Using Two Guides for One Child

[glperky]

I know I have read on here were some people use the right side of one guide and the left side of a higher guide for one child. But I was wondering if anyone does the right side of one guide and the left side of a lower guide for one child. The reason for my asking is because this year I am going to combine my youngest two (will be 5 in Nov. and 7 in Dec.) LHFHG for the right side but then next year want to use BLHFHG for the right side for both and left side for oldest and left side of LHFHG for younger. Was all of that clear as mud? Any thoughts? Thanks!

[mom23]

I'm not completely sure I understand your question, but if I do I actually think you're thinking of doing things the way it's most often done. The left side of LHFHG with the right side of Beyond. That would put your child/ren at the LHFHG History cycle, with ramping up the math and reading/writing skills. Is that what you're thinking? That works well, if that's where they're placing!

The part that's confusing me is what you're doing this year . Did you have something else for History, etc., but were following LHFHG in Math, Fine Motor Skills, reading...? Or are you doing all of LHFHG as written for both this year, and then planning to repeat the left side again next year with the younger? That might be where you run into problems-whether you could keep your younger child's interest repeating the same things again...What were your thoughts with why they couldn't both be completely in Beyond next year??

[glperky]

I'm not completely sure I understand your question, but if I do I actually think you're thinking of doing things the way it's most often done. The left side of LHFHG with the right side of Beyond. That would put your child/ren at the LHFHG History cycle, with ramping up the math and reading/writing skills. Is that what you're thinking? That works well, if that's where they're placing!

The part that's confusing me is what you're doing this year . Did you have something else for History, etc., but were following LHFHG in Math, Fine Motor Skills, reading...? Or are you doing all of LHFHG as written for both this year, and then planning to repeat the left side again next year with the younger? That might be where you run into problems-whether you could keep your younger child's interest repeating the same things again...What were your thoughts with why they couldn't both be completely in Beyond next year??

Sorry my post didn't make much sense but thank you for trying to answer my question. This is what I am thinking about doing for my 4yo that will be 5 in Nov. He is the one that I am really wondering about.

This year he will do (3-4 days a week) LHFHG Kinder level. Then next year when we are doing Beyond he will do Beyond right side but LHFHG left 1st grade level. Can it work like that? Does that make more sense? So the way I see it, he would always do one level above on the right and one level below on the left side. Right?

[mom23]

Well, the part of LHFHG that has 1st grade options is the right side. That's the part where children in those age ranges can vary so much-reading-readiness, hand-writing/fine motor development, math levels, etc. The left side of the plans are more of the backbone of the program-the history and Bible portions.

So, I think you may actually be wanting to use the left side of Beyond with the right side of the previous level...hmm. You're right, that's not something I'm sure that I've heard of others doing . Not to say that it wouldn't work, maybe someone else will chime in here and let you know if they've tried it before. Here's my thought on it-you may be fine for Beyond/LHFHG, but when you start getting to higher levels, where his handwriting or reading comprehension abilities are behind those of the guide, you might start running into trouble. They're required to do more and more independent work-with the reading of main subjects, and begin to work on oral and then written narrations, and on notebooking assignments for History and Science that require quite a bit of handwriting. If his skills are not up to that yet it will either lead to great frustration on his part, or your "tweaking" the guides to try to fit his skills. Now, that is something that I have a little experience with (the "tweaking") and I don't recommend it! There are so many things our kids are working on with these guides that I didn't begin to comprehend the reasoning behind some of those seemingly little things...when I tried to tone them down or cut them out we lost so much of the guide; my son simply was not getting everything he needed to out of that guide to be ready for the next one, or to be learning everything he needed to at that grade level. In fact, it was Beyond that I was doing this with and he was so frustrated because it was too hard for him. I was tired because he wasn't getting it, no matter what I tried to make easy enough for him. Come to think of it, you may begin to run into troubles at that level, too...

Where does your 4/going on 5 yo place according to the placement chart? Is he ready for LHFHG, or are you looking at this to try to make it possible to combine your two kiddos? If he's pretty much there skill wise, but just on the young side of the guide, you probably have a pretty good idea to do LHFHG 3 to 4 days a week. Could you just continue at that pace through this year and finish up the last of the guide next year (your older dc could do K options full speed and then work into 1st grade options halfway through the guide; or could just do 1st grade options from the beginning half speed). If your younger can successfully complete LHFHG without you having to tweak things, and maybe could even work up to full speed in it next year, he'd likely be fine to go on to Beyond with your older child. Even if he only completes the K options on the right side. I know that some families plan these lower guides at that 3 to 4 days per week pace, so that they stretch LHFHG/Beyond over 3 years instead of 2. That may be something that would work better for you.

One thing to keep in mind, is that generally speaking when you're combining two kids, it's usually better to place them both where the younger one is and then ramp things up from there for your older as needed. Is any of this helpful? I hope so! Not trying to discourage your plan too much, but I don't want to encourage you to follow a path that will lead to frustration, either.

[glperky]

Thanks for the advice mom23 and for taking the time to type it all out! I am just not a play it by ear kind of girl, but I may have to become that way. My 4 yr. places right on the line between LHTH and LHFHG. I had LHTH but he is beyond it but I am not sure he is ready for all of LHFHG. He wants to do and tries to do everything his big brother does so that is an other reason for combinding them. I am just not sure what to do with him, but I can't see him and my 6 yo doing the same levels. I guess I am just a little lost and unsure. Thanks again.

[psreit]

The right side contains the 3Rs, so normally that would be the side where they are on different levels. The left side can be combined much easier. If you are using LHFHG right side for the 5yo, why not just combine in the left side and then have them on their own level on the right. Unless they are both working in the same level of math, phonics/reading, and writing, it would be hard to combine on the right side, other than storytime. Being 2 years apart, it seems unlikely that they would be exactly on the same level on the right side. If your 5yo places between LHTH and LHFHG, then I would be careful not to push him on the right side to combine.

[acts29stl]

I did this one year for my ds: We had finished up LHTH and I decided for his kinder year to just do the right side of LHFHG (minus the storytime box) and my own bible study with him. Then the following year I did the left side of LHFHG and the right side of LHFHG using the 1st grade options. I used the BLHFHG manual for math only. Now we are starting BLHFHG and using Bigger for math only. Once I get to Bigger, I will no longer have to use 2 manuals. It has worked out fine for us.

This year I have another ds who just finished with LHTH and for him I am going to do the right side of LHFHG (minus the storytime box) full speed and the left side at half speed. Then the following year I will add in LHFHG storytime box full speed, the last half of LHFHG left side (half speed) and the right side of BLHFHG (minus the storytime box). The following year I will do BLHFHG full speed with math from Bigger. And so on....

So there's plenty of options! This is just a glimpse into some of my plans

[glperky]

Wow, I really messed this thread up, but I am sure I didn't have to tell you that! I had my sides messed up, but I sure I didn't have to tell you that either.

Let's try again, please. With my 4 yr. he is beyond LHTH except for learning his letters. He "knows" them and then doesn't, or sometimes he does and sometimes he doesn't so I don't think he is ready for phonics. As far as math goes, he is the same with numbers. He does know how to count and knows one to one correspondence. He wants to write and is "writing" all the time. He carries pads of paper and a pen around with him to "take notes." He is ready for LHFHG as far as listening to the stories and answering questions, so... I just don't know what to do for him. Any help and input would be great.

[glperky]

I am sooo new here...

But I have LHTH and LHFHG and the Beyond guides...so I've seen them in person.

In your situation, I'd put 5 yo in LHFHG with whatever math and reading he needs.

For the 4 yo I'd do LHTH with the kinder options from LHFHG. So the Earlybird math (you could use the hands on activities in LHFHG to supplement the 4 yo), finding the answers, do it carefully, and starfall and lots of phonemic activities along with the LHTH phonics activities.

