Decisions???!!!

[learning_is_fun]

Well, I thought I had it all planned out--mostly. I have 2 boys 10, and 8. They are in their second year of public school, but I can't wait for this year to be over, and be able to homeschool them again. So, I have been trying to plan. I decided I would use Mystery of History for History (we have some friends that use it and love it), and probably the elelmentary Apologia for science. (I have already purchased the MOH, so I may still be tied into it financially). I have been looking at different Language Arts curriculum, and came across DITHOR. It looks so good, I was really beginning to narrow down that I would use it, along with something else for grammar, etc. I made the mistake of looking into the other HOD programs on this site. Now I'm really torn. I just sometimes wish there weren't so many wonderful choices out there!!! I was set on going through history chronologically, and thought it would be great to start in the beginning, but I hadn't seen a curriculum before start with giving a huge overview of history from the beginning until almost now. I love the idea of giving them (and myself--I am very lacking in history, and do not have a very good grasp of the overall picture, but am so excited to learn) a whole overview of history before jumping in more deeply in later years, like you do in Preparing. I was very excited at first, until I realized my oldest would be a little too old for it (he'll be 5th grade), but then realized that a lot of people are using many of them for much wider age ranges. Then I started looking at Bigger, and it looks oh so good, also. How I wish I could take back these years that they have been in school. So, I know I'll have to do lots of praying, and figure this out on my own, but any input into whether I should stick with my original plan and use MOH, and then just use the DITHOR for now, or whether to try this and have both boys do Preparing, or whether to have the older do Preparing, and the younger Bigger, or whether to have the older do your newer one, which is more his age level, and the younger do Bigger or Preparing???? Do any of you have any experience with MOH, and how it compares to this? And if I do decide to go with this, is it better to have both boys on the same curriculum (which has been my intention for history and science), or is it easy enough to fit in two separate levels??? If I decide to use Preparing for both, how easy or difficult is it to decide how to supplement and make sure my 5th grader is getting challenged enough? Thank you for any input.

[joyfulheart]

Have you looked at the chart? I have found that chart to be a REALLY good match to my son's skills. I wanted to put him in Preparing NOW, but he's just not there yet, the chart put him in Bigger and it has been perfect for his abilities.

Where are your kids falling on the chart? I'd use that as a determining factor.

[Riversidemom3]

Hi and welcome,

This is my first year using HOD and Bigger. I also have an 8 and 10 year old (boy and girl). Their birthdays are at the end of the year so they started the school year 7 and 9. My intention is to combine them until my daughter is in high school. I will tell you this is the best year we have ever had. I have added some extension books for my 4th grader. From what I read from others it is very doable to use two HOD packages if you choose not to combine. I have not used MOH but was considering last year. My only concern is that I believe she only has three of five volumes written and has said it takes 2-3 years per volume to write. Just a consideration for you but I don't have an opinion as to the content. Have fun on your journey!

Jeri

[learning_is_fun]

Thank you so much for your responses. Looking at the chart, I think my oldest son could definately do the newer ancients curriculum, but I loved the idea of the whole overview of history in Preparing. I think, after looking everything over really well, I would probably do Preparing with both, and get the extension packet for the older. I would love to go back and do Bigger, because I hate to miss out on anything and it looks so good too, but I think I need to keep things simpler and not overwhelm myself with 2 separate ones. Also, finances play a huge part in my decision, and I've realized if I am to use this curriculum, God is going to have to provide a way. So, I will continue to pray about it. It looks like so much fun!!! Thank you again!!!

[Riversidemom3]

Whichever you choose to do you will have such a wonderful year. I'll be doing Preparing this fall with a 3rd and 5th grader so if that is what you choose we will be on the journey together!

Jeri

[Carrie]

learningisfun,

I just wanted to welcome you to the board! The ladies are doing such a good job of talking through your options with you. Since your kiddos are just coming home to school, I would lean toward having you do either Bigger Hearts or Preparing Hearts with them. The placement chart is very accurate, so when looking at the chart make sure to give more emphasis to the areas of language arts and math (on the first page of the chart) when making your decision. Here's a link to the chart: http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

We pray you'll find peace in your decision. If you have other questions, ask away.

Blessings,
Carrie

[learning_is_fun]

OK I'm not sure whether I should be continuing this blog I started a long time ago, or starting a new one with other questions. Anyhow, I thank you all so much for your input.
I have been praying about it, and am pretty sure I will be trying HOD next year. I'm still trying to figure out which level. My original plan before coming across HOD was to do the four year cycle in history. That would allow us to cycle through all of history twice before my oldest son graduates. Then I saw the Preparing Hearts, and fell in love with the idea of giving them a one year overview of history before delving in deeper. Looking at the placement charts, this seems to be the best fit for both of my sons. I thought I had it settled. Then, after remembering that Carrie had mentioned I could possibly do Bigger with them, I decided to look at it again. It looks so good. I talked with my husband about it, still thinking I would do Preparing. He surprised me by saying he thought I should do American History with them, even though our oldest will be in 5th, and the program is geared more towards 2nd and 3rd graders, and he is ahead in his class. (My husband is always pushing for the program ahead of their grade level, so it totally shocked me when he said this would be fine, and our son would be getting more history with this than he would be in public school (and he is the one who had me put them in school, and still has a bent toward school, although he does like some things about homeschooling, and has given me the choice to bring them back home next year.) He also made the comment that whatever I used needed to be fun for them more than anything. Total shock!) Him saying this, and his attitude at the time kind of made me think maybe I really am supposed to be doing Bigger.
So, now I'm seriously considering doing Bigger. A couple years ago when I was homeschooling, we were using Adventures in MFW, but only made it halfway through. They've gotten a tiny bit of history in publlic school, but not much. So, I probably should be giving them a good foundation in American before moving on??? (Oh, how I wish I had started HOD way back when, and hadn't lost these years to public shcool!) Any opinions???
One of my concerns is knowing that my 10 year old son could probably do fine going into the new program that is coming out, and yet putting him in a program 2 years behind that. I was hoping to hear from others who have used Bigger with a 5th grader, or older, or may be using it with a 4th grader, but could see their children benefiting greatly from it at even higher grade levels. And if I do decide to go with Bigger, from what it sounds like to me by reading other blogs, the best thing to do would be to do the left side of the page with both of my children, and then get the Preparing manual for my older and use the right side of it for him. Then add the extension package, DITHOR (probably 4/5), and possibly Igniting Your Writing. Is this right? I think he is very capable, I'm just still worried the stuff on the left side of the page (history and Bible?) might still be too simple for him. And then would I use the science from Bigger or Preparing (isn't it on the right side), and if from Bigger, would this be enough for him, or should I supplement the science?
My other concern is getting us so off schedule. I hate to wait 2 more years before jumping more deeply into history chronologically. And I hate for my oldest to always be in a program a little simple for his grade level. Is this a concern I should have? And he would only have time to cycle through all of history once, with a couple years left before graduating. I know if we're supposed to be doing Bigger that God will take care of the planning, but it's hard for me not to see a plan. What have others done? Any opinions, ideas???
And, it looks like the best fit for grammar would be the 2nd and 4th levels, even though they will be in 3rd and 5th grades, and, if anything, are above grade level. Does this sound right? I'm hoping to find these at the convention (NM) that I'm hoping to go to in a few weeks, so that I can look over them, and get a better idea.
Thank you, again, for any ideas and help. I so greatly appreciate it, and love reading through these blogs!

Stephannie

[learning_is_fun]

Another thought. What if I go ahead with Preparing next year, but try to read some of the books from Bigger over the summer together? Would I be trying to squeeze too much in and missing too much of the fun stuff, or would it help them to get some basics in American History and be able to move on? If I did this, any recommendations on which would be the best books to read to get an overall basis in American History?

[netpea]

I think that might be squeezing in too much and missing out on the fun part.

[Carrie]

learning_is_fun,

I think it is good to spend some time pondering whether Bigger or Preparing would be the better fit for your kiddos in the long haul. I also agree that it is wise to factor in your hubby's advice heavily. It is so important to be on the same page for both husband and wife.

I will tell you that there are many moms who do use Bigger Hearts with 4th and 5th graders (along with their younger siblings). It does work well, as the extension pack for Bigger is suited for 4th and 5th graders.

Next, it will be very important placement-wise to know where your 8 year old fits on our placement chart, especially on the first page of the chart. So, if you get a chance to pop back in and tell us where that child fits best, it will make a big difference in our advice to you. This would inlclude how well that child reads (emerging or independent), how well this child copies several sentences or more at a time, where this child is in math, if this child has had cursive, and how well this child listens to longer read alouds without pictures.

This is because at HOD we find it is often easier to extend a program for an older child than it is to water down a program for a younger child. We would want to stay away from always pulling your younger child along in a program that is too difficult for him/her.

