Anyone doing HOD and not in love with parts of it?

[Mommamia]

I did not want to post this question on the HOD board, because I think I'd get chastised so I'm hoping to get some answers here. We have started HOD Beyond and for the most part, I'm happy with it.

 

Does anyone change it up so much that you wonder if you are even following it anymore? Also, I feel like I'm just getting through the boxes and my kids are not absorbing the info?? I'm going to keep plugging along and give it a fair try. I'm just wondering if anyone else has started HOD and is not as happy with it as they hoped??

 

TIA

[mohsmom23]

Which parts are you not liking? I'm curious as I have not yet seen the Beyond manual.

 

We are doing LHFHG and are really enjoying it. I do think some of the activities seem babyish and have skipped a few. However, I've found that my dd enjoys almost all of the activities even though I think some of the activities are too young for her. So I'm trying to get over my feelings of some of the program and just go with it because it's working and she likes it. Overall though, I am VERY happy with the program and love how it is laid out. I'm not creative so it's really helped in that area as dd loves to do the creative stuff. She really is retaining a lot of what she has learned so I'm thrilled with her progress there as well.

[Caroline4kids]

Maybe you are a more do-it-yourself person? I loved HOD, but I like to have great freedom of what I do when. I get to feel strangled with any very detailed curriculum. First I get the guilt complex going and then I constantly feel behind...

 

I use the SCM organizer because I can change, drop, or add things at will. It has so much freedom. I put the HOD books into the organizer and other SCM book choices and go through them at my pace--whatever that turns out to be. :001_smile:

 

My kids ended up with 240 days last year using the organizer. I doubt I would have done that much if we had 34 weeks laid out in advance. It was fun and stress-free.

[kdeno]

I use my own math and writing, CLE language arts, and I supplement the science. I still love the program, it is cheap enough that I don't mind using only part of it.

[Tidbits of Learning]

I did not want to post this question on the HOD board, because I think I'd get chastised so I'm hoping to get some answers here. We have started HOD Beyond and for the most part, I'm happy with it.

 

Does anyone change it up so much that you wonder if you are even following it anymore? Also, I feel like I'm just getting through the boxes and my kids are not absorbing the info?? I'm going to keep plugging along and give it a fair try. I'm just wondering if anyone else has started HOD and is not as happy with it as they hoped??

 

TIA

 

I started out with HOD this year my first time coming home to home school and I thought it was going to be perfect. I had went to the HOD board and asked questions and got placement advise and everybody on there was it is great. When I posted questions like you have here on the HOD board, I got HOD is great try this and this and it works perfect for us...You couldn't ask about changing any of it over there or talk about it if you did change things without being chastised. There was also a Big Brother feel to the board.

We are doing BHFHG and LHFHG and LHFHG isn't recognizable anymore. I do think that HOD will give you everything and your child will be on target for his peers at 8th grade, but only if you do it until 8th grade and go through all the guides. If you switch to something else, before then your kids are going to be behind especially in the first 3 guides.

Like LHFHG is supposed to be 1st grade and for ages 5-7. It is not really for kindergarten/1st/2nd like the ages it says. It is for kindergarten and maybe the first half of 1st. I have to add to it a lot to get what I consider 1st grade.

My kids aren't retaining a lot of what we are doing in the boxes and I do feel like I am just working through the boxes. The science notebooking in Bigger is probably the thing I most like about it. The science in LHFHG is nonexistant. I think it is similar in Beyond. I have to finish it b/c we can't afford anything else, but I don't plan to use it again. The spelling and the dictation aren't really grade appropriate. It is super easy and my kids finished through 3rd grade in public school so I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that if I did Bigger Hearts as 3rd or 4th grade that if for some unforeseen reason they had to go back to public school they would be behind and not ready for 4th grade. If my son went to public school 2nd grade after LHFHG he would be WAY behind.

I have definitely changed it up enough that I realize that it isn't for me and I would rather have more choices in certain areas...science, language arts, reading, art...

So I feel it isn't worth it to buy only parts of a "schedule" for recommended books. I wish that instead I would have bought some of the recommendations that I liked and scheduled it myself. I do feel like I bought a schedule and it is really something I could have done myself and gotten what I wanted for other subjects. I honestly am only using it as written for LHFHG for ...well for the storytime Thornton Burgess books at this point. The rest we are on our own schedule for even with the texts that we kept from the guide as well as I am adding FLL 1/2 and Singapore Science and we are only using History for Little Pilgrims for our history now.

I am doing Bigger Hearts and I have found that even when you do projects that go further with science like the tcells and such that it is geared for the more younger end of the guide. You cut out the cells and viruses and antivirus...and play a game with them but you don't really learn what they are and how they work even in simple terms. They don't really learn the concepts behind it that way. My dd9 often can't repeat back to me things I have just read. It just isn't working for us this way and I have no real options but to keep going forward.

We started the beginning of the summer so we are already 9 weeks in. If I continue at this pace, we will finish by February and then with tax money I am going to buy all of the kids more grade appropriate materials. I will do first grade with ds6, 3rd grade with dd8, and 4th grade with dd9. So that they won't be behind at the end of the year.

[Avila]

:bigear:

[Once]

We finish Beyond last spring and we did like it. I did not do the Science due to several reasons I will not get into. We did Noeo instead...but I do like the notebooking feauture in Bigger so it my have been a bad level for us Science wise.

 

Some of the activites we breezed over or I left the kids to do them on their own.

 

We did AAS instead of the lists and copyworks. And MUS instead of Singapore.

 

So, I guess I did a lot of picking and choosing, which is who I am really. It is in my nature to use what fits and leave the rest.

 

I hope you find a groove with the things you like and make adjustments that do not seem as much a match. It is still early in the year there is time to make those adjustments without too much of a loss in time.

 

As a balance....we really enjoyed the poems and bible verses (I did not follow all the questions). We enjoyed the History a bunch and the read alouds are great books. Bigger has been that much more enjoyable and you might want to look at it to see if you have the wrong placement. The notebooking feauture is right down our alley. If you like the concept of HOD then that may be a way to reconsider without losing the benefits.

 

HTH!

[Mommamia]

Thanks for the input so far. Hmmm, I'm a little worried after reading that it may put students behind their ps peers. I still have time to abandon and switch to something else. Really, I would only need to find something for science and history.....any quick recommendations for a 7 yr old??

[GoldenMolly]

We are about 5 weeks into HOD/Bigger and it is a good fit for us. I use different math, add more hands on science, writing curriculum, and some electives. But with any curriculum different things work for different families. We have jumped around since the beginning and are now entering 4th grade but finally found a match. I would say we are behind but not because of HOD but because we jumped around so much. I think if you jump around with any curriculum you will create gaps especially in math and LA. We did very little history or formal science until this year. I think ps ususally does social studies and if you look at a scope and sequence you will see much of it is communities and such-things you probably talk about in everyday life. I am more of a relaxed homeschooler and don't push too hard in the beginning (tried it and it was a disaster) and know that with a little age they can learn alot much quicker to catch up.

