heartofdakota.com

We are new to homeschooling (but technically we have used MFW loosely for pre-k). Our older kids currently go to public school (both have late summer birthdays so are a yr behind- 5yr old-preschool and 7yr old 1st grade). We are planning on homeschooling next yr and for the rest of their schooling years.

So next yr, we will have a just turned 8yr old (2nd grade), almost 6yr old (kindergarten), 4yr old (preschool), and two babies. I am looking for a way to make this as simple as possible because our house will be a little crazy with a newborn and 5 kids!

I was looking into Heart of Dakota and possibly combining the older boys. Our oldest is behind his grade level in reading and easily distracted so could use some extra help there but he is good in Math. The next oldest is ahead for his grade level and beginning to read but still needs some phonics instruction on a few letters he gets confused and has a better attention span.

So my thoughts were-Little Hearts for His Glory for ages 5-7 and doing the lower level reading/math for the younger and getting some of the higher level reading/math suggested for bigger hearts for the older. I would probably just have the preschooler work on phonics and do some activities along with us.

Thoughts? Any other suggestions?

The first advice I would have would be to look at the placement chart for them individually. I know it sounds easier to combine, but a lot of times it really isn't. If you are having to do more than open the guide and do the day's work, then it'll cost you time and be more frustrating.

With what you've said, what I would do without looking at the placement chart would be Beyond for the older. Then I would look at combining the next two in LHTH. What you could do would be add in K level math, fine motor skills, and handwriting, along with phonics for the K'er along with the "older" options and just do the guide as is for the 4 year old. You could get the LHFHG guide to follow for the math, handwriting, etc. Then the next year for those two you would do LHFHG, 1st grade options for the 1st grader and K options for the 4yo.

Or you could do Beyond for the oldest and LHFHG for the K'er, but a lot of people don't like doing guides back to back.

Definitely look at placement, and consider length of attention. My youngest places in CTC, however we have had to take a break now because he is not really getting the quality of education that he could be if I had not pushed earlier.

I agree that placement is key. It sounds like in the 3Rs, your two kids aren't far apart. So, combining may really make sense. Where does the younger one place if you were to look at the placement chart for him? I would consider LHTH, LHFHG, and even Beyond. Then, also consider how these two children will work together. Are they likely to enjoy doing things together and working on similar things, or are they more likely to fight because each wants to be in control and have the personal attention? Will you be able to give each child the attention he wants and give each opportunities to lead?
Even if my first two were at similar levels in education, combining wouldn't work well with them because of their personalities. But, my younger two are able to be combined, at least for now.

The placement is honestly hard for me. Since we aren't starting until next school year I don't know how much they will progress before we start (but need to plan ahead with the baby due in sept we might start early).
As of this moment I would say...
3yr old places in LHTH-knows probably 60% of her letters and sounds
5yr old places in LHFHG-knows letters and sounds (occasionally mixes up b and d), reading and writing small words as well as learning sight words in preschool
7yr old probably between LHFHG and BLHFHG-knows letters and sounds (although still sometime messes up some), reads and writes words, can read VERY simple books but doesn't enjoy reading and struggles, VERY short attention span

I had just planned on the 3yr old kind of tagging along and working with us sometimes. We still have the MFW kind. so will be continuing to work on letters and sounds with her next year. Right now we do a pretty informal homeschool with her 2x a week.

I also wonder what to do in the future based on what I pick now. I was thinking I could put the boys in BLHFHG and then do the beginning reading programs for the younger and either 1st or 2nd (prob 1st in the beginning of the year) Rod and Staff reading. But then for the following year I don't know where we would go from there...Confused!

The 3yr old and 5yr old are only 18months apart but I'm not sure if they are close enough in placement to combine (I guess possible with the suggestion of doing phonics and reading with the older and them being in LHFHG the following year). But I'm not sure if it would slow down the 5yr old putting him in LHTH.

I feel like I NEED to combine someone! I don't want our first year homeschooling to be teaching 3 different guides with a newborn so trying to make it work somehow!

I would really consider placing them in LHFHG then. There is a lot in LHFHG even for a second grader. The length of the reading may be better for your son's attention span, especially since some of the language is more British/old fashioned.

Because a lot does change at this time in your kids lives, I would wait until this summer to decide placement. My kids place very much in the guides they are working in now. Since your oldest seems like he places in Little Hearts or Beyond now, he will probably be ready for Beyond next year. With the K child, if I were going to combine, I would put the K child and younger child in LHTH if it were me and add in the K resources.

It may seem scary doing different guides but it actually isn't. I never thought it was possible to do multiple levels of anything and thought people were crazy for trying. I only have 3 kids and is that different from you. But we get school done pretty quickly even with everyone doing their own thing. As the kids get older they become more independent. It is nice to have a guide in between kids and we do enjoy that. But next year, my youngest will move to Bigger (she did beyond two years ago and then Little for this year). So I will always end up having 2 kids back to back.

With what you are saying, right now I'd put them in LHFHG together. However a LOT can change in 6 months. They sound EXACTLY like my Grace and Julianna. I put them together in LHFHG and it was perfect. Within a couple of months it was painfully obvious that Grace needed more. Thankfully I already had Beyond from when my oldest did it, so I moved her up. But for you, if I were you, I'd start saving up the money now if you need to plan that, and I'd re-evaluate in June or so. Shipping is super fast, so you don't have to worry about that.