Has anyone used HOD in a Sonlight way?

[fenni]

I know the original intent of HOD, and I love the curriculum. However, it is not a great fit for my son as is. I don't want all the busywork of history that HOD includes (even if she has wonderful intentions and they learn from it.) I was thinking of something like Truthquest, something more read and discuss. I don't want to plan it myself like TQ. I have considered Sonlight many times, but I prefer HOD's book choices. Has anyone else used HOD's history components in a read and discuss format and left out a lot of the activities and writing? This would be for a 12 yr. old in RTR next year.

[speedmom4]

We are doing Preparing this year and I use it mostly like Sonlight. I used Sonlight for many years but I agree with you about HOD's book choices. There are some projects we do. My boys do like doing the timeline figures. I have a pick and choose mentality about HOD. We do read all of the books though. I think you should use HOD how you want to use it and not to feel guilty about what you leave out!

 

Good luck!

 

Elise in NC

[KeriJ]

That's how we did it when we used Beyond. We started trying to do the busywork, but ended up just reading and discussing. Plus, sometimes we just wanted to keep going with a book rather than following the schedule in the guide. For me, it ended up not being worth the money to do it that way though. So now, I piece together my own curriculum, and use the books lists from HOD, buying the books used and using the library. Works so much better for us!

[LBoogie]

I am new at this, so I am just curious... what would you say the differences are? I am discovering that my daughter is not really one for "projects" but she loves living books and listening to me read.

[Chelli]

I am new at this, so I am just curious... what would you say the differences are? I am discovering that my daughter is not really one for "projects" but she loves living books and listening to me read.

 

If I had a kid like this, I would use Living Books Curriculum in a heartbeat. I love that curriculum! Unfortunately my oldest is a hands on, crafty type of learner.

[fenni]

Maybe I should look at Living Books.

[pollo_la]

I really love the HOD book selections, but the biggest problem we had, was reading just little bits out of books at a time. We still utilize many of the HOD book choices, but we use them in a Robinson Curriculum sort of way. We simply read through them one at a time from cover to cover!

[twoxcell]

Living Books Curriculum would most likely be my second choice after HOD also. From what I have seen and heard of Sonlight it has a focus on reading large amounts of literature much of it being historical fiction for history studies. Sonlight also has a heavy missions focus, and uses a lot of Usborne type books. HOD and LBC take a CM approach of more slowly digesting living books. HOD uses some historical fiction, but the spines tend to be non fiction living books. HOD incorporates hands on activities and projects as well as narration and notebooking, and Sonlight mostly has reading and comp. questions. I have not personally used Sonlight or Living Books Curriculum. In answer to the OP I think if your dc don't want to do the history projects and crafts and you don't find them essential to their education go ahead and skip them. I love using HOD, but there are times when I just skip things in the guide because I don't have time or don't feel like we need it. For example my ds is doing Preparing this week and the History Project didn't appeal to ds or me so we skipped it. No biggie really.

[twoxcell]

Just wondering if anyone knows why on the LBC website you can't see the books that go along with the guides now? I just went over there to take a peak at it again and can't find anything except the TM to view.

[Chelli]

Just wondering if anyone knows why on the LBC website you can't see the books that go along with the guides now? I just went over there to take a peak at it again and can't find anything except the TM to view.

 

You can still see them you just have to look harder.Click on "By Grade" at the top of the webpage. Then in the left side bar you have to click on each subject individually to see what is used instead of all the books showing up at once.

 

HTH. I love looking at their books and guides. It makes me happy! :drool:

[poiema]

We are doing LHFHG this year and have cut out everything except the history reading. In fact, I stopped using the HOD guide and just read through the books. I read while they write or draw in their composition books. We discuss it while I am reading. Then they share with me (and each other) what they wrote/drew. I think it's much easier than having to check in with the guide. My kids didn't like the projects either, so overall the guide was a waste for us.

