history cores for bigger hearts

annegirl1919 · Post by **annegirl1919** » Mon May 19, 2008 1:10 pm

i looked at these, and it seems to me that the language in them (especially the first one) seems a bit much for a second grader. does anyone else have thoughts about this? it seems that with it being kind of the core of the program, it is important for the kids to really get into the stories, yet, i'm wondering if the older language would make that more difficult. any one else thought this or had experience with it?
thanks!

KatieM · Post by **KatieM** » Mon May 19, 2008 2:52 pm

We are partially into Bigger, and what you are concerned about is something that we are struggling with. I find myself rewording a lot of the reading, and we don't find the stories very engaging. We're also struggling with the biographical aproach, as this is the first year we are doing US history. I feel like the kids are missing out on things like what life was like at that time period, etc. Now I love the poetry, bible, and other parts of Bigger. I also checked out CHOW, which is used in Preparing, and I like that. I bought TruthQuest to add or change the history reading in Bigger. I know many love the history books in Bigger, but I'm just not one of them.

Katie

netpea · Post by **netpea** » Mon May 19, 2008 5:36 pm

I haven't begun looking into the history yet, but I'm curious now because we will be doing bigger in the fall.

Ruth in FL · Post by **Ruth in FL** » Mon May 19, 2008 6:22 pm

Ladies,
It is so frustrating when you are reading a book to the kids and you have to keep stopping to explain what you just read!
What I have done in the past is this:
read the chapter or chapters ahead of time and grasp the meaning of it yourself first. Explaining it comes easier if you prepared.
Doing this also helped me see how the story should flow and where it is going and even learn to pronounce some words I am unsure of! It also helps to know the meaning of the big word you cant pronounce!

If the story telling style of a certain chapter is totally annoying you, then you can paraphrase and explain in your own words while the children are looking at the pictures, if there are any in the book...if not, then just keep talking!
When I first started the living book approach, my kids did not like it. BUT...fear not! As time when on, the bigger words and older style of writing sunk in and they began to enjoy the stories and so did I!
If Mama aint happy then nobody's happy! My attitude towards the story has to be a good one, or else the children can sense it and that's when the whining starts!

hope this helps,
Ruth

annaz · Post by **annaz** » Mon May 19, 2008 7:55 pm

THis is funny you mention this, because as I look at the new catalog w/the samples of Little Hearts, we are having a zoning time in History in Beyond. While my dd completely belongs in beyond, the History isn't difficult, but isn't engaging her like I thought it would. I do now pre-read the stories then we just have a discussion on what happened. But I just made a post on whether the previous level would be better for history or at least to add it into our current program. We missed it and it looks rather important to me.

Either way, I'm not much help, however I am interested in the replies here as we may have a problem there.

inHistiming · Post by **inHistiming** » Mon May 19, 2008 9:07 pm

My dd absolutely loves the History stories, and the storytime books, and the read-alouds used in Beyond! Every child is different, I guess.

We will be using Bigger...next year with dd and ds, and I don't really expect it to be a problem for them. One thing we've been doing is reading our King James Bible more often, as opposed to always using the NIV or other translations. This is simply to get them used to the language...because I want them to understand the meaning even if the KJV is read at church, KWIM? And it has taken some getting used to, as well as some explaining...but I usually only do it if they ask me what it means...that cuts down on the amount of explaining I have to do.

Maybe with time your dc will get more comfortable with the language in the readings. And I for one think the Biographical approach is wonderful...I find textbooks rather dry and devoid of anything personal. So I guess the 'teachers' are all different too, huh?

I would recommend giving it a bit more time to see if you and your kids can adjust. It seems it would just be more dificult to try to substitute, and then possibly lose the connections within each guide. These are just my thoughts; I hope I've helped some.

annegirl1919 · Post by **annegirl1919** » Tue May 20, 2008 8:59 am

i don't want a text book approach, either, but just wondering if these particular choices in living books is going to be a fit for my daughter, especially in second grade. i really want her to be engaged in the readings, but it does worry me some. however i LOVE the way carrie puts together a curriculum-it's perfect for us, so i sort of don't know what i'm going to do.

annaz · Post by **annaz** » Tue May 20, 2008 10:54 am

annegirl1919 wrote:i don't want a text book approach, either, but just wondering if these particular choices in living books is going to be a fit for my daughter, especially in second grade. i really want her to be engaged in the readings, but it does worry me some. however i LOVE the way carrie puts together a curriculum-it's perfect for us, so i sort of don't know what i'm going to do.

Maybe you could find a reader that pertains to the suject matter and have her read it then just discuss?

momof2n2 · Post by **momof2n2** » Tue May 20, 2008 7:10 pm

we did Beyond for second grade and it was fine with the Stories of the Pilgrims and the Pioneers and Patriots, but he gets glazed eyes with Boys and Girls of Colonial Times. But we are winding down for the year and my heart isn't broken if he can't recall it all.

Things that step, like math, reading, language, we have to remember b/c you can't go to the next step without it. But if he doesn't retain part of history, it is okay. That was a HUGE thing for me to accept. And from my POV if he doesn't remember something, even with HOD and the cohesiveness of it, he certainly won't "get it" with the dry way I was trying to teach it last year.

