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EmilyC
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| Posted: May 14 2009 at 12:26pm | IP Logged
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I've been looking at what we'll be using next year for school and I happened upon Heart of Dakota. This looks like a fabulous Charlotte Mason curriculum.
Has anyone here had any experience with this program?
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Emily,
Wife to Rob since 8/98
Mom to 4:
Sarah (13) Robbie & Riley (10) Regina (nearly 3)
My secular lit-based curriculum:
Build Your Library curriculum
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Anne
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| Posted: May 14 2009 at 12:36pm | IP Logged
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I have also been searching this site. I am looking forward to the responses  .
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Anne in TN
WIFE to Brett (91)
MOM to Rebecca(97), Catherine (99), Grace (99), Stephen (00) & 2 Angels in Heaven.
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krystab
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| Posted: May 14 2009 at 1:27pm | IP Logged
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Yes, I use Heart of Dakota (HOD). I just answered a post about this on the HOD board as well.
I starting using Little Hands with my 4yo last summer as I could not do the Little Saints program (way too much prep for a busy mommy of 4). And the Little Hands has been a dream for us. Very open and go, just like the author says. I always have the materials on hand, especially since there are usually choices. And very, very easy to add Catholic content. My son is learning his letter sounds in a fun, relaxed, and easy way. As well as his bible.
My 1st grader started with OLVS this year and he really likes it because he knows what to expect. But I went ahead and started Beyond Little Hearts with him. I am able to merge the best of OLVS (the religion is fabulous in our opinion) with the Beyond. I do the left page of Beyond with both my 1st and 3rd grader, and the right side with the 1st grader only. And again, super easy to add in Catholic content. And I love that my son can be at any reading level and I can follow the plan. Since the plan simply says to do a phonics/reading lesson of your choice. With OLVS he was on grade with everything except reading which makes it hard to do! We also love the math activities that go along with the singapore math. They could be used with any math curriculum, but we are really enjoying the singapore.
Then my 3rd grader is doing the right side of Bigger. She is thriving for the first time with Grammar after we started using the suggested, Preparing to Build. I really wish there was a similar Catholic book. She enjoys the CHC ones a lot, but has really learned far more from preparing. She also really loves the Drawn into the Heart of reading program. We use the term Saintly virtues instead of Godly virtues that the author uses. And since it works with any literature, we have used Catholic books here with no problem. Right now we are doing a unit of Moving Beyond the Page (another curric) and then I am planning at this point to do all of Bigger with her for the rest of this year. She loves the Moving Beyond curriculum, but it is just too much work for me to constantly do.
I am always long winded it seems, sorry. If you want specifics on what I have added or changed to make it Catholic, let me know. I really would like to have a group of support to help out! I have read that the Little Hearts level (K) is more Protestant than the others but I can't speak from experience here. Will start that level this fall.
She does write the curriculum to be very neutral, but bible based. For instance you will read a story from a bilble and discuss. But other than a summary of the story she will give no direction on how to interpret the reading. And although, she believes in young earth, she notes her LP's to warn you to change things if your view is different.
Krysta
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stellamaris
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I actually ordered Drawn Into the Heart of Reading for next year. I haven't looked at the other offerings. It is reviewed in Cathy Duffy's 100 Top Curriculum Picks. I'm excited to use it, but I don't think it would be a text CM would use. The program is based on your own selection of books. Each child reads a book in the same genre at their reading level. Each genre is studied for 15 days, so some children might read more than one book. One aspect of this I liked is that you can choose books that relate to another area of study, such as history or science. Also, several children at different levels (maybe 2-3 years apart max) could work together with mom answering the discussion questions/doing the projects for their own books. The teacher's book provides specific instructions for discussing the book, including discussion prompts, various types of graphic organizers (for example, a character web), and worksheets for the children to use to look up vocabulary words (there's lots more, but I am moving and already packed that book, so I'm going on memory, somewhat failing  , here). The last 4 or 5 days of each genre study is devoted to a special "project". She gives some ideas and the rest are in another set of books entitled Book Projects (different levels). For the lower grades, these are more sort of hands-on activities (like making book banners, puppets of characters, etc.) Advantages of the program: use your own books, use books that extend other areas of study, very inexpensive as it is completely reusable, specifically teaches important literary analysis elements (character, settings, plot, climax, resolution, genre, foreshadowing, etc, work with children at different levels together. Disadvantages: it is not a complete language program, only a reading analysis program, so don't expect grammar, spelling, phonics, pretty much mom-intensive (although there are a few days of more independent work in each unit). Why wouldn't CM use it? There is little focus on narration and lots of focus on analysis of the story, plus the approach is more teacher-instructing-student than student-experiencing-literature, which I don't think was her approach for the earlier years. I'm not sure about later elementary/middle school. It actually reminded me of Calvert School's reading lessons.
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In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to  dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
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krystab
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| Posted: May 14 2009 at 1:55pm | IP Logged
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I forgot to mention the CM aspect of Heart of Dakota.
I agree that Drawn into is not very CM, but it is a well put together program with much flexibility. It is teacher intensive, meaning you do have to listen to your child read on some days(at least at level 2/3) and there are discussions and maybe help them start an assignment. The amount of teacher time varies from day to day. There is no teacher prep time involved and I learn a lot about my daughters reading ability working with her on this.
The general curriculum is mostly CM, but she is not a purist. For instance, she does use narration, copywork, poetry, some memorization, and living books (my kids really like the stories). However, the grammar would not be CM. The music is not classical studies, but bible related. I haven't seen any art appreciations. And I haven't noticed any nature study activities. Which doesn't bother me because Nature Studies is the part of CM that I don't like! I am not an outdoorsy person at all. My kids get out back in our wonderful yard and in the woods with Dad, but not weekly, and they don't journal it.
The flexibility and shortness of the program would allow you to add in the nature, art, and composer study if you wanted.
I always was drawn to CM, but failed miserably at doing it until now. Carrie (the author) slowly introduces the narration concept in a way that both I and my children don't get frustrated with and are actually enjoying. Oh the tears of the past over I don't know what to say Mom!
Krysta....again
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: May 15 2009 at 7:18am | IP Logged
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Thank you both for the reviews. I have been wondering about this program.
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Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Does anyone here use Heart of Dakota?
