RTR for all my children?

[aprilmd]

Ladies,

I have three children. My two older children place very well in RTR for next
year. My husband really wants me to "adjust" RTR for my youngest (she will be
9). He really wants me to do one history time period - RTR. My 9 year old is
finishing up BIGGER/with Extension/an additional writing program. She already uses
her own math (Saxon), Dictation level 3 and Rod & Staff English 3 (R&S4 next year).
She is a bright student, excellent reader and quick learner; yet I know she is not
ready for the full RTR. Do you have any suggestion to adjust for my youngest?
I KNOW the best fit would be RTR for my two oldest and PHFHG for my youngest.
I really need to at least try and make RTR work for the youngest . Any suggestions?
I already own PHFHG so if RTR/ADJUSTED doesn't work I will have a back up plan.

Thank you in advance for any help.
April

[4froggies]

Since I don't have RTR yet, I can't speak specifically about it, but we are doing CTC right now and I think it is possible to do with a 9 year old, especially a quick learner. Mostly I think you would have to adjust by being involved more. For example, reading the history out loud with her, listening to the What in the World CD with her to provide explainations if needed, helping her with the research etc. But, since your older two will be doing it also, this might make it easier for everyone to do together, or to have the older ones be assigned to do an assignment with her, like the research. I'm sure Carrie can answer this better, but those are my thoughts. I believe it is important to follow our husband's leading in homeschooling decisions, so I would do my best to make it work!

[kayrenee]

Another thing you can do to adjust... Since RTR uses the MOH 3 reader, maybe you could get the activity guide to go with it. There would be age-appropriate assignments in there for your dd. And/or.... I would pick and choose from the RTR manual as to what the 9yo does. Obviously she won't do the research assignments intended for older kids, but she could do the notebooking at her own ability/personal style, some of the copywork, listen in on many of the books (you might consider doing at least some of those as family read-alouds rather than as independent readers for older kids), and so on.

Come to think of it, adding the MOH activity guide might be too much, depending on how much of RTR she can do. Carrie would likely to have chime in on that.

[8arrows]

It is important to follow your husband's leading. I like combining anyway, and I do have one suggestion. I have my younger one dictate his "written" summary to me. I write it down for him and let him copy it. My older two write their own. You also may need to read aloud some of the areas listed as independent.

[aprilmd]

Ladies,

THANK YOU! I was having trouble seeing how this could work. The three of you have
opened my eyes. I tend to like to follow directions in a manuel. Yet, I see this year
God is leading me in a little different direction. This will be good for me. I love
the ideas you are pouring out to me. My husband is right again, this can work. It will take
a little extra planning. Please continue to pour out ideas (and prayers) as you think of them.
This is so outside of who I am - I am a "Master Box Checker" with all my t's crossed.

In His love,
April

[my3sons]

I have a great respect for you as you choose to honor your dh, and if RTR proves too difficult for your 9 yo, I think the Lord will reveal that to your dh and adjustments can be made then if need be too. I think the Medieval History-Based writing lessons will be difficult. Since you own the PHFHG manual, you could do the poetry creative writing lesson from there instead. The lesson is only once a week and it is short and easy to teach. These lessons do an excellent job of teaching writing for those younger dc. You can also use PHFHG for the dictation and the grammar schedules. You could even use it for the science, as that is independent in PHFHG. If you do not wish to have your 9 yo listening in on the puberty study you're doing in RTR, you could easily do the Bible Study from PHFHG as well. Is your 9 yo a strong reader? I am wondering about the history reading in RTR. You could read it aloud, but it's not meant to be read aloud which means it will feel very long to do so. Those are just a few thoughts I had!

In Christ,
Julie

[aprilmd]

Julie,

My nine year old is a strong reader. On her standardize testing she just scored very high. I know I will need to read some of the books aloud to her because of contents. I did plan for her to do PHFHG science or even CTC Science with her sister (DD11). Science is still in prayer. My oldest (DD12) really wants to do Apologia. She has a desire to work in the world of science. I don’t plan to have DD9 do the puberty study with us, so I love the idea of doing her own Bible from PHFHG. So would it make sense to do right side PHFHG and left side RTR “adjusted” for DD9? DD11 and DD12 would do RTR as written with extension for DD12.

April

[my3sons]

Yes, I think that makes total sense! I think you have a good plan coming together.
In Christ,
Julie

[Carrie]

April,

One other thought I had (that may be one to ponder) is to place your older three children in Preparing Hearts with extensions (or possibly CTC with extensions). I usually find it easier to beef up a program for an older child than to water one down for a younger child. I share this thought because I wasn't sure if your husband was desiring you to combine all of your children within RTR or was just wanting you to combine all your children in one program - not specifically RTR.

Blessings,
Carrie

[aprilmd]

Carrie,

Thank you for the suggestion. He would rather me do two program than to bring my two oldest children to PHFHG or CTC. Please pray for me. I have explained to him that doing two HODs is NOT like doing two Sonlight Cores. I do agree it would be easier to beef up than water down a program. He is allowing me to make my own choice since I have to implement it; but he is very excited about RTR. I want to value his opinion! Yet, I do not have peace. I will continue to pray.

In His love,
April