Going from R&S 4 to BJU 5 back to R&S.

[joyfulhomeschooler]

We are using R&S4 this year for english. My son previously used BJU3 and he wants to use it ( BJU5) for next year. I am obviously the one to make the final decision, but I like to take my kids preferences into consideration. So my question is if we go with BJU 5 and end up wanting to go back to R&S the following year will we be able to jump back in at grade level with it?

[mom31257]

I used BJU 5 with my older dd, and I'm using R&S 4 with my ds. Would you go into R&S 6? I had asked earlier about skipping R&S 5 because we started 4th in January, so I hated the thought of always being 1/2 a year behind. I was advised not to skip R&S 5th because there is a very big jump from 5th to 6th. I bought 5th grade used yesterday, and I think I've got dd's book from 5th. I'll look at them and let you know what I can tell about differences.

[joyfulhomeschooler]

I was hoping to go from R&S 4th this year (just finishing up) to BJU5, then back to R&S at grade 6 the following year. So that would be great if you could compare BJU5 to R&S5 for me! Such a help!!!

[mom31257]

I got them both out, but it's going to be difficult for me to compare because I don't have the TM for BJU. So much of their lessons are in it rather than on the student pages. Even without that, though, i already see some terminology differences. For example in the sections on pronouns, BJU calls the pronouns that take the place of the subject, subject pronouns. R&S states that those pronouns have to be in the nominative case. R&S gives examples of how to tell which case to use and practice, while BJU gives the child a chance to underline which is correct but no examples of how to tell. It might be in the teacher lesson, though. BJU teaches lessons on singular & plural pronouns, subject pronouns, object pronouns, pronoun/antecedent agreement, possessive pronouns, and reflexive pronouns. R&S teaches lessons on personal pronouns and the 3 cases (nominative, objective, possessive), singular and plural, demonstrative, indefinite, and interrogative pronouns. If you want me to look at anything else specifically, I'd be happy to do so.

[joyfulhomeschooler]

Wow! That is a huge help! I suppose the terminology is why sticking with one curriculum is ideal. We might just stay with R&S then. He learns well with it, just doesn't like it as much. He likes worksheets and the more colorful the better. :/ Thanks so much for your help! Do you have a preference out of the two programs being as you have used both?

[mom31257]

I am sticking with R&S. I use IEW for writing, and BJU has so much that it seems a waste of money. I'm sure ds would prefer BJU's lessons because they are so short. I've only used R&S since January, but I think it does a good job of teaching what you need to know. My ds doesn't care for tons of writing, so I do as much orally as I can. I bought the worksheets to give some written work that's a little easier. I am always adjusting the assignments to try and get the most benefit with the least writing. He likes to do some of it on a dry erase board, too. Could you have him do his work in different colors on the dry erase board? If you didn't care anything about saving the book for another child or reselling it, you could even let him underline and mark in the book with different colors. I think it would be easier to try and fit R&S to his learning style than to jump back and forth. I might actually take my own advice and do some of these things with ds!

[joyfulhomeschooler]

I bet he would LOVE being able to mark in the book, since that is a "no-no" around here. :) I do have three more children coming along after him though... hmm the student book is pretty inexpensive though. I am seeing big smiles from him in my mind if I tell him he can use colored pencils in the book!