Anyone use Bob Jones Grammar and Writing??

[michaeljenn]

While at Mardel, my children started looking at the BJU workbooks and fell in love with them. They looked nice and colorful through grade 6, and looked pretty good in the upper grades as well. We will be adding a few activities and will be in the car/waiting quite a bit this year, so being able to grab the workbook just "seems" easier.

 

We have been using Rod and Staff, which has been ok, but they and I would honestly perfer a workbook format. Rod and Staff also just seems so advanced, and I feel like my kids are not ready for it mentally. Yes, they have done great with the program and produce the correct answers, but sometimes I wonder if the are really getting it.

 

BJU does move much slower. For example, there are concepts that are covered in the 7th grade Rod and Staff text that is not covered in BJU until 9th or 10th grade. This personally does not bother me, as I am not in a big race... I just want to make sure they understang proper grammar.

 

So.... I would love your opinions, good, bad and ugly about BJU grammar. This will be for grades 4, 6 and 7.

 

THANKS!!!!!!!!

[teachermom_7]

We used the BJU english / grammar 2 and 3 and loved it!! The only thing that wasn't to my liking was the way they skip around so much. The basic material was there and in a very laid out, easy to teach / use fashion.

 

The supplemental CD came in quite handy as well when you reach a point of instruction where the child needs a little more reinforcement before continuing.

 

We've swapped to Shurley Grammar to get more reinforcement on the "grammar" end of it, but all in all the BJU english is well done.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Tammie

[michaeljenn]

Thanks Tammie! Yes, that does help.

[Bee]

We used it for grades 3-5 and dd enjoyed the grammar portions very much.She scored very high when she did her standardized testing.She used something different for 6th grade because she wanted a change and she will do R&S 7th grade this year because she wants something very challenging.But,if it gets too overwhelming,I wouldn't hesitate to go back to Bob Jones.

I didn't like most of the writing portion but that's only because I have decided that I prefer to teach writing following the WTM suggestions.I've recently listened to the cd,Writing Without Fear, and it clarified many things for me that I didn't understand about teaching writing when oldest dd was in the grammar stage.I did find the chapters on writing book reports,research skills,and writing letters helpful and age and ability appropriate.

[Melissa in CA]

I use BJU and like it very much. BJU materials are meant to be taught though...so please don't think of it as a pick up and go workbook. It's more of a teach your child the material from the TE and THEN you can pick it up and go. ;)

 

I also like the writing chapters. They walk your child through a writing project taking them every step of the way.

[michaeljenn]

Melissa,

 

Oh... well, I was going to use it as pick up and go. oops. Does the teacher's manual really have that much more information for the English? Hmmm.... Please explain more.

 

Sigh... it seems as if I may be stuck with Rod and Staff:glare:

[ldee]

If you are looking for something "easier" then you have found it. I have found it to be below grade level on everythinkg except their reading program.

If you are looking for a thorough program that also has the ease of a workbook, I would suggest Christian Light Education. If your children are familiar with R and S then they should do well with CLE. It is in a workbook packet form.

I am using these for reading and LA this year.

I used bits and pieces of BJUP 2nd last year for a daughter who needed remediation and that type of learning. I found it to be drawn out and not too academic. But then I compared it to CLE, Shurley and IEW.

[mom31257]

I used BJU for 5th and didn't have to do that much instruction. I guess that would depend on the child. Dd scored in the top 3% on her language total and college grade equivalent. I bought it through Christian Liberty Press. It's much cheaper through them. They sell 2nd through 6th and have permission to print a basic answer key parent manual. It has a little instruction for you on the writing chapters. We are using it for 6th and will use it probably all the way through HS. I like the emphasis on writing. She did 5th. There were 16 chapters 8 grammar and mechanics and 8 were different writing projects. They do alternate the chapters; however, you could go through and do all the grammar then go back and do the writing if you wanted. I liked the alternating and so did my dd.

 

Amy of GA

Darin's wife for 17 years

11yo dd

5yo ds

[Melissa in CA]

Melissa,

 

Oh... well, I was going to use it as pick up and go. oops. Does the teacher's manual really have that much more information for the English? Hmmm.... Please explain more.

 

Sigh... it seems as if I may be stuck with Rod and Staff:glare:

 

It's just that with BJU there is no real teaching in the workbooks. There are some charts, etc. for helping work through the problems...but not the instruction needed for learning. I hope that makes sense.

People who use BJU's material without teaching them as they are meant to be taught seem to always come away disliking the curriculum, or saying there is not enough review, etc. There is plenty of review...but it's mostly in the TE. Those who use BJU as it is meant to be used..meaning they teach it...are those who usually see good results.

