Thinking about returning to HOD..tons of questions??

[mae357]

For two years in a row I used LHFHG and BLHFHG and then this school year (2011/2012) switched b/c I was worried about running 2 guides with having my younger dd start in K.

Next year I'll have a 3rd grader (8 turning 9 in October), a first grader (6 turning 7 in December) and a dd starting K. Last night I started thinking about using HOD again. To be honest, we have trouble finding time for science or history and I thought HOD might help steamline that problem since it's all written in for you. Also, I really miss the Christ Centered learning. I planned on having my older dd use Bigger and have my younger 2 use LHFHG. Do you think LHFHG is too light for a first grader? Also, one of my favorite parts of HOD was the daily math lessons/activities that Carrie writes but if I use LHFHG for k and 1st then I'll only have the activities for the Earlybird math. Right? My dd who is in K now, will be in 1st next fall, used Singapore Essentials this year instead of earlybird and I wondered if it would be way dumb on my part to just put both girls into Earlybird. I'm not certain that a year of solid "review" would be a bad thing for her.

HOW do you run 2 guides? I have to say that is my biggest concern. I really want to spend time on each and use the program for all its worth but wonder if I'll really be able to do that running 2 guides. Is Bigger independent at all? I thought I read that it's the most teacher intensive guide and that would make things challenging.

Any thoughts or advice on any of this would be great. Thanks.

I also wanted to add that next fall I'll have an 8, 6, 5, 3, 2 and a 4 week old so I really need to have my day as simple as possible!

[tiffanieh]

You'll certainly have your hands full with all those blessings! I don't know about running two guides but just wanted to let you know that I did LHFHG with my K and 1st grader. I thought it was GREAT for each level. The 1st grader thoroughly enjoyed it, and made it easier to do it with his brother because he already had a year under his belt, could write, read, etc. LHFHG was my very favorite year homeschooling. I loved that guide and sweetness of it all. Enjoy it so much. We certainly did!!!

[mom23]

LHFHG was a perfect fit for my 1st grader last year. I don't think it's too light for that at all! My son really enjoyed it, as well.

Yes, it's really possible to do two guides at the same time. LHFHG is really quick when you get it rolling-1 1/2 hours at the most, once you're all comfortable with it ( a couple or 3 weeks in.) Bigger is more teacher intensive, but don't get scared off it for that reason! It still only takes around 3 hours to complete. So, even if you have to completely finish one guide before moving on to the next, you're still not eating up your whole day. Actually, though, you should be able to get them started on something they can complete alone while you work with another child. There is a great scheduling thread stuck near the top of the main board that will give you lots of ideas on how you could run two guides together. Plus, these two seem to be common guides to run simultaneously, so you'll probably find sample schedules of these two guides.

Not going to be much help with the math, as we don't use Singapore at our house...As far as the hands on activities, though, do you still have your BLHFHG guide from when you used HOD before? The hands on activities for 1A/1B would be in there.

[raceNzanesmom]

LHFHG was a perfect fit for my 1st grader last year. I don't think it's too light for that at all! My son really enjoyed it, as well.

I agree. We loved LHFHG for 1st.

[my3sons]

Hi there! I just want to encourage you that I have found teaching multiple guides to be far easier than trying to combine and basically tweak my way through the day (usually to someone's detriment). If dc are accurately placed, doing multiple guides with HOD (and I stress with HOD ) is not hard. I honestly think that many homeschoolers think they can't do several guides because they have tried to do it with something other than HOD. It truly is completely doable with HOD!

So, my first question has to be, have you looked at the placement chart, and are your dc accurately placed in LHFHG and Bigger Hearts? If so, then you can certainly handle teaching these 2 guides at the same time. You are going to have ample time for history and science, and you will love coming back to the Christ-centered learning of HOD! I cannot tell you how that makes a difference in our kiddo's hearts as they grow and mature - HOD is my best Christian parenting tool. I honestly feel I couldn't do it without it.

As far as LHFHG for a first grader - it has first grade options, and many, many, many moms on this board are doing LHFHG with their first grade dc and loving it! The K math is a blast, but then so is the 1st grade math. You already have the Beyond guide, so why not just do the first grade math with your first grader along with the neat hands-on 1A/1B math lessons in Beyond? Or, if you feel it would be good to lay a good solid foundation in K math to fill any gaps for your first grader, you can certainly have both dc do the K math plans in LHFHG.

