Need Help Deciding Between Bigger and Preparing

[momofabcd]

I thought I had planned on using Preparing next year with my ds 9 ( will be 4th grade) and dd 10 (will be 5th grade and 11 in October). They really both fit that age range. However ds (9) is a very reluctant reader, and I'm afraid the self study might be too much for him. dd, on the other hand, is really in the age range of Preparing or CTC. I'm now wondering if I should do Bigger w/ the extension package for dd, but don't know how to beef it up for her. She is very capable and a strong student coming out of a classical christian school. I know I can add Igniting Your Writing, but I'm not sure how else to beef it up for her. I really want to keep them in the same program for the sake of time since I also have little ones running around. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Deena

[gracelikerain]

Hi Deena,

I am using Preparing now with my 2 dd's. 9 & 11. My 9dd is loving the program but is really dependent on me helping her. She is very bright but I think PHFHG was a bit much for her & I really needed/wanted to keep them together so I knew I would be helping her a lot. It has worked out ok but I wouldn't recommend it. I am actually going to be doing Bigger next year with them both & I will be beefing up Bigger for my 11dd who will be 12 in Oct. There is 2 threads here on the boards about beefing up Bigger. Hopefully, someone will pop in & list the links cause I have no idea how to do that! In those posts Carrie list books that will be sufficient for older kids. Hope this helps some!

[angela&4boys]

Hi Deena,

We will be using HOD for the first time and I plan on using Bigger with a 9 and (almost) 12yo. My 9yo is much like you described yours... a reluctant reader not to mention pencil phobic, but he's improving! I originally planned to use Preparing, but just didn't have a peace about it. After much thought, prayer, and sound advice from the ladies here,especially Carrie, I decided to go with Bigger. Ultimately, I knew I wanted to keep the boys together for Bible, character, and history. I have long been teaching to the eldest while attempting to add the younger in, but this proved frustrating and counter-productive for us.

My 12yo will be using the language arts and science (or Learning the Basics) of Creation to Christ which is mostly independent, so I only need to beef up Bigger Heart's history. I plan on using the suggested A Child's Story of America, adding in literature titles at his level. We have quite a few history titles in our personal library and a well-stocked public library as well. This came to be the best plan with very little I had to do on my own and without having to do two seperate programs. (They have a very active 2yo brother!)

Carrie shared this link with me about possibilities in beefing up Bigger Hearts...
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=640

Hope this helps some and I just said a prayer for you!

In Him,

[momofabcd]

Thank you both for your replies. And thank you, Angela, for your prayers. I truly appreciate it.

[Carrie]

Deena,

If you get a chance to share where your kiddos each fall individually on the placement chart linked here that would really help us advise you better! Link: http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

Pay the most attention to the first page of the chart when sharing where your kiddos place. It would also be great if you could share whether you'll be using HOD for language arts and math too, or whether you have some of your own things you'll be utilizing in those areas. Last, I'm trying to figure out if you're new to homeschooling or not? That also makes a difference in the advice we give placement-wise.

Once we have some common ground in understanding where your kiddos are at, we can explore possible scenarios for combining or not.

Blessings,
Carrie

[momofabcd]

Carrie, thanks for replying. I'm not really new to homeschooling, but have only re-begun if you catch what I mean. I homeschooled my dd (10, will be 5th grade) through 2nd grade then placed her in a classical christian school for 3rd and 4th. My ds (just turned 9, will be 4th) went to that same school until the end of January when we pulled him out. I had already decided that they fall, age wise, with Preparing, and that's the program I really want to do. However, I have a few of the selections used in the independent portion of Preparing, and a couple look like they would be a little hard for ds. Little Miriam of Galilee comes to mind. So, I began to think Bigger might be a better fit, although their ages fall within Preparing. My dd is a strong student (she'd do well with CTC), so I'm most concerned with ds, and I would like to keep them together. I started another thread about how long the independent readings are each day, because the length of the readings would help me make a decision. Ds will probably do okay with the amount of writing, although I may cut it back a bit and make more oral if need be. I'm also thinking that I could help him through the readings if he feels they are too long then gradually require more of him so that he will be independent by the end of the year.
He has a strong grammar background (Shurley English), and has done a lot of essay question type writing (VP History and Bible worksheets and tests) but not much creative. He did a couple IEW projects before we pulled him out, as well. Since January, I have been using FLL 3 with WWE 2 and will continue that route instead of switching to Rod and Staff.
Narration is something he hadn't had much of at all, that's why I chose WWE 2 instead of 3. I also have him narrate the Bible story I read to him. His narration skills are coming along quite nicely between WWE and re-telling the Bible stories. I feel both systems are helping him organize his thoughts to retell the story. He has come a long way in a few short months.

[Carrie]

Deena,

Thanks so much for sharing more about your kiddos! I really appreciate it. From what you shared, I would lean toward Bigger Hearts for your kiddos, using the Extension Package with your daughter. When coming home from a school setting, kiddos need some time to decompress and to settle into the different feel of schooling at home. I know you're not new to homeschooling, however change does take some getting used to for everyone involved.

If I'm remembering correctly you shared that your son was a bit stressed with the workload in his school setting, so I have some concerns about putting him into Preparing Hearts due to the level of writing and reading required. I know you could probably work to adjust the assignments and the attempt to water down the workload in Preparing Hearts, but from my perspective we've always found it easier to beef a program up than to water down a program that is too difficult.

If you did choose to use Bigger Hearts, you'd just adjust your daughter's level of language arts and math to her level, which is easy to do. Placing both of your kiddos in Bigger Hearts would also give you a bit more time to focus on DITHR with them and work toward both of them gaining confidence and strength as readers. I know that we sincerely enjoy the time spent digging into Drawn into the Heart of Reading with our boys.

One last thought is that while your son may be able to hang in with your daughter through Preparing Hearts, I do have some concerns about how well he'd be able to do with CTC the following year. The history and science readings are meant to be independent at that point, and I think that would be a real challenge from what you've shared. Anyway, you'll know best what to do, however I've found it is always good to look at the big picture when making your decisions. Just some food for thought.

Blessings,
Carrie

[momofabcd]

Carrie, thanks for your wealth of wisdom!!!! I think, from the advice I have gotten from you and the other ladies, I'd be foolish to go ahead with Preparing. Although, both kids and I really were looking forward to doing that whole sweep of history, it does make more sense to ease into it and make sure ds is really prepared to do the extra work. I definitely don't want to stress him out. I want them both to love learning and to love history, that's why one has already come home, and the other is coming home!!!!! Again, thank you so much for your advise