Share Your HOD Testimony

[tnahid]

Hello all,

Just curious today about how each of you came to choose Heart of Dakota as your homeschooling curriculum. I thought it would be a great encouragement to everyone who visits the board to hear our testimonies.

For me, I was led back to homeschooling after my children were in a Christian school for the last two years. My husband and I both became convinced that this was the direction the Spirit was leading us. So, I began to search for curriculum. I had never heard of HOD or known anyone who uses it (I still may be the only one in my town that uses it ), but I came across it on a curriculum review page and began to read the reviews. Almost ALL the reviews were wonderful. I visited the site and was just really drawn to this curriculum. I kept pouring over this and kept praying to my Father about it, and ultimately became convinced that this was the one. From the day I have gotten it in the mail, I have never doubted that my Father led me to this curriculum to use with my children. It has been a delight to have HOD this year for our first year back at home.

Yes, there have been moments where I have fallen susceptible to fear and wondered, "Maybe they aren't learning enough, etc," but my Father always comforts me and assures me, through His presence as well as through the godly women on this board. I truly praise my Father for leading us to HOD, and for providing the support and finances for us to be able to use it as well. I feel truly blessed for this.

So, anyone else want to share today? I would love to hear your HOD journey as well. Blessings!

[LynnH]

God laid it first on my ds's heart and then on mine to bring him home for 5th grade. I prayed and prayed about it since homeschooling was something I never thought I would do. I told God he would have to totally do this, because I knew I couldn't. I started researching curriculum. The homeschoolers I know use mostly a workbook/classical approach. I knew my ds would hate that and it wouldn't allow for the adjustments I needed to make for his mild Cerebral Palsy. Even though I didn't feel a peace about it I made a list of curriculum for each subject I thought I would use. Then I found HOD. It was so different than anything I had seen that it scared me at first. It sure wasn't "school at home" and I knew it would be a stretch for my ds because his reading comprehension was just ok. I kept looking at other things and God made it very clear that I needed to go with HOD. I e-mailed Carrie with questions about adapting things for him and she was wonderful in helping me figure everything out. When I received the box full of Preparing materials my ds was soooo excited. Last year we did Preparing and my ds cried when we were finished with it and clutched the guide to his chest. He found his love for learning again. He still has his struggles with his dysgraphia and sometimes his ability to comprehend the tough reading, but he has made so much progress and I am confident that he will continue to make progress as we go along in future guides.

[Gwenny]

We have been using Tapestry of Grace for the last couple of years. It was not working for us and our situation. My 14 yo daughter from Liberia didn't fit in any of their levels because of the issues she has with learning and I didn't feel it was meeting my little people's needs. I don't even know what I got on the computer to search for several weeks ago, but SOMEHOW I got to the HOD website and I knew I found it! I have been trying to figure out what I was searching and how I got to the HOD website and I can't think of anything.
It's perfect for my 14 yo and it will definitely be what I need for teaching my little people the CM skills.
Now I'm anxious to get to the bookfair and meet Carrie and Julie!

Nancy

[cirons]

I homeschooled with an eclectic mindset for 3 years, but always wanting to involve more literature and bible into our school day. I did not know how to do this by myself. I had never heard of HOD. I was researching my next year's curriculum choices and I had a whole spreadsheet ready to go for purchasing with titles, prices, providers etc and was happy with my decisions. I had considered set curriculums before but they were always expensive, especially when I was not happy with everything they recommended and so I would have to pay extra to replace some of the content anyway. Then I started reading reviews of HOD! This led me to the HOD website and I started reading the forums and I was blown away by how positive and encouraging everyone was. This was the first time I had found a curriculum where I liked every component and did not want to change anything! But it also gave the flexibility to change things if I needed/wanted to. I loved how the bible is the core and history and geography and science is taught based around what we believe! It was not just a tacked on bible verse. It is so beautifully written so that it is laid out for your and covers everything without it feeling 'textbooky'. It is so carefully prepared so that a child builds his/her skills in a gentle and progressive manner to build their confidence. What is there not to love! We have learned more in HOD over the last 5 months than we did in the previous 3 years of eclectic methods!
Corrie

[Heather4Him]

I don't even know what I got on the computer to search for several weeks ago, but SOMEHOW I got to the HOD website and I knew I found it! I have been trying to figure out what I was searching and how I got to the HOD website and I can't think of anything.
It's perfect for my 14 yo
Nancy

Wow, Nancy!! I was thinking I wouldn't post my HOD testimony, because I didn't KNOW how I got to the site either! I had almost the same experience as you!!

As we were approaching high school, and after years of unit studies, I was looking for something more "traditional" that could be used all the way through, that was semi-independent, etc. I was strongly considering going back to a textbook approach (or something like Abeka Academy) to make sure "all the bases were covered". But, both my dd and my dh thought she would be thoroughly bored with it, and she had already grown to not love school, so this would've just made it worse. I also wanted to get her "love of learning" back!

