Ordering DITHR?

[gratitude]

Hi!

I am ordering Preparing for my son who turns 9 in a few weeks! I am really looking forward to home schooling this coming fall thanks to this HOD decision. I did do the placement chart and all of his circles, except for 1, landed on Preparing; so I think it will be a wonderful fit for him.

My question is about DITHR. He hasn't done the program yet, and I will be ordering the Boy Interest pack for Level 4/5 (he reads higher, but I think this is a good place to start).

Do I order the 2/3 work book to go with it since he is new to the program or the 4/5 student work book?

Thank you!

[Kathleen]

I think I'd lean towards suggesting the 2/3 student book. My 9 year old used that when we did Preparing a few years back. How does he do with writing? That was our main consideration in choosing the level. With the 2/3 level, there will be a page requiring writing about 7 of the 15 days per genre. For the 4/5 level, there will be a writing page for about 11 of the 15 days (and they require more of a written response). For Grant, Bigger and Preparing were real transition years with the writing requirement of school going up. He has no problem analyzing things and doing the thinking and talking to respond to what he's learning...BUT the physical act of putting it on paper was NOT his favorite thing. So, it worked very well for us to stick with 2/3 for DITHOR and move up to 4/5 the following year.

Kathleen

[gratitude]

Thank you Kathleen! He sounds similar to my son. This past year was a big transition year for early writing, and it looks like Preparing will be a big year in building in that area which will be good. I think I will go with the 2/3. He too has no problem analyzing and thinking and talking but the physical act of putting it on paper isn't his favorite thing either.

Thank you!