Pure HOD

Next year Laura will begin Heart of Dakota's(HOD) Creation to Christ.  At first, when I ordered the curriculum, I was going to use what we have already been using for grammar and reading.  However, after spending lots of time on the HOD Message Board reading all the questions I don't have to ask myself because others have for me, I have decided to go pure HOD.  With the exception of a typing program, I will probably be doing only Heart of Dakota and their recommendations.

For some, that would be too "boxed".  For others, the comfort of using what is scheduled would bring peace. 

A couple things scare me a bit.  First, the grammar program I use now has spelling.  I have been combining spelling with HOD's dictation and just doing both.  I can't tell you the number of threads on the Message Board that talk about other mothers that have the same fear of letting go of spelling and trusting dictation.  Even other Charlotte Mason sites have boards and forums where this same issue is discussed.  Having been educated in public schools, it is very difficult to let go of those spelling lists.  Dictation seems too easy.  It doesn't seem to cover enough.  What about all those spelling rules?

I've thought about this a lot because I tried dictation before and it seemed so odd for me and for my daughter that had been doing the traditional lists since leaving public school.  I slowly added in dictation when I restarted Preparing Hearts for His Glory, but I kept doing the spelling lists in our Language Arts curriculum.  I had read and reread the message board on HOD, different research, and even Charlotte Mason's own words on dictation, but it was my husband that helped me make the final decision.  He has helped me with my daughter on Fridays when we have our usual spelling test.  He has also done dictation with her.  I asked him his opinion the other night since he had a little bit of knowledge of what dictation is and is as familiar as all of us with spelling lists.  I expected him to say to stick with spelling... the familiar method.  Instead he totally surprised me by saying that dictation makes a lot more sense to him than spelling.  It puts the words in a functioning mode.  They are in a sentence, being used.  It makes them easier to learn that way.

My jaw about hit the floor.  He is right, of course.  So, dictation it will be.  I read that Carrie Austin, the creator of Heart of Dakota, has said to give dictation one year to truly see the results.  So, that is my plan.

My husband can be very insightful at times, usually when I am not expecting it.  He said that I shouldn't try tweaking the program or changing things.  That just makes things too complicated.  He told me to stick with the program the way it has been written, since it obviously has worked for others.  So, I had to reorder a couple things.  I ordered the Rod and Staff Grammar books and plan to use them the way they are recommended in the HOD guide.  This way they are more of a Charlotte Mason flavor instead of text-bookish. I have already begun Drawn Into the Heart of Reading for our reading program.  We haven't used it long, but I like it already.