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ETA another question...

I am not sure I yet understand how children progress. IF I do all three in a different program how do they progress through the levels? What would change each year for them?


I have been using My Father's World the last 3 years and am looking into HOD. Thing is, it looks like my girls would all be on different levels.

8 yodd (2nd this year) reads very very well and can do work independently ~ Bigger Hearts
6 yodd (will be 7 early Nov) (1st this year) is reading but needs much direction ~ Beyond Little
4 yodd (will be 5 mid Oct) knows and writes all letters ~ Little Hearts

Does that sound feasible? Or, I thought if I do switch, I could do MFW K with the younger since I already have it and just buy for the older two.

I'm thinking you wouldn't want to be doing 3 guides especially back to back guides to start. Have you looked at the placement chart: http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php and that's how you decided which programs? I'm wondering if perhaps you could combine your oldest two in Beyond perhaps adding in the higher level math and language arts for the oldest. Then for the younger either do your plan of what you have or perhaps using Little Hands to Heaven with the K options from LHFHG. I'm thinking it might be nice to wait and use LHFHG the following year for your youngest as it is great for 1st grade, she would be fully into the age recommendation then, and this would give you a a year between guides. This way you would only be in two guides to start and you would always have a year break between guides. Another thought might be to combine your youngest 2 in LHFHG and have your oldest in Bigger. What are you thoughts on this? Could you share more about your dds skills and personalities? This might help others be able to share some ideas. Welcome to HOD!

Thank you. Yes, I looked at the placement guides.

8 yo can sit, listens well, works independently, great reader, responsible, can get frustrated easily and get a big mental block if she doesn't understand something, she's a perfectionist, prefers to do the illustrating rather than the writing. Doing MFW 2nd right now, completing Singapore 1B right now.

6 yo is easily distracted, hands-on, silly, cannot listen well (just like me ), needs lots of direction and side-by-side work to stay on task, willing to work through things if it's hard to understand. She is doing MFW 1st grade right now, completing Singapore 1A right now, can write and read but still needs help with some words and of course spelling.

4 yo has a very easy-going personality, eager to learn, and I'm sure whatever we do for her, she'll have a blast.

Hope some of that info helps more. Thank you!!!!!!

I'm thinking from what you shared that perhaps the second plan might work better. It sounds like your oldest daughter might be ready to fly solo so Bigger might be just what she needs to get a little independence and soar. She'll be ready for Singapore 2A so she would be ready to start with the hands on activities in Bigger in the fall. It sounds like your middle daughter is more social and might really like being combined with another sibling. She would probably really enjoy the hands on activities and drama that is in Little Hearts for His Glory. If you were to combine her and your youngest dd in LHFHG this might work well. You could use the higher math and language arts from Beyond for her. She'll be ready for the hands on activities that are in Beyond since she'll be in Singapore 1B. You could also do spelling list one with her from Beyond and the emerging readers. You would do the left side of LHFHG and storytime with your two youngest dds and the right side of LHFHG with kindergarten options for your youngest. Does that make sense and sound like it might work? I haven't done any of MFW so hopefully someone else will jump in here and be able to give you some ideas as well. I'm not for sure how each of the programs will compare for your dds coming from the MFW programs.

Hi Melissa,
I also have 3 girls (10,8,5) and a little boy (almost 2).
I think your plan looks good.
I did three guides this year, CTG, Beyond (now moved into Bigger) and LHFHG.
I have used MFW K, 1st and the 2nd grade too (other guides too). Your soon to be 3rd grader should be ready for Bigger and I think she will enjoy it.
If you wanted to combine to try to simplify, you could combine the younger 2, but I could totally see you separating them.
Was your 6yo able to sit through the Bible readings in MFW 1st? If so, I would think she would be ready for Beyond.
I had also thought about using MFW K with my Ker this year. I absolutely love that program, but I am so glad that I used LHFHG. It was easier for me to execute daily and I felt like although it was short, it was packed full of what was important and it is well rounded and easy to do. For my 5yo, she already loves to learn, she really needed to learn to sit and really listen. LHFHG has really helped her in that and has given us some sweet time together. She has really grown. Last summer, I did use the MFW K guide for activities to do with my 5 yo, doing a letter in a day or two, focusing on the character trait, an activity or two and a book or two. She enjoyed it. I actually have a few more I would like to finish with her and I still need to order her butterflies and ants .
Nicole

I think from what you've posted that you should have your older in Bigger and your younger two in LHFHG. You could keep them at the level of math they are in, that's not a big deal, but Beyond has a LOT more listening than LHFHG does. LHFHG builds them up to the amount of listening in Beyond. Plus it has handwriting scheduled instead of just copywork. I would get the K level science for both of them simply because I liked that book better than the 1st grade science book Then you could place each of them in the fine motor skills, handwriting, and math at their level. You also wouldn't be doing back to back guides

Ladies you are wonderful. Thank you for your help.

Melissa,

The ladies' are doing a great job of talking through your options with you! I agree with their wise advice and would lean toward doing two guides for your core teaching as well.

We look forward to getting to know you better! If you have other questions, ask away. We love to help!

Blessings,
Carrie

Okay, so I'm thinking of doing little hearts for the youngest and beyond little for the next two.

But thinking ahead then, I understand that youngest will probably repeat little hearts with 1st grade extension the 2nd year but how do you know when the olders are ready to move up?

Would my middle daughter repeat beyond with the independent reader and higher math? I'm not understanding the progression through the levels

It looks like you are having a good plan come together here! Your oldest 2 dc can enjoy doing Beyond Little Hearts together, and your younger dd would enjoy LHFHG. HOD doesn't suggest repeating guides. The K options are given for those doing LHFHG for K, and the 1st grade options are given for those doing LHFHG for 1st grade. I would do the K options as your dd is quite young for LHFHG. What you can do though, is take 2 years to go through LHFHG by going half-speed. By spreading the 2 page plan out over 2 days rather than 1, you would take 2 years to go through the guide with her, which would have her being 6 yo when she begins Beyond Little Hearts. I think you would the have a great fit for her through the years! This past thread may be helpful as you consider this..
How does half-speed look in your home?
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5600&p=41232#p41232

HTH!
In Christ,
Julie

Thank you Julie. That makes a lot of sense to me!

Melissa,

As I'm reading and pondering through this thread, I see two possible options for your family.

Option 1: Bigger Hearts for your 8 year old and LHFHG for your almost 5 and 6 year old (adding the Emerging Reader's Schedule for your 6 year old, which is in the Appendix of both Beyond and Bigger, and following the math plans for 1B in the LHFHG Appendix and then 2A in the beginning of Bigger).

Option 2: LHFHG for your almost 5 year old (at half-speed) and Beyond for your 6 and 8 year olds (with some beefing up possibly needed for your 8 year old adding DITHR 2/3, English 2, math 2A/2B from the Appendix of Beyond or within Bigger, and possibly a higher level of spelling with the dictation from Bigger).

As you think through the two options, you can see that knowing exactly where your 6 and 8 year old kiddos fit on the first page only of the placement chart will make a big difference in the route you go. From what you've shared so far, I'd be leaning toward Option 1 as the better placement, but you'll know best. If you get a chance to take one more look at the placment chart with fresh eyes and place your 6 and 8 year separately, then you'll know much better where they fit all combining scenarios aside.

If you get a chance to pop back and share your thoughts after that, then we can advise you even better.

Blessings,
Carrie