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I am unsure what curriculum we will use next year. I have used HOD in the past with my oldest and it is on the table for consideration for my younger two next year. They will be in 5th and 4th and usually are combined for everything except math.

The older of the two is weak on reading skills. We are still working on it, but he still struggles. My dd, is the younger of the two and can read anything, but doesn't like to read. Neither enjoy being read to. They are so different from my oldest who has always enjoyed reading and read alouds. Neither of the two has ever done much independent work since I typically teach them most subjects. However, we are trying to conceive, so a baby could be taking more of my time. Plus, just teaching the subjects that my kids really NEED me to teach (math) takes a lot of my time. So, I would like to move them to more independence.

Honestly, the reading in CTC would be too much for my rising 5th grader, and I really think Preparing would be more his speed. I could combine both in that guide, and already have many of the books. If I did this, it would mean that he would not get to the last year of American History with Eco. How do you work around this issue since I really think that is an important era to cover?

No, it would not bother me, but I have 8 kids, so not much bothers me. Preparing is a great year. When you get to MTMM, you can reassess whether you want to skip that guide or use it for 9th and skip the last HS guide. It is nice to have a long-range goal, but so much changes that I think it is best to focus on the best placement for the moment.

mothergooseofthree wrote: it would mean that he would not get to the last year of American History with Eco. How do you work around this issue since I really think that is an important era to cover?

We're using Bigger and Preparing over 3 years (3rd-5th), so we may end up in the same boat. I'm not worried about. I'll figure it out when the time comes.

mothergooseofthree,

This is a great question, because it is one that so many families will face! I just wanted to share my perspective on this important topic, as I will have experienced this very thing with my own oldest son. I find it interesting that my oldest will not have finished all of our guides. In fact, he is ahead of my writing and misses out on many of the wonderful things we have planned within our guides. Yet, he has benefitted greatly from any of the areas he has been able to use from our guides.

In looking at my next son, who is on the verge of high school right now (and will be a 9th grader this fall), I can honestly say that he has had a richer homeschool path being able to use all of the HOD guides as written. Yet, if he were only going to miss one or even several of the guides and still be able to use HOD, I think I would still say that his education was richer overall than my oldest son's has been without HOD.

This leads me to advise that it is more important to place your students where they are at skill-wise in order for them to truly be successful in HOD, rather than pondering how to fit in all of the guides. If that means leaving off some of the end guides in the HOD line-up, then it does. Their education will still be very rich, and much more balanced, then most of us probably had in our high school education. Plus, the Biblical aspect of the guides will also hopefully lead to a deeper spiritual communion with our Lord and lead to a deeper understanding of His Word (and that is benefit that cannot be measured)! This benefit will deepen from using as many of the guides as possible on your homeschool journey, but also comes from our Lord Himself (meaning there is no set amount of guides that must be completed to this end, because it is our Lord who ultimately equips us)!

This is why, from my perspective, the ending path for each family through HOD may differ. That is actually a good thing, because it means that we are truly looking at kiddos as individuals and charting their course based on their skills, needs, aspirations, and future plans. It also allows us to look at the whole child as part of the family unit and ponder the special circumstances under which he/she is functioning as part of placement. I love that!

So, while it may bother us in our head not to complete all the guides, it may be the better path for the child not to complete all the guides (which we will ultimately know and accept in our heart).

Blessings,
Carrie

Thank you for your responses. I am looking at so many things right now. This year, I pulled many materials and individualized each kid's studies. I really want to school this way. Each kid gets what they need on an individual year basis. But, the work that it makes for me is overwhelming. Plus, my oldest balks at what I give him because he thinks it is too much. He is finishing 7th, and I did not expect too much of him this year. Since mom designed it though, he thinks it is a burdensome load. So, using a guide written by someone else would at least make me not SO much of the bad guy.

I am trying to commit myself to not buying anything until the August, when we are attending a convention. But, it is really hard not to buy stuff now so that I can hold it. That helps me to make final decisions. Plus, if I do design my own, I could spend the summer planning the whole year out HOD style.

I have used Bigger and Preparing in the past with my oldest, but a few weeks into CTC, we jumped ship. My needs were different for a while, but if I don't design my own, HOD may be the perfect fit.

You've already gotten some excellent responses here from some very wise ladies! Thinking aloud here on the board has certainly helped me make some great decisions for our dc, and we have enjoyed the placement and pacing options we've been able to choose thanks to HOD's flexibility. A few things came to mind as I read this portion of your thoughts...

mothergooseofthree wrote:...This year, I pulled many materials and individualized each kid's studies. I really want to school this way. Each kid gets what they need on an individual year basis. But, the work that it makes for me is overwhelming. Plus, my oldest balks at what I give him because he thinks it is too much. He is finishing 7th, and I did not expect too much of him this year. Since mom designed it though, he thinks it is a burdensome load. So, using a guide written by someone else would at least make me not SO much of the bad guy...

HOD has helped me individualize many things for each of our dc, though we have used HOD for the past 10 years with each of our dc from (almost) the start. There are several reading choices offered, several math choices, several spelling/dictation choices, several Storytime options, several grammar choices, endless book choices for DITHOR, and so much more. This has helped me choose which level fits each of our dc, and has helped me be in the driver's seat for this portion of the 'planning.' I have enjoyed this so much, and been so thankful, as each of our dc have strengths, challenges, and interests in different areas. HOD has made it easy to meet their needs this way. So, HOD can fill that need you are expressing to individualize/customize each of your dc's school year. And here is the really great thing - it won't be overwhelming for you! HOORAY!

I hear ya. If my teenager thought I was coming up with the ins and outs and especially the length of the work he was assigned each day, we'd probably do some daily battle. Independence is pretty key for this age. It is a good thing, actually, as we do want our dc to grow up to be responsible, independent, successful adults. It is just hard to navigate as homeschool moms especially. HOD has been my best friend in this regard. Starting with PHFHG on up, the teacher guides become student planners too. They can be shared between me and my sons, and the little letters in the corners of each box of plans (T= teacher-directed, S = semi-independent, I = independent) indicate without a doubt who's responsible for each part of the work. It's so clear what needs to be done and who needs to do it, that it's really beside the point to try to talk it out between us. The balance of teacher-directed, semi-independent, and independent work in HOD helps each school day be laid out so well. My ds LOVES this! He finds it very motivating to be able to visually see what work he has finished and what work he has left to do before we call it a day. He initials the corner of each box in the guide as it is completed, so I can visually see his progress as at glance as well. He also enjoys having a say in the order of his day. He is an early morning riser, so he gets up at 6 AM to start his "I" boxes. He enjoys this quiet time each morning so much, and my dh is often getting ready for work near Wyatt as he does his early morning work, which the two of them look forward to the mornings my dh is home and not traveling for work. We have our midpoint meeting times, and wah-la! He is often done with school before I even start making lunch. He can also see I am not forcing more work on him or coming up with my own agenda for him that is different from what other students his age are doing. This takes away the battle of what is 'enough.'

We use the midpoint meeting times suggestions HOD gives, and we both really enjoy that time together. I tried to describe how we did it in PHFHG here...
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=12668

Anyway, I just wanted to comment on those two things, as they resonated with me too. HOD has helped me hang on to my oldest ds's heart - even through these years of his wanting to have more independence and be more in charge of his day. It has also helped the two of us navigate homeschooling happily, with good memories together. I think you'd enjoy these aspects of HOD with your dc as well! Hope something here helps!!!

In Christ,
Julie

P.S. And thanks Carrie - for taking time out of your busy writing schedule to share your thoughts here! So many moms are wondering about skipping a guide or more to do be able to do all the HOD high school guides vs. not skipping a guide or more and not finishing all the high school guides. I really appreciate your thoughts on this and found myself nodding.