heartofdakota.com

Hi, I am considering using HOD but am not sure how to fit it all in. I think I would need at least 3 different levels & that looks overwhelming to me. I have children in the following grades: 9th, 8th, 7th, 5th, 2nd & a 4 yr old. I have previously done some MFW. I am planning on using Diana Waring's Ancient Civilizations for my older kids & was planning on having the younger ones join in with that using the elementary activity guide, but am feeling like my younger ones would just be tagging along & not really getting the full benefit of a program more on their level. Anyway, I would love any advice or thoughts you would share with me & some explainations on how it works to do 3+ levels.

Thanks,
Diane

I am not sure how much I can help since today was my first day of running 3 different guides. I will tell you that I am a little overwhelmed. A couple of times today, I thought that it would be really nice if I could combine all of my children in something. I just know, though, that each thing that I am doing with my children fit them exactly where they are. So, I will press on. I was able to get my two middle children completely finished with all of their work by lunch time. (k and 2nd) However, my 4th grader, who is doing Preparing, is still not done with his work and it's 4:22 pm. I do not want this to be the trend for the entire year, so while I understand that this is just the 1st day, I do look forward to getting into a better routine.

I know there are a lot of people around here that run 3 guides successfully - and I hope to be one of those people, however, I am going to need some more time to get it figured out.

For what it's worth...I am running a modified Little Hearts with K options, Beyond, and Preparing. Next year, I will do Bigger, Creation to Christ, and Little Hearts w/ 1st grade options plus some Beyond.

It can be done - and can be enjoyable!

You'll probably want to start by looking at the placement chart and see where each child places. Once you do that you may see that you have some different options as to how to combine kids. We use 3 guides very successfully! Our days flow quite smoothly now that we have a routine. I used to try and stick with a completely scheduled day but now that we have our routine we can get finished even with interruptions! One tip would be to start the guides one at a time with a week or so in between. This allows you to really focus on getting the child or children in that guide going so they know what is expected and understand how to work the boxes if using it independently. This will be a huge benefit for you as it appears you will have a few children who could do much of the guide independently allowing you time in the day to work with the younger ones. In a nutshell, I basically have 2 sessions with each of my kiddos. I do the boxes on the left side in the first and the boxes on the right side during the second. I start with my youngest which gives the older two time to get started on things they do on their own and I can look over it when it's their turn. Everyone knows what to do and where to go...it's beautiful! I do take just a couple minutes to skim over the boxes they will do on their own to make sure they understand what is expected. HOD has been a huge blessing for our family!

I'm one who finds it easier to run 3 guides than to combine. My dc are all 3 or more years apart, and combining would just be doing a disservice to someone as they are incredibly different in their needs and abilities. We have LOVED using HOD with them! I am glad I don't have to plan ahead, and I'm especially glad we are able to do school in a timely fashion, without sacrificing excellent learning.

The number 1 thing to do when you are going to use multiple HOD guides is to be sure you place each of your dc correctly. The placement chart will help with this, but we are all here to help too! I think it is important to combine where it works best in larger families, so we'd definitely be looking in that direction for your sweeties. If you could check out the placement chart, and do your best to share where each of your dc place individually, we will then talk through good combining options with you. I think it is helpful to print just the first page of the placement chart, one for each of your dc, and one at a time, circle where they fall in each column on the first page. This doesn't take all that long to do, and it is super effective! It's a great way to make sure dc are placed well, which = a good placement for everyone for the whole year. Then, if you could share the results here with us, we will chat through it with you...
http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

The next best thing to do when you are new to HOD and starting multiple guides is to either stagger start, or start half-speed. Many moms start with their oldest, and take a week just to sit by their side and train them to use the guide as their planner. Training dc how to do each box works wonders the whole year. Then, moms add another guide to the mix with other dc the next week, and a few weeks in or so, add the last one. I'd be apt to start with the oldest and work my way down when stagger starting. Otherwise, many moms just start everyone all at once, but at half-speed, doing the left side of the plans one day and the right side the next. This ensures everyone knows what they are doing and mom and dc ease into it.

