heartofdakota.com

Hello, I am new here. I have 7 kids ages, 11 dd,9ds,almost 9ds, 7dd,4ds,almost 3ds and 8ds months. I just switched( like last week) the 7 year old from R&S to HOD. I love, love, love, it. Truly, I have tried Sonlight, R&S, TOG, KONOS, and various other pieces to curriculums and had a little success here or there in liking a few things but never like this. My daugther is so happy, she has never said she liked anything but art in school before and now she loves everything but phonics. She is LD, although I am not sure which label as having her tested has been difficult. I have experience though as her brother is CAPD, ARND, and other labels I am not sure of but the doctors think so. Anyhow I am sold on switching my 2 9 year olds to Preparing Hearts next year, as I bought Beyond Little for my 7 year old as I said and it is awesome. The projects are so doable and I love how it makes them think. I am not a bad teacher I just have too many things going on to think sometimes. It seems like my oldest knows how to think and then my 2 LD kids have no clue. I went wrong somewhere with it and now I have so many I overwhelmed by things with too much planning to start from scratch. Anyhow my question is my eldest will be 6th grade next year. I was going to put her in dialectic TOG Year 3. She has done Ancients 3 times due to mom having issues with starting new curriculum at the beginning. So anyhow, the problem is the poor child has never done Americna history per se. We are in the 1600's now on Year 2 Unit 3 TOG. She has never done any American History to speak of except for what's in A Child's History of the World in 2nd grade. Poor thing went to a homeschool B-day party and they played a history game where you had to guess your character name that was taped on your back, she was in 4th grade and it said George Washington and she couldn't guess. Totally my fault. Sometimes I feel like such a failure. Anyhow now she knos as she is an avid reader and has read almost every Year 2 TOG book in UG, and D even though we haven't gotten to them yet.

So sorry, I am an otter and I bunny trail alot. So next year I want to do my youngest who will be 3 and half in LHTH, becasue he is ever so bright and sits with me when I school his 4 year old brother, and loves every minute of it. I also want to do my 5 year old in something. He is doing the everything on the left hand side of the Beyond pages now with my 7 year old for entertainment. He gets some stuff and not others but loves the games. I would like to do LHFHG , because he will probably be reading by the end of the summer. He could now I think if I had the time. He is in Get Ready, Set, Go for the code and needs me for nothing but forming letters and reading instructions because he already knows all the sounds. I am going to do Phonics Pathways with him this summer I think. I am going to do Beyond with the 7 year old again. She is a slow learner and has done 1 st grade twice. She reads really well but her comprehension is very poor and she does well with repetition. She is also behind and Math so it will kind of be our first 2nd grade. So my 2, 9 year olds need PHFHG, and Drawn into Reading 2/3 and can do it togther, and that no issue, but what about my 6th grader. She is a stinking genius, I know that is prideful to say but it's hard to convey in an e-mail. I have never presented her with something she can't do. She did UG and half of the D work this year. She is on Lesson 70 in Grade 5 grammar of R&S. She is almost done with R&S math grade 5 and had already done MUS Epsilon. I switched Maths too, long story. So anyway, what to do with her. She is really ready for Middle School but needs American or Modern History. I already have too many things listed. Do I drop the 3 year old, I mean obviously I could? Can I combine somehow. My 7 year old is nowhere near my 2, 9 year olds in anything. They are going to be at grade level 4th graders and she will barely be a 2nd grader in everything but reading ability, and what good is that if you don't understand what you read and don't remember any of your phonics lessons ( she is a die hard sight reader). So at minimum I see, LHFHG, BHFHG, PHFHG, and Dialectic Year 3 TOG. That so doesn't sound doable. Every year I think OK this year is going to be easier but somehow it doesn't happen. I mean yes, the older they get the easier the younger ones get my olders just seem stretched. My eldest sits and practically schools herself except for my hour with her each day, which TOG says is good, but I feel like she is cheate. I have the 2 LD kids one of which takes me at least 3 hours a day to teach. I combine 2 of those with the 4 year old. My other 9 year old is ADD. He is smart and can do the work but won't unless you hover. I wonder all the time if it's my fault. He can't seem to get done unless you are helping him in some way, even if it's just to read to him. Or is he just a boy and can't stop staring out the window and getting out of his chair. I think he will do better in PHFHG as there is so much more activity potential than what we are doing now. I will stop rambling now.

