Libby in Texas Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 transition in mid-year? (like now?) After homeschooling 8 years with 4 children, my youngest--in the 3rd grade--is the first one to do mostly CLE except in English. She has really taken off with CLE math and Bible. I've always used R&S English with my other dc and they've liked it, but my 9 yo dd literally hates it. Every day she tries to talk me out of doing it. She has whined about it since day one. This is the only subject she does this with. She is otherwise extremely easy to homeschool. Excels in all her subjects. Has trouble with nothing. Learns quick. Grasps quick. Always does what she's told. Never talks back. Has a great overall attitude. Yet as soon as she sees me take out my teacher book she makes a face as if I were serving spinach for dessert and here we go again! (so funny but right now as I'm typing this she's complaining about it again LOL). She really likes her CLE workbooks so I asked her if she wanted a workbook "like math" except it'd be for English and right away she got excited. Except we're on Unit 3 Lesson 70 in R&S and I have no idea where to start her on CLE. I'd hate for her to have to start all over again because she really does know her English (as far as what she's learned so far this year with R&S) and is a pretty good writer so far. How should I switch her over? Should I ask the folks at CLE what they recommend? Has anyone here done this before? I'm placing an order today or Monday so I hope I don't mess anything up. Blessings, Libby :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIch elle Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 If I were you I would go up a grade for CLE LA (fall grade)since your dc is strong in English. If something is new then I'm sure CLE will teach it again in that grade. I would not start in the middle of CLE LA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julesmama3 Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Hi Libby, FYI...Christianlightfamilies is a Yahoo group that has a very detailed scope and sequence under their file section. It helped me switch my daughter's math midyear. Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Doesn't CLE have placement tests? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Libby in Texas Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share Posted February 7, 2009 So here's the latest: I called CLE and spoke to one of their homeschool consultants and told her the same thing I shared here. She said she did not recommend starting dd at all in the 3rd grade. For new students she said they recommend students start a grade below where that student is currently at. I mentioned dd was quite strong in English so she said I could do this either way: since I have the detailed scope & sequence I could go Lightunit by Lightunit and try to pinpoint from there where I think my daughter should start based on what she's already learned. The second option is, as Ellie touched on, that I order their language arts diagnostic test. She said the test won't narrow dd's starting point right down to the exact Lightunit but that it would definitely clear up for me which grade level we should begin. So I took out the scope & sequence and right away noticed everything she's learned so far seems to be spread throughout the LightUnits. Is it safer to just start her from the beginning and let her zoom through until she hits something she hasn't learned? I'm not worried about the Spelling part because we're doing A Beka only through this year so we'd be skipping that. I have no doubt she'd work very quickly so that she wouldn't be behind. Michelle could you please elaborate on why you wouldn't start CLE in the middle? Just curious because I'm not at all familiar with their language arts enough to even guess. Julesmama3, yes I tried joining the CLE Yahoo group but you know what happened? I set up an account with Yahoo, went through the whole thing twice and twice I've forgotten my screen names and passwords. Terrible I know. I just didn't write them down so now I don't know what to do. Yeah right now I'm like a big dummy wishing I had written it down because I really need their advice LOL!! Ok so what would you do if this were your child? Would starting her on 4th grade be too much? Ack I just don't know which way to go! Blessings, Libby in Texas :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaof2andtwins Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 I might consider doing the diagnostic test. I will tell you that the 2nd grade CLE LA would probably make your child nuts. I had to drop one of my twins down to the second grade book, but there is a lot in there that is just a waste of my time. There are days spent on how to grade your light unit and such. If she didn't need to drop back I wouldn't have done it, but she was struggling with the 3rd grade book. NTW, she just barely squeaked into the 3rd grade level when she took the diagnostic test. I like the 3rd grade light units a lot better. Jennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Libby in Texas Posted February 7, 2009 Author Share Posted February 7, 2009 mamaof2andtwins, if my dd is strong in English how do you think she'd do with 2nd grade CLE LA with half a year of R&S 3rd grade under her belt already? I'd rather she work her way up from 2nd grade than to start her on 4th and find that we bit off more than we could chew. Considering how frustrated she is with R&S I wouldn't want her having another "experience" with another English program so I'm cautious about starting her in 4th. Sigh. What to do?? God Bless, Libby in Texas :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIch elle Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 Michelle could you please elaborate on why you wouldn't start CLE in the middle? Blessings, Libby in Texas :) But I do use CLE math and R&S English. CLE math repeats instruction over the year and sometimes reviews concepts taught in previous lightunits. So this is why I wouldn't start in the middle, some instruction may be missed and your dc could be frustrated by being expected to know it. From what I understand, R&S English is more advanced than CLE LA. If your dc has been using R&S English on grade level and is strong in it then I assume CLE will repeat the instruction in the next grade level and your dc will be fine, and if not you could explain it to her. But if your dc hasn't done a full year of R&S English 3 or 4 then I would drop back a level in CLE LA. I HATE having dc try to "catch up" it's just too much work for them! My philosophy is to be content with them a level behind or keep them on level and help them work out sections they don't understand. I've done it both ways. My older ds got behind in R&S English and did R&S E.6 in gr.7 and R&S E.7 in gr. 8. My younger ds switched to CLE math 5 after using R&S math 4, and we worked out whatever math wasn't covered in R&S that was new to him. Maybe starting in the middle would work, I don't know. Compare the S&S of both and see for yourself. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowWhite Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 The diagnostic test is cheap and easy. I recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neesek Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 I definitely wouldn't start at 2nd grade if your dd is halfway through R&S 3rd grade. Most of what is taught in CLE LA2 is reviewed in LA3. If you are not going to do the penmanship and spelling, you "might" want to start at the beginning of 3rd grade and fly through it. I agree with the pp. Because it is a spiral curriculum, you may see something that was taught in LU 1 pop back up later as a review. That may or may not be a problem for you. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 I just bought the CLE LA diagnostics for my DD who is doing R&S English 4. I think I could easily start her in CLE LA 5 RIGHT NOW and she is only half way through R&S 4. I think CLE moves more slowly through LA, perhaps because they don't finish up at 8th grade?? I'm not sure. I'm trying to decide whether to keep DD with R&S English or switch her to CLE. Hard decision!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BizyPenguin Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 My ds uses CLE English. I highly recommend the diagnostic test. It's the only way you'll really know exactly where your dd should begin with the series. My ds tested into the 400 series even though he was a 5th grader at the time. No biggie. I don't look at it as grade level, but as skill level. Each scope and sequence is different and eventually they will each cover it all, but at different times. If you don't want to bother testing first, just start her at the beginning of the 300 series. There might be material in that series that she hasn't covered yet in R&S so don't start in the middle of the series. If you're worried about catching her up to the 400 series by the next school year, just make sure she does a lightunit every day, M-F, and perhaps in the summer have her do them a few days each week too. HTH! FWIW, my ds reacted just like your dd when it came to R&S English. I finally dropped it and switched to BJ English and later CLE, which we LOVE!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted February 8, 2009 Share Posted February 8, 2009 You use the placement test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Libby in Texas Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 Ok, you ladies convinced me--we're doing the diagnostic test! I'll order tomorrow and let you all know where dd placed. So glad to know I'm not alone. Lots of great advice here as usual! Thanks soooooooooooooo much ladies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God Bless, Libby in Texas :) Mama to: Emily, 10 grade Sarai, 8th grade Jonathan, 7th grade Jessica, 3rd grade (the cause of all this LOL) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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