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Hi everyone, I'm brand new. My name is Amy and I have a 3rd grader and a preschooler. It's my 8 yo I am concerned about. She has not yet been pulled from public school as our decision to HS has just recently been made, but we are pulling her at Christmas break. So the great curriculum quest has begun!

I have been researching lots and won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say that I keep coming back to HoD. My mind is spinning with all the options (and costs) and I am very afraid of making a wrong choice. What I really need advice on is putting dd in Bigger or Preparing.

I have been able to look at Bigger in person (thanks Christy in TX!) and to be honest it looked a little easy for her, especially some of the readers. My dd is above her grade level in reading. So when I saw readers like Amelia Bedelia I thought I had her pegged wrong in Bigger. The spelling looked too easy also. So then I read abt Preparing, but I am worried she won't have some of the HoD fundamentals if she starts with Preparing (and I haven't seen it in person)? And there are some aspects of Preparing that would don't look familiar coming from public school. I keep going back and forth. Maybe starting with Bigger would be better to give her a little breather, have some fun working into homeschooling, but keep up with her reading by chosing extra books that are more challenging? I assume if I did that she would finish up 3rd grade with Bigger and start 4th in Preparing (then 5-8th in the future guides that will be coming...?) I keep looking at some of the history readers in Bigger and keep thinking that she has NONE of that foundational knowledge coming from public school. My dilema is allowing her to "slip" in certain skills and getting bored.

Don't even get me started on Math. I have no clue if Singapore is right for her or if something more like Math U see would be a better fit. I'm going to have to do some placements I guess.

Any advice or experiences with Bigger/Preparing would be so helpful. Am I missing something (because i certainly could be!)? Do you think Bigger is the better choice maybe with DITHR? And save Preparing for 4th grade?

Thanks so much in advance!!!

Amy

Hi Amy. I'm sure there are more experienced moms out there who will chime in and help you. I have used some of Bigger and am now using Preparing with my 3rd and 4th grade boys. The 3rd grader has some learning challenges so Preparing is a little much for him, but he loves it, so we adjust the writing somewhat for him. It is a perfect fit for my 4th grader. I think you would be fine with either Preparing or Bigger for a 3rd grader. The reading list you referred to in the back of Bigger is only for emerging readers. Independent readers would use Drawn into the Heart of Reading and you would select your own books. There are two different spelling options in the back of Bigger. If both of them are too easy, Preparing has more dictation passages that increase in difficulty. The main differences I have noticed between the two programs is the time allotment and the amount of writing required. If your child is used to writing and can work for around 4 hours a day, then she would probably be fine in Preparing. On the other hand, since she is new to homeschooling, you might want to start with Bigger, adjust the reading, spelling & possibly math, and get used to Heart of Dakota and homeschooling for the first year. Hope this helps a little!

Allison

My personal recommendation would be to start with Bigger...simply because you will both be new to homeschooling, and because you say your dd is missing the history that you saw in Bigger...

I am using Bigger...this year with both my dd 8 (3rd grade) and my ds 10 (5th grade)...using the extension pack that is available to extend their learning...and we LOVE it! My son, who is an advanced reader, is still enjoying the history, science, and story time readings very much. We have them each in their own levels for L.A. and Math. My youngest ds 5 also loves to do the science experiments...though he obviously can't do the written part. For my oldest son, we have just tried to find higher level books to read, using DITHOR as his reading program, and so far that has worked fine. It's easy to use your own books with the program if you need to...Carrie (the author) has a book list available for $5.00 and it is a wonderful resource for good book choices. Each book is categorized by genre and grade level, so the list is easy to use. You may want to add that to your order when you decide which program you're going with. As for spelling...we ordered Preparing...so we can use the dictation for my older son...and it looks good. We have not actually implemented it yet because we were getting ready to move, then we moved, and now we're packing to go on a week-long vacation for Thanksgiving. However, I do plan to start with it upon our return, and I feel confident it will be challenging enough for him. Even if the words look easy, dictation is a bit different since the child has to get everything perfectly correct before moving on...it tests listening skills too, as there is no repeating the phrases during 'test' time. Anyway, I just wanted to encourage you that Bigger... is a great program, and I don't think your dd would be bored...especially if you have her reading her own books at her level. I myself have learned a lot, and we are enjoying it as a family. I do have to say, though, that Preparing... looks wonderful, and I am so looking forward to starting it once we finish Bigger...!!

