We are looking into Rod and Staff.  I requested the samples and really like some of the subjects.  Anyone have experience with them?  When do they start teaching Pacifism?

We use R&S and really enjoy (3rd, 4th & 5th grade curriculum).  The English I feel is the best I have seen.  The Bible is amazing.....my 9 yd knows so much.  As far as Pacifism I haven't noticied it, but that could be because I'm not looking for it either.

Angela L.

Thank you for your response.  We currently use ACE.  We are trying to find a less expensive way to home school several children.  We have Mystery of History and Apologia Early Explorers Series.  We are planning to combine our children on those subjects. I liked that Rod & Staff has the textbook and workbooks, so you don't have to buy everything each year, but still have a great curriculum.  Thank you again.

We used Rod and Staff mostly for math when my children were younger but we also used R&S history for the elementary grades as well. I didn't notice anything about pacifism but definitely a Mennonite theme in some of the history. We also used Spelling,which I liked for the younger grades.The middle school spelling program was very involved (but very good) so I took bits and pieces from it to use with my children.

We also enjoyed Pathway Readers(Amish) when the children were younger. The stories were simple and moralistic but not heavy on any particular doctrine - tell the truth,work hard,go to church,obey your parents,etc. I enjoyed using the workbooks that went along with the stories and that the materials could be"recycled" between my children.

I haven't noticed pacifism being taught at all.  These books are definitely Mennonite, but they're not preachy.

For what it's worth, I've used most of their English, math and spelling series with my kids, and random other pieces like history/geography, music, drawing, and such. I own the entire Spelling by Sound and Structure series (painless and very effective), I'm one level short of owning the whole math series, and we have the English books from 4-8. (My younger ones use First Language Lessons 1-3 before switching to Rod and Staff's English.)

We have used R&S from the very beginning and my oldest is almost finished with 6th grade.  We don't use their Math or their English.  We stopped using English from them after 3rd grade, but have consistently used their Social Studies, Geography, History, Reading/Bible, and Phonics.  LOVE their stuff.  Cheap and very effective.  And it teaches the child to be a self-learner.  My oldest absolutely loves their stuff and flies right through it.

I've not noticed any pacifism....it seems that with all of their stuff, it is more about building up the child as a person and teaching them to be the best person they can be.  Be healthy, be happy, be a contributor to life.