Is HOD enough?

shera · Post by **shera** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 4:18 pm

I have been mulling over this question for a while and I'm not sure if I even have it straight in my own mind but I want to throw it out here. IRL I know many people that use Abeka, Alpha Omega, Christian Liberty Press or ACE so basically textbooks. Anyway, I have tried Sonlight, Winter Promise and MFW before HOD and even with those in the back of my mind I wonder is this enough. Is my child retaining information? Maybe I am doing this because there are no tests or graded papers. I sometimes fear that CM style or unit style just isn't enough. That I am doing some sort of disservice by not using textbooks.

Does this make sense to anyone? Can anyone reassure me that what I am doing is enough?

Sarah

inHistiming · Post by **inHistiming** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 4:32 pm

I definitely think HOD is enough. I've used other programs, and my kids have never learned and retained information as well as they do with HOD. My daughter is learning to spell, when she didn't with the other program. The activities are great, the lessons are not too long, and it covers all the basics, then some. I'm very happy with our HOD experience; that's why ALL my kids will be using it next year!

water2wine · Post by **water2wine** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 4:46 pm

Sarah,

I honestly think it is quite enough. Actually recently I have realized this more and more. I started before we finished what we were doing and had things to finish up on the side. The more we get into HOD and the more I am almost done finishing my side stuff the more content I am in what HOD has to offer just in itself.

What I am trying to say is absolutely it is enough. You truly need nothing more. I say that honestly as a mom that really loves to add my own extras all the time. So there is no need to add more but the beauty is for instance if you would like your children to learn Spanish the flexibility is there to add it and not sort of tilt the scale. However for what the program covers it has all the basics covered and then really quite a bit more. Honestly the beauty is that the depth is there. I know it almost seems too simple but I promise you it is there and you are going to be amazed at how much and how well your children learn.

I am big on academics and that is certainly covered completely. But my biggest concern is really spiritually training my children to know deeply who God is and how to seek them in their lives after I am no longer teaching them. And I am thrilled that the seemingly simple lessons in HOD are really treading deeply into my children's hearts. So on all counts I say yes it is enough. And in fact if all I could ever have is the complete program for HOD I would be more than enough full. So throw the crutches away. You don't need them. The program really does have it all.

Give yourself about a month or two doing HOD and you will see the fruits. God has definitely put His hand in this. It is freeing and yet still teaches deeply. And defnitely it is enough.

Melanie · Post by **Melanie** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 4:52 pm

YES YES YES!

I had to do a lot of personal reading on the CM method before I really understood it, and it really does make sense......less IS more.

Just like W2W, we are very academic minded....they're ALL going to college!....but spiritual growth is far more important to us. With HOD and the CM methods, you really can have both.

I would suggest doing some study on CM so that you can really understand how it all works. I've got to run now, but I'll try to get back to you with some more info.

my3sons · Post by **my3sons** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 5:02 pm

Ditto to what the pp's said!

Sarah, I get what you are saying though! When I read the CM style of learning, I thought it was so wonderful! Then, when we first began to put CM style learning into practice by using HOD's curriculums, I found myself wanting to add in workbookish type things. I wasn't sure if copywork and dictation could REALLY teach spelling or not. I wasn't sure if narration could really help that much with comprehension, etc.. Now that my ds is in Bigger..., and has moved through all of the HOD curriculums, I see the "fruits" of the CM way and the type of learning in HOD guides. The things he has done with HOD have made him an excellent student, and I am very sure of it, because he is finally in the grade(s) I actually taught in public school, so I know this age and what children can do at it like the back of my hand. I am not adding in things anymore. The workbooks don't "stick" in their minds anyway. I think HOD is more than enough. It's just that each part of it seems to make an impact that "sticks", even though it doesn't take forever to do and it is not littered with workbooks. And, let me say my ds was 2 months premature, struggled with speech, had auditory learning problems, etc. He is actually what I'd consider "advanced" for has age now, and it has everything to do with HOD. HTH!
In Christ,
Julie

Kathleen · Post by **Kathleen** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 5:17 pm

Sarah,

The only HOD program that I've used so far is LHTH, so I'm probably not much help to you. I can tell you that having used Abeka workbooks and Sonlight for preschool with my oldest and then HOD for my second child, I LOVE HOD!! It is simple, but covers so much more and is so well planned!

I have another question, I know that HOD lines up with what I want to teach my kids, but don't know a lot about Charlotte Mason or what she taught. I'd love it if someone could point me somewhere so that I could learn more.

