Placement in HOD going a level up?

[joyfulhomeschooler]

Hi all,

Yes, I am writing another HOD post :-) I almost tried it this year and then we decided to go with MFW adventures instead. We loved it! But I would like to take a year away from MFW before going onto ECC because my children will be 8yrs old (3rd grd) and 6yrs old (1st grd) next year and I think they would get more out of ECC at a little older ages. So I figured this was the opportune time to try HOD and see if it fits our needs better. Then if not we can go back to ECC the following year. Make sense? lol

 

So I am a little torn on placement with HOD because in adventures we read American Pioneers and Patriots already and I think we might get bored with the history portion since we covered much of the same stuff this year. Also I know that the LA portion of Beyond would be too light for my 3rd grader (8yr old). Plus I felt that adventures was a little light on Bible for what we were needing so my thought is that Bigger would be a better fit for us.

 

The placement chart tells me to put them in Beyond because of the ages...... but would that really be better?

 

Anyone willing to help me PLEASE!!! :-)

[home'scoolmom]

I've heard on the HOD boards that other moms who've had that same problem (already read the history spines in Beyond) were advised to go ahead and do the program they place in anyway, and had a great year. This is because the books are used differently in the HOD program and so it has a very different feel. I don't think it would be a problem to go through the same time period again. The most important thing for happiness in the HOD guides is proper placement, so look at the placement chart on the HOD website and go by their skills rather than ages. If they place in Beyond you would likely be happier there than with Bigger. We are doing Bigger this year and I don't know that the books would engage a 6 yo. They are definitely geared for a little older age group. You can actually look at the Eggleston books online (which are the history spines for Bigger) at the Gutenberg project website (let me know if you can't find it and I'll link it for you), and that should give you a good idea if you want to consider Bigger or not. My inclination would be to advise you to stay with Beyond - Pioneers and Patriots is only one book of many used in the program, and kids often enjoy and benefit from books being read over again. :)

 

Hope this helps,

 

MP

Edited April 16, 2011 by home'scoolmom

[Joyofsixreboot]

:bigear:

[mytwomonkeys]

well, if you aren't planning to stay with HOD, you could do bigger and adjust it accordingly. definitely use math & LA levels that are most appropriate for your children though, but that has no real bearing on the program. i'm using bigger next year with my 2 children, and in looking through the books and guides...it really seems incredibly easy to tweak it to make it more (or less) challenging for the student.

[abrightmom]

I've heard on the HOD boards that other moms who've had that same problem (already read the history spines in Beyond) were advised to go ahead and do the program they place in anyway' date=' and had a great year. This is because the books are used differently in the HOD program and so it has a very different feel. I don't think it would be a problem to go through the same time period again. The most important thing for happiness in the HOD guides is proper placement, so look at the placement chart on the HOD website and go by their skills rather than ages. If they place in Beyond you would likely be happier there than with Bigger. We are doing Bigger this year and I don't know that the books would engage a 6 yo. They are definitely geared for a little older age group. You can actually look at the Eggleston books online (which are the history spines for Bigger) at the Gutenberg project website (let me know if you can't find it and I'll link it for you), and that should give you a good idea if you want to consider Bigger or not. My inclination would be to advise you to stay with Beyond - Pioneers and Patriots is only one book of many used in the program, and kids often enjoy and benefit from books being read over again. :)

 

Hope this helps,

 

MP[/quote']

 

Though my issues with HOD placement are manifold (:001_huh:) I do agree with this. Bigger is meaty..... Now, if you knew that you'd only be using HOD for this one year then it wouldn't matter so much ... But if you think you might stay with HOD it's probably wise to try to fit the placement chart for maximum success.

 

Then again, I know practically nothing and find placement with HOD to be a great mystery! :001_smile: I just canNOT figure it out..... ugh.