Another important thing to do is put some real thought into a schedule/routine before you begin. With multiple guides, this makes a big, big difference in the flow of the day. I like to make a schedule with teaching blocks of time and give each child a copy. Each child has 1-2 teaching blocks of time with me, and then also some semi-independent, and independent blocks of time. When everyone knows whose turn it is with me, this cuts down on interruptions and wasted time waiting for me. Dc know they'll get me to themselves in a little bit, and they know when they are to be doing something independent. Very helpful! Here is a copy of our last year's schedule, in case it is helpful...


Here is a link to an awesome schedules' thread too...
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2093

The last thing I think it is important to do when teaching multiple guides - just teach the guides as they are written. Adding more means adding more time. Discussing a lot longer or jumping off on bunny trails -just adds more time. The guides are wonderfully balanced and full of learning enough anyway - no need to add and make the day go long.

We have loved our years with HOD. We have not found it hard to do multiple guides, and every one of our dc has a guide that fits what they need. There is no tweaking, no asking dc to do something they can't, no hearing of anything not quite appropriate for younger ears, and days full of happy learning. Many moms feel the same way, and you can read about their experiences here...
Homeschooling with Larger Families:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9325&p=68227#p68227

So, if you get the chance to share here about your dc, I will definitely help you chat through placement, and I know others will too! This board is full of encouraging ladies who are willing to help. I love coming here - it's one of my favorite places to "be"! Welcome, and I think you'll enjoy it too!

In Christ,
Julie

Wow, you ladies have already been very helpful! I hear what your saying Julie about teaching the guides as written, that's a good thing for me to hear! Somehow I don't learn that easy & with a large family I think it would be a real relief to just be able to open & go instead of having to spend hours planning lessons and then feeling like I can't keep up with what everyone needs to be doing. Ok, so in looking at where my children place on the chart, they are all a couple levels lower in writing & grammar skills than reading skills. I have schooled from the philosophy of very light grammar & writing, and now that my oldest children are in upper levels I am finding that we are scrambling to catch up & learn things that they should already know. So...
*ds age 14, 9th gr. - reading: reads difficult books very well but has not had formal lit. study, so that would probably place him in Res - Ref ??
writing: CtC - he really struggles w/ writing
grammar: CtC (except for the diagramming - hasn't done much)
obviously his english skills are below hs level, this is a major focus this year. He has had some processing speed/focusing issues but is doing much better this year.

*dd age 13, 8th gr. - reading: same as above
writing: Res - Ref
grammar: Res - Ref (except for the diagramming - hasn't done much)

*ds age 12, 7th gr. - reading: Res - Ref (hasn't had any lit. study)
writing: CtC
grammar: CtC (except for the diagramming - hasn't done much)

*ds age 10, 5th gr. - reading: CtC
writing: Preparing
grammar: Preparing

*dd age 7, 2nd gr. - reading: Bigger
writing: Beyond
grammar: Beyond

I hope this is what you were needing to know?

Thanks

Ok, so I've been pondering this all more & been doing a lot of reading here on the boards and have re-thought some of my prior placement, so here's what I've been thinking:

Maybe putting ds 14, dd 13, & ds 12 in CtC, due to the fact that they all are weak in writing & especially the 2 boys struggle with paragraphs. My previous plans had been to use Ancient Civilizations by Diana Waring for them & since I have both of these curriculums & most of the books I have for ACB are highschool level it could be a good way of beefing up the history in CtC. The 12 & 13 yr olds are not good spellers & I've been planning on continuing using a spelling program but again after reading I'm wondering about just using dictation for them. At this age do you think that will work? Also in considering R&S for grammar where would be the best place to put them, they've all had Winston Grammar basic. And I was also thinking of adding Dithr for them but not sure what level to start them at. Also, wondering about Write with the Best? In all this I worry about my oldest with needing to be highschool level and feel like we just been flailing around in LA trying to find something that works , he is very easily overwhelmed and I'm just not sure where to go for continuing on through hs.

My understand is that Preparing lays a foundation in a lot of skills, is that correct? So, I'm wondering if maybe ds 10 should start there???? Although, that messes up his progression through the years, so would he skip a year in the middle so he can finish all the hs years or ??? And again where to place him in R&S, he hasn't had any formal grammar or any writing. Would CtC be too much for him to just join the older ones? Yes, I'm having a hard time getting past the combining thing.

