Preparing Hearts or CTC for 8th grade

[blessedmomof4]

Our current situation has me thinking about saving on areas we would normally spend, as someone mentioned in another post how much of tax refund might usually go toward homeschool. So, for next fall, I will be needing CTC for my youngest, Tamara, who will have just turned 12 for 7th grade, with the storytime books because she said she would rather do those than the history read-alouds. One option I have is also using CTC for her sister Keri who will be 13 and a half starting 8th grade with the extensions. The other option I was considering is using Preparing Hearts (which I already own since my youngest finished it) with extensions for the older daughter, having her work independently. My reason for considering this is that she gets competitive around her younger sister, and their personalities are so different that being in the same room too long or using the same program can get hairy Of course, the ideal thing would be to simply use RTR or the newest guide as written for the older daughter, but of course that would cost more money.
Soo, what could I add to Preparing besides the extensions to make it suitable for an 8th grader? In particular, Keri is a huge fan of science, especially natural science, biology, and outer space. Should I add a writing program, or will doing R & S Grammar 6 full-speed be enough in that area?
Thankfully, I already own a math program that will be appropriate, and also R&S Grammar 6, which would be just right as well. Thanks for any help thinking this through
Of course, I could also sell our Bigger and Preparing books to help raise money for the new things, but Tamara has "forbidden" me, saying, "You're not going to sell these, right? I'm putting them on my bookshelf. Besides, one day you will have a little brother or sister for me, so you better save them."

[my3sons]

I can understand what you are saying here about budgeting needs. That has been important to consider and account for in our home as well. I am wondering if Keri places best in RTR as far as placement goes? The reason I ask is it will help me give better advice here in regard to her academic needs, as well as keeping in mind the budget and the valid concern that the two dc would work best independent of one another (we have that too ).

In Christ,
Julie

[blessedmomof4]

Age-wise, Keri will turn 13 next month. So she will be half-way to 14 by the fall of next year Skill-wise, I believe that ResurrectionTo Reformation would be a good fit, as written. Even though the online public school classifies her as "gifted and talented" in language arts and literature, I don't think she would need extensions for RTR. If the newest guide follows the pattern for increased writing, I am pretty sure anything above an 8 to 12 sentence narration might be asking a lot of her. She is excellent at creative writing, though, and writes many stories and song lyrics on her own time. She is great at following written directions, and would have no trouble with working mostly independently on DITHOR 6/7/8. She has fine handwriting and can do dictation pretty well. She is doing outlining and proofreading already. She is doing well in Pre-Algebra and would be doing Algebra 1 in the fall. We already own several copies of the Beautiful Girlhood books-that would be a great study to do! As I said, she loves science and reads many nature books and outer space books for fun, She is very talented at drawing and often borrowed the Draw and Write book from her sister when she did Preparing. The biggest reason I would resist giving her extensions for RTR, or placing her in the newest guide, is that she may be dyslexic. I have a referral from her pediatrician for an evaluation and will make an appointment for her soon. Keri tests with a very high reading level, but says that sometimes words "jump" or her eyes jump to another line in her reading, She also sometimes transposes letters. I am sure these things must slow her down when trying to keep up with her literature assignments in the online school.Right now, she has an "F" in literature again The eye doctor said she has 20/20 or 20/30 vision and does not need glasses. Keri does not wish to be "labeled" or treated differently, and I try to stress to her that it's not a negative thing. Budget is a huge consideration, not knowing what things will be like by then, that is why I was ruminating on beefing up a younger program. Thanks! By the way, any suggestions for what to do if I started in the spring?? I am on the fence about letting her finish out the year in the online program, but I feel weird starting a new guide in the spring-just my preference Also, please pray, because Keri thinks the online program is "just fine"

[8arrows]

I am not sure I would put the older daughter in a younger program. You could combine them in CTC with the older doing extensions and the younger not. Or, you could sell some things to purchase RTR if that was a better fit. You will know what's best--these were just my first thoughts as I read your post.

[my3sons]

Thanks, Lourdes! That helps so much. Keri sounds like a very capable young lady. From your good description, I do think that she sounds like she would do well with RTR. I think it would be hard to beef up PHFHG for her, and I also think that it would not be preparing her for the next year as well, in case at that point you'd want to have her in a higher guide. I think I'd either have her do CTC with extensions, or place her in RTR.

My first inclination would be to place her in RTR and just get the Economy package without Shakespeare. I totally understand Tamara's attachment to BHFHG and PHFHG - our dc have that as well. But, I think that because of this unique situation, it would be worth selling them to have a dd appropriately placed. Keri would be able to be more independent, and you won't have any sibling rivalry going on. The CTC Extension costs about $112. RTR's Economy is about $273. If you could sell anything with the online program, if there is anything to sell, and any of BHFHG or PHFHG, I bet you could get to that dollar amount. (You would just know you'll buy BHFHG/PHFHG again someday for the little guy when he's ready (by then they may be reprinted anyway, and you'd probably want the new ones. )

For science, your dd could do CTC's science. It is independent and your dd's could do that at separate times easily enough. Or if you sell enough stuff, she could maybe do RTR's science Option 1.

They could easily both do Write with the Best from CTC. It is outstanding for a wide range of writers - it was one of our favorite things we did last year.

I wouldn't do extensions, as RTR is a full program already, and Keri is kind of on the bubble there. With her possible dyslexia, I just don't think it's necessary to do extensions. For Storytime, you can have her listen in on CTC's or just not do it.

It sounds like you have grammar, math, DITHOR, and Beautiful Girlhood already, so that would be great. You could really do either CTC with extensions for Keri, or RTR Economy. RTR Economy, along with the resources you already have, will let you do everything in the guide except the Science box, the Medieval History Based Writing Lessons, Storytime, optional Shakespeare, and optional Phil. music CD.

HTH - but you will know best! Praying for you.
In Christ,
Julie

[blessedmomof4]

Thanks for walking through that with me, Julie, and thanks to all responders I am going to print out and save this thread so I can consider it when I really know how much money we'll have to work with. If I need to, I suppose I can sell the economy packages only for BHFHG and PHFHG, since Tamara is attached to all the rest and Keri is attached to the science books That's a great idea about having them both do the same science and WWTB-I actually have WWTB as well, because I found it used for a HUGE bargain. I see that science in CTC and RTR both touch on some of the aspects of science that Keri finds exciting, and I also own Exploring Planet Earth. Looking at it this way, I do believe it will be doable in one fashion or another, and no matter which way we go, it will be great