Soon to order HOD! Couple questions first -

[Kirsten]

Hello all,
I am so glad to have found HOD and can't wait to get the rest of my budget together to place my order and start this fall! But first I have a couple questions to make sure I get it all right:

I have been using AOP Lifepac Language Arts for my 3rd grader. If I switch him to HOD and use R&S, should he repeat 3rd grade? Do you need the teacher guide?

Is spelling included in the English or in the Guide (I will be using Bigger with my 2nd and 4th grader) - if it is in the guide, how do others do spelling with multi-age kids?

How successful have others been switching from a different curriculum? Gaps? (Fortunately we have already been using Sinagpore math.)

Thank you,
Kirsten Jett
soon to use Bigger
dd 7, ds 8

[amysconfections]

Not sure about the grammer, check the scope and sequence of R&S and the Lifepac. Spelling is included in the guide. You have a choice of spelling word lists or dictation for a older child. I'm not sure about whether you need the teachers guide for R&S. It's pretty much just written in the guide to do a certain number of pages each day.

[Mom2Monkeys]

I use the TM for R&S from 3 and up. It has oral review that I find very important, plus I have a hard time doubting myself with some of the answers some times and like to have the TM for that.

I would go with R&S 2 or 3 for your 3rd grader. 2 is a gentle intro and 3 gets into diagramming. There's no rush with R&S b/c it is rather advanced and quite rigorous-- will get very difficult soon enough! I've used LifePacs as well, and it's going to be pretty ahead of that.

Spelling is in the guide...I'd do the list with the 2nd grader and dictation with the 4th grader. The dictation is not as simple as it looks since it's not just spelling, but spelling in context, listening skills, punctuation, usage, etc....there's so much more to it. It will also get much more difficult as you go through so no need to jump ahead on that either! It might be simple at first, but I promise, it won't always be.

We've been very successful in our switch to HOD. It has filled all those gaps. We weren't using Singapore math already with my oldest, and that's where her only gaps are now. Math is a struggle with her right now. HOD has fixed everything else! We love, LOVE, LOVE HOD!!!!

[my3sons]

Ditto to all Amy and Tamara said! The TG for R & S 3 has the oral review in it, which is necessary. I think you can just do this with the 2 of them and be fine. HOD's over-reaching goal for R & S English is to get through R & S English 6 by the end of Grade 8. So, your dc will both accomplish that just fine by starting with R & S English 3 this year. I'd also do the Spelling list with your younger, and the dictation with your older. I totally agree with all Tamara said about that too. Be sure to read the directions for Dictation at the start of the passages in the Appendix, as they do an excellent job of describing how to have the best success with dictation in a CM way. Have fun with Bigger - we're doing it now for the second time with our second ds and enjoying it so much.

In Christ,
Julie

[Kirsten]

Thank you everyone. That helps a lot. Looking forward to ordering and getting everything!
Kirsten