heartofdakota.com

Dear Carrie,
Please help our situation. Your recommendations would be gratefully appreciated! It concerns my current 9th Grade son.

BACKGROUND: We were led to HOD 2 years ago through a fellow homeschoolers blog whom I happened upon by chance—Actually I know the Lord led me there. This placement concerns my son currently 9th grade completing World Geography.

-Past K-7th grade were primarily taught using classical methods as outlined in The Well Trained Mind etc. We completed daily Latin, recitations, 4 year history cycles etc.
-He is a well-balanced student and completes what is expected from him * BUT* is always “the turtle” and a perfectionist making our days longer than needed
-Throughout those years…we have used Abeka Math, Institute for Excellence in Writing, a mix of Abeka Language Arts/ First Language Lessons by Wise & Bauer, Sonlight Readers, & Memoria Press Latin series

Being a teacher myself I gladly constructed each year’s curriculum spending countless hours assembling lesson plans etc. As he advanced grade levels each year, so did the lesson planning as well as the addition of another child I began to leave the comfort zone of the grade levels I taught and loved. At the end of his 7th grade year, the high school years loomed and I started searching our path choices. I read about this Homeschool blogger raving about Heart of Dakota. What was Heart of Dakota I asked myself? After “one click” and being redirected to the HOD website our WHOLE PATH CHANGED and I literally felt and heard “The Hallelujah Chorus” I screamed to my husband “I found our new direction!”
So…My son’s 8th grade year I placed him perfectly into Rev to Rev, but keeping with our ABeka math and IEW, which he so loved and was solid in. My daughter joined our new HOD path and placed into Bigger Hearts For His Glory and we were set! Last year was incredible…OUR BEST ever! No more bunny trails, and VERY FEW COMPLAINTS. Both kids LOVED the daily day charts and especially LOVED knowing what was expected of them each day! We were now completing many of the “extras” I always wanted to do but couldn’t. Believe me when I tell you I told every homeschool friend of ours what we were accomplishing!!!

My son and daughter both made me promise to continue the HOD journey for the rest of our Homeschool years. I told them I agreed. THEN I DID SOMETHING I WISH I DIDN’T DO…

For my son’s freshman year I SKIPPIED Missions to Modern Times and put him into the first of the High School guides---World Geography. I thoroughly read through the forums and suggestions and felt he was a strong student and could handle it. I listened to other homeschoolers about making sure everything was high school credit worthy, and so I decided to skip MTMM.

This year my daughter is now in Preparing Hearts and has grown beautifully into this next level of expectations. She has a solid foundation to build on from her Bigger Hearts year…I see that! My son, however, will complete up to Unit 26 in the World Geography guide before we end for summer, but I feel like I am always dragging him along. He has had to develop written narration skills and Literature analysis that he was not prepared for. He reads well, comprehends well , but has struggled with the formal literary analysis piece in the BJU program. (Probably since we never used Drawn into the Heart of Reading to develop those skills.) We have read volumes thorough the past with Sonlight books, but only discussing not actually analyzing. His days are much longer and the length of the narrations –written and oral, prayer writings, the notebooking in general have been a real LEAP in skills required that he should of received in MTMM---I did cut the written narrations down to 2 paragraphs, which he is fine with. He writes well developed paragraphs at that amount, but again tries to make everything perfect—we are working on loosening up

His year of being placed right was NOT what we experienced the year prior nor is it what my daughter experienced this year moving into Preparing Hearts. In my heart I would REALLY like to back up to MTMM and beef it up for his High School Sophomore 10th grade year. His attitude is wonderful and he loves schools. He tells me all the time how much he is enjoying the books in the World Geography program. I just wish his "written & analysis skills" had time to catch up.
---Would this work? BUT what happens the next year? I would need to go into the World History Guide---ANOTHER LEAP---I’m so unsure now?

