Looking to make the switch from BJU to HOD

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meggiejones
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2015 2:28 pm

Looking to make the switch from BJU to HOD

Post by meggiejones » Fri Oct 23, 2015 3:33 pm

Hello! I have enjoyed reading the posts on this message board and have confidence that some of you fine ladies will be able to give me some advice! I have been homeschooling my two boys (ages 6 and 8 ) for the past 3 years. We have been using Bob Jones (BJU) the past 2 years and my boys are both doing well in their workbooks. I am feeling called to make a change in our curriculum because, while they are doing well in their studies, it feels a bit like a "rat race" to get through all of the subjects with ALL the separate workbooks, textbooks and teacher's guides!! I feel like we are "checking boxes", but not having the Christ centered discussions and learning together like I truly thought we would when we decided to homeschool. I'm super organized though and am SO looking forward to a teacher's guide that maps out the curriculum for me. I can't tell you how long I spend weekly trying to just map out lessons alone without even starting on any extra activities!

All that being said... I have been researching like crazy trying to figure out a better way for us. I am so impressed with what HOD has to offer and I'm excited to make the switch! Next year my boys will be 7 and 9. I'm wondering if starting with Bigger Hearts is the way to go. I was thinking I could do the Emerging Reader's Set for my 2nd grader and the Drawn Into the Heart of Reading for my 4th grader. Would that be right? When it comes to English, would I be able to do English 2 for both of them or would you recommend doing English on separate levels? I've read that Rod and Staff English is a little advanced so I wasn't sure how it would fit for my 4th grader or even my 2nd grader coming from BJU.

Singapore math scares me a little. I saw that there are placement tests on the Singapore website. I can see where my boys would do just fine on certain sections of the tests on their current grade levels, but other parts would leave them looking like a dear in headlights! Do you start lower and just move up as they master? I would hate to leave something out that will cause them issues later!

My last question is if you would recommend me doing the Extension Package for my 4th grader or if he would be okay following along with the other read-alouds?

I realize I could just call and ask these questions to the customer service staff (and I probably will), but I wanted some momma opinions as well! I've heard great things about HOD over the years, but I honestly don't have a single friend who uses the curriculum locally.

Thank you in advance and God bless!
Meg

hs.mama07
Posts: 31
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 12:44 pm

Re: Looking to make the switch from BJU to HOD

Post by hs.mama07 » Fri Oct 23, 2015 7:32 pm

Hi! Welcome to HOD!! :-) My boys are 5 and 7, so we're just a little behind you! We love HOD so much...and it sounds like it is just what you are looking for. Before going much further, though, have you looked at the placement chart? With HOD, the most important thing is to have each child properly placed. Oddly enough, it's easier to run two separate guides with well-placed kids, than just one guide when the kids aren't placed well. If you haven't yet, take a look at the chart for each of your kiddos and let us know what you find!

http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php
Liz

DS 8 Bigger
DS 5 LHTH with phonics and K math

Rice
Posts: 526
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 10:00 am

Re: Looking to make the switch from BJU to HOD

Post by Rice » Fri Oct 23, 2015 11:22 pm

Just wanted to chime in to agree with the previous poster. And when you're considering the placement chart, it isn't always best to put them in the highest level you think they'd be capable of doing. Especially with multiple kids (though with 2 you can decide if that qualifies or if you'll have lots of time to work with each one individually :wink: ) it's better if they can work a bit more independently than the guide actually suggests.

One other point to consider is that, if it truly works best for you to combine (I agree with hs.momma07 that it's easier to do more guides with kids well placed than a single guide when someone is pushed too hard or held back) Carrie suggests placing your youngest one where they fit best and then adding the Extensions for the older, if needed. If that puts the older one too low, then two guides is the better way to go.

As for math: do you have a curriculum for that that is working well for you? It might not be the best idea to switch, if you do. Singapore is a different way of teaching than most curricula, so they often suggest going quite low and working through the lower levels (even if quickly) to learn the Singapore way of doing things. If BJU (or something else) is working, I would suggest keeping on with that, especially for your 4th Grader.

Grammar, it depends what level you end up choosing. If your younger one ends up in Beyond, grammar instruction is included. Carrie suggests finishing R&S 6 by the end of grade 8, so you can work back from that, also considering that R&S 4 is sometimes completed over 2 years (so either 2 or 3 for your 4th grader should work).

And your 9yo won't need Extensions as he still fits within the recommended age range for Bigger.

I hope that answers some of your questions. If you look at the placement chart for each of your sons individually, then share your findings here, we can give you more specific suggestions as to which guide(s) to start with for sure. :)
Blessings,
Rice

DS 21 - GRAD '20: after WG
DD 19 - GRAD '21: after WH
DS 17 - GRAD '22; did CTC-WH + 2yrs non-HOD (🇨🇦)
DS 15 not using a guide this year (DONE: LHFHG-MTMM)
DS 13 MTMM (DONE: Prep-Rev2Rev)
DS 11 +
DD 9 CTC (DONE: Prep)
6yo DS phonics

rumkimom
Posts: 253
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:25 am

Re: Looking to make the switch from BJU to HOD

Post by rumkimom » Sat Oct 24, 2015 5:28 am

I agree with the previous posters...check that placement chart. If your younger one fits into Bigger than you could place them in that one together. :) I tried to do my boys together (ages 7 & 9) in Beyond this year but it just did not work.....it was way too hard for the younger one (who could not sit long enough to listen to the history lesson) and almost too easy for the older one (he was ready to do more notebooking type work). They really needed to have their own curriculum and once I switched the younger one down to LHFHG (he is in 1st grade) and the older one to Bigger (he is in 3rd grade) they were both so much happier! My boys are delayed so are on the older side for each of their guides, but the level is perfect for each one. I am guessing that your older one might be ready for R&S 3 next year instead of R&S 2. I do not use Singapore math but use another math.