How do I run multiple guides? Well, it isn't hard, especially once you've done it, it just becomes easier and easier every year. BHFHG is a great year - a year of important teaching that really launches dc into their learning. I love that year! We are laying the groundwork for all the years to come. I wouldn't say teacher intensive, but I would say it's an important partnering together year to make sure you do right. It is not hard to do, especially when your other guide is LHFHG. LHFHG takes at most 1 1/2 hours, so it's not hard to do in conjunction with another guide.

Here are a few tips for teaching multiple guides that are my tried and true tips...
- Have a routine order to the day, and let everyone know about it (give dc that can read a copy of it)
- Use blocks of time for teaching, so you know when you are working with each child, and so they know it too
- Have all older dc each take turns playing with younger dc, so you can work with others independently (45 minutes works at our house)
- Plan what the littles are going to do and stick to that routine until they know it like clockwork
- Train older dc to use the HOD guide as a student planner, reading directions and checking off boxes as they complete things
- Have a set time to start the school day
- Plan just to teach during this time, and avoid checking emails, answering phone calls, doing long household chores, etc. until school is done

In case this may be helpful, here is a copy of our schedule at the start of the year...


And here was my schedule at the close of the year (we finished some guides and began the next, and we also had hit our groove and were finishing school earlier at this point)...


And here is a link to a bunch of super schedules ladies shared in case you click with someone else's style better...
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2093

HTH, but I would not worry about doing these 2 guides! It will not be hard with a little thought before starting, and yes, life will be busy as you have many little ones, but life will be busy anyway! Why not have it be busy with awesome Christ-centered learning you'll remember together forever?!?

In Christ,
Julie

[Kathleen]

It will not be hard with a little thought before starting, and yes, life will be busy as you have many little ones, but life will be busy anyway! Why not have it be busy with awesome Christ-centered learning you'll remember together forever?!?

I just have to pop in and say that I agree with Julie 100%! Her tips for scheduling have worked perfectly for our family as well. We're enjoying our homeschooling days with HOD here, and we've been using multiple guides from the start. I think that you'll be just fine using Bigger and LHFHG if that's where your kids place. The way HOD plans so many skills to be taught in with the history and science make all those areas of the guide double-effective. Using guides that your kids are ready for skill-wise will allow them and you to benefit from all this planning that Carrie has done!

This past year we used RTR for my 11 year old, Beyond (moving into Bigger) for my 7 year old, and LHFHG for my 5 year old....as well as having a 1 year old and a new baby born in November. We have all really LOVED our year! And, as I'm sure you could guess, the 1 year old has been the most challenging part of it all - but that would be true if we were homeshcooling or not! He's a fun little guy that absolutely loves to try new things. Grant, our oldest, has decided that next school year we will be calling our little guys, "The Twin Twisters". And, I'm sure it will fit.

You can do it - and ENJOY it, Mom!
Kathleen

[my3sons]

Just had to say it's great to see ya here, Kathleen! I've missed you, but I know you are one busy mama right now. So glad to hear the kiddos - especially the little babe - are doing well!!!

Love in Christ,
Julie

[mae357]

Thank you all for the responses. Yes, my dd's do fit squarely into the guides I'm planning to use.

I have to decide if I want to do K math with my first grader or move her into 1st grade math??? She does ok with math but often gets numbers mixed up and can't identify numbers to 40 unless they're in order BUT she did fairly well all year. I'm just torn between going to slow and boring her or going to fast and losing her.

I haven't done the best job of making sure we do history, science or anything fun really. We seem to focus on the three R's and that's it. I'm leaning heavily towards HOD b/c it's all so intertwined that you get it all with not a lot of planning and it doesn't take a ton of time.

Thank you all for responding!!!

[my3sons]

Great to hear placement is solid - sounds good! Singapore Math is standardly considered a year advanced, if that helps at all. Why not start K math with her, enjoy the hands-on math activities planned in the guide, and fill in any possible gaps? Let's say it's going pretty easily for her, maybe just do 2 lessons a day of the K math then? This would not be hard to do. I'd not skip the hands-on activities though, even if they seem easier for dd. They help cement skills in a way that transfers well to mental math later. One of my many favorite things about HOD is that it helps me be a balanced teacher. We do each subject area and skill set focuses each week in a balanced way, and that really helps me feel like I have taught all I need to teach each week in a solid way. I think you would probably take as much comfort (and joy because it keeps the fun in school ) from this as I do. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie