HappyGrace Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Just wondered what you felt the advantages are of PR over SWR? I'm having trouble justifying the expense of PR since I already have SWR. Is PR a lot easier to teach? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 I am using PR with my younger dc and SWR with my two older. Just started SWR in Dec. I find that PR is a lot easier for me to teach. Mrs. Beers teaches it you via the dvd's. You can hear each word pronounced and SEE how to teach it to your child. I am glad I own SWR because I can sit down with the book and read through it. It helps me to understand PR better;) I have taken some ideas from SWR and used them with PR and I have taken some ideas from PR and used them with SWR:blush: But teaching wise, PR is much easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share Posted March 10, 2010 Thanks-very helpful! Does it tell you explicitly what to do in the daily lessons? And PR doesn't do the finger spelling, does it? And does it have you underlining in red and all that? I just don't want it to be so complicated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Thanks-very helpful! Does it tell you explicitly what to do in the daily lessons? Yes, when you watch the dvd have your Teacher Manual/Binder with you and take notes. I will write down the rule tune number (once you get to a certain point you will know what RT #) and if I'm not sure if I'll remember how to explain something then I write it down. Your binder has all the words marked for you. You don't have to make your own log. And PR doesn't do the finger spelling, does it? No, but I use this with PR. And does it have you underlining in red and all that? The only time you use the red pencil is when you want to emphasize something. The only time we use the red pencil is with the Building Codes. The Building Codes are not taught every day. I just don't want it to be so complicated!Once you get the hang of things it's not so complicated. I don't know what it is about PR but it is much easier for me. HTH :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share Posted March 10, 2010 Thanks for clarifying! I wrestled with SWR, trying to understand it and teach it, for like two yrs til I gave myself permission to drop it. I just don't want to go back to another complicated program, but I do think the spelling method is superior! Can I PM you if I get more questions, please? ;) Oh, I thought of one already: looks like the Building Codes are the same as the reference charts in SWR-almost identical, the ones on the sample DVD anyway! This is the type of thing making me wonder if it's worth buying, or just do SWR? Is it really that different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aude sapere Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 We are on week 27 (of 34) in PR 1 and haven't done finger spelling (what is that, btw?). The only time I've heard Mrs. Beers request a colored pencil to be used is when completing the "building codes." These are the reference pages in the student manual, not the weekly spelling lists. In Level 1, there are 19 Building Codes, and the pages are filled out over the 34 week course. For example, every time the weekly spelling list contains a compound word, my daughter writes it on Building Code 19 - Compound Words. By the end of the course, my daughter will have "written" her own phonics reference book. The DVDs are a fantastic resource - Mrs. Beers details how to teach each word and building code, week by week. The spelling list is a weekly list, broken down into daily chunks. HTH Carrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share Posted March 10, 2010 Thanks, Carrie! So when you say that there is a compound word that shows up on the spelling list and you write it on BC #19, does the written TM have a note to you, telling you to have the child do that? Is it very explicit like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aude sapere Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Mrs. Beers reminds the teacher to fill out the BCs on the DVD. The TM consists of: 1. A brief history of the english language (I think that is available on the website) 2. The DVDs 3. The "Blueprints" section has weekly spelling lists divided into daily work, the Phonics rule tunes written out (no music, but familiar tunes), and an alphabetical index of all words used during the year and a notation of the week (number) it was introduced. 4. The last section is the completed Building Codes. and that's it. Any information about markings, how to teach, how the songs go, what to do - that is all on the DVDs. So if you like written instructions, this might not be a good fit... Having said that, after using the program for several weeks, I was on the look out for compound words (BC 9), "ir as in girl" words (BC 8), Sound Alike Words (BC 15), etc... As I look through the BCs we've done so far, most pages are taught (and filled out completely) over 1 or 2 lessons. Only a handful of BCs are filled in as the student progresses. HTH Carrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Thanks for clarifying! I wrestled with SWR, trying to understand it and teach it, for like two yrs til I gave myself permission to drop it. I just don't want to go back to another complicated program, but I do think the spelling method is superior! Can I PM you if I get more questions, please? ;) Feel free to PM me anytime;) PR isn't so complicated because the dvd's show you what to do. Oh, I thought of one already: looks like the Building Codes are the same as the reference charts in SWR-almost identical, the ones on the sample DVD anyway! This is the type of thing making me wonder if it's worth buying, or just do SWR? You mark things differently. PR has you put a slash across the final silent 'e'. You mark the long vowel with a line on top but pretty much it's the same concept just little things here and there that are different, but PR IMHO is just plain much easier to use. Is it really that different? PR covers more then spelling and phonics. Reading & writing are included. I like that I don't have to build a Log:D with PR, the kids don't have to either. Everything they need is in the binder. It just runs more smoothly with PR. When I teach SWR (and I bought all the dvd's on how to teach SWR) I fumble but I'm still newbie with SWR. There are things I like with SWR too, finger spelling, quizzing, the diagnostic spelling test just to name a few;) I feel like I have the best of both worlds:hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share Posted March 10, 2010 I watched all the stupid SWR dvds too! I just could not teach that program well-I hated all the shifting back and forth between two books, AND the log books, etc. I'm still in the middle of reading the LONG thread about PR, trying to decide! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 I watched all the stupid SWR dvds too! I just could not teach that program well-I hated all the shifting back and forth between two books, AND the log books, etc. I'm still in the middle of reading the LONG thread about PR, trying to decide! :) Another benefit with PR, everything you need is in you binder. Same with the kids. The binders have tabs. No flipping trying to fine where to go next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 It's not a completely fair review because I gave up on SWR before making a huge effort, but I hated every minute of it. It seemed like a complicated way to do a spelling list to me. I hated the finger spelling. I hated the logs. I hated the setup. I didn't like anything. I am loving PR. I'm in week 7 now so I'm still new but every day I'm more and more sure this is right for my daughter. Everything is right there. I see more than just a spelling list. I don't have to keep my own log. I don't have to finger spell. I have tools to vary the lessons if she doesn't seem to be getting it. The tunes are easy to catch on to instead of just learning rules. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share Posted March 10, 2010 I am really glad to hear this. I always loved the idea behind Spalding spelling but just couldn't wrap my head around SWR! I am thisclose to going with PR! (On page 26 of the LONG thread now!) Quick question-are the PR phonograms exactly the same as the SWR ones? Because I'm thinking I can start teaching ds7 the phonograms from my SWR cards while I wait to receive PR! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 I am really glad to hear this. I always loved the idea behind Spalding spelling but just couldn't wrap my head around SWR! I am thisclose to going with PR! (On page 26 of the LONG thread now!) Quick question-are the PR phonograms exactly the same as the SWR ones? Because I'm thinking I can start teaching ds7 the phonograms from my SWR cards while I wait to receive PR! The only difference with regards to the sound is 'ui'. SWR only has one sound /oo/. PR has two sounds, /oo/ and /U/ (long U) Looks PR has the vowel phonograms in red and consonants in blue. I think that's about it. Nothing major. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share Posted March 10, 2010 Thanks, that helps me! One more quick question? Do you find it helpful or cumbersome to sing rather than say the rules in PR compared to SWR? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommyX8 Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 FWIW, Adoremus is backordered on PR1 for 2 weeks. I wish that I had known that. I would have had it in hand by now if I had just spent the extra $5 at RR and not wasted the time of ordering something that wasn't listed as out of stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted March 10, 2010 Author Share Posted March 10, 2010 Thanks! Great to know!!! Not sure where/if I'm going to order yet, but I have the SWR cards here (which are just like PR's) so I'm going to start him on learning them in the meantime anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveBaby Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Thanks, that helps me! One more quick question? Do you find it helpful or cumbersome to sing rather than say the rules in PR compared to SWR? Mrs. Beers sings the rule tunes on the DVD, so it's easy to pick up the tunes. I think it's easier to sing them than say them, although, now that we know some of them really well we are just saying them. My kiddo's were rolling their eyes at me for singing the tunes at first, but now they get how helpful they are and don't mind as much. When I first started homeschooling I was completely drawn to SWR found some of the materials used and spent some time reading through it. I knew I loved the idea of the method, but couldn't for the life of me figure out how in the world it was supposed to work in real life. PR makes it so much easier! I wish I would have known about it from the very beginning, it would have saved me a lot of frustration and I wouldn't be remediating spelling with a 4th grader now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschooling6 Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 (edited) I just wanted to add one more thing about SWR. One of the reasons why I think SWR is so difficult (for some). This is my opinion:o because they give you all the information at once. PR you get the information as you go. SWR you see the whole enchilada as they say:D (love chicken enchiladas). PR gives it to you one piece at a time. You don't have to digest the whole thing at once. Edited March 10, 2010 by Homeschooling6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandtinagilbert Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 I just wanted to add one more thing about SWR. One of the reasons why I think SWR is so difficult (for some). This is my opinion:o because they give you all the information at once. PR you the information as you go. SWR you see the whole enchilada has they say:D (love chicken enchiladas). PR gives it to you one piece at a time. You don't have to digest the whole thing at once. I gave away SWR my 2nd year of home schooling b/c that enchilada was mucho grande....wish I had it now! I may have to buy it just to reap any extra benefits. OP...the finger spelling is nicely displayed in HomeSchooling6's blog...look for her day in the live of PR1 post. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted March 11, 2010 Author Share Posted March 11, 2010 SWR is a TON of info. I'm so happy that the PR will do the weeding through for me and hold my hand more! I *could* pull enrichments, etc., out of SWR, but I know I won't! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Note to self: do not click on threads comparing SWR to PR. ;) Ugh! OK - really - I want to hear how it stacks up when you get a few weeks of PR under your belt.:bigear: (really - I *will* cave and click yet another thread that tempts me to make yet another curriculum purchase) ...the grass is not greener,the grass is not greener,the grass is not greener,....(or is it :lol:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Thanks, that helps me! One more quick question? Do you find it helpful or cumbersome to sing rather than say the rules in PR compared to SWR?Helpful! (We had to use flashcards for the rules with AAS.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGrace Posted March 11, 2010 Author Share Posted March 11, 2010 3blessingmom-don't feel bad-I've recently bought (and LOVE) Math Mammoth, MCT, and now this! But I research very carefully first (as you can see-lol!) to make sure programs fit my needs. (MCT, for example, wouldn't be my usual choice, but I have a dd who is quite ill with Lyme disease and we need cuddle on the couch stuff that still gets the job done-MCT is perfect for us for our needs right now!) Thanks, Carmen, for the song info! I found the Shurley jingles to be cumbersome. These seem better. I will keep y'all posted as to how it's going! I already started ds today learning the phonograms from SWR (which I have, and they are the same) so we can get jump started before PR gets here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.