Would like to introduce myself and get advice for K & 1st

[1GirlTwinBoys]

I just wanted to welcome you to the HOD board! I don't think we've met yet. So you have twin boys? That must be exciting! Is the 1 girl you, or do you have a daughter too? I think you will enjoy this board - it is full of wonderful ladies.
In Christ,
Julie

THANKS! I didn't want to hijack someone else's thread so I decided to make a new one.

We live in Kentucky, and I have a daugther that will be 6 in March and twin boys that will be 5 in May. They have always been home with me and I prayed since they were born about homeschooling. We started in September officially homeschooling using ABEKA K4 phonics and MFW for Bible & science. We have kept this year very laid back and I would like to keep doing it this way. I'm trying to decide which curriculum to use going forward since we have finished with ABEKA K4 phonics. My daughter and one of my boy's are reading "beginning readers". My other twin boy is reading CVC words but still struggling with that. I would like to use a program that we can continue to do together and was considering the following 3 choices~ABEKA K5, RME or Phonics Pathways with Explode The Code workbooks. Any advice would be appreciated. We are getting ready to move into the next step of learning long vowels, silent "e" etc... so I think this would be a good time to make a switch if we are going to.

I am considering using Little Hearts for Bible, Science & History and will need advice on what to get or how to make this work with both grades.

Math is still undecided but leaning towards ABEKA. I am absolutely not a math person (very much dislike it and struggle) so I need something that will be scripted and easy for me to teach. Very open and go. I don't think a complete mastery is the way I want to go though.

I really look forward to getting to know everyone and hopefully can get some great advice from those with experience.

[my3sons]

Hello Kentucky gal! I'm glad you posted this. It's nice to get to know more about you! I'm so happy for you to be homeschooling - prayer before action always has a better shot of equaling God's will - so smart gal to have prayed about that. Have you checked out the placement chart? That is helpful with accurate placement; it's short and easy to use:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

Looking at LHFHG, you could do that with everyone, and just customize it for their needs. For reading, you could do phonics - I'd lean toward Reading Made Easy because of the range and ease of use, also you could add ETC if you wanted. For your dd and ds doing beginning readers, they could begin the Emerging Reader's Set whenever they are ready (we did this in the middle of our LHFHG year). You'd just want to get the Beyond guide for the Emerging Reader's Set schedule and comprehension questions. They're in the Beyond Appendix. For math, I think you should give HOD's plan a shot - it is exactly what you are describing you are wanting, and it is super easy to teach and to use. Your youngers could use the Earlybird Kindergarten math along with the great activities planned out to match that in the LHFHG guide, and your older could do Singapore 1A/1B as planned out in the Beyond guide's Math Exploration box (another easy way to adjust LHFHG for your older). For the fine motor skills, you could do Finding the Answers/Do It Carefully for the youngers, and Thinking Skills for the older. For handwriting, you could do A Reason for HW K for youngers, and A Reason for HW A for older. This would help you meet all of your dc's needs in LA and Math with LHFHG as the main guide for everyone!

But these are just ideas - I'd love to hear where you think your dc place in the placement chart - and I know others will chime in too!

In Christ,
Julie

[1GirlTwinBoys]

Thanks Julie! From everything I have read, Singapore is more "advanced" so I had not even considered giving it a try.

[Candice]

1GirlTwinBoys,

Just wanted to say hello and welcome!
I had the opportunity to answer a question of yours on another board (abot the Family Time Bible), neat to see you here!

Candice

[StillJulie]

I'd echo Julie's suggestions, including the Singapore. I am mathy (taught high school math before having kids), but my kids are not AT ALL. We've recently switched to Singapore (after trying Math U See, Horizons, and Bob Jones), and I am very pleased with it. The kids have gone from dreading math to loving it. It's been such a great change for my family.

Also, I am all for EASE for the parent, scripting, etc, and HOD is great for that! You don't have to pull from all sorts of places b/c Carrie's already done that work for you. Prep time/planning isn't required. It's just simple to follow, enjoyable for me, and enjoyable for the kids.



My reluctant reader (boy) did NOT like Phonics Pathways at all. He's getting to be a pretty good reader now. I bought the Reading Lesson (so I can't speak to the other choice), more for my next son, but it's something my older boy (7 yo) is liking alright. He also reads a chapter from the 1st grade Pathway readers to me each day.

[Carrie]

I just wanted to welcome you to the board! We're glad to have you here!

The ladies are doing a wonderful job of answering your questions. I fully agree with their advice!

Blessings,
Carrie