help with choosing

[snj407]

Hi there!

First of all...I'm so excited to have found HOD! It seems to be just what I am looking for!


I've been homeschooling for about 3 years and have really enjoyed it. But this last year was a hard one..as far as schooling goes. Not only was I sick and pregnant with my fourth baby...but I had a 1st grader,a 2nd grader and a preschooler. I did three individual cirriculums, spread throughout the day and it was the "traditional" approach. It was really difficult having to ignore two children while I schooled one at a time. Also, they got REALLY bored with the approach I was using. By the end of the year both me and my kids were burned out. I thought, I am choosing to homeschool for the chance to teach my kids in a more creative way, and here I am sticking to the public school method. And it IS NOT working! I would LOVE to be able to teach some subjects to all of the kids at the same time. Also, I would love a different approach to teaching. Making it an enjoyable experience where education comes to life! Ya know?!
Anyway, I wanted to hear some input from some experienced HOD users about what to order for my family. I will have a second grader, a third grader, and one in Kind. The third grader is an independent reader...the second grader an emerging reading. I was thinking of doing "Beyond" science this year and "Bigger" History ...then switching it around next year...so my 2nd and 3rd grader can learn together. Is that possible? I'm really lost on this and would really appreciate the input!

[my3sons]

Welcome to the HOD Board! I'm so glad you've found HOD, and I think happy times are ahead of you. We have 3 sons we use HOD with, and all of us are enjoying our homeschool journey so much. I know you will with HOD too! Placement is worth spending some time on, so you are wise to consider it carefully. The placement chart is easy to use and has been very accurate in placing each of our dc. Here is a link to that:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

The first page of the chart is the most important. I'd love to hear about each of your 3 dc with that page of the placement chart in mind. If you could share their ages and a tad about each of them in regard to the placement chart, the ladies will all chime in with advice until you figure out what would work best for your family. I'm looking forward to getting to know you here!

In Christ,
Julie

[MomtoJGJE]

I agree with Julie about looking at the placement chart... it really is helpful.

If *I* was in your situation, here is what I would do. I would put both of the older two in Beyond this year and have them do the left side together and the right side at their level, which may or may not be together. Then for the little one I would do LHFHG half speed for the K'er (this would put some separation between guides for your teaching pleasure ) The other option for the K'er would be to do LHTH along with the right side of LHFHG this year, and then next year do LHFHG with the 1st grade options on the right side.

One thing to remember, that I really have trouble remembering day-to-day, is that it's SO MUCH EASIER to make something more challenging for an older child than to "dumb" it down for a younger...

[snj407]

Ok..so looking at the placement chart, it looks like the my 5 year old is right on for "Little Hearts for His Glory"...matched up for every category...
My 7 year old son fit perfectly into "Beyond"...and my 8 yr old into "Bigger". The question is...how do I (or can I) blend some of these things? Also, would you explain this "left-side, right-side" thing? Should I have seen a description for this on the web page somewhere? Thanks SO MUCH!

[krismoose]

The guides are generally laid out in a 2-page spread for each day. The left hand page is the Learning Through History readings and activities, including bible, art and science. Here is http://www.heartofdakota.com/pdf/beyond ... t-week.pdf an example of Beyond's first week of plans. This "left side" is what some people choose to combine 2 or more kids in the learning. The right side is math, reading, language arts that can be tailored to each child's level. I second momtojgje's suggestion for combining in Beyond and doing LHFHG over 2 years with your 5yo. You could add more science for your oldest by getting more library books on the topics, or even extra experiments like Usborne's Science with Magnets, etc., or any topic of interest. Do look ahead at future guides so you don't duplicate a science that's to be done later - Some of the Apologia texts are used later on. The science is related to the history, so you may not want to do the science from Bigger before you do the full guide. HTH

[my3sons]

Thanks for sharing about each of your dc in regard to the placement chart - I agree with all of this excellent advice you've gotten here! Doing LHFHG half-speed with the 5 yo, and doing Beyond as your main program with the 7 and 8 yo, would set you up for a very nice rotation over the years.

Your 5 yo could do the left side of the plans one day, and the right side of the plans the next day in LHFHG, but with daily phonics. Your 7 yo could do all of Beyond as it is written, and your 8 yo could do all of it as well, only with using any needed higher levels of LA and math by utilizing the right side of Bigger Hearts (i.e. the math, dictation, reading, grammar, cursive, etc.). This would make combining for a very good portion of the day possible for your 7 and 8 yo!

So this year, you'd do the first half of LHFHG with your 5 yo, and Beyond with your 7 and 8 yo's using whatever parts of Bigger Hearts LA and Math you felt fit your 8 yo. The next year, you'd do the second half of LHFHG with your then 6 yo, and Bigger Hearts with your then 8 and 9 yo, using all of Bigger Hearts for your 8 yo and 9 yo while using any higher level LA and math needed from the right side of PHFHG with your then 9 yo. A ton of moms are doing this to combine happily, and it works so well! I like this plan for many reasons. First, everyone is properly placed. Second, you can combine and begin with just 2 HOD programs, which is nice to start. Third, you have a fantastic rotation of teaching guides in place, as you will not be teaching guides back to back each year (at the younger more teacher focused guides, this is a nice perk as it's fun and more fresh feeling to come back to a guide after a year off teaching it). So, what are your thoughts on all of this? We'd love to hear!

In Christ,
Julie

[Carrie]

I just wanted to pop-in and welcome you! We're glad to have you here. The ladies are doing a wonderful job of talking through your options with you. I'm thinking that as you're coming from a more traditional type of schooling the planning options we're discussing with you may sound a bit hard to understand. However, if you prefer you can easily use the guides as written, taking a year to do LHFHG and then moving on to Beyond with your 5 year old next year. You would also do Beyond in a year with your older two as written as well. In this scenario, you'd just need the K choices for LHFHG and the items as listed for Beyond.

Then, from Bigger Hearts you would add Rod and Staff English 2 for your older child (because we recommend English 2 for third graders due to its rigor and our more Charlotte-Mason type approach). You would also add a cursive program (either Italic or Cheerful Cursive, which we carry, or your own cursive program). You would add Drawn into the Heart Level 2/3 for your independent reader to raise the level of literature study. You would also either continue with your own math, or use Singapore. Last, you would need a higher level of spelling/dictation. Each of these areas are scheduled within the Bigger Hearts guide for your older child, so you could follow only those portions from the guide for your older student. Or, you can do these on your own if preferred.

Clear as mud? Let us know if you have other questions, as we're glad to help!

Blessings,
Carrie

[snj407]

HI!


Thanks a million for your help! Julie...I like your idea the best. Althought I had to "map it out" on paper to see what you were talking about. Teeehee!

So...as far as purchasing goes. I need Little Heart for His Glory for my 5 year old to do K5 and 1st grade

For THIS year I need Beyond for the my 7 and 8 yr old to share the "left side"....and Bigger for my 8 yr olds right side? correct?

Sorry Im slow. As amazing of an idea this all is. It IS kinda hard to picture. PLUS I'm terrible as puzzles. hahaha!!!

[my3sons]

I'm so glad you've found a plan you are excited about, and what you have described in your last post shows you have got that totally right! I know it takes a bit to figure out placement, but you're wise to really consider it as it's an entire year of your life. I'm glad you've found a placement that fits your sweeties, and I do think you are going to enjoy HOD in your home so much. When you get to ordering, there is a little light bulb graphic at the top of each guide's "packages" page that you can click on for "Helpful Tips on How to Order". That's a super resource for ordering, but we'd love to help you out with any further questions you may have here too! Here are links to each of those pages for LHFHG and for Beyond Little Hearts:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/little-hearts-packages.php
http://www.heartofdakota.com/byd-little ... ckages.php

For Bigger Hearts, here is a link as well:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/bigger-hearts-packages.php
Note: For Bigger Hearts, you'd only need whichever parts you wanted for your 8 yo; so you'd for sure need the Bigger Hearts guide, and then also any of these components you feel are necessary... R & S English 2, a Singapore Math choice, a cursive choice, and Drawn into the Heart of Reading Level 2/3 with either books of your own choice or "Drawn into the Heart of Reading" Level 2 Book Pack. You could easily wait on any of these parts until the following year too.

In Christ,
Julie