For dd 7 I was thinking Beyond, although I keep wondering about Bigger? She reads very well independently, books like the Little House series, & the Betsy books. She can form all her letters & copy fine but we haven't done any sentence writing. With Beyond I worry that the books might be a bit weak for her reading level but I'm sure she could benefit from building skills more gently.

Ok, maybe that explains a little better where were at. Thanks in advance for your help!

Hi there! I am so sorry to just be getting back to you - Carrie and I were planning for the next guide at a hotel, but it looks like you've been doing some good brainstorming here. I like your line of thinking here, and I agree. I think your oldest 3 dc would place well in CTC, and you can have some of them do the extensions, especially the older(s). I do think dictation can work for them, and work well. I have been amazed at the progress my ds has made in his spelling with dictation. We just noted in the new guide's introduction that dc may still be finishing out dictation in high school, and that is just fine. It's a skill you just gradually work on day by day, until you complete the passages. I would use the highest level in CTC. For R & S English, I think I'd start them in either R & S English 4 or 5. HOD suggests doing 2/3 of the work orally or on markerboard. I think this is key. Saving just a section or 1/3 of the work to be written keeps R & S English manageable, and clipping along. I don't think you can leap ahead in grammar. It's one of those things that you just continually move through, book by book, lesson by lesson, and you just get as far as you get. R & S English 7 and 8 are high school credit worthy, so it's not grade equivalent. Honestly, grammar is not even required for high school (which I think is nuts), but I would start them in either 4 or 5, and do it as it comes up in the plans - I'd lean toward 5.

For DITHOR, they can handle Level 6/7/8. They sound like good readers, and I think they'll do fine with that. You can use either the DITHOR book packs, or choose your own books. Personally, I love the book packs. Carrie has researched those books to the nth degree, and they're the best of the best. I don't have time (nor do I want to take the time) to search out titles for every genre for my dc (especially for my oldest - those books are L-O-N-G!) . Here is a link to the book packs, in case that's helpful...
http://www.heartofdakota.com/drawn-into-optional5-6.php
http://www.heartofdakota.com/DITHOR67.php

Here is a link to some harder high school type options too, though I tend to choose books beneath my dc's reading levels for DITHOR, as the rest of the learning they are doing challenges them enough:
DITHOR Titles for High School:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7765&p=56997#p56997

I think "Write with the Best" will be alright for all. Older dc can take a lot from it too. Here are some general ideas for beefing up CTC for high school...
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5400

Here is a link to counting credits for high school. This will enable counting credits anywhere from CTC - Modern Times for high school, to any other starting place on up from after CTC.
Three High School Paths within HOD…
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8208&p=59681

Your 7 yo sounds like a good fit for Beyond, but you can challenge her reading by choosing "Drawn into the Heart of Reading" for her reading instruction. Here are some descriptions of the writing done in Bigger:
Amount of writing in BHFHG:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3005
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1516&p=11829

For this reason, I am thinking dd would be well placed in Beyond, but you will know best here. If you think dd can do the writing in Bigger Hearts, you could have dd and 10 yo ds do Bigger Hearts, and have ds do the extensions. For your 10 yo, I do think PHFHG would be a good fit. He will be able to do half of his work independently, and that will be such a nice balance, I think. But what do you think? I hope something here helps, and I will be on the board more regularly now too, so I should get back to you sooner. Others will probably chime in too - ladies usually do - but I think many are beginning school and busy, busy, busy!

WHEW - I hope I am not overwhelming here - HOD is so easy to use - I don't want this lengthy post to make it seem as if it's not! But, I do want to help with placement. It's important, and when it's right, multiple guides work slick! I'll check back here to see what your thoughts are!

In Christ,
Julie

Thank you so much Julie, you've been very helpful! No need to apologize for not getting back here right away, I certainly understand busy! We are getting a slow start to school because I'm deep into canning, but my children are begging to start they are excited about what were doing this year!

No you didn't overwhelm me, all the information you gave has helped me think through this better. I really think this looks doable. I do have a 4 yr old (5 in Oct) yet too but I don't think I'll start him in a level yet this year as I don't think I want to tackle 4 levels this year. He knows all his letters & sounds, writes all the names in our family & loves to copy words but I think I'll give him another year yet.

