Placement for CTC... Not sure....

[LeAnna]

I'm trying to figure out placement for my son, and just not sure. We have been a way from Hod for a little while, and looking to return. I just love the books! We are working on cursive right now, but not at writing sentences yet. He will be 11, is a independent reader, a little bit of a reluctant writer, and working on 2/3 of DITHOR, with the level 4/5 books. Would CTC be a good fit for him? I'm really thinking that cursive is just the biggest thing I am unsure of. He's doing Rod and Staff English 3, and diagramming really well. What do you think?

Thank you!

[StephanieU]

I would lean towards Preparing with where he is in grammar and writing. He could probably do CtC as well, but Preparing wouldn't frustrate him. You could always do it 5 days a week (instead of 4) to complete it faster than a year.

[LeAnna]

Okay, he is in English 3 and doing really well. He will be ready for 4 come fall. Would you still say Preparing?

[Nealewill]

What I would do is print off the placement chart. I would circle where you think he places in each area. So for example:

*First Line: Age. Since he is going to be 11, I would circle CTC, RtR, and RevtoRev.
*Second Line: Reading. You said he reads independently. He is reading the 4/5 books so you can easily circle CTC and RtR
*Third Line: Writing. You said he is a reluctant writer. Can he write? In CTC, you will be writing 5 sentence narrations once a week. That isn't too long and there is a lot of help in the guide. Also, there is copywork daily. Does he do much copy work now? Even if he doesn't now, do you think by next year he could do copywork for 5-10 minutes? And finally, there is creative writing in CTC. The assignments aren't too long and more about analyzing writing before actually writing. If you think all these things are fine, then you can definitely circle CTC here.
*Fourth Line: Grammar. Since you will be starting R&S 4 next year, you can circle CTC.
*Fifth Line: Math. This is very flexible since math is geared to each child at their own level. You would need to worry about which level he is in.

From what you have shared, as long as you think he can do the writing in CTC, I think he would be fine. CTC definitely does have more reading than Preparing but if he is a good reader and is willing to read for 1-1.5 hours a day, then he will be more than ready for CTC.

[StephanieU]

Also, it depends on when you are going to return. In your original post, I assumed you were going to switch soon (January is a common time for families). If you are waiting until Fall, you will have time to finish things and be ready for the writing in CtC. If you are changing in January, then I would lean towards Preparing, and doing it 5 days a week once you get going.

[Nealewill]

Also, it depends on when you are going to return. In your original post, I assumed you were going to switch soon (January is a common time for families). If you are waiting until Fall, you will have time to finish things and be ready for the writing in CtC. If you are changing in January, then I would lean towards Preparing, and doing it 5 days a week once you get going.

I agree with Stephanie here - if you are looking to switch now, I might wait on CtC. But if you are looking to start in the fall, a lot can happen by then. I was giving my review on placement of where I thought your child would place assuming you would be starting next fall.

[LovingJesus]

I'm trying to figure out placement for my son, and just not sure. We have been a way from Hod for a little while, and looking to return. I just love the books! We are working on cursive right now, but not at writing sentences yet. He will be 11, is a independent reader, a little bit of a reluctant writer, and working on 2/3 of DITHOR, with the level 4/5 books. Would CTC be a good fit for him? I'm really thinking that cursive is just the biggest thing I am unsure of. He's doing Rod and Staff English 3, and diagramming really well. What do you think?

Thank you!

I am assuming that you mean not writing sentences yet in cursive, but that he can write sentences in general? If he is reading level 4/5 books could he do that level of reading for 1.5 hours a day? Are you looking for now or fall when he has actually finished R&S 3? When does he turn 12? If he is starting CTC in the fall would he be turning 12 during it? CTC is meant to be written in Italic or cursive, but he could print at first and build more and more with cursive through the guide with the goal of doing it all in cursive at some point during it.

Here is an example of the writing in CTC that should give you some idea if his reluctant writing will do OK with the skills needed for CTC (I didn't read the replies so I am sorry if I am repeating anything):

*Once a week written narration.
*On occasion writing for the travel log for Geography (not every week)
*On occasion writing for the Genesis Roots book (not every week)
*Copy scripture memory verse once a week (one verse in length) into the common place book
*Copy poem once a week
*Drawing time-line boxes and labeling them with date and title
*Copy work from the main history spine once a week
*Copy a lengthy scripture verse once a week into the note book
*The history project can require writing on the project itself. Copying names for a map, copying peoples names or Israel tribe names, etc.
*DITHOR writing.
*Writing a short sentence description of the prophecies of Christ and naming the verses in the OT and NT for it.
*Writing in science ~ my son had already done Land Animals (he started CTC last April at age 11 and took off the summer) so he is doing a different science until the very end of CTC. I know there is writing though in the science. It looks like a copy work of a Scripture verse, answering 5 questions each week, and a lab write up.
*Writing in R&S or Write With the Best daily.

Does that amount of writing look manageable for him? If not could he grow into it over a month or two?

I think age wise the content of CTC would be better for a 11 year old boy. When does he turn 12?

[LeAnna]

Yep, in his writing, I would say that he can write a paragraph if he sets his mind to it, and spelling is okay. We are using Spelling You See, level D this year, and he's actually improved quite a bit from where he was. So, maybe he isn't as reluctant as I thought. Not sure. I don't like to compare my kids a lot, but in comparing his writing to my girls' at that age, they were more advanced, so it's hard for me to see if he's behind or just right. It sounds to me, though, from what you are telling me, that CTC sounds manageable for him. As far as the cursive goes, he isn't writing in cursive too much yet. We are just working on letters right now. I'm hoping that we will be writing sentences and paragraphs in cursive by the fall, but we will see. He will be just turned 11 when we start. Will the potential lack of strong cursive be a problem for CTC?

[LeAnna]

He's done quite a bit of narrations too, and with Spelling You See this year, especially. It sounds like CTC, would be a good fit for him, if not having cursive down quite yet, isn't a hindrance. Thank you for the help!

[Nealewill]

No, there is some copywork done in cursive but you could just do it in print. I would not let cursive be the only thing that holds you back from doing CTC. With his age, I think I would lean more towards CTC if he meet everything else.

[LeAnna]

Yes, it's just mostly the cursive that I am concerned about. I think everything else, he can do pretty well, or we can take a bit slower. I think I'm leaning more toward CTC.

[LovingJesus]

Yep, in his writing, I would say that he can write a paragraph if he sets his mind to it, and spelling is okay. We are using Spelling You See, level D this year, and he's actually improved quite a bit from where he was. So, maybe he isn't as reluctant as I thought. Not sure. I don't like to compare my kids a lot, but in comparing his writing to my girls' at that age, they were more advanced, so it's hard for me to see if he's behind or just right. It sounds to me, though, from what you are telling me, that CTC sounds manageable for him. As far as the cursive goes, he isn't writing in cursive too much yet. We are just working on letters right now. I'm hoping that we will be writing sentences and paragraphs in cursive by the fall, but we will see. He will be just turned 11 when we start. Will the potential lack of strong cursive be a problem for CTC?

I would start with CTC, rather then Preparing. I don't think Preparing would challenge him enough next fall, and he would be a bit old for it. With him just having turned 11 next fall, able to write paragraphs, and having done quite a bit of narrations I would definitely say he would be fine in CTC. I wouldn't hold him back for cursive. Carrie indicates they should write in their note books in cursive and it is preferred. Maybe, by fall he will be able to do so. If he still isn't fully into cursive though I would just have him do one box in cursive, and then add a box every week or two until he builds up to all of them.

Yes, I have seen many times on forums moms with girls as first borns having a much easier time, then I did, teaching writing in the early grades. With my two oldest being boys I have been amazed that my daughter actually puts together some of the writing steps on her own! I will say though my son that started CTC when he was 11 last April, and is now finishing it this winter at 12, is really a wonderful writer at this point. It was slow in coming, but now his writing is exceptional and top notch. It will come.

[LeAnna]

Oh good! That's encouraging to hear. Great idea to start with one box in cursive and progress to another. Thank you!

[my3sons]

Thanks for sharing about your son, and with each subsequent piece of information that you shared, I think we knew more and more about your ds, and it made it easier to choose between 2 good guides for him. CTC sounds like a good placement - the ladies already did such a nice job of talking through this! The start date and the writing are 2 important considerations. Having done HOD before, you know dc grow into their guides, getting more and more adept at skills practiced in a routine way as the year progresses. So, some of it should be harder at the start, at least 1/3 should be relatively new skills to be practiced and honed. Daneale's line by line placement made sense to me, as well as the questions about the start date and amount of writing. I hope you enjoy CTC as much as we have with our dc!

In Christ,
Julie

[LeAnna]

Thank you Julie, and these awesome ladies! I will probably have more questions as I work on placing my other two kiddos, but glad we got one down! Looking forward to CTC!