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DITHOR-Teaching 2 Levels

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 8:24 am
by John'smom
Does anyone want to share how this works in their house? Maybe a link to a previous thread? My dc are going to be on different levels next year and after looking through things, it looks like what I teach one day, sometimes, I'll be teaching the other one something very similar the next day. Plus how much time do you think it will take each day? Really any advice anyone has would be great.

Re: DITHOR-Teaching 2 Levels

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 12:44 pm
by Mom2Monkeys
If I remember correctly, you teach the lesson to both since it'll be same day, same lesson and then they are assigned the work on their level...like if you had a 2/3 and a 4/5, you'd teach the lesson to both and then 4/5 would get started on his reading while 2/3 read aloud to you. Then you'd get the 2/3 going with the written stuff if there is any then listen to a little from the 4/5 reading aloud if that's scheduled and check in with him on the written work for the day. There's not written work every day and 4/5 only reads a little of the day's reading to you and not every lesson. 6/7/8 doesn't read aloud at all from my understanding...not there yet.

ETA: I'm not to this yet..but I am an obsessive planner and have gone over and over the manual figuring out how it would be done and what would work. :) I'm fun like that.

Re: DITHOR-Teaching 2 Levels

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 4:57 pm
by my3sons
Tamara gave some good thoughts already - DITHOR is very flexible! :D We have done this a few different ways, based on what I felt each of our dc's needs were. The first year Riley began DITHOR, I decided it would be best to just do them separately. Riley really needed DITHOR 5 days a week, and that would have been too much for Wyatt. I liked that very much, as it kept my time and focus more on Riley, and he needed me more then than Wyatt did for DITHOR. :D

This year, we have done DITHOR together 3 days a week and enjoyed that too. We do it whenever it is scheduled in Wyatt's RevtoRev's plans. That keeps the balance of LA/amount of writing intact for his guide, which I felt was more important that doing for Riley's PHFHG's guide. We do the Kickoff and "All Levels Together" days together always. I read the 4 final project ideas to them at the end of each genre (4 because there is the Godly Character Project, the Group Project, and a Book Projects to Send Home project for each of their different levels). I let them choose, and it's been interesting to see what they pick. They've sometimes chosen to do projects together, sometimes separate, and sometimes Wyatt has done Riley's age of "Book Projects..." and sometimes Riley has done Wyatt's age of "Book Projects...". All have been fun! :D

As far as the reading out loud and discussion questions go, I usually send Wyatt to read independently first, as he has more to read. I have Riley read 4-5 pages out loud to me and let him finish on his own. I then have Wyatt read 2 pages to me out loud - I feel this is important for him because he struggled with speech early on, and he still sometimes will mispronounce words. Plus, I can easily keep tabs on the storyline this way. Usually Wyatt is still finishing his reading then, and Riley is done, so I ask Riley his discussion questions or give him directions for his Student Workbook. At that point Wyatt is done reading, and I ask him any questions and see if he has any questions about his Student Workbook assignment. Sometimes, when I finish with Riley, Wyatt is already handing in his Student Workbook. Wyatt is in Level 6/7/8, and his workbook directions are written directly to him in his Student Workbook. That is just the way we do it though - the possibilities are endless! I hope this helps! :D

In Christ,
Julie

Re: DITHOR-Teaching 2 Levels

Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2012 8:34 pm
by water2wine
We started DITHR this year. It is one of the best parts of our day. :D I am running three DITHR guides. I thought it would be too much but it has really been effortless. I am sort of an open and go type. So I call them all in at once and we do all three levels together. I am pretty sure it is not intended to do that way per say but it really works well. I start with level 2/3, then go over 4/5 and move to 7/8. As I hit their level and we finish they leave. So the 2/3 only do 2/3 but 4/5 and 7/8 get to hear more than their level. I treat level 2/3 directions as an everyone lesson. Then 4/5 is done also by 7/8 and finally 7/8 is done alone. It may seem like more work that way but we really enjoy it and we find it really flows well that way. I feel like my kids missed so much of DITHR I really want to get everything out of it they possibly can. This way also feels less confusing to me as I am not the best at following directions exactly. But we are very much novices at DITHR. Doing it that way I can kind of trurn off my brain and just enjoy going through the teacher guide. We do it every time it is scheduled in the HOD guide. It works very well that way.

Some other fun EXTRA stuff we are doing is we are using the character traits and studying a little more in depth as a devotional. That has been amazing. And we all do the godly character option 1 at the end at the least. Also I mentioned on the first day that if the memorized the bible verses and the character traits that went with them each section as we did them they would get a prize. All six of my kids were on board and that has become a really fun thing for us as well. I think it is a wonderful witnessing tool to have bible verses memorized with a character trait definition. I intend later this year to ask them to write out how they could use those to witness and which ones would speak to what opportunity they may find. That will probably be a summer project or something to do on break.

All the character trait stuff is extra so don't worry about that. :wink: But wanted to mention it because the funny thing is I went to having this sit on my shelf forever because I felt like I could just not pull it off to what can we add to it because it is so great. It is a really fun program to run. It does not feel like a burden at all. In fact I look forward to it. My kids are really loving it. They really enjoy doing it as a family.

I think the only way to really see how it runs is to give it a try. It seemed way easier to me to use to see how it works than it did to try to imagine it in my head. I really wish we had started this years ago. I think if you just use it exactly as written and do not try to add anything extra you will find it is a snap to fit into your day. I love to start out our day with it and have it lead into a Bible prayer time together.

Re: DITHOR-Teaching 2 Levels

Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2012 8:52 pm
by Carrie
Thanks so much, ladies, for taking time to share! :D The ladies on this board are so gracious with their time in helping one another. This board is truly a blessing! :D

Blessings,
Carrie

Re: DITHOR-Teaching 2 Levels

Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:37 pm
by John'smom
Carrie wrote:Thanks so much, ladies, for taking time to share! :D The ladies on this board are so gracious with their time in helping one another. This board is truly a blessing! :D

Blessings,
Carrie
Carrie,
I totally agree!!! Thanks so much, ladies. I've gone through and I think I have my mind wrapped around it now with your help. :D