heartofdakota.com

Yes, this is very early to be discussing this, however, I am due with our fourth child in the Spring and it will take me the next few months to think about curriculum. I really like to think to think things through thoroughly! This year was our first year homeschooling and so I placed both my children in guides to the very best of my ability (having never done this before): I used the placement guide (to which I somewhat had to guess where my children were at academically after coming from private school) and took into account advice on the message board. Now that we are half way through the year, it is glaringly obvious that both children should have been in one guide higher (I put them in Bigger and Little Hearts but they could easily have gone in Beyond and Preparing). How could I have known?? Anyways, my dilemma is this: If they are both ready for Preparing and Beyond NOW, than I am not so sure I want to put them in those guides next year...when they will have matured even more and grown academically. So I am really considering skipping a guide for each and putting them where they would be if we had done the correct guides this year (my oldest would go into CTC and my youngest into Bigger). If I am going to make a change, I was thinking this would be the year to do it...what are your thoughts???

I'm not sure skipping a guide would be the very best thing, because the jump in skills is big between Bigger and CTC, and Little Hearts and Bigger. Perhaps, if the current guides are truly too simple, you could just start them on Beyond and Preparing right now, if that is what they are ready for now, that way they won't miss the preparations they need for the guides that follow

I don't know, my opinion will probably be resoundingly outvoted, but...having been there, I sometimes wish I'd have skipped a guide with my oldest, because I made the same mistake. Here's my reasoning: if, looking at the placement chart, my kids correctly place in a higher guide, and it's okay to purchase that higher guide being new to HOD and never having done the lower guides; why can't I place them in the correct guide after having been with HOD as well? Does that make sense?? If you can afford it, I think that the absolute best option would be to stop what you're doing with them and just place them in the next guides right now. For me, if finances allowed (like at tax return time...) I could justify it, knowing that my youngers would use the earlier guides and it wouldn't be a complete waste. If I only had two kids, I'd be very, very tempted to teach through what I had bought, and skip to proper placement next year. I've heard that HOD has a good return policy, so if you bought the higher guides and looking through them found they weren't going to work, I think you could return them and buy the ones you need.

momofjka,
I was just wandering a few things? Is your son who is in Bigger doing ALL of the boxes exactly as written? Do you have him in his own/or correct level for grammar and math? Is his work neat and done in a timely manner? It is so funny, because I just posted on how glad I am that I chose not to skip a guide this year with my 10 yr old 5th grade son. This son in particular is VERy self motivated, very intelligent, and very neat and diligent in his work! All that to say I personally was glad that we did not skip. He could have easily moved into CTC, but I decided to keep him going in the progression of the guides. I feel like we gained a lot by going through the guides in order, because there are so many skills woven throughout each one. I also shared that the best thing about not skipping is that it has encouraged a love for writing poetry in the son I described above!

The jump to CTC from Bigger will be HUGE. I have my 5th grader in Preparing with extensions right now and b/c of how I've struggled with "life" these last couple years, we've not gotten through the guides in a timely manner. She was ready for Preparing before 4th grade and half way through 5th, we are in unit 6 of Preparing. I wrote a post "talking through" my idea to start her in CTC and skip the rest of Preparing. I've decided we will do all we can of PHFHG and start her in CTC this fall for 6th grade and NO extensions. Here's my thread and you may find a lot of great, helpful info about CTC that will help you decide. viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10952 For one thing, there's not really any guidance for written narrations in CTC and they learn that in Preparing. And a lot of other skills as well will be in CTC and they will be expected to have mastered from Preparing, or another program.

I personally like the idea of starting them in the new levels (Beyond and Preparing) now, and then moving up when they finish those. If you placed too low, and you are realizing it now, it's a great time to move into the right guide just like you would if you needed to back up one.

I would agree with pps to continue on the course. Each guide does increase in progression of skills. Preparing is a nice title as it prepares dc for written narration, poetry writing, and a "peg" to hang world history. If Bigger is too easy there are extension readings that could be done for advanced reading. Science could be done more independently like it is done in Preparing. I recall that Bigger has an appendix with alternative schedules for math, varied dictation level, and extension reading but I have loaned out my copy so I don't have specific details.
Little Hearts for His Glory has optional literature supplements in the appendix. There is an alternate schedule for singapore math 1a/1b in the appendix but you could use the next guide for hands on activites as that level is scheduled in Beyond. I have used an alternative math for dc because I already had a math program. I have graduated 1 and used a different math program from Singapore. There is also an alternative science schedule for first and second grade using Our Father's World (1st) or God's Wonderful Works (2) in appendix of LHFHG. For handwriting there are 3 options each day for K or 1st or your own handwriting.
DITHOR can be added after emerging readers have been completed, around 2nd grade or older.
It is easier and recommended to "beef up" curriculum but not to skip ahead or have dc require more assistance from teacher than is recommended in guide. As stated each guide builds upon skills from previous guide. The guides would take longer and might deter a joy of learning if too difficult. The basics are tailored to each dc skills and even state "use your own program."
Tammy

Personally I would just move them up now, if you can (then you're only skipping 1/2 a guide I think?). If money is an issue see what you can do as far as borrowing, getting books from the library (for storytime and/or reading books for the kids) and things like that. Resell your books, look for used copies, things like that.

It would be no fun to have your kids in the wrong guide, either way, either too high or too low. It is a great joy to see your child learning, being challenged, and excelling and really gaining confidence in their abilities and finding the wonder of new knowledge when they are well placed. I wouldn't want to finish up a year if that weren't the case.

Thank you everyone!! After reading all the posts, I am thinking that I will finish out this year with the guides we are doing (there is only a few more months left anyways), and see if I can add in the extra readings in the back. Both kids are well placed in the English and Math, so those haven't been a problem and getting books from the library (for the appendix readings) should add enough in the history and science to get them through the year and add some challenge w/o breaking budget.
After that, my plan is tentatively this:
As I already have the guides for both Beyond and Preparing (I wanted to use the spelling and dictation out of them this year), I will really read through them more carefully and see what I think. If I'm still unsure, I might as well just order everything for Beyond for my dd, and start it in the fall. If we get halfway through the year and it's working than we will keep with it. If we find that she really needs to (and can) move up, then I could just put her in Bigger at that point (it won't cost me anything as we already have everything for Bigger as my ds is using that now. And the stuff from Beyond wouldn't be wasted either because we will save it for my youngest to use later). For my ds, I think that I will order just the guide to CTC so that I can really read through it and get a feel for it before deciding between the 2 levels. I am leaning towards Preparing using extensions, but reading CTC will ease my mind and I can save the guide for the following year.
I'm certain some of my difficulty thus far has also been getting used to Charlotte Mason style as opposed to textbook learning. They have their state testing in April, and that may help ease my mind some about how much learning they are actually getting.