heartofdakota.com

Hi ladies,
I'm hearing alot of mom's with similar situations as myself. Married 30yrs.,6children ages 29-12 been homeschooling since 1985, but not successfully. I just could never go with texts and organization is not my cup of tea. I always wanted to do things CM and appeal to their hearts but didn't know how. I would get caught up in so much planning and trying to keep the house in "order" that we never got much done. They were taught to read and write and do some math and learned history from reading and us telling them. No science except our son is a mechanic of sorts. The oldest doesn't know the Lord and involved in an occult. She is of the intellectual type graduating from an Ivy League college, more college and now going to Yale. Second oldest went to bible college and loves the Lord but not without many struggles as her daddy and I struggled through the years. Our son I don't think is saved. Our 19yr. old isn't. Our 14yr.old is and our 12yr.old daughter is saying that they aren't.
Okay, I have been looking at another website that includes CM in depth and decided to go with Heart of Dakota because I need structure and I don't have anymore time to plan plan plan and not love on them and my husband...something I have done most of my children's lives trying to put it together and then not doing anything. I have not been responsible with the time alloted to me from the Lord and I have many regrets.They girls are 12 and 14. The 12yr.old is very quick with words. She wins scrabble with her daddy everytime and he is very good with words. She likes to write stories and is very good spelling without any spelling program etc. The 19, 29, and 12yr old learned how to write through reading books and they write well. They have not had any L.Arts program. The 14yr.old struggles some with her reading. I tried to use Spell to Write and Read program with Wanda Sanseri but there were to many things for her to do together. She is very visual/spatial but can't remember how to spell words like her sister and I. Math is more of her thing.
She does love to read though and I have never required her to write. She likes to journal but her writing isn't good at all and I have never said anything or discouraged her. I like what someone said once when you see a problem in their writing, don't say anything but make note of it and teach it til her writing shows improvement. Oral narration is something that would really be of benefit for her and her sister. She has a hard time remember what she hears. She is not auditory at all. She would rather read the book and NOT listen to a CD of the book. She can't picture it in her brain this way.
She is kind of immature of 14 and the 12yr.old too.
I tried Student of the Word too but had a hard time implementing it and it seemed more "knowledge" based and didn't seem to guide them to His love for them. Through the years I have become a curriculum junky and my family thinks I'm nuts. I would try something and if it wasn't working I would jump off because I didn't have help especially in the earlier years. We live in a rural area with hardly anyone in the homeschool support group and many of them are not christians and then as the kids got older most of them were looking to me for advice? Now...with the internet and message boards there is help.
I seemed to find kindred spirits here as I saw others in similar situations.
I always wanted something that taught "world history" chronologically with the scriptures. I wanted it to be "Christ Centered" "drawing" the children to the love that He has given. My husband was raised a preachers kid and knew "legalism". He has been saved for 3 or so yrs. now and is 52 yrs.old. It has been a long.............journey. Now I want to change everything. My husband graduated with a pastoral degree and he wasn't saved. He thought he was. He would like to go into the ministry. I would like to be a big part of that in getting "order" in the home and have "hospitality". The Lord has given a new leash on life and He wants me to spend my last years with my dear husband and what little time I have left with my last two. I refuse to give up after all of these years...I want the Lord Jesus to be glorified.
I don't even know where to start the girls with this program. I would like to have some flexibility with the "schedule". I want to do school year round with the summers 3 days a week from June through Sept/some of Oct. with a few weeks off for vacations and Dec. a few weeks off. Days off for swimming, picnics, nature study, etc. We have beautiful summers here. They aren't hot but 65 to 80 sometimes. The rains stop in June. We get a lot of rain starting in Nov.-May. I thought if we could do 4 days a wk. through the rest of the year so we can work on the house the other day and have Sat & Sun. off when their daddy is home.
I LOVE the gentle way of learning of CM. I'm not a fan of fables, fantasy, but true stories close to primary sources as possible and I LOVE the Words of my Lord of whom I have clung to. I have prayed for a long time concerning this.
I hope this all makes sense.
Thank you for your help ladies.
For His Glory
Cyndi

Hi Cyndi,

I just totally want to give you a cyber hug!! (((HUG)))
You shared so much and I can fully relate to much of what you wrote. Although mine are still younger (oldest is 11), I have traveled down a similar road. I also am not a fan fantasy and fables, but LOVE my Lord's book. I think sometimes, in wanting the best, we lose sight of Who we are trying to please. I also have used SOW for several years and in some ways it was an amazing curriculum...it is hard for those of us who cannot focus well. I spent so many hours working to perfect it for my home that I lost sight of my precious family's needs. It is so important to keep our lives balanced, some people are able to do that better than others. I just love teaching so much I get way too caught up. HOD has been an answered a need that I didnt even know I had. There, in all honesty, are a few things I am not totally on board with...learning a lot about the gods, making a golden calf to eat, things like that. I am super sensitive like that maybe? But, (and this is from the bottom of my heart) the blessing of seeing Jesus moving in my children's hearts like never before...is amazing!! The Spirit of God is moving through this curriculum. And...it is organized!! What more can you ask for? Lol!!

