Changing Curriculum, Full of Questions

[jellybeanmum]

My son has been using another curriculum for some time, but admittedly he's not feeling the "love", so I opted to send off for an HOD catalog which arrived today. Such perfect timing as we're up on a school break that starts this very weekend. I let him compare the curriculum he'd be using with our current company or the HOD Resurrection to Reformation. He's intrigued, but a little nervous because while he doesn't love what he's doing he knows what he's in for where as with HOD he doesn't. However, I think he loves the more appealing books.

In the mean time, I'm doing a little leg work before a firm choice is made & I'm full of questions if someone doesn't mind being patient to hear them all out:

1. We'd be pretty keen to stick with our normal math programme. I see that won't be an issue which is delightful, but I see it suggests we pick a science. While the science looks beautiful he just picked a robotics/technology course that he's pretty keen to use. If I don't select a science will it effect the "discount" price for ordering a set?

2. I see DITHOR & it's very very interesting in regards to the child engagement with the book.. however, we also have our own writing programme {IEW} which he'll just be starting the SWI-B. I'm not opposed to DITHOR, but I'm a little nervous about the big price as I'll be needing to convert things out of USD into my own currency & I don't want to overwhelm him as he becomes accustomed to something new. At the same time, I'm really worried of not getting the most out of HOD if I don't include it. Can you shed light on this for me & clarify if I absolutely need it to get the most out of the curriculum?

3. I see that you can swap out up to 2 books at this level, & that they must be of equal or lesser value. So crazy thing is I own MOH3 which is very expensive, would that allow me to swap in a couple of books or maybe the DITHOR guide? That seems a bit of a bold request, but I figure that if one is told no at least I asked. Perhaps I should be emailing HOD directly?

4. The student I'd be working with is actually 13. I see that Resurrection to Reformation is better suited to 12, but based on the other criteria I really feel this is the best placement for him. I also see that I could add in other books too for his age/grade level. I'm not too worried about that as he is not up to snuff with his age/grade reading level due to a late diagnosis of Visual Processing Disorder {VPD}, but he is capable of reading just slower paces as he works on those skills. Will it be an issue for him to be in this level? My only real concern about it is that if he sticks with HOD he'd end up in MTMM by 9th grade. Will there be any problems with that?

Thanks for the insight.

[StephanieU]

You can switch out for a guide on the substitution policy. It is anything of equal or lesser value.
As for DITHOR, it is a literature program, not a writing program. You will see there is a writing program listed as well. You can easily switch out the writing of you prefer. And you can do something else for literature if you choose.
As for package pricing, you still notice science is one package. If you do something else, you just don't buy that package.
And if RtR is where he places, then it is fine to use it! That is one of the great things about HOD- they don't list grades. If he places into RtR, extensions aren't necessary either.

[jellybeanmum]

Thank you StephanieU

Very helpful. So another quick question, if I may.. What pattern would be best to follow for a student coming to HOD in 10th grade. He'll be using Geography, he could use World, but there are 2 years of US History, which he's covering now in 9th grade. His only "needed" item at that time would be government. Would it be best to just use the government programme & leave the rest? My child might pass out at the idea of NOT doing history though.

[Carrie]

Hello!

The ladies are doing a great job of answering your questions! If you do MTMM for your son's freshman year, then you would do World Geography for grade 10, World History for grade 11, and US1 for grade 12. You would not get to US2 before graduation, which would be alright since you covered US2 as a freshman with MTMM. When we got to your son's grade 12 year, we could see if there were some things from US2 we would need to add to US1 (like Economics) to be sure he had what was needed for graduation.

Blessings,
Carrie

[jellybeanmum]

Wow, thanks Carrie, that really puts me at ease in deciding what/how to do utilise HOD for my family.