Thanks!
Kathleen

blessedmomof4 · Post by **blessedmomof4** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 5:18 pm

Definitely! My kids are halfway through Bigger, and I am using it as written. My 3rd grader has made significant gainis in reading and writing. She could not write much before, and now she is writing to Grandma on her own. At the beginning of the year, she could barely read the emerging readers, and now can tackle "The Return of the Indian" for fun. She is spelling so much better. She finds math fun with the hands-on activities and is learning her tables simply through practice.
My 4th grader could copy well before HOD, but could not compose her own sentences well-now she is also writing to Grandma on her own. Her readig is also improving-at the beginning of the year it was a struggle, but she is steadily progressing to longer books. Her math has also improved much, and she has learned to appreciate the short lessons.
For science and history, the simple methods of narration and notebooking and hands-on science have spurred discussions long after school was done, and in-depth research on their own, just because their interest was sparked (they would read more on a topic or find stuff on the internet, without my prodding). This has never happened for us before HOD, not without me adding and tweaking with other curricula. I have used many "traditional" programs-with tests, the kids did well, but the information was long forgotten once the test was done. I really see my kids learning and being excited about it, and I don't need to change a thing! It is really working!

my3sons · Post by **my3sons** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 5:28 pm

Kathleen wrote: I have another question, I know that HOD lines up with what I want to teach my kids, but don't know a lot about Charlotte Mason or what she taught. I'd love it if someone could point me somewhere so that I could learn more.

Thanks!
Kathleen

Catherine Levison's books were the best books for me to begin reading to learn more about CM. Here's a link to Amazon with those books:
http://www.amazon.com/Charlotte-Mason-E ... 318&sr=1-3

http://www.amazon.com/Charlotte-Mason-E ... 300&sr=1-1

I read these books because Carrie suggested them, so you'll find most of what is written there in HOD already. I really enjoyed them though. There are ton of great CM books out there, but Levison was a really great set for me to begin with. It has short chapters and hits on all the major CM styles of doing things. I know others will have good ideas too!

In Christ,
Julie

susie in ms · Post by **susie in ms** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 5:37 pm

I like Levisons books for a quick how-to on the topic of CM. They can really get you on your CM feet fast. If you want more of a *feel* for the CM style Karen Andreola's CM Companion is good.

Just do a search at Amazon or CBD or other book stores for CM and you will find plenty.

Kathleen · Post by **Kathleen** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 5:39 pm

Thanks Julie!

Melanie · Post by **Melanie** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 6:15 pm

Kathleen, just wanted to echo the suggestion for Karen Andreloa's "A CM Companion" book. I do like the Levison books, but felt like I got more "how-to" info from Andreloa's book. I liked it so much that I bought it "after" reading it so that I could read it over and over.

If you google CM, you'll find tons of stuff to read for free, it's just hard to curl up in bed with your laptop...kwim. I like to have the actual *book*.

Kathleen · Post by **Kathleen** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 6:34 pm

Thanks Melanie and Susie, too!

The only reading I've done on CM was online, and while I learned quite a bit, I felt like I couldn't see straight afterwards!

Kathleen

shera · Post by **shera** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 6:50 pm

Thanks so much. I have read one of the Andreola books, A CM companion maybe? I also have For the Child's Sake but haven't been able to get through it. I'll look into the other's that were suggested, maybe the library has them. I think I just need to learn more about CM. I like the idea but trusting it is something totally different.

I am glad to know that so many people that are further along than I am are finding there students are advanced. Education is important to me and my dh.

Sarah

annaz · Post by **annaz** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 9:54 pm

shera wrote:Thanks so much. I have read one of the Andreola books, A CM companion maybe? I also have For the Child's Sake but haven't been able to get through it. I'll look into the other's that were suggested, maybe the library has them. I think I just need to learn more about CM. I like the idea but trusting it is something totally different.

Sarah

Sarah, I have both Levinson's books, "A Charlotte Mason Education" and "More Charlotte Mason". I found some repetitious, but I really liked Levinson's books. They covered other areas in a different way that sort of implanted the info into my brain better. I thought they were a good addition to the Charlotte Mason Companion by Andreola. If you want to borrow them, I can mail them to you and you can mail them back when you're finished. Just thought I'd put that out there....don't feel like you have to. They're here for the borrowing if you so desire. I actually thought that "More" was better than the first, I think because you can pick the topics that suit you for now, i.e. I skipped high school info.

Tansy · Post by **Tansy** » Sat Mar 08, 2008 1:27 am

My dd has been on a Ben Franklin kick lately since we are studying him in school again. Its wild he only went to school for 1 year then had another year of "homeschooling" before he was made to work in his dads shop.. yet he had a desire to learn. A love and hunger for information.

I really think at this stage of the game we should not be teaching so our children can pass tests with flying colors, but to love learning, the Lord and how to think (as in process information not control their minds).

I think back to the validictorian of my high school. She went to the same college as I did. I should have been a failure at college instead I blossomed. Where as the validictorian: well sad to say I saw her a few times on campus and she washed out in the second quarter ( not semester! a quarter!! that is 10 weeks of classes per quarter) so she didn't even make it 20 weeks in the school. I saw her working retail she eventually lost her scholership.

For me: its not about tests its about teaching them how to learn.