Talk me into HOD Preparing

[Jonibee]

I own Sonlight 2. My 2nd grader did Sonlight 1 last year. I've done SL with all my older kids (5). I am really beginning to dislike it in the early grades because it is so passive -- or mom needy, KWIM?

 

It's not that I don't think puzzles and Legos and coloring pages (he hates to color) have value, it's just that I think that can be done on his own time -- not MY time during school time. I need to spend my time helping him write or interacting with my 2 teens. Plus I work full time from home (split shift, very early a.m. and evening).

 

Is HOD Preparing my answer? I love the looks of it. As I said in another post, it just CALLS TO ME and whispers in my ear.

 

One thing that holds me back is that my son has not done any American History, and I had thought of covering that the next 2 years with SL (although finding a different spine because I hate theirs). If I change to HOD, I will not hit American History for quite awhile. Will I regret that?

 

I am ready to hear the gushing from happy users of Preparing . . .

[Donna T.]

We used Preparing and absolutely adored it. My son was in 5th grade. He used the Extension Package. He had also done SL Core 1 and 2 prior to HOD. He used Sonlight Core 3+4 this year for 6th grade and will be going back to HOD next year for Creation to Christ. My youngest son will be doing Bigger Hearts.

 

Have you used the placement chart to determine the best HOD guide to use with your 3rd grader? If you want to cover some American History, you may want to look at Bigger Hearts. Then, if you like HOD, you could do Preparing the next year.

 

 

I would be glad to answer any specific questions that you have.

[StephanieF]

As the previous poster said you MUST look at the placement guide. Make sure he fits into preparing before you even look at it!

If he does then you can always read him/let him read some of the books in bigger on the side if you want US history

Stephanie

[Jonibee]

I am pretty sure my son fits into the chart for Preparing. He is a very fast reader (a Boxcar book in a day) and is one grade ahead in math.

 

Another reason I don't care for Bigger is that the plans are for 5 days and Preparing starts the 4-day schedule. Yes, I know you can tweak, but I am seriously looking to implement something that does not need tweaking, KWIM?

 

I wish I were already done with my choices for next year! My older kids will be doing SL core 200 and core 7.

 

Maybe I should just stick with Sonlight and call it a day. sigh

[speedmom4]

I was a longtime Sonlight user. I just knew it wasn't going to work with my younger crowd. I switched them to Winter Promise for a few years. I enjoyed the book choices but was disappointed in the organization of the Instructor Guides. I also felt like history, Bible, literature were all very passive for the kids. THEY weren't doing anything, I was. I was reading all the time. I love to read to them. I have a pretty amazing children's library in my own home. But, I knew my boys wanted to DO something. I bought HOD Preparing just a month ago. We are only on Week 2 but we really really love it. I like the book choices, the instructor guides are VERY well organized, and there are doable projects.

 

The boys are so happy having things to do. Right now they are working on cutting out pictures in a magazine to distinguish between warm and cool colors. It coordinates with one of the books we read where a character describes a sunset. They are able to do the project mostly by themselves.

 

I finally feel like I have found a curriculum that combines great books with relevant accessible activities. I would highly recommend HOD. I also have two teens that need my attention so I completely understand!

 

God Bless,

Elise in NC

[hmschooling]

You could do the guide before Preparing, as that is for 7-9 year olds and extends for 10-11. It's a fantastic American Hostory program!! My 5th grader will do Preparing this fall and we already did or are doing all the guides prior. You will SO love HOD!!!! I say GO FOR IT!!! :) definitely wil not waste your time or take a ton of it, will keep him engaged an interacting throughout, and is skill based and progresses wonderfully!

I own Sonlight 2. My 2nd grader did Sonlight 1 last year. I've done SL with all my older kids (5). I am really beginning to dislike it in the early grades because it is so passive -- or mom needy, KWIM?

 

It's not that I don't think puzzles and Legos and coloring pages (he hates to color) have value, it's just that I think that can be done on his own time -- not MY time during school time. I need to spend my time helping him write or interacting with my 2 teens. Plus I work full time from home (split shift, very early a.m. and evening).

 

Is HOD Preparing my answer? I love the looks of it. As I said in another post, it just CALLS TO ME and whispers in my ear.

 

One thing that holds me back is that my son has not done any American History, and I had thought of covering that the next 2 years with SL (although finding a different spine because I hate theirs). If I change to HOD, I will not hit American History for quite awhile. Will I regret that?

 

I am ready to hear the gushing from happy users of Preparing . . .

[hmschooling]

I agree about placement, including placement for Singapore math. There are plans for additional levels in the Bigger guide. If he is a fast reader, that's really not enough to say he's ready for it. My dd10 is gifted, reads well above grade level, can read a series like chronicles of narnia in a week or less (when 8-9), ahead in LA, etc. Preparing will still be PLENTY for her. It has a lot of writing, independent work where she must read and follow directions from the guide to complete her assignment on her own, and really is great for 4th/5th grade. You dot have to tweak Bigger to do it 4 days per week. You just go day by day, one to the next. Take a break. Finish up the guide and mice to the next. You won't enjoy HOD at all if placement isn't correct. And the skills won't be taught properly if you're tweaking independent or semi independent work to be mom led.

[StephanieF]

Re placement you do need to look at the other skills too not just math, which isn't relevant because you can just do your own program, and reading. My ds is the same as yours, can read really well and a grade above at math but you need to look at the other skills too which are mentioned in the placement guide.

You can beef it up easily by requiring written narrations instead of oral for example and that isn't an effort on your part for planning.

That's not to say your son isn't ready for pre.paring but Bigger may be worth a second look especially with the extensions

 

I know that on the HOD board people say that to get the most out of preparing the child really needs to be on top of the skills required otherwise you won't get the most benefit.

Stephanie

[kwickimom]

your son will be in 3rd?

 

I agree to really look at the placement chart...math doesnt really figure in, its on its own :) I decided to use Preparing for the fall....my DD could have either done Preparing or Bigger with extensions and I went for Preparing because we did American History last year. If we hadn't, I would have went with Bigger w/ extensions and her own level of LA and Math.

 

Preparing looks wonderful, havent actually done it yet though. I have the Guide and all the books and I am actually halfway through reading the entire guide and I LOVE it. The little projects and timelines and vocab look great. I thought Science was going to be too light, but it actually looks good to me. Its easy enough, but teaches important facts in small bites. I love the fact that she will be working on indepedantly on things adn I love that Bible is woven in. It all ties together so nice.

 

Good luck choosing a program and level!

[Abbeygurl4]

I just started Preparing with my 8 yo dd and CtC with my 12 yo ds. We have used SL 1+2 and 3 and 4 and Paths of Exploration (Trail Guide to Learning). For the FIRST time ever my dd said "School was fun today!". I like the "Independent" boxes in the guide because my dd can actually follow the assignments and DO them on her OWN. Like your ds, my dd is an advanced reader and advanced in math. In Preparing there is a lot of emphasis on honing the skills of narration, dictation, drawing and writing and it will take my dd some time to get up to speed. I could have put her in Bigger with extensions, but I wanted Preparing in case my son had problems with CtC and I needed to take him down a level.

 

I guess what I'm saying is that you really need to make sure your son is up to the writing, narration and dictation in Preparing. It's easier to "beef up" than to "water down" HOD. Also, post on the main board over at HOD. I got a TREMENDOUS amount of help in placement from the author and her sister and all the seasoned HOD users! I can honestly say that for the FIRST time in all my curriculum buying years that I am not disappointed! I think I am actually a "reformed curriculum junkie".

[Mommy22alyns]

Have you checked out MFW Adventures? It's planned out, great for a 2nd grader, and it's American history. Just a thought. :)

[Chelli]

I just started Preparing with my 8 yo dd and CtC with my 12 yo ds. We have used SL 1+2 and 3 and 4 and Paths of Exploration (Trail Guide to Learning). For the FIRST time ever my dd said "School was fun today!". I like the "Independent" boxes in the guide because my dd can actually follow the assignments and DO them on her OWN. Like your ds, my dd is an advanced reader and advanced in math. In Preparing there is a lot of emphasis on honing the skills of narration, dictation, drawing and writing and it will take my dd some time to get up to speed. I could have put her in Bigger with extensions, but I wanted Preparing in case my son had problems with CtC and I needed to take him down a level.

 

I guess what I'm saying is that you really need to make sure your son is up to the writing, narration and dictation in Preparing. It's easier to "beef up" than to "water down" HOD. Also, post on the main board over at HOD. I got a TREMENDOUS amount of help in placement from the author and her sister and all the seasoned HOD users! I can honestly say that for the FIRST time in all my curriculum buying years that I am not disappointed! I think I am actually a "reformed curriculum junkie".

 

This is so encouraging to me! We are starting Bigger this fall with dd7. I used LHTH with her for pre-K and then spent two years (K and 1st) mixing curriculum and trying to do my own thing. While my attempts got the job done, I feel like learning had lost its enjoyment. I won't voluntarily schedule in a lot of history projects or science experiments, but for some reason if the TM tells me to, then I will bend over backwards to try and check off that box :D I can't wait for my dd to tell me in the fall, "School was fun today!"

[Donna T.]

I think a child will do well in Preparing if he is already writing original sentences and is ready to start writing down his own narrations. He wouldn't need to already be writing his narrations. Preparing will teach that very well, but he does need to be ready to begin. If a child is ready for that, he is probably ready for Preparing. It is easy to adjust the amount of reading but it won't be as much fun or as effective if he's not ready for the writing. It would also be nice if he already knows some very basic drawing skills and likes to draw. My youngest son places into Preparing but I think he needs another year to mature before he begins to write his own narrations so we are going to use Bigger Hearts. I have wanted to do Bigger Hearts for two years and I do want him to have some more American History before heading into Preparing and the subsequent guides. He did Core 3+4 with his big brother last year and he really enjoyed it but I think alot of it was over his head. He enjoyed it but I don't know how much he has really retained.

[Abbeygurl4]

This is so encouraging to me! We are starting Bigger this fall with dd7. I used LHTH with her for pre-K and then spent two years (K and 1st) mixing curriculum and trying to do my own thing. While my attempts got the job done, I feel like learning had lost its enjoyment. I won't voluntarily schedule in a lot of history projects or science experiments, but for some reason if the TM tells me to, then I will bend over backwards to try and check off that box :D I can't wait for my dd to tell me in the fall, "School was fun today!"

 

Chelli,

 

The history projects and science experiments are very DO-ABLE in HOD. I'm not crafty and neither are my dc, but the projects are sprinkled in and done in increments so they aren't overwhelming. I just needed to get off the curriculum treadmill and HOD helped me to do it. And it's helping my very ADD ds to become more independent a little bit at a time.

[thood]

your son will be in 3rd?

 

 

I thought Science was going to be too light, but it actually looks good to me. Its easy enough, but teaches important facts in small bites. I love the fact that she will be working on indepedantly on things adn I love that Bible is woven in. It all ties together so nice.

 

Good luck choosing a program and level!

 

I wondered the same thing. We did bigger hearts for his glory last year and the science was really boring to the kids and seemed like so much writing. My kids would sometimes dread doing science ( and we like science). So I thought about skipping HOD science all together. I looked at Apologia for the first time today and my son was so interested and asked me if we could please do the zoology series! So I am a little torn. I don't want to hijack the thread but would love to hear feedback.

[SnowWhite]

Reading level does not really come into the placement for HOD, but writing level is important. I used (much of) Preparing for fourth grade this year and it was a great fit. I would recommend Bigger for an overview of American before Preparing unless the writing level placement looks way too easy.

 

Just do four days a week and go for 36 days longer, if you want to.