I am thinking of using HOD...

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LovingJesus
Posts: 331
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2011 8:29 am

I am thinking of using HOD...

Post by LovingJesus » Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:15 pm

I am thinking of using HOD and I was wondering if you kind ladies could answer a few questions for me.

1. I am looking for something that is conservative, Bible based, gospel focused, young Earth, and academically appropriate for children who tend to be accelerated learners. Do you think HOD will work for me?

2. I am looking for something that fits with my children's love for reading & being read to, but that also gives other types of learning activities so that they really learn the material being presented.

3. I am looking for something that allows narration, dictation, & some note-booking.

4. We already use R&S English and Singapore, so I like the fact that HOD is recommending resources that work well for our family. It makes me think that the rest might work well too!

5. I have been reading the web-site and I need help placing my children. Where would I place them with the following information:

My oldest is age 8/2nd grade. He has completed reading all of the Pathway readers up through 7th grade and has wonderful reading comprehension. He is in Singapore 2A and English 2 with R&S. He has completed My Father's World Adventures (A little US History), which uses the Pioneer Book in Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory. We have read a few of the books on Preparing Hearts for His Glory as read-alouds. Where would I place him?

My second son is 6 1/2 & 1st grade. I am using R&S phonics to teach him to read and doing some basic math to prepare him for Singapore 1A. Where would I place him? He has completed My Father's World Kindergarten.

My other two children are too young for school & happily playing.

Does HOD sound like it might work for our family.

Thank you & Blessings!

countrymom
Posts: 770
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2009 3:16 pm

Re: I am thinking of using HOD...

Post by countrymom » Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:26 pm

Welcome to the board!
1. You got it. The way the guides are designed you can easily adjust for learning scenarios. You can run the guide at the lower end of the age range or add in the extensions once you get to the guides from Bigger and up for extra challenge. The guides are very meaty anyway.
2. Yep, definitely HOD
3. Narration, dictation, and notebooking are an integral part of HOD curriculum
4. I think it will!
5. Just going by what you wrote, I would say Bigger for your oldest and Little Hearts for your youngest (which would not having you doing the same guide back to back), but you will want to look at the placement chart closely. The first section has the heaviest weight. Here is the link, http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php

I definitely think HOD will work for your family. We are loving it!
Countrymom
Wife to J
Big J - LHFHG, Beyond, Bigger, Preparing, CTC, R2R, Rev to Rev, Modern Missions, beginning parts of World Geography
Little J - LHTH, LHFHG, Beyond, Bigger, Preparing, working in CTC

pjdobro
Posts: 1491
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:45 pm

Re: I am thinking of using HOD...

Post by pjdobro » Thu Oct 27, 2011 2:24 pm

I think you are in the right place! :D HOD sounds like it will easily meet all of your goals. I agree with Countrymom on placement. I think your older ds sounds ready for Bigger Hearts and though your younger might be able to handle Beyond, LHFHG would be a great place to start and would keep you from doing back to back guides. I second too looking at the placement chart though to see where they place. That will give a lot better picture overall. Let us know after you look at it so we can try to help you further or and welcome to HOD! :D
Patty in NC

b/g twins '02 Rev2Rev 2014/15
previously enjoyed LHFHG, BLHFHG, Bigger, Preparing, CTC, RTR
******
Nisi Dominus Frusta (Without God, frustration)
Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Psalm 127:1

doubleportion
Posts: 198
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 12:40 pm
Location: Arkansas
Contact:

Re: I am thinking of using HOD...

Post by doubleportion » Thu Oct 27, 2011 2:25 pm

Which books you have read or what time period you have studied aside, you should first look at the placement chart http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php . After that maybe where you should place your children will be more clear.

Everything else you are looking for I think you will definitely find in HOD.

HTH
Edie
dd 13 -Rev2Rev (enjoyed PHFHG, CTC, RTR)
ds 8 -Beyond
ds 6 LHFHG & ds 2 & ds 6 months
4 waiting for us with Jesus

tnahid
Posts: 531
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 12:51 am
Location: Texas

Re: I am thinking of using HOD...

Post by tnahid » Thu Oct 27, 2011 5:15 pm

I think HOD sounds like the curriculum for you! It seems to be what you are looking for in every aspect. Welcome to the board! Bless you in your journey! :D :D :D
Tina
ds 11 -- DITHOR 4/5 and other curriculum
ds 9 -- Preparing and DITHOR
dd 5 -- 1st grade variety of curriculum
Wife of a loving DH 12 years
starting our 4th year of home education, 3rd year of HOD and DITHOR, so blessed...what a journey!

