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I asked this of Carrie in another thread, but I know how busy she is so I thought I'd make a new thread as well.

I've heard it said before (possibly on the Ambleside Online site) that it's not good to let students read their school books more than once before using them for an assignment. Is that how you feel too? If so, would it be a mistake to allow DD4.5 to sit in on the Burgess stories with DS6 knowing that she'll be doing LHFHG next year? OR would it be too much to actually include her in that part of LHFHG now (she'll be 5 in January) and then have her continue to do storytime with DS next year in Beyond? If the latter would work, I thought when she would technically be in Beyond herself, she could maybe just do a different set of the recommended books while DS does Bigger. Does that make sense? She LOVES stories, and has already sat through Little House on the Prairie, Little House in the Big Woods and Charlotte's Web during bedtime readings.

If I had a 4 1/2 year old child that is able to listen to storytime and loves it the way that you describe, then I would hesitate to combine your children on storytime. I would also begin working with her on narrating back to you. I would, however, keep them in seperate guides, though. I know that there are many people who combine their children in guides, but I have yet to figure out how to do that in my own situation. I have found that keeping my children in their own guides, gives me individual time with each of them and it keeps them exactly where they should be developmentally. I found that trying to combine my children in one guide, caused me to have to alter too much of the program to make it fit each child. When I take the children through their own guides at the appropriate level - it just fits better. (for me) I quite admire those who have managed to combine their children!! I have spent hours trying to figure out how to make it work, and I keep coming back to it just not working in my situation.

Wow - all of that just to say - I think that combining read aloud would be a great idea!!! Sometimes I have a hard time thinking outside of the box - and I had quite honestly never thought about the possibility of combining that aspect of the guide. Especially when you have an advanced listener on your hands. I might just have to look into that! That would be a huge timesaver too.

Yeah, I think that would be probably the only part of the guide that I could feasibly combine...except maybe the art activity. But even then, she'll be doing art in LHTH. I really feel it would work well for her, especially since there is no storytime in LHTH. I figure if she does do well, like you said I can give her a little head start in narration. She already asks lots of questions when we read our other chapter books, so I know she's listening....at least in chunks. I think I'll give it a try and feel her out. Thanks for your feedback!

I do think Storytime can be combined, as long as it's not at the expense of teaching oral narration amd reading comprehension skills. I don't see any harm in doing LHFHG Storytime with the 2 of them, but I think it's important your 6 yo works on developing reading comprehension and beginning oral narration skills this year. For that reason, I'd probaby let dd listen in, but have ds answer the questions and do the LHFHG Storytime box follow-ups. It would probably be equally important for dd to develop these skills when she is doing LHFHG as her core program. My dc loved the Burgess books so much, that I don't think they'd mind hearing them again a year later and doing the LHFHG box follow-ups at that point. At younger ages, I think it's probably alright to have heard the book once before, but as they age, especially when doing higher level narration skills and skills such as those in DITHOR, it's best to have them doing it the first time they hear/read a book. Beyond is a big year for teaching oral narration skills, so at that point, I think I'd do separate Storytimes, but once each of them have been through the LHFHG and Beyond Storytimes and developed those introductory CM skills well, you could just do 1 Storytime again and have them do the box skills together. I really do think Storytime is one area dc can be combined in once introductory oral narration skills and reading comprehension skills are intact. HTH as you consider your thoughts on it and what you'd like to do!

In Christ,
Julie

Khara,
I combined my DS7 and my DS5 with LHFHG Storytime and it worked wonderfully. I had my DS7 answer the questions. We have moved on BLHFHG Storytime and it is working well too. I will separate them next year and use both BHFHG and LHFHG.
Enjoy the Thornton Burgess books. They were our favorite!

I guess I'm the odd one out here, but all of my kids join in on the other's school (if they want to-the ones who aren't actually doing that currcilum can come or go as long as they are quiet and respectful). We have so many great conversations this way, and I see a lot of what we learn coming out in their play together. I of course expect that the answers to questions come from the one who's actually supposed to be doing the curriculum. So C is doing Beyond, and she's responsible for answering the questions in Beyond. D is doing LHTH, so C is not allowed to answer his questions. He has to be the one to answer. So yes, D (and E too, but she's only 2) is getting to hear all of these great stories now, and D is getting to hear all of the history now, but I think it will still be exciting for him when he gets to it in a couple of years. Also, I've considered using a different read aloud package for each child, that way we get through all of the read alouds Carrie suggests, if that makes sense. Anyway, not sure if that helps at all, but that's what we're doing.