 

If you really need pick-up-and-go then I personally would look for something created to be done independently by the student. One book I have that is fun and independent is Hot Fudge Friday by Randy Larson. It's more for the middle school child though. You can have a look-see inside at Amazon. Perhaps even Abeka would fit the bill?

 

Sorry...wish I could be of more help to you.

[Melissa in CA]

I used bits and pieces of BJUP 2nd last year for a daughter who needed remediation and that type of learning. I found it to be drawn out and not too academic. But then I compared it to CLE, Shurley and IEW.

 

BJU starts slow, gets a got solid foothold in the elementary years, and then ramps up in the higher grades where it is appropriate. Ask my middle son who experienced BJU's English for the very first time in the 10th grade. He almost failed the class!! It was tough, tough, tough....and he was using the 9th grade curriculum.

 

In 8th and 9th grades he used Rod & Staff. Go figure.

[michaeljenn]

BJU starts slow, gets a got solid foothold in the elementary years, and then ramps up in the higher grades where it is appropriate. Ask my middle son who experienced BJU's English for the very first time in the 10th grade. He almost failed the class!! It was tough, tough, tough....and he was using the 9th grade curriculum.

 

In 8th and 9th grades he used Rod & Staff. Go figure.

 

I have heard that BJU does go slow in the beginning and them ramps up too. However, I am shocked that he found BJU English hard after using Rod and Staff!! WOW!!

 

I have considered Abeka too. I really do like Rod and Staff, but the more I think about it, I really would like to stay with one publisher for English all the way through High School. I am one of those moms who wants to drill thier kiddo's in english all the way through.

 

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

[Titus.Two.Five]

Abeka (for us, anyway) is very pick up and go (spiraling, colorful, workbook style)

 

Another option would be Climbing to Good English (more mastery based like R&S - black and white workbook style, but stops at 8th as well)

 

And then CLE as someone already mentioned

[michaeljenn]

Abeka (for us, anyway) is very pick up and go (spiraling, colorful, workbook style)

 

Yes, this is what I am thinking as well. I have a friend whose children uses this pretty independantly.

 

Thanks again!

[Melissa in CA]

I have heard that BJU does go slow in the beginning and them ramps up too. However, I am shocked that he found BJU English hard after using Rod and Staff!! WOW!!

 

Yes, I was shocked too! I honestly don't think it was because BJU is harder than R&S, but that it is different. The HomeSat teacher for the class was tough and went through some of the concepts rather quickly...too quickly for one who was completely unfamiliar with BJU's English style. You REALLY had to know how to analyze a sentence in it's entirety not missing a single rule (rules I had never even heard of!). I couldn't have done it! :lol: My youngest, on the other hand, has been using BJU since 4th grade, so I don't think he is going to have the trouble with the high school levels like his brother did...but I have some stand-bys just in case. ;)

 

Many like A Beka; it's a tried and true program. I don't know anything about CLE. Rod & Staff, of course, is great.

 

I hope you're able to find what you need! :D

[summer]

We loved BJU English and also..you really really do NOT need the teachers guide. If you feel you need an answer key, Christian Liberty Press sells those.

[michaeljenn]

Summer,

 

Do you know if CLP sells the answer keys for BJU in the upper grades(7th and up) too?

 

THanks

[Melissa in CA]

We loved BJU English and also..you really really do NOT need the teachers guide. If you feel you need an answer key, Christian Liberty Press sells those.

 

I have to respectfully disagree, and yet, to some extent agree with this. Yes, I agree, you can most definitely use BJU English without the TE...the question is should you?

 

BJU was not written to be handed to the child, it was written to be taught. You can hand it to your child and just have him/her do the work pages, but they are then only getting half of the program.

 

Because we use HomeSat I see the HUGE difference in having a teacher teach the material, over me just handing it to my son and him learning from the workbook. The HomeSat teachers teach from the TE. What instruction there is in the workbook is just for reference and help...not for actual teaching. In the TE they have an entire teaching section for you that walks you through exactly what to do, and say, for each and every lesson helping your child analyze sentences, writing passages, etc. It is titled: Teach for Understanding. Perhaps the Christian Liberty Press edition has this included as well, I don't know as I have always used the BJU version (you can find used BJU TE's in plentiful quantity). Anyhow, the teaching section would maybe take you 10-15 minutes a day for grammar, and possibly longer for the writing chapters. That doesn't seem like an excessive amount of time to me for a very good English curriculum. :confused:

 

Apparently people do use BJU without the TE and love it...but I honestly think it is better taught as written.

 

My 2 cents of course. ;)

[stacey05]

It is probably a good program, but I do not like BJ's teacher guides with the exception of their elementary reading programs.