like to do is finish Bigger with them both (12 more units), adding in written narrations modeled after Preparing's for my older one and creative writing assignments from Preparing. Then in the Fall, I would start them both half speed, one in CTC the other in Preparing, and work toward full speed, first for my oldest and then for my second. If I find that CTC is too much for my oldest I will just drop her back to combining with sister, but adding in follow-ups on extensions and Igniting Your Writing, & go half speed on R&S 5.

Sorry this is so long, I'm just thinking out loud.

[my3sons]

...I really think I'd like to split them up, though I know my older one will not like it if her work takes significantly longer while her sister's might even take less time than right now. My current thought is that I'd like to do is finish Bigger with them both (12 more units), adding in written narrations modeled after Preparing's for my older one and creative writing assignments from Preparing. Then in the Fall, I would start them both half speed, one in CTC the other in Preparing, and work toward full speed, first for my oldest and then for my second. If I find that CTC is too much for my oldest I will just drop her back to combining with sister, but adding in follow-ups on extensions and Igniting Your Writing, & go half speed on R&S 5...Sorry this is so long, I'm just thinking out loud.

It helps me to think out loud too - don't every worry about being too long - have you seen some of my posts?!? I really like your ideas here, and I think that sounds like a super plan all around! One thought on this comment... though I know my older one will not like it if her work takes significantly longer while her sister's might even take less time than right now. We have had this at our house. I have found the answer! They just need to finish the same time, or very close to the same time. So, my oldest ds works straight through (he is in the HOD high school WG guide), getting up earlier than the others and working straight through to lunch. My middle ds starts a little earlier than my youngest ds. My youngest ds has an independent playtime, a playtime with my middle ds, and a video time interspersed in his day, they all take a break after lunch, and then they come back to all finish about the same time. They are all happy with this! I just thought I'd mention this as I finally figured out what bothered each of the dc was the finishing last every time, as the others were 'done' and skipping off to play. It doesn't bother them when they play throughout the school day at all. In fact, they are pretty unaware of it, as they are playing upstairs in their rooms or other places not right next to whomever is working on school. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[8arrows]

It sounds as if things are going well. I am definitely a fan of, it is isn't broke.... It does sound as if your older daughter is ready for more writing though. We loved and found Igniting Your Writing easy to add on to a guide. In fact, that is exactly the course I took to keep my children combined. Separating certainly works for many families, but it does not sound as if you have to separate. Of course if that is your desire....that is a different story. As far as reading her own history slowing down the younger child, the history and storytime are still labeled as T in Preparing. Only the science (from what you mentioned) is labeled as I. Even in the science, in the beginning you could take turns reading to bump the younger child up to reading the science by herself.