Does that help at all? Or am I way off?

No, you aren't way off! I am going to put some thought into this idea. Seems like a good one to me! Thanks!

[glperky]

I'm just assuming that your 4yo would get frustrated with LHFHG (fine motor, listening comprehension...especially history would be hard for 4yo, IMO).

You may be right about the "listening comprehension...especially history," I just know that he will join in anyway because he LOVES to be read to and always joins in with older and I all the time.

[glperky]

I'm just assuming that your 4yo would get frustrated with LHFHG (fine motor, listening comprehension...especially history would be hard for 4yo, IMO).

You may be right about the "listening comprehension...especially history," I just know that he will join in anyway because he LOVES to be read to and always joins in with older and I all the time.

I thin that's okay, but if you require him to work at that level when he's not there yet he'll probably get frustrated, could shut down and end up with gaps going into bigger the next year, kwim?

You are right, thanks!

[my3sons]

Learning the letters and a sound for each is an important part of LHTH, and it is done in such a neat way! One of the prerequisite skills for starting LHFHG is to be ready for phonics instruction, so I'd not rush 4 yo into that, as it will make the guides to come very difficult. I am wondering if you could share a bit about each of your dc in regard to the placement chart? Especially the 7 yo? I think that helps make clear if combining is the way to go longer term or not. I'd love to help you sort through that if you get a chance to share about the 7 yo's reading, writing, and math!

In Christ,
Julie

[glperky]

Learning the letters and a sound for each is an important part of LHTH, and it is done in such a neat way! One of the prerequisite skills for starting LHFHG is to be ready for phonics instruction, so I'd not rush 4 yo into that, as it will make the guides to come very difficult. I am wondering if you could share a bit about each of your dc in regard to the placement chart? Especially the 7 yo? I think that helps make clear if combining is the way to go longer term or not. I'd love to help you sort through that if you get a chance to share about the 7 yo's reading, writing, and math!

In Christ,
Julie

Julie,

The 7 yo. Places right on the line between LHFHG and Beyond. That's why I am going with LHFHG for him. I am sitting here looking at the placement chart and he is about 1/2 way through phonics, he can read or sound out CVC words. Writing he knows all his letters upper and lower, can coppy words, but isn't up to copying sentences. He loves math and catches on to it very quickly. Does that help? Should he be placed in LHFHG?

[mom23]

How is your going on 7 yo with sitting still for stories and reading comprehension? Those are the big areas that my 6yo wasn't ready for Beyond when I first placed him there...LHFHG history has lots of pictures, and shorter selections for you to read to him-plus fun activities that really cement the story (sometimes they get to act it out, or use a stuffed animal to "walk through" the story). It's a very general and broad scope of History beginning with Bible stories that are often more familiar to the little ones than the history in Beyond. The storytime books work on introducing them to stories with fewer pictures. They are really engaging stories about forest animals that my son loved at 6 and 7.

Beyond history has much fewer pictures, and quite a bit longer selections to listen to you read. My son that will be 8 next week is learning about the Pilgrims right now, and absorbing much, much more than he did when we tried this 1 1/2 yrs ago! Storytime titles are also requiring more comprehension skills, often with no pictures.

I guess I think these are maybe more essential areas to consider for placement, because the phonics and handwriting things are more easily adjusted to their level (by using the right side of a higher guide, if needed.) If your child is placing right between the two guides you're probably very wise to be looking at LHFHG with him! If your yonger one is still really unsure of his letters I'd be inclined to look at LHTH. LHFHG might be a struggle and frustration for him?

[my3sons]

Thanks, and I agree with you and with the ladies - LHFHG sounds like a good fit! LHTH sounds like a good fit for the 4 yo. I think you will find these 2 guides open and go and fun to do. I also think you will enjoy the 1:1 time with each child! HTH!

In Christ,
Julie