placement scenarios figured out/ignore fact tot deleted orig

[Mom2Monkeys]

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ETA: Let's thank my toddler for the above DELETED and replaced message. I'd delete the whole thread and start over if I knew how! Ugh!

[LynnH]

I guess I am a little confused. If you think that she wasn't challenged enough by CTC why would you put her back in Preparing? You would have to tweak it so much with parts of RTR and then you even mentioned adding the writing from Rev to Rev that you would loose all the open and go aspects of the program. It really seems like RTR would be the best placement for her. From the sounds of it she could do it as is with no tweaking. The written narrations are what you are looking for in that there isn't as much guidance. You add the science written narrations once she starts doing the science from there. Really by RTR she should not me that much from you. It sounds like she is more motivated to be independent when given challenges and RTR should provide that challenge.

Since you have Preparing then you could put your ds in Preparing and let him do it as written. Again he would be working towards independence and if he does it as written as far as all the I boxes then he should be ready for CTC by the time that rolls around. You could always take CTC slower at first if needed.

[Mom2Monkeys]

In my head, all I would be tweaking is replacing science and doing the creative writing on her level. That would bump up the challenge with the RTR science. And as everyone does, she likes some to also be right on level and some easy.
I also am realistic in the fact it has to be something we can pull off time wise because if it doesn't get done, it isn't any good. I know she will take more oversight foe keeping her on task for independent work. She does Mich better with this now working with her boether. Putting her in a room to do work alone is counter productive but when they are in different guides, I have to use her Ind. time to teach ds9. So I can't attend to the little guys to keep them.quiet for her to stay out with everyone. If they are together, then they do Ind. Work at the same time and o can tend to little ones. So they do a lot more at the dining table or together I'm the school room.
She is unmedicated and unofficially diagnosed with possible mild Aspergers and ADD. So I realize I do have to accommodate and consider her ability to attend while still maintaining steady forward progress.
IMHO, Preparing's history content isn't below her (or any 6/7th gr!) neither was CTC. But the follow ups often were. I suppose CTC is another option if I tweaked the narrations and science for 7th.

I really worry about pulling off four levels of kids...regardless if all four are in guides! Lol. I also want proper placement. And i waver again and again bc I know proper placement does diddly if I can't get the work done. We have them combined now and don't get near as Mich done as I wish we did. And I often never make it to the 6 or 3yos. So hard to decide!

[chillin'inandover]

Tamara,
If dd did CTC could you eliminate the history narration questions like HOD does in RTR and have her do n 8+ sentence narration. If child doesn't need the helps than don't let that prevent you from doing CTC.
My ds is ADHD and he says it is funny how he can get so much done while driving in the car. LOL we have had to drive a lot lately! It also helps to startr early-7 am and not let ds do anything else until HOD is done. Early to bed early to rise. Younger dd is still sleeping. We are now done by 11 ish and what ds was doing before school is now done after and it has reduced amount of time it takes. If he wants to do projects and painting in pm he can at his pace as he doesn't need me. We provide supplementation and extra nutrition in addition to good quality sleep. All this truly helps!
The ability to follow directions and work diligently and efficiently (not distracted) is a skill that must be learned. CTC provides an excellent training. When dd was completing CTC what area was taking longer than recommended?
I messed up in Bigger by not doing as written so we went through Preparing at a disadvantage. I spent last year with same format as HOD in a self created curriculum to train ds to complete CTC as written. It helped so much! This year is such a blessing and I can't imagine skipping it and missing out on the sequential skills. May God provide the wisdom, direction, and peace that you are seeking! Tammy

[Mom2Monkeys]

Been praying and today God taught and showed me a lot about my daughter. I'm on my phone so it is hard to go into details but I can say two big things. There are many more!
1. I need to let go of fear of placing too high and start listening to my gut. God put it there!
2. Hiding the age ranges and all things that hint at which is what level on the placement chart and then having your preteen child circle where they fit on the chart based on what they can do (not what they like or the level they are willing to do, but are able to do) can rock your world and turn i t upside down.

I do not have the finances to purchase two full programs at this time. So based on prayer and placement results with my daughter's insight as well as recent observations and things God has shown me recently, I've come to my conclusion!

I have some things I can do with the little one right now. Puzzles and Kumon books, dot art, etc. LHTH will start this next fall.

I will focus on my 6yo kindy boy's math and reading and be sure to read our poetry and read aloud books to him as much as possible. I will assess him in the fall (he turns 7 in sept) to decide if he will fit best in LHFHG or BLHFHG.

I can only afford PHFHG right now. So I will start my son in that asap.

DD will start MTMM next fall. Yeah...told you. Rock my world...I should really pay more attention. I've had such trouble for years and come to find out I do believe it has been chronic under placing her. And not taking full note of her God given quirks and rhythms. She is insanely excited and fully capable. I'm letting go of my fear of her failing...and giving her a chance to learn and succeed. Even if that means errors and mistakes and floundered experiments and projects gone wrong. I am a perfectionist and wanted to make sure to place her where she could do it right the first time. Therefore....too low. Every time. And it has damaged her self image as she feels I think her incapable of meeting the challenge. So contrary!

God is good to show us when we ask. I'm so excited! Thank you for uh....listening and as always, being my place to vent in writing and pour my heart out.

[LynnH]

Just curious what you will then do for the following year since she will still be a few years away from high school? I understand that you want her to be challenged, but I wouldn't want to do the later part of American History with all it's very tough topics before I gave my dc a firm foundation in the early history of our United States. Even if they have done Bigger, Rev to Rev is a much more mature look at the early years of American History as well as tackling tough subjects like the French Revolution. In doing Rev to Rev I see how Carrie intentionally planned for the 2 guides to be very connected, even using some of the same resources. Just an example of this is in Rev to Rev they get their first introduction to primary source documents. It is in nice small chunks. From looking at the plans for MTMM those chunks are now a book of big primary source documents that they need to understand. There are many other connections in both content and skill level.

[Mom2Monkeys]

She would be 7th grade, and knowing us, we'll be partway into 8th before finishing. (We have band and such that takes us out of the house each week) It actually puts her in it as a 12yo which is the intended age range. So, she won't be a few years from high school at all. She will be on the cusp of it! Many doing the HOD guides one per year that started with LHFHG in K, will be hitting this guide the same time we are. I appreciate the wiggle room as we finally grown into a new stage of life withOUT a toddler...by the time she starts this, he'll almost be a preschooler. Meaning, I can get sleep and get more serious and steady with schooling.

We've done early american history through Beyond and Bigger, yes, but also again now this year on a higher level. We've not yet moved beyond this time besides some time in ancients really.

I do understand what you're saying though, but if I go by the placement chart and stop going down a guide or two from where I feel she is, it puts her in MTMM. If I back off just for the sake of history era coverage, that's Rev2Rev. I'm afraid if I jump into Rev2Rev instead of MTMM that I'll be making the same mistake yet again, with underplacing just for the sake of covering a certain time period or worry and wanting it easier for it so she can start the guide off getting it right instead of learning to get it right.
Since I have no way to afford purchasing for both olders right now anyway, I have several weeks/months to chew on the idea and be certain. I'm trying to take what God shows me and follow that. She doesn't know "hard work" for school and it may very well be time to put her God-given giftedness to use, and with her huge interest in the topics of MTMM (she saw them last night and is thrilled with them), I think that will be a huge incentive and motivation for her.

I'll continue to ponder and pray and I delve into looking through samples and such.

[Mom2Monkeys]

Just curious what you will then do for the following year since she will still be a few years away from high school? I understand that you want her to be challenged, but I wouldn't want to do the later part of American History with all it's very tough topics before I gave my dc a firm foundation in the early history of our United States. Even if they have done Bigger, Rev to Rev is a much more mature look at the early years of American History as well as tackling tough subjects like the French Revolution. In doing Rev to Rev I see how Carrie intentionally planned for the 2 guides to be very connected, even using some of the same resources. Just an example of this is in Rev to Rev they get their first introduction to primary source documents. It is in nice small chunks. From looking at the plans for MTMM those chunks are now a book of big primary source documents that they need to understand. There are many other connections in both content and skill level.

I've been really thinking about your input here, and praying, and thinking some more....and I think I may decide to do Rev2Rev. It will still be the challenge she needs, but give a firmer and more detailed grounding in the earlier history of America and also perfect science for a 7th grader. I also remembered I have her registered a year lower on our official papers so in 7th she will only be registered as a 6th grader....this is partly due to being a bit small and young for her grade as well as because she was a good deal behind on math and I don't want her going off to college as a newly turned 17yo!! If she were registered as her actual grade, I could award high school credit for Geog guide in 8th grade, but if she does Geog in actual 8th, she's only registered as 7th so won't get any credit.

So, we'll do Rev2Rev! She's bummed about it a bit, but I got her excited with the science projects

[LynnH]

I think Rev to Rev is our second favorite guide after Preparing. She will like that the written narration guidelines are very minimal. The science is really good! Just this week my ds was experimenting with his electric circuit that he built and changing it from parallel to series and then figuring out which one makes a light bulb burn brighter. Today he put batteries in series and parallel configuration and looked to see which one made the bulb brighter. He found out why flashlights have the batteries in a serial configuration! My 12th grade dd says he is learning much of the same things she learned last year doing Apologia Physics. Today he made the comment about how interesting the Signers of the Declaration study is.

[Mom2Monkeys]

Preparing was our favorite so far too, and now you have me super excited about Rev2Rev! Placement is so key and it feels good to let go of doing guides where i feel perfection can be expected from day 1or just because i dont want to miss a time period for her, or a guide for me! I want to do them all! i have three more coming up behind her though, so i will get to do them eventually.
I feel this placement is the higher challenge she needs and just where God wants us.