Guides building off one another?

[threeboysmama]

Hi ladies!

I've been reading here for a while, since this is my first post I thought I'd introduce myself as well as ask my question. I'm married to my best friend (14 years this last May!) and we have three little boys ages 1, 3, and 8. We started hs'ing in K, and I've always put together my own curriculum. I enjoy doing this, but I know that I need more guidance to cover ancient history well. I really like the way CtC starts ancient history with Creation, and teaches Bible history alongside world history, and I'm planning on using that for my oldest when he hits 5th grade (he'll be entering 3rd this year). Because I like the idea of a broad overview of world history, and because it seems from what I've read that Preparing Hearts really does help prepare the student for the more challenging work in CtC, we're also planning on doing Preparing for 4th grade.

I was reading a different thread about Preparing, and my3sons said this (partial quote):

We found for both of our dc, that Bigger Hearts is a key teaching year. It teaches the beginning of many skills that are then taught with much less modeling in PHFHG. Oral narration is a big part of CM style learning, and for both of our sons, Bigger Hearts was/is the year that skill needed to be focused on and taught well. Vocabulary Study is another focal skill taught within Bigger Hearts. BHFHG teaches how to do vocabulary cards - which involves many important LA skills - i.e. finding the word in the history book, looking at the word in its context, guessing at its meaning, looking it up in the dictionary to see which definition best fits, and then creating a card with all of this information and filing in alphabetically. These are just some of the fundamental skills that come to mind - there are more I won't get into.

Bigger Hearts is (IMO) a foundational guide for teaching LA skills that dc will need to be proficient at in the rest of the HOD guides. It was a big "growing up" year for my ds, and he needed it to be ready for PHFHG - I can see this repeating for my second ds. When dc do a guide too young, they often miss out on the teaching of the foundation of the skills inherent in the guide, and they don't ever really learn them from the roots up then.

So my question then is, if my son places in Preparing in other ways, is he going to have trouble with some of the skills that would be taught in Bigger if we jump into Preparing as our first HOD guide? It seems that the guides build off of one another - is that right? I had thought that we'd be okay because in the FAQ on the main website, it says that each guide is designed to stand alone. I'd appreciate any insight!

~Anna

[pjdobro]

I do think that each guide stands on its own, but the skills taught in each guide tend to help prepare the child for the next guide. That being said though I think you can start anywhere along the way as long as the child fits into that guide. What you might find is that it will just take a bit more time to ease into the skills of that guide if you haven't done the previous guide. For instance, if you haven't been doing oral narration before Preparing, it might take a while to hone those skills. So it may require doing things a bit more slowly at first. That doesn't mean it won't work though

I wonder though since your son is going to be 3rd grade this year, why don't you do Bigger this year? That's our plan: Bigger for 3rd grade, Preparing for 4th, and CTC for 5th grade. That way you could get all those skills down this year and be ready for Preparing next year. I know this year is probably going to me my most intensive teaching as my dc learn a lot of skills this year that they will use in future years more independently. I'm really looking forward to the year and watching their skills and independence blossom

[threeboysmama]

Thank you so much for your reply. Doing Bigger really isn't an option for us for several reasons; the two main ones are we already have our curriculum for 3rd grade purchased, and we're in the middle of American history using Truthquest. We're really enjoying that, and aren't really looking to change.

So there is sufficient instruction in the manual for things like the vocabulary cards and other LA skills that my3sons was referencing? As long as the instruction is there, I'm pretty sure we'll be okay. It's only if the manual assumes the student (and teacher! ) knows how to do those things that I think we may have some difficulty.

~threeboysmama

[momtofive]

Friendly little bump!

[pjdobro]

Ah, I understand. I should preface this by saying that I don't have the Preparing guide yet, but every guide that we have used so far has had ample instruction in all of the skills that we needed. I'm sure Preparing is no different. I see in looking at the Table of Contents and Introductory week that Narration Tips are included in the appendix and the vocabulary activity is explained well in the lesson in which it is used. I think the difference is going to be that you as the teacher might need to guide the student more through some of the activities more if they haven't done the previous guide. If they have done the previous guide, then they will already have an exposure to something similar and will more easily be able to be independent with the activity. There is always help for the teacher in the guide and here on the boards. So if you do find yourself not understanding what it is expected of you or the student, you can get the help you need here at the board. I know I've read here that you can start anywhere along the way in the HOD guides and the best placement is to place your dc where they fit on the placement chart. So I'm sure that when your ds is ready for Preparing, it will work for you. Hopefully Julie or Carrie can jump in here sometime and give your more specifics.

BTW, welcome to HOD!

[LynnH]

My ds was new to homeschooling and new to HOD this year and we did Preparing without any problem. There is plenty of instruction on how to do all the skills. There is an oral narration guide in the appendix for you as the teacher and one for the student. Same with Written narration. It takes you through step by step how to do the vocabulary cards and the research skills etc. If you do run into any questions people are always available on the board to answer any questions, but I think you will be fine. If we can do it when it was really a totally new way of learning for both of us then I am sure anyone can.

[Heather4Him]

My ds was new to homeschooling and new to HOD this year and we did Preparing without any problem. There is plenty of instruction on how to do all the skills. There is an oral narration guide in the appendix for you as the teacher and one for the student. Same with Written narration. It takes you through step by step how to do the vocabulary cards and the research skills etc. If you do run into any questions people are always available on the board to answer any questions, but I think you will be fine. If we can do it when it was really a totally new way of learning for both of us then I am sure anyone can.

Lynn, that's great to hear, because I'm a little nervous starting CTC this year for the first time with HOD. We've done some of the narrating, etc., but not to the extent and amount in CTC.

[threeboysmama]

I think the difference is going to be that you as the teacher might need to guide the student more through some of the activities more if they haven't done the previous guide. If they have done the previous guide, then they will already have an exposure to something similar and will more easily be able to be independent with the activity.

BTW, welcome to HOD!

Okay, this makes sense! Thank you so much! And thank you for the welcome, too.

Lynn, thank you for your input, too. I am much more confident about using Preparing now.

[my3sons]

Thanks for asking this! It's a good question. Yes, you are right, each HOD guide can stand alone. The skills that I was referencing in the quote you used are skills that are still taught in PHFHG, but they are just not taught at an "introductory level" the entire year. HOD is always good about giving excellent guidance for each skill, which makes it possible for each guide to stand alone. However, the amount of guidance given often gets less for a skill each subsequent year it is taught, and the skill is given over to the child to do independently at an age he should be able to do so. If a child is coming from another curriculum, and has learned skills appropriate for his age level, he will do fine in an HOD guide. If you use the placement chart, and your child places squarely in a guide, there will be more than enough guidance in that guide to help your child be successful in doing it. That is why the placement chart is so important. Great question, and it sounds like your ds will do well in PHFHG when he does it!

In Christ,
Julie