Question to those who have used MFW grade 2

[Cornerstone Classical]

I am planning for this next school year. I school ds-6 and dd-5. ds is a gifted student working above grade level. I am currently looking for what I will use for History and Science next year. We have been using SOTW this year. But I'm looking towards something with more of a biblical worldview. With bible included. I like TQ and Biblioplan and TOG but I think I would be better off using these in the logic stage. And to be honest I don't see me keeping up with all the TOG projects. For Science I was leaning towards Apologia Astronomy.

 

I noticed MFW uses SOTW 2(as a spine) and Apologia Astronomy in there 2nd grade package. I also like that its pretty much all laid out there for me too.

 

Do you think this MFW 2nd grade package would be a good fit?

 

thanks in advance!

Katherinehttp://cornerstoneclassicalschool.blogspot.com

[cbollin]

Katherine,

 

I'm a little confused on your question. The MFW program you are talking about sounds like Rome to the Reformation. That is more designed when the child is ready for a longer school day (such as 3-4 hours to cover 10 subjects). It is a multi level program for being able to be used by families with several children grades 2-8 who are in that time frame with their history study.

 

I have to say I don't really think MFW's RTR is the right fit right now because of the AGE of your oldest child. It's not really about the "grade level" of reading and writing, but the age of the child who is the oldest in the family.

 

You might consider holding off a bit in the chronological cycle and consider using either Adventures in MFW or MFW's ECC program. I know that's not exactly what you want to hear, but I do want to be honest about it.

 

MFW offers good stuff. I've loved it for 5 years. But that program, Rome to the Reformation is designed for a little bit older (i.e. logic stage). Even if your child is advanced in academics, they are still only the physical age that they are. If you are interested in MFW's program, I suggest you at least look at ECC or even at ADV. The Biblical integration is great!

 

MFW does the chronological history cycle a little differently than other things out there.

K, 1st, and Adventures -- make a mini cycle that is age appropriate.

Then the 5 year cycle ECC, CTG, RTR, EX1850, 1850-MOD cover cultures and 4 years of chronological history at a more advanced level.

Then they have a separate high school program for the rhetoric stage.

 

So how about taking a big jump in history from ancients, and start in about the year 1000 AD with the Adventures program? It might seem a little light for your high achieving 6 year old, but there really is no rush at this age in all of this.:)

 

-crystal

[Cornerstone Classical]

Crystal,

Thanks so much for your response. I called MFW and talked with someone. They gave the same answers to my questions as you did. I am really wanting to stay with the trivium breakdown. I need to do SOTW2 next year but I want to have the "biblical worldview" added. If I was not so hooked on the trivium I would be a MFW fan! I think I'm going to stick with SOTW2 with Mystery of History 2 and add in some TQ commentary. I also wanted to do Apologia Astronomy but MFW only covers parts of the book in 18 weeks. I definately want to teach the whole book!

 

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I really appreciate it!

[cbollin]

That whole book, Apologia Astronomy, is covered. Or at least we did the whole book :) It is just done in 18 weeks instead of 34 weeks.

[KIN]

I have never understood why MFW says that RTR is for 4th grade and up. The books are the exact books we have used this year. The supplementary books are ones we have already read. Their school years seem behind to me. For what it is worth - we have done SOTW vol 2 with Biblioplan this year and Apologia Astronomy, my 2nd grader AND my K'r have really enjoyed and learned a lot. I don't see any reason to not do RTR is that is what you are ready and planning to do.

 

I was interested in RTR for this year and was given the same advice as you are getting now. Again, we did do bascially RTR for this year and it went great. In looking at next year (year 3 of the history cycle) we have read most of the supplemantary books already so I decided to put it together myself again. I say, go for it! If it is what you want to study, do it. At least get it and look at it to decide for sure.

 

Kathy

[cbollin]

If SOTW vol. 2 and Apologia Astronomy were the only things in RTR, I would agree with Kathy (KIN) about the age/stage thing.

 

But when you start to add in the art history, all of the different music composers, the longer memory work, a book like Trial and Triumph, and then a bunch of books from book basket idea, and Streams of Civilization and Augustus Caesar’s World…. Well I just prefer a different route of educating my kids and holding off on it. That’s part of homeschooling isn’t it? I guess I already thought the way MFW does about shifting the stages of learning so it makes sense to me to wait. I'm using MFW as written instead of just pieces of it. I guess if I were only doing parts of it, I might think differently. That's the fun of homeschooling.

 

--crystal

[Cornerstone Classical]

Thanks Crystal and KIN for your input. The biggest reason I was looking at MFW is that I was looking to add Bible,Art and Music this year. MFW has everything combined and I think too that it would probably save me money I just am really Scared about doing it with a K'er and a 2nd grader. My major goal is to keep with the trivium. I definately want to do the history of the world 3 times. Maybe this would be a better fit with my kiddos when we get to the logic stage?? I may look at it then. The bottom line is that my kids have learned alot with SOTW1 this year. But I really want them to have the biblical worldview.

I know that there is TQ and Biblioplan. I am just really looking for something that can be read or--even scripted.

Any suggestions would be appreciated if I'm missing anything.

 

Thanks:')

[KIN]

I do not think this would work for a logic age child, they would need to be reading harder books and doing more. I think you could do MFW RTR with a K'er and 2nd grader. Do they have a refund? Can you get it and look at it? It would be nice to have everything scheduled out and if it is what you want to use, try it. :) I wish I would have tried it last year, it would have saved me money too.

[cbollin]

Any suggestions would be appreciated if I'm missing anything.

 

Thanks:')

 

 

You might want to consider listening to or attending MFW's convention workshop about Classical education in the 21st Century. It is sometimes called

What Should 21st Century Christians Be Teaching Their Children?

 

Here's a link to one version of it from 2007 if you want to buy it.

that workshop

and be sure to check out MFW's convention page to see if you can see the product in person this year. That might be the biggest way to determine if it is what you want. It makes a difference seeing the books and the entire program. Don't forget to look at the book basket list and the notebooking assignments and things like that. All of that is included in the program.

 

Try to get a copy of that workshop. It really will help to understand the Why's of MFW to see if that is what you want to do as well. In it you will hear a lot about the Why's of various models and interpretations of classical education and how to tie it in with becoming a family of eternal purpose. It deals with big picture goals of education.

 

hope that workshop helps. I don't know why I'm up at this time of day:)

-crystal

[Cornerstone Classical]

KIN and CBollin,

I've continued thinking about this over night and I might go to the workshop in Greenville. It's about 1-1.5 hour drive from here and it will give me and dear hubby a chance to get away for a couple of days! I know this will answer my ?'s Thanks again!

http://cornerstoneclassicalschool.blogspot.com