Congratulations on your decision to homeschool. I am saying a prayer for you as you start your new adventure. I started my advanced 8 year old out in Preparing this year. It was her first year with a full HOD program, and many aspects were new and challenging for her - the vocabulary, the research, the amount of writing. We both became really frustrated. I discovered that all of the materials for the first week of Bigger were either available online or at my library, so we did a "trial" week with much improvement. So I would recommend to you to try Bigger. The age range for it is 7-9 years with extensions for olders. We do some of the extensions as read alouds if they are available at our library. I have not found any of the materials to be too simple or easy for her. Even in instances where the topic is familiar to her, just the training of teaching her independence, good work habits, and diligence is great for her. For instance, today's science experiment was on electricity, and she easily predicted what would happen. But she also forgot to complete her notebook entry as assigned! It is possible that if the material is very challenging, and the new skills are very challenging, and the new way of school is different, then you might have a difficult first semester.
I hope you will love HOD as much as we have; it has been a real blessing!

Wow! Thank you all for such thoughtful replies! Why is it that sometimes all we need is 3 or 4 people to say "it'll be okay, just go ahead" and bam! That's all we needed to hear! (I guess that works in the bad way too......hmmmmmmm )

i will get cracking on figuring out what we need for Bigger and will plan to do it for the rest of 3rd grade (and into summer a bit) and transition to Preparing for 4th grade. At least that sounds like the plan for now! I think my dh and friends will just be happy to hear me stop agonizing over it all.

Next you might see some questions about math! Thanks again everyone!

Amy,

The ladies did a great job of helping you talk through your options. I just wanted to pop-in and welcome you and let you know I agree with their expert advice.

I do think Bigger sounds like the best place for you to begin. It also sounds like your sweetie is ready for Drawn into the Heart of Reading, which you can use with any books you choose. A sample book ideas list comes with the Drawn into the Heart of Reading package. You may also wish to check out the book packs, most likely looking at the Level 3 pack. Here is a link to those: http://www.heartofdakota.com/drawn-into-optional.php
Just click on the titles to see more information about each book.

I think your daughter sounds like she'd be ready for the dictation passages in the back of Bigger, rather than the spelling lists. The dication passages require writing sentences correctly as they are dictated and are a step up from the spelling lists.

You may also wish to give your daughter the Singapore placement test to see where she should begin. Don't be surprised if she needs to back up a bit, as the concepts in Singapore are considered to be advanced. I'd begin testing with 2A, and if she passes give her 2B. Then, 3A and so on until she doesn't pass anymore. 2A/2B and 3A/3B are both scheduled in Bigger Hearts. Here's a link to the placement tests: http://www.singaporemath.com/Placement_Test_s/86.htm

The grammar scheduled in Bigger Hearts comes from Rod and Staff English 2, which is very advanced. Most families use Rod and Staff a year or two behind their child's grade level. So the English 2 should be perfect for your third grader.

I just wanted to encourage you that we did Bigger Hearts last year with my second son, and he was a third grader. We found it to be a wonderful fit for him, and it really helped prepare him to be successful with Preparing Hearts as a 4th grader this year.

If you haven't already requested a catalog, you may want one. Here's a link to the catalog request: http://heartofdakota.com/catalog.php

If you have other questions, ask away. As you've already discovered, the ladies on the board are very gracious in helping one another.

Blessings,
Carrie