heartofdakota.com

Hi there,
So, this is my current situation: 4th grader doing Preparing, 2nd and 1st grader combined in Beyond, 4 year olds about to start Little hands to Heaven in Jan. and 3 year old along for the ride. Here is my question, basically about my 2nd and 1st grader, (I just wanted you to know what else I am managing) my second grader is basically reading on a 1st grade level, we have struggled endlessly with learning to read until this year, she is finally really taking off, but still behind. My 1st grade boy is on target (maybe a little behind?) for reading, but is definitely behind with his writing/motor skills. I don't think either of them have learning disabilities, just later blooming with the cognitive skills necessary for those things to click, because as we have waited and worked on things they start clicking. Well, due to this we are far behind in Beyond and I feel like neither of them would be ready next year to do Bigger. I feel like that would be too much of a jump. especially for my boy who will just be a second grader. So, I had this thought of putting them both back into Little Hearts for His glory, because we only did half of it last year (long story) and then doing Beyond next year for their 2nd and 3rd grade years. That would mean my daughter is in Preparing for 5th grade (right now my 4th grade boy is doing Preparing and it seems the right level), is that too late for that grade? Is Bigger too easy for a 4th grader? I have looked at the placement guides and just can't decide. I almost wonder if I should just put them in separate guides but with 6 kids I have no idea how I would pull that off until my 3 year old gets a bit more cooperative!! I have also thought about just continuing Beyond sort of "half-speed" and finishing it up around Christmas next year, and starting Bigger with both about halfway into that year, giving them both more time to mature into the skills they need to do Bigger successfully. I am just kind of stuck in my head trying to decide what to do. I guess I basically don't think my son will be ready for bigger in the fall, so what should I do about it. I also (unfortunately ) like things neat and tidy, I hate starting things mid-year, or being mid-book at the begining of a year ) so, any thoughts or ideas. I guess I am also wondering is Little Hearts for His glory ok for a Second grader? And would Beyond be too simple for a 2nd and 3rd grader? Thanks ladies!

Remember that each guide can be used for a variety of ages. Carries specifically "calls out" three ages per guide, with the "average" family using the guide for the middle age. It sounds like that is how your oldest is - using Preparing for 4th grade. But, Preparing can use used for 3rd, 4th, or 5th as written (ages 8-10). Then, starting with Bigger, there are extension books with assignments to extend the age even farther (2 years). The extensions can also be used by kids at the older end of the "standard" age range is they are ready for a little more of a challenge.
I think with the issues you have for language arts currently, doing the half of LHFHG you didn't do and then Beyond sounds like a good plan.

I think if Beyond is already going slowly because of those two kids' needs in reading and writing then backing up to LHFHG sounds like a good idea. As you already said, you don't want to speed through and get to Bigger when they aren't ready, you will just keep having more and more problems that way. That sounds like a great way to get them where they fit better and you can just progress ahead in it without worry.

I think when you do a guide with a child who is on the "older side" of the age range you get more fullness out of the history and they can do the activities more fully. And you want them placed where they fit regardless of age. Then they will really get the most out of it. If somehow they (or one of them) have a huge jump in abilities down the road you can re-evaluate the placement and maybe skip ahead, though that doesn't often seem to happen. I wouldn't worry about it.

"Neat and tidy" just doesn't always describe homeschooling in my experience. It is good to have a plan and to be thinking through your childrens' needs and where they are at (which you are obviously doing). But I would not stress out about a guide taking more than a year to complete, about switching guides at a different time than in the fall, or anything like that. We are on a very staggered schedule, all 3 of my school-age kids started their new guides at different times (and my Preparing daughter just finished before Thanksgiving, which we are on a break until March or so). I liked that when someone was starting a new guide I wasn't starting a new guide with anyone else at the time, but it gave me the ability to focus on that child for a little while and get them off to a good start while still keeping the others going. There are good and bad sides to each way of doing things, but if I just keep going with the flow and try to do the guide well rather than stressing about when things start and stop, I feel like we enjoy it so much more and I feel like we are doing it justice, really learning what we need to in the guides. I hope all this rambling makes sense.

Thank you, these are both very helpful thoughts to help me sort it out!!

With having 6 kids, I do think it is wise to consider combining similarly aged children. I love that HOD has extensions included in their levels because you can definitely "extend" the learning for the older child in the guide while still giving the younger child the correct volume of learning as well. Plus, HOD is easy to modify the junior high guides to make them high school worthy so that you can still use them for both a junior high student and a high school student. Most of the resources that they use are multi-grade resources anyway and can be used for a variety of ages.

Such good advice! I think with having done half of LHFHG and a portion of Beyond, it would be a good idea to look at the placement chart with totally fresh eyes. I'd love to hear about each of your dc individually with the placement chart in mind. It sounds like in the area of phonics, they are both beginning to take off. What are they doing for phonics, and how far into it are they? I'd also love to hear about their writing. Are they writing words, sentences? How is the copywork of the poetry in Beyond going? How many line(s) are they able to write each day, and are they near copying the entire poem within a week? How about the once a week grammar lessons in Beyond - making sense to them, going well? What spelling list are each of them doing, and are they able to do all of the activities planned in the LA box alongside the words, like writing 3 sentences with the 3 of the words each week? Also, what levels are they doing for math, and how is that going? How are the doing with oral narrations after Storytime readings? Finally, how are they doing with understanding history and science? Do the readings seem a good fit, or are they over their head quite a bit? I agree that with 6 dc, it seems like combining is important to do, and they are close enough in age and in skill level to be able to be combined. But in light of you liking things more neat and tidy, I am trying to figure out what they are really doing each day in Beyond, how it is going, and also I am wondering how much they were really able to do in the half of LHFHG that they did. I think this will help us all better understand how they are doing, where they place, and what would be best moving forward. The good news is a new year is just around the corner, and many, many families are making a new start either by switching to HOD or by tweaking proper placement within HOD! I think we can find a fresh new start for your kiddos that is going to have them thriving and moving forward happily, if you can just take the time to try to answer my questions when you get the chance! Thanks for your patience!!!

In Christ,
Julie