heartofdakota.com

Are there reference documents anywhere that will help me figure out which chapters to read if the page numbers don't align with my book. Specifically, right now we are reading The Story of the Middle Ages, Yesterday's Classic version but on Kindle, and I don't have the page numbers. There have been other books that I have had to figure out which chapters to read. Some are not too difficult to figure out, some more challenging. References to chapter names would be most appreciated.
Bert

I always thought this would be helpful too!

Ladies,

Often we just don't have the space in the guide to list out chapter titles, and when kiddos are using the guide it is so much easier for them to know exactly which pages to read for the day (without having to flip back to the chapter titles to make sure they're reading the right chapters)!

Since we carry all of the needed books for our guides in the HOD store, it is easy to get the correct version for the guide if you purchase your books from HOD. I must admit that for my first years of homeschooling, before I wrote our guides, I often pieced together my books from a variety of sources. But, I often found what I thought I'd saved by finding the books for a bargain actually made using the curriculum a nightmare (because I spent much time trying to match my version to the guide). So, there is definitely a loss of convenience and an added level of stress that comes from not having the correct version of a book.

This is why we work to make sure that our HOD book sets/packages have good discounts and that you are also allowed to substitute within the packages to get the titles you want. Link: http://www.heartofdakota.com/faqs.php#Substitution

Blessings,
Carrie

I have a Kindle as well, but I do buy the actual books through HOD. Sometimes I had been able to get some of the books cheaply or free that the older kids use that if we are traveling just to save on the books they had to haul around. However, since the Kindle pages depend on font size, etc. and since the reading selections aren't always complete chapters, it was more frustrating then helpful, so now I only use my Kindle to have them read books that aren't assigned but just good reads from the HOD book list. That way we always have a good book handy for reading no matter which kid (or parent) might be sitting idle somewhere. But for doing the HOD program, I don't think anything can replace the actual book. Especially since the guides don't always use complete chapters in one assignment.

While I love to hold actual books, I can see the value of having the books on the kindle. Especially if two or more students working through the same guide. They can read on an e-reader AND we could essentially have more than 1 copy that way there is no waiting for someone to get done. It's just much more convenient as purchasing 2 hard copies of the same book would be super expensive. I do understand HOD needing to sell the books and such as part of their packages and i respect that. Perhaps the chapter titles could be available online or in an appendix so those of us who prefer to use HOD via e-readers can still benefit from the ease of use. It would be especially convenient for families in dire financial issues to still be able to use a wonderful curriculum like HOD--many ebook versions are much less expensive than the hard copy and some are even free on public domain sites. Sometimes I will even use an older copy of a book if I find it at a rummage or used book sale. It is a bummer if the page numbers don't match up, but at this point I MUST be very wise with my hs dollars and if that means purchasing used, older copies, or using public domain books or less expensive e-books then that is what I will do.

Hi,

I would like to weigh in here. I agree whole heartedly that using the book matched with the curriculum is a huge bonus. BUT - the Kindle is an awesome tool. Especially for kids with reading challenges. The ability to make the print and spacing large enough to increase fluency is an amazing reading tool for dyslexic and other language challenged students.

With that said we are using some titles now on Kindle from Yesterdays Classics and as we work through them I am trying to match up the guide with either chapters or search marks on the Kindle. Since I'm doing this with my olders and have several coming after- I figure it is worth my time. If I get a working copy for titles we have used on Kindle I would be willing to share. I am curious how Carrie would feel about this though. I'm pretty sure there is a copyright thing to be respectful of here. Also, since I use the Kindle as a tool for kiddos with reading challenges I often have the book and it is pretty easy to match up.

Anyway, as a mom with kiddos who have achieved better reading fluency with technology I agree it would be great if we could come up with a way to match up the Yesterdays Classics Kindle editions with the guides.

I personally love "real" books as opposed to the e-readers. I will continue to buy the packages, BUT my severely dyslexic son benefits enormously from reading on the Ipad. He is able to just touch a word, and it is read aloud to him. That is just GOLD to him, so I can see why some use the e-readers. I don't think the technology is going away anytime soon.

Sorry Carrie, but this is definitely a BIG disappointment and not an acceptable answer in my mind. As I have been currently evaluating plans for the next year, it may even discourage me from continuing with Heart of Dakota for my last three children. I have older children and already have a huge library of books built up from before you were in existence, not to mention the fact that the Kindle has become an invaluable tool in our family so that more than one child can be reading the books at the same time. I understand that you need to support your business by also selling books, but to trap your customers in this way is a huge failure in customer support. I hope you will reconsider helping your families better in the future.

I think it is unfair to say that Carrie is "trapping" her customers by making them purchase book packs from HOD. It is a convenience for most customers to have HOD offer this service. If it is easier for a family to use an e-reader, then go ahead and use one. But I can't imagine asking the author of a guide to change the format because it suits my particular needs better.

Also, I have never come across another curriculum provider that provides as wonderful "customer support" as HOD.

Allison

jacksonhill wrote:Sorry Carrie, but this is definitely a BIG disappointment and not an acceptable answer in my mind. As I have been currently evaluating plans for the next year, it may even discourage me from continuing with Heart of Dakota for my last three children. I have older children and already have a huge library of books built up from before you were in existence, not to mention the fact that the Kindle has become an invaluable tool in our family so that more than one child can be reading the books at the same time. I understand that you need to support your business by also selling books, but to trap your customers in this way is a huge failure in customer support. I hope you will reconsider helping your families better in the future.

HOD has excellent customer service and Carrie has gone beyond the call of duty to serve HOD families. To decide against using HOD because she won't re-write guides to reflect the ever changing world of e-readers and then to accuse HOD of "trapping" customers, implying that their choice is somehow self oriented or deceitful, is wrong. Your response is graceless and inflammatory, riding the ragged edge of gossip.

We love the Kindle and use it extensively. If I choose to use it then I have to figure out the page numbers myself. It would be a huge undertaking for Carrie to try to write up some kind of e-reader or Kindle key. I can't imagine! She is devoted to serving the Lord by finishing the call to write a HOD guide each year until she is done. It is a sacrifice that we cannot understand.

I also must say that customer service at HOD is absolutely top-notch! I have personally had a great experience. I agree that it would be a huge undertaking to rewrite guides to include that information. It seems like it is something a parent or older student could do for their family as they need that information. There are SO many books used in HOD, especially when you consider all the extension packages, boy/girl interest packages and DITHOR packages! Whew! And as someone else mentioned, Carrie is writing a new guide each year, in part in response to our PLEADING with her to continue through high school. She's doing all this while hsing her own four boys and caring for a very ill father. She's a godly, dedicated woman. I would absolutely trust that she is giving everything she's got to these programs!
Laura

jacksonhill wrote:Sorry Carrie, but this is definitely a BIG disappointment and not an acceptable answer in my mind. As I have been currently evaluating plans for the next year, it may even discourage me from continuing with Heart of Dakota for my last three children. I have older children and already have a huge library of books built up from before you were in existence, not to mention the fact that the Kindle has become an invaluable tool in our family so that more than one child can be reading the books at the same time. I understand that you need to support your business by also selling books, but to trap your customers in this way is a huge failure in customer support. I hope you will reconsider helping your families better in the future.

Ouch! I'm usually not one to react to another person's sharing of their opinion, but I must say that this came across to me as a very hurtful response to Carrie, especially after all the time she devotes to creating a wonderful curriculum for all of us. I assume you are new on here, so you haven't had the opportunity to benefit from reading a lot of posts and thus realizing all Carrie does, but she gives her heart and soul to Heart of Dakota, spending hours and hours each day researching, reading and developing the curriculum, not to mention personally answering posts that folks make on this board. Very few companies have the customer service and care that I've seen with HOD. HOD provides the books to coincide with their manuals as a service to us, not as a means to trap us. Many times I've seen Carrie tell people that they are free to use their own book choices for areas such as DITHOR and storytime, if they already own others. I honestly think it's unreasonable for Carrie to have to match her guides to all of the various versions and forms of books available in this day and age. My take has always been that if I choose to use my own book, it is my responsibility to match up the guide to it.

jacksonhill wrote:Sorry Carrie, but this is definitely a BIG disappointment and not an acceptable answer in my mind. As I have been currently evaluating plans for the next year, it may even discourage me from continuing with Heart of Dakota for my last three children. I have older children and already have a huge library of books built up from before you were in existence, not to mention the fact that the Kindle has become an invaluable tool in our family so that more than one child can be reading the books at the same time. I understand that you need to support your business by also selling books, but to trap your customers in this way is a huge failure in customer support. I hope you will reconsider helping your families better in the future.

Ouch is right. This is taking it to far and if you felt like it need to be said, it should have been done through a PM.

Sorry Carrie, I don't mean to be hurtful. Guess my honesty with how frustrated I am came through. I have put together curriculum for my older children in the past and very much appreciate the effort that you have put into this curriculum and how many people benefit from it.

jacksonhill wrote:Sorry Carrie, I don't mean to be hurtful. Guess my honesty with how frustrated I am came through. I have put together curriculum for my older children in the past and very much appreciate the effort that you have put into this curriculum and how many people benefit from it.

I just wanted to comment that I think this was a very gracious response, and I'm sure much appreciated.
Laura