Does anyone else use HOD at the lower age of the guides?

[KeriJ]

Each guide has an age range and suggested grade level, but I have rarely run across anyone who uses them at the lower end.  Most seem to place their dc at the upper age range. 

 

I used the placement chart and had to consider where we are in the history cycle as well, and both of my dc are going to use guides in the fall where they are starting at the lower end of the age range.  I think they can handle it, but I'm nervous since I never seem to come across others who use it at the lower end.  

 

I'm working this spring to catch them up on any skills they might need to prepare them for the fall, and I plan to start them slowly to get a feel for the fit.  But I just wanted to hear if there were others who used it on grade level.

[KeriJ]

...and yes, I've sung the praises recently of family style learning and keeping it simple....and yes, now we're switching to something completely different......life changes and all that. :)

[TracyP]

I tried HOD Beyond and Bigger. The biggest reason that they didn't work was because of placement. It was a great fit for my younger child who was at the young end of recommended - 6 in Beyond, 7 in Bigger. My oldest was 8 in Beyond and it was an awful fit. I tried Bigger the next year (age 9) because I thought it would be better with the extensions. That was not at all the case. According to the placement chart, she should have been in Res to Ref. I should have put her in CTC at the very least, but everybody said that they should be on the old side for the guide.

 

HOD wasn't a good long term choice for our family anyway, so it worked out fine. If I ever tried HOD again, I would place them by the placement chart regardless of age.

[musicianmom]

I did Beyond with a 6yo. Everything was fine except for the copy work, which was a struggle for my writing-averse dd. My current 6yo would have no problem with it, as she loves to write!

 

If I remember correctly, Carrie and Julie (HoD author and her sister) use the guides at the young end, so that should be encouragement for you!

[twoxcell]

I do. :) Well you can see my signature for what ages and grades my kids are in. The girls are on the young range and and my ds is in the mid range. I don't think it matters as long as your dc is placed correctly. I do think for Preparing on up the guides are more challenging especially starting at CTC so it is important for your dc to be ready. Just because they are able to do a guide doesn't mean they are old enough to get the full benefit of it. My dd is doing Bigger now for 2nd and it has been a bit different then when my ds did it for 3rd. Some things are more of a challenge for her and I have to make minor concession especially with the amount of handwriting. I'm still trying to decide if she should go forward with Preparing next year or wait to do it in 4th. Make sure you go over the placement chart before deciding and not based on history cycle. What guides were you thinking of using?

[mama25angels]

...and yes, I've sung the praises recently of family style learning and keeping it simple....and yes, now we're switching to something completely different......life changes and all that. :)

 

Gasp! You're leaving SCM? Please note that I'm just joking with you and I know full well that you're doing what's best for your family. I did want you to know though, that your posts about SCM is what prompted me to look at it again for our restart in Jan., I already own the guide for module 4 and would just start there.

[KeriJ]

I do. :) Well you can see my signature for what ages and grades my kids are in. The girls are on the young range and and my ds is in the mid range. I don't think it matters as long as your dc is placed correctly. I do think for Preparing on up the guides are more challenging especially starting at CTC so it is important for your dc to be ready. Just because they are able to do a guide doesn't mean they are old enough to get the full benefit of it. My dd is doing Bigger now for 2nd and it has been a bit different then when my ds did it for 3rd. Some things are more of a challenge for her and I have to make minor concession especially with the amount of handwriting. I'm still trying to decide if she should go forward with Preparing next year or wait to do it in 4th. Make sure you go over the placement chart before deciding and not based on history cycle. What guides were you thinking of using?

 

Well, the only reason I'm considering the history cycle is that we are heavy into the Middle Ages this year.  I can't imagine having my oldest go through it all again next year in RTR.  Since Rev to Rev says 6th or 7th grade, and since she seems to fit on the placement chart, I think she will be able to do it next fall.  

 

I'm considering CtC for my then to be 4th grader.  Once again, according to the placement chart, I think she'll be ready.  And CtC says 4th or 5th grade.  