So the main question is those who are more experienced please give an opinion. I am so happy to have found HOD but my head is about to explode thinking about how I will pull this off. I so wish HOD worked on a 4 year rotation like TOG. That is one thing I do like about it. I never seem to get to the activities because they are so hard though, so is it really that much better? My eldest can read all the books and glean from that as she is an applier but my other kids don't seem to be. and the vocabulary words, wow who knows what those mean anyhow. Also I have yet to teach writing. I am a pre vet major and English was my weakness. I want to buy IEW but I was wondering if the Drawn into Reading would do an okay job for her age. Or should I trail her on PHFHG and do IEW for a year? Too many choices now I am officially going to be quiet and wait for someone else to say something wise who isn't as overwhelmes by this as I am.

Here's what I'm thinking...just keep in mind I'm no expert! Since you really want the American History, you could do Bigger Hearts with your 9yr old's and your 6th grader. Do it as written for the 9yo's and then add the extension book pack for your 6th grader as well as the proper grade level of math, DITHOR, and R&S grammar. You might consider adding Igniting Your Writing for her as well. Since the extension books say for 5th graders, you may consider adding in an extra book or two for her to read in addition to with the scheduled extension book. It's a biographical account of American History so it would be easy to find books at your library or to buy online. Or possibly just have her research the people that are being studied in order to learn more about them as well as hone in on research skills. Oh, and if your 7yo is doing Beyond now, you could move her into Bigger next year with the other 3 for the left side (history, science, Bible, etc) and do the right side of Beyond with her again if you feel that is needed. Or you may decide she's ready to move into the right side of Bigger at some point and join the others in all of it, just her own level of Math and R&S english.

So you'd have LHFHG and Bigger (possibly just the right side of Beyond) and could fit in LHTH a few times a week if you wanted. Also, LHFHG can be done half-speed (1pg. a day) to stretch it out over 1.5 to 2 years-- the first year with K materials and the next with 1st grade materials-- only doing daily work in phonics, math and handwriting. This means you'd spend about 45min. per day in K. DITHOR is multi-level teaching and would be rather independent for your 6th grader, and semi-independent for your 4th graders or if they do 2/3 then only about 15-20 min. You could do the emerging reader set with your 7yo if you aren't already doing that or save that for next year if she isn't ready yet. The schedule for those is in the Beyond appendix and that should help build comprehension.

IMHO, this is much more doable in real life than doing several different programs. The following year you could continue LHFHG w/1st grade materials and move the 4 oldest up to Preparing Hearts together (extension book pack and Igniting Your Writing for the oldest). The little guy could continue or repeat LHTH with the "olders" activities. Preparing would be an overview of world history starting with ancients and moving on in time. Then you'd start the 4 yr history cycle, all with the extension pack for your oldest. The first of that will be ready for this fall, then a new guide should be out each year after that.

Hopefully this makes sense...if I need to clarify anything, just let me know!

That sounds good in theory. Do you really think Bigger is challenging enough being that there will be 2, 4th graders and a 6th grader doing it? I am just asking since it looks like you have tried it. I am really inclined to do less with the 7 year old than more since we have had so many challenges with her. But that is still easily doable in your plan by putting her with the LHFHG. She really has the most issues with thought process she thinks like your average 5 year old at the moment. Anyhow thanks for the suggestion I so wouldn't have thoguht about it that way. Also do the 9 year olds do DITHOR 2/3 and the 6th grader do DITHOR 5/6 or do they all do the same one?

