Please Help

[SarahP.]

I feel like an outsider crashing a party! I have worked full time forever & I've always had my children in a Christian Private School! Now, I have been laid off & I really want to use this as an opportunity to homeschool my children....which has been nothing more than a fantasy for the past 8 yrs! Anyway, I feel like a speak a different language than everyone else! I have prayerfully decided on HOD (that btw is the only Homeschool lingo/abbreviation I've picked up on,sigh!) I have an almost 9yo girl going into 3rd grade & an almost 7yo boy going into 1st grade. I have no idea what I should select as far as math, but I do feel comfortable with the main curriculum I've chosen for them which is BHFHG & LHFHG-respectively. Although I wonder if I should just get the same & focus on different reading levels....IDK! aaarrggg!

Can somebody....anybody.....help me? I want to make sure I understand what I am ordering b/c I am on a budget.

If I order the economy package, a phonics program for my 1st grader & then pick a math...will that cover everything I need? And what math is right? He just finished kindergarten....I don't know what that means in terms of Math 1A, etc.

My daughter is a good reader.....so what do I need to order for her...and what math is best for a 3rd grader who was previously working on multiplication? I just need some direction....pleaase!!!!

Thanks.

Sarah P.

[snadig]

Sarah,

I am not sure if I am the best person to help, but I am going to try. I am new to HOD, but have been homeschooling for 4 years, as my oldest kids have attended private school some.

So the first thing is use the placement chart. It sounds like you have the guides picked out, but think about the writitng. I have 3 kids my oldest 13, everything comes easy so I focsed on making it interesting for her and try to challenge her when I can. My middle child 11, hates writing anything, and just struggles (sometimes with just frustration), my youngest is 7 and reading great, but hates writing, so we moved down a guide for both of my youngest kids, based off the information I got off this board. I also started my oldest on a guide that may be somewhat easy, but I didn't want to frustrate her with everthing being to challenging.

Sorry to ramble. So after just completeing our first week with HOD.....it was a good choice to slow them down to have some enjoyment in what they are doing, but it is not all easy, it seems to be a good balance, and I am sure it will increase as the year goes on.

So I would put some thought into where they are at in writing. As for math I would look for a placement test from Singapore. That should help narrow down the level they would be at. I am using the math that I had and liked so I am not familiar with Singapore. Maybe someone else can chime in on that.

When you order I think it gives you an option to economize this will help with staying on a buget and you can use the library for extra books.

I hoped I helped some, please message me if you need any more help. I could even talk with you on the phone. You can do this, it may seem overwhelming, but just one day at a time. Praying for you.

[MelInKansas]

Have you looked at the placement chart? If not, that is definitely where you need to start. The PP is right, their writing ability is very important, but the chart shows all of the different skills they will need to be comfortable in that guide. Another thing to keep in mind is that, when switching from a non-CM (Charlotte Mason) based curriculum to one that is, there are some things that may be a learning curve for your kiddos (and yourself). Narration and Dictation being those. Your younger shouldn't have too much problem, in LHFHG these things are introduced gently and since he is on the older end of that guide he should be able to work up to them. So the older is the one I would consider. Narration would be the ability to listen to, or read, a challenging selection of history or literature and then retell it in their own words, pretty much including all important details. Dictation is the ability to hear something and write it down with correct spelling and punctuation. Again, these things are works in progress throughout the guides, so in starting in Bigger Hearts you will have missed some of the introduction of these concepts.

The things missing if you did the economy packages and math would be the storytime selections for Bigger Hearts (which you can easily get from the library, even inter-library loan if you have a small library, I did this for Beyond Little Hearts this past year), reading program, science texts (which I think are more necessary at this older age), Grammar/English, devotional and Hymns. For LHFHG devotional and science text (which the science text is nice, but I agree its not really necessary - the devotion is a gem and I would highly recommend that but I am biased as it caused my oldest to make a profession of faith). I assume if your son is learning to read you will get or already have something to teach him to read. Or if he is an early reader, the Emerging Reader package/set is really ideal but the plans for that are actually in the Beyond Little Hearts guide.... are they also in Bigger Hearts? I would have to double check. The books for Emerging Readers you could also get from the library, many of them anyway, there are a few that I bet wouldn't be available but a lot of them are very common books like "Owl at Home" "Prairie School" "Bears on Hemlock Mountain."

So the economy package will get you started, and you may want to just start with those things anyway while you are getting used to homeschooling, creating and refining your schedule to get the work done, etc. Again, for many reading books you can utilize your library, and there are also places to buy used books/curriculum, though I don't think I'm supposed to post them here. I'm sure you could find the English text and maybe some of the science books that way.

For math placement I think Singapore has placement tests on their website. Singapore is also a different approach to math than many others, so it may be good to go back to where there is some good review level so you make sure things are covered well. Also just in transition its better to start with easier material, unless your kids are the type who will get bored and love a challenge.

[my3sons]

Hi SarahP, and welcome to the HOD Board! These ladies are great, aren't they? So helpful, and right on track with their advice. I am so excited for you to begin homeschooling with HOD! I bet you will be just like me when I took that first somewhat unsure step into homeschooling. That was 11 years ago! Best choice I have ever made. You are so not alone in feeling like all of this is new and somewhat confusing!

Here are some great threads about what led moms to homeschooling that you may find comforting. I bet you may find some similarities with someone!
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=599
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=370

Like the other ladies, I'd like to help you with any questions you may have. It sounds like you have placed your dc in BHFHG and LHFHG and feel like that is a good placement. If you have checked out the placement chart and are basing your placement on that, then I think that will work out well! As far as what you need to order, there is a "Helpful Tips on How to Order" box for each guide. Just go to the home page, click on the picture of the guide, and up in the top right corner there will be a little light bulb that says "Helpful Tips on How to Order". You can click on the light bulb, and it will walk you through the order step by step. If you have any questions though, just ask us for help here or give HOD a call on the phone! HTH, and I am looking forward to getting to know you here. This board is full of encouragement, and ladies who have a heart for the Lord, for dc, for homeschooling, and for HOD. You are in good company here! This board has been a great support for me in homeschooling, and in my walk with the Lord. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie