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I'm looking really hard at using HOD next school year. I have three boys 10, 8 & 6.

Here is the placement I'm looking at:
ds 6 - Little Hearts
ds 8 - Bigger Hearts (Emergent Reader)
ds 10 - Preparing Hearts

My biggest concern is that I will have enough time in a day to do three different levels.
I'm thinking about combining all three boys and just doing one music/scripture memorization.
But with everyone doing a different science & different history it concerns me that I will be doing school a lot longer than I wish to be.
We currently do history & science together. I understand that the idea is to work towards independence but we aren't there just yet.
Any advice/guidance/encouragement/testimonies would be much appreciated.

Hi I found that the guides b/4 CTC took about 2-3 hours a day, total. My teaching time was not too long, but I did have to be available to help sometimes. Carrie has a post somewhere, talking about how she has everyone doing math, etc. at the table together and she does some work nearby so she can help if needed. I feel that our days went better doing 3 guides than they did with kids combined....this is because I spent more time trying to explain more mature content to the youngest, while having to come up with meaningful work to challenge the oldest. With HOD and proper placement, this is not an issue, and each child is now getting what they need. Yes, it is a long day now that I have a highschooler, but that is what we chose to do We have mostly independent 9th and 7th graders, and very dependant 5th grader now in remediation I wish I had just followed the guides as written with proper placement all along Really, it seems intimidating until you get things going, then you relax and just follow the guides. Many ladies stagger their starts so as to get their older dc going well, then working with the younger dc. Hope you find your best plan , though the guides you mentioned seem like a good one. (BTW, we really enjoyed Uncovering the Mysterious Woolly Mammoth in Preparing extension...it is a "prequel" for Life in the Great Ice Age.)

Thank you for the reply. It was helpful. I had the realization last night that even with my pick and choose curriculum style for the past 5 years I have essentially been doing 3 different levels anyway while either bringing my oldest down or the youngest up for history and science. I can see that letting them do their own level will provide better learning. Once again, thank you.

We're doing those three levels this year, plus CTC. Granted, my two in Bigger and Preparing are more independent than the guide suggests because they are older, but they were not ready for the increased workload and expectations of the level above. (how do I know? We tried it for 10 Units and had to make a change.)

It is doable between 8 and noon! Of course, there are some days that distractions make it go longer than that, but if your children can go and do something on their own after you've prepared them to do it, it should go fairly smoothly. Even my LHFHG son does his copy work and fine motor skills pages on his own, and sometimes a page of math. Another option is to have your older son do one or two subjects consistently with your 6yo while you work with your Bigger son. (My 9yo is starting to do LHTH with his 5 and 3 yo brothers, and they all love it!)

HTH! Be encouraged!
Blessings,