I think there is plenty challenge for them all with the 6th grader getting the extension pack plus some other books and/or research on the individuals you study.

DITHOR would be taught from the same manual which has the assignments for each level. You have workbooks for 2/3, 4/5, and 6/7/8. There are book packs available to get the books you need for each level and genre. You teach the lesson to them all and then they do what is in the workbook for their level.

I think it sounds good the way you said, 3yo LHTH, 4 and 7yo in LHFHG, and 9yo's and 11yo in Bigger. THAT is very doable! I hope you are able to make it work they way the fits your family best! I'm doing Beyond and LHTH plus phonics and math right now plus my two year old running around...that's not as many little feet as you have running around, but school wise, it has not been burdensome at all.

Hi there! I am so glad you are enjoying Beyond..., and I know we can help you sort through this. Let me say first and foremost, that I am in awe of you and think you are a very good mother! Anyone would feel overwhelmed in your shoes, but I know we can figure this out and make your days go a whole lot smoother. HOD is written with busy moms in mind - it's written to make homeschooling possible for the long haul. I am thinking hard about what you've said here, and about what Tamara has said too. I want to talk this over with Carrie first. We will post a response here soon - but I didn't want you to think you weren't going to get more responses here. Check back later today or tomorrow - we'll have prayed and talked then and will be able to give a clearer response. Other moms are sure to chime in too.

In Christ,
Julie

Thank you ever so much, I look forward to more ideas. I really appreciate the heads up.

abtowell,

I do not have the same number of children as you do..just 3 and one due in March...so I can't recommend a real plan for you. I've been on here myself several times this year trying to 'tweak' my schedule! I just want to encourage you though that Carrie (and Julie) can come up with a great plan for you...and the previous poster had a good handle on it too. You'll get some great suggestions to work with because everyone here is very helpful.

We are using Bigger...this year with my 8 yo (as is) and my 11 yo (5th grade- using the extensions). So far, all the readings, activities, songs, experiments have been big hits with both of them. DS 11 has not had anything negative to say about it, and they are both learning. I think it would be possible to use Bigger...with the extensions for a 6th grader...it really depends on your state's requirements and what your personal feelings are about what needs to be learned. It sounds like you really want to cover American History, and Bigger... is a super way to do that. We're having a LOT of fun with it! The readings for history, science and storytime, plus the ones in the extension pack (we're reading this aloud) are great. I know Carrie and Julie will come up with a wonderful plan for you to follow. They always have great advice, as do so many of the others who use HOD products. So hang in, and I think you'll be able to get this squared away!

Hi. I think we have some similarities. I Have one in 6th grade that was also weak in Amer and very bright and I have one with special needs. I have four children in Bigger and 2 in LHFHG, so a total of six. One of the children in Bigger has cerebral palsy and learning delays, she reads beginning second grade level. We have found Bigger has a lot of flexibility. I am able to accommodate my four oldest children very well even though we have a broad range of capabilities frm special needs to very bright. I read the extension pack aloud for the benefit of my child who has special needs and then allow my child who is a little advanced to read some of the books that Carrie has suggested for beefing up the program. Here is a link to that. viewtopic.php?f=6&t=640&hilit=poor+richard With a large family you will want to combine as many as possible. I think there is enough flexibility in Bigger that you could combine your oldest children in it for the sake of the child that needs American. You and I have a similar age span except for the baby. I have 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 11. One of my nine year olds is probably on your 7 year old level. Bigger is working great for us. I would consider moving all your older children to Bigger and then the next year you can evaluate if Preparing or Ancients is the way you want to go for your oldest. The focus of HOD is so different and there is so much Bible and character in there that you might be surprised even that doing Ancients with HOD focus might not seem so bad to you. At any rate you will have more children ready to be independent and if some go into Preparing and some go into Ancients it won't be such a big deal. Just having a semi large family myself and a child with learning issues the simpler you get it the happier you will be. There is so much there in HOD that I think you will find you can cover a wider range of children then you are thinking in one program. I hope this makes sense and is helpful!

Welcome to HOD. Praying you can get all your children into. It is worth modifying things a bit. It will add a lot of peace to your hsing to have them all in HOD. We had to make some adjustments for levels but it was the best hsing decision I ever made to go to HOD. Hope you find the best fit for your family.

Momto7,

You have already received such good advice on possible options from the ladies on the board. They are so gracious and encouraging, aren't they! I can tell that you are a very busy, very conscientious homeschool mom. I'm so glad that you are finding a fit for your 7 year old with Beyond. That is something to celebrate!

When looking at your situation, and sorting through what you've shared so far, it sounds to me like your 7 year old needs to continue to be the #1 priority in your homeschool day. Getting that particular child to feel successful in school is most important for this year. So, I would continue with that child, alone in Beyond.

Next, priority-wise, I see that your 9 year olds and your 11 year old need a program that will allow you to have some projects and learning that they can do together. It does sound like Preparing Hearts will be the best fit for them overall. A one-year overview of world history will provide an excellent foundation for all learning to come after it. Focus on the the Lord and His plan for the world will lead to wonderful discussions with your kiddos too. Your oldest will also need to do the Extension Pack. In addition, since your oldest child has not had much American history, I would compensate for that by adding in additional reading on American history when you get to the last half of Preparing Hearts. The reading will then match the time period you are studying and help your child fill in gaps. You could easily add the Guerber books (The Story of the Thirteen Colonies, etc.) for your sixth grader, add some of the other books water2wine linked in her post, like Abigail Adams by Bober, James Daugherty's Poor Richard and Of Courage Undaunted, and consider adding Story of the World volume 4 (for later American history). You can purchase this on audio if that helps. Another option for early American history would be This Country of Ours by H.E. Marshall. I would only add these in if your sixth grader is a strong reader and doesn't mind the extra load. I wouldn't add all of these, but would choose a couple spine-type books (that are still narrative) to give a complete picture of American history. Just add a chapter (or two) a day at most.

As far as your little ones go, I would put the 3, 4, and 5 year olds in LHTH together. I would add additional phonics, math, and handwriting for your 5 year old (either using our options from LHFHG or your own favorites). Then, the following year, I would move the then 4, 5, and 6 year olds up to LHFHG all together, and do LHFHG at half-speed, stretching it out over 2 years. Then, those 3 kiddos will all be able to stay together as you move up through the years, and they will fit right within the recommended ages of the HOD guides.

By following this plan all of your kiddos will be within the target age ranges of our guides and you will have a manageable schedule. I'd love to hear your thoughts if you get a chance to pop back in.

Blessings,
Carrie

I'm sorry. I misread your post. I thought somehow you were asking for next year. Anyway I misread some things. Sorry about that. Just disregard my post and I will say welcome. You will love HOD and I know you will find the perfect fit for you! And welcome!

abtowell - I wanted to say that Carrie and I both appreciate and value the opinions of the ladies on this board, and we sometimes like to hang back and read other moms' ideas to mull them over. We respect what they have to say so much, and reading several options helps so much. I am sure that you feel the same way - it is so helpful to read several different options and then combine ideas from this or that one to come up with a plan that fits your particular family situation. I have been busy praying for you, and Carrie and I talked your situation over at length the other night. Being able to keep the young threesome together now and in the longrun is key. I also think it is a great idea to keep your Beyond gal going happily, And, your oldest 3 will be challenged in Preparing - as well as able to have a great overview of history and God's hand in it all. Adding in the American history readings will fill that need easily as well. So, abtowell, we are pins and needles, wondering what you think now? How are you feeling about all of this? It is our hearts' desire to have you loving homeschooling and feeling at peace with your decision. Thank you to the wonderful ladies on this board - your knowledge and ideas, and your focus on God is something that everyone on this board benefits from.

In Christ,
Julie

First I want to say how encouraging this board is. I have a friend that lives nearby and does TOG with me. Her 7 year old is also special needs but, she only has 3 kids. Anyhow I had told her about my switch to Beyond and encouraged her to try it as our kids have similar issues and are not responding to TOG. Then I told her about this board and how great, and helpful, the replys have been. She was more tempted to switch for the board than Beyond . I just thought that was sweet. She kept saying I want an opinion with a prayer, too. I hope she comes on over. I am ever so excited to have found this.

So onto my decision. I cannot switch until next year due to finances( unless I get super lucky and can sell my KONOS and other stuff I tried and didn't work). Going out on a limb for one is OK but after the TOG investment abandoning for 4 more is daunting, in my husband's eyes, and rightly so. Everyone's opinions were helpful, really. I think I like the 4 kids in Bigger and little 2 in LHTH or LHFHG. I am unsure on them. Carrie accidently added a child, although I realize I can be confusing. Next school year in Sept. I will have an 11.8 dd, 10.2 ds, 9.7 ds, 8.4 dd, 5.5 ds, 3.7 ds, and 1.4 ds. Hopefully no babies. Not that they aren't a blessing but I like my 2 to 3 year spacing and a surprise might be a bit overwhelming on top of all of this. I am thinking about doing the LHFHG with the little 2 just in case the ( going to be)8 year old needs to step down. Some of the Beyond stuff is tough on her and I am nervous about going up. I didn't add before but I saw some might understand. She is adopted and has alot of issues besides learning. She was attachment disordered and while it is mostly resolved her reasoning skills, and memory retention are also affected. That is one of the reasons I wanted to know how doable it was to do 3 HOD's. I think the big boys can tag with my eldest. They are pretty bright. The older of the 2 is also adopted and had alot of issues but has come light years from his humble beginnings. My main problem with the big boys is lack of motivation in unattended work. The oldest only cares about being done. He rushes through his workbooks and puts down answers but doesn't attempt to understand it at all or ask questions ( so does dd in Beyond). So days go by sometimes where I think he knows something and he doesn't and I end up backtracking to reteach. This happens alot in Grammar. He can't tell me what a direct object is or how to find it, 3 days after he got at least a B on the lesson and the worksheet. The younger of the 2 biggers, lacks motivation period. He is very bright. he does science, history, and bible study assignments unattended but, math and grammar, when I am not within 3 feet of him, he just gazes out the window. It's not that he doesn't understand he just won't finish. So while I wish that I was almost at having 3 independent workers soon, alas it does not look promising. My eldest has been an independent perfectionist since birth so there was no gradual coming of age for me to model after. But, I do realize she is a firstborn and that happens sometimes with them.

I have enacted a ticket system for school and chores. For awhile it worked well for motivation and now the 2 older boys just decide which tickets they are after to do what they want and which they don't care about. It's frustrating really to have to tweak things to get them to work. I have done chore and such since they were 2, but they always manage to find an out. My eldest will work and work at anything and always reaps the rewards. The target child in Beyond is on the Feingold diet, also does the ticket system, among other things and still half the time can't tell you why she is in trouble or how to do better. I think it is due to cause and effect issues, but I can't be sure. I am hoping that having the character training in with the curriculum will help. She got a little nervous during our discussion on being responsible today during read aloud time. We have always done Bible, but it was always a seperate subject, with the exclusion of R&S which target child does not generally understand. She can tell you what happened most of the time but not how it applies. Eldest ds just caught on to R&S this year he now understands key concepts like God was looking at David's heart not his muscles when he chose him. This is not only important from a biblical sense but personally to him as he is short and my other younger son is taller and it causes problems sometimes. We discuss alot that God's opinion counts more than anyone's and being tall is not on of His list of requirements.

