Introduction and questions!!

This is where new posts begin. All questions or discussions about any of Heart of Dakota's curriculums start here. If you wish to share a one-time post about your family's experience with our curriculum, you may post under the specific curriculum title (found beneath this "Main Board" heading).
water2wine
Posts: 2743
Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2007 7:24 pm
Location: GA

Post by water2wine » Sat Jun 14, 2008 9:47 am

Hey there and welcome to the boards! It sounds like you have things pretty well figured out. 8) I just want to encourage you on a few things. I was once in a Christian book store with my kids and looked at BJU 8th grade LA. It was covering the exact same thing that my 5th grade daughter was doing in R&S 4. I mean exactly no more in depth at all. I was worried that perhaps we needed to "catch up". No longer do I even think about that. :D Also Cathy Duffy says that R&S 10th is very complete and they would be done with Grammar for high school at that level. So that would make it two years ahead at some point in the game. 8) Here is the chart from R&S English. This is a non official site I would look at the teacher manula sample and by seeing what is covered in the year and looking at the student samples I was very accurately able to place my four into the right levels. Just throw that grade thing out though.:wink: http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com/list/Bu ... sh_Series/

Also with Singapore that stuff is crazy magic math. :lol: We love it! It is real thinking math but I want you to know that my kids that were from ps and did fine with R&S math really struggled with Singapore from ps. My kids that have never been in ps breeze through it. So it takes a little time for kids sometimes to transition into it and they will "catch up" eventually. So I absolutely would not worry about levels when they get the hang of it they will move right back to their level. It's just a little training time of their brain is all that is needed. :D

I hope I even answered your question. Welcome to HOD you are going to love it!
All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. Isaiah 54:13
~Six lovies from God~4 by blessing of adoption
-MTMM (HS), Rev to Rev, CTC, DITHR
We LOVED LHFHG/Beyond/Bigger/Preparing/CTC/RTR/Rev to Rev (HS)

jsusgrl
Posts: 47
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:48 pm

YEAY!!

Post by jsusgrl » Sat Jun 14, 2008 7:55 pm

I just wanted to tell you all the good news.......:-)
I spoke with my ISP director today at our used curriculum sale and told her about my plans (LORD WILLING) to use HOD and how I wanted to use Rod and Satf English 2 and Singapore primary mathematics 2a, and she said that I may still move him up to 4th grade!!! I explained how R & S is advanced and that Singapore also moves quickly past many curriculums and that he would be at the right level eventually. I was soo relieved that she accepted my plan because as I said before, our school has high academic standards, more than other support groups/ISP I have been with in the past. BUT, we do have the most wonderful director ever and She truly takes the time to work with each of us and help us come up with an individul plan for each of our kids. i am so excited because my son scored rather low on SAT's, in fact he scored 2nd and 1st grade level on some things, but he is a bright boy. Part of the problem was that I started him too early in the 1st grade, at age 5, so i feel responsible. And secondly, I just don't know if he was really ready for SAT's but is required in the 3rd grade with our school group. So, I just wanted to pass along the good news, and i am very excited and really feel led to HOD by the LORD. One question though..... what if both of your kids are reading some of the same readers? Should they each have their own set or how does that work?
Thank you all and God bless you,
Angie

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

Post by Carrie » Mon Jun 16, 2008 2:47 pm

Angie,

The ladies have done a great job of helping you talk through your options. One thing that makes a big difference on placement is how well your kiddos listen to chapter books without pictures being read aloud. It also depends on how seasoned of a listener your little 6 year old is. Has she listened to classic chapter books read aloud much yet? If not, then Beyond... will be a better placement for her. That will also mean that your turning 9 year old would need to be in "Beyond..." in order to keep them together. However, if your almost 7 year old listens well to harder literature read alouds and is a more seasoned listener, then I would put both your almost 7 and 9 year old together in "Bigger...".

If you do put both your kiddos in "Beyond...", I would add the right side of the page from the "Bigger.." guide for language arts and math for the 8 year old. This would give him a higher level of grammar (Rod and Staff 2), dictation passages for spelling, a schedule for cursive handwriting, and hands on math lessons for 2A/2B. I would also add Drawn into the Heart of Reading for him to hit his literature study on grade level. You will most likely find the need to add in some additional science reading for your 8 turning 9 year old to "Beyond..." as well. :D

If you have other questions, ask away! The ladies on the board are wonderful about helping and are very gracious with their time! :wink:

Blessings,
Carrie

jsusgrl
Posts: 47
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:48 pm

Post by jsusgrl » Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:05 am

Thank you all again!!!!!!!!!!! I have been so confused about which to use- Bigger or Beyond. I really appreciate all of your advice! I do plan to follow Carries advice and use the right side of Bigger for my oldest. He will do Rod and staff 2 and Primary math 2 with cheerful cursive. My daughter who doesn't turn 7 until December is really not ready for longer literature. she does her work amazing well, but gets bored with long reads. I really wish I could see the science book though and hope that is enough for my 8 yr old. I just received my catalog yesterday! Thank you Carrie! That was quick! It is beautifully done. I have been pouring over it!
i got a bit nervous reading that beyond is for 1st and 2nd graders though, because my oldest is going into 4th and I don't want him to be slowed down, but I think if i incorporate the Lang. Arts and Math from Bigger as Carrie said, that it will all be good.:-) If he was my only one, we would use the Bigger, but i really don't want to use 2 programs, plus I don't want my kids to miss out on the books from Beyond!
Love to you all and many thanks as i try and make these big descisions for the school year!
in Christ,
Angie

Carly
Posts: 69
Joined: Sat May 24, 2008 3:36 am
Location: Texas

Post by Carly » Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:03 pm

Just wanted to say hello and welcome here.

Carly :D

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