R&S English: streamlining the teaching of it

[Colleen in NS]

If you use R&S English for grammar and writing, what do you think are the most important parts of the teaching/review part to do? What would you leave out? Do you go over all the teaching points, or not bother because they will be in the text anyway? I know about doing odd/evens, and doing as much orally as possible - just looking for tips on streamlining the teaching part before assigning any written work (which here, usually is just diagraming or me helping with a writing lesson assignment).

 

Thanks!

[Peela]

I look at each lesson as I go and include or exclude according to how I feel, how much time we have, and whether my son knows the material well or not. I have no formula. We often do the review for the last lesson at the beginning of the next lesson so that he is not distracted from the main lesson before doing the worksheet, if there is one.

hth

[Rhondabee]

One thing that has sort of slipped here is the Oral Review found only in the TM, because (miraculously!!!!) now both boys *want* to read the lesson by themselves. (This has been a *huge* time saver, and - so far - is working well!) I haven't noticed that it has really affected their memory for definitions, etc. - yet.

 

I know in the 7th grade book that many of the Oral Review concepts were also in the Written Reviews, because I would cross them out and write "Do Written Review together" in my TM. So, here's hoping it's that way in all the books!

[Sherri in MI]

they include things that are not in the text. Usually they are redundant. I do the oral review included in the teachers notes, but not usually the one included in the student text. Basically, I try to include some review every day and then the new lesson. I skip whatever seems superfluous or overkill on a day by day basis. It also depends on what my son remembers or needs additional drill in.

 

Sherri in MI

[Colleen in NS]

We often do the review for the last lesson at the beginning of the next lesson

 

I never thought of this. That's something to consider, too!

 

I know in the 7th grade book that many of the Oral Review concepts were also in the Written Reviews, because I would cross them out and write "Do Written Review together" in my TM. So, here's hoping it's that way in all the books!

 

Huh, I didn't know this, either! I'll have to have a look at that in my TMs.

 

they include things that are not in the text. Usually they are redundant. I do the oral review included in the teachers notes, but not usually the one included in the student text. Basically, I try to include some review every day and then the new lesson. I skip whatever seems superfluous or overkill on a day by day basis. It also depends on what my son remembers or needs additional drill in.

 

That's what I thought, too, about the teaching points. I do try to skim them quickly to see if there is something in there that is not in the student text.

 

I think it's just a matter of keeping a few lessons ahead of my oldest, so I can weed out what's not needed. If I don't read them ahead of time, I find myself floundering at lesson time, which wastes time and frustrates.

 

Thanks for your help!

[Beth in Central TX]

I have found that as we continue our studies in Latin, Greek, and Classical Writing, the time I spend teaching R&S Grammar has decreased. I use to do all of the oral reviews, read through most of the teaching script, and then go through the class practice and written exercises orally.

 

However, now that we are in R&S Grammar 6 & 7, I find that the boys know what's being taught (disclaimer: we are still in the early part of both books, so it's still mostly review). Therefore, they read their assigned chapter and do the worksheet. Then I grade the worksheet and review the lesson with them. So far their scores have been high enough that a cursory review is in order which means going over a few questions from the oral review, reading through the bolded teaching points only, and doing the either the class practice OR written exercises orally.

 

Because I think grammar reinforces the work in the other studies I listed above, I still think grammar as a separate subject is still necessary in our homeschool. Latin, Greek, English Grammar, and Classical Writing complement each other very well, so the work never seems too difficult in any one subject.

 

HTH!

[Colleen in NS]

going over a few questions from the oral review, reading through the bolded teaching points only, and doing the either the class practice OR written exercises orally.

 

Latin, Greek, English Grammar, and Classical Writing complement each other very well, so the work never seems too difficult in any one subject.

 

HTH!

 

Thanks Beth!

 

I am starting to get comfortable now with just doing SOME of the class practice/written exercises, instead of going through all of them. The further I go in R&S materials, the more I understand what people mean when they say it's thorough.

 

And, I am starting to see what you mentioned about subjects complementing each other - I'm seeing the same thing between R&S grammar/writing, Latin, and TWTM writing methods.