You could supplement if you really feel they are behind or sell it all and change. HOD has a a high resale value so you could very well afford what you are looking for. It sounds like you are still on the search. I hope you discover it soon and can find some peace about it. :001_smile: Try to see how your children learn best too. That can help point you in the direction of curriculum.

Molly

[Mommamia]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate the responses!!

[Tidbits of Learning]

I feel the need to clarify some of my earlier post. I do feel that HOD's guides and the age ranges are a little deceiving. You can't look at it and say my child is in this age range 5-7 or 6-8 this will have 2nd grade work. My dd9 just finished 3rd grade ps and took the pre-test for the 4th grade test the state requires. It was heavy on history, mapping from memory of our state and landmarks and regions and topigraphical information. The science was very heavy and especially about knowing the different theories as well as the scientific method step by step. If she would have done Bigger only for her 3rd grade year she would not have done well on the state test. While you are using the scientific method in your experiments with bigger and the notebooking, it never explains it to the child. You never go through the steps of the process. The language arts and writing portions of this test is intensive as well and if we would have been doing HOD from the beginning she would only have had R&S 2 as a language arts reference. They don't use the real terms for things either. They say an asking sentence, a telling sentence...On the tests they have proper terms declaritive, interrogative...It would not have been enough for the state test. I think you have to look at your state and what they require and when and whether those things will be on the tests. My younger kids will have to test in 3rd grade which means at the end of this year in April or May my dd8 will be testing and I don't feel that HOD will have her prepared for it.

As for LHFHG, it really is a kindergarten level program. I can't sugarcoat it and say that it would pass 1st grade standards. If for any reason I went to a different curriculum even and not public school next term, ds would not be ready for 2nd grade work. I couldn't just buy a 2nd grade curriculum and expect him to be prepared for it. Our state homeschool rules state that you must teach an education equal to or better than the public school equivalent. Having had children finish through 3rd grade in the public school system here, I know that they need more than what HOD offers. For the grades my children are in, I don't think that HOD would prepare them for the test by the end of 3rd grade. And I did do the placement and this is where they placed by HOD's chart.

When I wrote my post, I was writing my experience and my opinion with my children. I think you have to take in to account your experience and your children. I know the public school system here and I know that HOD isn't on grade level with it at least for the LHFHG and BHFHG guides. That may not be the case where you are at. You may not be required to give state mandated tests at specific grades.

I just wanted to clarify why I feel it is behind and what I am comparing it to is public school standards.

Edited August 7, 2009 by OpenMinded

[lotsofpumpkins]

We are using Beyond too, for my 2nd and 1st graders. We are only using it for the left side of the plans though (plus storytime). We do not use the language arts. We are using Singapore for math, but I'm not following HOD's plans for that. They are in different places, plus I decided to use Singapore's guides to make sure I'm teaching it right. We do not have the music CD suggested in Beyond, so we don't do that either.

 

I will admit, sometimes when I am reading the history to my children, I think, "I could have just bought these history books and worked through them".

 

Do I like the idea of an "open and go" curriculum where all the plans are neatly contained on a two-page spread for each day? YES. However, in reality, that just doesn't work for us. Does it bother me each day when I open our guide and have to ignore half the boxes? YES. I don't know why it does. It just does.

 

One thing I really do like about HOD is the Emerging Reader's set with the schedule and questions. Dd is really enjoying that. R&S 2nd grade reading was too much busywork and she dreaded it each day. We do like the 1st grade Reading though.

 

I bought LHFHG for my 4.5 year old, hoping to start it half-speed and use it for pre-K and K, but he has no interest whatsoever at this point. He prefers his workbooks and drawing. I'm going to have to spend some time reading through it and decide if it's worth keeping right now. Money is tight so I might have to re-sell it if we aren't going to be using it anytime soon!

 

I have considered getting all the books suggested in Bigger next year for dd and ds, but not actually following the guide. I'm not sure. I'm having to do so much tweaking to HOD because of wanting to combine some of my children. So, we'll see!

[crl]

I'm glad I'm not the only one feeling like these programs are a little light. I did LHFHG for K and wondered how it could be considered a 1st grade program. We then started Beyond a few weeks ago, but I've only used it for history, which still seems a little fluffy to me so I've been creating my own notebook pages to go with each unit, and we use the emerging readers and storytime suggestions (though we move through 2 books in 20 days). I've had to add my own LA, math and science. So I'm not sure how much HOD id left in the end.

[Zebra]

I totally agree that you can't get an unbiased answer on the HOD boards(although I've found that to be true of most boards like that). And although I've never posted anything critical myself(I think), I have read people getting jumped all over who do. Not always, but it does feel like you can't get an honest answer over there about some things.

 

I like HOD, but it is what it is. It's trying to get everything done in one day, easily. Sort of like a buffet. I think things are covered adequately, but not in depth. The science isn't as in depth as something like Noeo, the history isn't as in depth as something like Winter Promise. Part of me would like to do WP/Noeo, but I don't have the time or the money. "Middle ground" is sort of the term that comes to mind that describes HOD in my mind.

 

I'm using Beyond this year, after tweaking LHFHG literally to death. I'm not using the LA or Math, because I felt they were too light. I'm following TWTM LA, and using Singapore but with the HIG's.

 

My opinion is if you're dumping more than one side, it's probably not worth it. But that's just my opinion :tongue_smilie:.

[lotsofpumpkins]

 

My opinion is if you're dumping more than one side, it's probably not worth it. But that's just my opinion :tongue_smilie:.

 

That's kind of how I've been feeling.... but wondering if I'm just being silly and stick with what we've got for now. I will definitely be thinking long and hard about what to do next year though.

[Mommamia]

It sounds like I'm not alone in my HOD "struggle". I can't think of a better word. I realized that I am really only using the history box and storytime suggested questions. We are having trouble enjoying American Pioneers and Patriots. The readings are pretty long and full of fluff because of the story format. I'm adding in Truthquest History today and some reading from What Your First Grader Should know. I may just switch to Beautiful Feet.

 

My girlfriend swears by HOD. As she decribes her day I wonder to myself "are we doing the same manual?". That's what's great about homeschooling...everyone does what works for them :)

[angela&4boys]

I started out the summer thinking I would do two HOD programs and have ended up with CTC. In fact (shhh... don't tell anyone), but we will only be doing art and poetry. :tongue_smilie:Honestly, I consider it a bargain because at about $60 we have daily (4x a week) instruction in studying Robert Frost's works and watercolor.

 

We are begininng our 12th year and I'm just too set in my ways. We've found methods and materials that work for us and I just can't give some of them up.

