Skip to content
  • Sign In
  • Cart (0)
(0)
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Educational Philosophy
    • Overview of Our Programs
    • A Look at Each Subject
    • Awards
  • Programs
    • Little Hands to Heaven
    • Little Hearts for His Glory
    • Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory
    • Bigger Hearts for His Glory
    • Preparing Hearts for His Glory
    • Creation to Christ
    • Resurrection to Reformation
    • Revival to Revolution
    • Missions to Modern Marvels
    • World Geography
    • World History
    • United States History I
    • United States History II
    • Drawn into the Heart of Reading
  • Grades
    • Preschool
    • Kindergarten
    • 1st Grade
    • 2nd Grade
    • 3rd Grade
    • 4th Grade
    • 5th Grade
    • 6th Grade
    • 7th Grade
    • 8th Grade
    • 9th Grade
    • 10th Grade
    • 11th Grade
    • 12th Grade
  • Community
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Email Newsletter
    • Message Board
    • Conventions
    • Gift Certificates
  • Help
    • Guide Placement Charts
    • Ordering & Shipping FAQ
    • Our Top Ten Questions
    • Updates
    • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Free Catalog
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Educational Philosophy
    • Overview of Our Programs
    • A Look at Each Subject
    • Awards
  • Programs
    • Little Hands to Heaven
    • Little Hearts for His Glory
    • Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory
    • Bigger Hearts for His Glory
    • Preparing Hearts for His Glory
    • Creation to Christ
    • Resurrection to Reformation
    • Revival to Revolution
    • Missions to Modern Marvels
    • World Geography
    • World History
    • United States History I
    • United States History II
    • Drawn into the Heart of Reading
  • Grades
    • Preschool
    • Kindergarten
    • 1st Grade
    • 2nd Grade
    • 3rd Grade
    • 4th Grade
    • 5th Grade
    • 6th Grade
    • 7th Grade
    • 8th Grade
    • 9th Grade
    • 10th Grade
    • 11th Grade
    • 12th Grade
  • Community
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Email Newsletter
    • Message Board
    • Conventions
    • Gift Certificates
  • Help
    • Guide Placement Charts
    • Ordering & Shipping FAQ
    • Our Top Ten Questions
    • Updates
    • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Free Catalog
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Educational Philosophy
    • Overview of Our Programs
    • A Look at Each Subject
    • Awards
  • Programs
    • Little Hands to Heaven
    • Little Hearts for His Glory
    • Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory
    • Bigger Hearts for His Glory
    • Preparing Hearts for His Glory
    • Creation to Christ
    • Resurrection to Reformation
    • Revival to Revolution
    • Missions to Modern Marvels
    • World Geography
    • World History
    • United States History I
    • United States History II
    • Drawn into the Heart of Reading
  • Grades
    • Preschool
    • Kindergarten
    • 1st Grade
    • 2nd Grade
    • 3rd Grade
    • 4th Grade
    • 5th Grade
    • 6th Grade
    • 7th Grade
    • 8th Grade
    • 9th Grade
    • 10th Grade
    • 11th Grade
    • 12th Grade
  • Community
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Email Newsletter
    • Message Board
    • Conventions
    • Gift Certificates
  • Help
    • Guide Placement Charts
    • Ordering & Shipping FAQ
    • Our Top Ten Questions
    • Updates
    • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Free Catalog
  • 0
  • Toggle website search

Heart of Dakota Blog

Know your goal…exposure or mastery?

  • Carrie Austin, M.Ed.
  • / Teaching Tips
  • / April 11, 2024
Heart of Dakota - Teaching Tip - Know your goal...exposure or mastery?

Know your goal…exposure or mastery?

As you teach younger children, it helps to remember this is often their first exposure to many concepts.  Everything ranging from history to math to reading will be new. So to expect mastery of new concepts, or even terrific retention, at such a young age is a tall order.

How can you help young children be successful with school?

Instead with younger kiddos, strive for the following goals:

  1. Keep the lessons short.
  2. Keep the day moving along.
  3. Keep your expectations in line with your child’s age.

Resist the urge to add extra drill and practice beyond what is in the guide.

Often as parents, we think more practice is better.  The Internet makes it easy to add extra practice with little effort.  However, is this truly necessary for your child to gain exposure to a subject? If you add too much to the guide, your children may feel their school day is too long.  You may also find that the extra practice crowds out time for the rest of the subjects in the guide. There is a careful balance between enough practice and too much!  Your Heart of Dakota guide is designed with this careful balance in mind.

Young children make great gains when you least expect it.

Children will make great gains and strides in their younger years.  These gains often come unexpectedly after steady progress forward pays off. Take heart even if your little ones don’t seem to be “getting” everything you’d love them to take from the HOD guide. They will surprise you as the year passes in unexpected ways!

Blessings,
Carrie

PS: In this blog post, we looked at how to enjoy your homeschool life by simplifying your school day. To find out more ways you can enjoy your homeschool life while using our guides, check out the blog post linked here!

PrevPrevious
NextNext

This Post Has 10 Comments

  1. Denielle August 30, 2018 Reply

    I have used HOD for the last 5 years and at every turn am so blessed to be able to find the help and answers I need from Carrie and Julie! Thanks for sharing, ladies! God bless your work!

    1. Julie Grosz, M.Ed. September 4, 2018 Reply

      This really blessed me today, Denielle! Thanks for your encouragement here, and we are so glad to be of some help!

      In Christ,
      Julie

  2. Cathy August 30, 2018 Reply

    I’d like tips on older children when mastery is goal.

    1. Brandy August 30, 2018 Reply

      Me too

      1. Julie Grosz, M.Ed. September 4, 2018 Reply

        Hi Brandy! Please see my comments to Cathy. Have a good Tuesday!

        In Christ,
        Julie

    2. Julie Grosz, M.Ed. September 4, 2018 Reply

      Hi Cathy! For my older children in upper middle school and high school HOD guides, I like to spend the first 4 weeks training them to properly follow the plans in their guides. I do this by underlining each guideline Carrie has set forth. Often at the start, they may miss doing a portion properly. I expect this, as they are learning how to follow the guide. However, once we have carefully gone through how to do each portion of the plans, then I expect the plans to be followed. I view this as mastery, as we don’t move on until each guideline is met. Likewise, with editing, I use the Written Narration Skills editing checklist Carrie has written to help my students learn to edit. We work through 1 skill at a time, and eventually my kiddos are responsible for the entire skills list. I then give their work one final edit, and they are responsible to fix any additional things I have noted, so I view this as mastery. This has worked so well! It has taught them to be careful to follow multi-step directions properly, to complete each portion of assigned work, and to edit all their work carefully. Hope this helps!

      In Christ,
      Julie

  3. Michaela August 31, 2018 Reply

    I needed this reminder!! I am working with a 4yr old doing some pre-k. I was beginning to feel like it was a waste of time, then out of no where she is saying letters with the correct sounds!
    I REALLY appreciate the teaching tips!! Thank You!

    1. Julie Grosz, M.Ed. September 4, 2018 Reply

      What exciting progress, Michaela! Thanks for sharing, and we hope you and your daughter have a wonderful rest of your year enjoying HOD together!

      In Christ,
      Julie

  4. Maegan August 30, 2022 Reply

    I’m that mom that needs this reminder! Thanks for the words of encouragement! I have a 6 year old that loves to challenge me in this. He seems to not pay attention at all then randomly in the day will pop something out that we went over. He’s even remembering the Bible verses, something I didn’t think would happen. This is our first year with HOD for my two kids and we love it. Thank you! ❤️

  5. Julie Grosz, M.Ed. September 23, 2022 Reply

    So glad you found this encouraging! Often times little ones are taking in much more than it appears they are. I just love your son is remembering the Bible verses – such an important part of the plans. Those verses will come back to him just when he needs them in life – the Word is living like that! Keep up the good work homeschooling your children to know the Lord and to take in all HOD has to offer!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

SIGN ME UP!

Sign up today to get Carrie’s latest Teaching Tips along with the latest news from Heart of Dakota!

TOPICS BY CATEGORY

Categories
  • A Heart of Dakota Life
  • A Look Inside
  • An Encouraging Word
  • Announcements
  • Charlotte Mason Moment
  • Dear Carrie
  • From Our House to Yours
  • Heart of Dakota Tidbits
  • History with Heart of Dakota
  • Inside the Guide
  • Library Builder
  • More Than A Charlotte Mason Moment
  • Pondering Placement
  • Promotions
  • Teaching Tips
  • Uncategorized

RECENT POSTS

Recent Posts
  • Inside the Guide: LHFHG’s Storytime Box of Plans May 19, 2025
  • Thank you for voting for us in the 2025 Practical Homeschooling Reader Awards! May 15, 2025
  • Inside the Guide: LHFHG’s Language Arts Box of Plans May 12, 2025
  • Stay with your child for math! May 8, 2025
  • Inside the Guide: LHFHG’s Phonics Choices Box of Plans May 1, 2025
View all posts

Heart of Dakota Publishing
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
Trigger Cart Button
Loader
✕
×
×

Cart

  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Educational Philosophy
    • Overview of Our Programs
    • A Look at Each Subject
    • Awards
  • Programs
    • Little Hands to Heaven
    • Little Hearts for His Glory
    • Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory
    • Bigger Hearts for His Glory
    • Preparing Hearts for His Glory
    • Creation to Christ
    • Resurrection to Reformation
    • Revival to Revolution
    • Missions to Modern Marvels
    • World Geography
    • World History
    • United States History I
    • United States History II
    • Drawn into the Heart of Reading
  • Grades
    • Preschool
    • Kindergarten
    • 1st Grade
    • 2nd Grade
    • 3rd Grade
    • 4th Grade
    • 5th Grade
    • 6th Grade
    • 7th Grade
    • 8th Grade
    • 9th Grade
    • 10th Grade
    • 11th Grade
    • 12th Grade
  • Community
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Email Newsletter
    • Message Board
    • Conventions
    • Gift Certificates
  • Help
    • Guide Placement Charts
    • Ordering & Shipping FAQ
    • Our Top Ten Questions
    • Updates
    • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Free Catalog
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Educational Philosophy
    • Overview of Our Programs
    • A Look at Each Subject
    • Awards
  • Programs
    • Little Hands to Heaven
    • Little Hearts for His Glory
    • Beyond Little Hearts for His Glory
    • Bigger Hearts for His Glory
    • Preparing Hearts for His Glory
    • Creation to Christ
    • Resurrection to Reformation
    • Revival to Revolution
    • Missions to Modern Marvels
    • World Geography
    • World History
    • United States History I
    • United States History II
    • Drawn into the Heart of Reading
  • Grades
    • Preschool
    • Kindergarten
    • 1st Grade
    • 2nd Grade
    • 3rd Grade
    • 4th Grade
    • 5th Grade
    • 6th Grade
    • 7th Grade
    • 8th Grade
    • 9th Grade
    • 10th Grade
    • 11th Grade
    • 12th Grade
  • Community
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Email Newsletter
    • Message Board
    • Conventions
    • Gift Certificates
  • Help
    • Guide Placement Charts
    • Ordering & Shipping FAQ
    • Our Top Ten Questions
    • Updates
    • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Free Catalog

Sign In

Item Successfully Added to Cart

Create an Account or Log in

Forgot password?

New here? Create an account
Sign in
Sign In

Checkout as a guest >