Help me figure out an English path for my ds

[John'smom]

My ds is in 5th grade and currently doing Preparing.
Preparing 5th-English 4
CTC 6th-1/2 of English 5
Res to Ref 7th- Last half of English 5
Revival to Revolution 8th- It looks like just the first half of English 6 is scheduled yet I know HOD wants them to finish English 6 by the end of 8th grade.

Not sure what to do to get him on that schedule. I know I love the balance of HOD and that's why only 1/2 of the text is scheduled. I don't want to lose that for my ds. What is your suggested course?

[Gwenny]

Leave it as it is. Finishing by end of 8th is not critical. Just keep moving through.

[John'smom]

Gwenny, thanks for weighing in.

Does everyone else agree?

[raceNzanesmom]

Leave it as it is. Finishing by end of 8th is not critical. Just keep moving through.

I agree. Our oldest came home after 6th, he finished R&S 8 as an 11th grader. He had really struggled with english after coming out of public school. After three years of R&S he rocked his LA on the ACT.

I'd just keep going at his pace.

[LynnH]

I would just keep going according to the guides. It will be plenty challenging.

[Carrie]

Edwena,

If you're planning to continue on to MTMM for his 9th grade year, then you'd would want to probably stay with the Rod and Staff English schedule in the guides (for ease of use and for balance). However, if you are planning to jump up to the geography guide in grade 9, you'd want to complete English 6 in 8th grade to keep you on the path scheduled for English in the upcoming high school guides.

Rev2Rev has a bit different approach to writing than the other guides, as it uses a more creative type of writing course. With this different focus on writing, it may be possible to do English 6 in one year if you desired with Rev2Rev. However, if you did do this and then continued on with MTMM, you'd always be off all through high school on the English area (from what the guide says). This may or may not bother you, so you'll have to weigh that.

We do put a target out there for families to shoot for in English, however it is just intended as a target (rather than a requirement). Rod and Staff is so well-done that I believe all students benefit from its use no matter how far they get. So, even if you don't complete all that we have planned in this area, it is still of huge benefit!

Blessings,
Carrie

[John'smom]

Carrie, the thought never even occurred to me that I could have him skip a guide. I thought I would have to beef it up, but you will have the high school guides by then. I know it is kind of open-ended, but what are the pros and cons of skipping the guide you mention. I know that would mean my dc would be in different guides then, but by that time they should be pretty independent and it shouldn't matter much. Dh and I haven't talked much about whether we want him to graduate a year later or not to get through all the guides. If that happened then dd would possibly graduate the same year as she is a year ahead of schedule in the HOD guides. I don't know that having them graduate the same year is a good idea. What things should I weigh when deciding? I have no clue as I enjoyed not thinking about high school much since it is so far away.

[Carrie]

Edwena,

Grammar is one of the easiest things to adjust in our guides if needed, so I wouldn't advise jumping ahead a guide simply for the grammar. Honestly, the decision of whether to move an upcoming high school student up to the high school guides is going to be different for each family. It will really depend on whether the child is ready for that kind of a jump at the end of his/her 8th grade year. It is very difficult to make that kind of decision before the child actually gets close to the end of 8th grade, so my advice would be to keep to the path that you are currently on and evaluate again as your child nears the end of grade 8 (and is on the verge of high school). This will be the best time to determine his readiness for a jump to the geography guide.

I wouldn't advise making a plan to skip a certain guide right now, because that could leave you wishing that you hadn't and wasting much time going back. It would be better to keep on progressing through the guides as planned and evaluating again as your child is on the brink of high school.

Blessings,
Carrie

[John'smom]

Thanks for taking the time, Carrie, to answer my questions. Since we are just starting CTC this next school year, that gives me 2 full years before we get to Rev2Rev and then decide whether he should complete all of 6 that year or not. Lots of time to pray and weigh things.