An HOD education vs......?

[alydar]

So DH is stressing about the quality of education that is our responsibility as parents to provide for our children. For those who have used HOD for more than a year and can see what your dc are reaping from it, how does it compare next to other curriculums you may have tried or that others are using?

For instance, we have tried other literature based programs but what I love most about HOD is how centered it is on Christ - no matter what you're doing in the program it always points to Him. And I've been very happy with the art and math activities. Oh, oh, oh! and the Burgess books - complete winners! And the history starting with the Scriptures. Guess I love all of it!

But how does it compare academically? What do you see in your long-term HOD kids that you don't see in others their age (presumably in different programs)? Just curious what HOD looks like in the long haul. We're only getting started in LHTH and LHFHG.

[Mom2Monkeys]

I have too many littles running wild now and was just about to log off but thought I'd give a quick answer...if you search for my posts, you'll see one where I posted about my DD's state testing results. I did nothing to prepare her for it whatsoever...just did HOD. I had used other programs prior to HOD but she tested in our 2nd year of HOD when she took it. She did really well... if your DH is anything like mine, test results matter...though not to me so much! Just thought this would be a little helpful...sorry I can't delve in and answer with more specifics right now!

[countrymom]

This link is from a recent weekly check-in. Read Julie's entry and I think you will get a bit of an idea of what a HOD education will do. viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8209
I will say we have only been using it about 15 months and I can already see the benefits. It is a slow build, think of it as putting down a foundation and then adding, adding, adding. I am very pleased with the growth I have seen in my son and what he has learned so far.

[pjdobro]

I can second the great testing results. My dc did well last year on their first testing. I am excited to see how they do this year because I think they have grown leaps and bounds.

There is the obvious, wonderful Biblical understanding that my dc have acquired, but if I'm understanding correctly, your dh is wanting to hear more about academics. I will say that my dc's math skills are way above their peers but not just in basic computation,in complex thinking. The tester last year was very impressed with my son's reasoning skills. Both of my dc have wonderful problem solving skills and I think that comes not only from the skills that they are learning in Singapore math, but also from the higher level reasoning skills that they get day to day in HOD. They don't do fill in the blank kind of answers. The HOD way allows for great discussions and depth of understanding. Also in reading comprehension they were very far above grade level. Again I think that comes from learning to listen to the read alouds, narrate, and retain what was presented. I think DITHR is really helping them expand their thinking and reading comprehension as well.

I loved that post of Julie's. I don't make it over to the weekly check-in usually. I can see I am missing out on a lot of great info. I really need to find some time to go browse that board. Like Julie's dc, my dc have a wonderful grasp on the flow of history and are able to retain so much. They know way more than I ever knew at this age and they are forming relationships with this info that I think will go with them for a lifetime. For me in school, history was about learning names and dates and not really about understanding why something happened. It was something to be remembered for a test and nothing more. My children are really getting to know the people of history and the events of the history. They have an understanding of why things happened. I think this is the kind of information that is truly useful and will stick with them.

I think I could go on and on about the development I see in my dc. They have really blossomed in the almost 3 years that we have been using HOD. I was concerned at first about the academics. It seemed way too easy. How could this be enough especially when the kids in ps are spending 4 times as much time at it? I've found though that is enough and my dc are doing great academically. More importantly to me though, they are growing in Godly character. When they are with their peers, I can see so much more emotional and spiritual maturity in my dc.

[birchbark]

This is only my second year using HoD but what stands out to me as the biggest difference between HoD and the other lit-based program I used are all the skills that are being taught. The guide is wonderful, the books are wonderful, but I think the focus on skills is what sets HoD apart academically. I have been amazed at my own DS's growth in writing this year.

On other home education boards I see the older, experienced moms often asked, "What should we be focusing on?" and "What do you wish you would have done differently?" They always say, "I wish we would have spent more time on building skills." They report that it is easy to catch up on content if the skills are in place, but much harder to catch up on missing skills. Regarding college, one mom wrote, "Skills are what will help your child succeed in college. They really don't assume much content knowledge in college, but they will assume your child can write a good paper and can think critically and analyze things and take tests well." I feel that we are well on track for this with HoD.

Are there many other programs can boast this list of instructed skills?
narration
copywork
dictation
written narrations
mapwork
notebooking
timelining
dictionary skills
vocabulary
spelling
research skills
memorization
literature and poetry analysis
public speaking
sketching and painting
picture study
working through the scientific method
Bible-study skills
simple following directions

And it seems I read somewhere that outlining will be taught too? Maybe someone who is doing RTR can comment on this.

And by saying all this I don't mean to minimize the content side of HoD. We have found it very rich and enjoyable!

[striving2Bprov31]

This is such a great thread. I was wondering this very thing about Charlotte Mason method in general. I am a total believer in these methods but when I thought about it the other day I realized that I don't personally know any adult who was raised on Charlotte Mason's ideas. So I've been interested in a discussion about the academic impact of Charlotte Mason methods in the long term, and of course HOD.

I've known that it is truly a quality education just from doing HOD with my kids. We are already seeing so many fruits. But its great to talk about where this foundation will take them 10-15 years from now!!

Thanks, guys!