 

Let us know what you end up doing! :001_smile:

[Sue G in PA]

Placement in HOD is less about age and more about skill level. Where does your dc place SKILLwise? For example, my ds9 places right in the middle of the Preparing ages (8-10). BUT, skillwise, he was a better fit for Bigger and I SHOULD have placed him there. Hindsight. :glare: I've not used Bigger, but hear that it is a jump in skill from Beyond. And, Preparing is a jump from Bigger. :001_smile: Content in Beyond would be similar to ADV. but not a carbon copy. There is only 1 book (the one you mentioned) that is duplicated. So, you did Adv this year and loved it? I still can't decide btwn that and Beyond. :D Did I already ask you if you were going to sell your Adv? :tongue_smilie: I think I've asked just about everybody.

[abrightmom]

Placement in HOD is less about age and more about skill level. Where does your dc place SKILLwise? For example, my ds9 places right in the middle of the Preparing ages (8-10). BUT, skillwise, he was a better fit for Bigger and I SHOULD have placed him there. Hindsight. :glare: I've not used Bigger, but hear that it is a jump in skill from Beyond. And, Preparing is a jump from Bigger. :001_smile: Content in Beyond would be similar to ADV. but not a carbon copy. There is only 1 book (the one you mentioned) that is duplicated. So, you did Adv this year and loved it? I still can't decide btwn that and Beyond. :D Did I already ask you if you were going to sell your Adv? :tongue_smilie: I think I've asked just about everybody.

Sue ( or any other wise HOD Moms),

 

A slight detour from the OP's ?? though it's in the ball park :D...

 

I have used the placement chart many times....I realize there is no PERFECT system or filter to figure out exactly what would be right for a child. BUT, my son is 8.5 (9 this fall) and places beautifully in Preparing EXCEPT for cursive (which he's doing now). However, I keep hearing how critical Bigger is to success in Preparing....the writing, the narration, etc. This is where I start to go looney tunes with placement. I would LIKE to put him in Preparing but goodness gracious me I'm terrified of ruining our school year by getting in too deep. We certainly have not been writing as much as is scheduled in either Bigger or Preparing....but we could quite easily work our way up in the next 3 to 4 months. So, why do you think you should have placed your DS9 in Bigger rather than Preparing? Where did things go wrong? I'd love to read the specifics...... it would help!

 

The other thing I have read many times is how so many Moms feel like Preparing is so great for a little bit older kiddos.....say 4th or 5th grade. But if a Mom follows HOD from the beginning her kiddo would likely hit Preparing at around 3rd grade (maybe 4th depending upon the age of the child). That has me concerned too....that maybe I'm not properly assessing my child with the chart.

 

Maybe we could talk about using the placement chart and how to accurately evaluate these areas that are listed, especially the top section which contains the most critical areas with reading, writing, math, and grammar (I think....). I NEED HELP here and perhaps other Mamas do too....:lol:

[Edwena]

As far as the book in Beyond being a repeat, it's mainly not used until the end of the school year and it's shorter than the other two books used and so much less of the school year is spent in that book. Definitely check out the Eggleston books and see if they would hold your youngest's attention. They are defnitely different than the books scheduled in Beyond.

 

Agreeing with all the pp's who say it's more important what you dc could do skill wise rather than age. Plus if it's you intent to stay with HOD, you really want to make sure that your dc can actually do the work. HOD has thoughtfully made each manual build upon the other. If followed, your child will be ready for the next guide. If not properly placed, a child could be dragged along and not gaining all those wonderful skills HOD has planned out. Just out the placement chart concerning what your dc can do skillwise.:)

[Sue G in PA]

To the OP: In looking at the ages of your dc again (and thinking a bit more clearly now :D), I *think* that Beyond would be a good fit. Why? Well, a few reasons. First, as a pp said, the guides do build on each other. It is perfect for your dd going into 1st grade. As for your oldest (3rd gr), you can easily use a higher level of R&S if R&S2 is too light (but I don't think it would be!). And math is the same...just use the level/program you are comfortable with, kwim? Content-wise, Beyond only covers Amer. History from 1500-1800s. It goes more in depth in some areas than Adv. likely did. In fact, I have heard (and see in the guide now), that there is a heavy emphasis on the Colonial period. If I decide to use Beyond instead of Adv. (sure wish I could make up my mind! :tongue_smilie:), my dc will be the same ages of your dc. (dd6 and ds8). My ds8 is a bit "slower" than his sister with reading and so we haven't even covered grammar yet b/c we have been focusing on reading so much. I'm looking forward to next year with Beyond (or Adv. or both!). HTH you a bit.

