I'm new and need help! Thanks!

[Michelle]

Hi! I've been reading these "threads" and spending hours looking at the catalog and I still can't figure out where to place my dd! I appreciate all the hard work that went into that chart, though! I have a dd that is 5.5 and a ds that is 9.5 so I know they definately need separate programs. I'll just focus on my dd in this thread, ok?

Well, she's now 5.5 and turning 6 on Aug. 27. We did "Kindergarten with ACE and Christi" but it was really only a preschool curriculum. That program doesn't have the dc reading or writing at all! I finally had the nerve to jump out of the program and move out onto my own and let her begin to read some PhonicWorks Readers (from K12) I had. She is now being challenged and is soooo excited about her school, whereas before she was sooooo bored. She went through 3 of those readers in a few days and will not quit until she finishes one. She's not learned to write at all so I just ordered "Handwriting without Tears- Kindergarten" to teach her before we begin 1st grade in August. Our K program was much too easy for her so I want to challenge her in 1st grade, yet not overly so that she looses her zest for learning. I have also begun reading her "Little House in the Big Woods" just for fun.

Now to my question! Should I begin her with LHFHG or BLHFHG? What exactly does "emerging reader" mean?
LHFHG says "ready for phonics instruction", she knows all her letter sounds, but what does that mean? What does "finishing phonics" mean in BLHFHG? What does "formal instruction to math concepts" mean in LHFHG? I don't know if she's done any of this stuff at all.

Which program has been designed with 1st grade in mind according to national standards? That is, just in case she would have to jump into a school. I wouldn't want her to be behind since she's a pretty smart little girl. (thanks to my dh genes!)

Would it be best to place her a little above her level (at Beyond....) and just work at her pace, or into Little... and go faster as needed? I see that there is no handwriting written into the Beyond... program though and alot of readers. However, I don't know how advanced the Beyond... readers are or how fast she'll take off. Right now she says she "loves to read and loves math" don't want to spoil that or make her bored again like this year.

If I choose Beyond... and only use the Phonics, when will those emerging readers get used - half way through the year or the next year? Will half of her program be too advanced and half be at her level and she'll be all lopsided?

I'm just so confused after such a slow year, I would just hate to let her be bored and underachieve another year too! But I also don't want to swing the pendulum the other way and expect too much and burden her just when it's getting fun for her.

Thanks,in advance, for listening! I will really appreciate any help in getting the ball rolling for us!
God bless!

[Jessi]

Michelle- Welcome to the boards! I am sure you can find the right fit.

She has had very little instruction in phonics, none in writing, and how about math? Is she on target for that?

How well does she do listening to chapter books with few pictures? Can she retell information to from what you have read to her or does she seem completely lost?

Emerging readers are for those children who have finished their phonics instruction and allow them to gently start reading on their own. Each book is more difficult than the last, building their reading abilities so that when they are finished, they'll be ready for DITHR. If she is just starting phonics and won't be done when she starts in the fall, then I'd say hold off on emerging readers.

Personally I'd say put her in LHFHG so she can get used to reading chapter books and learning the art of narration in a gentle way. But I'd have her do 1st math (if she is at that level) and get the 1st grade skills book. You could then do 1st grade handwriting and phonics instruction. If she finishes phonics before you are done with LHFHG then you could get the beyond manual and the emerging reader set and start her on those. *edited to add- The history in LHFHG is mostly Bible stories so if you were wanting more of an American history approach as opposed to Bible story history approach then you'd want to go with Beyond*

If however, you think she is ready for copywork and want longer books for storytime, then you ought to look into Beyond. You know her best.

I am sure others will pop in to help.

Have a great day.

[funkmomma71]

Michelle,

Welcome!!

Your dd sounds as if she would place well in LHFHG. You could start her formal phonics instruction and if she flies through it you could then start her in the Emerging Readers, the schedule is in the Beyond Manual and from what I understand it also provides comprehension questions. My dd has been doing LHFHG and is on Unit 29, it is not a slacker program!! Her skill level in every academic area has dramatically improved, from simple things like cutting and pasting, to more complicated stuff like listening comprehension she has BLOSSOMED!!

As the previous poster said, the first part of the program deals with biblical history but it then moves into a broad overview of American History, with a touch of world history (mostly related to church history). The following two programs, Beyond and Bigger, will cover American History on a deeper level.

As for meeting standards, I wouldn't worry about your dd not achieving state requirements for education, I'd be more concerned that she would be above state standards and that a return to public school would be boring to your child because she will have surpassed her public school mates in academic achievement.

If your dd is between programs skillwise, my recommendation would be to go with LHFHG, you can easily make it more challenging. Making Beyond easier would mean cutting out things that would prepare her for the next level or trying to tough it out and possibly frustrating your dd and turning her off from school.

Blessings and best wishes!!

[Michelle]

Thanks for the replies! She's done a lot of listening to stories in K and she listens to a full Ch. at a time in a chapter book just fine. She can answer comprehension questions about what was read. I've not asked her to "tell back" the story though.

She's not done much math at all, but she' s got my dh "math mind" (he's an actuary). First grade math will work her, I believe.

She will need handwriting practice next year for sure. I do know now that the emerging readers will be too hard to begin with. She catches on fast to most things, she tends to be a Perfect Paula. She caught onto reading really fast after learning letter sounds. Soon I will begin teaching her digraphs etc. (sh,ch,ck,tch etc.) She's a hard worker, when she's challenged.