I am rambling again. Sorry, I do that. Not many people to talk to about homeschooling being the problem, aside form liking to talk of course. If you notice my location is Germany so homeschooling outside of the SOFA agreement for the Air Force is illegal here, so not alot of homeschool socializing going on here.

Thanks again for all the help, maybe I will get lucky and move back to the states in July and catch a convention somewhere so I can look at Prepared and Bigger in person. That would be ideal. I think what won me over was water2wine actually almost doing what I need to do next year, already. Plus Carrie's comments about adding. My eldest is truly independent. She is an awesome reader and can handle almost anything I throw at her. Extra books wouldn't cramp her style at all and I actually think she is going to really love DITHOR. I am just hoping timewise that that will be possible too. Again encouraged that water2wine is doing that as I see in her signature. So it must be at possible. One last question on Preparing though, does it start in Ancients or somewhere else in History? Also anyone else who has some great insights, opinions are still welcome, the more informed I feel, the better things seem to go for me. Especially since only my eldest and my Beyond dd finished school on time this week. Everyday the boys had something they didn't or wouldn't do. I only had time for my 4 year old twice this week ( schoolwise) because of it. I am always torn as to what to do when the kids don't finish their work. I don't mean because they don't understand, I mean due to laziness. Comments on that are more than welcome. I pray about that every morning or more like all day. Mostly I end up praying for paitence because I know if I am driven nuts I can't help them. I am making headway in the not getting flustered department in my time with God but not in the kids responding to it or they are just not there yet. It has helped dramtically that dd is in Beyond because she was not finished with them before. I'd say they don't finish 75% of the time. I am really praying if they think school is more fun that they will jump on my wagon and finish. One look at HOD, and you can tell it's was more fun that what we have been doing. Makes me wish I had looked a little harder last summer for new curriculum. We( the 5 moms here thaat homeschool) have a curriculum share in February here though, for the 3 closest bases. I am so excited to be able to offer something so great for new moms. Last year all of us who are experienced told the new moms to go with Sonlight because TOG is way to hard for newbies. Most of the people who decide to homeschool here aren't doing it for the same reasons we are. They want to avoid the bad base school or they want to travel because they are in Europe. We had 3 moms who would have never tried it step out of the box last year. Two of them have stuck with it and are still homeschooling. I have never been quite so excited to share before. Not only did I find a great curriculum, the awesome people come with it. Especially since we are so isolated where we are.

Thank you , thank you, thank you, again, I better go feed my baby. Poor thing has pink eye and a cold. I am now up to 6 in the family that have had pink eye, I am hoping to avoid the other 3 members but somehow I am not feeling lucky. Could be chicken pox though so I rejoice.

Not to hihack your thread, but what kind of ticket system do you use? I have one also on the Feingold diet and we are implementing more structure at home, but I would love to know about your ticket system. You can PM me if you'd like.

Momto7,

It sounds like you have done a wonderful job of thinking through your options and feel good about your decision. We are very blessed to have the counsel of so many wise ladies on this board. I agree it is an important help to find someone who has a similar family set-up to your own if possible, like water2wine's, and see what they're doing successfully!

We have a very eclectic group of ladies on our board who are each united in their love for the Lord and their love for their kiddos. I'm so thankful that the ladies all chime in to toss around ideas, as that is really what is needed when discussing placement options.

We look forward to getting to know you better in the future.

Blessings,
Carrie

Momto7,

I don't have any advice for you, but I just want to applaud you as an Air Force wife living in a foreign country and trying to homeschool. I do not live in Germany, but I am actually writing from Germany right now. I am over here helping out my brother and his wife and their 2 yo twins for a week. He is in the Army here. I have felt rather alone and isolated since arriving. We are the only Americans in this little German village. I cannot imagine how hard it is to homeschool while so far away from your support system or family and also with a husband serving. I truly admire the wives and moms whose husbands are in the service. Thank you for your sacrifices and I pray that God blesses you. May you be able to return to the States soon!