Thanks so much. I was going back and forth. Odds and evens and doing the tests are good ideas.

My 7th grade dd is finishing the 5th grade Rod and Staff math. It takes her a while to understand math, and she has worked hard and is looking forward to moving up to the next book. We have been moving at a slow pace, but I make sure she understands before we move on to the next chapters. Well, I have the 6th grade books ready to go, but as I was pre-viewing the 6th grade, most of the content was very similar to the 5th grade. New topics include generally, place value into the trillions (chapter 1), more work with percents (chapter 9), expense record and calculating interest (chapter 10), geometry-incl. circumference of circle, volume, area of triangle. I realize the R&S builds in tons of practice and review into their curriculum (one of the things that I like about it). In the past, I have reviewed the early chapters quickly, have her do the review chapter, then take the test, and move on to the newer topics and later chapters. However, the 6th grade book looks so similar, I'm wondering if I can skip it (or most of it) and move on to the 7th grade book. On another note, my dd may be a little more encouraged to be only a year or so behind rather that 1 and a half years behind. Just thinking out loud. Any advice would be appreciated.

My 7th grade dd is finishing the 5th grade Rod and Staff math. It takes her a while to understand math, and she has worked hard and is looking forward to moving up to the next book. We have been moving at a slow pace, but I make sure she understands before we move on to the next chapters. Well, I have the 6th grade books ready to go, but as I was pre-viewing the 6th grade, most of the content was very similar to the 5th grade. New topics include generally, place value into the trillions (chapter 1), more work with percents (chapter 9), expense record and calculating interest (chapter 10), geometry-incl. circumference of circle, volume, area of triangle. I realize the R&S builds in tons of practice and review into their curriculum (one of the things that I like about it). In the past, I have reviewed the early chapters quickly, have her do the review chapter, then take the test, and move on to the newer topics and later chapters. However, the 6th grade book looks so similar, I'm wondering if I can skip it (or most of it) and move on to the 7th grade book. On another note, my dd may be a little more encouraged to be only a year or so behind rather that 1 and a half years behind. Just thinking out loud. Any advice would be appreciated.

I have used Rod and Staff math for 1st and 2nd grade and my daughter has really learned her addition facts. She really needed the simplicity and mastery approach of R&S. I am looking forward to using 3rd grade and working on multiplication I have a copy of the text books (teacher's manual and student text) and was reading to prepare for next year. My question is: I don't understand how to make math the multiplication chart with the sea animals and how exactly it is supposed to be used. Do you write the facts on the animals? Does anyone have a picture or a description of how this is used? We had great success with the ducks/pond for 1st grade and the boats and flowers for 2nd grade, but I have no idea what to do with the different sea animals. I get that they represent each table, but what do you do with them? Thanks for any advice you can give:001_smile: Thanks!

What do you think was the major difference. I understand that R&S 9 &10 supposedly focuses more on composition, but if she is getting that through IEW or something else, does she really need more. I'm going to a homeschooling convention this weekend and I'll get a chance to look at it. Just wondering. Do you recommend any grammar review for 9th grade?

My 8th grade daughter is finishing R&S 7th grade english. SHe is a very good writer and generally very good in grammar. I had her do 7th grade english again this year more because of some family disruptions last year. My question is: should I put her in 8th grade En. or skip to 9th grd Eng for next year? Is there a big difference between the two? Is there enough review in the 9th grade of the 8th grade presented material. She has always scored in the high 90's percentile in standardized testing and she will be doing alot of writing in other subjects next year. Just wondering should I just proceed to book 8 and do 9th and 10th in 10th and 11th grade?

Thank you all so much. I was starting to worry. Do I need to do anything special that is helpful or necessary to assisting my son in making the transition? Any handwriting programs that deal with this issue in particular?

My 5 year old son ( turned 5 in December), if given a piece a paper without any instruction, in writing his name or (his attempts at writing letters together to make words) will begin on the right side of the paper and write the letters from right to left, also reversing the letters (e.g., caasI) also reversing the "c" "a's" and the "s." We've be going through Teach YOu Child to Read in 100 EZ lessons and most of the time he sounds out the words from left to right but sometimes he omits the leftmost sound and needs to be reminded to include that sound. But mainly I think this is a writing issue. When I point to or remind him to start on the left side I writes correctly and does not reverse his letters (usually). Is this dyslexia or more of a left handed issue? He is my 4th child and my only lefty. Thanks!

