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Love, love, love HOD. It has been a great year and I am very pleased. No major issues at all (for this my first year of homeschooling). It fits me as a teacher and fits my kids too. I truly feel like we will continue with HOD as long as Carrie is writing guides (all the way)! But I have a case of the comparisons and need to be re-assured.

HOD does a gentle introduction to grammar and does not require students to write their own sentences. My understanding of this is that we want them to do copywork and copy other "great" sentences so that they can learn proper grammar, punctuation, spelling, structure and such from great writers. So my 1st grader is actually using ARFH A this year and he is copying scripture. (Obviously great writing.) If they write their own sentences, the incorrect spelling might get stuck in their heads and such.

So now, my Private School Covering (like an umbrella school) wants a writing sample to put in his folder (of a story or a report he has written). We haven't written any stories or reports in LHFHG. (He is doing LA from Beyond and there isn't any student initiated writing there either.) So I guess I'm going to turn in one of his ARFH Bible verses?

I know my PSC is Classical in nature and pushes the students really hard (doing 1st grade work in K and 2nd grade work in 1st). I know that HOD will get to all of these things, it's just a timing thing, right? When in HOD do they start writing their own sentences? It makes me feel like I need to push my current Kindergartener to do more original writing? Please tell me to stick with the plan and it will all work out.

Thanks for any encouragement!

In Rod and Staff 2, your kiddo will be writing sentences. Also, I can't remember if it's in LHFHG or not til Beyond, the kiddos do oral narration as you copy it down. So maybe they are not technically "writing" a sentence but they are still forming their own sentences and thoughts. Don't worry, your ds will get plenty of practice at physically writing his own sentences, but you may also be surprised at how well he can think creatively already

Thanks for replying! I'm just praying God will speak peace to my heart.

P.S. I see you're in my area. (I'm in Tampa.) Do you know of other HODers in the area? Are you going to Orlando for conference?

The pp gave me a great idea for you. What about having your ds orally narrate to you (probably from storytime), you write it down, then have him copy it. I would try to make it a short one because I wouldn't want to overtax him in the copywork. That should satisfy your umbrella school. You will find a steady progression of grammar and writing skills through the years with HOD. In R&S2 you will find much more grammar and many opportunities for your ds to start writing sentences and then moving onto paragraphs in R&S3. You'll find many more opportunities for writing in the higher guides and in DITHR. It's a nice slow, but steady progression of skills.

Hi Cyndi, I'm from Tampa area too... Riverview.... I would also love to meet other HOD homeschoolers. I actually don't know anybody in my area that homeschools. I'm starting to look for groups to get kids together, etc... Do you know any?

I am in Sarasota, not too far away. There is a group of us down here that use HOD. There is a group of us going to convention. We are getting there Thursday. We will have to plan a big HOD get together....

Day 4 of the Storytime plans focus on early writing practice, emphasizing names and simple words. The lessons usually have you write a sentence, have the students write some words within a sentence context provided, and have the students draw/paint/trace something to go along with it. I would just have your ds write the first sentence you'd usually write, as well as do the rest of his part of the assignment. The latter assignments starting with Unit 12, Day 4 have more writing than the earlier ones. I actually had to help collect and compile Kindergarten assessments when I taught ps. Many of the dc were just able to write their names. The very best samples included a sentence and a little picture of some sort. I think by doing a sample with 2 sentences that are related and having some accompanying artwork, that should be more than enough.

Your wise words here are so true...
My understanding of this is that we want them to do copywork and copy other "great" sentences so that they can learn proper grammar, punctuation, spelling, structure and such from great writers. So my 1st grader is actually using ARFH A this year and he is copying scripture. (Obviously great writing.) If they write their own sentences, the incorrect spelling might get stuck in their heads and such.

After 7 years in ps of correcting students' writing within standardized testing, I can tell you that the single worst thing dc can do for their spelling, grammar, and mechanics is be told to free write with invented spelling in the early years. It is far better to do copywork of correctly spelled and structured sentences, that are worthy words to write, than randomly free write. Dc who have a CM education from early on can see what "looks right", and they have very few poor habits to correct. I remember correcting a standardized writing sample and wondering for a moment if "frend" was spelled right. I'd seen "friend" spelled like "frend" so many times, it really did appear correct to me. Yikes! Writing words improperly spelled makes spelling them improperly a habit. Please be encouraged - your ds is going to have good writing habits in place - and very few poor habits to fix using CM's methods. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

Thanks so much for the encouragement! I really appreciate it. Ds 7 had his informal testing today and it went wonderful! I don't have the results yet, but she said he did really well, definitely above grade level. Yay! I had him do something like what we do for storytime in LHFHG for his writing sample. Thanks for that idea!

Momentary lapse of insecurity. Thanks for being there fore me!

P.S. So looking forward to meeting Julie and Carrie in Orlando! I'd love to meet some of the other Florida mommies that posted here or that are interested. Any ideas how to coordinate a spot and time? I feel like I know some of you from reading these boards!

Are we supposed to be writing down the oral narrations of the story that they tell back to us in Beyond? If so, I have really messed up!!! I haven't done that ALL YEAR! I just let them tell it to me back, and I just listen mainly and make comments, etc. Sometimes they go on and on about the story. There is no way I could write it all down!

HELP! What do I need to do?