heartofdakota.com

Hi there. My 7 yr old dd is doing Beyond. I am loving the gentle approach but Im wondering if its enough for her. The spelling is way too easy for her so I am finding words from her DITHOR book and storytime and thats working fine. New to homeschool and not really getting the copywork part. She is a fantastic writer and shes bored just copying poems and sentences I write for her. I have had her write her own sentences and am trying to beef up stuff I think is too easy for her. I looked at the storytime books for Bigger and I think they would be too hard for her. I feel like the reading level in Beyond is good for her but some of the other stuff isnt. I also ordered the wrong math (math u see) so I am trying to get her in a good spot all over the place. Not even sure what I am asking here....am I doing the right thing? Should I just buy the next guide?
I also have a kdg and I ended up not buying a guide for him. He is a stubborn creature and again, I wanted to ease into this and not stress myself out. Well, we are working on zoo phonics from his one day a week place and then math u see. He gets to do the Beyond activites and really enjoys it. Im not sure hes getting enough either! Im doing much better than I thought I was going to be and we are all really enjoying this so should I get him a guide and just get busy?
I just dont want to be easing myself into this so slowly that Im boring them and not challenging them enough. I hope this makes sense!! As always, thoughts are very much appreciated!

We are not quite there yet, but I've been looking at more advanced LA options to use with Beyond. Maybe you could continue in Beyond, but have her do the dictation and LA (using Rod & Staff English 2) from the Bigger guide?

When you use the Bigger guide next year for the rest, she could do Rod & Staff English 3 for LA and continue on in dictation. Maybe that would work? Hopefully someone more experienced can chime in and give you some other ideas.

Have you taken a fresh look at the Placement Chart? If she fits solidly into Bigger on the chart, then you should move her up. As for the Bigger Storytime books being too difficult, they are meant for you to read aloud to her, so they should be a bit above her level.You also would be reading aloud the History and Science in Bigger, but there is more wiriting in Bigger than Beyond. There is also the first level of dictation exercises to be used if the spelling lists are too easy. Contact HOD with your concerns, they are so great about helping families find the best fit!

My DD doesn't really like the copywork either, she finds it boring. BUT I have seen her handwriting and ease of writing improve dramatically since we started Beyond so I think it is worth it. For us it's just one of those attitude things. There really isn't any other part of school that she doesn't like so this is one that she can work through even though she doesn't love it. She loves it when the week is done and she can look at what she's done and read it proudly to her dad.

I had posted about our writing issues and Julie had a great suggestion as to how to explain the value of the copywork, how she explained it to her son. It sounds like your DD might be a very good writer already, but my DD definitely is not, so she needs more practice.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10032&p=73174

Copywork, dictation, narration, etc can all seem like they don't have a purpose or are too easy when you haven't done them before. I assure you it's worth it and they are learning. If she needs more advanced LA you can always start her on R&S English 2, one lesson a day and/or have her start dictation instead of the spelling lists. She could even use the poems for her dictation if you think that will help. However, try to remember it's ok for it not to be super hard. The skills will build upon themselves. Enjoy the extra time to read together, take field trips, do handicrafts, or study the Word.

Thank you for the helpful replies. I think she is smack dab in the middle of beyond and bigger. When I first started in my discernment of homeschool, I felt like easier was better....work on virtues and character and the academics would be successful. Now, two weeks in, im fretting that she's not getting what she would be getting in her old school. So thank you for the reassurance that its ok, I do appreciate that! We will keep plugging along!