Should I still begin with Little... or would it be ok to buy Beyond... and take 2 years to do it? I soo wish I could get my hands on the materials! I'm going to the WPA Conference (WI state)on May 2, but I don't believe HOD is going to be there.

Thanks again for answering to my dilema!

[FiveLittlePeaches]

Yep, sounds like you child would fit well in LHFHG.

You know, I just want to tell you that HOD makes learning FUN!!!

I'm currently doing LHFHG with a 5, 6 and a very bright 7 year old and I don't think my oldest is slighted in the least. My children all work at their own level in phonics, reading and math, but I do the left hand side of the page together. Don't underestimate Little Hearts. One of the things I really loved about the program is the wonderful resources Carrie picked. My kids really enjoy the Burgess Thornton stories because they're so entertaining, and I enjoy them for the character lessons they teach. My girls have really grown in their narration abilities, so I consider that a huge victory. I have seen how their minds had to work as they had to process the story and tell it back in order with details. The Devotions for the Childrens hour is fantastic, and it really resonates well with children this age, and makes the Bible come alive. I don't do Singapore math with this set of children, but I probably will with my next two -- now that I see how it "teaches math" in a tangible way. Someone else mentioned the additional read aloud books in the appendix, and we get many of these from the library for extra reading or story time. Oh, and the Rhymes in Motion -- I will admit I thought they were corny so I didn't do them in the beginning. One day we just started doing them, and my children think they're fun and it's a great way to learn! Who knew? Plus the program get the school work done in a reasonable amount of time, and the children are able to play and work on things they enjoy -- art!!!

I just highly recommend this program. We are in Unit 28 and going strong.

If you really think Beyond is where you child should be place, then by all means... get Beyond! I think having done LHFHG, it really prepare my children to get the most out of the next Beyond. We can't wait!

Joy

[crlacey]

After reading your first post, I would also lean toward Little Hearts. In Little Hearts she'll be able to continue her phonics instruction at her pace and develop her writing and math skills. In Beyond, she'll be expected to copy sections of a poem each day for handwriting, so if you feel she is ready to copy and have spelling words, than she would place in Beyond. In all honesty, I would hate to miss Little Hearts because we enjoyed most of it. And Little Hearts does have 1st grade options you can choose.

[tjswaine]

Thanks for your input, ladies! I am in the same position with my ds. He is currently enrolled in Reading Readiness with Ace and Christi at a Christian school. I am seriously considering homeschooling with HOD in the fall and was wondering which program to use. Thanks again.

[eazbnsmom]

Thanks for your input, ladies! I am in the same position with my ds. He is currently enrolled in Reading Readiness with Ace and Christi at a Christian school. I am seriously considering homeschooling with HOD in the fall and was wondering which program to use. Thanks again.

Ace & Christie! You sure are bringing back memories of my Christian School Days.

[Carrie]

Michelle,

I'm late to the thread here, so I appreciate your patience! We have returned from convention and are working on catching up on emails and the board.

I agree with the wise advice that the ladies gave you in that Little Hearts would be an excellent fit for your little sweetie. Since it includes K and 1st grade options for language arts, fine motor skills, and math it will not be too easy for your daughter. It also includes a wonderful one-year overview of world history which is interesting and really ties in the importance of the Bible. Since she is only 5.5, I wouldn't push her ahead to Beyond too soon (which is targeted for ages 6-8 ), as she would get to Bigger Hearts and the upped level of skills required in all areas too quickly then. I'd also agree that placement chart-wise it sounds like she fits in Little Hearts overall.

If she hasn't had a formal introduction to math at this point, I would definitely put her through the Kindergarten math with hands-on activities included in the guide. It's important to give her a good strong foundation in the 3 R's, rather than hustling past the foundational years and getting to the more difficult material without a strong foundation in place. If you've already done a steady formal kindergarten math program, then you'd be fine placing her in 1A/1B for math instead.

If you have other questions, ask away. The ladies on the board are so gracious about helping!

Blessings,
Carrie

[my3sons]

Michelle - You would really be missing out on LHFHG if you didn't do it! It is just perfect for that age, and believe me, looking down the road doing Bigger Hearts with a very young child would be tough to swing. LHFHG will fill any gaps your dd may have and get her all ready for the writing requirements, oral narration skills, spelling study, grammar introduction, etc. of Beyond. If she likes to fly, why not let her soar through LHFHG, and be adequately prepared for BLHFHG? I think you and your dd would love LHFHG. You can always choose the first grade options for LHFHG if you want to extend it more, but I think it's great either way.

In Christ,
Julie

[my3sons]

Thanks for your input, ladies! I am in the same position with my ds. He is currently enrolled in Reading Readiness with Ace and Christi at a Christian school. I am seriously considering homeschooling with HOD in the fall and was wondering which program to use. Thanks again.

Hi there, and welcome to the HOD board! Be sure to post any questions or concerns you might have - we love to help each other out, and I think you would truly love homeschooling your dc with HOD.

In Christ,
Julie

[tjswaine]

Thank you, Julie! My heart is all for homeschooling. I'm just waiting for my husband to feel the same way or at least trust my judgment.