Help me with Grammar/Comp options for next year

[Mommy to monkeys]

I'm thinking through next year and where I want to go long term for writing/english/composition.

 

So what do you think:

Rod and Staff English only

Climbing to Good English with IEW

or

the token "other"

 

I like Rod and Staff but think it would be too much for me with IEW. . .but I don't want to completely drop Grammar. . .and I do like CTGE? So what should I choose and WHY?:bigear:

 

It would be for a 3rd grader and a 5th grader.

[Mrs Twain]

I do Rod and Staff English for grammar and IEW for writing. I cut out almost all of the writing assignments in R&S. In that way, the two programs are a great combination.

[Mommy to monkeys]

Hmm. . .I've thought of this, but I know Rod and Staff Grammar is pretty involved so I wonder how well we would do day to day getting that done in addition to IEW. KWIM?

[Mrs Twain]

I am currently doing R&S English with a 4th grader and a 2nd grader. We spend 15-20 minutes per day on it. We do the oral review from the TM, then we read through the lesson in the student book together, and then I assign a little bit of the writing. I assign enough of the written exercises to make sure my kids understand the concepts, but not too much so that we can get the whole grammar shebang done in 15-20 minutes.

 

For IEW, we spend about 30 minutes per day, 3-4 days per week, except when we watch one of the DVD lessons which sometimes last 45-60 minutes.

[Mommy to monkeys]

So with two kids. . .that would be about 20 minutes each for grammar and then 45 minutes for the writing. That's well over an hour for essentially one subject. I just know I wouldn't be able to stay consistent with that long term. I can do an hour for English, but not sitting down hand holding every second. KWIM? That's kind of why I figured either one or the other. {{sigh}}

[ChicoryChick]

Climbing to Good English while more independent, I think takes up just as much time as R&S. Also, like R&S there is a lot of writing mixed in as well so I think it would take up as much time to do CTGE with IEW as it would R&S. All 3 are good programs. What if you alternated Grammar and Writing every other day, or Grammar 3 days a week and Writing 2. Just my .02

[SilverMoon]

So with two kids. . .that would be about 20 minutes each for grammar and then 45 minutes for the writing. That's well over an hour for essentially one subject. I just know I wouldn't be able to stay consistent with that long term. I can do an hour for English, but not sitting down hand holding every second. KWIM? That's kind of why I figured either one or the other. {{sigh}}

 

Well, teaching writing does take time. My upper logic stage kids still spend just as much time with me discussing and instructing their writing as they did when they were struggling to get coherent sentences out of their brain and onto paper.

 

That said, SWB says the writing in R&S is enough if you're practicing the writing skills they learned in the writing they'd do in science, history, and such anyway.

 

And, if you really want more help for writing, there are other options that aren't as time intensive as IEW seems to be. (I have no experience with it, and voted for just R&S.) Writing With Skill level one could take up to 30 minutes, but once DD understood what her assignment was she could do it by herself. Then we discussed her writing when she had finished.

Edited October 28, 2012 by SilverMoon

[Robin's Song]

I have a crew the same ages as yours :).

 

I voted "other" because I think Abeka grammar and IEW would be a great combo. I switched from R&S to Abeka because I wanted strong grammar but I wanted the time I work with them to focus on writing. My kiddos do Abeka mostly independently and it takes maybe 5-10 minutes tops.

 

We do not use quizzes or tests.

 

HTH!

Edited October 28, 2012 by Robin's Song
adding info

[boscopup]

I haven't used CtGE, so can't comment on that at all.

 

We use R&S English 4 off and on (I kind of alternate it with KISS Grammar, as I like aspects of both, and we get bored doing the same one every day :D). R&S takes us VERY little time. There are multiple ways to teach it. Right now, I usually just do it orally, but if I want him to do something written, I teach the lesson (takes maybe 5-10 minutes?) and assign him some written work. He doesn't need me for the written work.

 

We also use IEW for writing. There is a video to watch about once every 2 weeks, then when he's starting a new assignment, he needs me to work with him and help him brainstorm. So the first day of the week is usually 30 minutes or so with me teaching. Then the subsequent days are mostly independent work. Once he has a KWO, he can write his rough draft from that (I just need to be in ear shot to help him spell words). I edit the rough draft (takes me 5 minutes), then the next day he makes his final copy - again, independently. So IEW does not take 30 minutes of MY time each day. It only takes up my time that first day, then minimal bits of time the rest of the week. If we've had a good brainstorm session that first day, he really has all he needs to write good paragraphs complete with all the dressups required.

 

There is not a lot of writing in R&S English 3. The writing lessons are at the back, not throughout the book. R&S English 4 has writing lessons scattered through the book, but they're fairly far between. I haven't seen level 5 yet, but I imagine the writing would ramp up in that. Doing level 4 plus IEW has been easy peasy around here, and I'm lazy. :lol:

[Mrs Twain]

I haven't used CtGE, so can't comment on that at all.

 

We use R&S English 4 off and on (I kind of alternate it with KISS Grammar, as I like aspects of both, and we get bored doing the same one every day :D). R&S takes us VERY little time. There are multiple ways to teach it. Right now, I usually just do it orally, but if I want him to do something written, I teach the lesson (takes maybe 5-10 minutes?) and assign him some written work. He doesn't need me for the written work.

 

We also use IEW for writing. There is a video to watch about once every 2 weeks, then when he's starting a new assignment, he needs me to work with him and help him brainstorm. So the first day of the week is usually 30 minutes or so with me teaching. Then the subsequent days are mostly independent work. Once he has a KWO, he can write his rough draft from that (I just need to be in ear shot to help him spell words). I edit the rough draft (takes me 5 minutes), then the next day he makes his final copy - again, independently. So IEW does not take 30 minutes of MY time each day. It only takes up my time that first day, then minimal bits of time the rest of the week. If we've had a good brainstorm session that first day, he really has all he needs to write good paragraphs complete with all the dressups required.

 

There is not a lot of writing in R&S English 3. The writing lessons are at the back, not throughout the book. R&S English 4 has writing lessons scattered through the book, but they're fairly far between. I haven't seen level 5 yet, but I imagine the writing would ramp up in that. Doing level 4 plus IEW has been easy peasy around here, and I'm lazy. :lol:

 

I agree with the times as quoted above. It has not been difficult to do both R&S English and IEW. I think it is an appopriate amount of time to spend on these exceedingly important subjects.

[Mommy to monkeys]

Perhaps rotating the subjects (between writing and grammar) would help. I know it required time, but I tend to crash and burn with things that require me to sit and hold their hand THE ENTIRE time. Too many balls in the air for that.;) I guess I a bit before I have to make a decision. . .but I like knowing the next step.:D