HELP! NOT liking my K curriculum...HOD Little Hearts

[extrafor6]

I am using HOD for the first time this year...I'm coming from a hybrid of Sonlight/SOTW/WTM and needed some streamlining this year. I loved the looks of HOD and thought it would be perfect for us. I am using Bigger for my older two girls and it's okay.

My K doesn't like the history (and I don't think she understands it) or the Burgess story books.

I own MFW K as well as Sonlight P4/5. I'm thinking of switching back to one of those and leaning toward Sonlight. I've used Sonlight before but never MFW (someone gave it to me to try).

Any opinions on experiences with MFW K vs. Sonlight? And anyone else just not like HOD Little Hearts?

Thanks from one frusturated momma!:confused:

[krismoose]

Well, I like LHFHG, but my dd wasn't ready for it this year, so we're doing MFW K and it's been great. I like having suggested activities and read-alouds to go along with the week's letter, with a Biblical tie-in. We're using the phonics because she fits that level, but I did do just the Bible/science/art activities with my ds last summer, and it was fine too. He had his own phonics and handwriting already that I didn't want to mess with. I prefer the MFW activities to the ones in the SL P4/5 guide, which I also have. Some are just too mundane, like "ride a tricycle" or "sing This Little Light of Mine." I like reading (most of) the SL P4/5 books to my dc right now, both of them enjoy them! I guess it just depends what kind of experience you're looking for. SL PreK has some great read-alouds, but that's about it, IMO. I don't like how certain books are split up, so I change the schedule anyhow :).

[extrafor6]

Thanks, Kristen for your reply!

[Joyoflearning]

It seems to me that most families find LHFHG better as a 1st grade option. It can also be great for a really advanced Ker (our case). I highly doubt that my next child will be ready for LHFHG when he is in K. IMO the history in LHFHG is not meant to be difficult for the child to understand. The Burgess storybook took a few chapters for my daughter to get into because of the language, but after the third or fourth chapter she loved Reddy and was excited that the next book had the same characters. Sonlight P4/5 or MFW K seem to be geared a bit younger than LHFHG and may be a better option for K in your case. LHFHG could be a great fit the next year. I love HOD but I don't know if I would feel the same way if placement wasn't good. Sonlight might be good if you want mostly the books picked out for you and need a good read aloud schedule. It can also be good if you want the ability to substitute subjects like Math and Phonics. MFW K has the phonics and Math built-in and the phonics are a good portion of the program which you may or may not like. HTH

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I LOVE :001_wub: My Fathers World! Last year we did K and it was so much fun!! I HIGHLY recommend it!!!

[extrafor6]

I think part of my issue is that while dd is very smart, she is a young Ker (will be 5 next week) and she is challenged by listening to a story, comprehending and then answering questions about it. I have found this particularly frusturating for her with the Burgess books and she says she doesn't want to read them.

Maybe we will just put LHFHG aside until next year and we'll like it more then??

[3peasinapod]

I remember both of my older DDs, especially the eldest, hated answering questions. So I never required it of her. We are SL users. I thought I'd mention the Handle on the Arts to help with hands-on activities for SL P4/5. They have a Bible, Science, and Read Aloud PDF. That would be if you loved the stories from SL and want to do them, but want a little something extra. I'm thinking about doing 1 of the PDFs from HOTA next year when our last DD is in K, along with P4/5. :001_smile:

[beaglemamma]

I'm using MFW K for the second time this year (with my youngest), and I truly love it. It is hands-down my favorite K curriculum. The Bible is not "tacked on" to the study but is fully integrated into the science lessons in such a sweet way. I think the way Marie Hazell has worked those two subjects together actually helps the kiddos walk away with a better understanding of both the Bible and the science. If you want to see MFW K in action, you can visit my blog or visit the MFW Blogroll. Lots of people blog their K year. :)

 

http://www.trainingthemup.blogspot.com

 

http://www.mishmashmaggie.com/2011/08/2011-2012-mfw-blogroll.html

 

That being said, Sonlight users also love their K program. It's really just about finding the right fit for your family. :)

 

And I wouldn't completely write off LHFHG. I own that one, too, but it's on the shelf until next year; then I'll decide whether to use that or MFW 1st.

 

Blessings to you as you try to find the perfect fit for you and your child!

[sbgrace]

I think part of my issue is that while dd is very smart, she is a young Ker (will be 5 next week) and she is challenged by listening to a story, comprehending and then answering questions about it. I have found this particularly frusturating for her with the Burgess books and she says she doesn't want to read them.

Maybe we will just put LHFHG aside until next year and we'll like it more then??

 

She sounds like she's not ready for it to me. She's young even for K and I used it for a 1st grade program.