 

HOD is truly Christ-centered and beautiful. Some people need and/or like the structure that Carrie's expertise provides. But the TM's are a bargain in that they have a wealth of information even if you only utilize part of it. Don't feel guilty if you tweak or change something as long as you get the job done. ;)

Edited August 7, 2009 by angela&4boys

[Tree House Academy]

What are you not enjoying? If you are more specific, maybe we can help some. :)

 

I use HOD for my 1st and 5th grader. My 1st grader who is not yet 6 is in week 2 of Beyond. I can imagine that a 2nd grader using Little Hearts WOULD be behind. That seems like a low placement to me, though. My older son is 10 and doing bigger...but we added extensions and, trust me, he is learning so much more History than ANY public school kid in 5th grade that I know (and I worked in the ps for about 3 years).

 

I think HOD is just like any other curriculum...it works for some and maybe not for others. HOD works for us because I do what I want to do with the basics. My sons do their own levels in CLE LA and CLE Math. We add more Bible and Art to the lessons and we do extras like Spanish and Typing. My little guy also does cursive. I don't let the manual rule our day. However, I do make sure to do the History and Science boxes as written. It seems little on a daily scale, but my older son has read 3 chapter books about History (Jed Smith for DITHR, George Rogers Clark for Read aloud, and Pedro's Journal for extensions) in 2 weeks along with American History from 2 different Am History Books. That is not "light" in any sense of the word.

 

You have to remember that HOD is not classical educaiton. It takes mainly a CM approach - which is much more gentle, especially in the early years.

 

My younger son is doing Beyond this year. He will be 6 at the end of September. I follow HOD pretty closely, but I add some things too. Here is a rundown of our day and trust me, my little fella is doing a LOT more than his ps peers. He would have started KINDERGARTEN yesterday in my state in ps. He is currently half-way through 1st grade.

 

CLE Bible

HOD Bible memory verse work (I go by his mood as the whether we skip or do the physical stuff)

CLE Math

Phonics - one day we do PP and ETC online, the next day we do ETC in the book

CLE LA

 

Break

 

Read Aloud (Squanto right now... :)) and we discuss from the Storytime box

Abeka Cursive Handwriting lesson

History

Rotating HOD Activities (timeline, Art, Science, etc)

 

Break

 

Spelling and Poetry/copywork(we do the 2nd grade spelling list. Days 1 and 2 - he writes the words on the whiteboard, Day 3 - he uses them in a sentence, if he is struggling, we will review the words again on days 4 and 5. I am not testing him!) For copywork, he copies part of the poem for Days 1-2 and 4, Day 3, he copies the sentences we write with the spelling words, and day 4, he copies the sentence we use for the LA Day 5 box in the HOD manual.

Emerging Readers

 

It makes for a full day and takes us roughy 2.5 hours. :)

Edited August 7, 2009 by Tree House Academy

[Tree House Academy]

I feel the need to clarify some of my earlier post. I do feel that HOD's guides and the age ranges are a little deceiving. You can't look at it and say my child is in this age range 5-7 or 6-8 this will have 2nd grade work. My dd9 just finished 3rd grade ps and took the pre-test for the 4th grade test the state requires. It was heavy on history, mapping from memory of our state and landmarks and regions and topigraphical information. The science was very heavy and especially about knowing the different theories as well as the scientific method step by step. If she would have done Bigger only for her 3rd grade year she would not have done well on the state test. While you are using the scientific method in your experiments with bigger and the notebooking, it never explains it to the child. You never go through the steps of the process. The language arts and writing portions of this test is intensive as well and if we would have been doing HOD from the beginning she would only have had R&S 2 as a language arts reference. They don't use the real terms for things either. They say an asking sentence, a telling sentence...On the tests they have proper terms declaritive, interrogative...It would not have been enough for the state test. I think you have to look at your state and what they require and when and whether those things will be on the tests. My younger kids will have to test in 3rd grade which means at the end of this year in April or May my dd8 will be testing and I don't feel that HOD will have her prepared for it.

As for LHFHG, it really is a kindergarten level program. I can't sugarcoat it and say that it would pass 1st grade standards. If for any reason I went to a different curriculum even and not public school next term, ds would not be ready for 2nd grade work. I couldn't just buy a 2nd grade curriculum and expect him to be prepared for it. Our state homeschool rules state that you must teach an education equal to or better than the public school equivalent. Having had children finish through 3rd grade in the public school system here, I know that they need more than what HOD offers. For the grades my children are in, I don't think that HOD would prepare them for the test by the end of 3rd grade. And I did do the placement and this is where they placed by HOD's chart.

When I wrote my post, I was writing my experience and my opinion with my children. I think you have to take in to account your experience and your children. I know the public school system here and I know that HOD isn't on grade level with it at least for the LHFHG and BHFHG guides. That may not be the case where you are at. You may not be required to give state mandated tests at specific grades.

I just wanted to clarify why I feel it is behind and what I am comparing it to is public school standards.

 

I can see where you are coming from, but I have to say that, as a homeschooler, I don't really care about "public school standards." I register through an umbrella school so that I don't have to use the state tests to test my kids (we don't really have to test at all if we don't want to). I don't think public school is the end all authority on what my kids should know and when. My kids know so much more history and writing than that ps counterparts, it is unbelievable. In ps in my area, the kids aren't taught to WRITE until 5th grade and why is that? Beacause there is a TEST of course! LOL My son was TOP of his class in ps - they were testing him for giftedness. He never made a B. I got him home at the end of 3rd grade and he couldn't write a sentence that started with a capital and ended with a period. Top of his class! Straight A's. He can't spell to save his life. He is still struggling with that! So, honestly, "behind" is a relative term. In my opinion, PS causes so many gaps that "keeping up with their standard" is just NOT something I want to do.

 

Also - there is a scope and sequence for each manual. My son fell into the Little Hearts age range, but when I read the S&S for Beyond, I automatically knew where he "fit." I was encouraged to start with Little Hands anyway, but as his teacher, I knew better. I was right. Beyond was a PERFECT fit.

Edited August 7, 2009 by Tree House Academy

[Joyfullyblessed]

Hello,

 

Rebecca: I sure am glad to see your post here. After reading most of the others, I was really beginning to worry that I may have made a bad choice in choosing HOD for my son's schooling.

 

We are new to this and start school next Monday (kindergarten). I want to make sure that I am teaching my son all that he needs to know. I want to make sure the curriculum is complete. I sure don't want to realize later that he is way behind all the other children his age.

 

I do plan on adding to HOD, but as of right now, I wouldn't even know where to begin with that, especially since this is all so new for us right now.

 

I know that I have had my fair share of doubts when it comes to homeschooling my son. That is a big responsibility in my opinion.. to educate your own child and do it in the best way possible.

 

I really researched a lot and really loved what I saw with HOD. I don't mind tweaking or adding a little here and there, but I sure hope I am not changing things up drastically as some have mentioned they have done in this thread.