Then, "somehow", God led me to the HOD website and message boards! I had heard of HOD before and even seen a friend's catalog, but I thought we had outgrown it and it was just for younger kids. Then, I saw the "Hearts for Him Through Time" series, and I noticed that with extensions we would still be in the age ranges for it!

PLUS, it used so many books and resources that I either had or have wanted to use, but just never knew how to pull all together--so it seemed like another confirmation! It covered everything I had written in my original "goals for homeschooling" plan years ago, AND it worked on so many of the skills that dd really needed strengthening in--like oral recitation, oral and written narration, reading analysis, etc., as well as having things she loved to do--like drawing and painting. I knew I could "inspire" and encourage her to do her very best work with HOD!

I also remember reading some post by Julie, about making our children's educations thoroughly "Christ-centered" and "God-focused", and my heart was just drawn to HOD. I had an excitement about it that I haven't had in YEARS of looking at other curriculum.

I prayed about it, searched the Scriptures (and received confirmation from Him), and discussed it with my dh, and we all agreed that HOD was the best choice! And, it really has been!! I feel so strongly in my heart that this is the path God wants us to be on all through high school (and even just wrote out my high school plans with credits and everything!) (AND, now seeing the new Rev.toRev. previews, I am even MORE convinced!!)

God has a plan for our family, our dd, and our homeschool, and HOD is a huge part of that plan!

[Heidi in AK]

Y'all inspired me! I have been flirting with homeschooling for a while, and God really laid it on my heart to start serious research last summer. "Everyone I know" either uses TOG, Sonlight, WinterPromise, or Abeka, but a dear, dear friend mentioned HOD casually last summer. She doesn't even use it (although I've wanted to ask her why), but she mentioned it was a 'sweet, Christ-centered curriculum." I looked at it, and soon after took a job at a local Christian school (Lord's leading, probably to convince me "the grass is not greener" for when I do stay home with my LO's and school here), so I put curriculum research on the shelf.

Somehow, in October, I was led to Charlotte Mason to learn more about her ways and philosophies, and then BACK to HOD. I don't remember how that happened either! But what really, really got me was the insistence that Christ was the center of all the curriculum, ideas, studies, and lessons. God led me to ask, "what's the focus of your homeschool? Is it to give your kids a premier education, so they can be scholars, or to raise kids who love Christ?" It was the latter, and though that's the focus of my homeschool, it's almost apparent that by focusing on the latter, you can have the former as well!

Now, we are homeschooling next year and have a plan for HOD for my to-be-Ker and 2 year old. I'm so excited for the sweet spirit it's evident Carrie has to pass through our homeschool. I've put in my notice already, and have told DD we are "doing school at home" next year. We have some habits to break to make way for new ones, but I'm excited to embark on this journey of HOD. We already have LHTH and LHFHG and are ready to employ them when the time's right. God truly led us to HOD, and I know it's for His eternal benefit.

[birchbark]

Great idea for a thread!

I was homeschooled myself and always assumed I'd homeschool my children as well. My own experience left some to be desired both academically and spiritually, so I knew I wanted something different for our kids. A friend recommended the book The Well Trained Mind and I found it very inspiring on the academic side, particularly the parts about using narration, copywork, and dictation for LA. I made it through my first few years of homeschooling with the WTM, another book of reading suggestions, and one homeschool catalog I was aware of. I found I enjoyed piecing together my own curriculum, and had no plans of going "boxed."

Then I joined a large homeschooling forum and went to my first conference. I was overwhelmed at the choices in materials and philosophies! Things had changed a little bit since I was homeschooled! I found I was drawn to the lit-based programs and tried one year of a well-known one. I did not enjoy that year, mainly because of the teacher's guide. This solidified my feeling that I was just not a boxed program kind of gal!

But then I heard HoD mentioned on the homeschool forum for the first time. I had heard of all the others, but this was a new one and I went to the site to check it out. The first thing I noticed was the teacher's guide layout. I loved it and decided I had to look into the program further. Long story short, it had everything I wanted and more. I shared on another post that Carrie just thinks like me. The schedule, the books, the skills, the arts, are exactly what I wanted. I honestly could not come up with anything better on my own. The more I use HoD and read the forums, the more I appreciate it. And academics put aside, HoD is a major part in helping us to bring up our kiddos in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

[mamayi]

It is so amazing how God has called each family to HOD and to homeschooling from such diverse circumstances!
You can put our family on the "I have no idea how we found HOD" list! I truly cannot tell you how I came across HOD.
(it may be that I was pregnant at the time and then of course don't remember much anyway! )
I DO know that it was God who led us here and I am so thankful that He did!
We've always wanted to homeschool and we've used HOD from the beginning and although I've looked at other curriculums there is nothing that compares with the depth and yet simplicity of HOD!
When we first started in LHFHG I didn't quite understand the CM methods and did not utilize the teacher's guide to it's fullest. Then during our second year I discovered this message board and all the lovely ladies her and got such encouragement and wisdom in how to really get the most out of HOD. Now we stick to the guide and thrive with it and it is truly a joy to school my children this way.

[harveymom]

I have 3 daughters, the older two, 24 and 20 were homeschooled most of their school years and I always wanted to do something like HOD. My older two are so different, one really driven and the other way more laid back and had some reading difficulties so I never even tried. Our youngest daughter went to public school until third grade where it became evident that we were not being effective in our discipleship of her heart. When we decided to bring her home the other two were of course in college, so now I only had one at home and I thought, "Wow, this is the perfect time and it will be perfect for her!" It surely was!! I felt that first year that we gained so much ground and mostly because of the wonderfully sweet conversations we had just naturally over a book being read aloud. I can't tell you how many times I cried in the book Tirzah and the Fountain of Life! I am truly appreciative of the discipleship emphasis within this and for this curriculum as a whole. Thanks Carrie!
Paula

[jjkauffmans]

My first post here, so maybe I should begin by saying hello to everyone. I have spent many hours browsing through pages and pages of old posts and I have to say everyone's enthusiasm and appreciation for HOD is quite contagious. So, thank you everyone. I can't wait to start RtR with my oldest next year.

I went to public school most of my school years, only coming home in my senior year. That one year was enough to convince me that if I ever had kiddos of my own, I would definitely homeschool. Well, God blessed my husband and me with one girl and 2 boys and right from the start, I taught them at home. However, I was never brave enough to break away from the traditional "separate grades, all-textbooks" approach that I was familiar with. I used mostly Abeka and CLE even though I would spend hours poring over different homeschooling catalogs....Timberdoodle, Veritas Press, etc. Somewhere along the way, I heard of and became intrigued with the idea of unit studies. Along the way, I shared my discoveries with my sister, who also homeschools. She was right with me....actually ahead of me. She suggested that I look into HOD if I was looking for something different yet still structured enough not to be too scary. As soon as I saw the program, I was hooked. Like some of the others said, the guides use so much of what I had spent years wishing for but never knowing how to fit together. Both my sister and I are using RtR next year. And we are so excited about it.
~Jen

[Heather4Him]

Welcome, Jen!!

Can I ask how old your oldest is? We're using RTR next year, too, with our 13yo (who turns 14 in September).

[mercymom]

I was homeschool growing up and am now loving teaching my three little girls at home. We started with My Father's World, Lucy did K and we were part way through 1st when we decided to switch to LHFHG about a month ago. I never thought I would switch things in the middle of the year like that, but after thinking about it I realized that MFW really wasn't working for us and I shouldn't continue to push it. DD was not enjoying school anymore and at such a young age that really broke my heart. I want our school days to be fun and enjoyable. After switching, they really are! DD 3yrs joins us for much of school and loves the activities and stories. Lucy has really taken off in her reading and is enjoying school again. In fact Lucy just read a whole book to her little sisters today and I was sooo proud of her. She read it with a touch of drama in it even, not just sounding out the words. I'm so proud to see her really take off and have the fun back in our days.

[jjkauffmans]

Thanks for the welcome, Heather.

My oldest is Shana. She is 10, going to be 11 in May. She is an extremely strong, independent reader. I had a hard time deciding between CTC and RTR. Since this is our first year with HOD, I would have loved to start at the beginning of the history cycle with her. However we just finished the CTC time period this year (using another curriculum) so it only makes sense to go on the next one. I am sure though that she won't remember much from this year and I feel like she will miss out on so much fun learning.

I also have 2 boys, ages 8 and 5 (almost 6). They will be with Shana in RTR as well. I know that if I had asked (which I didn't 'cause I know what they would say), the kind people here on the board would probably discourage me from doing it that way.

[4Hispraise]

God brought us to HOD.

[water2wine]

I was looking for something to give more cohesion for us with another program we were using. I added LHFHG just on the side and realized that it gave us so much peace, I ended up dumping the other program and keeping HOD. I ended up really not liking what I was using for my older kids as well (which was the same provider I had for my two littlest) and had pulled them out and centered my teaching around Bible for a while to think about how to make a plan for them. Was not really thinking HOD because at the time they were sort of older than the guides and had not thought about extension packs. I had a list of three top possibilities to use. So I decided to make a pro and con list for all of them and pray over it. What I ended up doing was adding to it what I thought God would ask of me if I were face to face and I had to account for how I was hsing my children. I realized that many of my "need to's" would probably not even be on God's list. So I began to think about it in terms of what would God ask of me and HOD became the clear choice. I was still not sure how to work it and the rest that I felt God was leading me to do. So I called Carrie and she fixed all that right up for me. I honestly never question our HOD choice each year. I know Carrie is writing what God is telling her to write and He knew that when He led us to HOD. And I believe when He led me, with the way He clearly answered, it was for the long haul.

I had one little glitch when I think I was not listening hard enough and could not see a plan for my oldest for high school but even in that searching I realized that what she needed was HOD and I just needed to modify it by beefing it up for her as well. I hit one more hickup with my dd with CP but I finally realized what I needed to do with her is work on some skills and route her into my two littlest HOD schedule and that will work perfect for her through high school. None of these things are huge and the answers were really right there in HOD. Staying with HOD is the peace in our homeschool. We know each year is going to be a blessing. I really honestly believe there is nothing better out there, period.