I'd try MFW. It may have what you were hoping for in HOD at a more appropriate level. You could still use your Sonlight read alouds.

[kwickimom]

My DS 5.5 is doing LHFHG, he loves Reddy Fox, but the History is a little over his head. I ask the questions but end up answering them for him. We are going half speed though because I feel he will be too old for it if I wait another year and everything else isnt advanced enough. He's a tweener. If he hated the History and the Storytime I would switch to something else or just do 3 R's. I do not think a K'er really needs to comprehend though so I dont care about the questions, he talks about it it on his own in his own time.

[mom24boys]

I used LHFHG last year with my ds5 and ds6.5 (K and 1st grade). They both loved Reddy Fox, but it took quite a few weeks for the younger one to get into it. I think, at first, he only liked it because his older brother did. He really couldn't answer the questions until quite a ways in. It was definitely a learning curve (for both of them) to listen and answer questions. I agree with the others...hold it until 1st grade and try again then. I've heard great things about MFW K! =)

[Ewe Mama]

I have used all three (MFW, HOD, and SL).

 

For a young K, I have found that MFW K is a perfect fit. My boys are going through it right now (and they are 5.5), but we are doing it as part of first grade, so are doing each unit in 2-3 days. I'm mainly using it to teach letter formation and beginning phonics. Their younger sister (just tuned 4) has been involved, too and she is having a blast with it. I tried HOD LHTH with her, but found it very lacking in anything that interested her. It was too slow for her and she would say, "That's it?" at the end of every day.

 

I left HOD LHFHG because it just was not a good fit. I didn't like some of their book choices and didn't think it was worth tweaking at that level. I may go back for higher levels as I have heard good things about them.

 

I have used and enjoyed SL P4/5, but I wasn't thrilled with their language arts. The read alouds and history are still a part of our lives :001_smile:, but I really wanted something that would integrate everything into an uncomplicated format. That's where MFW entered the picture.

 

If your DD is a worksheet kind of a gal, we like the www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com Letter of the Week and K4 curriculum. Both are very affordable. We like to use them for "busy-work" to keep dd occupied while I am working with the four older children.

 

I hope this helps a bit. Enjoy your homeschool journey!

[momma aimee]

I think part of my issue is that while dd is very smart, she is a young Ker (will be 5 next week) and she is challenged by listening to a story, comprehending and then answering questions about it. I have found this particularly frusturating for her with the Burgess books and she says she doesn't want to read them.

Maybe we will just put LHFHG aside until next year and we'll like it more then??

 

one thought, my kindy son, almost 6 -- can't seem to ansver a direct question, he'll smile "you tell me" -- butttt later tell his dad the entire story, detailed. either he needs time for it to sink if, or the direct questions aren't for him yet as he is not able to pick a detail randomly out of the story to 'fit' the question but he can tell the unit of the story as one part -- not sure vhich it is.

 

jus thought I'd share -- maybe just try reading for a veek or 2, no questions? or read, then casually discuss later (hours) to see if she is folloving?

 

Aimee

[momma aimee]

I LOVE :001_wub: My Fathers World! Last year we did K and it was so much fun!! I HIGHLY recommend it!!!

 

I hear this ALL THE TIME -- :) so it must be true.

[extrafor6]

I really appreciate all of the words of wisdom from everyone here. I am enjoying Bigger Hearts with my 2nd and 3rd graders. I think I will use MFW K and supplement with Sonlight 4/5. Thanks for all the insight!

[AngelBee]

I really appreciate all of the words of wisdom from everyone here. I am enjoying Bigger Hearts with my 2nd and 3rd graders. I think I will use MFW K and supplement with Sonlight 4/5. Thanks for all the insight!

 

I would practice narration with the sl books as you go. Will make things easier later. :)

[raceNzanesmom]

We loved Little Hearts, but my ds was a 6.5 y/o 1st grader. She may just be too young.

[Zebra]

We used LHFHG, and I tweaked it to death. I ended up not using most of it. Then I tried using Beyond, and it was a total bomb and I gave up on HOD.

 

I think HOD is a wonderful program, which is why I tried so hard to use it. For me it was one of these "ideal vs real" scenarios. Ideal me would have loved it....:lol:! I'm a bit of a rebel, and I have learned that I don't like following a program. I also found that it was just too much work that didn't "need" to be done for that age, and neither of us wanted to do the "fun" stuff. Other people use and love this program, but dd and I found it to be a little torturous.

 

We still have all the Burgess books, and my daughter actually still loves reading them.

[Mom0012]

I would use SL with the MFW K science. We've always used SL, but my daughter also used some of MFW K and I have so many nice memories of the activities she did in MFW K.

 

Lisa