 

I guess I will just wait and see how it works for us. I appreciate everyone's input about HOD. I want to know the good and bad so that I understand what I am getting into and what I can do to better educate my son each day.

 

Have a great day! : )))

[jewel7123]

 

Also - there is a scope and sequence for each manual. My son fell into the Little Hands age range, but when I read the S&S for Beyond, I automatically knew where he "fit." I was encouraged to start with Little Hands anyway, but as his teacher, I knew better. I was right. Beyond was a PERFECT fit.

 

Just curious if you meant to say Little Hearts here and not Little Hands?

[Tree House Academy]

Just curious if you meant to say Little Hearts here and not Little Hands?

 

Yep - oops. :) I went back and changed it. As much as I like HOD, the names are just too similar. Little hands, little hearts, beyond, and bigger. By the time I get done with all the B's and L's, I am usually confused. (not hard to do - even on a good day!) ;)

Edited August 7, 2009 by Tree House Academy

[djsmom]

 

Rebecca: I sure am glad to see your post here. After reading most of the others, I was really beginning to worry that I may have made a bad choice in choosing HOD for my son's schooling.

 

Yes, me too...now after reading your post, I'm encouraged again that I've made the right decision.

Thank you:001_smile:

[lotsofpumpkins]

Hello,

 

Rebecca: I sure am glad to see your post here. After reading most of the others, I was really beginning to worry that I may have made a bad choice in choosing HOD for my son's schooling.

 

We are new to this and start school next Monday (kindergarten). I want to make sure that I am teaching my son all that he needs to know. I want to make sure the curriculum is complete. I sure don't want to realize later that he is way behind all the other children his age.

 

I do plan on adding to HOD, but as of right now, I wouldn't even know where to begin with that, especially since this is all so new for us right now.

 

I know that I have had my fair share of doubts when it comes to homeschooling my son. That is a big responsibility in my opinion.. to educate your own child and do it in the best way possible.

 

I really researched a lot and really loved what I saw with HOD. I don't mind tweaking or adding a little here and there, but I sure hope I am not changing things up drastically as some have mentioned they have done in this thread.

 

I guess I will just wait and see how it works for us. I appreciate everyone's input about HOD. I want to know the good and bad so that I understand what I am getting into and what I can do to better educate my son each day.

 

Have a great day! : )))

 

I think that when you start with HOD in the beginning with a K-age child it is probably easier to follow the guide without tweaking (if that's what you want). My problem is that I'm trying to add HOD to our homeschool after we are all set with some of our subjects, and I'm not wanting to change those. So, for us, our Beyond guide is pretty much just a schedule for the history/poetry/storytime and Bible readings (Plus we use the Emerging Readers schedule from the appendix). There's not necessarily anything wrong with that, but I am thinking ahead and still trying to figure out ways to combine my children for content subjects. Right now the youngers sometimes listen to the readings in Beyond. The decision I have to make is whether to do both Bigger and LHFHG next year, or find something else for all of them.

[Tidbits of Learning]

I can see where you are coming from, but I have to say that, as a homeschooler, I don't really care about "public school standards." I register through an umbrella school so that I don't have to use the state tests to test my kids (we don't really have to test at all if we don't want to). I don't think public school is the end all authority on what my kids should know and when.

 

I'm glad that you have the luxury of not having to test. I don't. I don't have the luxury of saying, oh well, they will cover this next year with HOD or 2 years down the road. My children have to take the state mandated test in 3rd grade. It is what it is. Every state is different. I know what is on the test and I know that they won't be prepared.

As for language arts, my kids have been writing papers and giving reports and presentations by 3rd grade in public school and they learn capitalization and punctuation in kindergarten. So they are far ahead of the R&S English 2 recommended. I truthfully found it hard to jump into HOD in 3rd or 4th grade if you hadn't been using their methods before that. The science and history that my child learned last year in 2nd grade was more intensive and truly explained science. I do think there is a lot of fun, neat things in HOD, but it doesn't truly explain science to the child. You are just doing neat things without fully understanding their purpose.

That is why I tried to clarify in my earlier post. We do have to test and so do many other parents in many states and I wish I would have been a little more prepared for how light HOD is in several areas we have to test. Those that don't have to test and compare it to the grade standards of public school can take where I am coming from when they read my post. I have to test and they have to be on level with their peers in public school when they test so I don't have the luxury of saying I don't care what public school does. I can teach it however I want and with whatever curriculum I want but at the end of the year they need to know more than what HOD will give them in several areas.

If they were to have to go back to public school for any reason they would have to test in and pass that grade level test to be put into that grade no matter what kind of records and "grades" I have for them.

I don't have a 2nd grader in LHFHG. I have 2 girls in BHFHG and my 3rd grader likes to sit in on LHFHG history and storytime. I referenced 2nd grade b/c the age range for LHFHG is 5-7 which could encompass k, 1st, and 2nd and LHFHG has a 2nd grade option for science as well. So it could be very misleading for someone just looking at the age ranges.

I know a lot of people don't take stock in public school standards and they have that luxury, but I don't and many other homeschool families don't and that is where my opinion comes from and may help those that do have to test.

[crl]

I think that when you start with HOD in the beginning with a K-age child it is probably easier to follow the guide without tweaking (if that's what you want). My problem is that I'm trying to add HOD to our homeschool after we are all set with some of our subjects, and I'm not wanting to change those. So, for us, our Beyond guide is pretty much just a schedule for the history/poetry/storytime and Bible readings (Plus we use the Emerging Readers schedule from the appendix). There's not necessarily anything wrong with that, but I am thinking ahead and still trying to figure out ways to combine my children for content subjects. Right now the youngers sometimes listen to the readings in Beyond. The decision I have to make is whether to do both Bigger and LHFHG next year, or find something else for all of them.

 

This is exactly my dilemma. We do use Beyond for the history (plus other history readers), storytime and emerging readers. But since I have to add all the other subjects to keep with our family's standard and to keep our state happy, I just wonder if there's a better way so I can combine my two kids instead of run two programs that need tweaking.

[Tree House Academy]

I think that when you start with HOD in the beginning with a K-age child it is probably easier to follow the guide without tweaking (if that's what you want). My problem is that I'm trying to add HOD to our homeschool after we are all set with some of our subjects, and I'm not wanting to change those. So, for us, our Beyond guide is pretty much just a schedule for the history/poetry/storytime and Bible readings (Plus we use the Emerging Readers schedule from the appendix). There's not necessarily anything wrong with that, but I am thinking ahead and still trying to figure out ways to combine my children for content subjects. Right now the youngers sometimes listen to the readings in Beyond. The decision I have to make is whether to do both Bigger and LHFHG next year, or find something else for all of them.

