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Hi Ladies,
I have a question. My oldest is 7 and in the 2nd grade. I went with Beyond this year since it is our first year using HOD. We love the program! I have one question that I would like some advice on... The grammer is not full enough for her. She is bored on Fridays when we do grammer because she knows it already. I want to add a grammer curriculum from Rod and Staff and after research I am stumped on what to choose. We did Climbing to Good English last year for 1st grade and she enjoyed it, so I don't know if I should choose Climbing to Good English 2 or Preparing to Build 2. Rod and Staff says that Preparing to build 2 is for 2nd grade, but I think Bigger Hearts uses it for 3rd grade...anyway, I was just hoping for some advice. Does anyone know if I should get Climbing to Good English 2, or just go ahead and get Preparing to Build 2 and try Preparing to Build 3 when shes finished.

Thanks for any advice!

I am using Bigger with my 7 y/o dd who is in 2nd grade, and we use R&S Preparing to Build 2 that is scheduled in the guide. She is doing very well with it and I think you could use it now and then just use R&S 3 if you decide to use Bigger next year. We do almost all of it orally and she is retaining what she is learning. I hope that helps!

Gina

Heather,

If you are looking for a bit more rigor than CM advocated in the early years for grammar (and you have already covered what is within Beyond Little Hearts), then you may just want to begin Rod and Staff English 2 early. You could do it only a couple of days a week, rather than daily and finish it next year when you're in Bigger Hearts. You could just go at your own pace, as each lesson is divided into one day's work at the English 2 level.

Or, if you dearly love your English program that you used last year and desired to continue with that, you could also go that route instead. Grammar is one of those personal decisions that is different for each family. It took me awhile before I shifted my thinking from a focus on early formal grammar, so I know what you are feeling. We started out with First Langauge Lessons for almost 2 straight years when my oldest son was in first and second grade. With my next kiddos, we took a more CM approach to grammar in the early years, ramping up to a formal study of grammar by grade 3 (which still is not very CM, as she advocated delaying formal grammar until later).

Blessings,
Carrie

My almost 7 yo is loving the grammar activities in Beyond, but if your dd seems to know the information presented already, then I'd start R & S 2 slowly, probably just a few days a week. Then, you could finish the other half of it next year with Bigger Hearts. I enjoy grammar, but there's no need to move through R & S English too quickly. It's gets more difficult quickly! HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

P.S. I see Carrie and I were typing at the same time. It's nice to know she had a similar idea!

Thank you all for your advice! I love the support system on this board!