Questions about DITHR

[snadig]

Hello ladies,

I just ordered all my stuff for the school year, but had some questions on how the DITHR works. We haven't done a reading study like this before, I thouhgt you just ordered everyone their own levels(i.e 2/3,4/5 etc.)but if we have never done it before would everyone start at the same level and just us the right level of books?

I thought you did this seperate with each child, but after reading more on the board it looks like you do some all together?

So here is where I am at: I have a younger reader(7) finishing up Emerging readers(only for the first part of the year) and middle reader, right at level (11), and a very advance reader(13 can read a book or more in a couple of days). So would you start them all together? I have only ordered the 6/7/8 pack for my older reader. Do I read each of there books also?

DITHR looks fantastic, and I am excited to start it, my older daughter willl love all the reading. But a bit unsure where to start with everyone. This is also our first year with HOD, so I didn't want to overwhelm us either. Any help would be great.
Thanks!!!

[my3sons]

DITHR is fantastic, you're first impression of it is right on track! We have enjoyed it for many years here, and I'd be glad to answer your questions. I would start your youngest in 2/3, your middle in 4/5, and your oldest in 6/7/8 from what you have shared about them. We have one son in 4/5 and one in 6/7/8. We like to do the "All Levels Together" days together, which includes the kickoffs, various weekly activities, and final projects. On the rest of the days, we do it more separately, though sort of at the approximate same time - if that makes sense at all. On those days, I sort of float between them, working with whoever needs me. There is a section in the back of the DITHR TG called "Getting Started" that is super helpful. HTH - I think you will love DITHR!

In Christ,
Julie

[snadig]

Julie,

Thank you for your help. I will order the levels for the younger two and their book packs. Do you read each of their books before them and then work through the activities? Maybe the TG will help clarify. Should get most things this week.

I am very excited for all our new stuff, and pray the kids will enjoy what they are doing. Thanks for all the pic on putting RevtoRev together,that is very helpful. I hope to give back the help everyone has given me.
Thanks!

[momof3bs]

Hello!
We are new also and using the 4/5 and 6/7/8 for our oldest two. I was going to post this separately, but since it's on topic...maybe we all can benefit from responses. I'm a little confused about the scheduling. I know that DITHR is scheduled only for certain days in the guides, however, do the children read everyday according to the pacing the teacher sets? In other words, they are reading independently 4 or 5 days per week, but they do the pages in the DITHR guides only on scheduled days? I was wondering how this works, since they may not have read much of the books and will be required to analyze, respond on the scheduled DITHR days. Maybe I just haven't read the materials closely enough yet...but any guidance is appreciated! Thanks so much!
Kim

[my3sons]

Good morning, snadig! I will try to answer this...

...Do you read each of their books before them and then work through the activities?...

For the 2/3 levels, they are reading aloud each day to me, so it is easy to stay on top of the storyline. The 4/5 levels read aloud several times a week, 3-4 pages, and then read the rest independently. On the days they don't read aloud to me, I skim those pages, so it is easy to stay on top of the storyline for them as well. For my 6/7/8 level, I still have him read 1-2 pages aloud to me. This is not scheduled as such in the DITHOR TG, but I do it because my oldest ds had speech difficulties as a young boy, and he still will occasionally mispronounce things (especially names and places that are not familiar), so I like to have him read a page or two to stay on top of that for him. Otherwise, I skim a page at the beginning of the day's reading, in the middle of the reading, and at the end, and this really helps me stay on top of what he's reading. Keep in mind that DITHOR utilizes the CM concept of savoring books, reading them more slowly to let plot/character development truly take place, as opposed to racing through books with little interaction or 'savoring'. Because of this CM pacing, the amount of pages read each day are not overwhelming, and it makes it easier to stay on top of the plot for me. I also like to use HOD's book packs because I am very pleased with the careful selections. I don't feel the need to preread them. HTH, and BTW, I LOVE your comments here...

...I am very excited for all our new stuff, and pray the kids will enjoy what they are doing. Thanks for all the pic on putting RevtoRev together,that is very helpful. I hope to give back the help everyone has given me.
Thanks!

Thank you too, and have a great Wed.!
In Christ,
Julie

[my3sons]

Hi Kim! I will try to answer this question...

... I'm a little confused about the scheduling. I know that DITHR is scheduled only for certain days in the guides, however, do the children read everyday according to the pacing the teacher sets? In other words, they are reading independently 4 or 5 days per week, but they do the pages in the DITHR guides only on scheduled days?...

DITHOR is only done on the days it is scheduled in the core HOD guide you are using typically. So, dc fill out their reading calendars in their DITHOR Student Books, and just move through the readings sequentially. So, for example, if DITHOR is scheduled 3 days a week in the core HOD guide you are using (which would be the pacing in PHFHG on up), your week would look like this (using PHFHG as an example)...
PHFHG Unit 1, Day 1; DITHOR Day 1
PHFHG Unit 1, Day 2: no DITHOR scheduled
PHFHG Unit 1, Day 3: DITHOR Day 2
PHFHG Unit 2, Day 4: DITHOR Day 3

Next week...
PHFHG Unit 2, Day 1; DITHOR Day 4
PHFHG Unit 2, Day 2; no DITHOR scheduled \
PHFHG Unit 2, Day 3; DITHOR Day 5
PHFHG Unit 2, Day 4; DITHOR Day 6

You just continue this way through the year, and by the close of the year, you will have completed about 4-5 genres of DITHOR. HTH, but keep asking questions otherwise! DITHOR genres all follow the same pattern, so once you have done one genre, it will be easy to do. Check out the "Getting Started" section in the back of the DITHOR TG for help in starting too - super helpful!

In Christ,
Julie

[wonderfilled]

We are going to be starting DITHOR soon with my three boys. Originally I was just going to have the youngest do it to try it out, but after reading through the teacher's guide I decided that it would be so much fun to do it all together. I am really looking forward to using it this coming year.

I read this thread and I am still confused, though, concerning the original question. Maybe I missed something. Do the students read their books every day or just the days that DITHOR is scheduled? It sounds like Julie was saying that they only read on the DITHOR days, but I wanted to make sure.

[wonderfilled]

Okay, I spent some time with the teacher's guide again and it's all clear now. Only reading on the DITHOR days, right? I think that's going to be very hard for my boys.

[my3sons]

...Only reading on the DITHOR days, right?...

Yes, totally right! Sorry if I was confusing on that! I know it is hard for them to wait, but let me tell you, the best things are worth waiting for - they really remember and love those DITHOR books, for years and years to come. They are memorable because they didn't race through them! (Which is what my boys do with other books !) DITHOR is special, and they remember it better because of the slower 'let's savor it' pace. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[wonderfilled]

You weren't all that confusing, Julie. It's just that I have a problem of racing through things and not slowing down to read carefully. I almost always read a book in one or two days, so this slower schedule will be a stretch for me, too. I do like to stick to schedules and we did pretty well with the CTC and Bigger read-alouds (most of the time ) so I think we can manage the slower DITHOR schedule. I just know I'm going to be hearing a lot of begging from the boys to read ahead.