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Homeschooling a 4th and 7th grader this fall. Coming home from school. 7th grader is very sensitive and will be going to highschool for 9th. I’m thinking on doing Preparing with both of them, with extensions for the 7th grader, plus LA and science for 7th grade. Any reason I shouldn’t do this? We’re Canadian so the higher guides get fairly American. And it’ll give him a good creation history and biblical history, when following up with CTC, before heading off for highschool. Any thoughts?

Could the 4th do CTC, or would the writing be too much? CTC & RTR seems better to me for 7th writing and preparing for High School.

Would CTC and RTR work, or would it be too big of a stretch for the 4th?

Thoughts?

4th grader definitely isn’t ready for CTC. I’m not sure where my 7th grader is at. He hasn’t been writing essays or anything yet. I’ve been extremely disappointed with the grammar instruction at the school. I intend to do EIW 7 with him, as well as I forget if it’s physical or general science for grade 7, but doing that plus math on grade level. He can read well, but hates reading. And they don’t make you read that much in highschool here. Most courses you don’t even have reading. And no more than 2-3 books in English, which is 1 semester each year. I was thinking it’d be easier to keep them together. I tried homeschooling him before. He said it was too hard and wanted to go back to school. The 4th grader is a little tricky behaviour wise. I thought if they worked together or at least on the same thing, there would be less complaining from both, lol. But I don’t want him to be unprepared for highschool.

I have had a 7th grader use Preparing (with CTC's science and LA), but that was because he tried CTC and couldn't handle the work load (Executive Functioning issues, Dysgraphia, and, in hind sight, probably also Dyscalculia). He graduated after WG, with higher LA and Science.

I wouldn't place a 7th grader in Preparing if I wanted them ready for PS high school; I'm not sure CTC would be enough for 8th to prepare them for regular high school (as opposed to modified high school, as my son did). Hopefully Carrie or Julie (my3sons) will chime in with more placement help over the weekend. You could also call HOD, as mentioned. Julie is great at helping with placement advice based on your children's current skills and your future plans.

We, too are Canadian, and the "higher guides" being American is not an issue in the middle school guides. It is mostly world history. Yes, there is American in there, but not dominating and not beyond what I want my kids to be aware of. Yes, there are also American electives, but I simply sub those out. In Rev2Rev we drop the Signers and States studies and use some Donna Ward and other resources to complete a Canadian Geography unit. In MTMM we drop the Presidents and State studies and pull in some Civics, History, etc. to give them more Canadian content. But we complete the rest of those guides as written. However, we do skip the US 1 and 2 (last 2 guides) in high school and go with a more eclectic selection of courses, allowing my kids some personal choice both for content and for learning styles those last two years (for the ones who actually got that far. 2 graduated after WG -the son mentioned above- and WH -a DD who had different learning challenges.)

Blessings as you decide,

One more thought:
Since you’ve used the guides previously, what guides would you say the 7th and 4th place into? Have you looked at the placement chart? I can understand wanting to combine them; I’ve found HOD combines well at 1 1/2 years apart, but I wasn’t ever able to join my two 3 1/2 years apart with HOD.

I hope you find a good solution.

I realized I messed up. Have only done up to CTC and then WG and part of WH.

He’ll be 12 which I see is technically still ok for the guide. I’m still leaning a little towards it because I feel it’ll help the boys be more cooperative in actuality doing their work. We have some behaviour issues. If it’s expected they both do it, then it might go better. They’d be using their own Essential in Writing for grammar and composition. Their own math. And the older would use a general science course, followed by physical next year. He’s very resistant to reading, though he can. He hasn’t been Required to write much yet, especially by hand instead of on a computer. He’s had no narration experience, written or oral. But I still worry I’m short changing him.

HOD says Preparing extends to age 12. It sounds like your plan is coming together for you. I think with the math, science, and EIW at level for your 7th grader you would be fine. Some of my favorite HOD books are in Preparing!

Math, reading and writing is all they absolutely need to be prepared for highschool- in my opinion. I wouldn’t worry about a lighter content year. He’ll get the full history and science courses all over again in highschool. If he’s not doing well with the basics then less content is better so he can focus his energy on that. If there are topics he’s interested in preparing- let him persue those. Get library books and lay them around the house. Turn off any screens and let them get bored.

Hello Mumkins! Good to hear from you - and thank you for sharing about your son! The ladies are doing a wonderful job of talking through options with you. When you look at the placement chart, what is the highest guide your 7th grader could place quite well in (considering the first page is most important)?

When students are entering 7th and 8th grade, it becomes more important they are placed for what they really are capable of doing, as it impacts their readiness for high school. The bulk of Preparing Hearts of His Glory is geared towards 8 to 10 year-old children, which would be third through fifth grade levels. The guide only takes around 3 1/2 to 4 hours to do.

We would not typically place 7th graders in Preparing Hearts, even with extensions and upper LA/math, unless they have learning challenges that prevent them from doing a higher guide - in which case, that placement makes good sense, as modifications would be noted on transcripts and additional help would be expected and noted in high school.

Proper placement is especially important for students returning to public school in 9th grade. We want to be sure they are the best prepared they can be! I truly feel these next few years will be so important for your son's future success in high school, and I want him to be completely ready for it without question.

I'd love to hear about his reading and writing skills in general, as well as his ability to work independently and follow directions!

In Christ,
Julie

DS12 is finishing up CTC this year (probably around December) for 7th followed by Res2Ref; I’m doing preparing for 5th graders. He will likely listen in on a lot of the preparing books since he has not read them yet. CTC is pretty easy for him but it’s also challenging in some ways (he doesn’t like art- but he’s doing the watercolor and tolerating it). He’s doing most of it independently including storytime books and geography. I will work with him more on the next guide. Just thought I’d share a different option. Preparing would definitely be too easy for him.