Additional writing program if not using Rod and Staff?

[LynnH]

Next year is my first year homeschooling. My DS will be going into 5th grade and has been in a public school. He has had very little grammar. I looked at Rod and Staff, but honestly it looked intimidating to me. I know I would do much of it orally, but his oral retention isn't great and yet because of his mild CP he has difficulty writing. I decided to go with Growing with Grammar this year and hopefully move him into R & S next year. What I didn't realize is that there is writing instruction in R & S that he will now be missing out on. Do I need to add a writing program? I have Wordsmith Apprentice that I bought before I discovered HOD so I could put that in 1x a week (more on non co-op weeks) if needed, or will the writing in Preparing be enough without the Rod and Staff?

[eazbnsmom]

I think Carrie recommends "Ignite your writing" for supplemental writing.

http://www.heartofdakota.com/drawn-into ... ations.php

[my3sons]

Hi Lynn! PHFHG has creative writing that matches the Robert Frost poetry once a week. (It also has solid CM skills - copywork, dictation, narration, etc.). I think If I were you, I'd start with PHFHG as it is written and add your Wordsmith 1 x a week. I think it is wise to ease into the program, especially the writing portion, since that is a special consideration for your precious ds. I'd say midway into the year, if things are going well, you could add in Igniting Your Writing Volume 1, 1 x a week, probably starting with the Start-Up section. I'm not as familiar with Wordsmith, so if it is a year-long program and would adequately meet his needs, you could certainly just do that and not do Igniting Your Writing. The next year, in CTC, Write with the Best is used, and that will fulfill the writing component. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[LynnH]

Julie,
I like that idea and think that is what I will do. I have been comparing Wordsmith Apprentice to Igniting your Writing and they are similar in that they both have a non-threatening approach to writing. Igniting your Writing looks very good. I think we will try Wordsmith 1x a week since I have it, but if he isn't taking to it then I will switch to Igniting your Writing using the Start up section. He loves to write poems which is one of the things I love about Preparing, the writing assignments that focus on the Poetry. He gets frustrated with other types of creative writing. He has had to focus so much on just the physical mechanics of either writing or typing that he is behind in things like sentence structure, how to write a good paragraph, what makes a good story etc.
Lynn

[my3sons]

Julie,
I like that idea and think that is what I will do. I have been comparing Wordsmith Apprentice to Igniting your Writing and they are similar in that they both have a non-threatening approach to writing. Igniting your Writing looks very good. I think we will try Wordsmith 1x a week since I have it, but if he isn't taking to it then I will switch to Igniting your Writing using the Start up section. He loves to write poems which is one of the things I love about Preparing, the writing assignments that focus on the Poetry. He gets frustrated with other types of creative writing. He has had to focus so much on just the physical mechanics of either writing or typing that he is behind in things like sentence structure, how to write a good paragraph, what makes a good story etc.
Lynn

Thanks for sharing here, and I think you are doing such a great job with your ds, Lynn. He is so very blessed to have such a loving mom that carefully balances challenging him enough with keeping homeschool enjoyable. I think your plan does both very well.

In Christ,
Julie