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We are about to start our fifth year of educating with HOD and will pick up where we left off with Bigger.
As I was reflecting on the past years with the different guides (LHTH, LHFHG, Beyond and Bigger) I sort of wished I could go back and do things a little differently.
When we first started I did not do the guides completely as written mostly because I thought "this seems too easy" or "why do it this way". We skipped over many skills in the early guides that I now wish I hadn't! But then as we were fiishing up with our LHFHG year I found this message board and started reading. I got the answers to "why" things are done the way they are (I had little knowlege of Charlotte Mason when we started with HOD). And the skills that "seemed too easy" are essential stepping stones in not just knowledge but habits and processes. We are about to start repeating guides with the younger children in our family and I will joyfully be doing the guides just as written and rest in the knowledge that each day's plans are just right in preparing for the next.

I want to give a BIG plug for doing the guides as written and a BIG thank you to the ladies on this board who ask and answer questions.

I also would like to know that if you could go back and do anything differently with HOD what would it be?

I have always done the guides as written only adding one or two things that are specific to my sons special needs. If I could go back and do anything different it would be to read more about the Charlotte Mason method before I started. This summer I read more books about her method and I feel like I understand so much more about narration and the reason we do things the way we do. Talking to Julie and Carrie at conventions has also helped to understand the reasoning behind everything, but I didn't get to do that until after our first year of HOD. Of course what I really wish is that my dd would have come home earlier and I could have used HOD with her. She does her school work without complaint, but there is no love of learning like I see in my ds.

I totally agree with both posts. I so wish I had found HOD when my my oldest was younger. (She started in Preparing as a 5th grader). She did fine with that, but I can see by my youngers having done the beginning guides, that she would have been more "fluent" in some of the skills that she had to work on over that first year.

I am on the last Charlotte Mason book (the series, can't remember the title of the series). I am reading it online and it has taken me about 2 years to get through all of it, but it really does make you understand a lot more, and makes some things that might have seemed un-necessary make a whole lot more sense.

Angie

Like the OP, I didn't stick just with the guides at first either. I would occasionally skip things, rush through things, or add things. Last year in Bigger was the first year that I felt like I fully did everything in the guide as written, and it was the most wonderful year! I've learned that the program is paced wonderfully and the activities are all meaningful. The program really works so well at the pace it is written and allows the information to sink in with our dc. If I had it to do over again, I would slow down and savor every activity with my dc not omitting any or rushing through any. It's worth it to take the time and just enjoy the program as written.

I totally agree! That would be my number one advice to families starting HOD - do the guides completely and as written. I strayed from that a little my first year with Little Hearts and by the end could already see the errors of my ways We are doing Beyond as written and it has been a wonderful experience to date.

My regret - starting LHTH with my youngest at age 3. I should have waited until age 4 for this particular child I also should have taken it 1/2 speed. Oh well, I am on course now, we have just had to wait out a time period without any HOD (using supplements to keep up skills) for him until November when he turns 5. Then we will begin LHFHG at 1/2 speed.

Whew! I am glad I wasn't the only one who "strayed" at the beginning! I don't know why it makes me feel better that others did it too! LOL

Can you tell some of us newbies what things you strayed on that you wished you hadn't? Only because I have a tendency to rush through some things that maybe I shouldn't. It might help some of us who are just starting out not to make the same mistakes.

Tracy

Sure Tracy,
I really wish I would have done the Storytime box as written in the guide. We read some of the books but I did not do the activities along with them. Now that I do them I realize that it wouldn't have added much time to our lessons and would have enriched our reading experiences. I rushed through the handwriting with my oldest son too. I did not take the time to teach him proper grip and follow a step by step program like A Reason for Handwriting.
And I wish I would have done the physical exercises that went along with learning the Bible verses. We did not do that at all during Little Hearts but when we started doing them with the Beyond guide my children enjoyed it so much more and it really did help them learn their verses better.
So much thought went into each box for each day and laying out the right balance of activities that I now happily "do what I'm told" in the teachers guide!

Tracee wrote:Can you tell some of us newbies what things you strayed on that you wished you hadn't? Only because I have a tendency to rush through some things that maybe I shouldn't. It might help some of us who are just starting out not to make the same mistakes.

One thing that I glanced over at first was some of the activities (acting out Bible stories, some of the art projects, etc). At first, it seemed we didn't have time for "that" stuff. But as I went along with my older one, further in the guides, and from reading CM, I began to see the value. Just going through those activities that seemed like just something else to do, actually prepares them for things they will come to further in the guides (narration, relating personally to the material, and learning to follow directions...just to name a few). I guess I thought these types of skills would just develop on their own. But they really are skills that have to be learned (as opposed to just maturing into). It was just a realization that all those tasks that you don't see fruit from right away can seem meaningless, but we need to look at these tasks as seeds being planted, and knowing they will be watered (added to) along the way and eventually we will begin to see fruit from all those talking stuffed animals and bean bag tossing . (Much like our faith...sometimes what we don't see at first is the very thing that brings us to a deeper place).

Angie

Tracee wrote:Can you tell some of us newbies what things you strayed on that you wished you hadn't? Only because I have a tendency to rush through some things that maybe I shouldn't. It might help some of us who are just starting out not to make the same mistakes.

Tracy

hand motions for the memory verses. I didn't do them with my oldest. I do them with the middle child and I will with the baby when she is school age.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! That was a big help. In the past, I skipped a little of what each of you had mentioned, because I just didn't think I could fit it all in or it wasn't really that important or they just weren't getting it. But lately, I've been convicted to do everything, and I see it sinking into my children's brains much deeper. As I'm writing, my two little ones, who are tagging along and won't be starting LHFHG until next year, are playing and pretending they are Paul in prison and on a ship. I guess that speaks for itself. Thank you again. It really encouraged me.


Tracy

Great advice mamyi!!!

I have done the guides as written, and have been so glad as I've learned over time the purpose and wise planning that is there in place. Truly - everything has its purpose - no "busy work".

One thing I wouldn't have noticed on my own is how the spelling is taught in Beyond. It is there to train the kids in studied dictation down the road and really get the child used to picturing correctly spelled words by taking a picture of them in their minds. So, the point of HOD spelling isn't to spell the words correctly once, it's to practice writing words spelled correctly. MUCH different mind-set than I was used to. Takes away that "if you get it right on a pretest, you're done with the word" mindset.
I'm really loving how the narration builds through the guides! It's been amazing to see it grow from LHFHG to RTR! Acting out a story with stuffed animals to writing a 10 sentence narration on martyrs of the early church living in a time when those in power agreed with Arianism. Wow!
The hand-holding I'm getting in teaching my child to write both creatively and factually is incredible! I know most of my friends homeschooling are at a loss as to how to teach their kids to write well. No fear here, HOD is handling this area wonderfully in a step-by-step way for me. My kids who may be especially gifted in this area will thrive, and those who may not will still be appropriately challenged and be taught to produce quality work. LOVE IT!

Anyway, I second your advice! Don't skip anything! (And you don't really need to add a thing, either!) HOD as-is is our choice for homeschooling here.
Kathleen

You are so right about the spelling Kathleen! I didn't understand why spelling was approached the way it was until we got to the Bigger guide so I just glossed over it when we did Beyond. Thankfully my oldest is a naturally good speller but my second child needs lots of help with spelling so now she will receive the full benefit of doing it just as the guide says.
I also appreciate your perspective on how narration skills are built from guide to guide.