Why is Bigger such a pivotal year??

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abrightmom
Posts: 474
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2010 5:56 pm

Why is Bigger such a pivotal year??

Post by abrightmom » Sat Mar 19, 2011 3:21 pm

My thread title is my question :D . I would appreciate specific details about why the consensus is that Bigger is so important. How does it prepare a child for Preparing? What if a child skipped Bigger, did something else (out of necessity based upon a family situation) and then picked up with Preparing the following school year (provided he/she fit the placement chart)? I'm looking for information that may not be easy to see by simply looking at the manual, the samples, the placement chart... helpful feedback that comes with experience using Bigger and Preparing. :D

Thanks! :D
Katrina 8) Wife to Ben, husband extraordinaire! God is so good!
DS21, DS20, DD18
Levi DS14

blessedmomof4
Posts: 1138
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 4:34 pm
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

Re: Why is Bigger such a pivotal year??

Post by blessedmomof4 » Sat Mar 19, 2011 3:36 pm

If you did something else for a year and then came back to HOD, and found that the child truly fit in Preparing at that time, you would not lose out by missing Bigger. However, if you were going straight from Beyond to Preparing, that would be another story. In Bigger, Science is covered daily, and the child does notebooking pages, which are mostly labeled drawings, and lab sheets. The child is required to do more oral narration for both history and science. The first level of studied dictation begins in Bigger. The History and Science readings, though still read aloud by you, incease in length and complexity. All of this prepares for Preparing. In Preparing, the science is done independently, including the readings. In addition to the notebooking pages and the lab sheets, written answers to questions about the science readings are introduced. History spines are still read aloud by the parent, but readings are longer and more complex and now the student must also begin written narrations. There is an Independent History Study box introduced in the daily lessons, where the student reads more books by themselves and does a notebooking assignment independently. Notebooking assignments in History and Science now include writing and copywork as well as drawing.
That is what I can think of at the moment, HTH!
Lourdes
Wife to Danforth
2 grads 9/19/92,7/8/95
2 in charter school 1/31/98, 9/19/99
3 in Heaven 8/11/06, 8/18/10, 9/13/13
Future HODie is here! 9/14/12

deltagal
Posts: 930
Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2008 8:29 pm
Location: Virginia

Re: Why is Bigger such a pivotal year??

Post by deltagal » Sat Mar 19, 2011 4:45 pm

I agree with the pp and I would add that Bigger is the year to really train a child for independence, which will make your Preparing year MUCH smoother. If you use another program or skip Bigger you MAY still need to do quite a bit of training in the Preparing year that you might have otherwise alleviated.
With Joy!
Florence

My blog: http://florencebrooks.com/

Began HOD 1/2009
Currently using: Bigger, RTR, Rev to Rev and MTMM

abrightmom
Posts: 474
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2010 5:56 pm

Re: Why is Bigger such a pivotal year??

Post by abrightmom » Sat Mar 19, 2011 6:40 pm

Ladies,

Thanks for answering my question. Those are the details I needed to put in place in my heart and mind. Lots of struggles over here right now with switching everything over to HOD. It is NOT as easy as I was anticipating and I'm experiencing some big "hiccups". :D Bigger is still the plan.
Katrina 8) Wife to Ben, husband extraordinaire! God is so good!
DS21, DS20, DD18
Levi DS14

my3sons
Posts: 10702
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:08 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: Why is Bigger such a pivotal year??

Post by my3sons » Sun Mar 20, 2011 1:13 pm

I'm sensing in this thread that you are having a hard time with the skills and transition into Bigger Hearts. While it can be hard to change to a new method of learning, and it can take time to ease into Bigger, I'd like to delve a little deeper into the hiccups your 8 yo is having - it is possible, with the big hiccups you are having, that your 8 yo would fit better in Beyond Little Hearts. Placement can take a little time and is so key to success, but it's well worth it in the end. I see you have a child in LHFHG too - have you started that as well, at the same time as Bigger? If so, it can take awhile to get a good routine going for 2 guides. I would LOVE to help - can you share a bit more about which parts your 8 yo is having a tough time with? I've taught LHFHG and BHFHG and LHTH combo, and I'd love for you to enjoy it as much as I did! :D

In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

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