 

So they both fit according to placement, age and "grade level".  I just get nervous when everyone else seems to be doing it at the older range.  

 

(p.s., you know you are my HOD inspiration.  I leave and come back and am always inspired by how faithfully you have used it and how well it has worked for you. :)  )

[twoxcell]

 

(p.s., you know you are my HOD inspiration.  I leave and come back and am always inspired by how faithfully you have used it and how well it has worked for you. :)  )

I'm not sure if that is good or bad. hehe I hope it works out for you at least for the year. So your oldest will be going into 6th and the other 4th? You know your dd's better than I do but it could be a stretch. It really depends on the child. Are your girls prepared for the level of independence required, and can they read and understand the history and science books on their own? I know it is hard to mess up you history cycle but you really need to look at the placement chart objectively without even thinking about the history cycle and see where they place. I have only used up through half of CTC so I can't comment on the increase of difficulty between CTC and Rev to Rev. If you have Facebook I would join the individual pages for each guide and get some info there too.

[KeriJ]

Gasp! You're leaving SCM? Please note that I'm just joking with you and I know full well that you're doing what's best for your family. I did want you to know though, that your posts about SCM is what prompted me to look at it again for our restart in Jan., I already own the guide for module 4 and would just start there.

 

I know!!!  and I still adore SCM!  In theory, it has been great!  My issues are with my own confidence in putting it all together.  When I started substituting and adding things to it, I found it hard to reign myself in.  It was on my mind constantly.  I'm finding I don't do well following my own plan.  I get it planned out, and then I doubt whether we are doing enough or too much.  I'm guessing it's perfectionist issues.  I wasn't getting to all the little subjects faithfully either.  

 

I've always used lots of books from HOD lists.  And I realized that all those little things that I wasn't getting to were already scheduled in HOD.  I also felt like I needed more step by step instruction with written narrations and notebooking.  We were kind of random with those. 

 

I love making my own plan using SCM as a guide, but it became too dependent upon me.  I'm needing my olders to become more independent so that I can focus more on my youngers.  

 

For the record, we have loved SCM Module 4 this year.  It has been really fun and we've learned a lot.  But I'm realizing that I was doing it more for me and for the picture I had in my head of family learning.  I always had a worry in the back of my head that my oldest wasn't doing enough and that my others weren't getting enough details.  

 

I still use the SCM website for most of my homeschool inspiration.  It was truly perfect for this year, and we will finish the year out with it for the most part.  But for me, I needed to know the bases are all being covered for my oldest so that I could quit going over it in my head.  I have issues. :)

[mama25angels]

I know!!! and I still adore SCM! In theory, it has been great! My issues are with my own confidence in putting it all together. When I started substituting and adding things to it, I found it hard to reign myself in. It was on my mind constantly. I'm finding I don't do well following my own plan. I get it planned out, and then I doubt whether we are doing enough or too much. I'm guessing it's perfectionist issues. I wasn't getting to all the little subjects faithfully either.

 

I've always used lots of books from HOD lists. And I realized that all those little things that I wasn't getting to were already scheduled in HOD. I also felt like I needed more step by step instruction with written narrations and notebooking. We were kind of random with those.

 

I love making my own plan using SCM as a guide, but it became too dependent upon me. I'm needing my olders to become more independent so that I can focus more on my youngers.

 

For the record, we have loved SCM Module 4 this year. It has been really fun and we've learned a lot. But I'm realizing that I was doing it more for me and for the picture I had in my head of family learning. I always had a worry in the back of my head that my oldest wasn't doing enough and that my others weren't getting enough details.

 

I still use the SCM website for most of my homeschool inspiration. It was truly perfect for this year, and we will finish the year out with it for the most part. But for me, I needed to know the bases are all being covered for my oldest so that I could quit going over it in my head. I have issues. :)

 

That was my problem the first time we tried it, I kept adding stuff to it, my plan this time is to use it as is at least for the first term and see how well it works for us that way. I might add MOH for my 5th grader though, see I'm adding already, lol.

