lotsofpumpkins Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 (edited) I've been posting at the HOD boards but figured I'd ask here too. I'm seriously contemplating going with HOD for our new school year (which will start mid/late May since we school year-round). I cannot make up my mind on placement though! Here's the quick rundown: dd7- finishing up 1st grade. Good reader but not totally independent yet. Regardless of what we choose, I will have her do R&S 2nd grade phonics. She has already started R&S 2nd grade math, but I am considering having her switch to singapore (which would work great with HOD!) ds5.5- finishing up K. Is 2/3 done with R&S 1st grade math, but we just started Singapore 1A because I think he needs that approach. He cannot sound out words yet, but is great at memorizing sight words. I have him in ETC 1 right now. I still don't know if I'll put him in R&S phonics or just keep him in ETC. Very wiggly boy who could benefit from more hands-on stuff and short lessons. ds4- working on R&S ABC workbooks and ETC Primers. Knows his letter sounds but isn't sounding out words though. He'll be 5 in December. ds2.5- could definitely benefit from more hands-on FUN stuff so that he'll stop getting into trouble while we are trying to do school! Here's my options: 1. Put dd in Bigger by herself. Combine ds4 and ds5 in Little Hearts. (Not sure how this would go though; I'm not sure ds4 will be ready for Beyond a year from now). 2. Combine dd and ds5 in Beyond. Combine ds4 and ds2 in LHTH. (And let ds4 continue his ETC primers and ABC workbooks, and start Singapore earlybird math when he's ready) 3. Some other combination??? I'm mainly looking for scenarios that give me a year break between repeating programs. But I do want the best placement for each child. So, I'd be willing to repeat a little bit, since I believe that the children will be more combinable in a couple of years once the younger ones are reading. ETC: option #4: dd in Bigger. ds5 in Little Hearts. ds4 just listens in wherever he wants and keeps doing what he's doing, and then in a year we'll figure out if he can combine with his brother then. Please help me figure this out! Edited April 13, 2009 by lotsofpumpkins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claire up north Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 What is HOD? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotsofpumpkins Posted April 13, 2009 Author Share Posted April 13, 2009 What is HOD? Heart of Dakota. I know there are some users of it here and was hoping for some opinions since the HOD board has been kind of slow this evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyinNNV Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Beyond is before Bigger, right? I've done Bigger this year with my 3rd grader. It was the perfect level for him. I have no doubt that a younger person could do Bigger. Maybe you'd need to do a little adjustment at times. However, if you do end up switching to HOD in the long-term, you might find, at some point, that you are a year ahead of where you want to be. In other words, the fact that you are on the younger end of the age spectrum may become more pronounced as you get further into the program. So, I'd suggest starting with Beyond. No matter what your decision, you'll have a great year! Holly HOD-Heart of Dakota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotsofpumpkins Posted April 13, 2009 Author Share Posted April 13, 2009 yes, Beyond is before Bigger. I was leaning towards Bigger because it schedules R&S English 2 (which we are planning on using anyway), learns cursive (which we are planning on doing anyway), etc. But I can also see the appeal of going with Beyond and not making things too hard on her. You made a good point about looking down the road. I don't want the programs to be too difficult later on. Beyond is before Bigger, right? I've done Bigger this year with my 3rd grader. It was the perfect level for him. I have no doubt that a younger person could do Bigger. Maybe you'd need to do a little adjustment at times. However, if you do end up switching to HOD in the long-term, you might find, at some point, that you are a year ahead of where you want to be. In other words, the fact that you are on the younger end of the age spectrum may become more pronounced as you get further into the program. So, I'd suggest starting with Beyond. No matter what your decision, you'll have a great year!Holly HOD-Heart of Dakota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna T. Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Have you checked the placement chart at the HOD site? Also, do not hesitate to email Carrie directly. She is very helpful. She will ask you specific questions (ones you may not even be thinking about) that will help her to recommend which guides you would need. She really desires to provide personalized service to anyone who needs it. She also responds to inquiries quickly. I'm sorry I can't offer specific suggestions. We'll be new to HOD next year. I'll be using Bigger Hearts with a ten year old and a seven year old. I can't wait! We have started Drawn Into the Heart of Reading but not Bigger Hearts. Carrie and I emailed back and forth for a week or so before I made all my choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Check the placement chart on the HOD site and see where they best fit. Your dd is between levels at age 7 and she could go either way. Read the scope and seqence, and decide which is a better fit for her. My yonger son was the same way. He is also 5.5, but he is reading very well, doing copywork, and finishing book 3, starting book 4 in ETC. After a lot of deliberating, I went with Beyond because it was just the perfect fit for him. With your youngers, I would do your 4 and 5 year old together in Little Hearts. They have an option, when you go to check out where you can either get the 1st grade package or the Kindergarten package (Look at this link, under "Basic Pacakge" http://www.heartofdakota.com/little-hearts-packages.php). With yours, I would get one of each and work with them separately in those areas. Sounds like you have phonics and math covered, so those are not an issue. The Science and History In Little Hearts is appropriate for both Kindergarten and 1st grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polly Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 I chose Beyond this year and wished I had chosen bigger. Here's why. My son had not had American history before this year. Bigger deals with the events of Am. history. Beyond deals with the people of Am. History. We are almost done with Beyond and I don't feel like he has a very good grasp of Am. History because he missed the "events". That said, we enjoyed this year but I really wish I would have done Bigger. My son is in 2nd grade this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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