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Hello. I started Bigger late this year (was using MFW Adventures). I am only on Unit 8. My son is in third grade this year (9 years old will be 10 Oct.). I hate the idea of carrying Bigger over into the next school year (4th grade). We will finish up this year on Unit 25. So I guess next year we will be doing Bigger for the first 9 weeks or so.
Can I just stop at Unit 25 and start Preparing at the beginning of the new school year? Just looking for some input.
I was thinking by unit 25 he will have a good handle on how the guides works. He does well with everything. Not complaining too much about the writing. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Blessings,

Renee

Update: I never resumed Bigger. Stopped at Unit 8. I continued on with MFW Adventures for third grade. He practiced narration throughout the year with his readers. He is now in fourth grade going to be 10 in Oct. He knows how to write cursive beautifully. Reading on a late fourth grade/early fifth grade level. Still cannot stand to write, but he can do it when I help him organize his thought into main points. He uses the main points on board to form his short summary/with some assistance. Did abeka grammar 3 and some Rod and Staff 3 last year. Can read independently in short bursts 10-15 minutes at a time. Does get overwhelmed easily. Low frustration level, but very bright. Since we never really did Bigger, do you think Preparing would fit him skill wise? He does fit into Preparing on the placement chart. Most of his struggle is due to ADHD/wanting to just get it done. Because I am dealing with ADHD, I do not think this is something that will change in time. I think for me Bigger sounds like less of a fight, but I will always have that struggle with him. He loves history and science. He has had plenty of American History with Adventures MFW.

Any thoughts from anyone????

thank you,

Renee

Here's my 2 cents...

I know a lot of other families who use HOD carry the guides over from one school year to the next. We're doing the same thing with Bigger this year since we're only in Unit 3 right now (we came back to HOD after doing something else in the fall).

I wouldn't want to to stop 9 units short as your son will miss out on the continuity of the Bigger curriculum. If you begin your next school year in mid/late August then you should be finished with Bigger by mid/late October and that will put your new 10 year old ready to begin Preparing, right? AND since Preparing is a 4-day program so you could easily finish it by late May or early June if you continue to do it 5 days a week as you were doing Bigger.

Thank you. That helps me out tremendously!

Renee

I agree with the pp. I would finish out Bigger at the beginning of next year and then do Preparing 5 days a week if you want to finish it in the school year. I do think it is important to finish out the guides because the skills build on each other so much.

I would definitely continue with Bigger. Either you could continue with Bigger next school year or you could do the remaining units over the summer.

I would finish Bigger too. That's what we had to do. We didn't get it done in the 2010-2011 school year. I'm glad I didn't stop it and move on to Preparing. We are enjoying all we are learning in Bigger. I've seen my kids grow from when we started until now.

We'll be able to start Preparing in March, maybe sooner, and then finish it by Nov, I hope.