Preparining vs. CTC for 4th & 6th

[jetzmama]

Hi there. I'm new to this board and HOD, but really feel this is what the Lord has led me to this year. I'm hoping some of you HOD veterans can offer some advice. I have an above grade level in most things 11yo ds and a right at grade level in most things 9yo ds. I feel like CTC would be best for the 11yo and that Preparing would be best for the 9yo, but will need to combine teaching olders in order to have time to teach 6yo ds. 11yo is typically a good independent worker, 9yo can be as long as I'm quietly very near by (checking work of others, usually). Is CTC too much for a 9yo? Is Preparing, even with extensions, too little for an advanced 11yo?

I'm trying to think long term, too. If I do CTC this year, we can go through RTR & Explorers for 7th/8th, then start the cycle over with extensions & 'beef ups' for the 4 yrs of HS. (Not too worried about getting Modern in the middle years... he's a history buff, so will be reading modern throughout regardless of what we're actually studying). We've done all the time periods before, but never with the Bible tie-in to world events, so I'm really excited about that aspect of HOD. If I do Preparing this year, then CTC & RTR, would I do Explorers in 9th & Modern in 10th? Then what? I know, I'm getting ahead of myself... just trying to get a vision of where we're going... can't believe we're starting middle school already and just want to be sure I don't pick something now that may hinder future study plans. (I know.... let go.... I'm working on it )

Finally, 6yo ds is reading 3 letter short vowel words (though it is still work to do so), just figured out rhyming (Today ), he's adding and subtracting single digits, and able to copy letters & write a few on his own. I'm thinking Beyond, but the 'finishing phonics instruction' makes me think I need to slow down and go with LHFHG. He'll be 7 in a couple mos, for whatever that's worth:).

Thanks so much for your advice and input!!!

[my3sons]

Hi there. I'm new to this board and HOD, but really feel this is what the Lord has led me to this year. I'm hoping some of you HOD veterans can offer some advice. I have an above grade level in most things 11yo ds and a right at grade level in most things 9yo ds. I feel like CTC would be best for the 11yo and that Preparing would be best for the 9yo, but will need to combine teaching olders in order to have time to teach 6yo ds. 11yo is typically a good independent worker, 9yo can be as long as I'm quietly very near by (checking work of others, usually). Is CTC too much for a 9yo? Is Preparing, even with extensions, too little for an advanced 11yo?

I'm trying to think long term, too. If I do CTC this year, we can go through RTR & Explorers for 7th/8th, then start the cycle over with extensions & 'beef ups' for the 4 yrs of HS. (Not too worried about getting Modern in the middle years... he's a history buff, so will be reading modern throughout regardless of what we're actually studying). We've done all the time periods before, but never with the Bible tie-in to world events, so I'm really excited about that aspect of HOD. If I do Preparing this year, then CTC & RTR, would I do Explorers in 9th & Modern in 10th? Then what? I know, I'm getting ahead of myself... just trying to get a vision of where we're going... can't believe we're starting middle school already and just want to be sure I don't pick something now that may hinder future study plans. (I know.... let go.... I'm working on it )

Finally, 6yo ds is reading 3 letter short vowel words (though it is still work to do so), just figured out rhyming (Today ), he's adding and subtracting single digits, and able to copy letters & write a few on his own. I'm thinking Beyond, but the 'finishing phonics instruction' makes me think I need to slow down and go with LHFHG. He'll be 7 in a couple mos, for whatever that's worth:).

Thanks so much for your advice and input!!!

Welcome to the HOD board! Usually you'd have a bunch of answers by now, but so many of us are getting ready for school after summer break and are busy with that. HOD has plans to finish out the last 2 time periods after RTR, and also to write a Geography year that could be taught or not, depending on what is needed (i.e. if a child was on the young side and needed another year). They are considering writing more and are in prayer about it at this time.

Thanks for sharing about your dc. That helps so much! I was wondering if you could share which parts of the placement chart in CTC would be a challenge for your 9 yo? Specifically, how he does with LA skills in particular - reading and writing, Charlotte Mason style skills, etc. That will make a big difference in how he does with CTC. Unless he's a strong reader and writer, as well as fairly good at independent work, I'd go with PHFHG, just adding extensions to PHFHG for your older. There is plenty there, and I think it would be just fine to go that route.

I agree with your placement of your 6 yo in LHFHG. I think that would give him a great year, and teaching PHFHG and LHFHG would be a nice combination (did that one myself a few years back and enjoyed it). I'll check back here, and I know others will too as we like to help one another out here!

In Christ,
Julie

[jetzmama]

Julie, thanks for your response. In prayerful consideration, I chose lhfhg & phghg w/extensions. Your post is a wonderful confirmation! I chose Preparing precisely because of the LA skills. 9yo is about at grade level here, but 11yo is def not. In fact, I went w/ R&S 3 for both of them to have good review... hopefully we'll get through that & move onto 4 by mid year. Also chose DITHOR 4/5.
Once Preparing was decided, lhfhg seemed a natural fit... especially for my first year w/HOD.
Thanks so much! I have not been so certain of God's hand in choosing my curriculum in many years, thus am so very excited for this school year. From a burned out, almost over the edge mama this past year, that is a miracle all in itself! Blessing to you all!!!!

[my3sons]

That's wonderful to hear! I think you'll enjoy PHFHG and LHFHG very much. There are some excellent living books you'll get to read. I had one other thought about the grammar I thought to share. Many moms do a good portion of it orally and have better success with that, as it tones down the writing but keeps up the retention. You may enjoy doing that, so here's a link where I describe how we have enjoyed it:
R & S English (describes doing portions of each section orally/on markerboard then writing the rest:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4659&p=34269#p34269

HOD has an overall goal of dc completing R & S English 6 by the end of Grade 8 (as R & S English 7 and 8 are high school credit worthy). If you had your 6th. grader do R & S English 3 five days a week, since R & S is scheduled only 4 days a week in PHFHG, you'd make up some time that way without having to double up some lessons on days (which I wouldn't attempt). You could do this each year, doing it 5 days a week, and just having a sticky note you move ahead more quickly for just that subject, and by the time your oldest finished Grade 8, you'd be very close to finishing R & S English 6. I hope this is making some sense here - it would look something like this...
2010-2011 year: R & S English 3 and partly into R & S English 4
2011-2012 year: finish R & S English 4 and partly into R & S English 5
2012-2013 year: finish R & S English 5 and partly into R & S English 6
2013-2104 year: finish the end of R & S English 6 and start R & S English 7 for high school credit (spreading English 7 over the next year and a half, and spreading English 8 over the last 2 years of high school)

Anyway, I just thought that may help as you think through the R & S English part of this.
In Christ,
Julie