Thanks for the links that show the amount of writing in Bigger that definitely helps my decision. I'm leaning toward going with Beyond for dd 7 and Preparing for ds 10, along with Dithor. But, I want to take a little more time to read some more samples & think through the idea of putting them both in Bigger to avoid the 4 levels next year. But as you said I don't want them placed wrong either.

I feel good about that plan for the older 3 as well, I like that it has them each working on some things independently even in history as previously we've always done that all together & I think the oldest especially needs that independence. Thanks also for the highschool links. I think we'll get going with this year & then I'll spend some time figuring out my hs plan for the following years.

I am glad to help! I wish I had talent for canning. I can grow a decent garden, but canning I fall very short on. How neat for your family that you are doing that!!! Time well spent. I just wanted to reassure you that we will be here to talk through high school and help you figure it all out. The ladies here are so helpful, and many are in your same situation. So, don't let your joy for homeschooling be taken away from you by a nagging high school cloud hanging around - we'll be here. We'll all sort it out together. And it will be just fine. Keep asking questions until you're set, but it sounds like you are on your way to a good plan!

In Christ,
Julie

If you think the seven year old can handle Bigger, I would lean toward combining with the 10 year old and let the 10 year old do the extentions. I have a large family and came from a combining background and found it difficult to run multiple guides at first. For your first year with HOD, I think two guides could be a nice step into multiple guides. It sounds like your oldest three will combine nicely. However, you know your kids and where they are at, and you know your personality. The nice thing is, they are all wonderful programs. I have 8 children and we are running LHFHG, RTR, and a different high school program (11th and 12th--These two had already been taught differently when we found HOD, so I just kept them where they were at.). So, that amounts to three programs. That is about what I can do. As a sidenote, I am really looking forward to using HOD for high school with the rest. Don't tell my older boys, but it is a lot more fun that what they got to do. Julie's advice will be better than mine; she has more experience with HOD. I only mention this because she did list it is as an option.

Thanks 8arrows, I keep pondering that very thing, especially considering I have a 4 (almost 5) yr old also & that would mean 4 levels next year. I just printed out the week samples of Beyond, Bigger & Preparing to compare and I'm going to take the weekend to pray about it. One question I have is that I would like to have these younger ones follow HOD all the way through hs, so if ds 10 (5th gr) does Bigger or even Preparing that messes up the progression, so does he skip a yr or two somewhere in order to be at the right place for hs or what? Same is true for dd 7 (almost 8 - 2nd gr.) only she'd be ahead a grade. Maybe I'm overthinking this & shouldn't be looking so far ahead!?

I am just now seeing this thread, and it looks like you have a good start in placement. So I won't comment on that. But I just finished posting our schedule if you want to take a look at how we run the guides with multiple kiddos. Here is the link viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2093&st=0&sk=t&sd=a ... 135#p73920

And, Welcome to HOD!
Angie

6kidstoluv, My three middles are combined in RTR. We will just keep progressing through the guides. Some of the children will get through all of the guides; some of the children will not. One of the three will use extensions; two will not. Carrie provides recommendations to beef up the later guides for high school if you are combining age ranges. You have to love a program that provides so many options and recognizes that not all families have the same dynamics and needs and not all children are the same. My children, even combined, will experience different education experiences based on their ages, personalities, gifts, and needs. Having 2 close to graduation has given me encouragement in this area. Although I certainly did not accomplish everything "perfectly" with them, they are doing great! That has allowed me to breathe and realize that not every path to graduation has to look exactly the same to be exactly the right path for that child and your specific family. Only YOU will know if it is best to combine the two children you are still thinking about or if it is best to separate them, but I can assure you that combining is a viable option that is still academically challenging and family-encouraging for some families--like mine! Placement is the hardest part. Implementation is fun! Enjoy your journey, and let us know what you decide.

Ok, I am finally back here. After much reading & praying I feel like my 7 & 10 yr. olds are best placed in Beyond & Preparing rather than combining them. I really wanted to combine them but it just doesn't seem like that's what I'm supposed to do this year. So, here we go with 3 different levels.

Thanks so much holdinon for linking your schedule, it really helps to see how other people set up their day. 8arrows thanks for your encouragement, I will try not to worry about not making it through all the guides.

This board has been such a blessing, such a wealth of information & wisdom here! Thank you ladies for all your help!