Placement help

[Maeintx]

I'm considering HOD for next fall. My boys are close in age but far apart academically. Actually, we have 4 boys but 2 at home. One going starting college next Fall and the other is going to be a freshman at the local high school.

Oldest at home is 10 going into 5th grade. Youngest will be 9 by Fall, but he has dyslexia and reads way below grade level but he is grade 3. We do lots of oral exercises. He comprehends well, etc., it is just the constant struggle with his reading/writing. I am drawn to HOD because I would like to combine them for our history doing English/Math seperately.

Can I do Bigger with extension for the older child? Are those extension scheduled. I looked at the samples but didn't see them. I looked at the placement and also considered Preparing. The to-be 5th grader needs a challenge. We have not used R&S English- so I am also wondering about his placement. We used Growing With Grammar 4 this past year, which I had read has a R&S feel to it but I'd like him to have more rigor.

[pjdobro]

The extensions for Bigger are scheduled in the Appendix of the guide so that isn't part of the preview on the website. The schedule has a history reading scheduled for each day of each unit and one science reading for each unit. These are independent reading assignments for the child and then it is suggested that they do one of the following follow-up activities: oral narration(twice weekly), write a one paragraph summary (twice weekly), or draw a picture with captions about the reading (once weekly). The child also listens in on the regular readings that you are reading aloud and participates in the other activities in the guide.

It sounds like Bigger might be a good placement for your boys. Have you checked the placement chart: http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php to make sure that your younger ds is ready for Bigger? I highly recommend the emerging readers that are scheduled in Bigger (they are also scheduled in Beyond). They are wonderful at helping dc progress in reading fluency and comprehension. I know you have a special circumstance but I think they might still be helpful for your younger son.

I'm not familiar with the grammar that your ds has been using. We're using R&S3 this year with my dc. We are enjoying the thoroughness of the program. Hopefully someone else can help you find a good placement for your ds in R&S. I hear the rigor in it really picks up in 4 and 5.

Welcome to HOD! I pray it blesses your family as much as it has ours!

[Carrie]

Maeintx,

I just wanted to welcome you to HOD! Patty did a great job of helping you with your questions. I agree that it would be wise to check the placement chart. If your 9 year old can fit mainly in Bigger Hearts, then it would work to combine with the 10 year old in that program (as long as you raise the level of the 3R's and math for the 10 year old).

If you get a chance to pop back and share more, we'd love to help!

Blessings,
Carrie

[my3sons]

Welcome to the HOD board, and thanks for sharing about your sons! I have 3 boys myself, and I bet it really seems like time flies when you have half your sons in high school/college and half you are in the midst of homeschooling. Sometimes I cannot believe my oldest is 11 yo already, and beginning to look and act like a young man! Anyway, we have used HOD for around 8 years and enjoyed it so much. I am glad you and your sons will get to enjoy HOD too. The placement chart has really helped me with placing our dc over the years. It is very accurate, and the first page especially really helps with choosing what to do. I am wondering about your 9 yo ds, what you think about him in light of placement chart? Your oldest sounds like he could place in either Bigger Hearts or PHFHG, so it's really the 9 yo we need to consider carefully, as the extensions in Bigger Hearts would work well for your oldest. I'd love to hear your thoughts on that so we can chat it over together! HOD's guides are a blessing to our family - they have made homeschooling a joy in our home. I know it will be the same for you, but spending some time on placement is a good idea! I'll check back later to see what you found out.

In Christ,
Julie