Is Apples and Pears like this, too, or just Dancing Bears? Thank you, Bethany

Thank you, Sue, for your response. So far, we have done three days of Bigger. We are using LLATL also. The only change I've made is that I don't test my daughter on the spelling words in LLATL. She does the exercises using the words, but no tests. We are using HOD for spelling. We haven't gotten to the dictation in LLATL yet, but I can see where using either that or HOD's dictation would be the best option. So far, the combination has been okay. However, my daughter isn't in the higher levels of either program yet so it may change. I hope you can figure something out! Bethany

For those who use both HOD (especially Bigger and up) and LLATL, which parts in HOD do you skip? Thanks, Bethany

I just ordered Beautiful Feet's Early American Primary program. It looks really good and very simple to do. They have an intermediate level, too. Bethany

What did you not like about Beautiful Feet? Bethany

I am thinking about using LLATL Yellow for my third grader next year. Would adding Sequential Spelling to that be too much or is the spelling in LLATL enough? Thank you, Bethany

Thank you all for your suggestions! I've started looking at Beautiful Feet and am thinking about going with that for next year. The thought of going with something that is "pre-planned" but not "pre-scheduled" is really appealing to me. The programs that I am thinking about switching to (BF, AIG God's Design, LLATL, and McRuffy Math) are all "do the next thing" types of curriculum. I won't have to plan and will have the flexibility to pick and choose subjects if we have a busy day. That part sounds very nice to me right now! Bethany

If you stopped using Heart of Dakota and started using something else, what did you choose and do you like it or not? I'm mainly talking about another all-in-one curriculum or just history. If we don't use HOD again, I have an idea about what we might use for all subjects except history. I like HOD. I just don't like feeling like I don't have the flexibility to not do everything or to take bunny trails. I'm also a little bored with it, too. The repetition can get old. The workload of the older guides really scare me, too. I really like not having to plan anything out, though. I will have a third grader and a kindergartner next year, if that helps. Thank you, Bethany

Thank you all for your suggestions. Both my daughter and I got really tired of the tiles in AAR. I tried writing the words on a white board, but that wasn't much better. Also, in order to finish the AAR levels, that will cost more than $200. That seems like a lot of money to spend to try to teach her some of the more advanced phonograms when she is already reading pretty well as it is. I've looked at Phonics Pathways and am not sure that I "get" it. Do you just go through it page by page and have the child read the phonograms and words? Then after she masters that page we would move on to the next? Is that how it works? I've looked at Abeka's Handbook for Reading, also. If you only use that book (and not all of Abeka's other phonics parts), would you use it the same way as Phonics Pathways? If so, what would be the pros and cons of each one (Phonics Pathways vs. Abeka's Handbook for Reading)? Thank you, Bethany

My daughter (second grade) completed AAR1 and finished half of AAR2. She can pick up a book and read well. Right now, we are going through HOD's Emerging Readers. Because of never finishing AAR2 and the rest of the AAR levels, she never learned the advanced phonics concepts, such as ow, oi, aw, ou, ea, igh, tch, etc. She can read books (with a little help) that include words that use those concepts, but she cannot tell you what those combinations of letters (diagraphs???) say. I'm wondering if she needs to go through some kind of program that will teach her those concepts that she has missed. I bought ETC 3, 4, and 5 to try to do this. However, it seems to add more to our day than I would like and she isn't thrilled with them. (ETC 3 brought tears today!!) I've thought about reading through the Progressive Phonics books, but would this be enough? What would you all do??? Thanks, Bethany

Kristen, Thank you for your reply. I'm still trying to think this through. I'm not even sure we will continue with HOD, but you've given me a lot to think about. I'm trying to weigh the pros and cons of HOD, as well as LLTL. There is a lot I like about HOD, but when we actually try to do it each day, I dread it. Maybe it's the anticipation of Christmas coming? I would have thought that maybe we are ready for a break, but that's all we've been doing! We were out of town the week of Thanksgiving and then we went to DisneyWorld the next week. I just can't get us back into a routine that includes school!!! ;) Bethany

Is this a complete LA program? Would I need to add anything? My daughter is in 2nd grade, if that matters. Thanks, Bethany

I've been reading the thread on LLTL and am very interested in this program. We are currently using HOD's Beyond and may continue on to Bigger next year. Has anyone ever used LLTL and HOD together? If so, how did it work? Which parts of HOD would I need to skip so that there wouldn't be any redundancy in the programs? Thank you, Bethany

