Repeat Bigger with extentions?

[crlacey]

I know that it is usually not advised to repeat a manual with a child, but I have a unique situation that I need help with.

My DD is struggling to get through Preparing this year. She is doing it, but we are doing all of it together. There is just no way she could do the independent work all alone. She is on the very young side of the manual (8 yr old, 3rd grade, struggling dyslexic reader). We use our own math program and DH is a science guy, so he often supplements with more science. Next school year I will have a 1st grader, a 4th grader and a newborn who needs open heart surgery (out of state) within the first day of life. If looking at the chart, she places in Bigger for some items and Preparing for some items. Due to her dyslexia, her reading skills are slowly improving and she has been able to finish the emerging readers this year. And writing is tough for her since she still transposes letters and struggles with getting her thoughts (which are well beyond her writing capabilities) onto paper. I know she won't be able to handle the work required in CTC and we have already finished through unit 25 in Preparing together. Could I just use Bigger with extensions for a base and then add math and LA at her level as a filler year until she is ready for CTC?

[crlacey]

To answer some questions you probably have.
Why is she in Preparing?
She had completed Bigger and was finishing up the Emerging readers at the time. She had done pretty well with Bigger, so Preparing was the next step. We ordered it and started slowly over the summer. Then I had major cancer surgery in the fall that left us taking 6 weeks off with Grandma or Daddy trying to do some teaching when possible. We also found out about our surprise baby a few weeks after surgery and have required extra screenings due to the complex surgery and medications I was on. I assumed that she would grow into the guide, but I guess life situations were too much for her to continue progressing. She's one of those kids who will do the minimum to get by unless pushed. Also she normally has leaps instead of a slow progression.

Why didn't we do Bigger?
We had done Bigger last year and she was doing well with it. Preparing was the obvious next step. But the extra writing is killing her so we have to scale it back for her. I know that CTC will only be worse in writing. But the reading content for history, science, storytime and projects are perfect as long as I help with the reading.

Why are we considering Bigger with extensions?
Since she has already done Bigger, I thought that reading the extensions with her would give her more in-depth material since she has heard the basic information before. Though most kids only remember about half of what they did last year, so we could still do the basic readings as review.

[Molly]

My only concern would be if she didn't want to repeat Bigger. I do think the extension books would be a great way to do it, and you could probably keep some basic books but do different ones to what you did the first time around. It sounds like you've had a rough year, and that the year to come is not going to be the easiest either. Anyway, I will be praying for you and your family, not only with this decision, but also for the coming year.

[blessedmomof4]

Have you considered instead slowing down Preparing to half-speed for a while, and helping her begin to learn to be a little more independent, as much as possible, with the independent sections? Like, going through the directions step-by-step and having her repeat back before doing the work? As you said, she is only 8, so you have a lot of "wiggle room" as far as finishing this guide. There is no hurry for her to be ready for CTC, and I think slow progress with Preparing would get her ready for CTC better than a filler year repeating Bigger with Extensions-the jump in skills would be huge and she would potentially be in the same boat. Besides, with the baby coming and all that you have already been through, a relaxed approach might be better all around

[Starla]

Just wanted to reiterate what blessedmomof4 had to say. We had started out in Preparing this year - it was too much for my ds - so switched to Bigger. He's been doing fairly well in it, but he's on the younger end. (8 years old) In Preparing next year, (he won't be turning 9 until the end of December) since he has such a hard time with handwriting, am planning on taking it at half speed. Figured out that there are 2 major writing assignments per day, so am planning splitting those up to just one major writing per day - so we can face it head on and work at it little by little and truly do a good job at it. No shortcuts. (By "shortcuts" I mean that right now, I will write down parts of his notebooking pages for him if they are too long, etc.)

Am going to go full speed ahead with his language arts (we're doing CLE for that part), and full speed for math, but the for science and history, we're going to slow it way down. Am thinking of adding the extensions in but use them as read alouds with him to supplement the history part. We also had put aside DITHOR this year because the writing was a bit much for him, and am planning on having him do that as well this coming year. So there will be plenty for him to work on and learn. (have been doing CLE reading in place of it, and he's also been reading lots and LOTS of books from the library. His reading has really taken off this year from where he didn't even want to look at books to now he's loving reading chapter books every night before he goes to bed "just for fun".)

If he "get's it" fairly quickly, then I figure, we can speed up and then just get to CTC whenever he's done with Preparing. If that's in the middle of a school year, - that's fine. I'm not worried about starting CTC right on target in a school year. Just want him to start it when he's ready for it. Don't want him to get there not ready to tackle the heavy writing that will face him.

Don't know if this helps you or not, but just wanted to let you know that if you do something 1/2 speed, that others are doing the same thing as well....

[spidermansmum]

hugs.It sounds like you all have had a rough year .Im praying for you.

[my3sons]

I am so sorry you had a year filled with things in life that cannot be planned for nor expected. How are you doing? I hope you are on the mend and each day feeling in better health. I am sure that Grandma and Daddy taught more things than just school, and that their presence will always be looked back upon as a comfort. I have prayed for you and your little one as well, with the upcoming surgery. As far as your question here, I do think you could repeat Bigger with extensions, or even without the extensions if dd wouldn't be able to read them on her own yet. Your dd is actually in the target age range for Bigger Hearts and not the extensions age range. So, the extensions are certainly optional. I realize they would add variety, but if you will be reading them and may not have the time necessarily, I think it would be fine not to do them.

I know when life is filled with health concerns or unexpected life situations, getting into a routine with school can be very difficult, and that means continuity and retention are just hard to have. Do you think your dd remembers all of Bigger Hearts with great clarity, and would have a less than cheerful attitude about returning to it knowing she did it before the guide she is doing now? Or, do you think it is a distant memory, and maybe not such a succinct one at that, and due to the things that were going on at that time she may not have even been able to really do what was in the guide fully anyway? I think this makes a difference in what you do. Going back and really enjoying all Bigger Hearts has to offer, as well as really having the time to teach those key skills taught in Bigger Hearts, would be a good decision, I think. If, however, it will be an uphill battle for dd to repeat it, than going half-speed PHFHG starting now would be another option. What are your thoughts?

In Christ,
Julie

[Carrie]

Crystal,

I agree with the wise advice that has already been shared here. I think you could either do half-speed Preparing until the end of the guide, and then head into CTC at half-speed, or you could go back and do Bigger with or without extensions. I think the ladies had some great thoughts on either plan. What direction would you be leaning more? How do you think your daughter might feel about it?

Hugs to you and your family for the tough times you have been through health-wise. You are such a good momma to be in tune with your daughter and what she needs most.

Blessings,
Carrie