Placement questions

[alydar]

Hi! I'm so excited about finding HOD! I'm planning on ordering in the next day or so but need some advice first on placement for my dc. I have a 6.5yo DS and a 4.5yo DD that I will be purchasing for. Up til now we haven't done much formal educating.

DS has been working in a couple of phonics programs (100 EZ lessons and ClicknKids) and we've done some light math work. I've had him do some simple copywork and he's able to do letters, words, and short phrases.

DD knows her colors, shapes, etc. and can do simple addition and tell time by the hour, too. She's learning her letters and their sounds currently but it's not a formal/consistant thing.

So I'm wondering, if I place DS in Beyond (with the 1A/1B math) am I'm cheating him out of anything or hindering him by skipping LHFHG? I feel like some of the program might bore him based on the sample but I don't know if Beyond would be too much, ya know? And there isn't a 1st grade science per se - would that be a problem? Also, narration isn't his strong area. I don't know if it's a comprehension issue or he just doesn't want to or know how to express what has been read. Still trying to figure that one out.

For DD, I'm torn between LHTH age 4-5 and LHFHG kindy level. She seems to be very number oriented and loves being read to. Her comprehension skills amaze me! But she hasn't done much in the way of writing (except a couple of letters like "A" and "X" and "O") and like I said before, there are still some letters & sounds she needs to nail down. I lean towards LHTH but just wanted some opinions.

I'd love any advice you all could offer here. I've looked at all the placement charts and I'm still not sure where to put them.

Thank you!

eta: I had DS do the placement test at the Singapore site for the 1A - He got over 50% correct so I assume that is the right level for him.

[pjdobro]

My first thought was to put them both in LHFHG. It seems that they are close enough in age and skill level that combining would make sense. You could do the K options for her even taking the basics a bit slower if needed and do the 1st grade options for him. I know when first looking at LHFHG it can seem a bit babyish because of the rhymes and such. I want to encourage you though that my dc at age 6 to 7 loved them. It's great to add the movement and "play" to school time. They enjoyed the Thorton Burgess books immensely and the fun we had that year will never be forgotten. I really wouldn't want to miss LHFHG unless you felt his skills were so far beyond that he would be really bored. When we did LHFHG for first grade we did the left hand side and storytime from LHFHG and did the language arts and math from Beyond since they were ready for the spelling, grammar, and math in Beyond. That's another option for you.

Welcome to HOD! Whichever programs you choose, you're in for a special year!

[alydar]

My first thought was to put them both in LHFHG. It seems that they are close enough in age and skill level that combining would make sense. You could do the K options for her even taking the basics a bit slower if needed and do the 1st grade options for him. I know when first looking at LHFHG it can seem a bit babyish because of the rhymes and such. I want to encourage you though that my dc at age 6 to 7 loved them. It's great to add the movement and "play" to school time. They enjoyed the Thorton Burgess books immensely and the fun we had that year will never be forgotten. I really wouldn't want to miss LHFHG unless you felt his skills were so far beyond that he would be really bored. When we did LHFHG for first grade we did the left hand side and storytime from LHFHG and did the language arts and math from Beyond since they were ready for the spelling, grammar, and math in Beyond. That's another option for you.

Welcome to HOD! Whichever programs you choose, you're in for a special year!

Hi Patty! I've read such wonderful posts from you - thank you for responding! I had considered that option as well since there's no way to exclude DD from DS's activites. She's his shadow, you know! (much to his disdain sometimes, lol)

Would that mean she would move into Beyond with him also? I know we are not at that bridge yet but that just seems so advanced.

Oh, and we are in NC, too!!

[pjdobro]

Would that mean she would move into Beyond with him also? I know we are not at that bridge yet but that just seems so advanced.

Oh, and we are in NC, too!!

You bring up an interesting point. She is on the young side of the guides and if you do LHFHG at full speed then she will not be quite 6 when starting Beyond. That does seem a bit young. This sounds very gender biased but since she is a girl, it might be ok. Girls seem to be more ready for formal school work more quickly it seems than boys. Since she is going to want to tag along with her brother that is going to make it interesting too. Beyond wouldn't concern me at much as doing Bigger before she is 7. I know there are those who are doing the programs though with their dc on the younger side of the guide. It would always be an option to slow down and take the program more slowly stretching either or both LHFHG or Beyond over a longer period of time. I wonder how she would feel if he did LHFHG this year while she did LHTH? Would she be able to be out of his lessons enough to repeat LHFHG next year? Hmm, it sounds like she is going to want to be a part of it. It's more fun too when acting out the Thorton Burgess books to have more than one dc. Perhaps it would be better to put him in Beyond and her in LHTH so you have a year between guides. That might make it easier for her to repeat information later. I'm confusing myself tonight so I better quit. Hopefully someone else can hop in and offer some sage advice.

That's neat that you are in NC too! We're in the Piedmont area. I don't know of many HODers (or is it HODies the proper term?) in our area.

[alydar]

Yes, she is quite difficult to exclude. Even when he's doing his reading lesson, in which she has no interest, she's still right there!
My first initial thoughts were LHTH for her and LHFHG for him. But I know she'll be right there on the sofa with us while we read from his materials and she'll just have to participate in the other activities as well. She won't be able to stand it otherwise.

So maybe placing him in Beyond and her in LHTH so there's the year between like you suggested might work. I'm concerned about what he might be missing from LHFHG though. Argh! This is frustrating! After reading the sample from LHFHG I know they both would love doing the rotating Earth around the sun drama and I know they both would love the stories (and acting them out together ). But I don't know that she can hang with him through the other programs. I know I'm rambling here again. Just thinking...er...typing out loud I guess.

Thanks for lending an ear and advice! I really, really appreciate it! I feel very lead to this program and I want to make the right choices for them.

We are in the coastal area near Wilmington. DH is a Piedmont fella from the Winston area. His family is still there so we visit a few times a year. He keeps threatening to move back to that area one day after the kids are older......well, actually closer to the VA region.
He hates the summers here......I'm not fond of winter,cold or snow. There might be future problems.

[blessedmomof4]

Hi! I also like the idea of using Beyond for your older and LHTH with your younger. If your daughter does not know her letter sounds and formation yet, you might want to get that down before moving into more formal work. From what you say about your son, it sounds like Beyond would be a great fit for him. I know what you mean about not wanting them to miss out. My daughter had done part of Bigger and then went to public school for a year and a half. Part of me wanted to go on with Bigger because I regretted not finishing it, but a fresh look at the placement chart made me see Preparing was the right fit at that point. Which reminds me, did you check where they place on the chart, especially the first page? http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php
At any rate, LHTH only takes 30 minutes a day, so if your daughter wanted to listen along with your son during read-a-louds, that would be fine-I'm sure she will enjoy revisiting them in 2 years, with new understanding

[alydar]

Hi! I also like the idea of using Beyond for your older and LHTH with your younger. If your daughter does not know her letter sounds and formation yet, you might want to get that down before moving into more formal work. From what you say about your son, it sounds like Beyond would be a great fit for him. I know what you mean about not wanting them to miss out. My daughter had done part of Bigger and then went to public school for a year and a half. Part of me wanted to go on with Bigger because I regretted not finishing it, but a fresh look at the placement chart made me see Preparing was the right fit at that point. Which reminds me, did you check where they place on the chart, especially the first page? http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php
At any rate, LHTH only takes 30 minutes a day, so if your daughter wanted to listen along with your son during read-a-louds, that would be fine-I'm sure she will enjoy revisiting them in 2 years, with new understanding

Hi! Yes, the charts are most helpful indeed. However, it seems as though my son fits kinda in between the two levels, therefore leading me to confusion and massive indecision. lol

He really doesn't like the whole idea of school to begin with and he makes sure to remind me of that on a daily basis. That's my main hesitation with Beyond - that it will be "more than he can bear" (please insert dramatic music).

