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I am new to HOD. I have just begun using LHTH with my ds 4 and really like what I see. I am currently using MFW CTG with my oldest dd 9 (4th grade). But there are some things that I have not been crazy about this year. We have used MFW ADV & ECC both of which we loved.

I am trying to understand more about HOD and kind of wrap my head around how it all works. I am not sure if I would like to continue with the ancient history study as MFW does in the next year study of Rome to the Reformation. We have already done an overview of American History when dd was in 2nd grade along with a state study in MFW ADV. If I were to switch to HOD what would I jump into?

We are currently using Intermediate Language Lessons for Language and dd is in Singapore 3B for Math. I have Spelling Power but frankly don't use it much because dd is a natural born speller. Dd reads on about a sixth grade reading level and writes cursive beautifully. But because of using ILL we have not had much formal intro to parts of speech (dd seems to get most of it intuitively through ILL). Dd currently does a Bible reading and devotions on her own and then we do the Bible reading in my MFW tm as extra and more around history. I hate the science in MFW CTG and have picked up Apologia Zoology 1 but have not gotten to it allot due to health issues. Dd is a voracious reader and spends most of her free time reading, ballet dancing or drawing. She also memorizes things like lightning due to being an auditory learner.

I am concerned about being able to combine my kiddos if I started using HOD. I have a 9, 4 and almost 2 yr old. So once I am finished with K & 1st with the little ones I like the idea of combining the boys in particular together. I don't care so much about combining dd in with the 2 ds because the age gap is pretty wide and dd is pretty good about independent work already.

I am also wondering about the over all cost of using a complete HOD program. MFW uses allot of books that are non-consumable or reproducible and I really like that. And their package prices have always been on the economical side for me

Hope this post isn't too long, thought more specifics would help the answers Ideas? Experiences? Opinions?

Edie

Have you checked the placement chart for your oldest? I can think of two options. Either do Preparing next year and then jump to RtR (since you have done MFW CTC) or just do RtR if placement merits that. I think you will like the dictation provided. You could use Rod and Staff 4 or 5. I would look at samples online and see what you think. As far as your youngers, Carrie or Julie will probably have a better plan, but I would probably use a different program with your 5 year old next year and use LHTH with your then 3 year old. Then they would be 6 and 4 for LHFHG, 7 and 5 for Beyond (You might want to stretch this one out a little bit and then stretch the next guide a little too.) 8-9 and 6-7 Bigger, 10 and 8 Preparing, etc.

Well, I may have answered my own question Because I think after reading through the catalog for about an hour, I am considering Preparing for next school year for my dd. But what about the science? How meaty is it? How complicated are the experiments? (I am not sciencey) And I am concerned about the overall price total for everything.

Edie

I think you will find that the science is very well done in HOD. In Preparing, the science is meant to be done by the child incependently. There is an experiment once a week, which I guarantee you (as my own daughter is coming to the end of Preparing) has never been anything too complicated for her to do on her own. And there have never been any weird supplies that I didn't already usually have at home. There is a sample lab sheet for recording data in the Preparing manual, which you can photocopy, or you can have your daughter use it as a model. It is very simple--your child will copy from the day's plan a Question, she will write a Guess based on the day's reading, and then perform the experiment and draw a picture of her Procedure. Lastly she will write a brief Conclusion. From my daughter I accept 1 to 3 sentences. The other days of science are oral narration, written answers to five questions, and a Notebook page, which will involve drawing and/or writing things as directed in the Preparing Guide, also based on the science readings. This is very meaty science with weekly practice in the scientific method, and yet it is really written in such a way that allows the child to be a very independent learner by following written directions. Mom doesn't have to be sciency for the child to get lots out of it
One thing I have loved is that Preparing is scheduled only 4 days a week, giving us a free 5th day to add other things as we wish such as music and Spanish. As written, with no substitutions, and once you both get the hang of things, Preparing takes about 4 to 4 and a half hours each day. But since there are many independent or semi-independent portions, you will find that your teaching time is much less. For me, I estimate my teaching time for a whole day is about 1 and a half to 2 hours. I also love the book selections-I have never been disappointed with any of the books used in HOD for history, reading, and science. I hope that helps you some!

We, too, used MFW in the early years thru C&C. We began using HOD last year with Preparing Hearts and this year I am using CTC with my 2 oldest boys who are almost 12 and 9. I have a 5 year old preKer that I am using some MFW kindergarten with but I am looking forward to borrowing HOD Little Hands from a friend to use next year with him and that will start him in HOD. We, too, loved MFW but we now Iove HOD even more. As my boys got older MFW became harder to see it "fitting" both my boys well "grade level wise". I especially felt I was dragging my middle son along and I knew that would only get worse. I also was adding more and more of my own ideas to the curr which is not that bad except what do you buy a full curr for if you are adding so much (and the parts I was adding became our favorite parts). HOD has been a breath of fresh air . We all love it!!! It is a much better fit for combining my oldest 2 (who are 2 & 1/2 years in age apart). They are learning so much and there is little preparation needed and I I don't feel the need to add anything. I could go on and on about the things I love about making the switch to HOD! I pray that you will find the answers you need to make the best choice for your family.

Thanks for the replies! They are what I needed to hear,especially about the science. My dd and dh love science but I tolerate it badly. I would love to have more independent science. I have poured over the info on Preparing in the catalog and really like what I see.

We had really loved MFW until this year (Creation to the Greeks). This year I have hated their science (way too much work for Mom and not enough retention of dd's part). And there have been places that I have had to summarize or edit on the fly when we were reading history/ bible to keep it age appropriate. I just don't think I'm ready to jump into Greeks and more ancient history.

There are things in Preparing that we have used either this year or last year. Those things I see in Preparing include: read/used the Hero Tales in it's entirety last year in 3rd grade; and have already done all the dinosaur study stuff using other books as well as The Great Dinosaur Mystery and the Bible. Is there a way to skip or change those weeks or areas of study and substitute something else? How is the Hero Tales used? Could I buy a different Vol. of Hero Tales and substitute it? We really delved into certain Missionary Biographies last year in MFW ECC, so I don't want to repeat things.

So, if I were to do Preparing? Would I repeat too many things if I went on to CTC when my dd was in sixth grade, since we are doing Creation the Greeks (MFW) this year?

Do you do Math 5 days a week in HOD?

How is spelling incorporated into the day? Is there a spelling program?

So many questions!

Thanks for being patience with me. I am one that wants as much information as I can before making a decision (very Type A).

Most of all I will be praying about this and trust that God will show us His plan.


Edie

We switched from MFW after using K, 1, ADV, and ECC. I have a friend who is using CTC, and she assured me recently that she is sure (because she knows what I wasn't liking about MFW) I would be glad I did not continue with MFW CTG. I'm glad we have a lot of options in hs'ing and that MFW is there for those who like it! I personally love HOD much more! HOD may run more expensive than MFW but you get all the books you need and won't need to utilize the library. Of course, you can choose to utilize the library instead of purchasing all the books. There isn't much that you can't re-use with your other kids so that makes it pretty cost effective.

Definitely use the placement chart to choose which guide to begin with.

Just thinking out loud here, would it be a possibility to sell your MFW CTG and begin Preparing or Creation to Christ now? The reason I ask is that if you go to Preparing after finishing CTG, and then go on to CTC, you will be doing a lot of ancient history for three years (since the first half of Preparing is ancient history as well). Not trying to add more pressure or confusion, just offering another option! I will reiterate the importance of letting the placement chart weigh heavily on your decision, as each guide is written to a specific skill level, and they build on one another. I didn't understand that when I was new to HoD, and I chose my first guide based on what history I wanted to study with DS. It worked out okay though.

As far as spelling, HoD teaches it (in the upper levels) through studied dictation, which is scheduled frequently throughout the curriculum. Here is a thread on the subject that may be helpful:
viewtopic.php?p=9500#p9500
It works fabulously for us, and I'm so happy not to have another program to add to our day!

birchbark wrote:I will reiterate the importance of letting the placement chart weigh heavily on your decision, as each guide is written to a specific skill level, and they build on one another. I didn't understand that when I was new to HoD, and I chose my first guide based on what history I wanted to study with DS. It worked out okay though.

I did look at the placement chart and dd falls into the the RTR or CTC right now. So skill level is not an issue. If anything I wondered infPreparing might not be challenging enough for her.

birchbark wrote:Just thinking out loud here, would it be a possibility to sell your MFW CTG and begin Preparing or Creation to Christ now?

Thanks for the idea, but that is not where I feel led right now. I want to complete what we have begun.

The good news is I just found out today that HOD will be at a convention near me in the spring. So I will get to look at everything in person and maybe that will help me with my decision. We will probably finish our current program right about that time/ month anyway.

Guess the easiest thing would be to phone HOD. I was kind of hoping Carrie might jump in on this thread and give some advice.

Thanks for the input.

Edie

doubleportion wrote: And there have been places that I have had to summarize or edit on the fly when we were reading history/ bible to keep it age appropriate. I just don't think I'm ready to jump into Greeks and more ancient history.

There are things in Preparing that we have used either this year or last year. Those things I see in Preparing include: read/used the Hero Tales in it's entirety last year in 3rd grade; and have already done all the dinosaur study stuff using other books as well as The Great Dinosaur Mystery and the Bible. Is there a way to skip or change those weeks or areas of study and substitute something else? How is the Hero Tales used? Could I buy a different Vol. of Hero Tales and substitute it? We really delved into certain Missionary Biographies last year in MFW ECC, so I don't want to repeat things.
So, if I were to do Preparing? Would I repeat too many things if I went on to CTC when my dd was in sixth grade, since we are doing Creation the Greeks (MFW) this year?
Do you do Math 5 days a week in HOD?

One thing I have appreciated is that Carrie has been very careful in her book selections in such a way that either it is truly age-appropriate, or she will actually give you a heads-up in the guide if there is any content that may be too much for sensitive listeners in the read-alouds, so that way there are no surprises
Hero Tales is used as a read-aloud alongside several history lessons, and discussed in a conversational way. I like that in this way, my daughter could see God's hand in history through specific people in the places and times she was learning about. It is spread out over the year.
Even if you have already used a few of the books, you will find that HOD uses them in a different way, and it will be like a refreshing new look at an old friend. I did use ECC several years ago, and I don't feel like anything has been "repeated", just "revisited", with a new understanding I know there is a thread somewhere comparing the focus and philosophies of MFW and HOD-they are just different, and depending on what your goals are for your family, one or the other may be a great fit. I am not very good with finding links, though

birchbark wrote:As far as spelling, HoD teaches it (in the upper levels) through studied dictation, which is scheduled frequently throughout the curriculum. Here is a thread on the subject that may be helpful:
viewtopic.php?p=9500#p9500

Thanks for the link on spelling. It helped answer some of my questions about that. Seems to be a good fit there. We are already pretty CM style.

Edie

blessedmomof4 wrote: I know there is a thread somewhere comparing the focus and philosophies of MFW and HOD-they are just different, and depending on what your goals are for your family, one or the other may be a great fit. I am not very good with finding links, though

I tried those links but they seem to be broken. Didn't bring me to anything.
This was the link that was broken-
http://www.heartofdakota.com/board/view ... hlight=mfw and I found it in this post viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1412&p=10850&hilit=ctg+mfw#p10850

Edie

Found the link comparing! viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1446&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

Ohhh much food for thought and prayer there!


Edie

Try this one, it worked for me viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1446&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a and I think it gives a thorough and fair comparison!

blessedmomof4 wrote:Try this one, it worked for me viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1446&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a and I think it gives a thorough and fair comparison!

Lourdes,

I think I found it at the same time you posted. Thanks!


Edie