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Hi, I am new here, but have poured over this board for a couple days now. I was so excited when the new catalog came in the mail However after studying it for a bit, I am really not sure where to place my girls. I should probably give a little backround before asking my questions. (sorry I know this will be long. )

My husband and I actually home schooled our oldest children back in the 90's. We loved it! We were pretty involved in the home school group in our area then (not where we are now) even help lead the group for a couple years. Our life took a different turn though at the end of that decade, when we relocated and eventually became Mennonite (very conservative with no access to technology), which overall was a good thing for our family at least for the next several years. Our church did not allow homeschooling or "higher education" (sort of like Amish), and had a small school for the children. So we enrolled our children that were still school age then. (As a side note we have nine total children, our oldest two were the ones I home schooled the most-our second daughter was placed in 7th grade when we put the children in school.) So the next four children went through the school and all did very well.

Our next two (girls who are 11 and 13) went through the school as well until we moved across country for multiple reasons, one of which was for a chance at better opportunity for our children. The church we were a part of was very Amish-y in mind set, and we began to question the ability of everyone to be a farmer or carpenter or to be able to provide for a family in today's world with just an 8th grade education (though it was really good-Rod and Staff almost exclusively,) but that is not really relevant here

So we are now a year and a half out, and trying to home school. It is a tough road. There are multiple issues but the one most concerning is the love of learning that I used to see in our children (all of them) in the years before school, is totally gone. They hate school. We have a lot of issues, as well with adjusting to a different area. We are still Mennonite but not nearly as conservative. My husband and I decided we would need to just try to cover the basics and use some familiar materials for a while, and take a relaxed approach to school. We are thankfully in an area where home schooling is well accepted and are hoping to get in touch with others who home educate as well. (we had to move a second time just a few months ago to be closer to my husbands work and church-we are finally settled again and ready to get in the groove, so to speak. Or I am and our youngest is. The girls-not so much.

I had considered going with CLE, but I had used it before in our first run with home schooling, and while it was good academically, it drove me nuts and our students then ,thought is was dull. I totally agreed. It honestly is more suitable for a classroom, as is Rod and Staff. My preferred method and what I really loved was Charlotte Mason/Ruth Beechick and a little bit of unit study. I don't have the desire to do all that work for my reluctant students, though, and when the HOD catalog came in the mail, I just knew it would be great. I will start my 4 year old for sure. I only have one question about him-he is a lefty, I am not, and I know from previous experience (the 13 yo is a lefty) teaching writing is tough. Teaching anything is hard - my mom who was also a lefty is the one who finally taught my eldest daughter to tie her shoes...and then my daughter was the one to help the other lefty! I was thinking that the italic handwriting, which i used once upon a time in our school, would be easier. Am I thinking correctly on this? He is bright and has a lot of wiggle so I think small increments will be perfect. Plus, with him starting at the beginning, I get to read all the wonderful sounding resources that come with HOD!

Back to the girls....the 13 yo is pretty smart, and loves to read. She gets bored easily-and I think new material will be good for her. I do not think that she will find the later levels interesting at least not right away. She wants to just get it over with because she "has to do school" and doesn't have any goals etc other than being done. But she needs so much coaxing and prodding to get to something sometimes. She is doing better, and has finally started to take an interest in some things I had hoped she would. (gardening,outdoorsy stuff-she is a tomboy, so no flower beds for her , and she wants a dog again). The 11 yo, also reads pretty well, though she is not as advanced as her sister. She is not exceptionally bright, but it is far easier to get her to do her school work. She is much more of a girly girl and likes to help her brother with stuff (the 4yo) and reads to him often. I went through the book selections and some of them the older one has read or they was used in school, in Creation to Christ, but the next level-she does not think any of it sounds interesting. And knowing what her interests are and book she leans toward, the selection in the Preparing Hearts for His Glory is more up her alley. Maybe Creation to Christ too. But she is nearly done with 6th grad Rand S math. She doesn't love it, but she does pretty well (mostly in the lower to mid 90's on her scores, with a few 99-100's here and there. The R and S English is solid,but tedious (I found it challenging because I never learned anything about grammar except the very basics, all I learned in school was from studying French for 6 years. Now thanks to the day school and Rod and Staff, I can even diagram some.)

The other daughter is doing 4th grade in Rand S math and English, though not loving either. And neither am I. It is dull. But while not quite as bright as her sister, her grades are still mid/upper 80's and well into the 90's. It just doesn't come as easy for her. This gal is the one who lights up when I mention some of the books in HOD, and she thinks it sounds intriguing. She has already offered to help the youngest if I don't have time. So I am thinking that she could either do the Preparing Hearts or Creation to Christ. I could easily see her doing this level and thriving. Maybe her sister too with the extensions. I love the topics and book selections. I think it might spark a renewed interest-the oldest loves history, and Rod and Staff does have a good program, though it is a bit dry.

Our family finances is certainly a concern in whatever we choose. I do realize if I start a bit lower and add the book packages in previous levels and even ahead a bit it will make it easier plus we will not only be buying school curriculum, but building a solid library for all of us, does make it sound more reasonable. Plus if I understand it right, once I buy the lower levels, I will reuse them for our son, and actually whatever level the oldest gets ,will also be reused, so that makes it somewhat easier. But once the level prices get up in the $300 range for the economy/basic or beyond it seems a bit pricey. If I can hold off on that one more year, that would help. I could purchase the lower levels fairly easily and then add the other books over time and then by the time we are ready for the higher levels we would only be purchasing one level, so it makes sense to start lower.

But.... what about math? I have not a clue where to even start with Singapore math (except for the little tyke-start at the beginning!) placement test, or ? I have considered going over to Saxon once the 13 yo finishes the 6th gr. level of R and S, or just doing 7th, which is from previous experience excellent and good prep for algebra-weak on geometry, but so am I so we will cross that bridge later

So anyone have any advice or questions? Suggestions on implementing? Especially maybe combining the girls with some extensions, which is what I am leaning toward at least initially.

Thanks! I am looking forward to getting to know y'all

Sarah

I have a few questions for you. Have you looked at the placement chart on the website? That is a good starting point. It would be good to know about your daughters writing abilities. Do they have any experience with Charlotte Mason type skills--like narrations?

Based on the info given, it's hard to give some great advice. But, it could be that your younger two could do Preparing. Your older one could do CtC, or even RtR depending on her placement on the chart. You could possibly put them all 3 in Preparing, with extensions for the oldest. Again, depending on the placement chart. Typically, you would place for the youngest and then "beef up" for the older ones.

I know that Heart of Dakota can help put the love of learning back into your children. Mine love it. I think that if you don't place them too high so that they struggle, they will love it.

Let us know what you think after going over the placement chart.

I would also second the placement chart. It is on pages 6-9 of the catalog and also on the website (which ever is easier for you to look at). Mark where each of the girls places in each category. Then, come back and let "us" know what you find. Since they have lost the love of learning it sounds like, I think I would err on the easier side and let them have fun! Since your 13yo is a lefty like the 4yo, you could assign her to do some of the activities with the 4yo (anything writing or fine motor skills especially).
As for math, I don't know if switching now is best. If they are really detesting Rod and Staff, then I would find something similar to that but a little more enjoyable for them. A switch to Singapore this "late" in the game may be more of a burden than a help. Saxon may be a good option, at least through Pre-Algebra if not farther.
And as for combining, if they place is similar guides, combining might be best to start out. Then next year, you can decide if you want to bump the older one up or not once htey have a feel for HOD and how fun learning can be.

To teach a lefty to write (as a right handed person) sit across from them. My oldest two are lefties and once I learned that trick everything was a snap!

I have been perusing the placement charts-and while the skills in reading and math push them up to higher levels, my gut tells me that making it somewhat easier is probably better.

They have not done narration, at least not with our homeschooling the last year or so. They did lots of penmanship practice but it was a dull drag-nothing creative, so they dislike writing. Which is partly why I am leaning toward the lower level for both, with extensions as needed.

Math we won't change, and I think the R&S English is sufficient-I can easily trim out the extra writing-and the girls will love that. Neither of them are very motivated to write. I love to write and I have a couple other children who were writers, but not these two. I am hoping that just having some more interesting things to read and do will go a long way toward rekindling the love of learning. My oldest LOVES history, so I am leaning toward placing her where she thinks it sounds the most interesting. I think the preparing one is likely to be more interesting to her, but she might surprise me.

Thanks for the help so far...I welcome any additional feedback. And thanks so much for the comments so far

Sarah

I might lean towards CtC then for both of them. The 13yo would then complete through WG or WH for high school, which would work fine. The younger would work through all or almost all of the high school guides. I would do the extensions with them, starting off with just reading them and then adding int he narrations once they get those down in the "standard" parts of the guide. Do the guide as written as much as possible, continuing with the math they are currently using and where they are in Rod and Staff English.