I'm hoping I'll make a decision by tomorrow. In Beyond, does it come with the Singapore 1A/1B textbooks and workbooks like in LHFHG? For some reason I'm thinking it only comes with the workbooks - if so, is that sufficient? And the science - it says it's for second grade but can it be used for first?

Sorry for all the questions! Just trying to get all this straight in my head. Thank you!

[countrymom]

In reading your last post, I would lean towards LHFHG or Beyond at 1/2 speed. I thinking jumping full into Beyond might be too much, there really is a lot there. We are doing Beyond at 1/2 speed because I don't want to hit Bigger too soon and I am not ready to increase the time per day my son puts in (I am kind of the start slow while they are young mentality). It is plenty at 1/2 speed, although we are doing reading, math, and copywork daily. I guess I would probably go with Little Hearts, it really is a great program and you could include your daughter some.

[MomtoJGJE]

Here is my suggestion. If he's placing in between guides, your best bet is to go down to the lower level guide. And even if your younger one follows along, she's not going to remember EXACTLY what happens if you start it again with her next year. Plus, if you do LHFHG with your son full speed this year, you could do Beyond half speed with him next year and they would be together with Bigger. OR you could just keep going full speed with him, and do half speed LHFHG AND Beyond with your DD to get her higher in the age range and they'd be a guide separated Or you could just do Beyond now with your ds and if he needs some extra time with certain things you could slow down.

We did Beyond with my oldest when she placed in between guides, and I had to cut out a good bit to make it work because I didn't think about going half speed... so even though we did a whole year we started over again last year when she placed fully in Beyond. I didn't have to cut anything out, we went full speed, and it took about 1.5 hours including other school type stuff we did (I added in handwriting for her, etc)

[pjdobro]

After reading your post about him placing in between guides, I would agree with the pp that going with LHFHG is the way to go. I think this is a better choice too if he is reluctant for school. The plans in LHFHG are so engaging and fun that he won't feel like he is doing school work. If you feel he is ready for Singapore 1A, then you can get the textbooks and workbooks and just use LHFHG for the schedule or get Beyond with just the workbooks and use the scheduled activities with 1A and 1B. That is what many do since the activities that Carrie developed to go with Singapore 1A/1B are so good. You can always add in the textbooks if you feel you need them, but with the activities in Beyond, they are optional. I would go ahead and let your dd sit in on LHFHG with the Bible, rhymes, story time, history reading and activities. Would she place in LHFHG for the kindergarten options? If not perhaps do LHTH with her as her "basics" otherwise do the K options of LHFHG with her. I think after you've completed this year, you'll have a better idea of whether or not she will be wanting/needing to repeat LHFHG. If it seems at that point that she is ready to move on, I think I would just take Beyond at a slower pace for both dc, maybe doing it half-speed or 4 days a week. Then you wouldn't be getting to Bigger too soon. I think you'll have a blast doing LHFHG with both of your dc and adding in their appropriate basics. It's a fun program!

I love the coast area of NC. Some friends and I stayed at Kure Beach this summer for a week. It was awesome! What do you mean cold and snow? It hardly ever snows over here! We moved from AZ 5 years ago and had been looking forward to the snow and year after year, no significant snow. Finally last year, there was a good snow or two. It seems that it's more of a rarity now though than a normal occurrence.

[jenntracy]

I think Beyond would be fine for your son. My son turns 7 end of this month. We are using it for 1st grade and it is going great. We work at our speed for Matha nd Reading. We had done 100 EZ lessons. He is on his last book for emerging readers and then we move to DITHOR. We use Math-u-see so can't help in the math area, but we move at our own speed there. by December we will be in the next level book Beta for that.

Your younger is a little tougher. My daughter was 4.5 last fall and i had thought about combing b/c mine are even closer in age than yours. It jsut wasn't going to work. My daughter wasn't ready for the read-alouds and History, etc. We actually took a break from LHTH and weren't doing anything for awhile and then she said "Mom i want to finish my lessons" and we picked right back up.

With my youngest i will probably have to go thru LHTH twice and change things a little the 2nd time.

All my children love the rhymes in the 1st two guides.

I would look at the chart and place the children as close as i could to the right guide. I am one who does not want them to be bored. To be challenged, yet not stressed. I know some combine and then beef up for the older, but in my opinion i think it is easier if i just stick them where they should be. Then i don't have to worry about changing things for another. My older two need to be separate also, b/c of my son's competitive nature. I just can't see trying to challenge him at a lower level.

some have done LHFHG at half-speed which is what i did with my son. we did the basics side the 1st year and added anything like science, etc. as we wanted on our own. Then the 2nd year we did the History side our own story-time and next level of math and reading.

Just some suggestions. Hope it helps. Feel free to PM me.

Jenn D.

[alydar]

Thank you everyone for such wonderful and thoughtful replies! You have given me great points to consider. I LOVE the voice of experience!

Quick question: Some of you mention going 1/2 speed with a guide. Can you clarify that a bit more for me? If I did 1/2 speed with DD in the LHFHG or 1/2 speed with DS in Beyond does that mean it would take 2 years to get through? What do you do the 2nd time around so you aren't repeating themes/ideas for the activities?

[my3sons]

We have 3 sons and over the years have done LHTH through Bigger Hearts half-speed with one of them or another at one point or another! I have really appreciated that flexibility in pacing. Half-speed is usually spreading 1 day's worth of plans out over 2 days, how that is done varies. Here's a good link for some options:

How does half-speed look in your home?
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5600&p=41232#p41232

You actually have 2 very good options here. One option already mentioned is to combine the 2 of them in LHFHG, but you'd have to slow it down to half-speed for dd and work on getting her reading and writing going if you want her to be combined with ds for years to come. You may also need to add some things from the right side of Beyond as well for your ds (i.e. math 1A/1B hands-on plans, and some LA).

Another option is having your ds do half-speed Beyond, and having your dd do LHTH. I'd personally lean toward this, as it requires no tweaking and places each child individually quite accurately. You can have a back-up plan if half-speed is too much for ds though. Let's say you get going and half-speed Beyond is too much for ds (be sure to give him real time to grow into it though before deciding that ) - then you can always do LHFHG at that point, but keep Beyond for the right side of the plans (the 1A/1B math plans and the LA). You'd use it the next year anyway.

HOD is wonderful no matter what you choose. Placement is worth some consideration. HTH as you choose what you feel is the best placement for your dc! We love HOD and feel it is such a blessing in our home.

In Christ,
Julie

[alydar]

I love the coast area of NC. Some friends and I stayed at Kure Beach this summer for a week. It was awesome! What do you mean cold and snow? It hardly ever snows over here! We moved from AZ 5 years ago and had been looking forward to the snow and year after year, no significant snow. Finally last year, there was a good snow or two. It seems that it's more of a rarity now though than a normal occurrence.

DH works near Carolina Beach. It is lovely down that way I must agree! I guess you all don't really get much snow that way but it's still to far on the cold side for me. Of course, it gets pretty cold down here too and I dislike it just as much. DH is in love with the VA mountains and vows one day to move there. We have neighbors who lived in that area for a short time and they tell tales of lots of snow and icey conditions that make me want to run to the Keys! LOL I'm one who appreciates the look of snow from inside my warm abode but have no desire to get out in it. It did snow here last year and the kids and DH had a blast playing in it. I took pics from inside. I like my shorts and flip-flops waaaaaay too much.

[blessedmomof4]

About the math, LHFHG has activities written into the Heart of Dakota guide for teaching the Earlybird level. Beyond has activities for level 1A/1B, and Bigger Hearts has activities for 2A/2B. In each case, only the workbooks are needed when you are using Carrie's lessons. If you decide to go with LHFHG for your son and 1A/1B math is a good fit for him, I would highly recommend buying just the Beyond guide to use the hands-on math lessons in addition to your LHFHG set. Besides, you would be using the whole guide the following year anyway. I hope I haven't confused you further!