heartofdakota.com

Hi again friends,
I have yet another question....
We are doing Beyond with dd age 7 this year (LOVING IT BY THE WAY)! I think we will move on to Bigger Hearts next year, but I am wondering how to progress without going to quickly through the curriculum years yet also not doing "enough" if I stretch it out over 2 years. If I stretch it out, how do you do that exactly (some subjects some days, others on different days?). Also, I know there is an extension pack. Would I just do the Bigger curriculum one year, then use the extension pack the second year? Unfortunately my ds is 3 and I will not be able to combine them as the time goes on...so I am trying to think things through now.

Thanks for any suggestions/encouragement!
Sarah B.

There are ladies here with much more wisdom than me on this but I kept reading all the posts and trying to work out a plan then finally one day went "oh if I do 17 units this year and 17 next that will be 2 years." It was really a light bulb for me and I finally relaxed.

I am doing Beyond with my (just turned) 7 year old this year and plan on taking him through Bigger next year as written. The only thing I plan on doing is 4 days a week instead of 5, which will cause us to not finish Bigger in one school year. It will add 34 days. (which I plan on finishing the following school year using a 4 day a week plan as well). You could always start right now going 4 days a week and finishing up Beyond next school year and then go on to do Bigger 4 days a week if you want to stretch it out a little. I have really grown to love the 4 day a week plan. It opens up an extra day a week for co-op or errands.

We do this, though not on purpose. I think I read somewhere that it's recommended to take 4 years for the first 3 school-age guides, and I like that. We feel much more able to add in ballet or piano because of the freedom that creates.

sbarr wrote:Hi again friends,
I have yet another question....
We are doing Beyond with dd age 7 this year (LOVING IT BY THE WAY)! I think we will move on to Bigger Hearts next year, but I am wondering how to progress without going to quickly through the curriculum years yet also not doing "enough" if I stretch it out over 2 years. If I stretch it out, how do you do that exactly (some subjects some days, others on different days?). Also, I know there is an extension pack. Would I just do the Bigger curriculum one year, then use the extension pack the second year? Unfortunately my ds is 3 and I will not be able to combine them as the time goes on...so I am trying to think things through now.

Thanks for any suggestions/encouragement!
Sarah B.

There are many possibilities with pacing with HOD. My oldest ds has done a guide a year and always been on the youngest end of the age range for each guide. He has done very well with this pacing, and he is accurately placed. If at any time he needs to slow down, we can do that. If at any time I need to slow down (due to health concerns, our parents' health, unforeseen challenges in life, etc.), we can do that. However, if things continue as they have, he will more than likely graduate at 17 yo. I am leaning towards having him do College Plus to study and CLEP out of any college courses he can. Then, we'll see how he wants to proceed toward his degree from there (i.e. finish out a degree with College Plus, or physically attend a college campus while living at home). I am thrilled to have this extra year to work through all of this, as well as teach him some important young adult life skills (i.e. credit card usage, making a budget, working to save for college, transitioning to young adult Sunday School/Bible classes at church, etc.). I've seen 2 of my nieces and nephews try to navigate graduating high school and transitioning to college - they both would have LOVED a little extra time for this.

If having a little extra time on your hands for things such as this doesn't appeal, you have many other possibilities with pacing with HOD as well. You could do 4 days a week of plans for Beyond and then for Bigger Hearts. You could then start PHFHG half-speed and go full-speed whenever you desire. You could actually begin each guide half-speed and then move into full-speed whenever you want. I hope this helps as you decide what pacing you'd enjoy!

In Christ,
Julie

We're doing that with Bigger now! I figured out that we have to do 17 units this year and 17 next year. We do Bigger 2x a week (just picking up we're we left off), And Story of the World 3, our own state study & president study and various other things the other 2/3 days of the week. We do Singapore Math, DITHOR and R&S English everyday though (we don't follow how the math and English are scheduled in Bigger) and for the 2013-2014 school year they'll be set to start Preparing

I'm doing this to keep my kids on the same history cycle and because I'm a tweaker and I really enjoy mixing it up!

The extra 2 weeks of Bigger that I didn't plan in with the mix we're doing at the end of the year. So they'll have a 37 week school year, No big deal

We are using Beyond this year and dd will turn 9 in May. I had intentions of doing the whole guide this year and then do Bigger slowly, probably at half speed next year. However, I think I will not be able to completely finish Beyond by May. Depending how much is left, maybe I will work on a little here and there during the summer. I do not want to skip any of it. I will just pick up with Bigger when that is completed. In Bigger, half-speed may look something like this: 1st day - History, Bible, Poetry, Handwriting, Math, Reading, & Grammar/Spelling; 2nd day - Practice memory verse, Science, Math, Reading, Handwriting & Storytime. I may interchange subjects sometimes, but I want to make sure we are doing the 3 R's consistently, due to some struggling in those areas. If I can get dd through Beyond by early fall, we would take two full school years to complete Bigger.

Sarah,

The ladies have already given you terrific advice, so I'll just pop-in to link you to one past thread that may be of help to you as you ponder your options. Link: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8086&p=59014

Blessings,
Carrie