Please help me place my children

[amf1025]

Hi, this is my first time on the board. I have my 6year old dd in little hearts and my 8 year old ds in beyond this year and was wondering about combining them some how next year. Can I repeat beyond or should I move him to bigger. I also have my 13 year dd who would like to try Hod but I am not sure were to place her. Is CTC too easy for 9th grade, the transistion from public school to homeschool has been really hard for her and is behind in her learning so I am just not sure where to start. I would like to start her in Hod in Janurary if thats a good idea not really sure.
Thanks,
Ann

[pjdobro]

I'm not sure about repeating Beyond. How would your ds feel about that? How is he doing with Beyond this year? How is your dd doing in Little Hearts? How are her skills in all of the areas coming along? When will she be 7? Do you think she might be able to do Bigger next year? I wouldn't want to stretch her too far, but I wouldn't want to hold your ds back either. How do they place on the placement chart: http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

As far as your older dd, how does she place on the chart? I know there are several ladies here that are doing CTC or RTR for high school by beefing up the programs. I think there is a sticky tab at the top of the main board that tells about that. If she's had a rough time in ps, HOD would be a breath of fresh air for her and you. I would see how she places and take a look at the discussion on using HOD for high school to see which program might work best for her.

Welcome to the board! There are so many wonderful ladies here who will try to help you find the perfect fit for your dc.

[my3sons]

Hi Ann, and welcome the the HOD Board! I am interested in knowing how your dc did this year with each of their guides. Pjdobro asked some awesome questions I'd love to know the answers to as well. Repeating a guide is really not something we'd recommend in any other guide than LHTH (as this has different core materials you can choose). It is tough on kiddos to do the same thing 2 years in a row, and it doesn't encourage growth. Why do you want to combine? If you had a good year, and your dc were accurately placed, I'd just enjoy continuing on with it. If you look at the placement chart, and your 7 yo is ready for the skills included in Bigger Hearts, than you could combine the 2 of them in that guide. You could go half-speed to ease your 7 yo into it. As far as your older dd, the placement chart will really help there. We do have moms using CTC or RTR for high school, but they are adding to them. I think it depends on your dd's needs so much - it's also important to weigh how best she can have a good year, as I think that is oh so important for dc coming home to homeschooling from ps. I'll check back here and see what else you have to share, and then we'll all chat about some options! HOD is wonderful - I'm so glad you will be using it. Our dc are enjoying their homeschooling journey with HOD, and I think yours will too.

In Christ,
Julie

[amf1025]

Thank you so much!!! I am not sure how my ds will feel about repeating he will be 9 next fall. My dd with be 7 in April and is a processing disorder so things just take longer for her. My ds is advanced for his age. I just thought it might be easier to combine, but I dont want to hold him back or push my dd ahead. Thank you so much for that help. As for my older dd she will be 14 in March and I just am not sure where to place her. Her reading level is very low and I really don't want to overwhelm her, but still want to challenge her. I was thinking ctc but maybe should move her up a level?
Thanks,
Ann

[my3sons]

Thank you so much!!! I am not sure how my ds will feel about repeating he will be 9 next fall. My dd with be 7 in April and is a processing disorder so things just take longer for her. My ds is advanced for his age. I just thought it might be easier to combine, but I dont want to hold him back or push my dd ahead. Thank you so much for that help. As for my older dd she will be 14 in March and I just am not sure where to place her. Her reading level is very low and I really don't want to overwhelm her, but still want to challenge her. I was thinking ctc but maybe should move her up a level?
Thanks,
Ann

Hi Ann - thanks for sharing about your dc here! We have 3 sons doing HOD, and they are miles apart in what they can do. In my situation, I have found it much easier not to combine, and the dc have done very well, each able to be confident in their work, and each thriving with what they are asked to do. I think your 7 and 9 yo would be better placed separately. Bigger Hearts is a tough program for most 7 yo's. I think your dd would feel much pressure to keep up with advanced big brother, and he would be impatient for her to keep up with him. I think your homeschooling day would be filled with much more joy and delight in learning if your dd could progress to Beyond and you could focus on her more, while your ds works toward more and more independence with Bigger Hearts. You may want to consider going half-speed with Beyond with dd. This would give her time to ease into it, as well as give you time to really meet her individual needs. I would also give you time to teach your ds to be quite independent with his Bigger Hearts guide. Here is an excellent post for some ideas to teach and encourage independence:

Carrie explains how to up independence in Bigger Hearts:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6502&p=47428

For your oldest, I would honestly take age out of the running right now, and just look at the placement chart to choose for her. You'd shared reading is a struggle for her. Is writing as well? These 2 considerations are quite important in placement. I long for her to have a great year, so I'd be apt to place her in a program she can be quite successful in. Meeting dc where they are at and then helping move them along is the best way to improve skills IMO. What kind of books is she able to read independently? I think I'd place her in a core HOD program that she can truly enjoy, and then make working on her reading using Drawn into the Heart of Reading a primary focus for this year. If you get the chance, could you share a bit more about your dd - especially in regard to her reading and writing? Then I would love to help talk through placement for her with you! HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[amf1025]

You have helped me so much already I am so excited to have people to help me through this decison making process. My oldest dd has alot of trouble with reading and writing. I am concerned about having her read too advanced materials, but I still want them to be challenging enough for her. The last book she read was The Secret Garden, it was for a literature class she was taking I am really not too sure how much she got out of it, but she seemed to like it.
Thanks,
Ann

[amf1025]

If I decide to use ctc for my oldest which R&S English should I use. I was thinking 4 or 5 but am not sure which to use?
ANN

[my3sons]

So sorry to just be getting back to you here! This season is crazy busy, isn't it?!? I agree that CTC would be a good placement for your dd. If she has had quite a bit of grammar, I'd go with R & S English 5; if not, I'd go with R & S English 4. A lot of ladies (me included ) do R & S English primarily orally or on marker boards, just saving one section or about 1/3 of it for students to write. This helps students clip along with R & S because they don't get bogged down in the writing of the answers. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[amf1025]

Thanks, Julie It really is busy for me also. I can't wait to start this next month. I think I will go with the R&S English 4 and see how it goes.

Thanks,
Ann

[Carrie]

Ann,

The ladies have done a great job of helping you! It sounds like you have a good plan. If you have other questions, ask away. We're glad to help!

Blessings,
Carrie