I can't remember what I learned in second or third grade history, but I have done well. I think what matters most is that they are doing it on the couch, next to a Mom who loves them!

annegirl1919 · Post by **annegirl1919** » Tue May 20, 2008 7:21 pm

i think the history cores in beyond look pretty good, but bigger makes me nervous. i put this in another post, but do any of you know if there are additional history stories/readings suggested from other books for the bigger program?
thanks!

Post by **Carrie** » Tue May 20, 2008 9:40 pm

Ladies,

The history spines that we use in "Beyond..." and "Bigger.." are both homeschool favorites that have stood the test of time and have been enjoyed by kiddos everywhere for many, many years. If you look on almost any homeschool magazine, board, or search for reviews on them, you will hear almost nothing negative. It's part of the reason why they are available for free in public domain. Reviewers such as Cathy Duffy and Mary Pride give these books stellar reviews, and reviewers don't often agree.

So, what may be the reason that your little ones eyes glazing over when you're reading these books? Kiddos today are used to being entertained. They are used to the eye-candy and visual appeal of t.v., video games, and computer. Naturally, they expect books to have the same zing and zeal. This is why libraries everywhere are carrying books filled with beautiful photography full of facts that kiddos love to pore over and remember very little from when they're done reading. While these types of books are great books for paging through or setting around the house for browsing, they don't teach the child how to visualize what is happening in a story. Very little skill is required for that type of reading.

Listening to a good story being read-aloud is an acquired skill. It takes concentration and focus. It requires the child to make connections and make sense of what they are hearing.

When we paraphrase for a child, we are doing the work for them. If we don't allow them to listen and process for themselves, they won't learn to do it on their own.

Charlotte Mason read the classics like Austen to children who worked at factories and had no education. Over time these children learned to process, think, and retell, just like children who'd had years of formal education. So, I'd invite you to read the short readings scheduled in our guides with enthusiasm, without interrrupting yourself to explain things. Allow the kiddos to do the work and make the connections. If you give this method a year-long chance, I know you'll see results.

The history readings are integral to our guides. Without them, the activities will make little sense and the Bible connections will be lost.
As parents, we often give up too soon because we think our children are not up to the task. From almost 20 years of teaching experience I can promise you that good things do not come easy and life-long learning does not come from being entertained.

If you'd given up on things you didn't immediately enjoy at first, ask yourself how many foods wouldn't you have learned to enjoy or how many hobbies you'd have missed out on?

I once had a professor while I was completing my master's degree, who often received mediocre ratings from her students on the "cares about students" category of her evaluation. She decided to do a test. While changing nothing else about her teaching, she decided to make sure to mention each week to her college class the simple statement "I reall care about each of you". At the end of the year, not only did she recieve high ratings from her students on the "cares about students" category of her evaluation, she also was voted "most caring professor" on campus that year. Even though she cared the same amount for her students as she had before, the students' perception of how much she cared was different simply based on what the professor said.

I tell that story to let you know that half of how a child perceives what is read to them depends on how you present it. I'd invite you to give the program a full-year try using the readings as is before deciding that the tried-and-true books we use at HOD are the problem.

Blessings,
Carrie

momof2n2 · Post by **momof2n2** » Wed May 21, 2008 5:14 am

Carrie,
What about pausing to explain a vocabulary word when they ask? My sons will frequently stop me to ask what a word means. Now, to me that means they are listening, but I don't want them to get hung up trying to figure out what it means and miss what I am saying next. So, when he asks me, I stop, give the definition and then go back to the beginning of that sentence and go on. I bet it happens once or twice a day, between history, storytime and Bible.
Thanks for answering!
Stacy

my3sons · Post by **my3sons** » Wed May 21, 2008 8:19 am

My son has thoroughly enjoyed the history readings in Bigger Hearts... We are finishing Week 34 this week, and it has been an incredible year. I enjoy seeing history come alive for my son, and I'm glad he does not have to endure history lectures and textbooks as I did when I was his age.

Here's a post I posted in Feb. that shows how much my ds loved the history readings in Bigger...:
http://www.heartofdakota.com/board/view ... on+getaway

I've found that when I'm excited and encouraging about what we are reading, that this attitude is contagious, and my sons are excited as well. HOD works hard to choose quality, time-honored, often award-winning history readings that are in the vein of what Charlotte Mason might choose herself. We've had a wonderful year with the history in Bigger... It has been a solid, well-loved history core of reading in our home all year long.

In Christ,
Julie

Ruth in FL · Post by **Ruth in FL** » Wed May 21, 2008 9:35 am

Carrie is right about paraphrasing. I did not mean to suggest you do it often, just when the child really isnt getting it!
I had that problem when I first starting reading better literature to my kids...I was answering it for them.
So much of the brain work is done for our kids in books today with pictures and simple vocab words that it is a hard transition, but well worth it in the long run to challenge them.

Ruth

netpea · Post by **netpea** » Wed May 21, 2008 9:41 am

I didn't realize that paraphrasing it for them was a bad thing. I will have to pay more attention to my own reading so that I don't do that as often as I have in the past.

history cores for bigger hearts

history cores for bigger hearts

History core books

paraphrasing