Ok, so...placement. You will want to look at the placement chart...
Im sure somevone can link u to it here if u cant find it.

It is so very nice to meet you.
Welcome to HOD.


Mercy

Mercy

First I want to thank you for replying. Thank you so much. Hugs in return. You do know what I have gone through through the years! The few things you mentioned about the golden calf etc., could we just skip that? Did you skip it? That would really bother me! I just don't see that as in Phil 4:8. It is so..neat to have someone else that is "sensitive" and discerning?
Is it okay to email?
My family is leaving on a vacation and I'm taking the free time to pour over my materials but they are leaving on the 21st-the 2nd and I need to figure out right away what to order. Creation to Christ or Drawn Into the Heart of Reading. I believe Preparing might be to young for them but they need to learn how to do oral & written narrations, dictation...etc. I thought if we started Creation to Christ then we could go through the cycle with the extension packages and then just use the High School Series in the area's that are needed for transcripts or GED. But I have heard so many good things about DIHReading. I called their # today and he said that Julie would be able to help me or some of the ladies on the board.
My 14yr.old will have a hard time with oral much less written narration. She has a hard time with telling about what she read and has a hard time with writing. The 12yr.old can tell me every detail of a chapter.

Something didn't seem right with MFW to me and then I looked into it more in depth and realized it wasn't for us. Then I would go back thinking no...you are just to sensitive and I would try to compromise....so I would look at the catalog again and more reviews etc. and just didn't seem at peace at all. It was like when a lot of people were using Saxon and someone early on told me no and why...I decided I never would and it stuck. Now I'm glad I didn't after hearing so many others after all of these years though it has worked for some. I always took these kinds of things as from the Lord leading us along the way....but Lord I need something! I finally got my math that I want. I'm excited about that. We have Right Start level E and math games for a year and then will go onto Geometry and then Algebra. They have been exposed to the basics of math on a surface level.

Cyndi,
I also did mfw for a lil, but was craving for more of Jesus in our home. That is when we went with SOW. We stayed there for several years. It was hard for me to leave, honestly...God had to yank me from there. Lol! I have a fresher perspective now why. Isnt that usually how it works? There are a few things I do miss, but God is showing me how to work those things into my home. The answer to your question about the golden calf is yes. We actually made the stone tablets instead. I am trying to be prayerful and careful, yet I am also realize that these things are a part of humanity. The Lord has refered to these "gods" by name in His word. Being a part of society as Christians, we are exposed to things that we dont necessarily involve ourselves with, but it is not evil to recognise them and be aware of them. Thats the stance I have taken so far. There was one full chapter devoted in preparing to the gods, we skipped that one. We just read the Bible correlation and discussed them. Carrie always seems to keep the focus on Christ! I just didnt like the feeling of fully devoting a day of study to them. However, when a name of a god is mentioned I dont make a big deal of it. I dont know how ctc will be on this one, or where my convictions will b at that point. The Lord truly has moved me from almost one extreme to another in my walk. I think He is just helping me learn not to be so judgemental and to find the middle ground where He truly wants me to walk. One thing I can say with certainty is that Carrie is honoring the Lord with this curriculum. I can see how much He is glorified as we work through each guide. She has a unique ability to reach each child's heart for Jesus, whatever age they are at. It is amazing to see growth in my children, not only academically but spiritually as well.

Julie (Carries sister) and many others here are much better at placement than I am.
They will come along soon and help, Im sure.

I will pm you w my email.
Hope something there helps you...please keep asking if you have more questions.
Have a great day and a very awesome vacation!!!!
Mercy

Ladies,

I only have a few moments, but I wanted to pop-in and clarify about the golden calf. The way we handle the teaching of that event is actually very Biblical. The people sinned in making the golden calf, and the Lord punished them for it. We definitely teach this from the Scripture. After Moses returned from the mountain and found the people worshiping the calf, which we do not do in our lesson, he melted the calf down and poured it in the water, and the people had to drink it! This is why we form the golden calf and then eat it, similar to what the Israelites did in the Bible. There are consequences for every sin, and the lesson shows what God's reaction to idol worship is, making it a very important lesson. You will find that we do not stray from the Bible in our lessons, as each lesson goes directly to the Scripture.

It is also important to note that whenever there is a reading about any other gods, we typically couple that with Scripture or else with a read-aloud book at the time that gives a different perspective. We do not focus on worshiping or glorifying other gods, but rather will lead the students to see the difference between other gods and the one true God. There are mentions of other gods throughout Scripture, and it is important for our children to know the difference between the living God and the world's gods. I think you will find if you teach the lessons that go with the readings in our guides that you will have outstanding discussions that will ultimately show your children the desperate need of the world for our Savior and the power of the one true God! Without actually teaching the lessons as written in HOD, it is impossible to know how the lessons work or how we handle these tough areas at HOD. I would encourage you not to skip the lessons in our guides in these areas if at all possible, so you can actually discuss this with your children. We have had excellent discussions with our boys on these tough topics, and pray you will also find it to be a good time to share what you believe and why.

Blessings,
Carrie

Hi Carrie,

See..I am super sensitive! Lol! Its true. It is straight from God's amazing word. As I mentioned, the Lord is still working and reworking some issues out in my heart. I really do love HOD and hope I am portraying that as I discuss some of the things I have personally wrestled through as I have been commiting myself to Heart Of Dakota. I will be forever grateful to you, your family and God for this curriculum!! I cannot deny that it is truly Christ centered.

God bless abundently,
Mercy and family

Mercy,

I'm so glad that you said what was on your heart! We do need to wrestle with what is appropriate for our children and as the parent you will ultimately know what is best for your family! I am glad to have discussions like this, as it is so important to talk through why we do what we do at HOD. I am always mindful that many are reading this board, and this is why I desired to clarify the way the teaching is handled in these instances. We seek with all our hearts to point the children to God's Word and to use it as our compass as we write our guides.

You are so gracious to help others and to share your thoughts. I appreciate your honesty!

Blessings,
Carrie

Cyndi,

Mercy has done a wonderful job of talking through things with you. You have also done a great job of sharing your thoughts. The one missing piece I'd love to have from you is your assessment of where each child places as an individual on only the first page of the placement chart linked here: http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

Once you get a chance to analyze that last piece of information, and are able to get back to share your thoughts on the placement chart, we will be able to help you so much better! It gives all of us a common ground to begin from, and then we can discuss options.

Blessings,
Carrie

Welcome to the HOD board, Cyndi! I have my sweet sis and her family staying with us from TX now, so I haven't been able to be on the board as much. I read your story here, and I think that you have found a new home with HOD. It sounds like you are beginning a new and exciting chapter in your life, and HOD will most certainly be an excellent way to usher that in. The number one reason we chose to homeschool was so that our dc could learn about the Lord along with their studies in a natural way every single day. We also wanted our dc to have a strong academic education, but to keep that in balance with "together from the heart time" too. HOD has blessed our family immeasurably. I think you'll find these threads to be such an encouragement - I sure did!
How have you seen your children's faith grow with HOD?
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9714
What do you love about HOD?
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8268&p=60839#p60839

As far as each your dd, I think you are coming to HOD had such an important time for them. HOD has helped me talk about so many important things with our dc, and as they are in these preteen/teen years, I am so thankful for the guidance I have received - everything is Scripture-based. Everything is Christ-centered. I also feel that HOD's guides incrementally teach skills in such a way, from year to year, that doing school in a CM way successfully is not only within reach, but also very achievable.


Checking out the placement chart, especially the first page of it, really helped me accurately place my 3 dc. I think you've received good advice to check that out, and to share your thoughts here about that. I am wondering if I could ask you a few questions with the placement chart in mind? Could you share what kind of books (like some titles of books) each of your dc are reading and understanding well on their own right now? Also, when it comes to their writing, how much can they handle writing each day? Are they ready to read their own history and science, and follow some step-by-step directions in the guide independently? Have they had some grammar, if so, what and what levels? How about math, what are they doing for that? If you get a chance to share about each of them here, I'll check back and be glad to help with placement. I just want to be sure I'm giving you good advice, and every child is different in what fits best. I am looking forward to getting to know you here, and I think you'll find HOD to be as much of a blessing in your home as it is in ours!

In Christ,
Julie