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CC and MFW


mhaddon
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We are beginning CC this fall and had already planned on using MFW before joining (purchases were made). I attended the parent practicum and they said not to use another program because it would be too hard... so has anyone used both before? I'm not sure what to do at this point. I guess I was thinking of just doing some of the geography mapping with the kids, the memory work, and maybe a few lapbooks that went with CC as we had time and just use MFW and do what I had intended because CC history moves so fast and my kids are young. Even folding in library books with CC would be too much at this point in time! 

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I don't have any advice.  But I'm a MFW user.  We really love it.  We are doing Adv and K this year...did 1st last year.  But, I've never done CC or even really researched it.  I thought I read a thread talking about people doing CC and doing other things too.  So, maybe it would work.  Hopefully someone who has experience can chime in.  At least I'm giving you a bump.  :D

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CC is just memory work and a presentation. You absolutely can do MFW at the same time if that is what you want to do. Just remember that you will lose 1 day each week and about 30 minutes each day to devote to memorization. But you an also have the CC songs playing while you do chores, run errands, on your way to CC, etc. :)

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Thanks!  And the great part of MFW is the extra day for nature study, guess we will use it for cc instead :)  I just feel like I am finding things that would go with both programs that I want to add in and I know I will overwhealm myself :)  I am doing my weekly file folders right now and adding in sheets. My kids love to color and do sheets so I figure it can't hurt and I can just hold them back for the next cycle with the ages I have if we don't do them.

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I think it's odd that they said that. When I joined a CC group years ago, I had to sign a document stating that I understood that CC was just a supplement to our homeschool. Anyway, unless something has majorly changed with CC, I can't imagine that you couldn't do both. I did the CC memory work and SL together for years.

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Thanks!  And the great part of MFW is the extra day for nature study, guess we will use it for cc instead :)  I just feel like I am finding things that would go with both programs that I want to add in and I know I will overwhealm myself :)  I am doing my weekly file folders right now and adding in sheets. My kids love to color and do sheets so I figure it can't hurt and I can just hold them back for the next cycle with the ages I have if we don't do them.

 

I love that extra day!  We get tons of nature.  I use the day for catch up (or ahead) and also for play dates, my mom coming to visit, appts or whatever.  Love that extra day!

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I think it's odd that they said that. When I joined a CC group years ago, I had to sign a document stating that I understood that CC was just a supplement to our homeschool. Anyway, unless something has majorly changed with CC, I can't imagine that you couldn't do both. I did the CC memory work and SL together for years.

 

If you signed something that said exactly that, it wasn't the standard CC contract. It is a full curriculum at the Challenge level and not a supplement. Perhaps this is what you agreed to:

 

I understand that I am fully responsible for my child’s education and that the Classical Conversations® Foundations/Essentials/Challenge program will enhance that education.

 

 

 

I know a number of people who use CC as their full curriculum and only add in math, handwriting, and reading. It really depends on the community. My community does lean toward less in the younger years and to focus heavily on memory work along with the three R's at the Foundations level. If her community has that same bent, then that might be why they would say that.

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If you signed something that said exactly that, it wasn't the standard CC contract. It is a full curriculum at the Challenge level and not a supplement. Perhaps this is what you agreed to:

 

 

 

I know a number of people who use CC as their full curriculum and only add in math, handwriting, and reading. It really depends on the community. My community does lean toward less in the younger years and to focus heavily on memory work along with the three R's at the Foundations level. If her community has that same bent, then that might be why they would say that.

I am talking about the foundations level, and thought that is what the OP was referring to.  If I missed something, I apologize because it is my understanding (just from talking with other moms)  that it is a full program at the challenge level.   I agree that you can get away with just focusing on the memory work for science and history in the early years if that's what you want to do, but you still have to at least add in math, reading, etc  When I had briefly participated with a group, Leah Bortins was very clear that this was a memory and enrichment program (science experiments and art).  I'm sure many things have changed with CC over the years, though.  It's been almost 10 years since I participated with a group.  When I began, Leah Bortins was just starting up and I was one of the first ones on board.  She came and sat with us and discussed how things worked and I believe she was directly responsible for that form being distributed.  It appears to have changed, but the word "enhance" is not too far from "enrich" or "supplement" in my mind, just a little less obvious. I remember it well, because there was so much confusion about what CC actually was at the time, so it was nice to have that clarified.  I actually didn't last long in the group because it was pretty far from my house and I realized I could just as easily accomplish at home in 30 minutes or less what it was taking me half the day to do with the group, so I taught my son the memory work for about 4 years.  If we had had one closer, I probably would have stuck with it for the social aspect. 

 

But, anyway, we spent about 15-20 minutes on the memory work at home and then did SL as well as many other things, so I would certainly think MFW would be very doable as well for the foundations level, even if you also spent one morning a week with a group.

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I'm trying to point out the possibilities of why she was given that as an answer. :001_smile:

 

Many of their publications, including the catalog, say that you need to purchase math, reading, and phonetics/spelling program and mention nothing about additional science or history. I was not stating one way or another whether I feel it is enough but rather that some parents feel that it is enough. I think each family needs to make that decision based on their own goals. And, as I stated in a previous post, that I do think a family could do MFW and CC if that's what they want.

 

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This is going to be our first year in CC but I have been talking to many people already involved for awhile now about it.  I think whether you use another program is really up to you and how much you did into the CC materials.  I know some people who use CC as their spine, adding in LA and Math.   I  know others who do nothing more than what is 'required' by CC and use a completely different program, like MFW, for history/social studies etc.  This year I'll have one doing MFW K and 1st as well and I am planning on using this year to see what path we want for the future.  Using CC to supplement and to give us a community to be involved with, or if we'll drop MFW and really dig into CC each week. 

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I went recently to a CC info meeting because a new one is being started in my town by some moms I know from AHG. I am also a mfw user. I felt my kids were too young to really benefit from the program. I might consider it when oldest is in 4th and up but we do want to stick with MFW and do the complete family cycle so I am weary of it detracting from mfw. However, I do feel like I would like to have a co-op experience and so that is why I would consider it. MFW now has synergy pilot groups though :). So perhaps we will be able to do a co-op specific to mfw that will have us doing projects that'll actually cross stuff off our mfw list rather then take a day away.

 

As far as using other curriculum with CC, I think it's up to the family. Some use it as their spine and get library books on CC topics and others spend maybe 30 minutes a day on CC and do other curriculums / programs. The challenger program for 7-12th, which is optional, I believe provides a complete Lang program, math, science and literature and so maybe it is this CC program is where you'd want to just do CC.

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I'm trying to point out the possibilities of why she was given that as an answer. :001_smile:

 

Many of their publications, including the catalog, say that you need to purchase math, reading, and phonetics/spelling program and mention nothing about additional science or history. I was not stating one way or another whether I feel it is enough but rather that some parents feel that it is enough. I think each family needs to make that decision based on their own goals. And, as I stated in a previous post, that I do think a family could do MFW and CC if that's what they want.

Yeah, I began with the intention of just pointing out the change in the form, and then got a little wordy there (as I often do). :)

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I went recently to a CC info meeting because a new one is being started in my town by some moms I know from AHG. I am also a mfw user. I felt my kids were too young to really benefit from the program. I might consider it when oldest is in 4th and up but we do want to stick with MFW and do the complete family cycle so I am weary of it detracting from mfw. However, I do feel like I would like to have a co-op experience and so that is why I would consider it. MFW now has synergy pilot groups though :). So perhaps we will be able to do a co-op specific to mfw that will have us doing projects that'll actually cross stuff off our mfw list rather then take a day away.

 

As far as using other curriculum with CC, I think it's up to the family. Some use it as their spine and get library books on CC topics and others spend maybe 30 minutes a day on CC and do other curriculums / programs. The challenger program for 7-12th, which is optional, I believe provides a complete Lang program, math, science and literature and so maybe it is this CC program is where you'd want to just do CC.

 

Exactly!  I'm hoping to connect with one when we get to that level. We'll see though.  We aren't part of anything right now.  It's too much right now because of the ages of my children.  I thought about a co-op this year, but I don't feel we need it for the academics and it will just hinder us in that way because we need that extra day to get it all done.  I'd like it for the social aspect, but let's face it...I have 6 kids 7.5 years apart.  They have each other.  LOL!

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Exactly! I'm hoping to connect with one when we get to that level. We'll see though. We aren't part of anything right now. It's too much right now because of the ages of my children. I thought about a co-op this year, but I don't feel we need it for the academics and it will just hinder us in that way because we need that extra day to get it all done. I'd like it for the social aspect, but let's face it...I have 6 kids 7.5 years apart. They have each other. LOL!

Oh goodness I don't know how you do it but I would love a big family like yours :)

 

I hope they come out with an Adventures synergy group. It seems like that would be fun!

 

We'll do a non academic co-op this year for our first time. It's a kids in nature class and pony club for kids 4-7 (so both kiddos get to participate!) one morning a week and then the kids do AWANA on Thursday evenings and AHG on Tuesdays afternoons. I am a TenderHeart leader and ds gets to go to daycare for the 4 and under. That is busy enough for us!

 

I don't feel too bad because with my dss 9, dd, 5, & ds, 4 they have built in playmates, as do your children :)

 

Too bad we don't live close by.

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