To combine or seperate curriculum?

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momof4girls
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:12 am

To combine or seperate curriculum?

Post by momof4girls » Tue Jun 23, 2009 12:26 pm

Hello HOD families,

I'm thrilled to say we are new to HS-ing! I have some ?'s for all the HOD families that may have some any suggestions!
Okay, I have a 10yr old (will be 5th) and a 7 yr old (will be 2nd) daughter! My ? is do combine their curriculum or do I keep them seperated? My thoughts are that I put them in PHFHG and use the ext kit. Both are independent readers. Any thoughts???????


*Lastly, I wanted thank you anyone that shared your thoughts on an earlier post I read, it was about a mom with a daycare and she had some ?'s with her son's situation at home. Everyone that chimed in just gave me additional comfort in our decision that we made a few months ago to bring our girls home this fall. It has been weighing on our mind and heart for the past couple of years, but my answer became very clear through tears and prayers!!!

Have a great day!

Stacey

sharonb
Posts: 459
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 1:11 pm
Location: FL

Re: To combine or seperate curriculum?

Post by sharonb » Tue Jun 23, 2009 1:03 pm

I'm pretty new to HOD, but with that age difference I would separate them. I have a dd that just started 2nd grade and she's in Beyond. She could have handled Bigger, but I chose Beyond so that my 1st grader could combine with her, since they are so close in age.

Welcome to HOD! I'm sure you'll get lots of great advice here.

Jessi
Posts: 550
Joined: Sun May 04, 2008 2:55 pm
Contact:

Re: To combine or seperate curriculum?

Post by Jessi » Tue Jun 23, 2009 1:31 pm

Have you checked the placement chart on the homepage? It would help you to know if you should combine them. My gut instinct would be to put your 7 year old in Bigger and have your 10 year old in CTC. But if you are really wanting to combine you probably could do it. If you start the 10 year old in CTC she would then be able to do the entire cycle of history that Carrie is currently writing and will take her all the way to high school with a solid foundation in the different time periods.

Your younger daughter (7) would benefit from learning the Charlotte Mason approach in HOD by gently starting her out in Bigger. Besides Bigger sets a good foundation for the more independent work that she'll be required to do in Preparing and even more in CTC, etc. Bigger gives her a year of you helping "train" her how to do this model and then when she tackles Preparing she'll be much better equipped to handle the independent work.

Again, I would check the placement chart to make sure but that is my gut instinct.

Blessings!
Jessi
~~~~~~~~~
Wife to Brad for 10 years
Emma- 7 Beyond, DITHOR,
Logan- 4.5 LHTH, R & S workbooks
www.ourmodernmemories.blogspot.com - personal blog
www.modernmemoryfilms.com - our wedding videography site

WigglesMom

Re: To combine or seperate curriculum?

Post by WigglesMom » Tue Jun 23, 2009 1:58 pm

Hi and Welcome!
I agree with the other ladies to check out the placement chart. I printed mine out so I could peruse it and circled each child with a different color pen. It helped me to visually see where they placed. Here is a link to the placement chart. http://www.heartofdakota.com/placing-your-child.php
After checking the placement and telling us a little about where your dc fall on it, it will be easier for the ladies (and possibly gentlemen) to give specific advise for you situation.
I know that my 7 year old would not have been ready for Preparing this year. BHFHG really prepares them for the amount of writing as well as the notebooking and independent work. There is harder dictation in PHFHG as well as creative writing and longer writing assignments. You also move from oral narration to written narration.
Looking forward to hearing more about you and your dc and where they are on the placement chart.
Val

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

Re: To combine or seperate curriculum?

Post by Carrie » Fri Jun 26, 2009 8:02 am

momof4girls,

I'd love to hear back from you if you get a chance to share where your girls fall on the placement chart individually on the first page of the chart (all combining scenarios aside). Then, we can talk through some possible options for combining or for keeping your kiddos separate. :wink:

Right now, if you're desiring to combine, I'd be leaning toward combining within Bigger Hearts with the Extension Pack for your older child. If you're looking at separating them that would be based most on the placement chart responses. :D

Blessings,
Carrie

my3sons
Posts: 10698
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:08 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: To combine or seperate curriculum?

Post by my3sons » Fri Jun 26, 2009 2:21 pm

Welcome to the HOD Board, Stacey! I'm excited for you to begin homeschooling as well - when the Lord lays something on our hearts, He just won't let it go, will He? Isn't it wonderful He is so persistent?!? I'm so glad He has laid it on your heart to homeschool just as He did mine years ago. :D :D :D I will be be checking back to see what you have shared about the placement chart, especially the first page of it which mentions reading, writing, and math. That will help all of us give the best advice we can for your dear children!

In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie

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