New to Dakota and I have a LOAD of questions!

[wow8kids]

Greetings,

After talking extensively to Julie (thanks, Julie! What an encouragement you are!!) at a convention in MN recently, I have decided to jump into Dakota for several of my children (number of participating children is yet to be determined). As I look over the catalog, I am waffling between excitement and anxiety...assuming the excitement will win out once I actually have it straight what I'm going to do next year for which kids. Is there a limit to how long a post can be I'm feeling very needy at the moment

Here's what my situation will be in the fall:
boy3 (12) 6th grade
boy4 (10) 5th grade
boy5 (8) 3rd grade
girl1 (6) 1st grade
boy6 (5) kindergarten
To add interest to my scheduling dilemma, but are not being included in HOD for the fall:
boy1 (14) 9th grade
boy2 (13) 8th grade
girl2 (3) pre-K by 2 falls (will start 2 years later than 5 boy)

I'd like to keep kindergarten as easy as it's been for me in the past. Which means not starting the kindergartener in HOD just yet. However, in the end, having him study with girl1 would probably be the better age arrangement. So, do I start girl1 in the fall with boy5 or wait until the following year when she could start with boy6 (she's a year ahead of boy6, but 2 years behind boy5). If I split them up, I will be looking at doing 4 guides at the same time in 2 years - one for boys3-4, one for boy5 and one for boy6 and girl1 and a fourth for girl2. Could I handle 2 guides next year plus 4 kids doing something else - kids in grades k, 1, 8, 9? Could I, the following year, handle 3 guides plus 2 kids doing something else? Should I just jump all in and do 3 guides next year (plus my 8th and 9th grader)? If I do that - am I holding back my girl1, who is already reading and writing?

New question. I was under the impression that there is not a lot of planning ahead for the lessons. However, it appears from some of the posts that I've perused that people have difficulty with "all the planning" and scheduling. Why is this so difficult? Does the schedule change from day to day or are there set parts that are teacher intensive and set parts that are more individual work?

New question. I'd really like my older kids to do the Apologia high school series starting with General Science in 7th or, at the latest 8th grade. Is it possible to drop part of the curriculum, say the science portion for instance? Or is everything much too integrated? After 8 years of kicks and starts and floundering - I have now found a spelling program I really like. Will this interfere with HOD, or will it integrate nicely? Just not sure how integrated it all is and how easy it is to pick and choose from the lesson plans.

I have several more questions, but I guess this is a good place to start. The answers to these may help me answer some of my other questions, but will also likely raise more - so I'll stop here and see where this might go.

Thanks so much for helping me get started!
Stacey

[gmhaynes]

This past year was my first year homeschooling and using HOD. First, let me say WELCOME! I have really enjoyed HOD with my children. I have 2 that I am actually schooling right now and using LHTH and LHFHG. Next year, we will have 3 in "school." First question, I think where you place your children depends on them. The great thing about HOD is the ability to school multiple children with one guide just by changing up the "Learning the Basics" stuff. And I think you can easily handle multiple guides, as there are plenty of people that are already doing it. So don't worry too much about that.
Your second question - I am not sure what "planning" people are talking about. I find that it takes me about 5-10 minutes to plan for the next day. Granted I am using the lowest 2 guides! I have sat down before, when I was a little more organized, and planned a month in advance. That took only about an hour and that was primarily adding in some unit studies for holidays, field trips, etc. I don't see a lot of planning at all, but again there may be a little more in upper levels.
Third question - it is VERY easy to pick and choose and replace items in the curriculum, especially the ones you mentioned. The spelling you can do whatever you want if you don't like the lists that Carrie has provided. The science is a little more integrated from my experience but could easily be switched out. Also note that Carrie does use some Apologia curriculum already.
I think you will be really happy with your choice in HOD! I know the other ladies that have been doing this a lot longer will have some good suggestions!

Best wishes!
Mary

[4froggies]

I think most of the posts that refer to help in planning and scheduling are regarding planning out which guide to use with which child and scheduling out your day. (which subjects to do when in the day). HOD really IS pretty much open and go!

[happy@home]

Welcome to HOD, Stacey!!

The only question I feel qualified to answer is that the HOD guide is open and go, Carrie has done all the planning for us!!

I am sure you will get some more tips from the ladies!!

Robbin

[Rebecca]

Hi there!
I can related to the mind boggling experience of managing multiple grades. I have six children and they are younger than yours...but I still thought I might have something to offer here.
Their ages are:
10,8,7,5,4,1.
Ithought I would chime in due to the sense of "relating" with managing all different needs.

To answer some of your questions:
1.) for you, a large family, combining is your friend! Your children can be "split" on grade level work like grammar, math, etc. but you will have to combine in other subjects to really survive. Want to know how I know this? I tried four guides at one time with young children!
Again- combining is your friend!

2.)The plans are TOTALLY open and go. The only exception for me is using the extension guide and "assessing" my son's reading. I have to plan when he will do his written narration,etc. to go with that reading. The scheduling part might be how to fit it all in. It has been said many times before on this board- and it is VERY VERY TRUE...: it takes awhile to find your groove and hit your stride. It is very true that what takes several hours to adjust to in the beginning shrinks down to amazingly manageable time chunks once you and your children adjust. We went through this with Bigger and now have just gone through it with Preparing and I am amazed how much more smoothly we are rolling. I think this is especially true for the large family that is already balancing so much. It just takes longer to get the routine down. More people on the routine, you know. So- when you start- don't be alarmed. Take it slow!!

3.) You can do whatever other curriculum you want with HOD and it does not affect the plans. If you do different science- you miss out on the history/science connections but it doesn't affect the integrity of the program. Be warned however, your day will most likely not fit in their estimated time frame. We are using a different math with our oldest this year after praying hard. Both my husband and I felt led to the switch. It adds at least an hour onto his school. But we are okay with that because we know it is the right choice for him and me. Do NOT change the spelling program that you love and have found after eight years of fits and starts unless it is NOT working.

4.) Pray about who to combine. Be willing to change your mind set about some things. Heart of Dakota is not demanding in the early years. It is quite, quite enjoyable.

5.) I am sure a lot depends on how independent your older children are. That will factor in.

I will share how I have combined my kids at this time:

10 and 8 year olds Preparing

7 Beyond

4 and 5 (LHTH)

1(almost 2) joins in on some LHTH

My daughter is five. She will be six in a couple of weeks. We just finished Letter P in LHTH. I add read alouds and K workbooks for her to make it a K program.

I hope something in here helps.
I would have to say prayer really helps. I pray a lot and that is how I really knew to keep my 10 year old in Preparing even though he places in CTC.
It also why I have total peace with my 5/6 daughter being in LHTH even though she could place in Little Hearts.

Blessings,peace, and much, much grace!
Rebecca

[wow8kids]

Thanks, Rebecca! That helps a lot. Am I right that you are doing 3 guides? I'm now considering doing 2 guides, and letting my oldest do RTR, since it appears he can do a lot of it on his own. We'll have to see. But your response was very helpful!

Stacey

[water2wine]

I am going to try to answer what I can.

After talking extensively to Julie

She is a great one to help you figure out who goes where and which programs! But I will try to help.

Here's what my situation will be in the fall:
boy3 (12) 6th grade
boy4 (10) 5th grade
boy5 (8) 3rd grade
girl1 (6) 1st grade
boy6 (5) kindergarten
To add interest to my scheduling dilemma, but are not being included in HOD for the fall:
boy1 (14) 9th grade
boy2 (13) 8th grade
girl2 (3) pre-K by 2 falls (will start 2 years later than 5 boy)

I would try (and I say try because I personally am the worst at this ) to just look at this year. You have too many in the lower levels not really knowing where they will land later phase. Ok just my gut on all that you said is 8th and 9th in one program (either RTR or CTC with Carries help on beefing them up as needed if needed)I would then see if 6th, 5th and 3rd could be combined. That is three levels and two are usually easier to combine with grades apart but I would try to combine the 3rd grader as well. That might mean catering more to that child and beefing up for the others with extension packs. And I would go ahead and combine your 1st grader and kindergartner now in probably LHFHG. You can run it slower if you need to but I think getting them together now is probably one place you should look for the future. And if it were me for your first year of HOD I would let girl 3 just have fun. You could do LHTH but I would probably lean towards three programs and waiting on that if it were me. I think because your older two will be more independent and your younger two are in a program that does not take too much time, it will end up feeling like two solid programs rather than three full programs. Later in the year if you feel like you want to add LHTH with your youngest you can or you can just simply wait.
New question. I was under the impression that there is not a lot of planning ahead for the lessons. However, it appears from some of the posts that I've perused that people have difficulty with "all the planning" and scheduling. Why is this so difficult? Does the schedule change from day to day or are there set parts that are teacher intensive and set parts that are more individual work?

New question. I'd really like my older kids to do the Apologia high school series starting with General Science in 7th or, at the latest 8th grade. Is it possible to drop part of the curriculum, say the science portion for instance? Or is everything much too integrated? After 8 years of kicks and starts and floundering - I have now found a spelling program I really like. Will this interfere with HOD, or will it integrate nicely? Just not sure how integrated it all is and how easy it is to pick and choose from the lesson plans.

You will be fine with your separate programs. We do different LA for some, different math for some and advanced science for one. It all works. Thinks are not so intertwined you can't tweak. First the program is very flexible and second you have 8 kids and therefore you have to be able to mix things up a bit. I think you will be fine. I do all kinds of things here and there and we still get the HOD flow. I think in reality you will find hitting at there needs with level even if you substitute here and there with HOD is going to be a lot easier than any of the catch all things that are out there.

Hope that helps a bit. Welcome to HOD. You are going to love it!

[water2wine]

Now that I see Rebecca's post all the stuff that she said too. She gave some great advice.