After trying to save money this year with things I got a used Rod & Staff program for my ds and dd for 2nd/3rd grade. While I like it for the most part it does tend to get boring at times and to textbook like. It also takes more of my time to just plan the lessons, which I don't always have the time so we end up missing school or feeling like things are very disorganized! So after much praying and thinking I am thinking we will come back to HOD for my older two. Just for some back ground. My ds (who just turned 10 yesterday) has a learning disability in reading and writing. He is doing TRL and is almost done finally, but still has to sound out most words and will easily take 20 mintues to read one of the stories in there and his writing is very hard for him. He know excalty what he wants to write but somewhere between his brian and his hand ts gets all mixed up and looks like jumbled words more than anything. He has great comprehesion and understands things beyond his age and in Math does excellent. We have held him back and have him in 3rd grade instead of 4th. Now my dd is almost 8 (next month) and just finished TRL and has started reading some easy beginner readers and is doing great with reading. She really has no issues with school. Now my question comes in as to what program should I get? My dd fits in perfect with Bigger and my ds fits in good with Bigger also, but I have some concerns with that. One he is 10 and I worry that by the time we finish it he will 11 1/2. (We would probably do Bigger for the next year and half, becasue of the late start now) I have to wonder if that will hinder him in any way? Should I get the extention pack for him? If I did I would have to read it to him and probably have to skip a lot of any writing due to his disability. As it is now he is still not up to the level for reading, writing, and spelling. He understands things great when I read it to him and can tell my back orally what I read. How should I go about this? I worry that he will never really be able to read independly and at the same time I dont' want to hold him back because he does understand things when read to and does good with hands on things.
My next question is about my other ds he is 6 (with autism) and is doing LHFHG at a very slow pace and we have cut out the left side of the book.(Science, hisotry etc) He is just not getting it and it seem to fustrat us both more than good. So we are really only doing the right side and TRL we have stopped and are just focusing on each letter and sound for now. Is this enough for him and what should I do next year? I plan to start TRL again and maybe redo LHFHG but should I use the 1st grade option then or go back and do it a second time but with the left side this time in K and the right side in the 1st grade options? Any thought here would be wonderful. I hope to order the stuff for my older two this week still so we can get started right away!
Thanks Shiela mom to six wonderful kids!
which program and how much of it?
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water2wine
- Posts: 2743
- Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2007 7:24 pm
- Location: GA
Re: which program and how much of it?
Hey Sheila, welcome back! 
I think I am getting all that you are saying. It sounds like the guide for LHFHG is working well for phonics, math and Bible. I would just keep going with that until you feel you can add the science and History and when you can I would start over. You could either read Egermeier's Bible Story Book or Leading Little Ones To God for Bible. There is a ton in the appendix so going through the guide as you are once and doing it again when he can get the science and history I think would work.
For the older kids that fit in Bigger I would put them there. I read the extension aloud for my dd who was 11 but has CP and LDs. It worked well except for one thing. She got serious attitude issues becasue I was doing everything for her. So I cut it off about 3/4 of the way through and that helped with attitude. We struggle with attitude issues with her a lot so this is normal for us that we have to change sometimes. She is now 12 and I am finding she can do the lower level Preparing History pretty well. It is not babyish so I am thinking your kids hitting Preparing at 11 would be great. As far as whether or not to read aloud the extension packs I would answer that based on how well your child is able to narrate and what kind of retention rate they have. If it is good then I would say do all of it but the science and then let them pick up the science in RTR when they will be ready to do it on their own. If retention is a problem and they are not narrating well orally then I would go what is there becasue there is a lot there and reading the extension does add a fair amount of work for you. I think it is worth it though if the comprehension is there becasue you can then teach them above their reading level.
HTH and hope I understood you correctly
I think I am getting all that you are saying. It sounds like the guide for LHFHG is working well for phonics, math and Bible. I would just keep going with that until you feel you can add the science and History and when you can I would start over. You could either read Egermeier's Bible Story Book or Leading Little Ones To God for Bible. There is a ton in the appendix so going through the guide as you are once and doing it again when he can get the science and history I think would work. For the older kids that fit in Bigger I would put them there. I read the extension aloud for my dd who was 11 but has CP and LDs. It worked well except for one thing. She got serious attitude issues becasue I was doing everything for her. So I cut it off about 3/4 of the way through and that helped with attitude. We struggle with attitude issues with her a lot so this is normal for us that we have to change sometimes. She is now 12 and I am finding she can do the lower level Preparing History pretty well. It is not babyish so I am thinking your kids hitting Preparing at 11 would be great. As far as whether or not to read aloud the extension packs I would answer that based on how well your child is able to narrate and what kind of retention rate they have. If it is good then I would say do all of it but the science and then let them pick up the science in RTR when they will be ready to do it on their own. If retention is a problem and they are not narrating well orally then I would go what is there becasue there is a lot there and reading the extension does add a fair amount of work for you. I think it is worth it though if the comprehension is there becasue you can then teach them above their reading level.
HTH and hope I understood you correctly
All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. Isaiah 54:13
~Six lovies from God~4 by blessing of adoption
-MTMM (HS), Rev to Rev, CTC, DITHR
We LOVED LHFHG/Beyond/Bigger/Preparing/CTC/RTR/Rev to Rev (HS)
~Six lovies from God~4 by blessing of adoption
-MTMM (HS), Rev to Rev, CTC, DITHR
We LOVED LHFHG/Beyond/Bigger/Preparing/CTC/RTR/Rev to Rev (HS)
Re: which program and how much of it?
Thanks for your thoughts it helps a lot. It is always nice to get some advice for other and here their thoughts!
Thanks sheila
Thanks sheila
Re: which program and how much of it?
I agree with water2wine! I did Bigger last year with a 11 & 12 y.o... Like you, we started in January and really just grew into the HOD way and I am so glad that I chose Bigger to get my feet wet! The older ones most certainly needed the extension books, but we enjoyed every minute of it! I think you will find it a good fit. Start it as written and then add the extension pack - even if you do the reading. Since you said he has excellent comprehension than he will very much enjoy the added depth the extension pack gives.water2wine wrote:For the older kids that fit in Bigger I would put them there.
Julie
2010-2011
ds 13 RTR plus
ds 12 RTR plus
ds 8 RTR
dd 5
ds 2
We loved using Bigger & Preparing
2010-2011
ds 13 RTR plus
ds 12 RTR plus
ds 8 RTR
dd 5
ds 2
We loved using Bigger & Preparing
Re: which program and how much of it?
Hi Sheila! I'm so glad you are back, and I think you'll enjoy the variety in HOD. I agree that it's a good idea to do BHFHG with the older 2 as well. BHFHG is an excellent, full program, and I think both of them would enjoy it so much. As far as the extension package, these books are excellent and you could certainly read them aloud. I do think it is a priority to continue to work on reading and writing skills with your older ds though. Have you looked at Reading Made Easy, or any other phonics program? I think I'd do another year of phonics to continue honing those skills with ds. You could add Explode the Code, just the workbooks, for him to strengthen his writing and phonics at the same time as well. This is the way to independence, and I think it's so worth continuing on with it. 
As far as your 6 yo, I think it makes total sense to really focus in on his 3 R's too. Then, you could do LHFHG with the K science on the left side, and the 1st. grade math/fine motor options on the right, along with another year of phonics. You are so wise to weigh all of this carefully, and I pray for clarity for you as you ponder this.
In Christ,
Julie
I'm so glad you are back, and I think you'll enjoy the variety in HOD. I agree that it's a good idea to do BHFHG with the older 2 as well. BHFHG is an excellent, full program, and I think both of them would enjoy it so much. As far as the extension package, these books are excellent and you could certainly read them aloud. I do think it is a priority to continue to work on reading and writing skills with your older ds though. Have you looked at Reading Made Easy, or any other phonics program? I think I'd do another year of phonics to continue honing those skills with ds. You could add Explode the Code, just the workbooks, for him to strengthen his writing and phonics at the same time as well. This is the way to independence, and I think it's so worth continuing on with it. As far as your 6 yo, I think it makes total sense to really focus in on his 3 R's too. Then, you could do LHFHG with the K science on the left side, and the 1st. grade math/fine motor options on the right, along with another year of phonics. You are so wise to weigh all of this carefully, and I pray for clarity for you as you ponder this. In Christ,
Julie
Enjoyed LHTH to USII
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
Currently using USI
Wife to Rich for 28 years
Mother to 3 sons, ages 23, 20, and 16
Sister to Carrie
Re: which program and how much of it?
Sheila,
It is good to see you back! The ladies have given you great advice, so you have some good options to ponder. If you have other questions, ask away! 
We are glad to help!
Blessings,
Carrie
It is good to see you back! The ladies have given you great advice, so you have some good options to ponder.
If you have other questions, ask away! We are glad to help!Blessings,
Carrie
Re: which program and how much of it?
Finally I have my computer up and running again!!! We got a virus and I couldn't use it for almost a week UGG! I am so excited to be back and have ordered all the stuff for Bigger. I even got it on Monday. It came so fast!!! Now I just need to finish up with this week of school and get ready to start the new week next week! I am excited and I think the kids will like this so much more! We love to read aloud and I am looking forward to using the extenstion package for that! They are always asking me to read just "one more chapter". Can't wait to start!!!
Sheila mom to six blessings!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sheila mom to six blessings!!!!!!!!!!!!