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Just putting my situation out there and open to any opinions...
I have four kids. I previously combined them in Preparing last year (grades 3,3,4 and 6)and in Bigger the year before that. It worked out for us but I realized at the end of last year that I couldn't keep going all together, as my oldest entering 7th would needed more and my youngest twins entering 4th needed more individual attention and less "dragging along." Where would I go from there? I couldn't skip a guide with my oldest and didn't want to go backwards with my youngest. I decided I had screwed up the system of HOD and just went with a completely different curriculum this year, putting everyone in their appropriate "grade." We got through the year, but that's it - just got through. No fun learning together and no passion for it all. Just got through it. We really miss HOD. I have been pouring over the guides and trying to figure a way to come back. with the placement guide, My oldest should be in RtoR, if not MtoMM! But how awful to have her skip all those guides. My middle son falls in RtoR and my twins fall in CTC - so that has my middle son skipping a guide too. We could continue with what we did this year but I would love to hear if anyone sees a way for me to make this work. Would skipping guides be that bad? Thanks in advance for your thoughts
signed,
an HOD screw up

Are those placements based on the placement chart? If so, skipping isn't terrible. You could always allow them to read the history books for guides they skip as free reading. If you don't skip now, you will have to "skip" the last guides. So, it is just a matter of which guides they will miss. And normally it is better to place them correctly than worry about anything else.

Yes those placements are according to the placement chart. Thanks! Maybe I just need to hear that skipping guides isn't the end of the world. I didn't use the placement guide before because I so loved keeping everyone together for the main part of the day. I should've had quads!

2plus2 wrote:Yes those placements are according to the placement chart. Thanks! Maybe I just need to hear that skipping guides isn't the end of the world. I didn't use the placement guide before because I so loved keeping everyone together for the main part of the day. I should've had quads!

You and I are in similar boats.

My oldest for 5th placed in RTR, and I put him in CTC. This year we have done eclectic. For next fall he is placing in MTMM.

My second worked on Preparing and did eclectic this year and now places in RTR.

My third was way under placed in Beyond before and now places in CTC (or late Preparing)

They would miss lots of guides, and I have been praying about coming back to HOD.

I think placement matters. I got it wrong before and Carrie is here to help us with her guides.

The history comes back in HS. I wouldn't worry about it.

Thanks for your response. I hope you figure it out too! The thought of doing 3 guides is really scary to me but there is no comparison curriculumwise so I may just take the challenge.

Skipping is OK if that is where you child now places. Using 3 guides is not too bad (I used LHFHG, Bigger and RtR this year). 4th grade is kind of young for CTC but if they place there great...also you can have they do it more slowly if needed (otherwise they will be going into the high school guides at 8th grade). CTC and up has the kids do lots of stuff independently so that will make 3 guides easier!

It won't matter that you skipped some guides. You could even have them listen to the "What in the World" CDs or something to catch a little of the history they "missed." But I had a fellow HOD mom encourage me when I was feeling overwhelmed.... most kids don't remember very clearly most of the history they learned in elementary school. Yes it sets a foundation and gives them some hooks to hang things on, but overall, high school will be more critical for those things and they will get the chance to cover a lot of it again in high school, and more in depth. Placement is most important. Since your kids are all CTC and up, it won't be too difficult to do multiple guides. You just check over their work, discuss it with them, make sure they are on track. Getting them started with their work and getting the guide going will be the hardest part, and once they get on a roll with it your workload decreases dramatically. The younger guides, where you have to read a lot to them and help them get through the activities, are more teacher-intensive. So, as others have said, I don't think you have a big problem. I think letting your oldest move ahead into a guide where the work is appropriate is really the best thing to do.

If you combine your oldest two or place the middle child with the two youngers (depending on which that child is closest to in skills), you will only be running 2 guides. That might feel more manageable and would not hold anyone back. I had much success combining age ranges within a guide. It is only when we split into separate guides that HOD was a struggle for us.

thank you for the reassurance that skipping guides will work. My family just returned from vacation, where my husband and I had some time to pray and think about next year's direction and we've decided on HOD. I have also decided on trying to place everyone where they belong (for once). This seems daunting to me but I really think I owe it to my kids. I see it being done all over these boards so hopefully I can join the ranks
Thanks again for chiming in,
Nicole