Rod and Staff English... please share why you like it.

[angela&4boys]

I'm in a bit of an English quandry right now and feel the need to beef thing up for my guys. We're not unhappy with our present English Grammar curricula, but I'm not sure it's getting the job done. I should note that we do copywork, narration, and dictation and I don't plan on changing that.

 

My 11yo ds has only had one year (1st grade) and my 8yo ds has never done formal grammar.

 

When I saw the books at a homeschool convention, they appeared overwhelming to me. Since then, I have read many posts and reviews and nearly all sing it's praises. I'm also aware that WTM and others highly recommend it.

 

Would you please share what makes it so good for your family?

 

Warmly,

Edited November 6, 2008 by angela&4boys

[Beth in Central TX]

I like the systematic, logical approach that R&S grammar provides. I've used it from 3rd grade to 7th grade so far. I plan to stop with R&S grammar 8. This program builds on itself year after year. The learning seems repetitive to the student, but each year more information is added to what they know. It's very incremental so that if you start in the early years, the grammar is not overwhelming; however, starting in the middle can be challenging.

 

I've seem my boys use the R&S grammar information in their Greek and Latin studies (and vice versa). I've also seen improvement in their writing which I also credit to CW as well as R&S grammar. However, I'm now seeing more mistakes in the organization of their thoughts on original compositions than on incomplete sentences, run-on sentences, and/or awkward sentences. They have been drilled in grammar so long that it's finally translating into their writing.

 

The books for R&S grammar are dense with information and written for classroom use. I do all of the oral and written exercises orally with my boys. They do the corresponding worksheet if there is one for that lesson. We also diagram on the whiteboard when a new concept is introduced.

 

HTH!

[Harriet Vane]

Why I Like Rod & Staff Grammar:

 

--Incremental and sequential and logical

 

--Brief, clear, easy-to-understand explanations

 

--Plenty of review and practice

 

--Covers EVERYTHING

 

--Takes 20-30 minutes a day.

 

How We Do It:

 

--Oral Review: 2 minutes

 

--Read the lesson: 2-5 minutes.

 

--Oral Drill: 5-10 minutes. Can be longer if there is diagramming.

 

--Written Drill: 10 minutes. Sometimes 15-20 if there is diagramming or paragraph writing.

 

I usually modify the written drill so that there is not so much copying the whole sentence. It is easy to modify in a way that still accomplishes the goal of the exercise.

 

Good luck!

[Sandy in Indy]

Why I Like Rod & Staff Grammar:

 

--Incremental and sequential and logical

 

--Brief, clear, easy-to-understand explanations

 

--Plenty of review and practice

 

--Covers EVERYTHING

 

--Takes 20-30 minutes a day.

 

How We Do It:

 

--Oral Review: 2 minutes

 

--Read the lesson: 2-5 minutes.

 

--Oral Drill: 5-10 minutes. Can be longer if there is diagramming.

 

--Written Drill: 10 minutes. Sometimes 15-20 if there is diagramming or paragraph writing.

 

I usually modify the written drill so that there is not so much copying the whole sentence. It is easy to modify in a way that still accomplishes the goal of the exercise.

 

Good luck!

 

:iagree:

 

This is pretty much what we have done with R&S grammar. My older kids did books 3-8 and had a very thorough grammar education. In high school, we concentrated on literature and writing. DD is an English major at college and will graduate with honors this spring...

 

I plan to do the same sequence with our youngest. (We're dabbling with the 2nd grade book but not spending a lot of time or effort on it. Next year we'll tackle grammar full strength.)

Edited November 6, 2008 by Sandy in Indy
To correct a GRAMMAR mistake. Yeesh!

[Marsha SC]

I actually bought the 2nd grade English thinking I would hate it and then I'd look for something else. But honestly, I love it! My daughter doesn't hate it, thats huge! I have to be honest though, it does take us longer than 20 mins to get the work done (more like 30-50 depending on dd's attention level for the day). This is only our second year doing it but so far I plan on continuing.

 

Hope that helps a bit.

 

Marsha

[sweetbaby]

We love it based on the same facts others have posted. Rod and Staff is very thorough yet gentle. It is mastery approached and builds on itself each year. The cost is extremely reasonable. We do all lessons orally except writing portions. There are some poetry selections scattered throughout also. The lessons never take long to complete.

[ABQmom]

I love Rod and Staff Grammar mostly because it gets the job done, and well done I might add. My oldest two did outstanding on the IOWA test in grammar, and I attribute their success to Rod and Staff.

 

I go over the lesson with my dc, and then we do some of the exercises orally. If I think they've got it, then we close the book. If I'm not sure, or think they need some more practice, I will assign some of the exercises for them to do on their own. I do not think it is necessary to do have a student write out every exercise in the book. But, I like that plenty of practice is there when and if we need it. I can usually get my kids through a lesson in 15 minutes or less. Diagramming practice takes us longer, and my 7th graders lessons are taking us longer to get through.

 

My kids hate grammar, but boy have they learned a lot with Rod and Staff and their writing shows it. I know that one day they will be grateful to me for making them learn it! :001_smile:

[Rhondabee]

I thought I'd be able to say, "I Agree!", but frankly my kids have to do *some* of the written exercises in order to really comprehend and do well on the test.

 

I do think, though, that doing the written exercises has really helped them with their own writing.

 

The thing I really love though is that R&S is not just grammar - it is an entire language program (well....I guess not literature - but the 7th and 8th grade books do provide the basics of lit analysis). It covers all the basics of all types of writing, and it integrates those lessons for me - rather than having a separate writing program.

 

(fyi - DS #1 did Abeka in 5th, then switched to R&S-6 in 6th. We are doing Book 8 this year, in 8th grade. DS #2 has done R&S 3 & 4, and is doing 5 now.)

[djkapp]

I have to agree with the reasons other like R&S. We have used other curricula in the past. I found A Beka to have too much drill, and, while I really liked the Easy Grammar/ Daily Grams approach, when my boys reached 5th and 6th grade, I felt they needed something more thorough and well-structured.

 

We began with R&S 5 and completed it easily in about 7 months. I combined some lessons when I felt that the steps were more incremental than what we needed. Each day we went over the lesson, did a few of the class practice, and then they did selected (usually about half) of the written exercises on their own. If they had difficulty with a lesson (or more typically were simply sloppy), then they were required to do the remaining exercises for additional practice (or "homework" discipline). Now that they are comfortable with the program, I am encouraging self-learning by having them read the lesson on their own and complete the written exercises independently unless I can see that it is a concept that will require additional explanation. So far that is working well, and they feel more independent in their efforts.

 

Yvonne

[angela&4boys]

Although I haven't made a decision for certain, I'm leaning more and more towards Rod & Staff. I really need to take a closer look and perhaps print some samples for a trial run. I was originally very intimidated, but since I know we can go at least a grade level down it is less so.

 

Thank you all. Your responses have been very thorough and consequently, helpful.

 

Warmly,

Edited November 7, 2008 by angela&4boys
changing you're to your... I need R & S

[Wendy in WI]

We like to for all of the reasons listed above, plus:

 

-my kids understand lots of it by themselves. It doesn't require lots of me or my time. I love this!!!

 

Is that bad to say "outloud" on a homeschool message board?

Wendy

[angela&4boys]

LOL :lol: Wendy! Yes, it's okay to say that. That's one concern I was thinking of this morning and you've relieved me a great deal. Between that and doing most exercises orally as others have suggested. Our 20-month old ds can be a bit disruptive and I like that they can go to their rooms and study alone if necessary.