My daughter and I are getting tired of talking about pilgrims and we are only just starting Unit 6. I've just been feeling "okay" about HOD and have been trying to figure out if I should change curriculum or try to adjust HOD. Have any of you sped up the first half of Beyond in order to get through the pilgrims at a faster pace? Would that work okay? I thought about taking the next three weeks to quickly get through the pilgrims (reading through those parts of the books at a faster pace and doing any activities that I thought were interesting enough and skipping the rest). I'm thinking about using NOEO science anyway, so skipping the science in Beyond wouldn't be a big deal. We are also using our own math and language arts so missing those parts in the guide wouldn't be a problem. For Storytime, I thought we could just read the books that we missed for the specified genres later or over the summer. So, really, we would be speeding up the history and missing some of the poetry and Bible. Does this plan sound doable? Would I be completely messing us up? Thanks, Bethany

I really like aspects of both programs and am trying to decide between them. I like that there is minimal planning with both. The rigor and structure of HOD concerns me some, but I am very willing to stretch the older guides out over 1 1/2 to 2 years and not worry about completing all the guides (hoping that would cut down on the "busyness" of the guides and make it more enjoyable). The relaxed aspect of A Living History of Our World sounds nice, too, though. I understand that HOD includes everything and I would need to add other subjects to the other one. We already do our own Language Arts and Math and I have been wanting to use AIG's God's Design so I would have all of that covered anyway. If you were me, which would you choose and why? I need some opinions so that I can figure all of this out. Thanks, Bethany

I looked at the reviews on this from this board and found several posts where people seemed to like it. However, I noticed in the signatures that many of those who gave great reviews are not using it anymore. Is there a reason? For those of you who liked it and then stopped using it, would you mind telling me your thoughts? Thank you, Bethany

I looks like from the samples on Zaner-Bloser's website that the Kindergarten and first grade levels are workbooks where the child writes his/her answers in the provided blanks. However, from second grade on up it looks like there is no space for the answers and the child is supposed to write the answers on separate paper. From those who have used Zaner-Bloser's second grade level and up, is this true? Thanks, Bethany

Do your kids enjoy HOD? If so, do they continue to enjoy it as the levels get more involved and "busier"? I'm trying to decide between the pre-planned aspect of HOD and the more relaxed idea of Truthquest (I know I would need to add other subjects to Truthquest in order to make it complete). Thanks, Bethany

I'm trying to decide if I want to combine my children. If we do, we will use Truthquest History and Noeo Science. If we separate them, we will probably use HOD. (They will be in Kindergarten and 2nd grade in the fall.) What are the advantages and disadvantages of each way? What has been your experience? Thanks, Bethany

I will have a second grader and Kindergartener in the fall. They will be turning 7 in September and 5 in October. I am going to get Beyond for my second grader, but I'm struggling with placement for my Kindergartener. She is still learning her letters and numbers so skill-wise I don't think they will be able to combine. My almost 5-year-old is on the younger side so I definately don't want her to get to the higher level HOD guides too early. I've been considering two options and would like your opinion on what you think would be best: 1. Use Little Hearts for my Kindergartener, but stretching it over two years (Kindergarten and first grade). Maybe stretching it by only doing it 2 or 3 days a week? I would use AAR for phonics everyday. or 2. Use MFW K for Kindergarten and then use Little Hearts for first grade. I would use MFW's phonics and then use the appropriate AAR level when switching to HOD. What do you all think? Thanks, Bethany

I really like that idea. I am considering using MFW next year, but I don't want to cover ancient history when my kids are in the fourth and second grades. I called MFW today and asked them if it would be okay to do the two years of American history after ECC and then go back and do Creation to Greeks and Rome to Reformation. The person I talked to said that it was fine to do it that way. I hope this helps! Bethany

Thank you, Julie and Heather, for your responses. You all have given me a lot to think about and have eased some of my concerns. Bethany

I am thinking of using MFW, but have some concerns about their 5 year cycle. I have never wanted to introduce ancient history to my children until they are older. I don't want to expose them at young ages to the false gods, human sacrifice, etc. that goes along with that period of history. Also, I want them to have a strong foundation in American history and our beliefs about God before studying other cultures. Because of this, I have been looking at Truthquest. However, I am also very interested in MFW. If we begin MFW, we would use their Kindergarten and Adventures programs next year. However, I was looking ahead and realized that we would be hitting their Creation to Greeks program when my kids are in the fourth and second grades. I'm not sure that I want to expose my kids to ancient history at those ages (especially the second grader). How does MFW handle the paganess issues in their program? Is it discussed in the younger years? If so, would it be easy to just skip over those parts? I would really appreciate any information you all can give me! Thanks, Bethany

I'm looking at Adventures. Thanks, Bethany

Is there a Bible curriculum that has the children read a verse or two and then leads them and the parent through a discussion about it? From looking at MFW samples, it seems that this is what they do and I really like it. However, I'm not sure yet if I want to actually use MFW or not. I am wondering if there is a Bible program that I can get that is similar to this style if I decide not to use MFW. Thank you, Bethany