Switching LA and math curriculums- 3rd & 4/5th grade

[TXmommy]

I was wondering if anyone has had experience switching from Christian Light Education Language Arts to Rod and Staff? My two oldest kiddos will be finishing CLE LA level 2 and 4... can they go straight into R&S level 3 and 5? I understand that Rod and Staff is advanced, but I thought CLE was also. They both have done well with CLE. (I will add that my oldest is not a strong writer, if that has any bearing.)

Experience with coming from Horizons Math to Singapore? My daughter will be finishing level 2 Horizons Math before switching to HOD for our next year. She struggled with Horizons 2, however she will work at it and is able to complete the lessons. I thought about putting her into Singapore 2 for review and to boost her skills... however, I don't want to set her back. Any ideas?

I am planning to combine these two kiddos and do Preparing with them next year. My son will be 10 (4th/5th grade) and my daughter will be 8 (3rd grade). Any advice or ideas when combining them is much appreciated! I'm super excited to be switching to Heart of Dakota with all three of my kiddos (youngest is 6, doing Little Hearts with him) for this next school year!

Thank you!

[StephanieU]

For the math, I would definitely look at the placement chart. We are using Horizons (in 2 right now). I considered switching, but I realized that there were differences in the scope and sequence of the two. It made placement hard because she was ahead in the A books and behind in the B books. She could pass 2A but not 1B i think is what I realized this spring (when I considered switching). But since Horizons isn't working for you (it is working fine here), I would just go off the placement chart. Start with 2A and then do 2B and see if she "passes" either one.

As for Rod and Staff, what guides do you plan on using? I would probably go with the higher level planned in the guide. So, if you are using Bigger, use 3, Preparing 4, CtC or RtR 5, etc. Level 6 is 7th/8th grade level, and Carrie schedules them so it is finished by the end of MtMM.

[my3sons]

I was wondering if anyone has had experience switching from Christian Light Education Language Arts to Rod and Staff? My two oldest kiddos will be finishing CLE LA level 2 and 4... can they go straight into R&S level 3 and 5? I understand that Rod and Staff is advanced, but I thought CLE was also. They both have done well with CLE. (I will add that my oldest is not a strong writer, if that has any bearing.)

Experience with coming from Horizons Math to Singapore? My daughter will be finishing level 2 Horizons Math before switching to HOD for our next year. She struggled with Horizons 2, however she will work at it and is able to complete the lessons. I thought about putting her into Singapore 2 for review and to boost her skills... however, I don't want to set her back. Any ideas?

I am planning to combine these two kiddos and do Preparing with them next year. My son will be 10 (4th/5th grade) and my daughter will be 8 (3rd grade). Any advice or ideas when combining them is much appreciated! I'm super excited to be switching to Heart of Dakota with all three of my kiddos (youngest is 6, doing Little Hearts with him) for this next school year!

Thank you!

HI TXmommy! I haven't read responses as I'm headed off to church and wanted to quickly respond here before I leave, so forgive me if I'm repeating anything here! I think your 8 yo can go straight into R & S English 3, and I'd guess your 10 yo could go straight into R & S English 4. If 4 is too much for the 10 yo, you can have that child move down to join the 8 yo in R & S 3. I think your 10 yo will probably be just fine in 4 though. HOD suggests doing 2/3 of R & S English orally or on a marker board, and reserving 1 section to write. We usually write the diagramming or writing assignment portion. This has worked well! Be sure to do the oral review questions in the R & S TG each day. They are short and help dc retain what they are learning - especially the vocabulary associated with English. We have done R & S English from the start and are finishing 7 with our oldest ds. It has been an amazing help to our ds's writing and LA success in general!

For Singapore Math, you can go to the website www.singaporemath.com to test each of your dc. Just click on "FOR PARENTS", scroll down and click on "assessment tests", and print the U.S. PRIMARY addition that is a grade level below your child's age as a starting place. Make sure not to help, as this inflates scores. If they score 80% or higher, move up to the next level. If they score less, that's the level to begin with. If they place in a "B", start there. For example, if they place in 2B, do 2B and 3A for the school year. We have been so impressed with the results we've achieved with Singapore through the years! I have also loved how our math teaching times don't last forever each day. My dc have been thankful for this as well, and they all enjoy math. I cannot recommend it enough - HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[TXmommy]

Ladies, thank you so much for your help! I'm hoping we like Rod & Staff as much as CLE and I'm pretty sure I know where I'll place the kiddos. The Singapore placement test should help lots and the fact that I could start in a "B" book and go on to the "A" of the next level is something I had never considered. Thanks again