If i use other LA programs

[PoppyD]

Hi ladies,
I was just wondering if you all think it's still worth it to use HOD if I end up using other grammar and reading/literature programs? I would still use all the suggested books from HOD, but just use something instead of R&S and something instead of DITHOR. I'm not sold on this. Just pondering..............and this is one of the questions bouncing around in my head.
Thanks!
-Poppy

[StephanieU]

I definitely think it is still work it to use HOD even if it is just for history and Bible. We use a different math and aren't following the guide for grammar right now (we are "ahead" in grammar), and still it is worth it to have the left side of the guide. On thing I consider is how much the LA portion (or math in our case) took Carrie to write. I know in the WH guide, it is a lot more since she is writing the literature portion, but in Bigger through WG, I don't think it is more than 10% of her time. In those guides, the LA boxes are more pacing suggestions than anything, not any real content. As a result, I don't think they contribute much to the cost of the guide. Instead, history and Bible make up a large portion of the guide's writing. So, if you are using the guide as written for these areas, it is definitely worth it!

[MomtoJGJE]

We are also ahead in grammar and we go our own pace in math and we don't do phonics. So I definitely think that it's worth it simply for the left side of the guide!

The question I would ask would be how much more/less time would the other selections take than what is suggested? I know for my family SM takes maybe 10 minutes and grammar is about the same.

As for DITHOR, I'm split on my feelings about it. I think it's very well worth it, but I don't feel it's worth the extra time doing it WITH the guide. So we take "breaks" from the guides every six weeks or so and do a genre of DITHOR along with making sure everyone is where they should be with dictation (skipping if needed, etc because I'm the very worst at remembering to do dictation) and doing math and grammar. The kids like that because it takes about an hour max to do school those days and so it feels like a big break when they are still doing school. We also school year round so this works for us to not fall behind in our regular guides as well. However, if we didn't do DITHOR we probably would not do any lit study at all. Which is why I feel it IS worth it to do....

[PoppyD]

Thanks ladies!
So if I used BJU or CLE reading and grammar, would that be too time consuming if I used the guide but just not the R&S suggestion or DITHOR?

[LynnH]

I think it depends on what age and how you use those programs. BJU would probably be more time consuming than CLE. We briefly used CLE grammar and while I liked the workbook form there was so much we skipped because it was already covered in the HOD guide. Also CLE lacks the writing instruction that Rod and Staff has so just be aware that Carrie schedules the writing programs based on the assumption they are doing the Rod and Staff writing assignments. We do Rod and Staff mostly orally so it in the younger years it doesn't take long at all. DITHOR doesn't take long to do the actual work sheet pages. We did use BJU readubg for 8th grade and that grade didn't have as much busy work as when we tried one of the younger grades. The younger grades had quite a few worksheets each day so yes that would add up to 30 minutes to your day if you did their reading. I don't know about the grammar.

[PoppyD]

Thanks!
I think I would ultimately like to just go all in and do all HOD suggests - minus the math. I don't like Singapore.
But I guess I'm just not totally confident about how everything dd is getting from CLE reading (or BJU) will be covered through DITHOR. Maybe the samples aren't long enough. What I've seen look great yet not like what we are covering with cle. I think doing R&S for grammar will be fine. Especially if I do a lot orally like you all suggested. But can someone clarify how HOD as written covers all the literary elements and analysis these programs do?

[StephanieU]

I think the answer is not everything will be covered in DITHOR, but it will be covered in HOD. For example, vocabulary is done through history in a way that seems similar to what CLE does in reading. DITHOR is truly a literature program, with the focus on real books and not just excerpts. Personally, I would prefer my children read real books...

[PoppyD]

Ok well that's good to know that the literary elements and analysis and such will be in HOD and not just DITHOR. Thanks for clarifying that. I would prefer real books instead of excerpts too but just know that I wouldn't remember all that I would need to teach without "help."

[PoppyD]

Is there more in the guide than what is shown in the samples on the website or are all pages just like that?

[StephanieU]

We only have three guides (LHTH through Beyond), but the weekly plans are basically the same each week. Of course what you cover each week changes, so some small things change, but the overall look and feel of the guide is the same for the year.

[PoppyD]

Thanks. I have used sonlight in the past and in the teachers guide, there is the chart that lists the plans, then there are several pages of teachers notes. Is there anything like that?

[MelInKansas]

There is an introduction in each guide (I think they give samples of those too, don't they?) where things are described and there are some setup notes. That is something you would read as you are getting started with the guide but don't use from day to day. There are appendices which talk about good practices for narration and tips, Emerging Readers, Dictation, Spelling lists. What you see in the sample week of plans is a pretty good representation of what you will be doing. Reading it really thoroughly will reveal some of the "hidden" LA things and discussion that show you what they are learning. The storytime box in LHFHG through Bigger touches on your narration skills and some analysis skills, occasionally writing things are brought in. In Preparing there's definitely LA stuff written in the guide for example the poetry analysis and writing. Bigger introduces this a little bit. So I have to second what Stephanie said, there is stuff going on there that is very thorough and I think it also makes it very fun. I have never used CLE but I would say that HOD and Charlotte Mason believe in not pushing too much reading and writing too early, but they grow into it and by the time you hit Preparing and CTC you will see the child can do a LOT of different LA skills and the learning is very very rich. We do also use DITHOR.

[StephanieU]

All of the introductions you can download for free. The links are normally right next to the links to the first week. And like Mel said, the appendices have a wealth of material as well. But, I don't find I need pages of notes. The guides are so well written and easy that basically you just do what it says.