Help Me Decide What's Best, Please!

[glperky]

I am going to start HOD in a couple of weeks. I plan on only using the “History side” of the book and use CLE for Learning to Read and Math. I have two boys, the one using CLE will be 7 in Dec. and the other will be 5 in Nov. My original plan was to use LHFHG with both using the younger stuff with the 4 yr. and the older stuff with the 6 yo. However, the 4 yr. doesn’t even begin to place on the LHFHG placement chart. So, my question is, since I am just going to use the “History side” is my plan OK or should I really get LHTH for the younger and run two books? If I should run two books, can you give me some great tips on how to do this? I know there are threads on how to use to guides but most of them are for older guides.

[amysue277]

What do you plan to do the following year? I only ask because that is what is propelling my decision to do LHTH this year, instead of LHFHG. My kids will be 5.5 and 4 in the Fall, and like you, the 4 year old does not place in LHFHG. I want to be able to combine them in the future, so I am going to wait a year so that I can do that. Sometimes combining is not ideal (as many here will atest to), but I feel like my sanity would be at stake if I didn't...so I WILL

If you combine them in LHFHG, then move them both into Beyond the following year...that would make your younger just 5, and that would be too young (imo) for Beyond. Just something to think about. Good luck!

[glperky]

What do you plan to do the following year? I only ask because that is what is propelling my decision to do LHTH this year, instead of LHFHG. My kids will be 5.5 and 4 in the Fall, and like you, the 4 year old does not place in LHFHG. I want to be able to combine them in the future, so I am going to wait a year so that I can do that. Sometimes combining is not ideal (as many here will atest to), but I feel like my sanity would be at stake if I didn't...so I WILL

If you combine them in LHFHG, then move them both into Beyond the following year...that would make your younger just 5, and that would be too young (imo) for Beyond. Just something to think about. Good luck!

I was planning on just continuing to combine them. I was going to stretch out LHFHG so that he would be a little older when we start Beyond.

So are starting both of yours in LHTH? Then when do you plan on combining them?

[glperky]

Bump! I could really use some more input here, please.

[my3sons]

Can you tell us about your 7 yo in regard to the first page of the placement chart? Especially about his reading, writing, and math. Likewise, could you share about your 4 yo? Age is only one determining factor in placement, so knowing about each of your dc's individual placements in these areas will help us give more accurate placement advice for yoru specific situation. I would love to help with advice then! I will check back to see what you have shared when you get a chance!

In Christ,
Julie

[glperky]

Can you tell us about your 7 yo in regard to the first page of the placement chart? Especially about his reading, writing, and math. Likewise, could you share about your 4 yo? Age is only one determining factor in placement, so knowing about each of your dc's individual placements in these areas will help us give more accurate placement advice for yoru specific situation. I would love to help with advice then! I will check back to see what you have shared when you get a chance!

In Christ,
Julie

Thank you so much Julie!

4 yro. I all the way in the LHTH placement chart. He is still learning letters and sounds. He "wants" to write, but we haven't even worked on it yet. He is "deveoping an awareness of math concepts." So he is LHTH. But I only plan on using the "History" side of the page.

6 yo. Is in the middle of "Phonics instruction," is doing wonderful with "formal printing" and is flying away in math. This kid loves math. He see a new math fact once and he doesn't forget it. I pray it stays that way!!! (My 14 yo still doesn't know them all. ) I would say besides reading he could do BLHFHG.

HTH, if not, please let me know. I could really use some help. THANKS!

[my3sons]

Thanks for sharing more about each of your dc! LHTH sounds like a great placement for your 4 yo for sure. For your turning 7 yo, is he writing letters, words, or sentences comfortably? Is he ready for short spelling words? How far is he in his phonics instruction, and how is it going? How does he do with you reading higher level books out loud to him with fewer pictures? Has he had any formal history/science? Sorry for the additional questions - if you take a minute to answer them though - I think I'll be fairly sure in my advice!

In Christ,
Julie

[glperky]

Thanks for sharing more about each of your dc! LHTH sounds like a great placement for your 4 yo for sure. For your turning 7 yo, is he writing letters, words, or sentences comfortably? Is he ready for short spelling words? How far is he in his phonics instruction, and how is it going? How does he do with you reading higher level books out loud to him with fewer pictures? Has he had any formal history/science? Sorry for the additional questions - if you take a minute to answer them though - I think I'll be fairly sure in my advice!

In Christ,
Julie

Thanks again Julie,

My turning 7yo is writing letters and words comforably but not sentences. Is is GREAT at spelling CVC words with me sounding them out one time for him. I can't answer how far along in phoncis instruction he is because I don't know much about phonics or teaching them. He loves to be read to no matter the books or level, pictures or no pictures. No formal history or science. HTH Thank you for your help.

[MomtoJGJE]

Julie is much better at answering these things, but from what you say...

I would put the 4yo in LHTH without question.

For the 7yo, I know nothing about CLE, so pardon anything wrong that you wouldn't be using out of HOD in my thoughts I think he sounds ready for Beyond actually. I think I would get A Reason For Handwriting A and start after the letter practice at the beginning... start where it starts working on words and sentences. Start out doing one page a day, and then when he's comfortable with that move to doing a lesson per day (2 pages). Then when you finish the workbook he can start doing the poetry copywork for handwriting. I'm thinking CLE would cover math and phonics? When he gets to the point where he can read The Beginners Bible with very little help from you, start the Emerging Readers. They do not have to go by unit, the pages and questions are in the appendix of the guide and you can just start when he's ready and move on from there. It's fine to do phonics for 15 weeks and then start the Emerging Readers! I would guess it's also ok to continue phonics while he's doing the Emerging Readers, but that's truly just a guess because we don't do phonics. You would choose whichever spelling list you think is appropriate for his level from the back of the guide.

[glperky]

OK, so I have the TM for BLHFHG and after skimming through it, the only part my almost 7 yr would struggle with would be the Language Arts part, he would struggle with the spelling and the copy work. So, knowing that should I still go with Beyond and just skip this part or... I'll let you fill in the blank! Thanks!

[Robbi]

The writing part is the hardest for my DD too!! With especially the copywork you don't have to get the full poem copied in a week, it is suggested to only start with a line if need be. And by the end of the guide to be worked up to the whole poem. Now the spelling, I guess it depends on how close he his to being able to do them. The first day, they study the words first and then write them. I let my DD do all spelling on the dry erase board, that helps make it fun! If he truly can't write a line plus 10 words for spelling then I would seriously look at doing LHFHG instead. The written requirements just keep increasing with every guide and you don't want to have to modify every year. Another option would be to stretch Beyond out for 1 1/2 years. You could do it only 4 days a week and go half speed for awhile. This would allow him to grow into the written work even more. HTH,

[glperky]

Thanks Robbi~ He just seems to be right in the middle between LHFHG and Beyond and I just can't figure out which
way to go.

[leimarie]

For a child placing between guides I would choose the lower of the two. You can always add a little challenge where needed but you really don't want to have to lower the level of the guides as written because it will create harder challenges as you progress through guides if you stay with HoD. I started my oldest in Preparing, where he solidly placed except language arts which were a bit of a challenge. We had a harder than normal (life not school) year and the added stress of that made it very clear that we needed to step back to the lower level and just beef that up where necessary. The language arts skills effect more than just the LA box so I would really consider that well.

[raceNzanesmom]

I'd do LHTH and LHFHG, or just LHFHG and read plenty to the 4 y/o. Re: the right side of LHFHG, make sure to do the Storytime box. That was my ds's favorite.

[netpea]

I am inclined to agree with the others. I would probably use LHFHG with your 7yo. You don't want to always be modifying the guides or leaving parts out in order to use them.