Switching from MFW mid year - Help!!

[aecastleberry]

I finally bit the bullet and decided to switch from MFW to HOD. It's end of January - am I crazy?!? Our curriculum is scheduled to be delivered on Thursday (yay!!), and I am thrilled with everything that is coming. 52 novels - amazing!!!

My dd is a very advanced 8 year old who reads at a 9th grade level and is doing 4th grade math. After talking to another HOD mom in my community and studying the placement chart, I decided that Preparing was the best fit for her. We were doing Creation to the Greeks in MFW, so I know that this will change up what she's has been learning a bit. I think that the first few lessons will touch on the some of the same things, so I am hoping that will ease her transition.

My ds is an average almost 7 year old. He's on the verge of reading (finally! yay!), and is doing 1st grade level math. He is slow about almost everything, but I am hoping it's just because he's "thorough."

I have always been drawn to Charlotte Mason's ideals of education, and apparently I mistakenly thought that MFW would provide that. (Missions is also huge on my heart, so that also drew me in.) However, MFW just wasn't what I was looking for. I truly LOVE the heart behind MFW (love love love!!), but I was missing the living books and high interest and "real" learning. The farther along we went with Creation to the Greeks, the more "textbook" it became.

I am nervous about switching curriculums mid year. Very nervous. I have this fear that my kiddos are going to fall behind. I especially don't want this for my dd since she has always been so far ahead - I don't want to lose her potential since God truly blessed her with an amazing mind. But along with that, I want a full education for my kiddos. HOD seems so promising to me that they are going to LEARN. With MFW I felt like I was teaching them, but they weren't learning it for themselves.

Anyway...I'd love any encouragement or pointers on switching from one curriculum to another (mid-year of all things!). I guess this will put us off the regular school year schedule as well. Is that a bad thing??? I'm trying not to second guess my decision!
--
Amber
dd - Birdie, 8 yo, PHFHG
ds - Buddy-Ro, 7 yo, BLHFHG
ds - Toodle Bug, 2 yo, Play school

[Nealewill]

As an encouragement to you - I switched over to HOD in November a few years ago from MFW. It went very smoothly. As for feeling like you are behind - you aren't My oldest dd is a lot like yours (ahead in math but my dd was not ahead in reading). I found that last year a lot of skills balanced themselves out. I decided that even though she was ahead in math, I didn't want to put her in Algebra until 8th grade. She has learned everything she needs to know for elementary math. We are at a point where I am just review things with her and just making sure we stay up on facts and "thinking" for the time being. I put her in Singapore 4A & 4B this year for CTC to accomplish this. She isn't quite as advanced of a reader as your dd but she is getting there quickly. CTC has been a really good stretch for her. It was nice having math be easy for her this year

One nice thing with starting now is you can think of yourself as ahead. Your oldest is on the youngest end of the age range. Your middle child is right in the middle. Take your time and don't set a goal of finishing anything by the end of the school year. If you want to finish your guide in a year, finish it next January. Make sense? IMHO, you are already a half year ahead

As for a complete education, that you will get from HOD! I found that each of my kids is really good at one or two things. Sure, they can read. Sure they can do math. But HOD is so rich in learning and building skills - like writing - that seem difficult to include standing alone. With the way that HOD is set up, writing skills build up very naturally and my kids don't even complain about doing it. Everything is wonderfully integrated. We really enjoy our day's balance and my kids enjoy what they learn. They love the hands on project. I love how my oldest is so independent - and I love that HOD makes it a point to get kids independent quickly. Even my younger 2 kids have things they do on their own. My son in Bigger is to a point I am giving him the manual for his notebooking and copywork activities. It is so neat to see him grow and change.

I am so excited for you!!!! HOD was a breath of fresh air for us. I was also a little scared at the switch, terrified of how I would get my day done with running 2 guides. We got it done and got it done well. Last year I did Preparing (for my oldest) and Beyond (my two younger kids) and it was such a fun year. This year I ventured to try 3 levels and it was the best thing I ever did. I love having my kids separate and they love it too. Everything is written to their level and it helps tremendously in their learning and excitement about it.

[my3sons]

What a super response from just the right person already - Nealewill - thanks! HOD is incredibly busy right now, and a LOT of families are doing just what you are doing and starting HOD mid-year. I think it sounds like you made some solid placement decisions, and your dc are definitely not behind! PHFHG has a target age range of 8-10 yo, with extensions for 11-12 yo dc. BLHFHG has a target age range of 6-8 yo. Your dc are on the young side of the guides and, if anything, would be considered advanced, even starting in Jan. I am so excited for you to have your BOX DAY and for you to begin your HOD homeschooling journey! You may want to begin teaching one of your dc's guides first, and then after a few weeks begin teaching the other guide, just to fully devote yourself to starting the guide right for each of them. Reading through the Introduction for each guide is really helpful too. Here are a few posts that may help as well...

Pics of Getting Ready for PHFHG:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10426

Suggested Time Allotments for PHFHG:
Once we had done school for a month, this is the longest it took us to do PHFHG:
Left side of plans...
Reading about History: 15 minutes
Research/Geog./Timeline: 20 minutes
Independent History Box: 20-25 minutes
History Project box: 20 minutes
Storytime: 20 minutes
1 hour 40 minutes

Right side of plans...
Math: 20-30 minutes
DITHOR: 30 minutes (3 x a week); Creative Writing: 20-30 minutes (1 x a week)
Dictation: 5 minutes (3 x a week)
Grammar: 15 minutes
Bible Study: 15 minutes
Science: 20- 30 minutes
Poetry: 5 minutes
2 hours 10 minutes

Suggested Time Allotments for Beyond...:
Reading About History Box: 10 min.
Poetry and Rhymes: 5-10 min.
Bible Study and Music: 10 min.
Rotating Bottom Left Box (Artistic Expression, History Activity/Timeline, Geography, Science twice weekly): 15-20 min.

Language Arts Box: 15 min. (spelling/grammar)
Reading: 15 min. if doing the Emerging Readers and 20-25 min. if doing DITHR 2/3
Math: 15-20 min.
Storytime: 15-20 min.

Have fun - you have a happy year ahead of you!

In Christ,
Julie

[jenn in nc]

I don't have anything practical to add, just wanted to pop in and say that I'm a MFW convert too.

I have always been drawn to Charlotte Mason's ideals of education, and apparently I mistakenly thought that MFW would provide that.

I agree with this completely! I was in the same place. MFW is a wonderful curriculum but it wasn't what we needed. I have found HOD to be just what I was looking for.

Oh and I have one or two kids who are not on a September to May schedule with when they change HOD levels and it bothered me for a while, but I decided to look at like they are half a year ahead rather than half a year behind. Does that make any sense? Perspective is everything!

Glad you're here.

[mothermayi?]

Welcome! We also switched our older kids from MFW to HOD at an unconventional time: October 28, 2013. Nealewill stated many of the points I was going to make so no point in repeating . I will say our transition took about 3 weeks, and we took it slow and completed one day's worth of work in two days (or half speed). After a couple of weeks we were in full speed, and it has been the best educational decision to date (except for our initial decision to home school eight years ago). HOD is so full and the depth is exactly what our family needed. Box day will be exciting! Let us know what you think after you pour yourself into the wonderful selections. You won't be disappointed!

[momxnine]

I wish there was a "like" button on message boards, like on Facebook. I agree with all the above. We switched from MFW too and are really happy that we did. You'll do great and love HOD as much as the rest of us! And we always end up starting a new level in January which works out just fine for us.

[aecastleberry]

Nealewill, my3sons, jenn in nc, mothermayi?, and momxnine -- (I don't know how to link your names, so I hope you see my response!)

Thank you all SO much for the encouragement and helping me to be confident in my choice to switch! I am super excited for BOX DAY tomorrow, and have binders, sticky tabs, comp notebooks, a common place journal, dividers, and page protectors ready and waiting!!

My ds is excited to start BLHFHG as I already have everything for that curriculum, but my dd is a little apprehensive. I think we are about to put some rubber to the road - and she knows it.

Thank you, too, Julie, for the link to prepping for Preparing. I'm a visual learner with a heart for organization, so those posts got me excited!!

I am sure I'll be visiting the board regularly. We start Monday, so wish us luck!!

[my3sons]

Praying for a good first day! Often times, my first days aren't my best though, just to take a little pressure off! It seems like our best days begin about 1 month in, and then they just keep getting better and better. I am praying for you to have a wonderful overall year using HOD, and I am looking forward to hearing about it here on the board, whenever you get the chance.

In Christ,
Julie