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We have been taking a non-traditional approach to early elem. schooling with ds and I'm trying to decide what to do with him.

I can't decide between Preparing and CTC. It's too close on the placement chart. We aren't quite ready to start, as I don't know if we're ready for more formal schooling starting sometime in 4th or wait till 5th.

This is current skill level and/or what we will have completed in each subject before starting HOD in 4th grade, followed by what we will have completed if we wait till 5th:

Age in 4th 9, 5th 10
Reading: Ready for DITHOR 4/5
Writing: Can write well in cursive, can copy long passages easily, does several sentences of dictation with up to 3 average sentences or 2 long sentences at a time (from Primary Language Lessons). Is still working on narration-- oral is doing pretty well, still working on written but getting practice. Does creative writing in free time-- likes to mimic Aesop's fables and such.
Grammar, etc.: Will complete Primary Language Lessons and begin Intermediate Lessons soon with a 2-yr. schedule instead of 3 and we'll add in a lesson or 2 a week of Basic Cozy Grammar. We will complete most of ILL and Intermediate Cozy Grammar 1 (possibly 2 if it's going well) by 5th grade. Also regularly does MadLibs. Can do basic diagramming. We wish to change over to R&S after this LA combo that's been working well for us, likely doing R&S 5 in 5th. (PLL and ILL are strong in narration, copywork/dictation, writing and outlining...but not grammar which is why I'm adding in the Cozy Grammar for now and I don't have time to add in another lesson I have to teach right now! Just going for exposure)
Math: Is soon to begin Singapore. Finishing up with all the concepts in Ruth Beechick's The Three R's for K-3 and some of the 4th grade concepts. I belive he'll be ready for Singapore 3B, maybe 4A. I've taught over the years with Singapore Math in mind and have sometimes used the books as a guide for order of concepts but take a RB?real life approach to it. We do use the "singapore bar" method for our word problems.

I think he's ready for CTC even in 4th, but if we decided to wait, I'm not sure if I'd like to do Preparing in 5th anyway for the history overview. I'm not sure I want to do Preparing in 4th if he is ready for CTC as well...so much to consider. I know you HOD moms can help me!

4th grade I'll also be caring for/schooling 3 other children: 1st grade, Pre-K 4yo, and 1yo....I will be doing LHTH with the 4yo and focusing on the basics for my 1st grader using RB methods which we'll do until about 3rd grade. Just letting the youngers learn naturally from their world, pick up science and history they can from the olders, and focus on the 3R's...plus LOTS of literature on their level, some american history books, read alouds, etc for an informal history/science/extras program.

Personally, I would start with Preparing. If it is not enough for him as written, then you cal always add in the extensions. That would give him the great overview of world history before starting the 4 year in depth studies. My older son ios in 5th now and doing Bigger (we wanted American History). He will start with Preparing next and do extensions because of his age. HTH!

I'm very tired and I'm going to try post a reply anyway...so bear with me

I can see that working if we do start HOD for 4th, but what if we start in 5th? He places into either one at the point, but a year later I would imagine CTC would be the likely placement. Will he be missing out by not doing Preparing if he places higher into the CTC? Also, if we start in 5th with Preparing, wouldn't we miss one guide since we'll move on to high school?

R&S English 5, Singapore math 3B/4A or 4A/3B, and ready for all the other 'meat" of it. Not to mention a big interest in ancients.


All history topics aside, skills wise, I want to find the best placement. We will be finishing up our American history studies we've been doing and doing a more interest driven year anyway-- ancients, greeks, latin (more like roots, prefixes, suffixes ) pyramids, certain people or places of interest, etc. -- unless we go with Preparing. Many of the books we are interested in are part of Preparing, but I'm not sure I'm ready for a full load-- a full guide that needs to be followed...I'm the type that if I start it, I have to finish it. And I won't start a lesson that day if I know I'll not get to finish it! We still need our focus on the basics right now...but if there is enough independent work in Preparing, we might be interested in it now...even though there's still the facts that he somewhat is on the line in placement even at this point. Other than with the basics, my kids are working independently or together in most everything. I am not tied down and can put some energy into the house, and the littlest littles. and then school is done and we get to all have fun together. I help with math and phonics, and start the lessons in PLL. We have a nice groove with all the other subjects, reading to each other for history/science, phonics kid reading his readers to big bro with him helping when needed, he watches his cozy grammar lessons and does a bit of the sheet and checks/corrects his work (I have regular accountability meetings), I start off in PLL and he runs with it and I check it. It's going well...structure is appealing if we won't be mixed up by continuing on our LA path that is working for us, if there is plenty of independent work for him, and not a lot of teacher commitment, and I can find books on the levels of my youngers. Looking at both, I think he could handle the workload of either one, and I see much more independent work in CTC (which appeals to me as well as ds).
How do you feel Independent vs. mom time compares in both Preparing and CTC??

The only issue that takes him back out of fully fitting into CTC where we are now, is his written narration abilitiy. It's not as strong as I'd like, but we're working with it. Needs just a bit more guidance. But we'll get more of that once we start ILL, which is what we are about to do.
The basics will all put him right up there with CTC for 4th I believe. But I'm more apt to do CTC for 5th....just not sure if I'm ready to start this year for 4th at all unless there was a chance he could really do most of it Indepednently and mom could be left to provide the attention my 3 littles will require of me. I want to be involved, but I can't be in every minute of it...I want him to need me, but I want him to learn what to do when he needs me and I'm not there right away....you kwim? I want much of it to be used in a way to build his self confidence in seeing his skills really are there without mommy having to lead the way...come out from under my wing and see what you can do! Kind of thing....

Welcome to the HOD Board, hsmom4! Well, you have 2 good options. We are doing CTC for 4th. grade with my ds. We are in week 1, and he's able to be very independent. I'm also teaching Beyond to my 6 yo, and doing some fun activities with my 2 yo (soon adding LHTH in January). We're only 3 days into it, but our days are already settling into a pretty stress free routine. We start at 8:15 AM and end around noon or 12:30 PM (we're finishing earlier than I thought we would) .

We did PHFHG last year (which we loved as well), and I had more teaching time with that. You can see where your teaching time will be by looking at the sample plans. The "I" means the child does that box independently. The "S" means the box is done semi-independently, usually I introduce it and he finishes it. The "T" means the box is teacher-directed.

Link to the PHFHG first week sample:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/pdf/PHFHG-sample-week.pdf

Link to the CTC first week sample:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/pdf/CTC-First-Week.pdf

I think it really comes down to how independent a child can be and how well he can follow directions. If I were you, I'd print out the PHFHG first week plans and the CTC first week plans, and lay them side by side - paying special attention to the differences in what the dc are asked to do independently. My ds uses the CTC manual as much as I do. He looks at it as HIS plans for the day as much as I do. He checks off the boxes as he does them, and he follows the schedule I've made for him easily. I make sure to teach the "T" boxes and check his work, but CTC is easy on me. My ds has done all of the previous HOD guides, however, so he is very familiar with the format and is comfortable using the guide himself - he is also a strong reader. I say this because it could make a difference in how independent a child can be with CTC.

Here is our schedule for last year for PHFHG (and LHFHG), in case that may help:




Here is our schedule for this year for CTC (and Beyond), in case that may help:


Here are the approximate times boxes take in PHFHG:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4244&p=31219#p31219

Here are the approximate times boxes take in CTC:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3765

If you are thinking your child is ready for this, then I say jump in and do CTC! It is a fantastic program, and it is a very exciting and satisfying way to do school. If you are thinking to start now and PHFHG looks to be a better fit, that was wonderful as well. You really can't go wrong here - I will pray for clarity for you in your decision, and be sure to ask more questions if you have any!

In Christ,
Julie

Thank you My3sons,

I think we will start with CTC whether we start in 4th or 5th. He is quite ready other than the narration, so there is no reason to let that one thing hold us back an entire guide. We'll be working on that skill between now and the time we are able to start anyway through our current LA. What levels of R&S LA will be in the guide following R&S? I'm hoping to be ready for R&S 5 when we start, but if we're not I am worried about being behind. There's always summers though to play catch up since we don't like to break completely. Do I have it right that R&S 5 will be done over 2 years in CTC and the next guide, then R&S 6 in 1yr in the next and then R&S 7 in 1yr in the next?

The "less teaching time" and "more independent" helped win me over as well I have a very independent learner and less teaching time will be essential to his school actually getting done each day considering I have 3 younger children as well that will need much of my time.

Now time to start saving to make our purchase!

The general HOD goal is to finish R & S English Level 6 by Grade 8, and that can be done in a variety of ways depending when dc come to HOD - going half-speed one or more of the years, and/or full-speed on others. R & S is very rigorous, and even though I have a love of grammar, that goal seems wise to me. The CTC guide schedules both R & S English 4 half-speed and R & S English 5 half-speed, and you just choose one of them to do. We are enjoying that this year, but if you wanted to go full-speed with an R & S level it would not be hard to do - it is not hard to schedule. I believe the following year the rest of the half-speed plans will be planned, and then from there full-speed in the actual HOD guides. Oh, and I was going to mention many ladies do a good portion of R & S orally/on markerboard to cut down on the time it takes. We do this - my ds writes about a third of the lesson in his composition book and the rest is done orally/on markerboard with me - and he has still shown good retention. HTH - and I am glad you are coming to a decision with which you can feel at peace. HOD is such a wonderful way to teach in our home, and I know it will be in yours as well!

In Christ,
Julie