I think it would help my younger to go at that speed, but I want to keep my older daughter challenged too. I would love to hear any ideas that you have!

Thanks!
LeAnna

If they are 7 and 8 and are ready for DITHOR full-time along with the writing, I'd just start it as is. If they need some time to grow into it, we have gotten Book Pack 2, and are going slowly through it, since my ds was 6 yo when we finished the Emerging Reader's Set. My ds reads a bit to me every day (about 2-4 pages), as I think this is important for my ds and his growing reading fluency and comprehension. We are probably going about half-speed at this time, taking twice as long with a DITHOR title as the regular pacing would take. We read every day, but we do the DITHOR instruction from the TG every other day, or a little each day, and I do the writing for the most part. We are enjoying this laid back approach and will continue it until next year when we do Bigger Hearts full-speed.LeAnna wrote:Julie,
Both girls will be about just turned 7 and 8 (1st and 2nd) when we start Beyond. By slowly going through DITHOR, how would you suggest? One or two days a week? Should I plan on going the same pace for both girls? Do you have in suggestions on how I should approach LA... just stick to spelling for another year, or start Rod and Staff English 2 with the older?
LeAnna
If she hasn't done A Reason for Handwriting A, I'd do that or something comparable. We did this with my 6 yo ds during Beyond, and it helped him grow in his handwriting so much.LeAnna wrote:Carrie or Julie,
What too, would be your suggestion for Bigger Handwriting for my dd6, who will be tech. 1st grade? I don't feel she is quite ready for cursive... although I think she would like to be.![]()
Thank you,
LeAnna
This would be just fine to do, and is what we are doing too.LeAnna wrote:We had just started doing 4 days a week with Beyond. My oldest just turned 7, and the other just turned 6, so I was hoping to take 4 days a week clear into the following year, which would put us at ending the book about a month after there next birthdays (8 and 7).
Yes, to all of this! Sounds like a good plan.LeAnna wrote:Before we started Beyond, we were working on A Reason For Handwriting A, and now have been doing the copywork in BLHFHG. So, if I carry this out, and just do that with the both of them, along with the grammar in Beyond, and the spelling words... and start DITHOR with them when they finish the Emerging Readers, that would be good? I really would like the girls, if at all possible (they are only about one book apart in them) to do DITHOR together. Like you say, we can move slowly through the Book pack 2. I like the idea of everyother day.
I'm a tad confused about this part.LeAnna wrote:Sorry if I keep repeating myself. I am an outloud thinker!I would love to keep that 4 day schedule in Bigger too. The girls would be about a month after their 8th and 7th birthdays. I am a little concerned with some of the work load for my younger, and need a little reassurance.
I might want to keep her with just the spelling words, huh? My older, I might keep her at the spelling words too, for say half the year, and then move into the Rod and Staff slowly. She won't be a third grader though until Preparing. Will that be okay? I know Carrie said 3rd grade for English.In Preparing, do they give you the plans for English 2 and 3?
I'm thinking this is referring to the following year with BHFHG, correct me if I'm wrong please. I would not have your younger dd start Cheerful Cursive until PHFHG, but that's just my thought on it. I would instead have her focus on doing the other types of writing taught in BHFHG - like copywork, notebooking, vocabulary cards, lab reports, etc. Again, you can ease her into these areas by sharing the writing with her at first, using a marker board, and then helping her be able to do it totally on her own by the end of the year to get her read for PHFHG. I would think about doing R & S 2 half-speed at that point with her, doing much of it orally and having her only write a portion of it. I described how we do this at this link, in case this might be beneficial:LeAnna wrote:Now as far as handwriting my younger in Bigger... she will just be 7, and 1st grade. If we have done the copywork in Beyond and A Reason for Handwriting A... what would be your suggestion. Is Cheerful Cursive going to be a good choice based on her age. If I had to say right now, I don't know that she would be ready... however, we have the year to grow and she could improve a lot! As far as grammar for her in Bigger. I know I defintely do not want her to start English 2, until Preparing, but if we have already done Beyond LA, by then... what would be a good choice for her?
No need to be sorry for asking questions - that was the entire reason this board was created, so ask, ask away! Hope this helped, but as more if questions come to mind! I'd love to hear your thoughts on all of this after you ponder a bit. Don't overthink it though - HOD is so flexible and pacing should be chosen based on your wants and needs for your family, so there really isn't one right way to go about this, but instead many roads that lead to success!LeAnna wrote:So sorry for all the questions. You are probably overwhelmed by now.. I know I am!!! I do appreciate a lot, all the help you guys give!!!![]()
Thanks!
LeAnna
I'm glad to be of some help, LeAnna!LeAnna wrote:I too, agree that I shouldn't start R&S 2 with my younger until Preparing. Is that when you thought I should take it at half speed? She will just be tech. 2nd grade then.