Homeschooling6 Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Sorry, I know people are probably tired of the HOD threads, but I couldn't get this to post on the Social Group:glare:. Ethan and Lance are using Beyond and as of today we are on Unit 6. I see lots of threads where people do not like this guide or Bigger and am wondering why. So far we are loving it. The children look forward to our reading together for history and storytime. They beg for more reading with Stories of the Pilgrims and Boys and Girls of Colonial Days. One thing that I love about Beyond is I'm reading aloud to my children again. At times we put the guide away and I will read for the hour that we were suppose to do Beyond stuff. I know the science is light but it works for me. I love the Bible verses. I don't have the children memorize them because of AWANA but I do read and discuss them. My boys are 7.5 and just turned 9. Blessings, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I was considering Beyond a little while ago while thinking about American History and I was wondering something, maybe you can tell me .. Is it apparent to the child when the stories for history are fictional and when they are factual? It seemed like there was quite a bit of "period fiction" and I was getting confused but perhaps I would just need to go through the books more carefully to understand how it all comes together and progresses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewel7123 Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 If Beyond is working for you Linda, then I say plug your ears! :tongue_smilie: Some people don't like Beyond because it lingers on Pilgrims for a really long time. I personally chose MFW Adventures over Beyond BUT I will do Bigger the following year. As for Bigger, I know some people don't care for the Eggleston books. I think it's a matter of personal preference, and if your children are used to older books and the language used or not. These are just my own perceptions, of course, but again, if Beyond is working for you, then I wouldn't worry about what anyone else has to say. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 We've been doing Beyond since right before Christmas and we are loving it. I am getting everything done, everyone is much happier, school is done earlier, we're doing crafts, we're reading together. Both my kids are enjoying the stories (both history and read-aloud). I'm in the honeymoon period, I guess. :) As for the science being light, I am enjoying it. At best, it's a springboard for more conversation, which we've had. At worst, it's science gettin' done in an interesting, crafty manner. As for the Bible verses, my son whizzes through Awana verses - to the point that he's not getting much out of them. We do both - I let him memorize the Awana ones as quick as he wants and earn extra prizes when he goes, but we really savor the Heart of Dakota ones. And, most of the HOD ones, he has already memorized at Awana, so he remembers them and then we talk in depth about them. I'm not getting tired of your HOD posts. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidbits of Learning Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 I actually really like Beyond although the Pilgrims do go on and on lol. As for Bigger, I would have to say it is the teacher intensiveness of it all. You are reading so much and it is old text so it really doesn't roll right off my tongue easily. Also, notebooking is introduced, but you are using just plain white paper and the child has a lot of writing to add to the notebooking. This was a source of frustration for my perfectionist child until I started drawing lines at the top for the Bible verses to be wrote. The HOD yahoo group now has a file with some notebooking pages made up in Word for Bigger and I am definitely using those when I start Bigger with ds after family holiday. Bigger really seemed to bog down our school day 2 years ago when I tried it with my oldest dd. I am hoping that won't be the case this go around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 We're doing Bigger. Maybe we're not doing it right but we do the history, science, poetry and bible in less than half an hour. We don't do the hymns and I read aloud at lunch. I've not done Beyond but Bigger has streamlined our day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjlcc Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 I did Beyond last year with my oldest. He loved American Pioneers and Patriots. The other history spines were not as interesting, in his opinion. The rotating box was great for geography and the crafty stuff (mostly). When I repeat Beyond again, we'll do American Pioneers and Patriots, the rotating box on geography and timeline days and craft days (if desired). Also, poetry. We'll skip the science and Bible. This year my oldest is using Bigger. He does like the Eggleston books, but he is an "advanced listener". My 7yo would not enjoy these at all. I'm reading through the history in the later units of Little Hearts with the 7yo to keep them both in the same time period for history. My oldest does Bigger's timeline, notebooking pages, and rotating box (minus the crafty stuff). Poetry is done much more loosely than the guide suggests. We skip the verses, but do the Bible reading on day 5. Both boys do Bigger's science and BFSU. We also do personal Bible reading and memorization together. The 7yo is almost finished with Little Hearts and we'll move right on to Beyond, doing it our way, finishing by fall. Next year I'm torn between combining both in Preparing or having my oldest go it alone while the younger does ? ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeriJ Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 I have an 8 year old and a 6 year old combined in Beyond. We love it! Streamlined our day, gets done and we're having fun at the same time! I do tweak a little, but I use the guide to keep me on track and love the books!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 Thanks ladies, I don't plan on switching. We are enjoying it way too much to do that:001_smile:. I was just wondering................ Glad to hear many are liking it as well. Today my Bigger guide comes. I'm so excited to see the 'future' :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfishes Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 I used Beyond and I am currently using Bigger.It works for my son .I struggle a little with some of the descriptions on Native Americans in the Eggleston books,so I heavily edit some chapters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 I used Beyond and I am currently using Bigger.It works for my son .I struggle a little with some of the descriptions on Native Americans in the Eggleston books,so I heavily edit some chapters. Thanks for a heads up on this. I'll most likely read these before we start as I'm slowly collecting the books. Still waiting for my Bigger guide to arrive It's out for delivery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwena Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 We used Beyond and are currently using Bigger and love it!!! I use the extension books as read alouds and my dc are not required to do any of the extension work. We all love the extension books. I really feel like it adds a lot on the Bigger level. So excited that you're getting your manual today!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 I'm using Beyond for the second time and Bigger. We love them both! My ds really likes the Eggleston books and hasn't had any trouble with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 I'm using Beyond for the second time and Bigger. We love them both! My ds really likes the Eggleston books and hasn't had any trouble with them. How fun to be going though Beyond a second time:001_smile:. I will go through Beyond and Bigger once. If we contiue with HOD I'll get to go through Preparing on up two or more times:001_wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyjoh62080 Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 So happy to hear that Beyond is working for you. Maybe you should do like a previous poster said and plug your ears or do like I'm 'supposed' to be doing and stay off the boards :) I see that it is so easy to be influenced by others opinions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelBee Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Using LHTH and LHFHG. Waiting in box from HOD with Beyong in it. :) I do a weird mix with TOG but my kids love the HOD activities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 Bigger arrived . Now to brew a cup of coffee and read . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Bigger arrived . Now to brew a cup of coffee and read . Congrats. :D I love all your smilies. They need to have those standard on this board .. especially the UPS one. Okay, and the reading one. It's just wrong that those aren't standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raceNzanesmom Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 We're on week 19 day 4 of Beyond. We LOVE it! I don't think my ds has felt stuck on "pilgrims" because we've learned a lot of different things about them. I feel the same and have even learned some things. I have zero complaints. We're both looking forward to Bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 Congrats. :D I love all your smilies. They need to have those standard on this board .. especially the UPS one. Okay, and the reading one. It's just wrong that those aren't standard. I agree, here is another one that should be a standard ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SorrelZG Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 I agree, here is another one that should be a standard ;) AH! Where do you get these?! And why don't we have them right there on the smiley short list beside the reply box?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 How fun to be going though Beyond a second time:001_smile:. I will go through Beyond and Bigger once. If we contiue with HOD I'll get to go through Preparing on up two or more times:001_wub: I have two more little ones coming along too, so we will do it 2 more times.;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrightmom Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Linda, Your smilies are AWESOME! :D:D Please let us know how you feel about Bigger after you have perused your guide. I love reading through HOD guides. For me, they hold such promise! :001_smile: For what it's worth, despite our many bumps in the road, my oldest son LOVES Bigger. I told him, very officially, that he can finish this guide. It works well for him. We are enjoying MCT and Writing Tales alongside it because we CAN:D and he can handle it. If we are, by some miracle, able to stay with HOD then we will eventually drop MCT (after two levels) and we won't continue with Writing Tales.:001_smile: For now, this combination is working for us quite well. My middle two are combining with an MFW program. We are going to decide our path for the fall in summer. It will either be HOD again (this time with kids in different guides :D) or we'll shift over and enjoy some MFW for a year. Who knows! You inspire me Linda! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted January 29, 2012 Author Share Posted January 29, 2012 AH! Where do you get these?! And why don't we have them right there on the smiley short list beside the reply box?! I see them in emails, blogs, forums and such. I copy and paste them to word . I like using smileys and would love for this forum to have more of a selection . I have two more little ones coming along too, so we will do it 2 more times.;) Linda, Your smilies are AWESOME! Please let us know how you feel about Bigger after you have perused your guide. I love reading through HOD guides. For me, they hold such promise! For what it's worth, despite our many bumps in the road, my oldest son LOVES Bigger. I told him, very officially, that he can finish this guide. It works well for him. We are enjoying MCT and Writing Tales alongside it because we CAN and he can handle it. If we are, by some miracle, able to stay with HOD then we will eventually drop MCT (after two levels) and we won't continue with Writing Tales. For now, this combination is working for us quite well. My middle two are combining with an MFW program. We are going to decide our path for the fall in summer. It will either be HOD again (this time with kids in different guides ) or we'll shift over and enjoy some MFW for a year. Who knows! You inspire me Linda! :001_smile: Katrina, your'e too kind . You know what really helps with using two guides and getting it done? I write down what I want to accomplish (which is my block schedule). If we don't finish everything in the guide that day, I'm okay with it. Really. I use to stress and let the TM/Guides run my day but I no longer let that happen. Instead it's my check list of school subjects tha need to get done, if that makes sense. If we only do 1 narration a week, then it's one more narration done. Better than not doing them at all. Same with other subjects. It had been a few years since I had the children do narrations and copywork because I kept saying 'I'll add it in'. Finally I told myself, 'just do it' if only once a week. Again, I'm okay if my block schedule gets intrurrupted. For instance if I have to go over WWS with Annette, I'll maybe not do AAR with Lance or do a shorter lesson with Lance or do it at night but just have him read from his frequency chart. With HOD if it takes two days to completed a day, then so be it or if I have to double up on reading or Bible because I couldn't get to it one day, I'm fine with it. With HOD I skip and rotate. Meaning, I skip something every week with my Beyond boys (sometimes Preparing) but I don't skip the same box (thus skip and rotate . And you can't forget the daily coffee . Oh, and one more thing, homeschooling is exhausting and does take a lot of mama time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrightmom Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 (edited) You know what really helps with using two guides and getting it done?I write down what I want to accomplish (which is my block schedule). If we don't finish everything in the guide that day, I'm okay with it. Really. I use to stress and let the TM/Guides run my day but I no longer let that happen. Instead it's my check list of school subjects tha need to get done, if that makes sense. If we only do 1 narration a week, then it's one more narration done. Better than not doing them at all. Same with other subjects. It had been a few years since I had the children do narrations and copywork because I kept saying 'I'll add it in'. Finally I told myself, 'just do it' if only once a week. Again, I'm okay if my block schedule gets intrurrupted. For instance if I have to go over WWS with Annette, I'll maybe not do AAR with Lance or do a shorter lesson with Lance or do it at night but just have him read from his frequency chart. With HOD if it takes two days to completed a day, then so be it or if I have to double up on reading or Bible because I couldn't get to it one day, I'm fine with it. With HOD I skip and rotate. Meaning, I skip something every week with my Beyond boys (sometimes Preparing) but I don't skip the same box (thus skip and rotate . And you can't forget the daily coffee . Oh, and one more thing, homeschooling is exhausting and does take a lot of mama time. Linda, Thank-you for sharing your list and for the wise counsel. It has taken this very difficult year (2011) to bring me to the end of myself with home schooling. I was ready to QUIT and I was very very serious about it. I suppose my unruly heart skewed my HOD experience because I simply did not have anything in me to press on with schooling my children. I'm feeling better physically now and my foggy head is clearer. :001_smile: I was looking around for anything that would make home schooling EASY (the elusive Easy Button) and, well, it's only found at the local public school :D. I am the key in our homeschool and my choice of curriculum is only part of the formula for success. A lot of it is discipline mixed with perseverance, patience, and joy! And, lest I give the wrong impression, God gets the glory for any good that comes from any of my efforts. You are right that it takes a lot of mama and it is exhausting! Oh, and I have allowed myself to be enslaved by curriculum. I'm learning that I am teaching my children and not a curriculum! It sounds so simple and so obvious but I was not living that out. I am now and we are enjoying everything so much more. It will be fun to see what summer brings and whether or not we can stay with HOD or we do something else! I'm fine either way... there are many wonderful options for us. Oh, and I NEVER forget my daily coffee. Wish I could figure out how to copy that adorable emoticon. I'm going to work on that! Katrina Edited January 29, 2012 by abrightmom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted January 29, 2012 Author Share Posted January 29, 2012 Linda, Thank-you for sharing your list and for the wise counsel. It has taken this very difficult year (2011) to bring me to the end of myself with home schooling. I was ready to QUIT and I was very very serious about it. I suppose my unruly heart skewed my HOD experience because I simply did not have anything in me to press on with schooling my children. I'm feeling better physically now and my foggy head is clearer. :001_smile: I was looking around for anything that would make home schooling EASY (the elusive Easy Button) and, well, it's only found at the local public school :D. I am the key in our homeschool and my choice of curriculum is only part of the formula for success. A lot of it is discipline mixed with perseverance, patience, and joy! And, lest I give the wrong impression, God gets the glory for any good that comes from any of my efforts. Very true, amen to that:001_smile: You are right that it takes a lot of mama and it is exhausting! Oh, and I have allowed myself to be enslaved by curriculum. I'm learning that I am teaching my children and not a curriculum! It sounds so simple and so obvious but I was not living that out. I am now and we are enjoying everything so much more. It will be fun to see what summer brings and whether or not we can stay with HOD or we do something else! I'm fine either way... there are many wonderful options for us. Oh, and I NEVER forget my daily coffee . Wish I could figure out how to copy that adorable emoticon. I'm going to work on that! Katrina that is the key to happy homeschooling. I also wanted to add that I had three HOD guides in my possession four years ago but I didn't use HOD. At the time (and I know you've heard my story) I was exhausted from having 6 babies in 6 years, even though Lance was already two. I just couldn't use something like HOD at that time. I truly believe it wasn't my season. I needed the textbooks for my two older children to get school done. I had three boys learning how to read and lots of young boys. Think this. :D Now I feel I'm ready and up to it for this year (and hopefully next year as well) and I think that is why I'm really enjoying it, even though it's exhausting. I can say that the last four years I have really grown as a homeschooling mom. I have learned to let go, move on, use textbooks, and just say it's okay. And along the line of what you said, I know God is for us, it will be okay. I know at the end of the day, God is in control . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjlcc Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 We used Beyond and are currently using Bigger and love it!!! I use the extension books as read alouds and my dc are not required to do any of the extension work. We all love the extension books. I really feel like it adds a lot on the Bigger level. Many of the extension books are wonderful. My oldest has read several of them independently, with Guns for General Washington being the favorite. If you have a history buff, definitely consider them. Wise words, Linda and Katrina. Have a blessed school week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidbits of Learning Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 It took me a minute to figure out how to copy and paste and save this in word but I love this one!!! It is the best description of my 2 boys. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted January 29, 2012 Author Share Posted January 29, 2012 It took me a minute to figure out how to copy and paste and save this in word but I love this one!!! It is the best description of my 2 boys. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyjoh62080 Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 TOO funny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted January 29, 2012 Author Share Posted January 29, 2012 TOO funny! Now, if only they had one with a nerf gun :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted January 29, 2012 Author Share Posted January 29, 2012 (edited) I'm excited about Bigger, I took time to look through it a little. I need to purchase the rest of the books because now I want to read them. I see the lessons talking about this person or that person. Maybe next month I can get this book and . I have many of the other :hurray:. I need to hurry and clean the house, so I can cuddle up with my Bigger guide and some hot coffee . Edited January 29, 2012 by Homeschooling6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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