Feeling out of my depth should I go to online school

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).
Post Reply
jeanaod
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2014 5:52 pm

Feeling out of my depth should I go to online school

Post by jeanaod » Thu Sep 25, 2014 2:40 pm

Hello all. My 15 yr old daughter is doing her 10th grade year and has just begun the WG guide. I am struggling with the Science, she just had to restart her Videotext Algebra after 8wks of work because when she got to the end of unit test she couldn't remember anything, we are on week 7 of WG and come to find out she hasn't recalled much if any of her science, history is ok and grammar is doable but I'm really concerned that she isn't going to be ready for the ACT or for university in 3 yrs. She has her heart set on going to university with her friends in 3 yrs and I am really concerned that she won't be ready. Its not that she isn't smart enough to learn I am just struggling to teach her and my 11 yr old. To many who are school 5 and 6 this will seem menial but it's where I am and I am asking for suggestions. Also, do any of you know of Kaplan ACT prep and if so is it worth the 4200 for 32 hrs of tutoring and unlimited access to test prep? Thank you for your patience.

Jeana O'Donnell

LynnH
Posts: 1846
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:41 pm
Location: OH
Contact:

Re: Feeling out of my depth should I go to online school

Post by LynnH » Thu Sep 25, 2014 3:43 pm

First of all don't panic. Actually the science portion of the ACT does not test knowledge of science it is almost more of a reading comprehension/problem solving test. Having had one graduate the best thing you can do to prepare for the ACT is to teach them to think and analyze what they read which the WG guide does. That sounds really high for ACT prep when you can buy the prep books and have her work through them herself. My dd worked through several prep books and took the practice tests.

The math is probably the bigger concern. My understanding is that the beginning of Videotext Algebra is more Prealgebra so if she is struggling then she may have some gaps from her earlier years of math. I have heard before that some girls don't click with Videotext Algebra so you may need to look at Foersters or another program.
Mom to:
dd 22 college graduate and employed as an Intervention Specialist
ds 18 US2, Loved Preparing, CTC , RTR , Rev to Rev, MTMM ,WG, WH and US1
http://www.graceandfur.blogspot.com/

MelInKansas
Posts: 1700
Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:32 pm

Re: Feeling out of my depth should I go to online school

Post by MelInKansas » Thu Sep 25, 2014 4:22 pm

I second what LynnH said about Kaplan prep. It's not necessary, it doesn't increase scores nearly that much, compared to just buying some prep books and practice tests and working through those yourself. Those will tell you where work might be needed. If this is her desire, then hopefully she will be motivated to work on this and do her best to prepare for the ACT so she can get into college and maybe get scholarships.

Are you or your husband strong in math? Could you sit with her for the Videotext Algebra lessons and watch/help her work through some problems and see where she is struggling? Whether it's the format and she's not paying attention, or if there are concepts she is missing, if this is too big of a jump from what she has already learned. Getting into a groove is difficult and my kids always require more attention from me to make sure they are doing the work right, that they are understanding, etc at the beginning. Once you get into a good groove you can go back to just grading and having the meetings for discussion. But it might require you to be more present and involved here at the beginning to make sure she is really applying herself in the subjects she doesn't like as well. Or again that there's not some problem where something needs to be switched.
Melissa
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
His mercies never come to an end"

DD12 - Rev to Rev + DITHOR 6/7/8
DD10 - CTC + DITHOR 2/3
DD7 - Bigger + ERs
DS5 - LHFHG
DD2 - ABC123
2 babies in heaven

8arrows
Posts: 965
Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 4:49 pm

Re: Feeling out of my depth should I go to online school

Post by 8arrows » Thu Sep 25, 2014 9:27 pm

Having graduated 2 now, I think the reality is that many children are going to need more help in math and science at the high school level. I think that is equally true even if you are using something online. My oldest two used a different math, but I can let you know what helped us. I watched the video presentation with the boys, did the practice problems with them, and then let them do the rest on their own. I then knew enough of what was going on to help and assess their understanding. My daughter and I read the WG science separately and then discussed our favorite parts. I admit to not getting to every lesson. I have heard that what you share and discuss, you have a much higher retention rate of. That is one of the reasons I love HOD so much. I don't think you need the Kaplan tutor. We used the REAL ACT (the practice tests are invaluable) and the Chalkdust Math ACT/SAT review. I agree that the science is more of a reading comprehension/ problem solving test than a science knowledge test. High school is daunting, but it is also "doable". I have two graduated, one with an associates and one finishing up a 4 year degree. It is much easier to look back from the other side. I didn't do everything perfect. I didn't get everything graded. My boys did suggest that I send the kids to community college for chemistry next time :), but our boys love us, they love Jesus, and they can support themselves! And they plan on homeschooling their children! You can do this!
Melissa, wife to Jim for 28 years
3 graduated, 2 using US 2, 8th grade dd using Missions to Marvels
Isaiah 40:11 ...He gently leads those that have young.

Nealewill
Posts: 1611
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2013 5:08 pm
Location: Cincinnati, OH

Re: Feeling out of my depth should I go to online school

Post by Nealewill » Fri Sep 26, 2014 5:36 am

My opinion is that you need to do what works best for you. I see that you have only posted 1 time here and am first wondering if this is your first year using HOD. If so, there is definitely a learning curve and it does take some time to get used to it. I know my kids are much younger than yours but last year, my oldest had a very hard time for about 1/2 of the year. Once she got into the groove though, life was good. Now, all of my kids seem to be in the groove and they are all doing fairly well.

As for your question about science, I wouldn't worry about it at this point. If this is her first year with HOD, then she is probably still somewhat getting used to it. I don't know what you used in the past but these books are very high level (IMHO) and can really challenge the kids. I also know that I teach high school science for my co-op and my kids at co-op are the same way :-) Most of them don't remember stuff for prolonged periods of time either. I would say that if you are going to take any CLEP tests or anything after this year, then you would want the CLEP review and she is going to have study for it.

As for your comment about math, I also think that there are some gaps somewhere if she is struggling with pre-algebra. I would also probably look for a different program for math if she is struggling. I have seen the Key to Algebra series. HOD recommends No Nonsense Algebra or Foresters. Or I would look at Saxon or even Teaching Textbooks. I have heard some excellent things about Derek Owens as well and they have online classes. She would have a real teacher and they could help her with anything she doesn't understand. It was a little bit more expensive but she may highly benefit. Do you have any tutors near when you live that can help her? I personally think that the VideoText Algebra is very challenging. Also - are you watching the videos with her? The company states that you should be watching them with her so that you can help her if she needs help.

I don't know that an online school would solve all of your problems. I find that may times there are underlying reasons why a child struggles with something, not necessarily the curriculum itself. I would really pray about it. HOD is great in the sense that you as a parent should only be spending about 1.5 hours a day with each child. So I am not sure that you will be cutting out teaching time or responsibility by using an online program. I find that by using the online programs, you are so bound to their products and their timeline that they will probably make you more miserable than not. But everyone is different and you know yourself and your child best.

I will pray for you though about your decision. My kids are definitely younger but I know what you mean about having a tough time with only 2 kids. I have 3 and two of my kids have special learning needs. Plus I work home. For me, HOD has been a great fit. But I only move to things that work for my kids and my family. So if you truly feel like HOD isn't a good fit for you or some of the products aren't working (like math), then I personally would look for what is your best fit.
Daneale

DD 13 WG
DS 12 R2R
DD 10 R2R

Enjoyed DITHOR, Little Hearts, Beyond, Bigger, Preparing, CTC, R2R, RevtoRev, MtMM

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

Re: Feeling out of my depth should I go to online school

Post by Carrie » Fri Sep 26, 2014 9:40 am

Jeana,

The ladies are doing a wonderful job of helping you talk through your options. First of all, if you are new to HOD, be sure to allow both you are your daughter some grace as you get used to the program. Next, it is important to bear in mind that even if your daughter isn't new to HOD, she is not going to retain a ton from any part of the guide until she hits her groove with her subjects. This is true of any switch to a new guide as it simply takes time to settle in and wrap your head around what is expected. When much is new, all energies go toward adjusting to the new workload at first. So, be patient and give her time. :wink:

The science in the WG guide is covering many different topics, so as long as she is doing fine with the daily work, I wouldn't stress about overall retention right now. That will improve as she gets better at handling the overall work of the guide. Think how you feel when everything around you is new! It takes all your thoughts and energy just to function in a new situation, much less have great retention! It is the same for our kiddos at the high school level. Retention will come as the newness wears off. :D

Next, as far as VideoText goes, it's important to note that the beginning of VideoText throws a huge amount of information at the kiddos. There is not a ton of review in VideoText, and the unit tests are a long way away from much of the daily work; so it is not uncommon to struggle with the unit test. I allowed my oldest son to do his unit tests open book and to use his notes. This helped refresh his memory. I would not go back and redo the previous 8 weeks of VideoText. Instead, I would redo the unit test, making it open book and a learning situation. Your daughter still may not do well on it, but think of it as an opportunity to review by going back to figure out how to do the problems. Make sure to allow your daughter full access to the answer key, as she is to assess line by line each of her answers to see where she went wrong. :wink:

At the high school level, I have discovered it is a wise idea to be involved with my child's math lesson daily. I did not do this with my oldest son, and while he did fine with VideoText, he would have done better had I been more involved. So, in going forward with VideoText, I would try to watch the DVD with your daughter and strive to help her with the first few examples to get her going in the right direction. This will probably take 20 min. a day, but it will help you stay on top of what she is learning. Try not to get bogged down in VideoText, just keep heading forward. As a perfectionist, my son kept retaking his daily quizzes when he should have been moving forward instead. This is where it would have helped had I been more involved! Be sure your daughter is also only doing the odds each day, leaving the evens for the next day if more practice is needed. I wouldn't switch programs at this juncture. We found the first quarter or more of VideoText Algebra to be tough too, as so much information is presented, but after that it gets much better! So, keep going! Think of the beginning of VideoText as setting the stage for what is to come. It is not necessary for it all to be mastered. Help her work through the unit test with the answer key in hand, and then move forward. It is a very good program if you stay the course! :D

Overall if the rest of the WG guide is going alright, it sounds like your daughter is headed in the right direction. I think you will notice amazing gains by year end! Our guides are written to prepare your child for college/university, so it is not bad for her to struggle a bit now to raise her skill level over time. She will be more prepared in the end. The ladies have already given you such wise counsel about the ACT. What a blessing this board is! :D

Blessings,
Carrie

jeanaod
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2014 5:52 pm

Re: Feeling out of my depth should I go to online school

Post by jeanaod » Fri Sep 26, 2014 4:45 pm

First of all, WOW! I can not thank you ladies enough for all of the encouragement and affirmation that you have given me. :( I have spent the last two days with about 9 hrs sleep trying to come to grips with this situation and you have managed in about 5 mins of reading through given me the boost that I needed.

This isn't our first year with HOD we have done CtC and RtR. My 11 yr old is doing RtR at present. My 15yr old daughter has amazing retention of history and reading. Its just the math and science that she isn't strong in. The reading and information is there but it's the application and experiments that never seem to work the way they are supposed to. Also, testing seems to be a problem. She does well on all quizzes and work leading up to the final unit test or final yr test and BOOM, crash and burn. However, if you sit and talk with her she could talk all day about everything that she has learned. Another thing she does is as soon as she begins to not know an answer or answer incorrectly, she begins to think, "I'm stupid", and then she begins getting everything wrong.

I do LOVE HOD as does she. I really want to stay the course. Someone mentioned that teacher time is only supposed to be 1.5 hrs. I am not finding that with my 11 yr old. I do a lot of the reading with him as his retention isn't good when it has too many difficult words. This is mainly in History. I have the Shakesphere book on Audible and he is now following along with it. I have looked and assessed my life and realize that our day is chaotic and I have to organize a schedule and get some order in our home. I have looked at different schedules on here and am going to endeavour to get that sorted.

How do you transition a child to more independent work? My 11 yr old is the baby of 3 and I have held is hand for way longer than he has needed but now, lol, I don't know how to cut the apron strings and make that transition. How do you determine the work quality to expect when working alone. I, because of my tendency to want things to look nice, still write in his student notebook for him to copy over so that his notebook looks nice. :oops: Bad, I know. I would have never tolerated this from my older two. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Again, I cannot thank you guys enough for your help. I am seeing a light at the end of the tunnel that at 3 am yesterday I didn't see.

God bless,

Jeana

LynnH
Posts: 1846
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:41 pm
Location: OH
Contact:

Re: Feeling out of my depth should I go to online school

Post by LynnH » Fri Sep 26, 2014 7:41 pm

Jeana,
I think it sounds like your dd has test anxiety, but if she can tell you back all the science then she is understanding. The tests and quizzes aren't scheduled in the WG science, so are you doing them anyway. I guess my suggestion would be to not do that at this point and just go over the key ideas and just do the science as scheduled.
So did she jump from RTR to the WG guide? That is a huge jump and so it could be as Carrie said and she is just getting used to the higher level and amount of work.

As for your ds I have a ds that can struggle with reading retention and he has dysgraphia so his writing isn't the neatest. Here is what I have learned with him. The more I hover over him the more he will depend on me, but it also damages his self-esteem. He needs to feel like he can handle the work, especially as he got closer to 12 and 13. I would start now doing less and less of the reading for him and maybe set a goal for him to take over all the reading by Christmas. It will take time for him to train his mind to retain what he reads. My ds still doesn't remember as well when he reads it himself, but he is making gains every year in that area. The only way for him to improve is to read, read and read some more. I also have had to lower my expectations some. My ds isn't going to remember every detail like his gifted sister would, but he does remember most of the key information. I don't drill him on it. He just does whatever the follow up activity is in the guide and we move on. Remember with your ds in RTR he will get presented with the information again in high school.

For your concern with the notebook pages, my ds types his, but if you want your ds to write then I would let him write in the notebook pages and not expect them to be perfect. Try and look at it as you will have a record of exactly where he is now and then you and he will be able to see the improvements over time. I think if you do these things and really push him towards more independence then that will eventually free you up to help your dd as needed and make your life much less chaotic. I would certainly not move on to Rev to Rev until he can do RTR as written so if you need to slow RTR down to half speed for awhile while he gain skills then I would do that.
Mom to:
dd 22 college graduate and employed as an Intervention Specialist
ds 18 US2, Loved Preparing, CTC , RTR , Rev to Rev, MTMM ,WG, WH and US1
http://www.graceandfur.blogspot.com/

jeanaod
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2014 5:52 pm

Re: Feeling out of my depth should I go to online school

Post by jeanaod » Sat Sep 27, 2014 2:26 am

Lynne,

Thank you for the suggestions. The goal of being able to do all the I boxes by Christmas is a great suggestion. He is very smart and retains a lot and I do believe he is more capable and I have enabled a lot. My dd(15) did My Father's World for 9th grade before going back to HOD. She really regretted going to My Father's World. She loved her years with HOD and that's why we came back to HOD :).

Monday is a new day. I will work on these suggestions and go from there.

God bless,

Jeana

Rice
Posts: 526
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 10:00 am

Re: Feeling out of my depth should I go to online school

Post by Rice » Sat Sep 27, 2014 7:27 am

We're in the same boat for getting a day done in a day. This is our first year with HOD and I've got 4 in 3 guides so we intentionally started half-pace. One (LHFHG) is doing full speed now (which is really nice, since his is 5-day-weeks - he has more days to do than his siblings) and the rest are finally (after 4 weeks!) going a bit faster than half-pace. I think by Tuesday we will have finished 2 HOD days in 3 school days (instead of 4). Part of the difficulty in settling in with this, though, is that the subjects covered every day changes. There's no easy answer but it will be really nice to finally hit a groove of doing a week in a week (even if a subject or two from each day spills over into Friday).

Blessings as we muddle through this together!
Rice

DS 21 - GRAD '20: after WG
DD 19 - GRAD '21: after WH
DS 17 - GRAD '22; did CTC-WH + 2yrs non-HOD (🇨🇦)
DS 15 not using a guide this year (DONE: LHFHG-MTMM)
DS 13 MTMM (DONE: Prep-Rev2Rev)
DS 11 +
DD 9 CTC (DONE: Prep)
6yo DS phonics

Post Reply