I apologize in advance for this long winded post, but I’ve been reading the board for days and can’t figure out what I need to do for next fall.
My oldest dd will turn 7 in September and will start her first grade year. First, I need to figure out where to place her. I know it is early to predict exactly where her skills will be in the fall, but if we go with BLHFHG, I may need to do some work over the summer to get her ready. That’s the reason for my rush to decide.
I especially love the look of LHFHG, but I think she would probably need to be in BLHFHG. She already fits a lot of those boxes on the placement chart. She reads books like the Littles with great speed and expression. She really only became a fluent reader 2 months ago, so her progress has surprised me. She will take on any nonfiction or large chapter book, and usually does quite well, hampered mostly by words or concepts that she has never been exposed to. In math, we are doing Singapore Primary 1A as a review, to get her used to their format. We’ll probably do 1B over the summer, but I might save it. Writing is her weakest area. She is one of those kids who never liked to color or write for fun. We are working through ETC as a tool for handwriting and spelling. It seems to help her focus on the sounds in words she wants to write. We started with book 3 last month and are nearly halfway through. She loves to read her story Bibles and memorizes scripture easily. She is very verbal, with great comprehension and retention. She doesn’t narrate well, because she thinks every detail is equally important.
Would you put her in BLHFHG or LHFHG? If you think Beyond, would I be able to use the built in emergent reader program with her, or would she need DITHOR? Also, what would I need to do to prepare her for the history? We have never studied history, other than what we have read in the Bible. Should I buy History for Little Pilgrims now and use it as a read aloud over the summer?
She is very sensitive and somewhat emotionally young for her age. Her sensitivity greatly affects what we can read. Would that be a problem?
Also, FWIW, I also have a dd who will be 4 ½ in the fall.
Thank you to anyone who read this very long post and can offer input!
LHFHG or BLHFHG? Please help me place my dd!
Hi Lilyanna! I love that name!! 
Welcome to HOD!
I'm not that great at the placing thing, but I know some others will pipe up soon. Just from what you've shared, I would say Beyond would be your best choice. As far as the emerging readers or Drawn....I think I would just have her try to read some of them (most libraries have them) and if she breezes through them, go with Drawn.
If you're going to use Singapore, you may want to just hold up there and use 1A and 1B as scheduled in Beyond. The hands on activities Carrie includes are great.
Your 4.5 yo would be perfect in LIttle Hands if you wanted something for her.
Mel
Welcome to HOD!I'm not that great at the placing thing, but I know some others will pipe up soon. Just from what you've shared, I would say Beyond would be your best choice. As far as the emerging readers or Drawn....I think I would just have her try to read some of them (most libraries have them) and if she breezes through them, go with Drawn.
If you're going to use Singapore, you may want to just hold up there and use 1A and 1B as scheduled in Beyond. The hands on activities Carrie includes are great.
Your 4.5 yo would be perfect in LIttle Hands if you wanted something for her.
MelUsing LHFHG with
ds - '00
dd - '00
dd - '02
ds - '00
dd - '00
dd - '02
Welcome Lilyanna!
I'm really not probably much help with your placing either, as I haven't used LHFHG or BLHFHG yet. I'd say that if that's where she fits on the placement chart, go for it. I've heard many moms agree that it's right on in placing their kids. You probably saw that the boxes at the beginning of the chart are more important than the ones as you go, so look more closely at them.
It sounds to me from your description that your dd is probably ready for DITHOR. I did what Melanie suggested to you with my ds this spring and checked many of the "emerging readers" out from the library and had him read them. I believe that The Littles that you mentioned is just above the reading level of the emerging readers. I personally am so excited to use DITHOR! It looks awsome!!
I know my son will love it!
For your 4.5 y/o, I highly reccommend LHTH! I am using it with my dd who is almost 4. We LOVE it!! I got it for the great Bible stories, but my dd has learned so much more than I expected from LHTH! It's short and sweet, but packed with great stuff!
I don't think there would be any need to get the history from LHFHG to read this summer before Beyond. The programs build on each other, but you can jump in at anytime. Just a note on narrating...I haven't had my son who will be 8 do this officially, he just does it on his own. I was asking Carrie about narrating and if I should encourage him to include every detail (which he will 
) or if it is better to ask him to summarize. She said that Charlotte Mason encouraged letting the kiddos narrate their way, adding in any main points they may have missed when they were done. So...the advice I got was to get comfortable and listen to the long narration, instead of making him shorten it and think he's not doing it "right". (The readings are purposefully short in HOD's programs! Whew!)
This is long, but hopefully a little bit helpful!
Kathleen
I'm really not probably much help with your placing either, as I haven't used LHFHG or BLHFHG yet. I'd say that if that's where she fits on the placement chart, go for it. I've heard many moms agree that it's right on in placing their kids. You probably saw that the boxes at the beginning of the chart are more important than the ones as you go, so look more closely at them.
It sounds to me from your description that your dd is probably ready for DITHOR. I did what Melanie suggested to you with my ds this spring and checked many of the "emerging readers" out from the library and had him read them. I believe that The Littles that you mentioned is just above the reading level of the emerging readers. I personally am so excited to use DITHOR! It looks awsome!!
I know my son will love it! For your 4.5 y/o, I highly reccommend LHTH! I am using it with my dd who is almost 4. We LOVE it!!
I got it for the great Bible stories, but my dd has learned so much more than I expected from LHTH! It's short and sweet, but packed with great stuff!I don't think there would be any need to get the history from LHFHG to read this summer before Beyond. The programs build on each other, but you can jump in at anytime. Just a note on narrating...I haven't had my son who will be 8 do this officially, he just does it on his own. I was asking Carrie about narrating and if I should encourage him to include every detail (which he will
) or if it is better to ask him to summarize. She said that Charlotte Mason encouraged letting the kiddos narrate their way, adding in any main points they may have missed when they were done. So...the advice I got was to get comfortable and listen to the long narration, instead of making him shorten it and think he's not doing it "right". (The readings are purposefully short in HOD's programs! Whew!)This is long, but hopefully a little bit helpful!
Kathleen
Homeschooling mom to 6:
Grant - 19 Kansas State University
Allison - 15 World Geography
Garret - 13 Res2Ref
Asa - 8 Bigger
Quinn - 7 Bigger
Halle - 4 LHTH
Grant - 19 Kansas State University
Allison - 15 World Geography
Garret - 13 Res2Ref
Asa - 8 Bigger
Quinn - 7 Bigger
Halle - 4 LHTH
-
susie in ms
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2008 2:37 pm
Lilyanna,
The ladies have already been wonderfully helpful in talking through your options with you. I'll just chime in and say that it does sound like your daughter will be ready for "Beyond...". Here's a link to the placement chart for you to check to make sure: http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php
Also, I would hold off on rushing through Singapore Math. It really ramps up by 3A/3B, so there's no need to hurry. 1A/1B are scheduled in "Beyond...", so I'd just start next year wherever you leave off this year and follow the schedule with hands-on lessons in "Beyond...".
As far as the Emerging Reader Set goes, it does sound like your daughter is at the last 1/2 to end of it. So, you could either do the last few books of the Emerging Reader Set, following the schedule in the Appendix of "Beyond..." (if you wanted a lighter start to the year), or you could start DITHR. Your daughter is reading well enough to begin DITHR too. So, it really is more of what you're looking for in that area.
There's no need to read anything from "Little Hearts..." to prepare your little honey for "Beyond...". Each program does build nicely on the previous program, but it isn't necessary to have done the previous programs.
Last, we're quite careful about content that sensitive kiddos may have trouble with. If there is any, we will warn you about it in the guide.
We're glad to have you here!
Blessings,
Carrie
The ladies have already been wonderfully helpful in talking through your options with you. I'll just chime in and say that it does sound like your daughter will be ready for "Beyond...". Here's a link to the placement chart for you to check to make sure: http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php
Also, I would hold off on rushing through Singapore Math. It really ramps up by 3A/3B, so there's no need to hurry. 1A/1B are scheduled in "Beyond...", so I'd just start next year wherever you leave off this year and follow the schedule with hands-on lessons in "Beyond...".
As far as the Emerging Reader Set goes, it does sound like your daughter is at the last 1/2 to end of it. So, you could either do the last few books of the Emerging Reader Set, following the schedule in the Appendix of "Beyond..." (if you wanted a lighter start to the year), or you could start DITHR. Your daughter is reading well enough to begin DITHR too. So, it really is more of what you're looking for in that area.
There's no need to read anything from "Little Hearts..." to prepare your little honey for "Beyond...". Each program does build nicely on the previous program, but it isn't necessary to have done the previous programs.
Last, we're quite careful about content that sensitive kiddos may have trouble with. If there is any, we will warn you about it in the guide.
We're glad to have you here!
Blessings,
Carrie
Thank you for the warm welcome and the advice. I'm feeling excited to start, but know that I should really wait until fall. We have plenty to keep us busy until then.
DH and I spent some time today looking over the sample BLHFHG week and reading sample chapters of the history and science books at CBD. Ultimately, he agreed that the program looked like a good fit for 6yo dd.
Kathleen, what you wrote about the longwinded narrations is funny and so true of my dd. If she wants to tell me about a dream or a book she is reading, I often tell her to wait until we are in the car. It can easily take 20 minutes!
It sounds like DITHOR will be good for her. I have questions about it, but I'll start a new thread.
I hesitate to hold her back in Singapore. All of 1A and most of 1B looks like review of what she already knows. I'll have to think more about your advice to put math on hold for 5 months. I'm inclined to let her forge ahead while she can, and slow down when we hit the harder books, or at least get close.
As a side note, I am strongly considering Little Hands for my little one who will be 4 next week. I may start over the summer. The Bible portion looks really fun.
Thanks again!
ETA: Would doing Beyond in 1st grade throw her off for the higher programs?
DH and I spent some time today looking over the sample BLHFHG week and reading sample chapters of the history and science books at CBD. Ultimately, he agreed that the program looked like a good fit for 6yo dd.
Kathleen, what you wrote about the longwinded narrations is funny and so true of my dd. If she wants to tell me about a dream or a book she is reading, I often tell her to wait until we are in the car. It can easily take 20 minutes!
It sounds like DITHOR will be good for her. I have questions about it, but I'll start a new thread.
I hesitate to hold her back in Singapore. All of 1A and most of 1B looks like review of what she already knows. I'll have to think more about your advice to put math on hold for 5 months. I'm inclined to let her forge ahead while she can, and slow down when we hit the harder books, or at least get close.
As a side note, I am strongly considering Little Hands for my little one who will be 4 next week. I may start over the summer. The Bible portion looks really fun.
Thanks again!
ETA: Would doing Beyond in 1st grade throw her off for the higher programs?
Lilyanna,
I'm glad we're able to help in some small way. I just wanted to clarify that I wasn't meaning for you to hold off on the math, just not to rush your little sweetie. I agree that continuing on with math at a steady pace is a good idea. I just wouldn't worry about finishing a certain level, as you can always pick it back up next year wherever you finished.
Since your daughter is in the target age-range for "Beyond..." (which is 6-8 ), she will be right on track age-wise for the following programs. For example, "Bigger..." follows "Beyond...", and it's target age-range is 7-9 with extensions for older students as needed. So, you're right on pace!
Blessings,
Carrie
I'm glad we're able to help in some small way.
I just wanted to clarify that I wasn't meaning for you to hold off on the math, just not to rush your little sweetie. I agree that continuing on with math at a steady pace is a good idea. I just wouldn't worry about finishing a certain level, as you can always pick it back up next year wherever you finished. Since your daughter is in the target age-range for "Beyond..." (which is 6-8 ), she will be right on track age-wise for the following programs. For example, "Bigger..." follows "Beyond...", and it's target age-range is 7-9 with extensions for older students as needed. So, you're right on pace!
Blessings,
Carrie