As far as the extension package....if your child is a very good reader and would otherwise place in Preparing (but you want to keep them together), then you might consider it. When I used bigger for my girls years ago, my daughter was 9 & going into 4th grade. The extension package was perfect for her as she LOVED reading anything she could get her hands on (at almost 17, she still does!!).
----
Wendy C.
DH-Owen
Emily (19 - graduatated from UCC spring 2018, Fashion Design Program)
Melody (17 - Rev 2 Rev-unit 21, IEW for writing, grammar, completed math)
Steven (12 - CTC, IEW for writing, grammar, spelling, TT Math)
Clarence (10 - PS)

meggiejones
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2015 2:28 pm

Re: Looking to make the switch from BJU to HOD

Post by meggiejones » Sun Oct 25, 2015 3:55 pm

Thank y'all sooooo much for your responses! I have been pouring over the placement guide and I'm still not 100% sure what to do. I seriously wish I had some way to actually look at the curriculum up close, but the next book fair isn't until next May that I know of! Here are my thoughts at the moment. Since we do BJU now and it is clearly VERY different from HOD, I've decided to get the Economy Package for Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory to start implementing this year. I think I will also purchase R&S English 2 and try to get through it with my older son so that we get used to the flow of that English program while dropping BJU English altogether. I'll finish the BJU English and Phonics book with my younger son because he's doing great and then I will start him on the R&S English 2 next year. I'm going to stick to BJU Math because both boys are doing really well.
My thought is that I can start getting used to the teacher's guide and get them used to the history, science, etc. that we are able to do with just the Economy Package so that next year changing everything won't be such a huge deal for us. Does this make sense? I just feel like maybe starting at the lower level and getting a feel for the flow of the curriculum will help me decide what level to purchase for next year since I'm unsure about whether they both could do Bigger Hearts or if I need to do one in Bigger and the other in Preparing. ALSO, I'll be able to go to the spring book fair and see everything up close and personal by then. Does this plan sound like a decent one or would you do the same type of plan and go with BHFHG to start? Thank you for all your kind words of support!

rodandmegs
Posts: 96
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2015 7:06 am
Contact:

Re: Looking to make the switch from BJU to HOD

Post by rodandmegs » Mon Oct 26, 2015 4:19 am

I think that plan sounds great. I have a 7 year old and 10 year old in Bigger this year. My ten year old is using the extension packages. It's not too easy for him, and he is learning. I have a blog with weekly reviews on the curriculum that are pretty thorough, if you want to have a look. I know before I decided to buy HOD, I read through many many HOD blogs to see exactly what we would be doing, how it worked, etc. Good luck!!
Mikaela - 9th - Bob Jones University DVDs
Eli - 7th - Bob Jones University DVDs
Mercie - 3rd - Bigger Hearts for His Glory
Silas - 1st - Little Hearts for His Glory
Titus - preK Little Hands to Heaven

http://Www.myfullhandsandheart.blogspot.com

rumkimom
Posts: 253
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:25 am

Re: Looking to make the switch from BJU to HOD

Post by rumkimom » Mon Oct 26, 2015 6:12 am

Have you downloaded the samples at all? You can get week of for each one so that you can see what they are like. :)
----
Wendy C.
DH-Owen
Emily (19 - graduatated from UCC spring 2018, Fashion Design Program)
Melody (17 - Rev 2 Rev-unit 21, IEW for writing, grammar, completed math)
Steven (12 - CTC, IEW for writing, grammar, spelling, TT Math)
Clarence (10 - PS)

swansonacad

Re: Looking to make the switch from BJU to HOD

Post by swansonacad » Mon Oct 26, 2015 9:21 am

You said your children are doing well with BJU. Which level in BJU English is your oldest currently using? You might want to consider moving your older into the actual grade level that he would be in this year for Rod & Staff. I've heard of others who switched to R&S from BJU and found the level they chose to be too easy. They were disappointed. R&S 2 is beginner English, the lowest level R&S carries. It's good but might be way too easy for your oldest since he's already used BJU for a few years.

Debra

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

Re: Looking to make the switch from BJU to HOD

Post by my3sons » Sun Nov 08, 2015 9:04 am

Welcome to the HOD Board! You've had some super advice here already! One tip that really helps when looking at placement - print a placement chart for each child. Then, fill out the placement chart with ONLY that child in mind individually. Next, do the same with your next child. Once you know which guide each child places best in, you can then go about deciding if you still want to combine or not. The target age ranges are helpful to consider. So, for BHFHG, the daily plans of the guide are written to best fit dc ages 7-9 yo. The extensions are necessary for dc ages 10-11 yo most of the time, unless there are special considerations for reading, etc. Printing the first week of plans for each of the guides you are considering also really helps. After you print the placement charts and fill them out, sharing that information here on the board with us is wonderful to do! :D Also, sharing whatever your dc did for levels/curriculum in each subject area last year is a big help to us helping you too. Bigger Hearts is a fair step up from Beyond in many ways. Writing is one of them, so if you do give Beyond a trial run, remember Bigger is a fair clip harder. I hope to hear back from you when you get a chance about each of your kiddos' placement findings! All of HOD's guides are fantastic, but proper placement is what makes each year the best it can be! I want that for you and your dc! :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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