HELP

[LMG4]

Hello All, I am on my 4th year of HOD. I've loved it! I have 3 sisters who have seen it put to use in my home and started it with their children as they approach school age as well, as say this because as I share a frustration I want to make it clear that this is my own weakness, not that in the curriculum.

I have my children pretty close in age....8,7,6,5....they are in 3rd,2nd,1st,K. I am 6 weeks in to the school year, and ready to loose my mind. I feel as though we've not had a truly successful week yet. I'm trying to do Little hearts, for my K, Beyond Little Hearts for the 1st grader, Bigger hearts for my 2nd grader and I bought the extension pack for the bigger hearts for my 3rd grader. All of us are frustrated. Its simply to much! I tried to combine some, but find my littles are lost or my biggers are board. Each year I've taught I've added a grade, but this year is about to break me down! Any advice on how to do this well??

[StephanieU]

First, a 3rd grader DOES NOT need to the the extensions. Actually, most of us use Bigger as written for 3rd grade. The extensions are for advanced 4th graders and 5th graders using the guide. So, drop those first to lighten the load for everyone! The differences between what your 2nd and 3rd graders should be doing are:
1. Math - at their level so probably Singapore 2 and 3 if you are using the recommended math
2. Spelling?Dictation - the 3rd grader may be ready for dictation
3. Expectations on work - Carrie often gives a few levels of expectations on some of the notebooking. So, expect the higher level out of the 3rd grader than out of the second grader. Expect slightly neater work if they are the same gender, etc.

Then, I would consider slowing down the younger two. Focus on getting a successful week for the two in Bigger. Maybe instead of doing Beyond and LHFHG, do the left side of LHFHG with both (even if the 1st grader has already done it) and the the right side of Beyond with the 1st grader and the right side of LHFHG with the one in K. If the 1st grader is doing the ER books, there will be some science and history in those that you can talk about as well. Or find books at the library to "add" to what is in LHFHG once things get going well and you feel the desire to add on (we like the Magic School Bus books as well as biographies).

My main reason for combining the younger two is that doing Bigger AND Preparing int eh same year isn't "fun" for the mom. Having to do that two years in a row is going to be harder than this year for sure! Plus, your 1st grader won't be behind as long as you do one guide a year, as there are 12 guides from LHFHG through high school.

[LMG4]

StephanieU,
Thank you for your advice!!!

[countrymom]

I agree with the pp. Skip the extensions, give the youngers a week off and get your olders on a good track. When my son started his new guide this year I sat right with him for a whole unit to guide him and make sure he knew what was expected. Once you get them on the right track, begin the youngers in LHFHG. You may consider giving the biggers a week off at that point so you can figure out a good flow. Once you have done that you can put together a schedule. With Bigger I had two one-on-one sessions and one session where I was bouncing back and forth between my two. If you older is capable, give him or her a little more independence, but Bigger is really more the guide to guide students as they develop skills. Hang in there, it will get better with some tweaking.

[MelInKansas]

I totally agree, the extensions aren't necessary at this point. If you get on a good roll and the older one seems interested in learning more, maybe you can add them back in. But they are meant to be read independently, so if your child can't do that, I would definitely drop them.

Bigger Hearts is a lot of work! I would say that's where it starts getting into "serious" school with a good work load and lots of challenge. LHFHG and Beyond are also very complete and thorough, but just the work load expected is much lower. It is telling though that 6 weeks in it still hasn't gotten into a good routine that you feel good about. Usually in about that amount of time I start feeling like we are hitting a good stride. So you probably do need to tweak some things.

Do you have a daily schedule? Is there at least a routine or order of things you like to get done? Are you able to have time with each child uninterrupted? Do you feel like part of the stress is just the workload, getting everything done, or is part of the stress interruptions? Is your 5 year old your youngest or do you have younger children?

I find having a routine extremely helpful so each child knows what is expected of them. Bigger Hearts unfortunately is not meant to be very independent, but you probably know that those kids can do at least some things on their own once you get them started. For us, math, handwriting (cursive), spelling (except test days), vocabulary, and some of the notebooking projects or art projects are things my daughter can complete on her own if I get her started. Usually she does some of these things while I work with my daughter who is in Beyond or my preschool son who just does little workbooks and things. The younger ones' tasks are short enough that I can then bounce back to my daughter in Bigger, see if she needs help, check over her work to make sure it's correct, and then get back to the littles. Now, some people find this kind of work more stressful and would rather have a focussed block with each child. It's really up to you. For read-alouds, their reading time, and some of the other boxes (Bible study, poetry, science) I sit with each child and at these times I try really hard to minimize interruptions. Sometimes I have to remind my children that they are only to interrupt if it's very urgent. Youngers who don't mind this are to sit at my feet until the reading is finished. Well except for the baby, it's open season for her on interruptions. Thankfully she still takes a morning nap.

Anyway it would help us to hear specifically what you think is the problem or where you think the stress is coming from. Then maybe we can advise you more specifically on how you can work to improve it.

[rumkimom]

Bigger is perfect as is for 3rd grade. I have a 3rd grader & a first grader (ages 7 & 9), plue 2 in high school. I tried to put my younger 2 together in Beyond and it did not work....too hard for the younger one and too easy for the older one. If the levels you have are too hard, I would try to use Bigger (no extensions) for only the older one, then LHFHG or Beyond for the 1st and 2nd graders and LHTH for kinder. I am using LHFHG for my 7 year old (1st grade) and it is all he can handle.....but he does sometimes join in on science and art project in Bigger. Just another option to think about.

Many people use LHTH for kinder, LHFHG for 1st grade, Beyond for 2nd grade and Bigger for 3rd grade.

[MomtoJGJE]

If I were you I'd use Bigger as is for the 3rd grader, LHFHG for the 1st and 2nd grader with right side Beyond for 2nd grader OR combine them in left side Beyond with LHFHG right side for the 1st grader, and nothing but K level right side for the K'er.

.....

After looking at their ages instead of just grades....

7 and 8 yo could combine in Beyond. Just do different story time books from last year, do R&S2 with both of them and continue on with math where they are. Spelling would depend I suppose on how good they are with the lists. If the 8yo has finished both lists, then he could do dictation... if the 7yo can read well he could also do dictation. Otherwise do the lists wherever they are in spelling.

6yo LHFHG 1st grade as written

5yo - doing K level right side LHFHG

[my3sons]

HI there! First of all, hugs to you! It's going to be ok - we just have to figure this out together, and you already have some super ideas from these wonderful ladies! I want to check placement before going further because that really is a big deal to things working well. So, it looks like you have these current placements (this is more for me to get this straight than for you, BTW )...

7 and 9 yo dc in BHFHG
6 yo in Beyond
5 yo in LHFHG

It also sounds like you've done HOD for 3 years - good job! Right now, you are teaching the 3 most teacher-intense guides HOD has, and your dc are all very close in age. So, I have a few questions please - hang with me - I want to help. Did your 7 and 9 yo both do Beyond last year, and did your 6 yo do LHFHG last year with K options, and did your 5 yo do LHTH last year? I'm thinking just from ages listed that the 9 yo being older is probably doing well with BHFHG? But, I'm especially wondering about the 7 yo doing BHFHG. Is that child ready for the writing and the workload in BHFHG? There is a fair share of it. Is the 9 yo finishing things earlier and better able to do the guide? Likewise, both the 6 yo and the 5 yo are on the very youngest age range of their guides, which means you really have some wiggle room there. I have found teaching multiple guides that it is helpful if my oldest keeps going (as he is a self-starter up for a challenge), but my next dc are placed more in the middle or upper age range of the guides. They just can do more, better. So, I am thinking moving someone down a guide or keeping each in their own guides as is but slowing to half-speed with either Beyond or LHFHG or with both for a time are all options. When sharing what dc have done for guides in the past, and what dc are doing now in their guides, it is worth pondering how much of the work assigned in the guide was/is the right fit for each child placement-wise. Specifically, which guide(s) are the proper fit, and which are not quite? And why? Thanks!

In Christ,
Julie