DITHOR Pacing

[juliegmom]

I purchased DITHOR, but won't actually have the guide in my hands for a couple months since we live overseas. I plan to use the 4/5 workbook with CtC next year. Does the teacher's guide offer suggestions for pacing students through DITHOR? It sounds like the student book can be used over the course of two years covering 1/2 of the genres each year. Is this schedule laid out in the teacher's guide?

Thank you!

[Nealewill]

The schedule for DITHOR is listed in both the DITHOR guide (TM and student book) and the level guide you are completing. So, for example, if you are completing Preparing, DITHOR is listed in the language arts box 3 times per week. You would do 1 lesson of DITHOR each day that week that it is schedule in Preparing. As for what to complete on those days, the TM tells you what activity to do each day based on the genre you are completing. You need the schedule in the student book to help you break the book(s) down into 15 manageable days. So - you would get the physical lit books out, write down the pages you want your child to read for each of those days and update that scheduled page provided.

DITHOR takes 21 days to complete for each genre. Day 1 is an introductory activity for the genre. You then read the literature book over 15 days (so this would be day 2 through 16 out of the 21 days). At the end you have 5 more days scheduled to complete the end of book project. I find that we just allow 20 minutes for DITHOR at this time and my kids don't usually need 5 full days to finish the project. But there are different projects you can do and some do take longer than others.

I took a photo of oldest dd's student book for the beginning of the Adventure genre. She is completing level 4/5 this year. This shows the page where you can write down the reading schedule. You can schedule the reading by taking the book and dividing it evenly over 15 days. Or you can divide it by chapters. I have done either way depending on the book. I find that I will occasionally schedule an extra day or two of reading in the guide (so I take more than 21 days for DITHOR) because of how the chapters break up and my dd doesn't really like to read more than 15 pages at a time. You can see I penciled in one extra day of reading into this schedule. Also, I highlight the days that have writing activities in the student book for DITHOR as well. Not everyday does have a writing activity. The lowest student book has the least amount of writing activities and the highest student book has the most. The DITHOR TM will tell you will direct this as well. just like to I highlight my kids student books because it is just a visual to help them. I thrive with highlighters personally so I use them regularly in my school.

[juliegmom]

Wow Daneale, thank you so much for taking the time to offer a well thought out explanation and amazing sample!

My original plan was to begin this year with Preparing, but our path was redirected when I became a caretaker to my precious mom for 8 months as she valiantly battled cancer which was too much for her body. A difficult journey, but a priceless gift to have those 8 months.

I can't wait to start HOD!

Blessings!
Julie

[Nealewill]

You are most welcome.

And yes, I would have chosen the gift of spending the time with my mom too

I am hoping you like it!!! We started HOD last year. My oldest started with Preparing and my younger two with Beyond. We LOVE it!!!!!