Heidi in AK
Posts: 470
Joined: Sun Dec 26, 2010 12:47 am
Location: Fort Richardson, AK

Re: I am thinking of using HOD...

Post by Heidi in AK » Thu Oct 27, 2011 5:31 pm

I love your well-laid out reasoning! Based on what you indicated, I think HOD would be a great fit, and I agree with Countrymom about the best curricula for your dc's. Welcome to the boards, and welcome to HOD!
Heidi
loving teaching my rewards!!!
Girlie (dd7) - Beyond, 4 days/week
Boy-o (ds4), LHTH, along for the ride!!! (all boy, whatever he can get his hands on, FULL OF ENERGY!)
Psalm 78:3-7

http://heidihovan.blogspot.com

mom24boys
Posts: 96
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2010 6:39 am
Location: Central Florida

Re: I am thinking of using HOD...

Post by mom24boys » Thu Oct 27, 2011 7:15 pm

I agree too. Bigger and LHFHG. If the placement chart leans you toward Bigger and Beyond, then I would probably entertain combining them in Beyond and having your oldest do the 3Rs from Bigger. Let us know how things seem to look on the chart!
Cyndi
dh of 18 years
ds15: WG
ds13: MTMM
ds11: CTC
ds9: Bigger

Carrie
Site Admin
Posts: 8125
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:39 pm

Re: I am thinking of using HOD...

Post by Carrie » Thu Oct 27, 2011 8:19 pm

Welcome to the HOD Board! :D We're glad that you're here! :D We'll look forward to helping you even more once you get a chance to pop back and share a bit more about where each of your kiddos fit as individuals on the first page of the placement chart. :D

Blessings,
Carrie

LovingJesus
Posts: 331
Joined: Thu Oct 27, 2011 8:29 am

Re: I am thinking of using HOD...

Post by LovingJesus » Thu Oct 27, 2011 10:49 pm

I told my DH tonight that I think I have found a curriculum that fits our family. I have never said that before. Carrie, you have picked so many resources that have interested me and put them into your curriculum. Plus, you have so many elements in HOD that I don't know how to teach, but want to teach my children. Oh, this is wonderful! :D

I would Love some help with placement. My children are 8 (Summer B'Day 2nd), 6 1/2 (1st grade), 4 3/4 (5 in January & interested in letters), and 2 1/2.

The 4 3/4 year old on the chart placed for LHTH for Age, Reading, & Grammar. She placed for LHFHG for Writing. I think she would enjoy LHTH; is that the correct program?

The 6 1/2 year old on the chart placed for LHFHG for Age, Writing, & Grammar. He placed for Beyond for Age & Reading (emerging reader). For his writing I have never had him try to copy a sentence, so I don't know if he could or not for Beyond. Which program would be best for him?

The 8 year old on the chart placed in a different program for each category for his age range. Reading = Prepared, Writing = Beyond & almost Bigger (he can compose stories in his head and dictate them, but he has never written down a sentence from his own writing), Grammar = Bigger. Which program would be best for him?

Thank you so much for the help! I am so grateful to have found a program that has book after book and history spines that I WANT to use. The scripture teaching sounds fabulous.

Blessings,

John'smom
Posts: 757
Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2009 6:24 pm

Re: I am thinking of using HOD...

Post by John'smom » Fri Oct 28, 2011 9:07 am

I won't tackle the placement thing, but I will say when I read the things you're looking for I was thought, "WOW! That is definitely HOD!" It's wonderful that you know what you're already looking for. I know if you're praying and you feel peace about HOD then you will absolutely love it like we do. :D
Edwena
*Married to my best friend for 16 yrs
*Mom to ds (15), dd (13), dd #2(3)
*Combining my dc in WG (2017-2018)
*Completed and absolutely loved BLHFHG through MTMM

mom23
Posts: 532
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:10 am

Re: I am thinking of using HOD...

Post by mom23 » Fri Oct 28, 2011 11:53 am

I don't have much time right now to explain my reasoning, but my recommendations would be: 4 yo: LHTH; 6 yo: LHFHG; and 8 yo: Bigger. I'll try to drop by later with further explanations if no one else chimes in, but usually others are really good about helping. I'm sure you'll get lots of advice soon :). I agree, though, this is such a blessing to have HOD-it's a great curriculum!!
Becky, married to my preacher-man and raising:
DD 12-7th grade public school
DS 10-Preparing
DS 8-Beyond
DS 3-Just doin' his thing

countrymom
Posts: 770
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2009 3:16 pm

Re: I am thinking of using HOD...

Post by countrymom » Fri Oct 28, 2011 1:45 pm

I agree with the pp poster for placement (youngest LHTH, middle LHFHG, Oldest Bigger). Keep in mind you can adjust the right side of the guide to the levels your kiddo is at, so your 6 1/2 yr old could begin the emerging reader set if he is ready. Your 8 yr old could also begin the DITHOR reading program at whatever level he is ready for. Also, there are additional reading options in the back of the guide for Little Hearts so you can easily make it a meatier program for your child at the older end of the guide. I found our library did not carry many of the Bible suggestions, but carried many of the other history selections once I got to that part of the guide. Your son will be learning a lot of new skills so best to enter in the lower guide. Your 4 1/2 yr old could always work in a kindergarten workbook for handwriting if you wish. I would not place her in Little Hearts because she would hit Beyond awfully young.
Countrymom
Wife to J
Big J - LHFHG, Beyond, Bigger, Preparing, CTC, R2R, Rev to Rev, Modern Missions, beginning parts of World Geography
Little J - LHTH, LHFHG, Beyond, Bigger, Preparing, working in CTC

doubleportion
Posts: 198
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 12:40 pm
Location: Arkansas
Contact:

Re: I am thinking of using HOD...

Post by doubleportion » Fri Oct 28, 2011 1:53 pm

From what I have read. I would think you could place your 4 yr old in LHTH, your 6 yr old LHFHG with the 1st grade options, and your 8 yr old in Bigger. The most important things to me would be where your 8 yr old is with writing. If you place them too high based on the other skills then you may set your dc up for frustration if the writing is too much. Placement is key in HOD, IMHO. My dd is finishing up PHFHG. She completed MFW ADV in 2nd and MFW ECC in 3rd. She completed about half the year of MFW CTG before we switched over to HOD. I considered moving her to HOD CTC but instead settled on PHFHG. I am so glad that I did. It is the right amount of work and builds really nicely. She will be very prepared to go on to CTC in January when she completes PHFHG. (We started our HOD Guide last Jan. We switched mid year.)

I think you will be amazed and please with what your find in HOD. I know I was!

:)
Edie
dd 13 -Rev2Rev (enjoyed PHFHG, CTC, RTR)
ds 8 -Beyond
ds 6 LHFHG & ds 2 & ds 6 months
4 waiting for us with Jesus

MomtoJGJE
Posts: 1534
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2009 7:20 pm
Location: Gastonia, NC

Re: I am thinking of using HOD...

Post by MomtoJGJE » Fri Oct 28, 2011 7:26 pm

My kids are basically the same age as your kids :) We are using Bigger, LHFHG, and LHTH with them and it's going great!

With the LHTH one that said writing is LHFHG level, you could always get the k-level handwriting books, use them with LHTH, and when you get to LHFHG use the 1st grade level books.

For the LHFHG one that said reading was Beyond level you could go ahead and do Emerging Readers with him.

For the oldest... I think I might lean toward Bigger, but start slowly with the writing aspect. Of course, if you are already doing R&S English that is a part of the writing. You could always start him with one or two vocabulary words instead of all three. And you could have him dictate answers to you and then let him copy it for DITHOR.

mom23
Posts: 532
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:10 am

Re: I am thinking of using HOD...

Post by mom23 » Fri Oct 28, 2011 8:45 pm

Yep, as the others have said, it's really easy to adjust the right side of the plans (this includes reading, math, grammar, etc.) for your kiddo's skill level. Add in a handwriting book for your youngest with LHTH if you desire, or the emerging readers with LHFHG (we're doing this right now with my middle one), or adjust the Rod and Staff level for your oldest one. Some essential things to consider are amount of writing that doubleportion mentioned, and ability for deeper-level thinking and attention span. It seems for our family (obviously others are different) that our kids are really thriving when their ages are toward the middle to end of the recommended ages for a guide. Where my youngest (nearly 5) might be able to handle parts of LHFHG, things that would be a stretch right now would simply be way to much in a couple of years with higher guides. He's loving LHTH! Proper placement with HOD in our home meant the difference between learning but hating school, or learning and loving it! :)
Becky, married to my preacher-man and raising:
DD 12-7th grade public school
DS 10-Preparing
DS 8-Beyond
DS 3-Just doin' his thing

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