If you're a long time R&S grammar user...

[kbpaulie]

If you've used R&S as your main grammar for a few years... for how long (what grade) did you use it until? Were you then done w/ grammar or move to something else? If you moved to something else why did you stop R&S?

 

Thanks!

[FloridaLisa]

We are R & S fans, but it has looked different for each of my 4 oldest so far. Essentially, I wish I had done up through R & S 9/10 with my oldest three, but b/c of switching to R & S (from Shurley) late, they only made it to R & S 8. At the time, I thought R & S 8 was plenty, since it was much more grammar than I had in high school. In hindsight, I think they would have benefitted from at least one more year.

 

My current 9th grader is the only one so far to make it into R&S 9/10. We're starting it this summer, though, so I have no experience yet to share.

 

HTH,

Lisa

[Jane Elliot]

If you've used R&S as your main grammar for a few years... for how long (what grade) did you use it until? Were you then done w/ grammar or move to something else? If you moved to something else why did you stop R&S?

 

Thanks!

 

I'm a very long time user. We use it through 10th (the last book in the series) and then follow with Stewart's English in 11th/12th. I like it. It's not exciting, but I do think it produces students who use proper grammar and mechanics automatically.

Edited May 5, 2012 by Luann in ID
added

[Penny from Tenny]

I've been thinking about this also. I have an upcoming 9th grader who will be finishing up 2 chapters in book 7 and then I was going to stop because it is SO thorough, and he has done well (although Mom is still learning!). But then I pulled out my WTM book, and SWB recommends grammar every year of highschool. Ug. I figured that what he would be getting through MFW writing, literary analsis course I have, and their bit of grammar, etc. would be plenty. MFW has a full credit of English included. He might go on strike if I make him do R&S grammar on top of all this. I'm wondering if she sees deficiencies at the college level and this is the reason for her recommendation? I will be interested in others input as well.

 

:bigear:

[Jane Elliot]

I've been thinking about this also. I have an upcoming 9th grader who will be finishing up 2 chapters in book 7 and then I was going to stop because it is SO thorough, and he has done well (although Mom is still learning!). But then I pulled out my WTM book, and SWB recommends grammar every year of highschool. Ug. I figured that what he would be getting through MFW writing, literary analsis course I have, and their bit of grammar, etc. would be plenty. MFW has a full credit of English included. He might go on strike if I make him do R&S grammar on top of all this. I'm wondering if she sees deficiencies at the college level and this is the reason for her recommendation? I will be interested in others input as well.

 

:bigear:

 

FWIW, the two high school books (9&10) are far less time consuming than books 6-8. In high school, R&S grammar is a very small portion of our day, just enough to fine tune their grammar and keep them sharp.

[ABQmom]

We used it through grade 7 and then stopped. It works--an excellent program and very thorough, but we couldn't take another book. I thought, "Well, they've had plenty of grammar and have a great foundation, so it will be fine to stop here." I let my oldest quit grammar after the 8th grade. Then, I noticed she started forgetting how to punctuate correctly in her papers. So, I bought the Easy Grammar Ultimate Series and plan on having each child go through those books every year until graduation after they've finished Rod and Staff through at least grade 7. Dd's forgetfulness disappeared after having her start the series this year. I think SWB's recommendation is a good one because kids just plain start forgetting stuff.

[Penny from Tenny]

FWIW, the two high school books (9&10) are far less time consuming than books 6-8. In high school, R&S grammar is a very small portion of our day, just enough to fine tune their grammar and keep them sharp.

 

Thank you....this is helpful.

[Mamachick2]

We used it until 4th grade, then we joined Classical Conversations. They use their own, and it's very thorough.

[kbpaulie]

I'm a very long time user. We use it through 10th (the last book in the series) and then follow with Stewart's English in 11th/12th. I like it. It's not exciting, but I do think it produces students who use proper grammar and mechanics automatically.

 

So what made you decide that more grammar was needed after 10? I've heard it's so complete that many stop early.

[Jane Elliot]

So what made you decide that more grammar was needed after 10? I've heard it's so complete that many stop early.

 

I like the way Stewart's teaches them to apply the grammar they've learned in R&S to their writing. It's kind of like Kilgallon but with more explicit instruction. By the time they're done with Stewart's, their writing seems really polished. It just seems to wrap everything up nicely. Plus, my dc seem to need all the grammar instruction they can get. ;)

[Brilliant]

I have one student who did 4th-5th grade. My other student did 5th-6th and started 7th - it seemed just too much, and not necessary for a student with excellent writing and speaking skills.

 

We haven't done formal grammar since. The only regret I have is that I wish I had done the 6th grade book with my second student, just to cement it.

[gmamaof3]

We have been long-time R&S users; love it! thanks to my good friend mjbucks, who introduced the curriculum to me years ago!):001_smile: My kids consistently do well on the English portions of the ITBS, and my 8th grader just scored a 31 on the English portion of the ACT (and a 30 on the Reading). It must be working!

