How many guides can I teach at one time?

[arbeomorrow]

We are starting HOD this fall. I will be teaching K, 2nd that is still learning phonics and handwriting, 3rd, 5th no formal grammar, 7th no formal grammar, 9th no formal grammar and behind one year in math, 10th no formal grammar and behind one year in math. I feel like we really got behind the last two years and need to catch up fast. We are required to submit examples of our work to our online school and the high schoolers have to do high school level work in order to receive a diploma. So, I could use help in guide placement for everyone and advice on how many guides I can feasibly teach.

[The2youngs]

Have you looked at the placement charts at all? I have four kids, each in their own guides, and am able to handle that quite well. It’s a busy day, but definitely feasible!

Your older kids - 7th, 9th, and 10th - will need you for very little each day, as HOD fosters independence excellently. Some literature discussion, perhaps dictation if they’re still doing it, and perhaps devotional discussion unless your husband is willing to help with your sons in that. Depending on what credits your high schoolers need, you could combine them at least in some things.

I’d guess your 2nd and 3rd graders might be able to be combined if their skill levels are close enough together and they work well together.

For kindergarten, I typically do just math and reading instruction and let them listen in to any read alouds, so that might take some off your plate.

Without knowing more specifics, it’s hard to know where or if combining would be best. I know Julie is excellent at giving advice and a phone call to HOD might be the best solution, although many moms here have chosen to combine in various ways and done so successfully!

[StephanieU]

Definitely see where they place! If they place in the same guide or one guide sissy, you can likely use the lower guide and combine them. If they are two guides apart, you can consider combining with extensions, but it might not be a time saver.

Maybe come back and share where each one places?

[arbeomorrow]

5yr places in LHFHG, 7yr BLFHG, 8yr BHFHG, 10yr PHFHG or CtC, 12yr RtR or Rev2Rev, 14yr WG, 15yr WG or WH.

[christianmom]

I’ve done 4 guides at once with success. I don’t think I could do more than 4, but perhaps someone has done so with success.

I wouldn’t suggest Beyond, Bigger, and Preparing at the same time. They are all fairly mom intensive. Could the 7 & 8 do Beyond or Bigger together? Could the 10 & 12 do CTC together? High school is very independent. They could probably do separate guides or together. I would consider starting LHFHG 1/2 a year after the rest of the guides are flowing smoothly at pace since it is also mom intensive.

I hope you can find good placement for success.

[Rice]

K places in LHFHG, 2nd BLFHG, 3rd BHFHG, 5th PHFHG or CTC, 7th Res to Ref or Rev to Rev, 9th World Geo, 10th World Geo or World History.

K - I would recommend daily storytime with you and phonics (when ready - I start around their 6th birthday), only adding in more when/if you have time (printing + K-level fine motor skills, formal math - beyond what they'll already learn from real life, and/or Bible). Use LHFHG next year for 1st once you've gotten in a rhythm with all the others (or, if you're like me, continue with the basics of 3Rs and Storytime until they're ready for Preparing!).

How do your 2nd and 3rd graders work together? Would they unfairly compare themselves/each other if in the same level? Could you combine them in Beyond and then add expectations (mostly in reading and phonics) for the older one?

Another option would be to do just 3Rs and Storytime (HOD books or your own choices) until these two are ready for Preparing, which may be the same year or different years, depending on their skills, probably around 4th/5th grade. (This option will still have you starting with 3+ guides, so may be the best for your first year.)

5th - go with Preparing, not CTC. Always choose the lower one if unsure between two and especially when running multiple guides. The more independently they can work, the more likely you all are to succeed starting multiple guides at once.

7th - same thing: RTR, not Rev2Rev.

9th and 10th - combine in WG. It is perfectly fine for any high school grade. Or, if it's easier (re: sharing books, etc.), then you could put them in separate guides for independent work, but combine them in WG's LA, Science, and Logic, and maybe grammar, so you're only teaching one level of English, Science and electives.

You are not alone. We came to HOD when our oldest was 12 and at one point I was up to 3 high schoolers across 2 guides, 1 in the middle school guides, one in 3Rs then Preparing, and 2 (K-3rd) doing just 3Rs and Storytime, with a tag-along toddler. It was pretty insane for a couple years until they started to graduate! I'm really enjoying teaching 5 now!

Blessings as you decide!

[arbeomorrow]

Thank you for your suggestions!

[Mgs]

2 of the younger manuals is doable (preparing & beyond or bigger & little hearts/little hands) plus whatever older guides you need from CTC up. The older guides are very independent. If you need more than 2 younger guides I’d just do something simpler instead for the youngest ones and wait until beyond for them.