Combined w/ BLHFHG or separate BHFHG

[Knittinfarmgirl]

I have a 6 yro dd very beginning reader. I also have an 8 yro ds very competent reader (taught himself to read before he was 5 and reads pretty much anything on any level). I also have an attention hungry 18 mo dd. I've been struggling with getting our schoolwork done and the prep involved. I was using AO's curriculum and trying to combine them and it wasn't working because the spine history text was not my daughter's cup of tea and the science was just above her. To make it run a bit smoother, I've ordered BLHFHG for my 6 yro. and I also ordered BHFHG for my 8 yro. I am wondering about accomplishing both of these each day though.

They are just such different learners. DS jumps on most things and runs and dd has to ease into things. However, she really does great narrations already! I am sitting here questioning and rethinking this and I'm not sure which way to go with this. And toss in the toddler and it can be much harder.

Would I be shortchanging my 8yro by combining them in BLHFHG? He is a good independent learner. But his narrations are a bit sparse during school. He can read something of his own choosing and go into great detail. It could also be the books we've been working from. I guess I'll be able to tell more once we've switched curriculums and worked with something else for a while.

What do you think? Would you recommend combined or separate?

Thanks!
Cyndy

[Bramble]

Combining would certainly be less time-consuming. However, the first question around here is always: where do they place best on the placement chart?

[my3sons]

Combining is such a personal preference, and you really could go either way. If you are going to combine them, I'd have the 2 of them do Beyond Little Hearts together, but have your ds do the right side of Bigger Hearts for his LA and math. This will have him doing daily R & S English, daily Drawn into the Heart of Reading, higher level math, and cursive. You could have him just do the poetry copywork from Beyond, as the poems coordinate well within the matching guide.

Or, you could do Bigger Hearts with your ds, and maybe do Beyond Little Hearts half-speed with your dd. You could do the left side of Beyond one day, and the right side the next, but do daily reading.

I wouldn't combine them in Bigger Hearts, as it will be too much of a stretch for dd, and will make combining for years to come too difficult.

Looking at the placement chart is very helpful, as the pp suggested. You can see the placement chart at this link:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

Looking at the first week of plans for each of the guides should help too, as well as this thread where the differences in writing are described:

Amount of writing in BHFHG:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3005
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1516&p=11829

In Christ,
Julie

[Knittinfarmgirl]

Thanks! I looked over the placement chart again and I know I chose the right level for each of them. I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed at the thought of having 2 levels to work through. I think ultimately it's probably best to let them each work where they'll be most productive. I like the suggestion of moving my 6 yro through BLHFHG at half speed. I've really not worked with her as much as I did her brother because of the baby, so that's a good idea.

[my3sons]

Oh good! I do think you'd be on a nice plan if your oldest did Bigger Hearts, and your younger did Beyond half-speed. You could still do daily reading with your dd, which would be great because you could really have more time to focus on that for her, plus she could continue to grow into her writing. The bulk of your teaching time would be in Bigger Hearts, but then the following year in PHFHG, more independence is added, and by CTC, dc are quite independent. I'm thinking that this would work out so well, because with dd doing Beyond half-speed over 2 years, she'd be in Bigger Hearts when your oldest is in CTC. That's what we are doing right now (along with LHTH), and we love it! I have time to really focus on Bigger Hearts and LHTH, while my oldest is soaring independently with a good portion of CTC. HTH, and I think you are wise to try place each child in the guide he/she fits best in - it makes homeschooling so much easier (at least it has for our dc)!

In Christ,
Julie

[Carrie]

I just wanted to welcome you too! We're glad to have you here! I like both of the options you're discussing, either placing both kiddos in Beyond (while adding the subjects my3sons mentioned from Bigger Hearts for your older son) or placing the younger one in Beyond and the older in Bigger (but doing Beyond at half-speed).

If you get going and think that doing both Beyond and Bigger is too much, you could always switch to combining your kiddos in Beyond instead (and add the parts from Bigger to beef up) as you'd have the Bigger guide already anyway. So that gives you a ready-made back-up plan too!

Blessings,
Carrie

[Knittinfarmgirl]

Again, thanks for the replies!

I appreciate your input, Julie. From your experience, it looks like things would flow right along for me to be able to focus on my younger ones when they need it. My eldest really prefers to do as much of his work independently as he can already. In his words, "I like doing my own work because I don't have to listen to you talk so much."