Could I use MTMM…
Use Guide EXACTLY as written for History side with extensions
Chemistry use EXACTLY as written as well as Chemistry 101 DVDs
Use Economics EXACTLY as written as well as R.C. Sproul’s “Economics for Everybody” DVDs
Try to use DITHOR??? Or Please help me here…(I found a recommendation link you gave for British Lit titles or I could try LLATL???)
Not sure what to do about Rod and Staff English---we never used that except for a little of Level 6


Your guidance would be beyond words and an answer to our prayers…Please help
Brittney

P.S. I have bookmarked many of the links to beefing up MTMM that my head is spinning

One more added piece of information about this child. He is completely engrossed in the engineering and maintenance of remote control cars, helicopter etc. He spends hours working on and fixing his own as well as others hobby grade vehicles, which requires him to solder new motors and swap out wires etc. His science interest in that field is extreme. Perhaps the route of electrical engineering or mechanical??? He will not be pursuing any medical or biological science directed fields.

I hope that gives even more to the picture of our needs.
Kindest regards...
Brittney

Would not finishing up the last 10 weeks of WG in the fall and then moving on to something else - maybe the new WH guide - be an option? It seems like going back a year would be counterproductive at this point. When my oldest hit a snag in Bigger Hearts and her writing was not up to the level needed for the guide, I slowed it down. It took a year and 1/2 to complete. Now I know, there is more on the line because he is a high schooler and you want him to receive credit, but then I would think you would have to finish WG for him to get all the credits that allows. I am not that familiar with the WG guide or WH guide but maybe there are things you could cut out of WH to allow him to even finish that next year also. I don't know. If he wants to at least have the option of going to college in an Engineering related field, then he will need 4 credits in math and science and strong courses for sure.

Brittney,

I am so sorry that this happened, however be encouraged that it can be fixed! We know your son was well-placed the year before in Rev2Rev, so I think that you are right on in thinking of a shift back to MTMM for next year. A year of a bit more hand-holding and expectations that he can really complete will help so much in gaining back his momentum and in incrementally raising his skill-level. You are a wise momma to reassess so we can figure out where to go from here.

I would agree that doing MTMM for next year is a good idea. I don't think that the material will be beneath him. In fact, I think he will be fascinated by it. So, I would agree that using the guide "as is" as much as possible will help. Use the history "as is" with extensions. If he is interested in a science-related field, we will need to talk a bit more about the chemistry and what to do with that. Is your son likely headed to college in a science-related field? Or, are you thinking of a community college or a technical school?

For Economics, your son will need more textual material to add to the Economics in MTMM. With this in mind, you can use Economics for Everybody DVDs (which comes with a study guide). The Study Guide directs you to more textual reading for each of the 12 sessions on the DVDs from your choice of 3 textbooks. This will take care of the additional reading needed. I would either do this course during the summer or do it on your free 5th day each week to earn one-half credit in Economics. Be sure to go over the study guide notes and questions as well.

I would do Rod and Staff English daily as scheduled in MTMM. This will help so much in preparing your son for the rigor of writing for the rest of high school. If he has not had much in the way of diagramming and formal grammar instruction, I would be inclined to use Rod and Staff English 5 daily, as it is a foundational year of Rod and Staff. If he has had quite a bit of diagramming and grammar instruction, I would instead use English 6 daily as scheduled in MTMM. Do 2/3 of each lesson orally or on a white board, assigning one or two parts to be done daily on paper. I would do Write With the Best II as scheduled too.

For literature study, I would definitely do DITHR Level 6/7/8 to give him the literary skill piece he is missing. It sounds like he is a good reader and that reading is no issue. So, I'd focus on the literary skills instead. I would be inclined to use the Boy 7/8 Pack to allow him to grow into those analysis skills without the added burden of difficult reading material. Or, you could look at adding in a few easier classics like A Christmas Carol and the Importance of Being Earnest and things along those lines. I wouldn't worry about getting in your British literature credit here, as I'm thinking that after MTMM, you will have him return and complete the World Geography Guide's final 10 weeks before heading into the World History guide after that. I shared in the sneak peek for the World History guide's literature, how a Brit. Lit. half to a full credit can be earned between the literature in the first two high school guides (which your son will complete).

When you return to the World Geography guide at the start of his junior year, I would have him school 5 days a week, rather than 4 days a week to get done more quickly with those final 10 weeks he will have remaining of the World Geography guide. Doing it this way will take 8 weeks instead. That will allow him to get closer to being back on track for completing his World History Guide on time. Then, he could go to 4 days a week with the World History Guide until year end. The following year, when he has to come back to complete the rest of his World History guide (which should be about 8 weeks), he could again do school 5 days a week until he completes the guide, to gain some time finishing in about 6 weeks instead. Then, when he begins the American HOD guide, he could go back to 4 days a week (moving back up to 5 days a week after awhile to finish the guide by the end of his senior year). This ebb and flow will take advantage of the strength of skills shown by a guide's end but allow for adjustment at the beginning of a new guide when things are all new again.

Math will be very important if he is headed into any engineering type field, so be sure your math is on track.

The last area to consider is whether he was doing the Spanish in the World Geography Guide? If so, he can just continue doing Getting Started With Spanish along with MTMM daily, and then move into Alpha Omega's Lifepac (doing approximately 2 pages a day) throughout the rest of his high school years to earn 1/2 credit in Spanish each year for 4 years.

Feel free to pop back and share your thoughts!

Blessings,
Carrie

Dear Carrie,
WOW! WOW! WOW!
The breathe of air I just took has completely lowered my blood pressure...LOL! Thank you for telling me this can be fixed! I am so excited by your response along with your suggestions. I agree 100% that he truly needs a bit more "hand-holding" to raise his skill level. I was scared to go this route, but whole heartedly feel it is what is best for him. Especially since he didn't come up through all the HOD guides like my daughter will. He has always been my trench digger child creating the path for my other little one He is VERY excited to study the time period of MTMM as he has never gone in depth with it due to the change over from the classical History rotation to HOD.

Below are my thoughts...
ECONOMICS:
I will go the route you suggest using Economics for Everybody as well as picking up a textbook as recommended. My husband is taking this off my plate...YEAH! He is excited to do this with his son. Is there a recommendation as to which text they should use?

SCIENCE:
As for college plans he is leaning toward a degree in engineering possibly at Devry University, which is a very technical school, BUT we are not 100% sure, so I want to keep all possibilities available, (the other day he did say he likes accounting...LOL) I DO KNOW he will NOT be pursuing any medical or biological science field. I would like to use what is in the MTMM science set??? This year we used ABeka's Science Matter and Energy set. He completely gets this field of science. BUT I do own the Integrated Physics and Chemistry complete kit with lab purchased from your company--It is UNUSED. This year he really wanted to continue with ABeka's science and so I did. We are OPEN to your suggestion for next year. Could I possibly use the Integrated science program somehow?

GRAMMAR:
He has completed diagramming and grammar instruction each year but he needs to cement this too. I could go with Rod and Staff 5 or 6, but will it count toward High School credit? I will take your suggestion and complete Write With the Best II.

LITERATURE:
I LOVE the chance to use DITHR. I already own it and the 6/7/8 student book. We just weren't sure about changing everything we used prior to his 8th grade year. He read A Christmas Carol this year in the World Geography set. I will add in the Importance of Being Earnest and the boy 7/8 pack. Does this sound good? I'm relieved to NOT worry about the British Lit this upcoming year. He needs to grasp those Literary analysis skills stronger. I still get the "deer in the headlights look" from him during our BJU lessons together I have noted what you suggest to do to receive the British Lit credit using the World Geography and History guides... PHEW!!!
QUESTION: What will I call this credit for English...English II or?

MATH:
He is completing Algebra I through Abeka Academy and will move onto Algebra II next year. His scores are so high and he is so solid here that I didn't want to rock the boat. He really "gets" math.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE:
We didn't use the Spanish this year. We did complete 1 credit of High School Latin using Memoria Press' Form Series. We have consistently studied Latin since 4th grade. Do you think we should try Alpha Omega's Spanish Lifepac for next year? I feel all his background in Latin will carry over into Spanish and should give him a good foundation to build on. I do won the Getting Started with Latin book as well.

