heartofdakota.com

I don't know what to do.. We stopped for the summer and are a little over half way through Beyond. My DD8 turning 9 the end of Aug., could easily start with Bigger if we choose to continue with HOD for this next school year. I have considered just taking the beyond schedule and just finish up the history stories with her so that we could start the year with BIgger. If we would continue in Beyond where we left off , then it pushes starting Bigger later in the year. What would you suggest?
Thanks!

Looking at the placement chart with fresh eyes, if he would place in Bigger, then I would start there. If he places somewhere in between, then finish out Beyond.

Also, if you liked Beyond, it IS a great guide, don't feel that you have to move up just because he "places" in Bigger.

My DD would like to just keep doing Beyond. I looked at the placement chart and she places in Bigger. She will be turning 9 end of August but will be in '3rd grade'. We started cursive last year in the 2nd book of Pentime( they introduce cursive half way through the book) but she didn't finish it. I guess I just have a hard time getting my brain to accept starting a new guide half way through the year, especially since we don't school year around. At that rate, we would always be half a year behind? I say behind because she is in the upper age of the guides. She definitly is ready for more grammar instruction. We are doing a different math and I don't want to change.

Hi! Two years ago, we also only got about half way through a guide after my oldest dd had an injury. Beginning a new guide mid-year was actually kind of nice...like a breath of fresh air! It is also good to remember that starting in Preparing, the guides are scheduled in 4-day weeks. So if you went ahead and worked 5 days a week, you would gain about 7 weeks each year! In theory, then, you would have recovered that half-year within two years or so, if my math is correct.

I will also say that I did jump to Preparing with my son mid-year last year without finishing out Bigger because it was a better fit for him. (He had previously been combined with his younger sister and it was time to uncombine). And that worked very well. That means this year, he will be continuing with Preparing where we left off, but we'll be working 5 days a week instead of 4 as scheduled.

I would think either option would work!

I understand about the 'behind' thing. My son was 9 in Jan and I am starting him out in Beyond (I might switch him if it is too easy) as I want to see if I can keep my boys together to start the year off. He does have some learning disabilities but did place in Bigger. I just need the boys together in the beginning for my sanity and because I will be switching my 14 year old special needs daughter to HOD as well....and that is going to take a lot of my time until she gets into the routine.