decisions... IEW/BF vs. HOD

[mommy5]

I'm trying to figure this all out and here is what I have my choices narrowed down to:

 

• Beautiful Feet Geography Guide (with maps)
• IEW Geography
• Fix-It Grammar, Phonetic Zoo by IEW
• Apologia Zoology (we are already doing this)
• CLE Math (already using)

OR

• Heart of Dakota Preparing
• CLE Math
• CLE LA

 

The kids that would be using this program are 8 &10 and the 8 year old is a very good reader/speller and the 10 year old is dyslexic/dysgraphic and struggles with spelling.  My 10 year old reads about mid-3rd grade level (he is in 4th grade) ... he lacks confidence and gets letters jumbled even though he understands the basics of phonics.  He is working through CLE LA 300 ... currently at book 305 and CLE Math 405 and my 8 yr old is working through the 200 level of CLE (both math and LA). We have a son with autism who does a different program and two preschoolers who mostly play and am expecting again in about 3 months.  I want to work for the next 2 months in a new program because I know things will get disrupted for a little bit once the baby is here.  We do a co-op where they do go to Apologia Zoology and a light history of US.  Last year we did the full MFW Adventures program, if that helps to see what other history we've done.  We really enjoyed that course.

 

I like the look of both programs ... my only fear with HOD is that even though it is open and go ... what happens if I don't get to all the boxes in a day ... I feel like it is harder to pick up where I left off...  however, I'm not sure how hard the BF/IEW Geography will be for the ages of my kids, either.

[bethben]

I am doing HOD preparing with IEW writing, Saxon Math, and an Apologia book only because he had an opportunity to do a co-op class with that book.  I skip all the writing activities in the language arts section of HOD, but do require the narrations for history.  I also skip the writing lessons in the Rod and Staff English book.  

[PeterPan]

If you liked MFW Adventures so much, have you thought about continuing with MFW ECC?  The BF Geography is going to be too much for the ages you have.  It has a ton of writing and is writing and research driven.  Each chunk of reading has a list of questions and things to research and rabbit trail.  It's easiest if they can do that reading and research on the internet because they're odd topics.  It just doesn't seem realistic for where your kids are at.  I could be remembering it incorrectly because we did it years ago, but that's how I remember it.

 

If you want something that is easier to flex, have you looked at http://www.guesthollow.com/homeschool/geography/geography.html

 

Also, have you ever looked at the Christian Cottage Unit Studies?  They're still unit studies, which may or may not be practical for you, but they were developed by a lady with a dyslexic daughter.  http://christiancottage.com/Unit-Studies-home-school-hands-on-all-levels-unit-study-special-needs-Teri-Spray.html

 

Congrats on your upcoming baby!  :)

 

[michaeljenn]

I vote for HOD Preparing.  It will be all planned out for you and it is truly a wonderful program!!  We use CLE Math, and Rod and Staff English with Preparing.  

[cjgrubbs]

For the ages of the kids you have I would recommend you give MFW ECC a second look, especially considering you enjoying Adventures.

[Ellie]

I'm trying to figure this all out and here is what I have my choices narrowed down to:

 

• Beautiful Feet Geography Guide (with maps)
• IEW Geography
• Fix-It Grammar, Phonetic Zoo by IEW
• Apologia Zoology (we are already doing this)
• CLE Math (already using)

OR

• Heart of Dakota Preparing
• CLE Math
• CLE LA

 

The kids that would be using this program are 8 &10 and the 8 year old is a very good reader/speller and the 10 year old is dyslexic/dysgraphic and struggles with spelling.  My 10 year old reads about mid-3rd grade level (he is in 4th grade) ... he lacks confidence and gets letters jumbled even though he understands the basics of phonics.  He is working through CLE LA 300 ... currently at book 305 and CLE Math 405 and my 8 yr old is working through the 200 level of CLE (both math and LA). We have a son with autism who does a different program and two preschoolers who mostly play and am expecting again in about 3 months.  I want to work for the next 2 months in a new program because I know things will get disrupted for a little bit once the baby is here.  We do a co-op where they do go to Apologia Zoology and a light history of US.  Last year we did the full MFW Adventures program, if that helps to see what other history we've done.  We really enjoyed that course.

 

I like the look of both programs ... my only fear with HOD is that even though it is open and go ... what happens if I don't get to all the boxes in a day ... I feel like it is harder to pick up where I left off...  however, I'm not sure how hard the BF/IEW Geography will be for the ages of my kids, either.

 

I'm not a fan of HOD, so I'm going with your first list, with some changes:

 

• Beautiful Feet Books geography. It would seem as if your dc's ages and abilities fall within the suggested age range. There are 39 lessons, one lesson a week, but even if it took longer than 39 weeks to complete, you'd still be ok. And you wouldn't need another geography.
• Easy Grammar
• I have no opinion on Phonetic Zoo, but it looks as if it would be done fairly independently? So that would probably help you out. :-)