Skip Beyond? WWYD?

[mrsrandolph]

Oh PLEASE don't skip Beyond!! It is SO fabulous!! After everyone's great words, that is all I have to say

[my3sons]

Thanks for answering so quickly! Yes, he's had experience with CM. I guess you could say we've been a combination of classical-CM. On one hand, for math, reading and language arts, we've done R&S, which is very textbook oriented. For history, science and literature, we've been big-time Charlotte Mason fans and, as a result, ds has done tons of listening to living books. Since he was a wee little one, we've read to him 1-2 hours per day and he also takes a one hour quiet time, during which he listens to audio books on tape. Your description of the books being "living, but higher levels of reading and sometimes "classical" sounding" perfectly describes the types of book we read to him. Before we discovered HOD, we had already read several of Bigger's read aloud suggestions, as well as some from higher guides, such as the D'Aulaire books and CHOW. He will sit and listen to us read for lengthy periods ... our problem is getting him to let us stop reading!! We have also done some oral narration, as well. We had started off last year doing Apologia's Astronomy, with my reading and then him narrating back. He did extremely well and gave very, very detailed narrations.

So, I guess based on that information, the recommendation would be to do Bigger. In retrospect, Beyond would have been a perfect fit for this past year. If only I knew then what I know now! I guess my only other question is if I should try to do some of Beyond this summer, to prepare him for Bigger and to give him a better foundation, so there aren't any gaps. Thank you again, for your wisdom!

I've been pondering this for a few days and decided it may be helpful to look back over your previous posts about your ds, to remember what else you'd already shared without asking you to share it again. I remember now that you found the start to be a bit aggressive for ds emotionally (with Saxon), and that since then you've enjoyed LHFHG so much with him. I also read the posts about your ds doing well with his reading and determining whether to continue with the Emerging Reader's Set or not (which I'm glad you did, as it is such fun and a super start to reading comprehension even when dc are good oral readers early on). I am wondering if it may be a good idea to do Beyond with him next year, but start Drawn into the Heart of Reading? It seems like he would flow into that so well, as he enjoyed LHFHG so much and did so well with it, but is now ready for more of a challenge in reading and writing.

By choosing Beyond and adding DITHOR 2/3 to it, you could have the best of both worlds for your sweetie. He would get the entire flow of history, continued practice with oral narration, and have the added rigor of the reading and writing in DITHOR. Otherwise, you could still just have him begin Bigger Hearts, but I'm a tad reluctant about that since it tugged at my heart to hear he felt emotional when a tad overtaxed at the start of homeschooling. I know I have one ds like that, and it is one of my favorite things about him - he made my tea for me this morning and told me I looked lovely (after I'd exercised and was definitely NOT in any way lovely ). He's my softy, and I love that about him, but he's my little one to watch over more carefully - to guard his little heart more, I guess. I don't know if your little honey is like that, but if so, I think Beyond with DITHOR may be the happiest way to go, and also rigorous enough due to DITHOR. You could add R & S English 2 as well, just doing a lesson a day if you wanted. In fact, come to think of it, you could get the Bigger Hearts guide, and do whatever portions of the right side you wanted to (i.e. math, dictation, R & S English, cursive, etc.). I do think just Beyond and DITHOR 2/3 would be fine though. Just a few thoughts I was having about this - but I could be off track in them, so you choose what you think is best!

In Christ,
Julie

[daybreaking]

Thanks for answering so quickly! Yes, he's had experience with CM. I guess you could say we've been a combination of classical-CM. On one hand, for math, reading and language arts, we've done R&S, which is very textbook oriented. For history, science and literature, we've been big-time Charlotte Mason fans and, as a result, ds has done tons of listening to living books. Since he was a wee little one, we've read to him 1-2 hours per day and he also takes a one hour quiet time, during which he listens to audio books on tape. Your description of the books being "living, but higher levels of reading and sometimes "classical" sounding" perfectly describes the types of book we read to him. Before we discovered HOD, we had already read several of Bigger's read aloud suggestions, as well as some from higher guides, such as the D'Aulaire books and CHOW. He will sit and listen to us read for lengthy periods ... our problem is getting him to let us stop reading!! We have also done some oral narration, as well. We had started off last year doing Apologia's Astronomy, with my reading and then him narrating back. He did extremely well and gave very, very detailed narrations.

So, I guess based on that information, the recommendation would be to do Bigger. In retrospect, Beyond would have been a perfect fit for this past year. If only I knew then what I know now! I guess my only other question is if I should try to do some of Beyond this summer, to prepare him for Bigger and to give him a better foundation, so there aren't any gaps. Thank you again, for your wisdom!

I've been pondering this for a few days and decided it may be helpful to look back over your previous posts about your ds, to remember what else you'd already shared without asking you to share it again. I remember now that you found the start to be a bit aggressive for ds emotionally (with Saxon), and that since then you've enjoyed LHFHG so much with him. I also read the posts about your ds doing well with his reading and determining whether to continue with the Emerging Reader's Set or not (which I'm glad you did, as it is such fun and a super start to reading comprehension even when dc are good oral readers early on). I am wondering if it may be a good idea to do Beyond with him next year, but start Drawn into the Heart of Reading? It seems like he would flow into that so well, as he enjoyed LHFHG so much and did so well with it, but is now ready for more of a challenge in reading and writing.

By choosing Beyond and adding DITHOR 2/3 to it, you could have the best of both worlds for your sweetie. He would get the entire flow of history, continued practice with oral narration, and have the added rigor of the reading and writing in DITHOR. Otherwise, you could still just have him begin Bigger Hearts, but I'm a tad reluctant about that since it tugged at my heart to hear he felt emotional when a tad overtaxed at the start of homeschooling. I know I have one ds like that, and it is one of my favorite things about him - he made my tea for me this morning and told me I looked lovely (after I'd exercised and was definitely NOT in any way lovely ). He's my softy, and I love that about him, but he's my little one to watch over more carefully - to guard his little heart more, I guess. I don't know if your little honey is like that, but if so, I think Beyond with DITHOR may be the happiest way to go, and also rigorous enough due to DITHOR. You could add R & S English 2 as well, just doing a lesson a day if you wanted. In fact, come to think of it, you could get the Bigger Hearts guide, and do whatever portions of the right side you wanted to (i.e. math, dictation, R & S English, cursive, etc.). I do think just Beyond and DITHOR 2/3 would be fine though. Just a few thoughts I was having about this - but I could be off track in them, so you choose what you think is best!

In Christ,
Julie

Oh, Julie, I just about cried when I read your response! That's my sweetie - very bright, but oh, so sensitive. He makes my tea, too, and is very loving and affectionate. Honestly, I feel relieved after your latest post. As I've said before, I have a habit of second guessing myself, but I think I knew in my heart that even though he would probably be successful moving onto BIgger, Beyond would be a better fit for the upcoming year, while using some of the right side of Bigger. We're still working through the ERS, but I'm looking forward to starting DITHR when we finish. I hope you know how much it means to have personal feedback from you on the correct placement for our ds. I couldn't thank you enough!

[my3sons]

I'm so glad to have been of some help, and I do think you are going to love doing Beyond with your sweetie! Isn't it amazing how God gives us blessings as moms in different ways with each of our dc? For my little tender-hearted one, God has blessed me with such a caring and loving little spirit. My oldest ds is my right hand helper. My toddler... hmmm... LOUD - perhaps entertainment? Yes, laughter and entertainment each and every day with him. I'm glad God has blessed you with your little tea maker too, and I pray you have a wonderful year together!

In Christ,
Julie