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We are switching to HOD next year in 10th grade. We're doing another Geography program this year, so we'll be starting the High School program in World History. We HAD been attempting (and I mean HAD) Rod and Staff 8th grade, and I think we got through Chapter 2. We did some of Rod and Staff 7th grade in 7th and 8th, but didn't get very far. It's not because she doesn't love grammar, she actually does. She blew through the Rod and Staff English books every year 4th, 5th and 6th grade, but became stymied in 7th grade. I'm thinking I want to follow the schedule in the guide with World History because then I know it will get done, and her skills will stay sharp. So my question is, what should I do the rest of this semester. As far as I understand, Carrie does not intend to use Rod and Staff 8 in her other guides, or am I wrong on that? Should I cover some of the beginning of 7, and if so, what? If someone could maybe give me an idea of where it stops in the World Geography year, I can get a better idea of what to cover?

Thanks!
Dorinda

Hey Dorinda, the WG guide ends at lesson 56 of Rod and Staff 7. The WH guide will cover the second half.

Rod and Staff 7 is used in the WG guide and the WH guide. In the WG you do the first half of the book which I think is up to around lesson 56 and then you do the rest of the book in the WH guide. Rod and Staff 8 will be scheduled over 2 years also in the last 2 guides.

Great, that helps a lot and explains why we've struggled the last couple of years.

Should we also cover all the writing exercises?
Thanks!
Dorinda

HI Dorinda! Yes, you'll want to do the writing exercises as well, but we have enjoyed following Carrie's suggestion to do most of R & S English orally or on a marker board, and reserve only 1 section to be written. I'm pasting some great thoughts Carrie shared about doing R & S English from another thread, as I think they describe some different options to choose from when doing R & S English, based on what you and your dd would like best...

As far as using Rod and Staff English, I'll share that at our house my oldest son (who just graduated in May) preferred to do his lessons orally with us rather than write out all of the answers. However, due to time constraints for his senior year, he did do the last half of English 8 just the way you are describing in your post. He did the lessons and checked them himself using the Teacher's Guide key. He did share that it was more difficult, and less interesting, to do Rod and Staff English this way. However, it did work for him for that season.

With my next son in line, who is a sophomore this year, we do still go over his lessons regularly. However, he does enjoy writing out the answers ahead of time to save time during the meeting with us later. Sometimes he has the whole lesson done before he ever gets to meet with us. To me, this is fine as well. We just orally do whatever he has left. With my younger kiddos, we definitely meet each time with them and do 2/3 of the English lesson orally and 1/3 on paper.

So, with your older daughter you can decide how best to approach Rod and Staff English to best fit your needs and hers. It may be a changing approach from year to year, depending on what your schedule allows. I do feel that kiddos benefit from some oral discussion and application of the English lessons, simply because English is a spoken as well as a written language!

HTH! BTW, we our doing WH right now and loving it! You have a terrific year ahead of you with WH!

In Christ,
Julie

Thanks Julie!
This has all been so helpful! I really appreciate it. We can't wait for next year! As a matter of fact, it makes it hard to finish this year out. Right now, I am piecing everything together and it is running me ragged. We can't wait to have it put together for us next year. It's so hard to hold your highschooler accountable when you have other children to teach. It feels like I'm juggling and dropping all the balls every week. This is going to be a MUCH better set up for us.

Now, what to do with my younger daughter is another post.

Thanks so much!
Blessings!
Dorinda