Do you prefer to line up genres in DITHR and Storytime?

[Heart_Mom]

Hello!

I'm going to be starting DITHR for the first time with my 9 year old son soon (once he finishes the Emerging Readers Set). I know that I can do the units in DITHR in any order, but I'm curious what you like to do and why.

I'm generally the kind of person who likes to follow a schedule rather that jumping around, so I'm seeing two choices here:

1. Start at the beginning of the DITHR guide, with the Biography genre.

2. Start at the Non-Fiction genre, which we will be starting in a couple of weeks in our Beyond Storytime. I think that the timing would be just right: that he'll finish the last emerging reader just in time to start DITHR Non-Fiction with Beyond's Non-Fiction.

My hesitation with choice #1 is that the biography choices in the Level 2 readers are about women, and I'm not sure that will "grab" him like some of the other titles might.

I could always be "wild and crazy" and just do whichever unit seems most like it would be a hit with him, to get DITHR off to a great start! I guess that way I wouldn't have to try to stay exactly lined up with Beyond's schedule.

So I guess my main question is whether or not you like to line the genre's up and why. Also, if you have any suggestions about what would be best for my son, I'm all ears!

Thank you!

P.S. By the way, DITHR looks FANTASTIC! I think it's going to "draw him in to reading" in a way that standard graded readers could never do!

[Mom2Monkeys]

I purchase Carrie's book packs for DITHOR and what I like to do is go in order of reading level, no matter the genre. I start with the lowest reading level book and move up from there.

[Heart_Mom]

I purchase Carrie's book packs for DITHOR and what I like to do is go in order of reading level, no matter the genre. I start with the lowest reading level book and move up from there.

I did purchase the Level 2 book pack . . . Hmmmmm . . . that's a very interesting idea! Thanks for sharing it!


: )

[my3sons]

I actually enjoy the variety of doing one genre in DITHOR and a different one in Storytime. I like to come back around to a genre we did previously say in Storytime, in DITHOR later. It's kind of a nice review of sorts, though they teach the genre in different ways. When beginning DITHOR for the first time, I started with Biography and went straight through. I liked that for me starting a new guide. Now, with our 2 dc, I go on interest first, and then choose the easier of the ones I know each of them will be nuts about. However, I know some moms like to do the same genre in DITHOR and Storytime, and really enjoy that too. So, pick your fancy and have fun with it! DITHOR is an amazing way to teach reading. I'm still loving it, and it's been about 10 years since I first began it (I used it tutoring other dc first before having my own - did wonders for their reading scores in school).

In Christ,
Julie

[Tansy]

I don't line them up, I can't picture having 2 mysteries going at the same time the suspense would kill me

[pjdobro]

You're funny Tansy! We have 3 mysteries going right now. My ds and dd each are reading their mysteries for DITHR and we're reading one for storytime as well. I guess things are pretty suspenseful around our house right now! LOL!

I am one of those that likes to do the same storytime and DITHR genre. I guess I feel it just gives a deeper or more intense study of it at one time and the discussions are similar. It kind of keeps us on the same page in both areas so to speak. That's just me though. I tend toward OCD and like immersing myself fully into a subject. Some people feel that is overkill. So, I think you could go either way depending on how you feel about it.

I just looked over the level 2 book pack choices and I think I would really be torn in your position as well. I think the non-fiction book of One Small Square: Backyard might be a great one to peak a boys interest in reading. Especially as spring approaches, he might be able to get outside and try out many of the activities in the book. Even though the biography is about a woman, Amelia Earhart, I think you will find it to be a book he enjoys since she was into flying which is or at least was a more male activity. I don't think you can go wrong either way. They are wonderful books and I'm sure you'll have a great time. Enjoy!

[MomtoJGJE]

We did Squanto for the biography in DITHOR... it was really a fun book!

