Help - planning 5th grade = Bob Jones, Saxon, HOD = thoughts?

[Tabitha]

We're planning 5th grade out, and I need some pointers.

 

Who is familiar with all these curricula?

 

We are heavily leaning towards the Bob Jones HD thingy for grade 5. Here's my deal.

 

Dd is using Heart Of Dakota (HOD) Bigger now, Saxon 5/4 for Math. We're happy with it, but it requires so much one on one with me reading to her, etc., and it's tiring juggling that and teaching the 1st grader alongside with all her HOD stuff. I have a 7 yo now in 1st, and a 4 yo who will start preschool in the fall. I don't have the time for THAT much one on one for all of them.

 

Dd is using Saxon 5/4 for math and had some hang-ups, so we took a break to do drills for a few weeks. We have the DIVE cd but I've had to stop that. She was guessing at answers. Now we spend 2 hrs almost doing her math lesson together. Between this and her HOD stuff, school is 4 hrs for her (or close to it), then I have the others to school. We do things side by side, but reading to one while the other is trying to work on math...gets distracting for the one trying to concentrate.

 

We are thinking my oldest has some processing issues. She is smart, but her short term memory stinks. If we baby step her through her math, she does awesome. If after 15 problems we have her go solo to figure things out on her own, she locks up. She can't even look back through a long division problem when she loses her place to figure out where she is and what is next.

 

Knowing all that...here are my questions...

 

Do we:

 

1. Go with Bob Jones, portable HD. I don't want online and I don't want DVD. I don't know how intensive it would be for my involvement...just looking into it now. I think the break from me and having her own "teacher" may help her, keep her accountable and more on track. Plus, we only have it for 13 months...she has got to do her stuff and not play around (doodling while being read to).

 

2. Stay with HOD, using Saxon still for math...or use another math.

 

3. Other

 

I need something to free up my time, something to be a bit more appealing to dd for schoolwork. She likes to doodle when I do reading with her, and it bugs me. I can't get her to stop no matter what discipline method we use. I see her being busy and entertained a bit going with Bob Jones.

 

Money is a concern with the Bob Jones cost, but we are making it a non-issue. Even though we like HOD, I feel she needs more. We do everything, but I don't know what all she is retaining. I feel she needs something that is a bit more visually stimulating to pull her in, someone other than mommy that she hears all the time.

 

One friend suggested CLASS, but I want something with more than just textbooks. I want at least 1-2 subjects on the computer or dvd if I went that route. I thought of SOS, but don't want it JUST on the computer (and I've heard too many complaints about AOP from friends that I just haven't looked any farther...I didn't like their LifePacs before...and we ditched Horizons Math after 4 years of it for Saxon - Saxon is better for us).

 

If ya have any other suggestions for me, I'm all ears.

 

My thoughts are no matter what we do for 5th grade, from 6th grade up I want to use something like Bob Jones...start getting transcripts, etc. Michigan doesn't require any record keeping, testing, but I want to start going down that road and having our bases covered.

 

Thanks!

Edited May 20, 2009 by Tabitha

[Tabitha]

no one?

[Brindee]

I would do the HD to help free up some time. They have placement tests, right? That would help to make sure you get the levels that won't overwhelm her, but that she'd be able to complete well.

 

To me, it sounds like Saxon is NOT working for her! If you have to spend two hours with it, maybe that's not the right program??? I'm not sure what would be best for 5th grade---Right Start? CLE? MUS? Yeah, maybe MUS would be good, since it's hands on. That would give her something to do with her hands besides doodle. That may be better than using the BJU math actually.

 

About doodling. Both ds15 and I hear better and retain better when we are doing something with our hands. It helps our brain process better somehow. Maybe your dd NEEDS to do something with her hands like that to help her learn? And knowing you don't want her to can be confusing/distracting to her....

 

Best wishes! Hope someone else pipes in!

[JenniferB]

Tabitha,

 

It wasn't on your list of choices, but have you looked into K12? By 6th grade they are mostly independent.

 

Their 5th grade history is independent, and the science is almost independent. With math & the LA subjects (with my 4th grader) I work with her in the mornings, one-on-one, then in the afternoon she does a bunch of independent work.

 

I utilize my state virtual academy, which I was apprehensive about at first, but it's been great to keep us accountable. Also, my daughter enjoys the encouragement of the teacher. The teacher has also been super helpful with our trouble subject, which is writing. She's worked one-on-one with my daughter over the phone and computer to help her with her paper, and to encourage her to use neater writing and more interesting words, etc. She's been such a blessing.

 

I've written many posts on these boards about K12 - if you look up "All Posts" by me, you'll see what else I have to say about it.

 

I'm sorry I don't have experience with BJU or the other curriculum you mention.

[Stacie]

We're finishing up BJU 5th grade, so I maybe can help a little. I've had much success with BJU. We've used the curriculum for a few years, and are now using the DVD lessons. My kids love the teachers and enjoy the classes (some more than others, but that's a life lesson too). The cost of the DVDs and other lessons above the cost of the books are really not excessive, IMO. I find it worth the extra $50 per month when you spread it out.

 

If you decide to go with the hard drive from BJU, consider whether your child is at level for each subject. If so, and you have an available computer the hard drive is a good option. If you feel she should move up or down in a subject or two, you can only do that with DVD (and maybe Online, but I'm not familiar with that option). We can watch the DVD on any DVD player (like at grandma's house) but with the hard drive I felt we were mostly restricted to our home. I don't feel comfortable moving the hard drive around with us, but I feel moving one DVD around at a time is less risky.

 

I wish I could help with the other curriculum you mention, but I've not used any of them. There are quite a few threads on each on the K-8 Curr. board if you want to search them out. Good luck with 5th grade!!

[Tabitha]

We're finishing up BJU 5th grade, so I maybe can help a little. I've had much success with BJU. We've used the curriculum for a few years, and are now using the DVD lessons. My kids love the teachers and enjoy the classes (some more than others, but that's a life lesson too). The cost of the DVDs and other lessons above the cost of the books are really not excessive, IMO. I find it worth the extra $50 per month when you spread it out.

 

If you decide to go with the hard drive from BJU, consider whether your child is at level for each subject. If so, and you have an available computer the hard drive is a good option. If you feel she should move up or down in a subject or two, you can only do that with DVD (and maybe Online, but I'm not familiar with that option). We can watch the DVD on any DVD player (like at grandma's house) but with the hard drive I felt we were mostly restricted to our home. I don't feel comfortable moving the hard drive around with us, but I feel moving one DVD around at a time is less risky.

 

I wish I could help with the other curriculum you mention, but I've not used any of them. There are quite a few threads on each on the K-8 Curr. board if you want to search them out. Good luck with 5th grade!!

 

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts. K12 I had not thought of.

 

I looked at the BJU sujects, and she would be right on par with everything for 5th grade. I didn't see a need to move her up or down in anything.

 

About the hard drive, what we are thinking of doing is getting her one of those non-memory computers from Costo that you just plug in a device and go from there. Then she could take it on the go if we travelled anywhere....work in the car, etc. Would it be able to work that way?

 

I'll look into K12. And, I'll look more at the BJU dvd's. I hadn't thought of some of those other math programs...even teaching textbooks might be better for her.

 

There is a meeting near me on at both the beginning and end of June. I plan to take dd with me to the first, and dh with me to the second. That gives me about 3 weeks inbetween to make a decision.

 

Saxon has been nice and she doesn't doodle then....just history and science reading. I hadn't thought that doodling might be helping her retain. My middle dd, yes, she is hands on. But my oldest typically hasn't been that way. Could be she is changing.

 

Thanks again.