 

 

I can somewhat agree with that. My older son is 10 and we pulled him out of ps last year to homeschool. It was a NIGHTMARE curriculum wise, for the most part. We did find and like CLE Math, CLE LA, CLE Bible, and WWE, so we stuck with those. If we had been *set* on our History and Science, then yeah, HOD would have been HARD to follow.

[Tree House Academy]

I'm glad that you have the luxury of not having to test. I don't. I don't have the luxury of saying, oh well, they will cover this next year with HOD or 2 years down the road. My children have to take the state mandated test in 3rd grade. It is what it is. Every state is different. I know what is on the test and I know that they won't be prepared.

As for language arts, my kids have been writing papers and giving reports and presentations by 3rd grade in public school and they learn capitalization and punctuation in kindergarten. So they are far ahead of the R&S English 2 recommended. I truthfully found it hard to jump into HOD in 3rd or 4th grade if you hadn't been using their methods before that. The science and history that my child learned last year in 2nd grade was more intensive and truly explained science. I do think there is a lot of fun, neat things in HOD, but it doesn't truly explain science to the child. You are just doing neat things without fully understanding their purpose.

That is why I tried to clarify in my earlier post. We do have to test and so do many other parents in many states and I wish I would have been a little more prepared for how light HOD is in several areas we have to test. Those that don't have to test and compare it to the grade standards of public school can take where I am coming from when they read my post. I have to test and they have to be on level with their peers in public school when they test so I don't have the luxury of saying I don't care what public school does. I can teach it however I want and with whatever curriculum I want but at the end of the year they need to know more than what HOD will give them in several areas.

If they were to have to go back to public school for any reason they would have to test in and pass that grade level test to be put into that grade no matter what kind of records and "grades" I have for them.

I don't have a 2nd grader in LHFHG. I have 2 girls in BHFHG and my 3rd grader likes to sit in on LHFHG history and storytime. I referenced 2nd grade b/c the age range for LHFHG is 5-7 which could encompass k, 1st, and 2nd and LHFHG has a 2nd grade option for science as well. So it could be very misleading for someone just looking at the age ranges.

I know a lot of people don't take stock in public school standards and they have that luxury, but I don't and many other homeschool families don't and that is where my opinion comes from and may help those that do have to test.

 

Yeah, see if I had to test my kids on some public school standard, then I would likely keep them in public school. I am not being rude, just honest. I am definitely blessed to not have that issue.

 

I have a friend in a different state whose son is older than my youngest son and he went to ps Kindergarten last year. I did what I felt my son needed to learn and her son did the state mandated thing. I can tell you, hands down, that my almost 6 year old can read better, knows more math, and is much more well rounded in History and Science than her child who did ps is. That also varies by state. Saying that HOD is behind "california standards" is a lot different than saying it is behind "Tennessee standards." LOL

[Rebecca]

I would just like to jump in regarding state standards and testing.

 

First of all: state standards are in the forefront of Carrie's mind as she is planning. This I know and it has been stated on the HOD board before.

 

Second, I have to test every year due to my state laws. I choose the IOWA complete battery. My sons- who have been using Bigger scored VERY well on their tests. I was very pleased. It was my second grader's first year testing and my third grader's second year testing. My third grader showed marked improvement across the board. I honestly do give HOD credit for the improvement in my son's scores and for my second grader scoring as well as he did.

 

I agree that HOD is "light" in the younger years. It is coming from a different philosophy of education. In my home "light" for K and 1 is not a bad thing. I want to enjoy life with my little ones, nurture their hearts for their Lord and establish good habits and diligence in their book work. I am more pleased with one carefully completed sentence of copywork and a carefully kept math workbook than I am with loads of less than stellar worksheets. I am also looking at it thru the perspective and reality of schooling six children. With my oldest- I wouldn't have chosen HOD- and he did miss out! ;)

 

It is very easy to adjust HOD to fit your family's preferences and needs. That is the beauty of it... and you have the blessing of a Christ-centered heart in the midst of school.

 

Also, I would like to encourage OpenMinded to be a little more gracious in critique of HOD. It is fine to disagree and find a curriculum inadequate. Almost everyone on this board has experienced that with one thing or another. No curriculum is a perfect fit for every family. That is even stated in the guidelines of this forum. Making statements along the lines of: the board has a big brother feel, etc. is not beneficial. FYI- that board is sponsored by that company, they pour hours into their curriculum, it is designed to promote HOD. Some boards moderate their content, others don't. That is just how it is. Thankfully we have WTM forum, yahoo groups, etc. but still we do not need to spread a bad flavor even in our disagreements.

I would like to remind people that many, many people read these threads and our influenced by what we write. Let's not spoil it for others.

 

Sincerely,

Rebecca

DS-9 week 20 of Bigger, reading aloud extension, Rod and Staff 3, Spelling Wisdom/Building Spelling Skills, WWE 2, Apologia Astronomy, Copywork, Cursive, Drawn Into The Heart of Reading, Saxon Math 5/4, Bible Reading

 

DS-8 week 20 of Bigger, reading aloud extension, Rod and Staff 2, HOD spelling, WWE1, Apologia Astronomy, Copywork, Cheerful Cursive, Reading Fluency, Saxon Math 3, CLE Reader 4,

 

DS 6 week 25 LHFHG, emerging readers, FLL 1/2, Aesop Fable narration, Copywork, Finishing Earlybird 2B(moving into 1A/1B), Wonder Devotional, living science books on topics of interest

 

DD-5 Week 5 LHTH, Rod and Staff Preschool Workbooks, The Reading Lesson, Earlybird 2A, children's literature read alouds

 

DS-3 Week 5 LHTH, children's literature read alouds

 

DS-1 sweet baby

[sbaloue]

We are half done with Preparing Hearts and I LOVE IT. My son doesn't like that it sometimes asks the same questions in the Bible portion and read aloud sections.

 

This has been one of our most productive school years yet.:)

[Wildwood]

I would just like to jump in regarding state standards and testing.

 

First of all: state standards are in the forefront of Carrie's mind as she is planning. This I know and it has been stated on the HOD board before.

 

Second, I have to test every year due to my state laws. I choose the IOWA complete battery. My sons- who have been using Bigger scored VERY well on their tests. I was very pleased. It was my second grader's first year testing and my third grader's second year testing. My third grader showed marked improvement across the board. I honestly do give HOD credit for the improvement in my son's scores and for my second grader scoring as well as he did.

 

I agree that HOD is "light" in the younger years. It is coming from a different philosophy of education. In my home "light" for K and 1 is not a bad thing. I want to enjoy life with my little ones, nurture their hearts for their Lord and establish good habits and diligence in their book work. I am more pleased with one carefully completed sentence of copywork and a carefully kept math workbook than I am with loads of less than stellar worksheets. I am also looking at it thru the perspective and reality of schooling six children. With my oldest- I wouldn't have chosen HOD- and he did miss out! ;)

 

It is very easy to adjust HOD to fit your family's preferences and needs. That is the beauty of it... and you have the blessing of a Christ-centered heart in the midst of school.

 

Also, I would like to encourage OpenMinded to be a little more gracious in critique of HOD. It is fine to disagree and find a curriculum inadequate. Almost everyone on this board has experienced that with one thing or another. No curriculum is a perfect fit for every family. That is even stated in the guidelines of this forum. Making statements along the lines of: the board has a big brother feel, etc. is not beneficial. FYI- that board is sponsored by that company, they pour hours into their curriculum, it is designed to promote HOD. Some boards moderate their content, others don't. That is just how it is. Thankfully we have WTM forum, yahoo groups, etc. but still we do not need to spread a bad flavor even in our disagreements.

I would like to remind people that many, many people read these threads and our influenced by what we write. Let's not spoil it for others.

 

Sincerely,

Rebecca

DS-9 week 20 of Bigger, reading aloud extension, Rod and Staff 3, Spelling Wisdom/Building Spelling Skills, WWE 2, Apologia Astronomy, Copywork, Cursive, Drawn Into The Heart of Reading, Saxon Math 5/4, Bible Reading

 

DS-8 week 20 of Bigger, reading aloud extension, Rod and Staff 2, HOD spelling, WWE1, Apologia Astronomy, Copywork, Cheerful Cursive, Reading Fluency, Saxon Math 3, CLE Reader 4,

 

DS 6 week 25 LHFHG, emerging readers, FLL 1/2, Aesop Fable narration, Copywork, Finishing Earlybird 2B(moving into 1A/1B), Wonder Devotional, living science books on topics of interest

 

DD-5 Week 5 LHTH, Rod and Staff Preschool Workbooks, The Reading Lesson, Earlybird 2A, children's literature read alouds

 

DS-3 Week 5 LHTH, children's literature read alouds

 

DS-1 sweet baby

 

 

Rebecca,

 

Thank you so much for articulating exactly what I was thinking in regard to being gracious when expressing oneself about a particular curriculum/program.

[Avila]

I tagged this earlier because we just started HOD, and I am having some issues with it. For us, I think the issues stem from me trying to combine when I shouldn't have and me really not liking the CLP history books used in Beyond. I am still not sure what I am going to do about that, since the money is spent and I can't go back and order two other levels to fix it.

 

People who fully embrace CM are going to be a lot happier than people who come to HOD without that. I really don't know if CM and public school expectations and standardized testing really mesh well in the early years, and if that was something I had to worry about, I don't think I would have chosen HOD (or like Tree House said, would even be homeschooling).

 

HOD is not the only CM curricula out there accused of being too light! I think it boils down to figuring out what YOUR methodology is, what YOUR goals are, and who YOU have to please.

 

I also think people who don't combine are happier than people who do combine, in general. Yes, there is a range of ages for each guide, but it is hard to fit two kids in one of those, because, IMO, the ranges are more narrow than those of MFW, WP, Sonlight, etc. And if you really listen on the HOD board, they are not really that keen on combining and usually recommend to split into two guides. Julie and Carrie don't combine. Does that mean that YOU can't? Of course not, but it does say something about how the guides are designed by the people in on that decision.

 

I think a lot of us are looking for something that doesn't exist, in a lot of ways. We want someone to do the planning for us, but then we get upset because it isn't how we would have planned it. We want to combine kids for ease of use or for monetary reasons, but then we get frustrated because the guide doesn't really fit either child very well and we have to tweak two kids instead of one. We like the look of CM and the ideas behind it, but we worry that our kids aren't keeping up with their PS counterparts or that other kids are getting ahead of them. I think many of us choose a curricula based on who we want to be or who we want our kids to be instead of based on who we really are. Or maybe that is just me!

 

No curricula is perfect. No child is perfect, nor are any mothers. It is just the way it is. HOD is a good curricula, but it is not for everyone. Nothing is. Too much and not enough are relative terms, and you have to decide that for yourself.

 

HOD does a good job of doing the planning for people who want help in planning. HOD is very Christ-centered and ties in all of the bible and history together to help make connections that we might otherwise miss. HOD includes activities for the kinesthetic learner and other fun things that some of us miss if they aren't planned out for us. HOD plans out for you the copywork, narration and dictation. These are all good things, and if this is what you are looking for, HOD may be a good fit.

Edited August 7, 2009 by Asenik

[Tidbits of Learning]

I am not trying to be ungracious about the HOD board. I was merely trying to convey that I understood why the op chose to pursue this question on a different type and style of board. It is a curriculum board and I have found that all the curriculum specific boards are hard to write and find answers if it isn't working for you. I am not trying to be disagreeable either. I am coming at it from a different perspective and a different viewpoint. Most times what you write and then rewrite and then try to clarify then things doesn't come accross as what you intend. I intended to be clarifying that my first post was my own unique situation and that was why I felt that way about HOD. I am not trying to argue or disagree, but to say that each of us has our own unique situation and that is why I am on this board. I find it easier to hear from other parents that are using many different things and that may have tried something and it not worked and to hear the reasons behind it.

Does anyone change it up so much that you wonder if you are even following it anymore? Also, I feel like I'm just getting through the boxes and my kids are not absorbing the info?? I'm going to keep plugging along and give it a fair try. I'm just wondering if anyone else has started HOD and is not as happy with it as they hoped??

 

I feel that I was just answering the original posters question with my personal experience. I was not trying to make blanket statements about it being behind for everyone. I tried to clarify that with my 2nd post. If tests and standards don't apply to you take it with a grain of salt. I don't feel that I wrote anything wrong since this isn't the HOD board. If it were the HOD board, I would understand being upset with my comments.

This isn't the HOD board, this is an open forum to talk about curriculum. If what I wrote in one sentence out of several paragraphs was deemed inappropriate I would think that a moderator would have pointed it out to me and if they do I will apologize, but until then I don't see where I have posted anything out of the way.

Edited August 7, 2009 by OpenMinded

[mom2koh]

We just started Beyond this week. Let me add my dd is 5.5 and even at this age I am still supplementing with REAL Science Odyssey and Right Start math B. I felt very strongly that the math and science were lacking.

 

However, we are loving the history and the bible portion. I am also happy with the idea of reading from different genres of literature and exposing my child to that concept so early. To make the history more concrete I am reading several easy readers with dd about that time period. Plus she's into the American Girl doll thing and loves knowing this is how America was when Kaya, Felicity and Elizabeth were there. So she is absorbing this because she's invested. If she was not so interested then she would probably listen with one ear and just repeat the answers I ask for. One thing we did this week for the first week was as I was reading she was pretending to sail the ship that was being talked about. It was fun to see her act out the storm story and then later hear her shout out "land ho".

 

But, once again I have a young first grader and am using Beyond. I met Carrie Austin at a homeschool expo and after talking to her she even said Beyond would be the better choice for us.

