HollyBee Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 I am considering making a move next year from Shurley to Rod & Staff, although I haven't decided for sure. Dd is in Shurley 4 right now, ds is in Shurley 2. Has anyone made this move? What levels of R&S would you recommend they start with? Thanks! Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhondabee Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 I don't know anything about Shurley, but if Shurley 4 is designed for 4th grade, then I think you'll be fine starting your kids on grade level. Even if you had done absolutely NO grammar, you could probably start R&S on grade level up to grade 5 or 6. hth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyBee Posted March 18, 2009 Author Share Posted March 18, 2009 Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogpond1 Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 He has had 2 years of Shurley, Shurley 4 and Shurley 5. I think it looks fine after looking at the R&S Scope and Sequence, but I'd love to hear otherwise if it is not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie in Oh Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 then did R & S 3. It was a fine fit level wise. I will say that after a year of R & S they begged to go back to Shurley in 4th. They literally cried when I would bring out the R & S book. Just our experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beach Mom Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 We started our year with my oldest in Shurley 6 (we did 4 last year), and switched to Rod and Staff 6 very successfully after only about 2 months. We had to spend a little more time at the beginning with diagramming since it was new, but it has been a great program for us and it was an easy transition. Shurley had gotten too repetitive and grammar was becoming a chore. DD really enjoys R&S and grammar is back to being a pleasant experience. Shurley gave her a great grammar foundation (she had used it in private school prior to homeschool) but it was time for a change. I really like the the teacher's manual for R&S. We are able to do much of the lessons orally and the teacher's manual scripts review into most lessons. The lessons have tons of questions so I pick and choose a sampling for her to do and go back and add some if she is having trouble with a concept. My middle is finishing Shurley 2 this year and I am on the fence about one more year of Shurley or switching him to R&S next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhondabee Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 He has had 2 years of Shurley, Shurley 4 and Shurley 5. I think it looks fine after looking at the R&S Scope and Sequence, but I'd love to hear otherwise if it is not. Every dc is different. Mine are average, so that is where I'm coming from btw. R&S-5 has been pretty much a review of grammar from 4, but the writing is definitely a big step up from 4. R&S-6 was not easy, nor was it tear-inducingly difficult. Both the grammar and writing were a definite step up from 5, as expected. (And, more grammar than I ever had in school.) But, just looking at R&S-7 the summer before we tackled that almost brought on a panic attack for this mom! ;) It is *hard*. And, it moves very quickly through its review of R&S-6. This is where I think you might wish that you had just kept your child on grade level (unless your dc is very advanced, obviously). (I know you must be dying to know - LOL!: but R&S-8 is very similar to 5. The grammar is mostly review, but the writing is a huge step up. We are doing 5-page essays, and a huge research paper.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cathy in SoCal Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 by doing SG way back and then switched to R & S. R&S is concise, clear, and easy to use. My kids love it and this former editor loves it, too. Seems to get right to the point with no fluff and cover, rigorously, everything needed. I like how they really do "build" on each year repeating the same information and digging deeper each year. My son is doing book 7 this year, and I can say he is set in grammar. The things he is learning (learning well b/c of their ability to explain so clearly) are what I learned in my college grammar course as an English major. I don't think you'll regret switching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 R&S doesn't seem to assume you've already covered the material they covered in the previous grade. If you're hesitant I'd call and ask for the free sample for the two grades you're considering using. They have the best samples ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyBee Posted March 19, 2009 Author Share Posted March 19, 2009 Wow, thanks for all the great replies! I need to do some serious thinking before making the decision to switch. The kids seem to enjoy the jingles and parsing, but *I* am the one that is getting tired of them! :glare: Not sure if that warrants a switch, especially if it's working, kwim? Decisions, decisions. Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Holly, I wouldn't switch if Shurley is working for you. I've been SO pleased with how intuitive my dd's understanding of grammar is as we've dabbled in Homer. She's been flying through the grammar, which I think is because of Shurley. This is the girl who two years ago met SWB and got an autograph in her SOTW saying "To ... who loves history, even if she hates grammar." Now my girl flies through it! That said, I do kick it up. About the middle of SG4 I started diagramming sentences with her. They were so gentle, so easy, that I modeled and eventually she took over. It might be a way to add some variety to your time without a whole curriculum change. We usually do the middle sentence if there are 3 sentences for the day. Also, do you know the author of Shurley recommends skipping levels? You could go from 4 to 6. That's what we're doing. I just keep watching for the 6 tm used, as they're so expensive. (Anyone have one to sell?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyBee Posted March 19, 2009 Author Share Posted March 19, 2009 OhElizabeth, thanks for your reply. I've read a lot of your posts regarding Shurley. And that's what I keep telling myself: it's working, so don't change it. I do like the idea of adding the diagramming. I really think my dd (who is very visual) would like that. One question, though--what resource do you do for the diagramming (if any)? I diagrammed way back when, but I have no memory of how to do it. Thanks! Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 I have Mary Daly's diagramming book, and while not the easiest resource (it's kind of wild, with lots of diagrams, not just boring handbook, haha), I've usually managed to find a sentence that comes pretty close to where I started. But I say no fear with diagramming. No matter how you do it, it's just a diagram, not life and death or blood. No fear, just make up something and do it consistently. :) If you want to switch to R&S, switch. I just think Shurley 4 is the first level with real meat. It's working well, so I'm looking forward to 6. If it should ever change for us such that she's bored, sure I'd change to something else. But right now it's working, can't knock that! Maybe there are more resources than the Mary Daly book? It's a thick book with lots and lots of sentences lovingly, almost artistically diagrammed out. You just keep looking till you find a sentence in the book similar to the one in your text, and it's usually there. Also, remember Shurley sentences are going to be easy to diagram because you start off so gently and ramp up. I really think you'll have no trouble doing this. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 We switched to R&S after using SG 2 and 4. Put your older in R&S 5, and the younger in 3. Your older may find a lot of review, but 5 will build on his knowledge w/out being too difficult. You can also look at examples of R&S at http://www.rodandstaffbooks.com hth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhondabee Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 I was going to suggest Mary Daly's book to OP as well. I have it here, and even tho' I don't use it (because R&S covers diagramming so thoroughly), I can't sell it because it's just so darn cute!!!! I love just looking at it, and wishing I *could* use it! =) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Oh see, there's a good reason to stick with Shurley, so you have a reason to use the Mary Daly book. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyBee Posted March 19, 2009 Author Share Posted March 19, 2009 Sounds good to me! :D So do you just use the book, or do you also use the worktext (just looked it up on the Rainbow Resource site)? And one more thing, OhElizabeth--do you do the tests in Shurley? I've been doing them, but I'm wondering if we really need to... Thanks again! This is so helpful! Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Haha, you're asking the woman who trims everything but the sentence parsing if you can trim tests... lol Yes, trim the tests. Trim the jingles. Do the usage and vocab orally. It will still work great. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyBee Posted March 19, 2009 Author Share Posted March 19, 2009 Excellent--that will free up some time. It's nice to get "permission" to modify it! ;) I'm so new at this homeschooling thing that I'm not sure if I'm going to permanently damage my children if I tweak the programs. :tongue_smilie: Thanks! Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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