[KeriJ]

 and by the way, mama25angels, my plan B was to do KathyJo's program with SCM.  I still think it's a great plan and will have to work hard not to have greener grass syndrome over it. :)

[mama25angels]

and by the way, mama25angels, my plan B was to do KathyJo's program with SCM. I still think it's a great plan and will have to work hard not to have greener grass syndrome over it. :)

I know, I know!! Your enthusiasm in that thread and the fact that you were using SCM caused me to but LLTL level 3 this morning, lol. I got the ebook and I think I can use it with any program, at least I hope I can.

[heidip2p]

NM I misread the post. :)

[Molly]

I'm going to have my youngest on the lower end of the age range for guides.  I would go with your gut instinct.  One thing I would suggest is that you start half pace for at least a week or two just to get her used to the guide and the work expected.  I would imagine it wouldn't be long before she is flying through it.

[kagmypts]

My 7 year old DS is currently in Bigger, and it is a good fit for him.  I am not using HOD with my older one, but she would have placed in CtC at 9 years old/fourth grade.  Do you have any specific questions?

 

ETA - I am also having my son do R&S Phonics 2 each day, and it seems that we skip the Vocabulary and Artistic Expression boxes more often than not.  We have no problems doing the Geography and History Activity boxes.  As an aside, I think that my son could handle both of those boxes, but with my youngest in a B&M preschool, we normally just run out of time before we pick him up.  It's far easier for me to skip over those things than to reign him back in for one box.

[strange_girl]

I have/am using it on the lower end. My daughter started Beyond at 5.5, and she has done well. I think the two biggest factors are the ability to write (copy work, etc.) and the ability to sit still for the read-alouds. I think that students probably do appreciate the material more on the upper end of the age range...but if they're go-getters and easily bored (like my daughter), it would be too easy for them and they would simply not like it.

 

Long story short, you know your kids. If you think they can do the work, they probably can and will thrive. HOD is skill-based, so placement is based on ability and not on age or the history cycle. :)

[KeriJ]

Thanks for all the replies.  I'd love to hear from those who are using some of the older guides.  We used Beyond at grade level, and it did work well.  I'm just noticing those in the older guides placing their children at the older age range.  I'm hoping to find someone who has used Rev to Rev with an 11 year old 6th grader successfully. 

[Chelli]

Thanks for all the replies.  I'd love to hear from those who are using some of the older guides.  We used Beyond at grade level, and it did work well.  I'm just noticing those in the older guides placing their children at the older age range.  I'm hoping to find someone who has used Rev to Rev with an 11 year old 6th grader successfully. 

 

You might have better luck asking on the Heart of Dakota Facebook group. It's very active with lots of HOD users all in one place.

[abrightmom]

Thanks for all the replies.  I'd love to hear from those who are using some of the older guides.  We used Beyond at grade level, and it did work well.  I'm just noticing those in the older guides placing their children at the older age range.  I'm hoping to find someone who has used Rev to Rev with an 11 year old 6th grader successfully. 

Keri,

 

We are heading back to HOD full time and putting each kiddo in their own guides. It will happen soon. Though we have enjoyed CC this year and our foray into "family learning" I have decided that having each kiddo doing their own thing is a much better fit here. 

 

The HOD Yahoo group (homeschooling Hod Moms) has an awesome core of Moms who have used HOD through thick and thin and are getting to those upper guides. One user in particular comes to mind and her counsel is always excellent. It is her opinion that Rev2Rev is advanced and very challenging even for a student coming up the HOD ranks. Her daughter is a 7th grader who has been using HOD for years and has had to work hard in Rev. She and her daughter began to get their school day to about 6 hours by week 25. It is a VERY full program (as HOD is) so I think that "length of school day" is a very important consideration especially as it relates to your current length of school day and your child's age/grade.  Here are a couple of recent comments from this Mama that are specific to Rev2Rev.

 

EDITED to remove those comments per SWB.

 

Keri, I have no idea about your daughter's skills or your expectations of her during school. I understand the issue with the time period. Would you consider CTC for 6th grade and go from there? MANY families use CTC with 6th graders and it's far better to place "lower" and be successful than to go high in HOD. Carrie packs a lot of punch in those boxes and the upper guides ask a LOT of our students. 

