R&S: Climbing to Good English vs. Building Christian English

[SunnyDays]

What is the difference between these two series from R&S?? I've looked at both online, but they seem to be rather similar. Is one better or more thorough? Which do you prefer or use??

 

Thanks. :)

[Ellie]

Climbing to Good English is not published by Rod and Staff Publishers. I believe the publisher is SchoolAid.

 

Building Christian English is published by Rod and Staff Publishers.

 

The Web site you're looking at is not affiliated with Rod and Staff Publishers. R&S doesn't have a Web site; it doesn't have e-mail.

 

The concensus here seems to be that CTGE and BCE are both good, the major difference being that one is a workbook and one is not. :)

[Zoo Keeper]

Climbing to Good English is not published by R&S; they (RodandStaffbooks.com) just sell it. The Climbling series is made to go with the Pathway readers, which are also not published by R&S.

 

The Pathway readers and the Climbling series are put out by Amish folk, R&S is Mennonite.

[MrsMe]

I have both and haven't used CGE yet.

 

My concensus is that CGE is workbook style, R&S isn't.

 

They both appear to be the same in rigor.

 

CGE could use a font update. :tongue_smilie:

 

CGE looks better in terms of making it applicable. There's more science, history, nature lessons. Not just farming. So that has a better expanse of information you are working with.

 

CGE appears to make lessons a bit more applicable by attaching writing to them. And they tend to go less time on one concept before moving on to the next. R&S may have two chapters on Adverbs but they run consecutively. For CGE, you may have a chapter on adjectives and instead of learning every you can about them consecutively like R&S, the info will be halved. So you may move on to adverbs, etc. and make the loop again to the same subjects via chapter, just more information.

[Shelly in VA]

Fwiw, we have used the Rod & Staff Building Christian English series for years (grades 3-10 for my oldest dd who is pulling great scores this year on the language arts section of the PSAT/SAT/etc., grades 3-7 for my oldest ds before switching to Abeka b/c he wanted a workbook-style program, and grades 3-5 so far with my younger dd). I have been very happy with the program. It isn't exciting, but it is straightforward, easy to use, and extremely rigorous and thorough, especially when the students get to the middle school/high school levels. I would highly recommend it, unless you have a pencil-phobic child, like my older son, for whom it was somewhat torturous (although he did learn his grammar!).

 

Hth.

[Hunter]

The only Rod and Staff book I ever owned was the OLD 8th grade version, before the new grades 9 and 10 were added. I purchased it specifically because it was the last book in a series and designed to prepare a middle school student for adulthood, and referenced the adult handbook. I wish I still had the book.

 

I have most of CGE and the last few workbooks in the mail. I have all the teacher's guides so have seen the full scope and sequence. I personally like the series VERY much, but see where others would not like the exact aspects I like. The series has different priorities that R&S I think, but I am no R&S expert. CGE is DEFINATELY different than typical selective 4 year college prep curricula.

 

There is no emphasis on critical thinking and persuasive writing. It's no progym for sure. It focuses on writing letters better than any curriculum I have ever seen and it teaches report writing, but doesn't center on preventing plagiarism and footnotes and a persuasive thesis. Instead it focuses on outlining and using reference books. At least in the lower levels. I've skimmed the TM for the upper grades, but have not yet had access to a large print workbook. It teaches giving directions for traveling and completing a task. Grades 2 and 3 obsess over learning to read the pronunciation charts of a dictionary.

[Shelly in VA]

There is no emphasis on critical thinking and persuasive writing. It's no progym for sure. It focuses on writing letters better than any curriculum I have ever seen and it teaches report writing, but doesn't center on preventing plagiarism and footnotes and a persuasive thesis. Instead it focuses on outlining and using reference books. At least in the lower levels.

 

I'm glad you mentioned persuasive writing. I should have pointed out that in middle school and high school, I supplemented Rod & Staff with other things when it came to persuasive writing. I did not do the same in elementary school, when R&S seemed to stand alone just fine.

[SunnyDays]

Thanks for the thoughts everyone. I did know that wasn't an "official" site for R&S, but I guess I didn't realize it wasn't their product!!

 

Shelly, question for you... how would you compare R&S to Abeka since you've used both?? I *do* think a workbook program might be better for my son and that R&S might overload on the writing when you have to copy to other paper and such. Thanks!!

[Hunter]

I'm glad you mentioned persuasive writing. I should have pointed out that in middle school and high school, I supplemented Rod & Staff with other things when it came to persuasive writing. I did not do the same in elementary school, when R&S seemed to stand alone just fine.

 

I was talking about CGE. Does R&S also deemphasize persuasive writing?

[Hunter]

The Amish and the Mennonite have some very different educational philosophies, to the point that they will sometimes choose secular texts, rather than borrow from each other.

[Shelly in VA]

I have been just as happy with the rigor of the Abeka program as I have with R&S. If I had "found it" first, I would imagine I would have used it all the way through, and I do like their high school books more than R&S for high school. They both seem to cover grammar in equal depth, both include diagramming, and Abeka has a good range of writing exercises. I like their grammar handbook well enough that I bought copies for each of my children. It was definitely the right choice for my son, who strongly disliked R&S, but pushes himself through the Abeka workbook diligently. I think he likes seeing his progress on the workbook, b/c it is NOT his favorite subject, so it helps him to know the end is in sight! Hth.

[SunnyDays]

Thanks, Shelly.... that does help a lot!! I'm thinking Abeka may be the better choice for my son, and I'm glad you mentioned liking the upper level books as well!!

[MrsMe]

Okay, now I have to go check that out. I still can't decide as I bought CGE to persuse and am up in the air with it and don't like R&S.