[twoxcell]

You can still see them you just have to look harder.Click on "By Grade" at the top of the webpage. Then in the left side bar you have to click on each subject individually to see what is used instead of all the books showing up at once.

 

HTH. I love looking at their books and guides. It makes me happy! :drool:

Thanks, I like looking too. Have you used any of their stuff? I know you have used HOD before.

[SnowWhite]

We did this with Preparing one year. If you buy the extra books, for Extension or Enrichment it makes it easy to skip some of the hands on stuff and still have plenty of material.

[LBoogie]

My Sonlight and HOD catalogs are all dog-eared by now. I keep looking and drooling at them, but every time, I end up deciding that they won't work for me. But I love all the book choices. I think I will also check out the LBC site...

[GalmiBorn]

That is precisely how I use my Beyond guide. We do the week in two days then two days of SOTW 2. Its been perfect.

[sarahv]

This is an interesting topic. I've been wondering how to use HOD as a supplement really. I really like her content, greatly dislike her visual presentation of the organization, and want to cover the history in 1 or 2 days instead of doing it every day. Ya'll are giving me lots of confidence to tear it apart at will. A big thank you! :)

[happyWImom]

This is an interesting topic. I've been wondering how to use HOD as a supplement really. I really like her content, greatly dislike her visual presentation of the organization, and want to cover the history in 1 or 2 days instead of doing it every day. Ya'll are giving me lots of confidence to tear it apart at will. A big thank you! :)

r

I thought I would chime in here. I have tried HOD a few times, and never gotten completely through a guide, and this year, AGAIN, I got one. (Preparing) We started out fine, but then got bogged down. Part of this is time and busy work, but part is also because my dc are interested in other things (Apologia Zoology & Astronomy) and there is never enough time for everything. But, I really wanted to use the HOD science, because my dd is very into science, animals, etc... And I wanted her to get more into narrations (which we haven't been good w/until this year) especially written ones.

 

For a few weeks now, we have just been doing the history as regular reading (I read them when it says to in guide but w/out their verbage, as well as read aloud the extension books-I know the dc are supposed to read those, but I do), we do our R&S but on our own schedule, and I have been sticking to the HOD science, which has been great. I have my dd do all of her stuff in a sketchbook, and she usually adds a drawing to her narration. Sometimes, I will have her orally narrate, and then I will have her copy what the guide has as the "key idea" in her book. I also am having her do the daily dictation from the guide. We may go back to using more (especially when we start w/Grandfather's Box again) of the guide language, but I am really please to still be sticking with it.

 

Probably more than you wanted to know, but I feel chatty tonight! :D

[Chelli]

Thanks, I like looking too. Have you used any of their stuff? I know you have used HOD before.

 

I haven't used anything from LBC, but I really, really want to. I like HOD a lot too though. The one time I branched away from HOD (for K and 1st), I regretted it and came back. I want to try LBC, but I'm afraid I would come back to HOD. I'm just worried that if we stick with HOD our days will wind up very, very long. I don't know that I'd like that.

[aprilsblessings]

I was curious if you all think that you could use HOD with different ages then what is recommended if you are using it in a Sonlight way.

[momto5blessings]

I think that you definately could use it for different ages if you used it in a SL way. It really would work well, I think! I love HOD!!

[coastal academy]

These are things I have wondered as well. I love the book selections of HOD so much and so do my children. I really need the history readings planned for me, but there is a lot in HOD for various reasons that we are not using, such as science, hands on projects, and some of the Bible. I much prefer HOD's booklist over Sonlight's, and also like the narration activities with the readings. I have also thought about Beautiful Feet or Truthquest, but really like the way HOD pulls the history readings together. I also would love to combine my children.

[Heart_Mom]

I just came to the boards to ask virtually the same question!

 

For those of you who think you could use HOD in more of a SL format (i.e. read & discuss), I have a question for you:

 

Do you think that the older guides (CTC and up) could be used as a book list for my child to read (as opposed to me reading aloud)? He really loves the independence of reading history and science for HOD independently, but just doesn't like the busy work that goes along with it. I do read-alouds with everyone at a different time of day (currently BF's History of the Horse) and my husband reads aloud to the family each night (currently Robin Hood.)

 

Also, if my child retains history well by just reading it, is there really a need to do lots of written work along with it? I'm thinking "no" and also that my son would rejoice if he didn't need to do copywork, etc. in relation to his history readings.

 

Thoughts?

[KeriJ]

I just came to the boards to ask virtually the same question!

 

For those of you who think you could use HOD in more of a SL format (i.e. read & discuss), I have a question for you:

 

Do you think that the older guides (CTC and up) could be used as a book list for my child to read (as opposed to me reading aloud)? He really loves the independence of reading history and science for HOD independently, but just doesn't like the busy work that goes along with it. I do read-alouds with everyone at a different time of day (currently BF's History of the Horse) and my husband reads aloud to the family each night (currently Robin Hood.)

 

Also, if my child retains history well by just reading it, is there really a need to do lots of written work along with it? I'm thinking "no" and also that my son would rejoice if he didn't need to do copywork, etc. in relation to his history readings.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

:bigear:

[Donna A.]

Do you think that the older guides (CTC and up) could be used as a book list for my child to read (as opposed to me reading aloud)?

 

IMO, it depends on the child's age and maturity level. When we tried CTC with my then-10yo, she brought a book to me that bothered her a great deal and asked if she had to finish it. Upon looking through it (I had not previewed it), I agreed that she wasn't going to finish it. But not all kids will ask their parents, so.... the answer depends on you and your child. ;)

 

Also, if my child retains history well by just reading it, is there really a need to do lots of written work along with it? I'm thinking "no" and also that my son would rejoice if he didn't need to do copywork, etc. in relation to his history readings.

 

Absolutely not! The "real" Charlotte Mason didn't have her kids doing busywork or "projects" in order to retain what they read. At all. Their projects were in the form of handiwork or outdoor play or building or gardening or whatever, primarily done in the afternoons. The manner in which they read each book slowly and then narrated them was enough for "school". Some nowadays would say their child can't retain this way, and that may be true (part of this is training and just what we've allowed our kids to get into the habit of "needing")... others simply enjoy doing the projects.... but if your child doesn't enjoy them, and doesn't need them, don't do them! :)

 

And FYI, there are plenty of other CM-style curriculums out there that don't schedule any busywork or projects at all. Ambleside is one. I don't think SL schedules too many, either, if I understand correctly.

[Donna A.]

And FYI, there are plenty of other CM-style curriculums out there that don't schedule any busywork or projects at all. Ambleside is one. I don't think SL schedules too many, either, if I understand correctly.

 

 

Coming back to clarify something in case anyone thinks my previous comment was labeling SL as "CM"... I don't consider SL a CM curriculum. It's more like a conglomeration of books with a schedule to tell you which ones to read in which order. (Not necessarily chronological, and not necessarily "classics".) IMO. :tongue_smilie: And that's exactly what some people want, but I did want to clarify that those books are not scheduled in a way that would be considered CM.

[Heart_Mom]

IMO, it depends on the child's age and maturity level. When we tried CTC with my then-10yo, she brought a book to me that bothered her a great deal and asked if she had to finish it. Upon looking through it (I had not previewed it), I agreed that she wasn't going to finish it. But not all kids will ask their parents, so.... the answer depends on you and your child. ;)

 

I would be hesitant to just hand all the Storytime books to my son. I would probably just have him read the history books on his own. I'm very choosy with books and am often disappointed or surprised at content that shows up. (I like to pre-read whenever I can.)

 

Absolutely not! The "real" Charlotte Mason didn't have her kids doing busywork or "projects" in order to retain what they read. At all. Their projects were in the form of handiwork or outdoor play or building or gardening or whatever, primarily done in the afternoons. The manner in which they read each book slowly and then narrated them was enough for "school". Some nowadays would say their child can't retain this way, and that may be true (part of this is training and just what we've allowed our kids to get into the habit of "needing")... others simply enjoy doing the projects.... but if your child doesn't enjoy them, and doesn't need them, don't do them! :)

 

And FYI, there are plenty of other CM-style curriculums out there that don't schedule any busywork or projects at all. Ambleside is one. I don't think SL schedules too many, either, if I understand correctly.

 

 

This is so helpful. I really think that some of the busywork actually detracts from the learning for my son. He just loves absorbing the actual reading and sees the written work as a hindrance to learning, not an enhancement.

 

I think it may be time to move on to something other than HOD. I wish that a child's skill level didn't have to determine which era in history was to be studied. He really, really doesn't want to do ancient history right now, and CTC is what would be next for him. Though if I'm not having him do all the writing and projects, I could bump him ahead. Hmmmm... so much to consider! :)

[oneddmanybooks]

....

This is so helpful. I really think that some of the busywork actually detracts from the learning for my son. He just loves absorbing the actual reading and sees the written work as a hindrance to learning, not an enhancement.

 

I think it may be time to move on to something other than HOD. I wish that a child's skill level didn't have to determine which era in history was to be studied. He really, really doesn't want to do ancient history right now, and CTC is what would be next for him. Though if I'm not having him do all the writing and projects, I could bump him ahead. Hmmmm... so much to consider! :)

 

I so agree, especially with the bolded! We are doing parts of Preparing. I am continually amazed at the amount of drawing and writing that is planned. Fortunately for us, I take the boxes as "suggestions." :) We skip most projects. We usually just read the science books. We discuss the vocab. We love almost all of the books. We enjoy the poetry, but do not do the related writing. Dd really wants to do Res to Ref next (she loves reading the HOD catalog).

 

I think I've figured it out. What we need is a curriculum that uses the HOD books and poetry, with some Ambleside and Living Books Curr. and some Veritas books mixed in, written in a weekly style -- and of course it should come as a download, so that we can tweak it! :) That sort of describes what we are doing. I get ideas from AO, LBC, and VP. I use some of the Preparing guide, and I print out a weekly schedule for the other things.

 

Fortunately, I have a few months to figure out what we are doing next.

[Heart_Mom]

 

I think I've figured it out. What we need is a curriculum that uses the HOD books and poetry, with some Ambleside and Living Books Curr. and some Veritas books mixed in, written in a weekly style -- and of course it should come as a download, so that we can tweak it! :) That sort of describes what we are doing. I get ideas from AO, LBC, and VP. I use some of the Preparing guide, and I print out a weekly schedule for the other things.

 

 

 

Sounds good to me! :)

[Joyofsixreboot]

I use their book lists and buy a used guide for ideas and then meh it with WTM ideas and Sonlight ideas and.....you get the idea. For us lots of little rejects are torture. Some science stuff was fun though. I mostly use it for a reading list.

[Heart_Mom]

I use their book lists and buy a used guide for ideas and then meh it with WTM ideas and Sonlight ideas and.....you get the idea. For us lots of little rejects are torture. Some science stuff was fun though. I mostly use it for a reading list.

 

This is what I would like to do, but I just don't have the time to put it together. (I have five children, ages 11 down to 4 months.) So I really need something that's mostly planned out for me. I can easily drop some aspects of a program, but it's just not realistic that I'm going to be pulling resources from varied places right now. Maybe in a few years (or several), though! :)

 

I'm actually looking at the Notgrass American History Curriculum for my son next year called "America the Beautiful." He could do it mostly independently, which he prefers. And it's a time period in history that he finds intensely interesting (unlike CTC).

[ChicoryChick]

You might want to check out Guesthollow.com. It has a schedule of lots of reading but flexible to use what you want and it's free.

[momto5blessings]

I am using LHFHG in a Sonlight way with my 6 year old, in the evenings. (He is in PS Kindergarten). It works really well, we are enjoying it very much.

[Heart_Mom]

You might want to check out Guesthollow.com. It has a schedule of lots of reading but flexible to use what you want and it's free.

 

Thanks! I'll check out that website. :)

 

I am using LHFHG in a Sonlight way with my 6 year old, in the evenings. (He is in PS Kindergarten). It works really well, we are enjoying it very much.

 

I've sorta started using HOD that way for my K'er too, just because things have been so busy with a preschooler and a new baby in tow. If we cover Math and L.A. well and do some good reading aloud, I think that's enough for now.

[joyfulhomeschooler]

 

I haven't used anything from LBC, but I really, really want to. I like HOD a lot too though. The one time I branched away from HOD (for K and 1st), I regretted it and came back. I want to try LBC, but I'm afraid I would come back to HOD. I'm just worried that if we stick with HOD our days will wind up very, very long. I don't know that I'd like that.

Why do you say that your days would wind up very, very long? We are using HOD and I am trying to decide if we will stick with it. I can't have very very long days! In what guides does it get this way and how long are we talking?

[Chelli]

 

Why do you say that your days would wind up very, very long? We are using HOD and I am trying to decide if we will stick with it. I can't have very very long days! In what guides does it get this way and how long are we talking?

Most of the moms that are using CtC and up talk about 5-6 hour days without extras. Considering my DD would hit CtC in 5th grade, it just seems really long. IDK, though, maybe that is normal for upper elementary?

[Donna A.]

Most of the moms that are using CtC and up talk about 5-6 hour days without extras. Considering my DD would hit CtC in 5th grade, it just seems really long. IDK, though, maybe that is normal for upper elementary?

 

Maybe if you're a modern day classical schooler, but it doesn't have to be that long. I'm not of the mindset that one has to spend many hours a day doing academics in order to learn and get a good education.... and neither was Charlotte Mason. She strove for quality, not quantity. A CM schedule for a 4th-6th grader would've been more like 3-4 hours a day, including:

 

OT Bible

NT Bible

Natural History

English History

French History

Arithmetic

Dictation

Grammar

Plutarch

Latin (language)

French (language)

German (language)

Drill

German Song

French Song

Repetition (aka Recitation or Memory Work)

Poetry

Geography

 

If any of my girls -- and they're all different personalities with different learning styles and needs, and different academic strengths, so I'm not just referring to the one with LDs -- if ANY of my girls had had to spend 5-6 hours a day on "school" at the age of 10, they would've croaked. Maybe an *occasional* 5-6 hour day is okay if they have stuff to catch up on, or do additional hands-on activities, but every day? No way.

 

But then again, CM didn't schedule busywork as part of a school day, either. Her students did a lot of reading, narrating, and oral work. Writing and formal grammar were primarily in the form of copywork and dictation, and short written narrations, until about the age of 12'ish. Hands-on activities were in the form of "handiwork" which was comprised of useful skills such as sewing, house or garden work, woodwork, etc., but those would be done during what we'd call "free time" in the afternoons.

 

More specifically, when I tried CtC with my then-10yo a few years ago, it was quite tedious for her because there was so much DETAIL. She did the work, but it was in obedience, not joy or enthusiasm, and grew weary of it very quickly. So did I.

[Chelli]

Maybe if you're a modern day classical schooler, but it doesn't have to be that long. I'm not of the mindset that one has to spend many hours a day doing academics in order to learn and get a good education.... and neither was Charlotte Mason. She strove for quality, not quantity. A CM schedule for a 4th-6th grader would've been more like 3-4 hours a day,

 

That's exactly how I feel. That a good education doesn't necessarily equal length of day. Last year we used Bigger for 2nd grade. School took us about 2 1/2 to 3 hours a day since I added in Spanish, art, and logic as extras. This year we took a break from HOD to study world geography. My plan was to jump back into HOD next year, but a funny thing has happened. We are spending less time with school this year (about 2-2 1/2 hours) than we did last year, but are covering more subjects. Chipette is really enjoying school and I have to say that I am much more rexlaxed this year.

 

Anyway, I love HOD, but some of the stuff in the guide seems so much like busy work to me. I feel like if I cut too much out then I'm paying a lot of money for a program that we're only using 1/2 of the guide.

 

*sigh* I hate February. It makes me question everything.

[abrightmom]

Listening in....

 

This is a timely discussion.

 

We are using HOD and enjoying it for the most part but...

 

Placement bugs me to no end and I am compromising that with my boys in order to combine right now. I just didn't want to buy another curriculum and I have HOD here from a purchase last year. I get excited to begin and then after the first week I buck against the schedule that is supposed to free me because I have to lay aside what we want to do (IEW, roots study, science, Bible). I definitely have a love/not love relationship with HOD. Carrie is amazing and her book selections are perfect but I want in depth, meaty Bible Study (I dont care for the Psalm study in Preparing. Aspects of it are good for us but it isnt enough day to day to count as Bible Study for US. A preference I suppose. I do LOVE Carrie's questions though as they are thought provoking and in depth.) The timing of when subjects are studied doesn't quite fit....

 

I am not excited about CTC and can't put my finger on it. We are weary in studying Ancients and need to pick up with the Greeks and move on from there.... My middle DS will be 9 if we stay with HOD and move to CTC after Preparing.

 

Boxed curriculum has never really worked for me except when we used MFW Adventures. I know myself and my kiddos now and want to a la carte our subjects. =)

[Another Lynn]

Great discussion! I've tried HOD a couple times. In the end, I had a hard time doing more than 2 guides and the upper levels began to feel like too many boxes. I'm enjoying reading the various viewpoints - what people like and dislike about the guides.

[blessedmom3]

I'm using beyond in a sonlight way,but preparing and LHTH almost as written. Beyond is used as sonlight because my dc are above the 3 Rs and we add more science. I add or take out from all the guides, as I see fit to my dc. Usually add more science&spelling,Bible, foreign language and take out some projects. I let them do only the projects they want.

Nevertheless, we are enjoying the guides so much. It's so helpful to have all planned out for a busy, brain scattered,work at home mom like me!

 

Katrina,have you thought about asking dad to read your dc a kids devotional ? It takes less than 10 min and it does not add any more time to ( I suppose ) a full school schedule you already have. Next year,in CTC,you could add IEW instead of WWTB,which I am also planning to do. My son did IEW A in 3 rd grade and loved it,so I want to continue with that. A root word study it's easily done with English from the roots&up or any other workbooks and I don't think it would take more than 6-7 min. My son is doing both Building Spelling Skills&EFRU ( alternatively) and 3x/week dictation. It works, but he doesn't always do all the projects and he does all the reading by himself, including the T boxes,which is helpful for me when I have to do everything with the younger ones!

 

We should not fit our kids to a HOD mold, we find a way to fit HOD to our kiddos and our philosophies .HOD is just a guide , not a jail...at least that's how I see it :)

[abrightmom]

Thinking about the OP's original question.....

 

I haven't done HOD in a SL way and I agree that in theory you could tweak HOD in that way.

 

I have a hard time choosing HOD and then not using HOD. Ack! I think we will do another unit while I am pondering. I do like reading how so many take what works and weave in their own choices. I just don't work that way and lose a lot of what draws me to HOD.

 

Despite my struggles and issues with using HOD my kids enjoy it. Shrug. :)

[joyfulhomeschooler]

I tried to quote, but my ASUS pad isn't letting me.

 

I was going to agree with Katrina about the Bible study in HOD. We are loving Bigger this year, but the Bible study isn't what I want. We did MFW ECC the year before Bigger and the Bible study was our favorite part. We learned so much from it and were actually reading daily from the Bible. I miss that. We haven't decided if we will just add another Bible study into our day or move away from HOD after Preparing next year. I know this isn't answering the OP but I wanted to let anyone who is going to be using HOD for the first time to be aware of this.

[birchbark]

I just came to the boards to ask virtually the same question!

 

For those of you who think you could use HOD in more of a SL format (i.e. read & discuss), I have a question for you:

 

Do you think that the older guides (CTC and up) could be used as a book list for my child to read (as opposed to me reading aloud)? He really loves the independence of reading history and science for HOD independently, but just doesn't like the busy work that goes along with it. I do read-alouds with everyone at a different time of day (currently BF's History of the Horse) and my husband reads aloud to the family each night (currently Robin Hood.)

 

Also, if my child retains history well by just reading it, is there really a need to do lots of written work along with it? I'm thinking "no" and also that my son would rejoice if he didn't need to do copywork, etc. in relation to his history readings.

 

Thoughts?

 

We are using the history spines from Rev2Rev this year without the guide and it is going just fine. We are doing history just one day a week, so I have DS read for a specified length of time. After a few months, I had him begin doing a written narration (2 or 3 paragraphs) to follow it up and increase retention. It is a simple approach but it seems to be working fine!

 

As long as your DS is getting enough writing practice in other subjects and truly remembers what he read, it might be okay to go without.

[MrsMe]

I just came to the boards to ask virtually the same question!

 

For those of you who think you could use HOD in more of a SL format (i.e. read & discuss), I have a question for you:

 

Do you think that the older guides (CTC and up) could be used as a book list for my child to read (as opposed to me reading aloud)? He really loves the independence of reading history and science for HOD independently, but just doesn't like the busy work that goes along with it. I do read-alouds with everyone at a different time of day (currently BF's History of the Horse) and my husband reads aloud to the family each night (currently Robin Hood.)

 

Also, if my child retains history well by just reading it, is there really a need to do lots of written work along with it? I'm thinking "no" and also that my son would rejoice if he didn't need to do copywork, etc. in relation to his history readings.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

Yes. The books are to be read by your child, except for the Storytime box, but that also changes as you get farther up. My dd has been reading Storytime on her own since Preparing. The difference between SL and HOD in books is that HOD books don't contain content that Mom may shudder at.

 

Copywork isn't always for cementing facts. It's for writing practice as well. Since HOD teaches independence incrementally, the written summaries (not copywork) provide the parent with your kids' knowledge of what was read, in addition to being able to express themselves that make sense on paper. It also provides that independence of understanding if you have more children to look after. So it serves several purposes. Those written summaries slowly increase in the amount, to alleviate the lack of information, more detail and a more guided assignment. That doesn't mean you can't swap, trade the amount, pick and choose.

 

So I'm not of the notion it should all be skipped, but I do think you can bypass as you see fit, but still making sure they're getting in a well-rounded assignment. I find copywork itself (not the summaries), sort of a waste, unless they're copying something they found interesting. These blurbs they find to copy show a lot of insight into your child's mind. But they could very well tell you and not write it.

 

So use what you need, bypass what you don't! A written summary isn't just about the reading. It's about thought processes, details vs overviews, and being able to express yourself to make sense. Kids should be able to do this orally and written.

[thegirlwhopaintedtrees]

That's exactly how I feel. That a good education doesn't necessarily equal length of day. Last year we used Bigger for 2nd grade. School took us about 2 1/2 to 3 hours a day since I added in Spanish, art, and logic as extras. This year we took a break from HOD to study world geography. My plan was to jump back into HOD next year, but a funny thing has happened. We are spending less time with school this year (about 2-2 1/2 hours) than we did last year, but are covering more subjects. Chipette is really enjoying school and I have to say that I am much more rexlaxed this year.

 

Anyway, I love HOD, but some of the stuff in the guide seems so much like busy work to me. I feel like if I cut too much out then I'm paying a lot of money for a program that we're only using 1/2 of the guide.

 

*sigh* I hate February. It makes me question everything.

 

 

Interestingly, I want to use HOD next year because I try to put too much into my DD's schedule (for school) and I feel that if I used HOD it would force me to do less:) I also think that for my DD the projects would add a fun element back into school that I seem to be unable to do unless it is scheduled for me. I am leaning toward HOD in order to have a more relaxed homeschool day. But now I am second-guessing myself. FWIW she would be 6 but using the Bigger guide.

[Chelli]

 

Interestingly, I want to use HOD next year because I try to put too much into my DD's schedule (for school) and I feel that if I used HOD it would force me to do less:) I also think that for my DD the projects would add a fun element back into school that I seem to be unable to do unless it is scheduled for me. I am leaning toward HOD in order to have a more relaxed homeschool day. But now I am second-guessing myself. FWIW she would be 6 but using the Bigger guide.

 

Well, we are still going back to HOD next year, but I am having dd do the crafty type things on her own after our school day is over. The artsy/craftsy stuff stresses me out because I do NOT like those types of things, but she does. Like you, the entire reason I went with HOD was to put fun in our day, which it did. I just need to accept that my dd is not me and vice versa.

 

You didn't ask, but I thought I'd offer it any way...I would not put a 6 year old in Bigger. It is a LOT of writing for most 6 year olds. I would go with Beyond instead.

[thegirlwhopaintedtrees]

Well, we are still going back to HOD next year, but I am having dd do the crafty type things on her own after our school day is over. The artsy/craftsy stuff stresses me out because I do NOT like those types of things, but she does. Like you, the entire reason I went with HOD was to put fun in our day, which it did. I just need to accept that my dd is not me and vice versa.

 

You didn't ask, but I thought I'd offer it any way...I would not put a 6 year old in Bigger. It is a LOT of writing for most 6 year olds. I would go with Beyond instead.

 

I appreciate your concern:) With any other 6 year old I would be concerned, but this DD was born with a pencil in her hand :) She just finished WWE1 and has started WWE2 and is working in FLL3. She also is in AAS 5 which has a LOT of dictation. She also reads at least at a 5th grade level. Like I stated, I want to bring fun into our day, but she also needs the challenge. If it doesn't fit well, I can hold onto it another year, but I do see it fitting. She could definitely handle everything I have seen from reading through the first week sample. Obviously it will get harder, but I think she will enjoy the break from what we are presently doing. She would still be using WWE, FLL, and AAS and so we won't really be using the right side of the Guide much. And we will not use DITHOR. I have no plans to put her in Preparing at 7 and we will probably do a year of geography and biomes. I just need one year off from doing all the planning myself. :)

[Chelli]

 

I appreciate your concern:) With any other 6 year old I would be concerned, but this DD was born with a pencil in her hand :) She just finished WWE1 and has started WWE2 and is working in FLL3. She also is in AAS 5 which has a LOT of dictation. She also reads at least at a 5th grade level. Like I stated, I want to bring fun into our day, but she also needs the challenge. If it doesn't fit well, I can hold onto it another year, but I do see it fitting. She could definitely handle everything I have seen from reading through the first week sample. Obviously it will get harder, but I think she will enjoy the break from what we are presently doing. She would still be using WWE, FLL, and AAS and so we won't really be using the right side of the Guide much. And we will not use DITHOR. I have no plans to put her in Preparing at 7 and we will probably do a year of geography and biomes. I just need one year off from doing all the planning myself. :)

 

Awesome! Go for it! We use very little of the right side as well (storytime and science are it). We also took a year off from HOD this year to do a year of geography and habitats. :laugh: Great minds and all that! I've done two years out of the four we've been homeschooling where I plan it all and I'm so over that. Back to HOD we go next year and will probably be there (at least with my oldest) for a while!