BIBLE:
We will complete the MTMM guide exactly as written. How can I beef this up to make it credit worthy? AND what would I title this credit?

FUTURE YEARS:
Your plan suggested to continue the World Geography guide at the start of his junior year 5 days a week is PERFECT! We can do that! I will take your other suggestion to use the World History Guide next completing and starting using 4/5 day weeks just as you suggest...Lord willing!

Many many thanks You are truly a blessing to us moms!
Brittney

Brittney,

I would let your husband peruse the 3 options for texts for Economics and choose. Not all of the chapters are used for each text, so once you have the study guide in hand that goes with the DVDs, you'll have a better idea of what to do. You would earn one-half credit here.

For science, I would take a good look at Devry University's science entrance requirements and plan accordingly. I am not familiar with ABeka's Matter and Energy set and what you will be listing that as on your son's transcript. I do know you will likely want as many lab sciences as possible and that most universities want to see physical science or integrated physics and chemistry and/or physics, along with biology and chemistry on the transcript. For science majors they also like to see advanced coursework in the area of the major (i.e. advanced chemistry for chemistry majors, advanced biology for med. majors, etc.). Take a look at what the scholarship requirements are for Devry, and you will get a good idea of what they want to see. If your son is headed into a science-related field, I would think that you would need a stronger chemistry than the beefed up version of MTMM would allow. If you did the IPC course as a sophomore, then you would almost have to do Biology and Chemistry after that for his junior and senior year (to meet typical requirements) without getting to a full-blown physics. With his major in mind, I don't think that is a good idea. So, you may actually have to do Biology, a strong chemistry, and a strong physics for his final 3 years of high school. You'll know more after looking at Devry's requirements.

For English, based on what you've shared, I would do English 6 full-speed as scheduled in MTMM. It will count as high school credit when integrated with Write With the Best II and DITHR. Together, they make up one-full English credit. I would list it as English II on his transcript and give it a title like "Elements of Literature".

For math, just keep on going!

For Foreign Language, if you do decide to start Spanish, I would begin with Getting Started With Spanish. Do 1-2 lessons a day to complete it in a year to earn .5 of a credit in Spanish. Then, next year, head into the Spanish Life Pac when you hit the World History guide. I am assuming that you would also continue to work on Latin earning credit in that as well.

For Bible, I wouldn't worry about adding to it to earn more credit unless you really need it for transcript purposes. I would be inclined to just earn the one-half credit that the Bible is worth in MTMM and leave it at that. Bible often falls under the elective category on the transcript, unless you are applying to a Bible college. You can title the course what the study is actually titled or something similar.

This plan above would give you:
1 full credit in American History 1880-Present
1/2 credit in Economics
1 full credit in Science (with Lab)
I full credit in English II
1 full credit in Algebra II
1/2 credit in Spanish
1/2 credit in Latin (or more depending on what you do with that)
1/2 credit in Bible
Total: 6 credits

If you are needing to earn additional credit, there are several options to consider. You could add to the Bible. Or, you could consider adding to the nature study to earn one-half credit in fine arts. This would be easy to do by requiring more nature journal entries each week or over the summer to earn the needed hours. The instruction in the Nature Journaling book by Stebbing will cover the instructional part of the course, so more nature journal entries would round out the hours required to earn credit there. Keep in mind though that in the World History guide you will have the chance to earn one-full credit in Fine Arts with that guide, so you may not need the Fine Arts credit here. Or, you could do a physical education related goal to earn a half-credit if desired. Anyway, depending on how many credits you are looking to earn this year, you can add as needed. Just be aware that too much adding can make the load heavy, so choose things that you can add on your free 5th day and weekends (i.e. like physical education or fine arts or additional Bible) if at all possible.

Blessings,
Carrie