 

My oldest student is a capable, skilled 5th grader. He is 11 and I am currently deciding between CTC and RTR. 

[KeriJ]

Thanks Katrina.  I'm still pondering.  They do place well in those guides according to the placement chart.  

 

We won't be using DITHOR.  I know of another mom who makes the history projects optional, and that was what I was planning to do.  We also use "summer school" around here because it helps us to have a little bit of structure to our days, so I have no problem putting a subject off until then.  In fact, I'm considering saving writing until then since there is plenty of writing across the curriculum.

 

I do have to consider our history cycle since we have read many of the RtR books already.  At this point, my 5th grader breezes through her school work.  I think she needs her days to be longer. What we will do is start early in the fall and ease into it to get a feel of how it will work.  If I have to stretch it out longer than a year, then maybe that would be a good option to have her older for the next guide.  

 

I just think it's the best plan at this point, so we will try it.  I'll spend the spring getting us ready.

[KeriJ]

I mentioned on the HOD Facebook page that's it's hard for me to imagine why she would label CtC as being a 4th or 5th grade program (in the catalog) and for 9-11 year olds if everyone else considers that to be years off the mark.  Is HOD really that advanced in the grand schemes of programs out there?  My answer from those on the fb page was that she put those lower ages on there for people who have used HOD all the way through.  But the catalog is marketing to newbies.  If CtC is geared to 5th and up, why wouldn't she state "gifted 4th graders or advanced 9 year olds"?

 

I know I'm not speaking from experience, and maybe it won't work out for us at that level.  I'm just trying to understand why there is  such a discrepancy with the ages Carrie has designated.

[kagmypts]

I mentioned on the HOD Facebook page that's it's hard for me to imagine why she would label CtC as being a 4th or 5th grade program (in the catalog) and for 9-11 year olds if everyone else considers that to be years off the mark.  Is HOD really that advanced in the grand schemes of programs out there?  My answer from those on the fb page was that she put those lower ages on there for people who have used HOD all the way through.  But the catalog is marketing to newbies.  If CtC is geared to 5th and up, why wouldn't she state "gifted 4th graders or advanced 9 year olds"?

 

I know I'm not speaking from experience, and maybe it won't work out for us at that level.  I'm just trying to understand why there is  such a discrepancy with the ages Carrie has designated.

 

I agree with your assessment.  I have a young fourth grader (turned 9 in July), and she places very squarely in CtC.  While we are not actually using CtC, I have borrowed a friend's TM, looked over the books, and know that is the proper placement for my DD.  I decided against HOD for my daughter this year, but if I had not, I would have put her in CtC without hesitation.  We were new to HOD at the beginning of this year, and I have no doubt that my daughter would have done fine!

 

For what it is worth, numerous people recommended against putting my young seven year old son into Bigger this year.  He is not as academically advanced as his sister, and he despises writing.  However, I think that his placement in Bigger is perfect, and after completing 17 units, I know that I made the right choice.  I would go with your gut as you know your children.  Try not to let the age range of what other people are doing scare you!

[abrightmom]

Keri,

 

You'll know what's best and you'll be able to tell if/when it's a good fit or not.  :coolgleamA:  

 

People's experience colors their views of HOD. How many kids do they have? What are their family dynamics? Is Mom struggling with other life issues that take her time and attention away from schooling? Is Mom handling her teaching load well? Did Mom work through the challenges with her student or cut and run at the first sign of trouble? Did "life" interrupt the school year? Is Mom asking enough of her students? Too much? I have one student who rocks the placement chart and is capable of working through a HOD guide at the younger end. My 2nd born kiddo is the opposite. That dude has to be older and will need to work "a year behind" to have a fighting chance. That's why it is SO hard to make a decision based on other people's views of HOD. Honestly, Mama knows best. While it's good to ask for counsel it is often our "gut instinct" that is right. 

 

Keep us in the loop!  :coolgleamA: