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Here is where we are at!

We do not do HOD 5 days a week, because we have Community Bible Study one day a week for 30-some weeks of the year and we have Co-Op on Fridays for 10 weeks in the fall and 10 weeks in the winter/spring.

MOST weeks we just do three days of HOD, with some time in August and December/January where we get 5 days a week.

For that reason, we are only on unit 20 right now, and with my planning sheets in front of me, we will hit our mandatory 180 days of school on May 14th, when we will be on Unit 25 - Day 4.

NOW - at that point, we will no longer have either CBS or Co-Op and we DO do school work throughout the summer... but we also don't do full day and we have a LOT of great activities. Also worth noting is our winters are so HARSH and our summer so SHORT that we really, really, really, really capitalize on being outside...

BUT - I was wondering if anyone else had ever truncated their HOD curriculum. We do our own Math-U-See, and then do Abeka math through the summer, as we need LOTS of math review in this house. Of course we will read through the summer, as well. But could I just sit and read the rest of Boys and Girls of Colonial Days and American Pioneers and Patriots as fun books? And just zoom through the last of the science? [We are not on fire for science anyway ]

Any suggestions?

If we did FULL school every day, we could get through and be ready to start Bigger the next day.

One of the great things about HOD is that it's so simple to pick up and go. Another great thing is that it covers what is needed, but doesn't take a lot of time. So...I think you could double up some days if you want to in order to finish 'on time'. You could skip some of the activities that are not as important to your family. I actually did not finish Beyond last year; about 6 weeks short. Mainly, it was because we were focusing so hard on getting my daughter reading that we kind of skipped some of the lessons. However, I want to go back and finish. We are using Beyond... this year for Spelling and the emerging reader's schedule. We may finish the History part of Beyond...at the end of the year, before we start Bigger. I don't know if any of that makes sense, but that's how we've used it. I do plan to start and finish the ENTIRE Bigger...manual, though.

We stopped Little Hearts on Week 30. My son was just done with schoolwork and wanted to go out to play every day. We never got back to it. We are working in Beyond now and are not where I would like to be, we will school through the summer but I am also thinking of doubling up on Mondays (our least busy day) so we get more done. I want to be done with it by fall and move on to Bigger as my son. But if it is too much on my son, we'll go back down to one day at a time.

I am also trying harder to get school done in afternoon on the days we have CBS and co-op.

it is impossible to do school after co-op here as we don't get home til after 2PM and I work at 3PM. I do do school after CBS, but not a "full day". If we can squeak out math, spelling, reading storytime and CBS work we are doing good. CBS seems to exhaust my crew. Part of it is getting up early.

Thanks for letting me know you didn't finish ladies! It makes me feel better!

momof2n2,

Coming from a public school teaching background, I will tell you that there were many, many subject areas and books that we did not finish completely by year end. So, this is not an uncommon question or problem!

As far as HOD goes, it is important to take a good look at your child's abilities and at the placement chart in making your decision as to what's best for your kiddo overall. If it looks like your child will be ready for the next level of HOD in the fall, you certainly don't want to "hold them back" just to finish the current guide. At that point, I would double up readings and activities taking what you can from the guide and leaving some activities and lessons behind - GASP! Of course, we don't recommend this until you are in the last month to six weeks of the school year, or you'd lose the entire feel of what makes HOD open and go.

However, if your little one still seems like the current guide will be the best placement into next school year, and would actually be a great pace for starting next fall, just go on with it until break (as written), then set it aside, and pick it up and finish next fall.

Hope that helps!

Blessings,
Carrie