[Sue G in PA]

Katrina, I am certainly NOT a wise HOD Mom! This is our first year using HOD (although I did toy around with LHTH 2 years ago). I have 7 children and KNEW that I could not do 3 guides this year. Soooo...I HAD to combine. Dd5 and ds7 fit well into LHFHG. Ds12, ds10 (now 11) and ds9 fit relatively well in Preparing and I wanted to do an overview of World History so...I chose Preparing. I had a feeling that it would be a stretch for ds9 b/c of his "challenges). He is bright but HATES school and fights me tooth and nail about getting work done. He is capable of the reading and the narrating (oral) but the writing is too much. He is still learning cursive and was/is NOT ready to copy lengthy passages in cursive like Preparing has the child do. He is also not capable of written narrations w/out substantial help (I ask him to orally narrate while I right down his narration and then have him copy it). Bigger would have been a MUCH better fit for him, but I knew my own limitations. I am now looking to next year and wondering what to do! Dd5 (soon 6) and ds8 will be in Beyond (if I choose that over Adv.). Ds11 and ds12 (soon 13) fit perfectly into RtR (skipping over CtC as we have done Ancients recently and don't want to do it again!). Ds9 (soon 10!) could very easily go BACK to Bigger and be fine. But that would mean 3 guides for me. :001_huh: And then there is my 3yo! :lol: (Insert primal scream here). I thought about doing MFW Adv. b/c I could combine dd6, ds8 AND ds10 (just beefing it up a bit for him). I am no better off than you in choosing, see? :lol:

[twoxcell]

If you want to combine them I would say Beyond would probably be the best. Otherwise I would place your older in Bigger Hearts, and your younger in Little Hearts with the first grade options. Will your kids be 6, and 8 when they start? Also where do they fall as far as the skill section of the placement chart? That might help people in giving you suggestions.

[joyfulhomeschooler]

Placement in HOD is less about age and more about skill level. Where does your dc place SKILLwise? For example, my ds9 places right in the middle of the Preparing ages (8-10). BUT, skillwise, he was a better fit for Bigger and I SHOULD have placed him there. Hindsight. :glare: I've not used Bigger, but hear that it is a jump in skill from Beyond. And, Preparing is a jump from Bigger. :001_smile: Content in Beyond would be similar to ADV. but not a carbon copy. There is only 1 book (the one you mentioned) that is duplicated. So, you did Adv this year and loved it? I still can't decide btwn that and Beyond. :D Did I already ask you if you were going to sell your Adv? :tongue_smilie: I think I've asked just about everybody.

 

Thanks! Yes, we will be selling our adventures set :( I would love to keep it, but won't have a need for it. We won't be selling for a while though.

[joyfulhomeschooler]

If you want to combine them I would say Beyond would probably be the best. Otherwise I would place your older in Bigger Hearts, and your younger in Little Hearts with the first grade options. Will your kids be 6, and 8 when they start? Also where do they fall as far as the skill section of the placement chart? That might help people in giving you suggestions.

 

Yes they will be 6 & 8 when we start. The youngest fits in beyond and the oldest in bigger on the chart. But I really wanted to only do one guide as I have been doing two with MFW this year and am overwhelmed because of the baby. Although, I was kind of adding a bunch of other stuff in until recently. We just simplified last week :-) So that should help.... but I would like to do one guide. My son (oldest) can write well, but he hates to. He hasn't had any "formal" grammar instruction except for PLL and some grammar games we have around the house.