heartofdakota.com

hi!
I'm somewhat new to the program. We have had it before but we never had the school routine down for my boys and things were kind of crazy for a year or 2. I am wanting to try it again this fall now that we have a school mindset established for my boys. They are 8 and 5 (5yo will turn 6 in July)

They are advanced in reading. My 8yo reads several chapter books a week, the 5yo taught himself to read basically and we are rounding it out with a phonics program right now. I have him at the K-level in work & printing, etc. they are slightly behind in writing & spelling and DS (8) struggles a little with math. He is about a 3rd-4th grade reading level but at a level 2 math and I don't think we wil finish the level 2 this year.

I'd love to keep them together for the sci/history but wondering what level to start at? Are they close enough to keep together or no? I also have a 3yo DD and a 20mo DS whom I use LHTH with loosely! i will have a new baby in May, as well so busy household - I need SUPER simple. thanks!

Please let me know what u think!

Jen in Ohio

Just bumping for suggestions! THANKS!

Since you are planning for the fall when the children will be 6 and 8, Beyond may be a good place to start. You can add the grammar, spelling and and math from Bigger for the older one if he needs a higher level than the younger one, that would keep things simple Your 8 year old sounds like he would be ready to also add Drawn into the Heart of Reading, and the younger child can start the Emerging Readers as he is doing a phonics program now and would be finished with phonics by fall presumably.

I agree with Lourdes, but for verification, would you please check the placement chart for both of your older ones to make sure? You just want to make sure that your now-5-year-old places predominantly into Beyond to make sure. Then you can select the appropriate math and readers to support both of their abilities.

http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

Hi Jen in OH! Great advice here already, but I am wondering too if you checked out the placement chart, and what your thoughts are now? If you check out the placement chart, and that seems like a good fit, I really think that placing them both in Beyond is a good idea. You can challenge your 8 yo with higher reading level instruction with DITHOR Level 2/3, without overchallenging him with too much writing in the other subject areas. You can use R & S English 2 as it is planned out in Bigger Hearts for his grammar, as well as the dictation, and the hands-on math activities planned in Bigger Hearts. Beyond's Emerging Reader's Set and coordination oral comprehension questions, as well as its LA box including spelling lessons and gentle grammar lessons, and Beyond's 1A/1B hands-on math activities will be a nice fit for your then 6 yo too. I think doing Beyond and LHTH is such a nice match for homeschooling - very doable! But, what do you think?

In Christ,
Julie