To answer the question... we do not line it up. When DD finishes up a genre I give her two choices to read next. We also take a week or two between genres. I do it that way because my dd is not quite 8 yet and even though she can read well, she doesn't LIKE to read. So we are taking our time... just starting the 3rd genre next week. I don't make her read more than 4 or 5 pages per day, so if it's a longer book we split it up more than the recommended 15 days. We started out only reading 2-3 pages per day for the first one, 3-4 pages for the second one and now it'll be 4-5 pages for this one. I pretty much do our own schedule for DITHOR, like it's a separate curriculum that we supplement with.

[John'smom]

I don't line them up, I can't picture having 2 mysteries going at the same time the suspense would kill me

[John'smom]

I purchase Carrie's book packs for DITHOR and what I like to do is go in order of reading level, no matter the genre. I start with the lowest reading level book and move up from there.

This is what we did too to start off with DITHOR. When there are two books, I then let ds choose which one he wants to do first. I actually originally thought I'd want them lined up (bit of a perfectionist myself ), but now I'm glad that we haven't done that. It's like my ds has pegs now to then hang more further info on. My guess is though that you can't go wrong either way, unless the reading level was too high.

[Heart_Mom]

Thank you so much, ladies, for all your helpful responses to my questions!

I think (although I still might change my mind! ) that I'm going to just do the genres in the order of the DITHR guide. That will mean less decision making along the way, which always relieves stress for me! I think another plus is that I won't necessarily feel the pressure to keep exactly to the Storytime schedule in Beyond.

Could anyone who has used the more "girlish" books from the Level 2 Book Pack (Amelia Earhart, Hannah, & Pioneer Cat) with their boys tell me how it went? I could substitute some books that are a little more boyish from the list that I bought with DITHR. (That would complicate things a little though!)

Thank you again for all your help! I love being part of the HOD "family"!

[Bramble]

I have lots of boys at my house and they really don't seem to care if the main character of a book is a girl. One might say just a small remark at the beginning, but they are soon drawn in and it doesn't matter anymore. I would just try to run with the titles you have with lots of enthusiasm.

[my3sons]

We just finished "Hannah" and "Pioneer Cat" with our middle ds, and he thoroughly enjoyed them! "Hannah" is a delightful read, and very much about being brave and overcoming challenges in life. My ds could relate to that and was cheering Hannah onward. I had a blind grandma - my wonderful Grandma Star - who is now in heaven and can see perfectly - and she can see Jesus - how amazing is that?!? That was a wonderful life connection to share with my ds. "Pioneer Cat" was about the excitement, danger, and adventure of traveling in a covered wagon to make a new way of life - buffalo stampedes, shooting arrows - much for a boy to love. Riley finished it today and asked if there was another one (like it was a book in a series), alas there isn't, but it showed how much he liked it. I think probably because Carrie has boys, she chose books that both boys and girls can relate to, though with different leading characters. I think your ds will enjoy them too!

In Christ,
Julie

[John'smom]

We just finished up Pioneer Cat and Hannah a couple weeks ago with my ds. He wanted to read Pioneer Cat, but not Hannah. I said we were reading both. While reading Hannah, he always wanted to read more than what I had scheduled. He really liked both books.

[Heart_Mom]

Well, thank you ladies for calming my concerns about those books for my very boyish 9 year old son! It sounds to me like he'll enjoy them very much! I think I need to let go of my preconceived notions about what kinds of books my children might like, because I'm often surprised. My very sweet and tender six year old daughter LOVED the emerging reader book Buffalo Bill and the Pony Express! I thought it would be too adventurous for her, but she got so excited about the more "dangerous" accounts in that story.

This is actually one thing I really LOVE about HOD , is that I'm reading to my children from so many different genres. When I used to choose books on my own for our homeschool read alouds, I think I was usually choosing realistic fiction and not a whole lot else. It's great to get a balanced reading diet!

We're about to start the (hopefully!) last phase of my son's vision therapy today. I'm praying that he will soon be learning without any major learning issues getting in the way.

Thanks again, Ladies, for the encouragement!