Blessings,
Carrie

[water2wine]

Stephannie I just wanted to say welcome and encourage you that Bigger will work wonderfully with a child in 5th grade. I have been using it with three in 4th and one in 6th grade and it has been wonderful! Like you we were lacking in American due to our time spent in ps. I was worried about the history cycle as well. I took some time and really prayed about it. I realized that being on target with the history cycle as much as hsing moms seem to make everything revolve around the history cycle, is really not near as important that they be in cycle with their knowledge of God and His word. I decided to give them what I knew they needed (which was American) knowing that most importantly they would be also growing in their knowledge of Him as well and trust that God would give them an overall understanding of the History along the way as we learned most importantly to focus on Him first as our "unit study". As soon as I decided to make God and knowing His word our "unit study" the rest really fell into place. Doing Bigger was one of the best decisions we have ever made. If that is where God leads you I can promise you it will be a blessing. Welcome to HOD and praying for your decision.

[learning_is_fun]

Thank you so much for your responses, and helping me in making my decisions!!!

I have looked at the placement charts several times, and believe my 8 year old would fit into Preparing just fine. He is reading at a mid third grade level. He learned a little cursive way back in kinder when I was teaching it to my then 2nd grader, and he wanted to learn also , but is really learning it this year in 2nd grade, and doing very well. I'm sure plenty of review next year can't hurt, though. He would do fine copying several sentences. He has been listening to longer read-alouds since he was little. They both love read-alouds, and beg for more and more. They could listen for hours if I let them (as long as it's a good story ). So, either program would work fine for him. This is why I thought Preparing was the better fit for both. But I think for him, Bigger would also still be a great fit, and a little gentler approach. So, it really comes down to what would be best for them to be learning this year.

Water2wine, thank you so much for responding and letting me see how wonderfully Bigger is working for your older kids. It sounds so great. I agree with you totally that their knowlege of God and His word is much more important than making sure they have a perfect history cycle. I guess I'm still a tiny bit concerned about the content of the history and science in Bigger. I know we would love it, and that's so important, but does it dig deep enough or cover enough content for a 5th grader. I shouldn't worry--I just need to trust God. I guess my fears come with wanting to impress my husband and my in-laws (who are very against us homeschooling My husband was appalled recently to learn that his 8th grade public schooled cousin didn't know who Custer was. (Yikes--I am very deficient in history) I guess I want to make sure I am teaching them enough so that he and others are impressed instead of appalled at what they have learned. Who or what will I be missing teaching them about that they should know. That's the reason I'm so concerned about making sure they'll be getting enough from Bigger. I've been thinking I could get a timeline of American History and make sure I'm not leaving out anything he thinks they should know at this point. (He's kind of a history buff). I could add in some mini lessons if I needed to. Which brings me to another question. Is it ok to be on different schedules for the right and left pages, or do they go together somehow? I thought it would be nice if I wanted to break from the history side to do a mini unit during a holiday, etc. Would I be able to continue the right side of the page apart from the left? That would be nice for me.

Also, I love how Carrie is moving them more towards independence in different areas in the higher levels. That attracts me to those levels and makes me wonder--are there any extra instruction or activities with the extension packs, or is it just higher level reading?

Well, I am now leaning more towards Bigger to make sure they get an American History overview before moving on, but will continue to pray about it. Any more input is greatly appreciated. Carrie, I'm curious to know your opinion of us just reading some of the American History books over the summer (knowing they love read-alouds, and would place fine in Preparing), and then moving into Preparing. I would be sad to miss the fun activities and stuff, but we would still love the reading, and then have a better grasp of American History and be able to move into Preparing for next school year. Is there just way too much reading that would be essential for us to cover in too short a time? Or would it probably not stick enough without doing the activities to go along? Or is this still a possibility for me to consider and pray about? Thank you so much for any help.

Stephannie

[netpea]

I guess I'm still a tiny bit concerned about the content of the history and science in Bigger. I know we would love it, and that's so important, but does it dig deep enough or cover enough content for a 5th grader.

I'd say yes IF you are doing the extension pack. The Exploring Planet Earth book is fascinating for me, but it was too much for my 3rd grader so we had to put it aside. (we were just doing it as an extra read aloud). It would be wonderful for a 5th grader though.

[learning_is_fun]

Lee Ann, Thank you so much for the input on the extension pack. I will continue to pray about it, but still think I'm leaning towards Bigger at this time. It sounds great! Thank you all for your input.