 

Yes, it is tedious, it is repetitive, it can be dry, but not sure there is a "fun" way to learn most grammar concepts; and, yes, my kids are not thrilled to know they'll be doing R&S as long as I am scheduling it (we will continue through 10th grade around here). Yet, all these things that make it not so fun are what I love about it, if that makes sense. To call it thorough is an understatement!

 

I used to make my kids do most every problem, plus the worksheets; I am a perfectionist when it comes to expecting proper grammar, speaking, etc., out of my kids. Now, we do a lot orally, but they ALWAYS do any diagramming. :001_smile:

 

Keep this in mind about R&S.....it has way more than just grammar in it. The writing instruction is superb (my kids also do as many of these as their schedule permits); it has poetry; it has speaking/oral report instruction; it has reference books instruction. It is simply chock full of any and all things English-related.

 

Just my .02.....

[JadeOrchidSong]

We have been long-time R&S users; love it! thanks to my good friend mjbucks, who introduced the curriculum to me years ago!):001_smile: My kids consistently do well on the English portions of the ITBS, and my 8th grader just scored a 31 on the English portion of the ACT (and a 30 on the Reading). It must be working!

 

Yes, it is tedious, it is repetitive, it can be dry, but not sure there is a "fun" way to learn most grammar concepts; and, yes, my kids are not thrilled to know they'll be doing R&S as long as I am scheduling it (we will continue through 10th grade around here). Yet, all these things that make it not so fun are what I love about it, if that makes sense. To call it thorough is an understatement!

 

I used to make my kids do most every problem, plus the worksheets; I am a perfectionist when it comes to expecting proper grammar, speaking, etc., out of my kids. Now, we do a lot orally, but they ALWAYS do any diagramming. :001_smile:

 

Keep this in mind about R&S.....it has way more than just grammar in it. The writing instruction is superb (my kids also do as many of these as their schedule permits); it has poetry; it has speaking/oral report instruction; it has reference books instruction. It is simply chock full of any and all things English-related.

 

Just my .02.....

So do you NOT use another writing program? Do you use R&S English for both grammar and writing?

Thank you! We started with 2 and will make all the way to 10.

[smdgl]

I use Rod & Staff for grammar from grades 3 - 8. Beginning in grade 5, we start skipping all the composition lessons because we use Institute for Excellence in Writing stuff for that. I've been extremely pleased with R&S.

 

For high school, we are using the Review & Reinforcement books from Analytical Grammar. One lesson every other week is enough to keep it all from slipping away.

 

I stopped R&S after 8th grade because I thought the 9th & 10th grade books focused more on composition, and I had other plans for that.

[rwjx2khsmj]

We use R&S from level 2 through at least level 5. My dd15 switched to AG after level 8. Dd13 switched to AG after level 5. I'm not sure when my ds10 will make the change. He starts level 5 this year.

[sandra in va]

We have used through book 7, then we do Analytical Grammar. I've found that we need a change of pace by that time. I like the sentences AG uses and the quick pace it progresses through all the topics. It takes us a little longer to get through R/S 7, so we've ended up doing AG in 9th grade.

[speedmom4]

My daughter did R&S from 4th grade to 10th. She was very independent with it from middle school on. We did not do any more grammar after that. BTW, she had an almost perfect score on the Reading section of the SAT. I really credit all those years of R&S to her understanding of language!

 

God Bless,

Elise in NC

[sandra in va]

My daughter did R&S from 4th grade to 10th. She was very independent with it from middle school on.

 

Hi Elise -

 

Question for you - would you tell us a little more about how she was independent with R&S? One of the things I like about it is the oral review at the beginning of each lesson and that we do discuss the lesson together - I can really know what the student knows. I find that the main reason I start slowing down with R&S is that it is teacher dependent. I would love to find ways to make it more independent.

 

Thanks!

[Colleen in NS]

Long time R&S user here. I plan for my kids to go through the 9/10 books - ds just started them a couple of weeks ago. But we don't do the composition lessons. I'm thinking he will be able to finish both by the end of grade 9 (by June 2013). So far I don't plan to have them do more formal grammar books after that, but we'll see. I am hoping to continue to incorporate grammar reinforcement via writing and using the R&S Handbook.

Edited May 9, 2012 by Colleen in NS

[Jane Elliot]

My older kids work rather independently in R&S also. Because of changes in our personal lives this year, I had to figure out a way to make my four older boys more independent. We dropped the oral review completely. They now read the lesson on their own, coming to me with questions if they have them. They either do a worksheet or do the written exercises on their own, then check their answers in the TM. I do the chapter reviews with them, going over the concepts that they were weak in. Then they take the chapter tests, and I grade them. It seems to be working so far, and we've been doing it this way all school year.

 

This is exactly how I've done it for years. While they're in book 5, I start getting them used to the idea of working independently, and by book 6 they're doing it as Kinsa describes here.

[tuzor]

:bigear::bigear:

[sandra in va]

Thanks Luann and Kinsa - that's quite different than how I've been doing it. Maybe I need to make some changes! It would ease my load greatly! :001_smile: