Do R&S 4 at Preparing pace or CTC pace with my 5th grader?

[homeforhim]

Hi Ladies,

This will be our first year with HOD and with R&S. My 5th grader will be doing R&S grade 4 for grammar (our first exposure to R&S, he has done some Easy Grammar). My question is whether to have him do it at half pace as in the CTC LA plans or at full pace to finish in one year? We have the Preparing book for his younger brother so he could follow that schedule instead.

I ask because I know Carrie has recommended that a child finishes R&S 6 by the end of eighth grade which seems like a great goal. However, doing half pace for R&S 4, then 5 and 6 (assuming future guides are at half pace) will have him finishing 6 at the end of 10th grade. I want him to have sufficient grammar instruction . I am concerned about using the Preparing LA schedule with the CTC program because Carrie has carefully rotated subjects so that on Day 3 of CTC only one "big" LA subject is done - writing. I assume that will help balance out a heavier amount of work in the other subject area that day.

If anyone understands my question after all that , is there any concern with using the Preparing LA schedule with CTC? Thanks!

Blessings,
Rachael

[Carrie]

Rachael,

For my own kiddos, we find finishing Rod and Staff 6 by the end of grade 8 a good goal to work backwards from, so you can accomplish that goal several different ways (which we will allow for in our future guides). You could do Rod and Staff 4 over 2 years, following your own schedule, and then do Rod and Staff 5 full-speed, and 6 full-speed to finish by grade 8.

Or, you could do Rod and Staff 4 at full-speed, and then do Rod and Staff 5 over 2 years, finishing up with Rod and Staff 6 full-speed in grade 8. Or, you could do Rod and Staff 4 at full-speed, 5 at full-speed, and then 6 at half-speed the last 2 years in grades 7 and 8. Any of these scenarios would work well.

Blessings,
Carrie

[homeforhim]

Hi Carrie,

Thanks for answering my question. Working backwards from the goal makes so much sense!

Blessings,
Rachael

[my3sons]

Rachael,

I just wanted to encourage you that R & S is easy to schedule. If you decide you want to do it full-speed with CTC, that wouldn't be hard to do. It has helped my ds to do a good portion of each lesson orally or on markerboard with me, and then write the rest of it in his notebook. You make a good point about not scheduling it on the heavy writing days - for that reason, you may want to start off with it half-speed this year. However, any of the options Carrie described would work.

In Christ,
Julie