Rod and Staff

[new2homeschoolmom]

Has anyone used all of R&S curriculm?
How did it go? Were you happy with the end results?
My curriculum seems to be headed this direction and I just want some input. What did you like or not like?
Thanks
Kristi

[littlemomof3]

Right now we use R&S 1 math R&S 2 English and R&S 3 Math, English, Spelling

I love the math,English and spelling. They are Mastery. My son has learned very well on these.

Have to be honest tho. We are moving to BJU DVD's this Aug because I need a break from teaching:D

I do however LOVE R&S Math, spelling, English.
I am not fond of their Reading, Science, or SS.

There are others on here. You will get bette responses soon!

[*Kate*]

I haven't used R&S for all subjects -- so far just for English. But I did want to say that we LOVE it!! I find it to be very easy to teach. It gives great explanations and plenty of review to really keep the info in the kid's heads. :)
I ended up going with Abeka for math, but I often wish I had gone with R&S. Not that I have seen R&S math in person, but if it explains things as well it does for English, then it would be perfect.
I have heard that R&S can be boring for Social Studies and Science. But again, I haven't used it personally.
I'd love to hear what others say about your question because I too, was originally thinking of going with all R&S (great prices :) ).

ETA: Just wanted to add that I'm hs'ing a 6th grader.

[sandalwood]

Has anyone used all of R&S curriculm?
How did it go? Were you happy with the end results?
My curriculum seems to be headed this direction and I just want some input. What did you like or not like?
Thanks
Kristi

What ages are your kids? In the younger years, I tried & did not like the R & S reading... I resold it. Fast forward to this year. I have loved R & S English for a while. I won a lot of 5th grade R & S books on ebay with the English in it, so I bid and won. I figured I'd resell the rest of the stuff after I glanced at it. Then, I looked at it and thought.....wow, this is pretty good! I put it up in my closet to dig out after we finished our sonlight stuff this year. Well, we finished the Sonlight Core a month ago and I dug out the R & S because I had it and I didn't need to spend one more penny on curriculum now. We are absolutely :)LOVING:) it. For one thing, the independence in it is freeing to me. I don't have to go hunt down 6 books for the day in history, or read several read-alouds, etc. It's all right there. I have everything for 5th grade. My son who has always liked the English is loving the textbooks. What I'm doing now, is having him read read some more Sonlight history readers (because he reads like crazy and wants to) with the R & S. I intend to keep on using this R & S until we finish it. There is a yahoo group that has about 350 members that doesn't have a lot of posts daily but you can read the past posts. (homeschoolingwithrodandstaff)

Now, I really have loved the literature approach to homeschooling and we have tried many different things over the years, but for now in this "season" of our homeschool we are loving the textbooks and 5th grade. I can't vouch for any other year but 5th besides the English series in the younger years. We are enjoying their SS (N. America and Canada in the level 5) and science so far.

[mom4him]

I have just changed my two over to R&S reading, English and for my dd spelling. We are only about 2 wks into it but loving it. I feel that my dd has learned more in the last two weeks in English than she had in the last 2 yrs with the other curr. we have used. This fall we will be using their math as well.
For history I really like using living books but have considered looking at the science with R&S.

[new2homeschoolmom]

My dd is 10. We currently use R&S Math, Bible and Spelling.
I have just ordered R&S Science 4 for next year. I have been thinking about R&S English, she is currently using Easy Gram 4 and Daily Gram 4.
I have also just ordered R&S Music 1,2,3 and 4, I have never taught music but thought this would give us the basics on reading music. Last year we did R&S Health 4 grade, and we enjoyed that.

My dd is having trouble in spelling so I was thinking of using something else, just not sure what. Or maybe just add a phonics type program.

Thank you all, I will check out the yahoo group.
Kristi

DD (10)
DD (almost 2)
DS (7mon)

[amydavis]

This was my first year teaching my children at home. We used Rod and Staff for our English and I have loved it. It is very thorough. I really like how each lesson incorporates a review of previously learned items. I didn't use it for any other subjects though. I am wondering what people think of their Math program.

[sandalwood]

This was my first year teaching my children at home. We used Rod and Staff for our English and I have loved it. It is very thorough. I really like how each lesson incorporates a review of previously learned items. I didn't use it for any other subjects though. I am wondering what people think of their Math program.

We used Horizons until a few months ago. We started in the 5th Rod & Staff math book afterward and so far, it's working for us. I like the approach. However, I can't comment on the lower grades.


My dd is 10. We currently use R&S Math, Bible and Spelling.
I have just ordered R&S Science 4 for next year. I have been thinking about R&S English, she is currently using Easy Gram 4 and Daily Gram 4.
I have also just ordered R&S Music 1,2,3 and 4, I have never taught music but thought this would give us the basics on reading music. Last year we did R&S Health 4 grade, and we enjoyed that.

My dd is having trouble in spelling so I was thinking of using something else, just not sure what. Or maybe just add a phonics type program.

Thank you all, I will check out the yahoo group.
Kristi

DD (10)
DD (almost 2)
DS (7mon)

We liked All About Spelling, but then went to just making word lists from Dr. Fry's spelling book. Now, we are in Rod & Staff. Can't tell you enough about it yet (just started it) to tell if we'll like it. Check out http://www.spellingcity.com/ if your dd likes to be on the computer. You can input the words she's having trouble with.

[Shelly in the Country]

I don't use R&S for everything. I try to use R&S for as much as I can though because of the prices. I read early on in our homeschooling journey that R&S had a solid, rigorous English curriculum, so we use R&S for grammar. I supplement their writing instruction with Writing Strands because I don't like R&S writing assignments as much as WS's. My dd had trouble with the format of Spelling Power so I decided to try R&S Spelling because of the price, and she has improved a great deal, so we stick with it. I tried R&S Science when I got sticker shock looking at Sonlight's Science. We are also YE Creationist in viewpoint so SL didn't really fit the bill. My dd has enjoyed it. She retains the material and is always running to me with her book showing me some new thing she learned. My engineer DH looked over R&S's science and gave it his stamp of approval, so we stick with it. I do not use their social studies because philosophically I fall in with the WTM four year history cycle and R&S doesn't do that. I also have a bit of the "living books" thing going on in my outlook so I shy away from their Reading curriculum as well. I'd use their Handwriting except that my children used VP Phonics Museum when learning how to read and they do D'Nealian. I also use the Artpacs they sell (which I believe are also carried by CLE). I've looked at their math but much prefer Singapore.

If I could summarize my purchasing plan, I try to save money on the "guts" of our curriculum (grammar, math, writing, science) so that we can build our library with more books for literature, history, art, etc. I still try to find good, solid programs for those things, but I lean toward things that are non-consumable (4 kids, you know). R&S fits the bill for good, solid instruction, low cost, and reuse.

[servin]

Can I jump in here and ask if you use the teacher's manual? Is it necessary? I know sometimes they are and sometimes they are not. Just wondering if a set is ideal.

[Shelly in the Country]

I use the TMs because they make checking assignments and grading tests easier. The answers to all the daily assignments and the test booklets are in the TMs. There is an introduction to each unit in the Science TM that I read before each new unit. I like that the Spelling TM has test sentences to read off for spelling tests and quizzes. I have a lot of trouble coming up with sentences on my own. I don't think I use the TMs for anything other than that though.

[Brindee]

We use R&S for English. I DEFINITELY recommend the Teacher Editions for parents who aren't very strong in that area (that would be me)! I love their TE's! They're very thorough at explaining the concepts and it helps me be able to explain it to my children. We were going to do their math this year with dd, but we all decided on something else instead.

I have never done a whole program, from one publisher, for my children. The very first year I homeschooled I ordered the Kit from Christian Liberty Academy. My oldest was in 2nd grade then. I liked that it had helps for the teacher;s, and ideas mapped out already. It really helped "hold my hand" while I was learning. But I soon pulled in a couple of other items, and decided not to use a couple of their items....... I've been eclectic ever since. My children are so different, that using one curriculum for all of them all the way through just wouldn't work. I know people who have done it--with A Beka and Bob Jones, but we haven't.

[PollyOR]

I didn't intend for this to happen, but I have moved more and more towards Rod & Staff the longer we've homeschooled.



We started with English four(?) years ago since at that time it was recommended for use after FLL.
I loved English so much that a year later we added Math. The thought of continuing with Saxon (K - 54) made ME cry.
We eventually tried Spelling but it didn't work for oldest girl (not a natural speller). I'm using it for 11 yodd.
This year I added Social Studies/History and Geography and Science for 11 yodd.
I'm trying the Reading program for 7yodd. We've had to slow it down for her.
We've also used the Preschool books and have Artpacs that we need to use.

We don't use the upper level Readers/Bible, penmanship, or music.

[new2homeschoolmom]

Thank you all for your replies. I have ordered all I need for next year from R&S, and the only thing I have left in her curriculum is English. I am not sure if I should stay with Easy Grammer or move toward R&S English.
Any suggestions?

[Brindee]

Thank you all for your replies. I have ordered all I need for next year from R&S, and the only thing I have left in her curriculum is English. I am not sure if I should stay with Easy Grammer or move toward R&S English.
Any suggestions?

FWIW, English was our favorite R&S subject! :001_smile: