Multiple ages

[Sunnyridge]

I’m looking into starting HOD. We have 6 kids 13, 11, 9, 7, 4 & 2. How should I do this? I would like to keep as many together as possible. Thanks!

[Rice]

We started HOD 6 years ago with similar aged children!

The first/most important thing is ensuring proper placement. I would print off the placment chart (https://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php) for each child, and circle the places each fits in the first 3 skills. (Math is completely separate in HOD, so you don't need to worry about that at first.) If you are unsure between two guides for a child, go with the lower guide. I say this for two reasons: 1) it is far better to have things slightly easy and be able to beef up your expectations or add the Extensions than it is to have to constantly make judgement calls about how to ease the frustration/overload if things are too difficult or the workload is too heavy, and 2) as a mom of many you will want each one to be as independent as possible so that you have time for each of them in your day.

Once you decide on each child's placement, you can then decide if combining any would work for your children/family or not. While combining did not work for us, it is an option many families use. You need to place a younger child of two who are ideally 2 or fewer years/guides apart skill-wise, then add the older one to that guide as well, assigning the Extension books (in the Bigger guide and higher) for any who need them, age wise, to bring that particular guide up to grade level for them.

For example, if your 9yo and 11yo placed in Preparing and CTC, you could put them both in Preparing and assign the Extensions to the 11yo to read and narrate.

Likewise, if your 9yo is advanced, and places in CTC, and the 11yo in RTR or possibly even Rev2Rev, you could combine them in CTC - in which case, the Extensions would not be required for the 11yo, since they, too, would place in the suggested age range for that guide.) Do not be too eager to place them at the youngest suggested age, however. While I have one who did do CTC at age 9, I've also had kids do it at 13, 11, and 10, and it was a perfect fit for each one.

You would not be able to place the 13, 11, and 9yos (or 11, 9 and 7yos) in the same guide, though. The fewest you could get away with, if those children would work together well and are close enough, skill-wise, is 2: one for the 13 and 11 yos and one for the 9 and 7yos, with eventually a third, when the 2yo is ready for LHFHG, combining them with the now-4yo. (LHTH is an option for your 2 and 4yos now, but you may want to wait for now, unless they are begging for school, and just get the oldest 4 up and running this year. Next year you could do LHTH, with some Storytime added in, with your younger two and then decide if you're going to do just 3Rs with the 4yo until the 2yo is ready for LHFHG or if you will place them separately.)

Personally, though, I have found it easiest to have each child placed where they fit the guide for skill. Then I don't have to worry about whether I'm being "fair", whether I need to add more for one or if I'm asking too much of the younger, whether they can share the books well (so one isn't waiting on the other), and whether I'm fairly assessing each one (each getting the same chances to narrate, to lead the conversation, etc.) [I had one who, when combined with older brother, stopped participating. Even though I was careful not to compare, she compared herself, found herself wanting, and gave up; I had to separate them.] I have also had the strange circumstance of a younger sibling actually placing in a higher guide than 2 older siblings! They each had different learning challenges (executive functioning, symptoms of dysgraphia and, later, hearing loss; the other with reading struggles due to Irlen Syndrome), and he was/is advanced across the board (will graduate after grade 11). While it isn't ideal, they were each contented with where they placed, as it was where they could find success (having each tried a higher guide for a time and been frustrated/overwhelmed).

I am now running 3 HOD guides: CTC, Rev2Rev, and WH, with another in a year equivalent to US 1 (because we are Canadian we can't use HOD's last 2 guides for history ). I also have 2 who could be placed around Beyond level just doing the 3Rs, as I don't have time for a 5th guide. They will start Preparing (hopefully together) in fall of 2021 or January 2022, and by that time 1 more will have graduated. I work with my kids one-on-one from approximately 8 to noon each day (usually going youngest -3yo story time- to oldest - 2 high schoolers LA together). I still have correcting/grading, editing (one-on-one for high school composition occasionally), and prep (my kids switch guides at different times of the year) in the afternoons, but otherwise I do no actual instruction after lunch.

One further comment: even if your 11 and 13yos do not place in the same guide, consider combining them for creative writing/composition, and eventually for literature. I have found it an amazing time saver to have my kids in high school doing all LA together. This year my 10 and almost-13yos (in CTC/Rev2Rev) will be doing composition together for the first time, and I will eventually have them together for grammar and possibly lit, too.

Placment is kind of a crazy, stressful time, but after that, HOD is amazing! I hope you find it as good a fit for your family as we have for ours!
Blessings,

[my3sons]

Welcome to the HOD Board, Sunnyridge! I just finished reading Rice's response to your post, and I agree with it wholeheartedly! She gave such solid advice, and I'm so glad she responded because she has a similar family make-up and has done an outstanding job of making Heart of Dakota work well for so many years.

I'd love to hear your thoughts after you check out the placement chart! Placement is key to success, so it is worth the time it takes. We are all here to help, but rather than throwing out random placement advice, we want to make sure it's accurate for your particular family. Hope to hear back from you soon!

In Christ,
Julie