Don't your kids balk at all the copying/writing in R+S English?

[HappyGrace]

I wanted to go with GWG for dd because of the workbook format, but I'm leaning toward R+S due to its proven rigor (and SWB's recommendation.) I also love the Godly content.

 

I just CANNOT imagine my dc doing all the recopying of sentences onto paper in order to do the exercises! Our schedule is already too full to do this, and it just seems like needless busywork. How do you handle this?

 

I have heard of people doing it orally; does that offer the same effects?

 

Also, is there any spiral review of previously covered topics like there is in GWG?

[Kim in Appalachia]

When the lessons are really long, with a lot of copying, I cut them down. I have the kids do half. If they do a good job, then that's it. If it's something they're struggling with, then they have to do more, but I usually have them do it with me, and on our whiteboard.

 

HTH

[Ali in OR]

We do a lot of it orally. I'll have dd write out maybe the odd numbered exercises of a section or two on her white board (writing is more tolerable on a white board). It's not typically writing out a full sentence; seems we usually figure out a way for her to write just an answer. R&S took us about 10-15 minutes last year in 3rd grade. Haven't started it yet this year.

[Rhonda in TX]

Don't forget that R&S is written for a classroom environment, so don't feel the need to do all those problems. I probably assign about half. If there is a worksheet to go with the lesson, we will do that rather than the lesson in the book.

 

R&S has excellent review. It's one of the strengths of their program.

[SilverMoon]

We do 80% or so of it orally. Ds reads the beginning of the lesson on his own, then tells me when he's ready. I start him on the oral drill, and if he aces it right off the bat we skip the written section. Then I'll scan the review section to see if I think he needs it. If he seems like he could use more practice we'll do the written section, orally most of the time. If it involves stuff like spelling of possessive plurals or diagrams then I'll have him write it out or do the workpage (if there is one). The workpage is usually a last resort for us.

 

For most of the lessons I bet ds is done in ten minutes, on average. He does have a strong grammar base and is "a natural" at it. The writing lessons can take a bit longer, I do have him do the written assignments for those.

[Jen the RD]

Like other posters, my dc do not do all the writing. My 6th grade dd is only using the worksheets. We do the written assignments in the book orally. I do have her write out the answers to at least the odd problems in the chapter reviews. My 2nd grade dd is doing everything orally with me. I'll do 3rd and 4th orally with him.

[Brenda in FL]

This is why I purchase the worksheets. I find it gives the dc enough practice. That and/or doing the exercises orally. In the early years of using R&S I'd occassionally copy the book exercise and have dc write on it.

[hmschooling]

We used the worksheets when there was one and frequented the use of the white board. DD only had to write 1-3 sentences from each section on paper (if there was no worksheet). We usually did a couple together from each section orally and/or on the whiteboard. I would NEVER make my children write ALL of it! I don't think I could do that myself!

[Joyful]

We often do odds or evens and when possible I cut down on the writing. I will have them write the correct word choice but maybe not the whole sentance.

 

The major writing is the diagrams. Beyond that it's not too bad.

:iagree:

Yup. That's what we do too. Sometimes, when it's something that I feel DS has a good understanding of, I just ask him to do 3 or 4. I only do more if I find that he is having trouble with a particular topic.

[blessed2fosteradopt]

We do just about all of it orally, we do the worksheets and any diagramming on paddle style whiteboards. It goes quickly that way and my son retains it....one of the very few subjects he does. :confused:

[LunaLee]

Since I have a copier at home, a lot of times, I'll just copy the pages and let hime write the correct answer on those.

[HappyGrace]

Whew-I'm feeling much better now! I can see that it may be doable after all. I'm so grateful for the tips on how people are managing it, and the amt of time spent on it seems very reasonable. Any more comments about if it has spiral review?

[kls126s]

We're doing 2nd grade R&S grammar this year. We did GWG last year but switched to R&S this year. My daughter did balk at the writing so I've starting doing most of it orally and writing down her answers for her so we have something to put in the notebook. I figure the purpose is learning grammar, not copywork, so I write it like a dictation.

[yvonne]

We've done 3 and have started 4. There is a good amount of review in each lesson. It's in the Oral Review section in the Teacher's Manuals. Takes 3 minutes & it does seem sufficient.

[swellmomma]

My son loves his R&S English so no he doesn't. We do all questions but sometimes like today for example I change how he is to write his answer. TOday he was focusing on capitalizing words so rather than rewriting the whole sentence correctly I just had him write the words that needs to be fixed. DD on the other hand HATES grammar and balks as soon as she sees the book, however she eventually gets through the lesson to my satisfaction. Like ds she does all the questions.

[Sandy in Indy]

I do a lot orally or assign only parts and...I bought a used book this year (extra one) for ds to mark in. Did the same thing for math as well. There's just too much writing (but I love R&S).

[TCoppock]

I guess I'm the odd one here. We do all the written work and the worksheets. (not on the same day) When we initially switched from Shurley to R&S DS was upset about the writing, but now he actually enjoys R&S and rarely complains. The reviews are probably the longest assignments in the chapter and I will allow 2 days if needed. On average R&S takes about 45min-1hour per day, including review and instructions. I do not feel it is too much, but there is an adjustment period.

[FeFe]

I usually do the same as everyone else which is not assign the entire lesson. My daughter still complains though. I do make her do the assignment as the book instructs though. I feel that teaching her to follow instructions is important because I may not always be her teacher. Now if I could just get her to stop complaining!

[Ellie]

When I used R&S in my little school, I had to make sure the dc read the instructions carefully for each assignment, because they were not always required to write the complete sentence. Sometimes they just had to write the subject and verb, sometimes just the words which needed to be capitalized, sometimes only the punctuation, and so on.

 

And I had no pity on them or for them. It's copywork, after all, isn't it? Good for their penmanship skills, good practice in paying attention, good learning experience in spacing words on paper, and more.

[2_girls_mommy]

We are doing R&S English 2 here, and have no problems doing the written work. The only time dd has asked not to do it, was when it was a review assignment. Instead of the normal 2 sections of work, it had 4 sections. So we did the last one orally. I haven't looked at the higher grades yet, but I am hoping that it moves up gradually, so it is not a huge increase from grade 2.

[tmulcahy]

We are doing R&S English 2 here, and have no problems doing the written work. The only time dd has asked not to do it, was when it was a review assignment. Instead of the normal 2 sections of work, it had 4 sections. So we did the last one orally. I haven't looked at the higher grades yet, but I am hoping that it moves up gradually, so it is not a huge increase from grade 2.

 

There is a lot more copy work in the higher grade levels. I do believe that it is a gradual progression. I am on two right now with my dds and five with my ds. He has tons more work to do in every subject. He understands the grammar pretty well so we usually just do odds or evens and some oral review.

 

T

[angela in ohio]

When I used R&S in my little school, I had to make sure the dc read the instructions carefully for each assignment, because they were not always required to write the complete sentence. Sometimes they just had to write the subject and verb, sometimes just the words which needed to be capitalized, sometimes only the punctuation, and so on.

 

And I had no pity on them or for them. It's copywork, after all, isn't it? Good for their penmanship skills, good practice in paying attention, good learning experience in spacing words on paper, and more.

 

I agree. I find it very rare that they have a lesson which requires copying a lot of sentences, expecially in the lower levels.

[LizzyBee]

We mostly did it orally or used the worksheets.

[Nestof3]

We do most of it orally.

[sbaloue]

We also do most of it orally and use the worksheets.