heartofdakota.com

We are using a grammar program (not R&S) that contains "writing" skills. Is it safe to say that I can skip those, since Preparing begins writing then proceeds to a writing program after that?

We were using CLE LA and it had some writing in it. I really dislike their writing program. Even with the Teaching Writing book, I'm sort of lost. So I went back to BJU English, because I already had it. It teaches grammar, then a chapter of writing, and goes back and forth. I'm not sure whether to skip all that writing because I'm not sure what R&S teaches. We'll start Preparing in the fall.

annaz wrote:Is it safe to say that I can skip those, since Preparing begins writing then proceeds to a writing program after that?

My 5th grader has used the LA in Preparing with no extras. He is doing R&S 4 but all of his other writing instruction is in the Preparing guide. For him, it is just the right amount. He had had a good bit of grammar before we started Preparing but I went with R&S 4 since we had not used all of R&S 3 when we had tried it a couple of years prior to starting Preparing. Preparing teaches them how to write their own narrations and includes some creative writing that goes along with the Poetry lessons.

I think you will be covered but if you want more, you could add Igniting Your Writing... HOD recommends that for creative writing if you want to add it, but it is not necessary.

I don't want to add anything! I just want to make sure that I can dump the rest.

Annaz,

Rod and Staff does teach writing, so we do look to Rod and Staff to teach basic writing of a paragraph and topic sentences in Bigger Hearts. BJU seems to have too much writing for the younger levels, so you shouldn't need the depth of writing that they assign in the younger years and be fine omitting the writing lessons at this point in time. Once you get to Preparing Hearts on up, there will be more writing instruction in our guide, but to cover the written portion taught within Rod and Staff grammar you will likely need to add a writing component (like Igniting Your Writing) if you are not using Rod and Staff English.

Blessings,
Carrie

Carrie wrote:Annaz,

Rod and Staff does teach writing, so we do look to Rod and Staff to teach basic writing of a paragraph and topic sentences in Bigger Hearts. BJU seems to have too much writing for the younger levels, so you shouldn't need the depth of writing that they assign in the younger years and be fine omitting the writing lessons at this point in time. Once you get to Preparing Hearts on up, there will be more writing instruction in our guide, but to cover the written portion taught within Rod and Staff grammar you will likely need to add a writing component (like Igniting Your Writing) if you are not using Rod and Staff English.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thanks Carrie. I thought BJU has way too much writing for young levels as well. I think I'm just going to see how R&S works out. It would be so much easier just to follow the plan!