Edited August 7, 2009 by mom2koh

[Tidbits of Learning]

Yeah, see if I had to test my kids on some public school standard, then I would likely keep them in public school. I am not being rude, just honest. I am definitely blessed to not have that issue.

 

I have a friend in a different state whose son is older than my youngest son and he went to ps Kindergarten last year. I did what I felt my son needed to learn and her son did the state mandated thing. I can tell you, hands down, that my almost 6 year old can read better, knows more math, and is much more well rounded in History and Science than her child who did ps is. That also varies by state. Saying that HOD is behind "california standards" is a lot different than saying it is behind "Tennessee standards." LOL

 

I don't take it as rude at all. I envy you. I wish I didn't have to think about testing. Maybe I should have put liberty instead of luxury in my earlier posts? However, I am grateful for the liberty to teach my kids at home even if I have to answer to the state on certain things like testing.

We are merely 2 adults discussing and debating our reasons for using a curriculum and what we like/dislike and we just happen to differ. That is the beauty of a forum like this. We can be honest if something doesn't work for us. We can read and find out reasons and if they apply to you then it helps if it doesn't take it with a grain of salt and move on.

Academics isn't the reason we left public school. Bullying was our issue. The academics were great. So I am looking for something to match the academics that they were receiving. HOD's LHFHG was working great for us for afterschooling ds during his kindergarten year. I chose to continue with it for first grade (we only used handwriting and reading and storytime for afterschooling) and buy the girl's level based on the few months that we afterschooled and only did portions of the guide. When we started full-time homeschool and using the whole guide, it didn't fit my needs or the needs of the children.

Edited August 7, 2009 by OpenMinded

[mohsmom23]

I'm genuinely curious as to why some feel the math is "light". HOD schedules Singapore math which from what I understand is more advanced than other math programs. It seems to be one of the most popular choices on this board for math. I totally understand if you just don't like Singapore, but I'm confused as to why it's not enough for HOD users.

[Donna A.]

I'm genuinely curious as to why some feel the math is "light". HOD schedules Singapore math which from what I understand is more advanced than other math programs. It seems to be one of the most popular choices on this board for math. I totally understand if you just don't like Singapore, but I'm confused as to why it's not enough for HOD users.

 

MFW gets the same complaint sometimes. I think it's just a difference in philosophy. HOD uses the Earlybird books in their K (or 1st?) grade program, Little Hearts. MFW uses hands-on math with manipulatives in K and 1st (with the suggestion of adding a simple workbook in 1st). Both programs start with Singapore 1A in 2nd grade (or 1st, depending on which year you use which program with). But either way, some folks either don't agree with or don't understand the simplicity of hands-on math in those very early years, so they consider it too light.

 

Same with science in both programs.

[sbgrace]

We're just starting but already my boys (5.5) are really drinking in the bible as presented. My main priority is building their basis in Christ. I have goals in other areas of course. I am using another phonics program than those suggested in the guides and am selecting a different math method. I had already selected my phonics long before HOD. But HOD is surpassing my expectations in the area of biblical content tying into everything and presenting it in a way that is engaging and heart changing. And I love the literature focus as well. I fear had I read this thread when I was deciding on curriculum I might have been afraid to try HOD. I'm so glad I did! I think the guide would be worth the bible content alone for me.

 

So I wanted to add that perspective.

Edited August 7, 2009 by sbgrace

[Tree House Academy]

Also, I would like to encourage OpenMinded to be a little more gracious in critique of HOD. It is fine to disagree and find a curriculum inadequate. Almost everyone on this board has experienced that with one thing or another. No curriculum is a perfect fit for every family. That is even stated in the guidelines of this forum. Making statements along the lines of: the board has a big brother feel, etc. is not beneficial. FYI- that board is sponsored by that company, they pour hours into their curriculum, it is designed to promote HOD. Some boards moderate their content, others don't. That is just how it is. Thankfully we have WTM forum, yahoo groups, etc. but still we do not need to spread a bad flavor even in our disagreements.

 

 

:iagree: The HOD board is paid for by Carrie and Mike and it is really meant to discuss the good things about HOD. If you tried HOD and really hate it, then there is no much you can say on the board. Personally, I think the "big brother" feeling you have is because it is monitored. Carrie once pm'd me regarding something I had stated about skipping a manual. She explained to me, very kindly, why it was not a great idea to put that out there. She agreed that, in my situation, it was warranted - but in *most* it would really mess up the flow and the plan she has created. I greatly appreciate her bringing that to me in a pm and her being gracious and kind in her response. Once she explained her rationale, I wholeheartedly agreed. If you had poured your heart and soul into writing a book, for instance, would you want to pay for a website where people could tell you why your book was terrible for them? She uses her curriculum for her own children and I have never seen her ask for "suggestions" to improve HOD. Although, I have seen her many times recommend tweaking to benefit your family and also acknowledging that HOD is not for everyone. :)

[Sheila in OK]

Great post, Rebecca! :iagree: :iagree:

 

I have used both SL and MFW in the past, and I don't think I *ever* had a year where I didn't tweak just a little. Every family is different, and you have to make a program work for YOU not the other way around. I'm going to be trying HOD for the first time this year, and if some aspect of it doesn't work for my dc, I will adjust. I'm not sure any program can be absolutely perfect for our dc unless we write it ourselves.

 

Just my two cents.

 

Also, I would like to encourage OpenMinded to be a little more gracious in critique of HOD. It is fine to disagree and find a curriculum inadequate. Almost everyone on this board has experienced that with one thing or another. No curriculum is a perfect fit for every family. That is even stated in the guidelines of this forum. Making statements along the lines of: the board has a big brother feel, etc. is not beneficial. FYI- that board is sponsored by that company, they pour hours into their curriculum, it is designed to promote HOD. Some boards moderate their content, others don't. That is just how it is. Thankfully we have WTM forum, yahoo groups, etc. but still we do not need to spread a bad flavor even in our disagreements.

I would like to remind people that many, many people read these threads and our influenced by what we write. Let's not spoil it for others.

 

Sincerely,

Rebecca

DS-9 week 20 of Bigger, reading aloud extension, Rod and Staff 3, Spelling Wisdom/Building Spelling Skills, WWE 2, Apologia Astronomy, Copywork, Cursive, Drawn Into The Heart of Reading, Saxon Math 5/4, Bible Reading

 

DS-8 week 20 of Bigger, reading aloud extension, Rod and Staff 2, HOD spelling, WWE1, Apologia Astronomy, Copywork, Cheerful Cursive, Reading Fluency, Saxon Math 3, CLE Reader 4,

 

DS 6 week 25 LHFHG, emerging readers, FLL 1/2, Aesop Fable narration, Copywork, Finishing Earlybird 2B(moving into 1A/1B), Wonder Devotional, living science books on topics of interest

 

DD-5 Week 5 LHTH, Rod and Staff Preschool Workbooks, The Reading Lesson, Earlybird 2A, children's literature read alouds

 

DS-3 Week 5 LHTH, children's literature read alouds

 

DS-1 sweet baby

[crl]

I'm genuinely curious as to why some feel the math is "light". HOD schedules Singapore math which from what I understand is more advanced than other math programs. It seems to be one of the most popular choices on this board for math. I totally understand if you just don't like Singapore, but I'm confused as to why it's not enough for HOD users.

 

I think Singapore is a great program for those it works for. We did try using both Singapore (using LHFHG) and MUS during her K year last year. My DD prefers MUS, so that's what I use now. I do feel that for my DD, the math moved too slow in spots during her K year. I've learned I like being able to move ahead in some subjects while we need extra time in others which is difficult to do the way HOD is written. So while I loved the Biblical focus and content of LHFHG, I'm finding that Beyond is frustrating me since I feel like I'm making tons of adjustments.

[Tidbits of Learning]

I'm genuinely curious as to why some feel the math is "light". HOD schedules Singapore math which from what I understand is more advanced than other math programs. It seems to be one of the most popular choices on this board for math. I totally understand if you just don't like Singapore, but I'm confused as to why it's not enough for HOD users.

The math isn't light. I find Singapore to be challenging for my kids. I find the activities to be light or on the young side in the guides. I decided to get the home instructor's guides and no matter what we use after this we will be continuing with Singapore Math. Singapore 2a and 2b is not light definitely. I have 3a and 3b already and it looks solid.

[Tidbits of Learning]

:iagree: The HOD board is paid for by Carrie and Mike and it is really meant to discuss the good things about HOD. If you tried HOD and really hate it, then there is no much you can say on the board. Personally, I think the "big brother" feeling you have is because it is monitored. Carrie once pm'd me regarding something I had stated about skipping a manual. She explained to me, very kindly, why it was not a great idea to put that out there. She agreed that, in my situation, it was warranted - but in *most* it would really mess up the flow and the plan she has created. I greatly appreciate her bringing that to me in a pm and her being gracious and kind in her response. Once she explained her rationale, I wholeheartedly agreed. If you had poured your heart and soul into writing a book, for instance, would you want to pay for a website where people could tell you why your book was terrible for them? She uses her curriculum for her own children and I have never seen her ask for "suggestions" to improve HOD. Although, I have seen her many times recommend tweaking to benefit your family and also acknowledging that HOD is not for everyone. :)

:iagree:Yes, this is what I meant! It is very closely monitored and asking about using it differently doesn't get you any answers b/c the board is only meant for helping people to use HOD as written.

[Sheila in OK]

I agree. In fact, I wonder if 2b is going to move too fast for my upcoming 3rd grader. I'm wondering if I should've gotten the HIG, or at least the textbooks, to use alongside HOD's Bigger. I guess I always can down the road if I feel it is necessary.

 

The math isn't light. I find Singapore to be challenging for my kids. I find the activities to be light or on the young side in the guides. I decided to get the home instructor's guides and no matter what we use after this we will be continuing with Singapore Math. Singapore 2a and 2b is not light definitely. I have 3a and 3b already and it looks solid.

[Zebra]

Also, I would like to encourage OpenMinded to be a little more gracious in critique of HOD.

 

I would like to respectfully disagree with this. I use HOD and like HOD, and still I feel that the boards are very biased. They are paying for the boards, and it is their product/business and their right to control the boards how they see fit. But, I like the feeling that I can come here and get an honest answer about a curriculum; I appreciate people giving their honest opinions about things including boards being biased.

 

I also disagree with the idea that someone's opinion is going to ruin a curriculum for someone else.

Edited August 7, 2009 by MeAmy

[PollyOR]

I use the SCM organizer because I can change, drop, or add things at will. It has so much freedom. I put the HOD books into the organizer and other SCM book choices and go through them at my pace--whatever that turns out to be. :001_smile:

 

My kids ended up with 240 days last year using the organizer. I doubt I would have done that much if we had 34 weeks laid out in advance. It was fun and stress-free.

 

Ack! I'm in trouble. I visited the link above and watched the videos describing the planner. It looks lovely! :001_wub: Thanks for sharing.

[Tidbits of Learning]

Thank you.:D I was beginning to feel like a pariah.

I would like to respectfully disagree with this. I use HOD and like HOD, and still I feel that the boards are very biased. They are paying for the boards, and it is their product/business and their right to control the boards how they see fit. But, I like the feeling that I can come here and get an honest answer about a curriculum; I appreciate people giving their honest opinions about things including boards being biased.

 

I also disagree with the idea that someone's opinion is going to ruin a curriculum for someone else.

[Rebecca]

I don't know if you noticed- but the original poster on this thread went and posted a history/science for seven year old thread soon after the initial responses came in to this topic.

 

It is very true that people are affected by what is written on this board- negative or positive. Anyone who has lurked or posted on this board for several years can attest to it.

 

I don't mind honest responses either.

 

That was not my point.

 

It is not whether the HOD boards are biased or not. Of course they are biased.

 

It is also not about being a "pariah."

 

I was just giving a gentle nudge to consider tone... especially regarding a christian curriculum used by christians.

 

I felt it needed to be said,

That's all,

Rebecca

 

P.S. This strays far from the op's topic. Like I wrote before- HOD is easy to modify for your family's needs/preferences. You are in the driver seat.

[lotsofpumpkins]

About the math being light- I think that is in reference to LHFHG, where it uses Singapore Earlybird, but there are many days where there are just activities and the workbook isn't used (at least from what I noticed flipping through it).

 

Singapore math definitely isn't light, but I made sure that I'm teaching it properly by getting the instructor guides and using those instead of the HOD activities.

[ChicoryChick]

I think a lot of us are looking for something that doesn't exist, in a lot of ways. We want someone to do the planning for us, but then we get upset because it isn't how we would have planned it. We want to combine kids for ease of use or for monetary reasons, but then we get frustrated because the guide doesn't really fit either child very well and we have to tweak two kids instead of one. We like the look of CM and the ideas behind it, but we worry that our kids aren't keeping up with their PS counterparts or that other kids are getting ahead of them. I think many of us choose a curricula based on who we want to be or who we want our kids to be instead of based on who we really are. Or maybe that is just me!

 

No curricula is perfect. No child is perfect, nor are any mothers. It is just the way it is. HOD is a good curricula, but it is not for everyone. Nothing is. Too much and not enough are relative terms, and you have to decide that for yourself.

 

HOD does a good job of doing the planning for people who want help in planning. HOD is very Christ-centered and ties in all of the bible and history together to help make connections that we might otherwise miss. HOD includes activities for the kinesthetic learner and other fun things that some of us miss if they aren't planned out for us. HOD plans out for you the copywork, narration and dictation. These are all good things, and if this is what you are looking for, HOD may be a good fit.

:iagree: