Rod & Staff English - multiple levels - how do you run this?

[abrightmom]

I'm trying to go back to using Rod & Staff. After taking the Grammar Program World Tour I'm back to my roots and what has been the most effective with my kids. I left Rod & Staff because I wasn't getting to it daily with all of the kids. Doing the Oral Review was critical to their retention and they often needed me to work through the trickier concepts with them. Learning from the textbook independently wasn't a good fit.  We would do all diagramming on the whiteboard, some oral work and a bit of written work in a composition book.

 

How do YOU manage Rod & Staff lessons in your homeschool? How do you run 2 or more levels? 

 

Would you consider combining the 11yo (6th) and 13yo (7th) in English 5? Grammar is a weakness for him and while English 5 may be a bit light he would still be solidifying grammar, learning to outline, refining foundational composition skills, etc. He could put more of his English course efforts toward writing and grammar mastery this year while the 11yo digs deep in the grammar. She loves to write so I anticipate that her writing course will be a treat for her. 

[SilverMoon]

I once had four levels at one time, for just one year. Egads. It worked at the time though. Everyone had to have a time slot with their mom dependent lessons and R&S English was lumped into that. Even the middle schooler (he was/is not an independent learner). Running through the TM and oral drill really doesn't take that long. Then I'd assign the older kids whatever written work I thought they needed to do.

 

Combining those ages in a core subject is dicey in my house. It would take a unique blend of personalities that enjoy working together. It took less time to do my oldest kids one on one than together, even if it was the exact same material. I might have slight ptsd symptoms from trying. :p My current 8th and 9th graders are MUCH more compatible, but they do get competitive streaks. Successfully combining them requires a somewhat even playing field; a subject one is weaker in would flop.

 

In the book level, I'd put them both in 6 or split them in 5 and 6.

[Tess in the Burbs]

my kids were back to back grades and oh man, we wised up quickly that each year is just slightly harder than the previous year and I combined them.  Dd opted to move up, but I could have easily moved Ds down.  In fact, DD skipped 7 and went from level 6 to 8.  It was a jump, but it's possible.  So I would put them together and in whatever grade you felt comfortable with.  And be willing to skip in the following year if they were strong in it

 

[abrightmom]

Thanks Moon. Four levels, eh?! Phew. 

 

English 5 may be a level playing field for the two middlers. He is a slower grammar student but not incapable. She is more of a go getter but not accelerated. She tries harder and reaches to understand. So, in this ONE area I think they could combine well. 

 

[Zoo Keeper]

5 is easier to jump into than 6; 6 kicks it up a notch and has more exercises.

 

( I would put a grammar struggler into 5, and not into 6.  :leaving: )    YMMV, of course. ;)

 

Good luck with combining.  I wish I could with more of mine, but, they are waaaaaay too competitive (which is why my rising 6th grader who really would do well with R&S 5 is instead doing Warriner's 7 at half speed, while his sister does R&S 5). 

Edited August 30, 2017 by Zoo Keeper

[lmrich]

Grammar 5 is solid and such a great text. Combine them.

[SilverMoon]

I don't think 6 is all THAT hard, especially for kids that have been studying grammar elsewhere. It repeats loads of 5 and takes it a bit deeper. 6 was just right for my average 6th graders. If a 6th and 7th were coming in cold turkey then I'd be more inclined to go with 5.

 

Obviously you know them better than I do and 5 may be the sweet spot. ;)

 

One more thought to consider with placement. I'm batting 4:4 for kids being s.o. d.o.n.e. with grammar that serious study in 8th and above didn't really happen. We skimmed it, but getting R&S level of study for long would have taken more fight than I was willing to give. In 9th and above there's really only time to cover grammar on an as needed basis. If they had've told me that in 7th I would have planned differently. LOL

[KeriJ]

Doing 3 levels here this year.😊 Each kid just meets with me individually throughout the morning. We read through the lesson, do the class work orally, assign the diagramming on paper and assign any writing lessons.

[KrissiK]

I'm doing four levels this year - 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 7th. And each has his or her own time slot with me and we just get it done.

[Amy in KS]

I'm doing individual meeting times with multiple kids, too. R&S English and spelling (with spelling city added). I've combined before, but I feel it really goes better with individual books. I usually have them do their independent reading while waiting their turns.

[yvonne]

I would combine the 6th & 7th grader to do R&S 6. 

 

I had a 6th grade student join us when my boys were in 6th and doing R&S 6. He was coming from the public schools, so he had no grammar background/foundation at all while my boys had been doing R&S for 3 years already.  It worked just fine. He was bright & at grade level for reading and writing, his mom was supportive, and I like & am comfortable teaching grammar so I could help him fill in gaps as we went.

Edited September 10, 2017 by yvonne

[abrightmom]

I decided to split them up into their own levels so we are doing 2, 5 and 6 with the high schooler finishing up Analytical Grammar. Rod & Staff is my preference but he wanted to go with 'streamlined' and says he'll do it as independently as possible.  :coolgleamA: