What it is: A Mennonite grammar and composition curriculum for grades 3-8.
What you should know: This is an exceptionally thorough, traditional grammar & composition curriculum. Topics are repeated each year in increasing depth. Sentences and paragraphs are emphasized through 5th grade. In 6th grade the focus shifts more to composition and lengthier writing assignments.
This program is full of old fashioned touches--kids are taught how to make introductions and use the phone correctly, illustrations are in black and white of children in Mennonite garb, and the text supplies copious Biblical content without proselytizing. They teach diagramming extensively. Composition is introduced gently in the earlier grades. Book reports, poetry, and paragraphs are all covered in grades 3-5. With fifth grade comes an introduction to outlining and note-taking. Writing lessons are covered with more depth and frequency starting in sixth grade.
What we love: I adore how the daily oral review practically guarantees retention. Additionally, the gentle introduction to composition has been a boon for my reluctant writers. While I do teach the material, the explanations are complete enough for the motivated and independent student to work independently. This gives everyone a little extra flexibility. Finally, as is typical for Mennonite curricula, it is inexpensive and reusable with multiple students.
You may be put off by: If a secular program is a requirement, you will want to pass this by. Some people may find it too dry and too repetitive for their taste. I've heard the complaint that the writing instruction is insufficient. There is one writing assignment per week, which strikes many people as not enough. (Of course, parents who want more can add additional assignments.) Children who struggle with open-ended assignments might need instruction broken down into smaller steps than R&S provides. Additionally, this curriculum may not work well for kids who cannot handle repetition, or for strong whole-to-parts learners.
How we cope: My older son is on his 4th year of R&S. When I know he has mastered the material we complete lessons orally or skip them outright. However, my other son does not need as much review, so we complete the lessons orally as much as possible, and I may not use the curriculum every year with him. Both boys have demonstrated a need for step-by-step instruction in writing, so we have supplemented R&S composition instruction with IEW. Also, I have created a cheat sheet for my older son with notes of R&S's composition instruction.
My older son corrected a mistake of mine the other day, happily cackling that he knew more than I did. At this point, he does! If they finish this program through eighth grade, for better or for worse, they will likely know more grammar than most people.
