How to make R&S more appealing to dd

[cam112198]

We have been looking at R&S and CLE LA. My dd8 highly prefers the layout of CLE and moans when she sees the R&S book. *I* would like for R&S to work out. I know it's a solid program and I like that the writing is better than CLE.

 

Is there a way to make R&S more appealing to my daughter? I know I could do a lot of it orally. I think she just doesn't like all the writing.

 

Any suggestions? Could I make my own worksheets to go along with R&S?

[JudoMom]

Rod & Staff has worksheets to go along with their English books, though there isn't a worksheet for every lesson.

 

We use the worksheets if one is available, otherwise I look at the assignment and pick and choose what exercises they should do. Often it's just the evens or odds, and sometimes I'll modify the amount of writing (I'll have them write just the subject, for example). Or if I want them to write the whole sentence, I'll tell them to pick 3 out of 10 to do. It all really depends on how much practice they need.

[Holly]

We do most of it orally...I may pick a section for her to write out. Many days we don't write at all for English. If there are multiple writing assignments, I have her pick one.

 

Some moms pick a few sentences from each section to write out.

[cam112198]

Rod & Staff has worksheets to go along with their English books, though there isn't a worksheet for every lesson.

 

We use the worksheets if one is available, otherwise I look at the assignment and pick and choose what exercises they should do. Often it's just the evens or odds, and sometimes I'll modify the amount of writing (I'll have them write just the subject, for example). Or if I want them to write the whole sentence, I'll tell them to pick 3 out of 10 to do. It all really depends on how much practice they need.

 

 

Thanks, Judomom!! So, if there's a worksheet I could do that to replace what's in the textbook? I like your idea of picking 3 out of 10, if they're getting the hang of it or only need that much practice.

[Nestof3]

We do nearly all of R&S orally. The boys only write the diagramming and lessons where they have to show they can spell and apply a rule correctly (possessive, contractions, etc.)

 

I don't need them to write the answer for the others.

 

I look ahead and type up the diagramming exercises so that the boys do three each day. I find this better than skipping a couple of days and then asking them to do ten of them. I also make up my own sentences for this that apply to their lives but that model the sentences in the lesson.

 

I might say, "Nathan read a book and Ben played Nintendo." Another example is, "Maggie is sweet." (Maggie's our cat).

 

The boys like it when I make up personal sentences.

 

Oh, I also shorten the lessons. If they are getting many of the correct, I move on to the next task.

 

We have been looking at R&S and CLE LA. My dd8 highly prefers the layout of CLE and moans when she sees the R&S book. *I* would like for R&S to work out. I know it's a solid program and I like that the writing is better than CLE.

 

Is there a way to make R&S more appealing to my daughter? I know I could do a lot of it orally. I think she just doesn't like all the writing.

 

Any suggestions? Could I make my own worksheets to go along with R&S?

[SilverMoon]

One more I haven't seen mentioned, my kids put all diagrams on a whiteboard. We have several small personal size whiteboards, and one larger one on the wall. They can use either.

[Katie.Louise]

I do the same as the other posters. We do most of it orally.

 

We diagram on a mini whiteboard, which they seem to love.

 

I don't do their writing assignments, but we do read over those lessons.

 

Most of the time, if they get all of the oral drill correct, then we are done with that lesson.

 

We are currently working through 3 levels of it (2nd, 5th, 6th).

 

Katie

[missmoe]

We write right in the book!:001_smile:

 

I buy a student book for each student and that elimanates a lot of the writing. Instead of writing all the subjects and verbs, my kids write above the subject S, ect.

 

That leaves the diagramming to write out and every once in a blue moon their own orginial sentences.

 

Also, like pps I don't have my kids do all of the assignments. We pick and choose after completing the oral exercises together.

[TJinLOCA]

The only writing I ever required from my kids was what was on the worksheets & tests. We would do the oral exercises from the book, and as long as they "got" them, I'd give them a worksheet. If they needed more practice, we'd do some of the written exercises from the book, but we'd do them orally.

 

I think having them do all the written assignments in the book is definitely overkill. The nice thing about the worksheets and test booklets, also, is that they're very inexpensive!

[cam112198]

Thank you guys SO much for all of your wonderful responses!! You've given me some good ideas!

[SnMomof7]

One more I haven't seen mentioned, my kids put all diagrams on a whiteboard. We have several small personal size whiteboards, and one larger one on the wall. They can use either.

:iagree:

 

For some reason little white boards make EVERYTHING more fun!!! My daughter really hated doing our English on paper. But on the white board - she begs to do the written work! We do a lot orally as well :).

[cam112198]

:iagree:

 

For some reason little white boards make EVERYTHING more fun!!! My daughter really hated doing our English on paper. But on the white board - she begs to do the written work! We do a lot orally as well :).

 

Thank you! We will have to try that!

[HeidiKC]

We do almost all of it orally, too. Except diagramming or something where he almost HAS to write, like an outline or the occasional writing exercise. I do have him do all the worksheets (in the worksheet book), but those aren't for every lesson and take all of 10 minutes.

 

I agree that the books looks VERY boring, but it really isn't and I think my ds enjoys doing it orally. He can lie on the couch while we do it!

 

As a pp mentioned, we also sometimes do the diagramming on the whiteboard, which he thinks is barrels of fun. Or almost.