compare contrast FIAR to HOD

[edsnyder]

can anyone give me some insight to the difference between the two Five in a Row and Heart of Dakota? Please!
Thanks
E

[krismoose]

What HOD guide are you thinking about, and have you looked at the placement chart for your dc? Finding the right placement for each dc is very important to enjoying the programs. http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php Depending on the ages of your dc and your goals for them, I think FIAR could be more flexible in using it with a wide range of ages, as you can pick and choose and create your own activities. One of the pleasures of HOD for me is being able to do the guides basically as written, without having to come up with my own activities. That only works if you have determined the best fit for your dc.

I tried out Before FIAR and FIAR before finding HOD, and I compared them to LHTH and LHFHG. The biggest difference I see is the cohesive thread of Biblical history (and some church and American history in LHFHG) that you follow in HOD. For LHTH, you read through a children's Bible and at the same time go through the alphabet, doing songs and activities that relate to both (A-Adam, B-Boat (Noah), etc.). In LHFHG you read through a different children's Bible as well as Christian Liberty Press' History for Little Pilgrims and History Stories for Children. There is a Bible memory verse for each week that is related to what's going on in history, and there is an activity for each day that is also related (sometimes loosely) to the history. LHFHG also has specific books to read aloud, and questions in the guide that help build narration skills. LHTH is short enough to add any read-alouds of your choosing and then some

FIAR has suggested activities to go along with each story, but you pick and choose which you want to do. The topics and activities will vary widely, depending on the story. It was a bit to random for my taste, though most of the stories are very good. There is a Bible supplement that lists scriptures to go along with a theme for each story, but I often forgot to look them up . If you have an excellent library system, that would help, but many of the books were not available at our library, and are currently out of print, which makes some of them a bit pricey to find used. I get tired of trying to reserve certain books for lessons, and then finding that they're unavailable. I like that you can get all needed books ahead of time for HOD. There is also a FIAR message board that has a lot of great ideas for implementing with the stories. Another difference that mattered to me is that the activities in HOD use supplies that I typically have around the house. I should read farther ahead in the HOD guide than I do , but even so, I have only once been caught without an item, that I just happened to be out of that week. Because the FIAR activities are so varied, I found that I used a lot of energy preparing for lessons that were more involved, and I got tired of doing that. Some people can probably pace themselves better than I can , in which case FIAR would provide a lot of variety .

In the end I chose HOD because I wanted a program to follow that taught the Bible first, with everything else supplementing the Biblical message, and I like how HOD does that. FIAR is very popular, and it provides a nice loose structure for kindergarten, IMO, but I didn't want to be adding on the Bible as an extra, if you kwim. HTH, I'm sure that others who have used it will chime in as well

[tnahid]

I used FIAR this first year we homeschooled with my boys. They were Kindergarten and 1st grade level then. I enjoyed the stories and the cuddle time on the couch, but for teacher preparation and ease of use, I much prefer HOD. I didn't like picking and choosing what activities to do, etc. So, my vote is definitely for HOD. My sons have really enjoyed it last year and now this one. My oldest is becoming a history buff and says his favorite thing to do is READ and do HISTORY. So, HOD is doing its job well, I would say! And this is from a boy who hated reading before HOD. He never cracked a book the 2 years he was in school. Soooo...I am happy about that. For Kindergarten, you can't go wrong with LHTH or LHFHG in my opinion. It is fun to do. Oh, and another thing is that my sons got bored with reading the same book each day after the first couple of days or so. The variety with HOD keeps them guessing and interested each day, and myself as well. HOD is much more pleasant overall to teach, and more thorough in my opinion.

Hope that helps!

[edsnyder]

I really want to try HOD - concern - we have already started school so how would I make the transition? I could finish this year with our current Math and Science and Phonics, and just use the basics and readers - I am loving the Drawn into the heart of reading for my ds7...

I like that this tells you what to do and I won't have to look it up or find books like you said - the local library stinks - and be able to purchase them all ahead of time.

Do you add anything or use it as it is? I don't want my kids to be behind in Math and those subjects if that makes sense - I didn't know if it would need supplements or not.

Thank you ladies very much for your thoughts!!!

Elisa

[Heather4Him]

We used B4FIAR, FIAR, and BYFIAR for many years before finding HOD, and we loved our time with it!

Both FIAR and HOD are very "cuddle/family-friendly" and "warm", but they are quite different in overall style and format.

FIAR is structured around reading one main story/picture book per week, and then you choose various activities from the manual each day, usually one main subject per day (i.e. art, science, math, language, history/social studies). You add your own math and grammar/spelling. Bible is a supplemental manual that you can choose to add or not. It is mostly related Bible verses and life lessons that you can discuss as it applies. Overall, the curriculum is very open-ended, and you can take as much time as you want to with each lesson, add (or not) as many extra books and activities you want, etc.

HOD is much more all-inclusive and planned out for you. All the lesson plans are made for all the subjects, so you know just what to do each day. Plus, the programs and books are mainly sold all together, so you have everything you need. (Whereas with FIAR, you will most likely need to go to the library much more--to get the main book, plus any additional reading you want to add to go with it.) Christ and the Bible are the center of HOD, with most subjects and boxes pointing back to HIM. This is the main difference that I think is most important.

Both programs are wonderful and serve their perfect purpose in God's plan for our children, but if you are looking for something that is more Bible-based, "user-friendly", very Charlotte-Mason-y, chronological, and all-inclusive, while being completely academic (written and edited by degreed teachers), and thorough, then HOD is for you!

[tnahid]

Elisa,

You can use the Math and LA that Carrie recommends, which is Rod and Staff for Grammar and Singapore Math, or you can use whatever curriculum you choose for those. You just choose the level your child is on and go with it from there. If you are concerned about starting a new curriculum now because of finances, and you are doing well with what you are currently doing, then you could certainly wait and start it after this year. On the other hand, if finances are not a problem, you could purchase the manual in which your child places and begin right away. You don't have to purchase every part of the guide to get started. For example, you could stick with the science, math and phonics that you are currently using now and just add the history and storytime portions. It is not absolutely necessary to purchase the science books that Carrie recommends in order to use the curriculum (although they are highly recommended because they ARE awesome! ). You could just purchase those for next year. You don't have to do every part exactly AS IS in order to receive GREAT benefits from the curriculum.

Or, your last option is to purchase it all and do it as is, if your current curriculum choices just aren't working or if you feel very drawn to HOD. You have many options! You are the teacher and they are your children! Just be led by God's Spirit and then full speed ahead! Don't be afraid to change what isn't working out for you. Bless you as you take this journey!

P.S. I also love Drawn Into the Heart of Reading! It is an excellent program IMO!

[Daph]

It's very easy to substitute your own things for Math and Language Arts. You would just skip those boxes in the manual. Everything else still ties together very, very well.