Maybe I'm just making much ado about nothing. I'm OK with Saxon in general and especially for algebra. I'm just concerned about geometry, i.e., will dd have enough geometry to do well on standardized testing if we follow the sequence we are on in Saxon. The WTM book (I have an older edition...the 2nd I think.) recommends using some other curriculum for geometry (like MUS other summer) and squeezing it in somewhere. Just wondering :001_smile:

My daughter is in 8th grade and using Saxon's Algebra 1/2. I was going to start Algebra I in 9th grade. I was reading WTM and now I'm worried that if we continue with Saxon's schedule, my daughter will not have complete geometry instruction in time to begin SAT/ACT testing in 10th or 11th grade. I believe the book suggested doing MUS geometry over the summer before 10th grade (or something like that). I was later told that Algebra 8/7 is very similar to Algebra 1/2 so, I could have had my daughter go on to Algebra I for 8th grade, but that's water under the bridge now and personally, I think an extra year of reinforcement would be helpful for my daughter. QUestion: How should I handle geometry? Had it in during the school year; do it over the summer? What curriculum is good for geometry? I was good in geometry in high school 29 years ago, but not so great in algebra, so I'm gun-shy about cutting her algebra instruction. Please help!!

Maybe I am just worrying. I used Horizons with a little MUS for math for my two older children. They did find. My younger daughter started having difficulty moving at the faster pace of Horizons K about 2/3 the way through the 2nd book, so we dropped it and just did some reinforcing worksheets and light storebook Kindergarten books to complete second grade. She had trouble learning her math facts and doing addition and subtraction without the number line to aid her. THe number line was helpful in her seeing that adding makes the number the same (with 0) of larger and conversely with subtraction the number stays the same or gets smaller. But she was not memorizing her facts. She also had trouble counting different coins. For first grade I turned to Rod & Staff math; she's learning her facts and really understood how to count different coins. I like Rod & Staff very much, and it seems to give the practice and drill she needs. The diverse exposure/spiral approach of Horizon (also a great curriculum) didn't seem to be allow her to retain. I like the slower but thorough pace, but sometimes I worry if she should be doing the things that my older children were doing and being exposed to the concepts to which they were exposed in 2nd grade with Horizons. Especially considering that this year she will have to do her first standardized testing. Am I worrying for nothing?

Thanks everyone! Those are great links. I will be using them!:001_smile:

I have these two books and would love to use them but haven't found a way that worked for us. Has anyone used them in a notebooking sort of way or some other way. Or in others words, has anyone taught Latin/Greek roots and derivative words in a 'none workbook' way. I like Vocabulary from Classical Roots, but money is really tight this year, and I would like to use what I already have. My kids have played Rummy Roots and that has helped them learn roots, but I would like them to have something a little more structured and a way to document that they have learned Latin and Greek roots and common derivations----even as simple as a matching quiz or something. We got alot of composition notebooks when they were on sale for .10 at Staples, so that's why I was thinking about a notebook, Charlotte Mason sort of thing! :bigear:

I used 100EZ Lessons with my three children and it got my oldest two reading independently well before the 100th lesson and well prior to kindergarten. I love it and I usually recommend folks to try that first before paying big bucks for some bells and whistles program. I followed up with Alphaphonics (didn't go through the whole book) in a laid back way and used Explore the Code and Spelling Workout to reinforce phonics rules. With my third, while she was able to sound out words and read Bob Books and such, she needed a little more structure, practice, review, and rules to become more of an automatic reader. We did Rod and Staff phonics for first grade and that really made her an avid reader. She was so proud that she could read and know what 'hoarfrost' is when she read it in our KJV Bible :001_smile:! While she did quite well with R&S, I think it would have been alot more difficult had she not had the exposure to 100EZ Lessons. 100 EZ lessons, as one ad states, "gets them reading then gets out of the way." It does not however, go into detail about phonics rules like syllable stress, silent "e" nor are all the phonograms taught (e.g., ph, kn,gh, bt, mb, etc). My two older kids picked those up those pretty easily, whereas my third child did not. I would go with 100 EZ and maybe reinforce any trouble spots with Abeka and use their early readers for practice.

These are very helpful ideas and thoughts. I guess I need to find out what incentives (positive reinforcement) would be most meaningful to my kids, i.e., what's doable or affordable (we live on a very tight schedule and very lean budget ;-) and conversely what negative consequences need to be established. I'm kind of feeling the need to have more structure (at least at first). Good idea everyone doing chores together. I really would like my older kids to learn to take initiative,take responsibility and be thorough in and for their chores though w/o having to be reminded. thowell - What are some of those rules that you post as well as some consequences?

(PLEASE FORGIVE ME. THIS IS LONG AND RAMBLING) I have homeschooled for 8 years; my oldest dd will be starting 8th grade, oldest ds 6th, younger dd 2nd, and I have a ds who is 4 and a half. Each year has been different, of course and we have some family situations that are unique (e.g., my dh is a band director and the fall season is busy for our whole family). Additionally, I have worked one day a week (because I have to) as a speech therapist and have paperwork that is associated with that job as well as homeschool paperwork. Therefore, I am always busy. Also, my hubby takes the kids to work in his office on the days I work; and although they have their assignments, they don't work as well (particularly my 2nd dd) as they may work at home. So far, the kids have been doing well academically (as measured by standardized testing). They do chores around the home, take music lessons, and participate in variety of church activities. My basic concern is this: discipline and completion of homeschool work. It seems that over the years, my two oldest in particular have been less likely or less motivated to get their independent work done in timely way. They have a work chart that shows what needs to be done that week and they are to color the blocks as they complete something. How to I motivate them to work diligently and excellently? I have even used the Bible verse "If a man does not work, he should not eat." This is particularly more noticeable in the last two years since I have started homeschooling my younger dd who takes more of my direct time. Time management, scheduling, and discipline is probably an issue in general in our home/homeschooling lifestyle. I guess I'm just worried that my kids, though they are learning academics, may not be learning character. My other concern is this. One year, my older dd and ds were in a 1 day a week homeschooling co-op, and they were more pressed to get work done in order to turn it in to the co-op teachers. This year they will be taking 2 classes with a homeschool co-op on Thursday mornings. My fear is that they will be more pressed to do their "outside the home work" than their work from mom. Is it a parenting issue? How can I get my kids to be just as pressed to get their schoolwork from mom done in a timely way as they are for someone else? This is probably a symptom of a larger issue. Hypocrisy: Acting one way outside (in order to impress others) and another way at home. Hubby and I have been talking to the kids in general regarding this. Memorizing Bible verses and being angels in Sunday school and being disrespectful or thoughtless at home. HELP ME PLEASE.

We're just finishing up R&S Math 2 and we loved it. Yes, it is a lot of drill, but it works! My son just took his standardized test and received a perfect score on both math computation and math concepts. I will add that we did everything as written in the TM - all the activities, the boat poster, the bee and clover posters, etc. It was definitely worth the time to do everything, as it all fits so nicely together and made a well-rounded program. My ds loves that he can quickly and easily answer any addition or subtraction fact, plus he really enjoyed the whole bee and clover theme of the 2nd grade book. I know some criticize R&S for being too drill oriented, but my dh equates it to learning the scales when playing music ...it's not the most exciting thing, but it's necessary and it gives a great foundation. I'm excited about the foundation that has been laid and plan on using R&S all the way. After the first 3 grades, the program really picks up and I'm looking forward to all that ds will learn down the road. (FWIW, I'm a former middle/high school math teacher and can vouch for the effectiveness of R&S's approach. I can't tell you the number of students who struggled because they did not have quick recall of the facts.) We also are partway through unit 1 of the 2nd grade reading and phonics. I have found grade 2 to be much less teacher intensive than grade 1. The grade 2 reading does, however, have a lot of writing for the student - 4 pages vs. the 2 pages in grade 1. We've been doing 1/2 a lesson a day - the "Before You Read" section one day and reading the reader and "After You Read" section the next day. So far, that has worked well. I'm going to monitor as the year progresses as to whether we'll continue as is, or move to doing the whole lesson in one day. As far as time frames, this is how it plays out for us: Grade 2 math - 45 minutes for both the lesson and ds doing the assignment. (Note: at the beginning of grade 2, it took ds about 30 minutes to do a worksheet; at the end, it only took him 10-15 minutes.) Grade 2 phonics - 15 minutes for both the lesson and the workbook (I expect this to lengthen to 20-30 minutes, once we get past the review.) Grade 2 reading - 20 minutes for the lesson and reading the reader; 45-60 minutes for completing the workbook (Note: As mentioned above, we currently are spreading this over two days, until ds is able to complete the workbook in less time.) Grade 2 spelling - I expect it to take about 15 mintues a day for everything. Disclaimer: The above times don't include dawdling time! :tongue_smilie: Thank you so much! You really confirmed my thoughts. I love the thoroughness of the teacher's manuals. We did all the activities in the 1st grd math and most in the reading/phonics. I also love that we're doing Bible and reading together. Did you find it necessary to use the the math worksheets or was the workbooks enough? Thanks for the time estimates. Do you do everything straight through or have breaks. Do you do it all before lunch? I would like to do that before lunch and history, science, art etc. after lunch? What else (if anything) to you do for your 2nd grader?

I'm a Rod and Staff fan and I recently picked up some used materials at the SEARCH conference in PA. My daughter did really well with R&S 1st grade math last year, and we are doing the 2nd grade math this fall. Does anyone have any experience with this and any tips. I like the idea of having the kids memorize their facts as "triplets." Did anyone make the boat and clover posters/charts?Do your kids retain the math facts? Re: Reading I liked the 1st grade reading/phonics but is did take alot of time on the part of the parent. Is the 2nd grade as time consuming (for the parent). Sometimes the reading/phonics/spelling was painfully long, my dd did learn to read very well. The phonics look like alot of review at least through unit 3. THis year we will begin spelling, which looks like a lot of phonics as well. For those of you who use R&S, how much time does it typically take? Does anyone use 2nd grade R&S curriculum and like it? Why? Is there anything that I need to be mindful or careful of? Thanks so much:001_smile:

Thanks! That's helpful.

Math My daughter just finished the first grade math. It was very effective and now I use the blackline master to help her remember her math facts over the summer. My question is: Did anyone actually make the boat poster and clover patch poster for the 2nd grade curriculum? How does the clover patch poster differ in use from the blossom and bee poster? Do you cut the blossom and bee poster to teach the triplets. I did make the pond and ducks for first grade. Simple but effective. I have been very pleased with Rod and Staff. I am also doing 2nd grade Bible/reading and phonics. 1st grade worked well for us.:001_smile: My daughter seems to need the structured, rule-based approach, and she's really getting good Bible knowledge and application. We will be starting spelling. I think that my daughter will like it better than the 1st grade spelling activities in the 1st grade phonics. Question: Has anyone used R&S's science, social studies, and art packs for 2nd grade. It seems light and story-like. I'm considering using that with other readers and history materials. I've seen the sample pages, but I haven't actually looked at one firsthand. Any advice would be most appreciated.:bigear:

Math My daughter just finished the first grade math. It was very effective and now I use the blackline master to help her remember her math facts over the summer. My question is: Did anyone actually make the boat poster and clover patch poster for the 2nd grade curriculum? How does the clover patch poster differ in use from the blossom and bee poster? Do you cut the blossom and bee poster to teach the triplets. I did make the pond and ducks for first grade. Simple but effective. I have been very pleased with Rod and Staff. I am also doing 2nd grade Bible/reading and phonics. 1st grade worked well for us. We will be starting spelling. I think that my daughter will like it better than the 1st grade spelling activities in the 1st grade phonics. Question: Has anyone used R&S's science, social studies, and art packs for 2nd grade. It seems light and story-like. I'm considering using that with other readers and history materials. I've seen the sample pages, but I haven't actually looked at one firsthand. Any advice would be most appreciated.

Thank you so much for the great ideas:001_smile:! I did do the spelling with the letter blocks in the first unit. She liked that and did a good job. I tend to play catch up with the spelling, but I need to get better at doing the words with the lesson. She also loves the worksheets. She does that independently while I'm getting dinner ready. I've really enjoyed using R&S at this level. It is very thorough, yet gentle. I love the readers. I am a speech pathologist and I do therapy one day of the day ( My kids are with my husband during that day). I appreciate the extra emphasis on how letters "sound" in different contexts (e.g., "s" sounding like "z" when it follows a voiced consonant). That is not always taught in phonics programs. And that really makes a difference when learning to spell plurals. Thanks for the encouragement re: how much time it takes. My daughter works hard but she sees how her reading and math facts are improving. She applies and generalizes the reading rules and sight words to other contexts, and that really gives her a sense of accomplishment. I've been homeschooling since my 7th grader started K, but this is the first time I've used R&S for reading and math. It's a great curriculum.

:) Thanks so much. I will try to include 15 min of spelling. I had not thought about doing it orally. That's a good idea. Thanks too for the advance notice that unit four does sentence dictation. We are almost finished unit three. When do you insert the spelling....during phonics time or some other time? Do you just do the spelling for that lesson, or from previous lessons. When I've done it, I've done two or three words from a few different lessons. How many words do you do? I love R&S but I found it to take more time than I thought. I have two older children that do alot independently as well as a four year old son that I just start on the R&S preschool books. I find that I spend most of my time with my first grader daughter. Thanks so much for you advice.

I am using R&S for phonics, reading, and math for my first grader. She's doing well and we really like it. My problem is I don't seem to get to the spelling practice....not for every lesson. We kind of do it for review every so often. How important is the spelling in helping my daughter to read and remember the sounds? Is she going to be delayed in spelling when we get to 2nd grade spelling. How is the 2nd grade spelling. Does it review enough to make up if I don't do too much spelling in 1st grade? Just wondering. I really like Rod and Staff. I've used their grammar for years but this is my first year with reading, phonics and math.

Thanks ladies. That's a good idea to use the folded paper just for the drills. I understand it since there may be several problems laid out horizontally for one number item. My son may like doing that just to break up the monotony....but his regular work will have to be neat.:001_smile: