Bumping son up to Beyond, skipping Little Hearts...questions

[inHistiming]

Hi everyone. I have a couple of questions/concerns that I'd like to 'talk' over with you and see what you all think.

My husband and I have bee back and forth with what to do with ds 7 for school in the fall. Up 'til now we really haven't done a 'program' with him...we've begun a couple then never completed them due to various events, plus he was young anyway. He has made lots of progress in his math and handwriting, and his reading has improved a LOT as well. We are still working through RME and he's doing great with that. I anticipate beginning the emerging readers set in Beyond...as soon as he finishes RME, possibly before if I think he's up to it. Now, for my concerns.....

I really feel he is ready for 2nd grade work. He is halfway through his 1st grade math book, even though his official grade (for the state) this past year was K. We're planning to 'skip' 1st grade and move right into 2nd in the fall, since much of his work this past year was in 1st grade level workbooks anyway. I expect he will be ready to move into the 2nd grade level of Saxon in short order. Right now we're testing through to see how far he gets before needing to do more of the lessons. In any case he has no more than 50 lessons to complete, probably less. I was thinking we would start Beyond...half speed and work up to full speed if it looks as if we're ready for that....taking into consideration that we will also have a toddler and newborn to deal with in the fall, as well as schooling 3 children. Now I'm wondering if I should go ahead and start full speed so we're not heading into next fall in Beyond... since he'll be a 3rd grader then. What do you all think....how should I start?

[momof2n2]

Good grief - I just started to reply and read the author. I'll email you my friend!
C. could totally do Beyond. Wish you were still around the corner!

For the benefit of other readers, I will say regardless of the grade level you are reporting for, I watched both my boys use Beyond as seven year olds [we called it grade 2, as well.] The right pages, of course, can be modified for grade levels, as Carrie's appendices include.

I saw both my boys do well at that age with the left pages, with the history and all the other subjects that jumped off the history. Up to now, Beyond is my favorite guide!
If for some reason it was too much, you could do alternate left-page/right-page every other day when the new baby comes, or if you have too many enrichment activities outside the house.

Your last sentence confused me, though.

[inHistiming]

Hmmm....was it the 'next fall' part? I meant the next fall (2011/2012) he will be 3rd grade and I don't want to still be in Beyond....does that make more sense? And I wish I was still just around the corner too! Miss you all....

[my3sons]

I do think he sounds ready for Beyond, as long as his writing is up for it. As far as starting now or later, I'd weigh how much you and your ds need the summer as a time to relax and refresh. You could easily wait to start, and then just do Beyond full-speed and finish it in a year. Or, you could get a jump-start, and begin either half-speed or full-speed this summer, gaining some days and possibly being able to do a 4 day week instead during the year. I'm not sure what you have going with your olders, but if they will need a good deal of instruction at the start of the year, it may be nice to start your 7 yo earlier.

In Christ,
Julie

[inHistiming]

We won't be ready to start until the beginning of August, because our guide is in NY and the movers won't get here until the end of July. After a week or so to get everything unpacked we should be ready to get going.

It may be a good idea to get into a good 'groove' with him before I start with the older two on their program....they would go ahead with math and english while we start Beyond...We will probably go through Beyond...each day while they are working on their independent subjects, and I will probably rotate them with watching their baby sister during that time as well. A 30-minute playpen time plus 30 minutes for each of them to play with her should just about get us through everything except his math. I think his writing is up to par. He is fully capable of copying several lines at a time...he quite often does this to make wish lists, etc. We will probably start out just copying part of the poem each week and increasing the amount as the year goes on. I can't wait until my guide is here and I can have it in my hands to peruse. Even though I used it a couple of years ago there is still much I have forgotten.

Thanks for the tips ladies.