Rod & Staff Full Curriculum Review

by Melanie
(Rochester, IL USA)

Product: Rod & Staff
Subject: Full Curriculum
Levels Used: Pre-K3, Pre-K4, 1, 2, 3,
Dates Used: 2005-2011

Likes: Free Sample Books, Affordability, Interwoven Biblical Principles, Simplicity, Thoroughness

Dislikes: Designed for classroom use, Not ideal for visual learners

I like this curriculum for it's affordability. It is very inexpensive. I also like the simplicity and that Biblical principles are interwoven into each subject. It is a very thorough curriculum almost too thorough, as I feel it is way more than we can possibly cover in a school year.

It is designed for classroom use, however, it can be home school friendly. I was afraid my children would not like it because of it's lack of color pictures, but surprisingly they seem to prefer the simplicity. I would not recommend this curriculum for children who need a lot of flash and color. The pictures always show women with head coverings, and dresses, as this is a curriculum designed by Mennonites. I am not a Mennonite, but Christian, and I do not find any of the content to be offensive to our faith.

The first year, I did purchase all of the "extras" including the worksheets, and test booklets, speed drills, and black lines. However, I found it to be way too much material, and opted out of those for the following years. As my family grew, we began using a unit study instead, but still use R&S Language Arts, and Math.

If you are interested in this curriculum, do not hesitate to order their free sample books in each grade, they are excellent, and will give you all the information you could possibly need to make your purchasing decision.