WH Ordering Question / English Placement ?

[christianmom]

Hi!

I have WH in my Cart, and I have some questions about the order.

Last spring, the lovely ladies on this board and Carrie and Julie helped place my son into WH for this fall. I have some questions though about the English credit.

He did a few very informal essays for his literature study with Generations. He did well with them, but it was without much instruction and more based on content and word count than structure (300 - 500 words for each one). He also did one essay in Christian Light’s English I for 9th grade with instruction. He has used Rod and Staff English previously.

My question is will the level of essays he has had work with EIW 11 for WH for his final essay instruction? I keep wondering if I should be using WG for literature and EIW and WH for grammar? Then use WH’s literature and composition next year with US History I, or will it be fine and we should move forward? He has 3 years of Highschool left and is at the older end of the grade. He’s also my oldest.

I will add that I appreciate Carrie’s recent blog post on keeping the balance of the guide intact. My son will be doing Dr.Wile’s Advanced Chemistry (one hour per day) and Saxon’s Pre-Calculus (one hour per day) with WH. Would the literature and composition with WH be better to keep the balance of the rest of the guide intact, or WG composition / literature with his situation?

Here is a link to my thread last spring if it might be helpful:

https://heartofdakota.com/board3/viewto ... =6&t=18010

The rest of my younger children’s placements were easy and straightforward for the Cart!

Thank you for your help! I really do appreciate this message board!

In Christ,

[my3sons]

It is good to hear from you! With what you've shared previously and now here as well, I still think moving forward with the plan to do World History as it is written, including the English credit, would be best. There is enough review at the start of EIW, and Matthew Stephen's directions are so clear to follow. I found it easy to step in and help as needed, as the EIW Student Book closely follows the DVD instruction.

We have students transfer into Heart of Dakota at all different times in high school. The smoothest transition is to try to keep the balance of the guide as intact as possible. Carrie is considering all that is in a guide when writing plans. So, for example, if there is a written narration in history, there may not be a written assignment (or as heavy of a written assignment) in EIW. EIW is scheduled 2 times a week in WH. On these days, the World History assignments are usually the Book of Centuries timeline and a talking points oral narration. As you can see, the World History assignments are purposefully chosen to be done more orally or to have minimal writing (as in the Book of Centuries), so the student only has to focus on writing in EIW.

Likewise, the literature study has step-by-step clear guidelines to follow. It too keeps the balance of the guide intact. For example, if there is an oral narration planned for Literature Study, there will not be an oral narration planned for World History. If there is a written narration planned in World History, there will just be annotations planned in Literature Study. Not to mention, looking further down the road. In USI American Literature coincides perfectly with the history. When students write a 3 paragraph narration for American Literature, composition (In Their Sandals) is not part of the plans that day. When students are responsible for typing their narrations in U.S. History, they won't be assigned to type their essay composition, and so on.

So, by keeping the guide intact, you will be keeping balance not only this year but in the years to come. I think you will enjoy that as much as we have! Hope this helps!

In Christ,
Julie

[christianmom]

Thank you very much, Julie, for your reply! Your information was extremely helpful, and it gave me a clearer picture of how the WH & US History I guides work. I’m glad to know WH solo is the best plan!

Thank you for your encouragement. I’m really looking forward to using Heart of Dakota again!

God Bless!

In Christ,

[my3sons]

You are welcome - glad to have helped! Have a wonderful homeschool year!

In Christ,
Julie