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Cornerstone Classical

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Posts posted by Cornerstone Classical

  1. 1850-Mod is for 4-8 graders. It will be a little meatier with outlining, writing, and heavier topics as you get into WW 1 and 2. I do know that if you go with MFW they will automatically suggest you start in ECC before you go into the 4 yr history cycle. Which makes sense, but then again you can do whatever you think is a better fit for you and your students.

     

    We love all MFW products! MFW is AWESOME!

     

    HTH

    Katherine

  2. I have a 2nd and 3rd grader this year. MFW has been a life saver for me, and it is VERY laid out. You can go to the site www.mfwbooks.com and see samples of the lesson plans, and how it's laid out. At the beginning of every week, there is a grid for the week, followed by written out instructions for each day of the week, as well as, a list of supplies that you'll need. This list is things that you will probably already have on hand.

     

    On the grid I just pencil in whatever extras we need to do. Like last year when we were doing ADV and MFW 1st grade together.

     

    It looks like for the next school year you will have a 4th grader, 2nd grader, and K'er. The K'er can do MFW K, or whatever else you have for them. MFW always will place your children in ECC before you go thru the chronological history cycle. This is good because the program is for 4-8 grade and 2nd graders with an older sibling in the program. SO that would be a great fit. We are doing ECC this year and it is wonderful!

     

    In yrs 2-4 of the history cycle SOTW is scheduled. So you won't be missing out on that. I also like that you can go with MFW suggestions for LA and Math, but you could also choose to do the WTM recommendations, or whatever, as well. We do ECC with FLL, Saxon, Writing Strands, and Spelling Workout (which is an excellent program to use if you are combining students). Believe me, this is quite a well rounded program and thorough too!

     

    Hope this helps!

    Katherine

  3. I agree with the others who said that the program is thorough and enough. I did omit the math portion and go with Saxon. I went with Saxon because it was a great fit for us, and MFW uses it in the upper grades. I would also suggest Singapore because that's what is recommended in the early years of MFW. For extra reading, use the library recommendations in back of the TM, and Honey for a Child's Heart to your advantage.

     

    We have done MFW 1st, ADV, and ECC and the longer I stay with MFW, the more comfortable I am with their recommendations, and I don't think I will ever feel like I need to supplement with anything if I'm committed to do each program exactly as it is laid out. The longer I've been with MFW it's been easier to trust the bigger picture.

     

    Hope this helps

  4. My DD (8) has always struggled with Spelling and Reading, but I guess it's a developmental thing for her as well. Just in the past couple of weeks it's like a switch turned on and she's spelling well, and reading. She has actually picked up books and read them on her on, out of her own free will! :001_smile:

     

    Just keep plotting along and do the best that you can do, and it will come. I think around the third grade it just magically happens!

  5. WOW! This really spoke to me. Sounds like some of the things I've faced this year. This has been a very hard yr for me personally, and on top of that, I deal with whining, and being behind in our work by about half the year in MFW. There has literally been times they whine so bad, I just stop, walk away, and go get on Facebook. Pathetic huh? We are OK with core subjects, but my DD is ending 2nd grade soon and is still on a 1st grade reading level. I also am having to look for a part-time job. So I have really considered putting them in PS. But I just don't know if I can do it. It sure would be a relief, but do I really want to take the easy way out? Some times I wished my kids could go to PS for a couple of weeks so they could see how wonderful their homeschooling is. i feel sure they would come crying home:D

     

    Let me encourage you that sending her to school will NOT solve your problems. Friends told me it wouldn't "fix" things... but... I am hard headed and had to learn the lesson on my own. We had some pretty bad things happening on my side of the family for the last year and when summer came in 2010, and registration was open for the local PS, I couldn't fight anymore. I felt like I was fighting kids, fighting spiritual warfare, just fighting to not be depressed and to make it another day (REALLY bad situation on my side of the family, sigh).

     

    I signed her up, and sent her. She cried some days when she had to go. I feel like a horrible mother still for making her go but I was not doing well, and she had been whining and fighting me. I got my LO into a preschool thru the local district and began working on my health, working out, etc... but it wasn't until the situation with my family worked out that I couild think clearly. I realized there was STILL whining and fighting here, it just happened between 4-8pm, and it was more concentrated because we weren't together all day... My older DD is TIRED all of the time, despite getting good sleep and taking vitamins. School takes all of her energy. Also, her class has grown to 29 children, no aide.

     

    So you guessed it, I realized I miss my girls and having them together, I miss being with them both... and I know now I am going to have to lay down the law and make this work. In my mind now, there is no other option other than homeschool (I may put them in for high school, but right now I'm thinking we will go until at least 8th grade). We miss the flexibility, the time together, the ability to go minister and help others whenever needed... AND, my daughter, tho she's a social butterfly said she WANTS to be home again as long as she can call or write her school friends letters, LOL.

     

    We have talked to her a lot about how school will go here next year, still getting up early (sister will do another yr of preschool anyhow), NO TV until after 4pm just like regular school days, afternoon time will be spent constructively... (before she was racing through HSing work to get to play Wii... ugh). I have learned a lot more about how structured I need to be to make schooling at home work for my family.

     

    I feel like I've lost the plot here. :D I just wanted you to know I thought school would fix things, and bottom line, I had to "woman up" and deal with the mess. Things are not perfect here, but my little one is learning she can NOT get what she wants by whining, and my older one is learning more responsibility around here because I MAKE her... and this will continue as we go back to homeschooling.

     

    You've gotten great ideas here and I plan to steal some of them. :lol:

  6. If you are only changing up the math I don't see that it would be that much of a big deal. Especially if it's Singapore, the same program that MFW recommends in the other years. It kinda makes sense to me. In the WTM SWB talks about how important it is to stick with the same math curriculum from start to finish because math programs build on each other. :001_smile:

  7. Oh boy! I'm getting all thrown off here! :001_smile: I had been debating the exact same thing. We are starting MFW Adv. in the fall, and I had just finally decided to go with FLL/WWE. I hate to back up and second guess myself, but you are all making some good points! lots of thinking to do

     

    ;):tongue_smilie:Don't you just love this forum? It always gives you something to think about, and second guess yourself. But I appreciate all the help everyone gives!

  8. PLL/WS would be my vote. We have done MFW and chose Saxon for math and the recommendations from WTM for LA (SWO, FLL, and WWE) it is way too much for us. Very time consuming. We have used MFW 1st grade, Adv, and ECC and the more I've used MFW the more I trust their recommendations and see in hind sight how it all fits nicely together and in a timely manner based on the child's age and stage. I wished I would have done all MFW recommendations from the beginning because I feel that our experience would have been more joyful, and not drudgery. Being caught up and not always behind because the kiddos fade before we get everything done.

     

    I've learned less is more! For Sure!

  9. We have been trying to do MFW 1st and ECC at the same time along with Saxon Math, and WTM LA recommendations. I have to tell you, it has been A LOT! If I had to do it all over again, I would do the MFW math and all their recommendations. It has been too much for me and my kiddos and we have suffered thru LONG days, and lots of tears. I can't imagine throwing the responsibilities of a baby in the mix! Yikes!

     

    The most important thing I've learned in our home school journey is that less is more! :001_smile:

  10. We did their MFW 1st grade program and it was WONDERFUL! The bible lessons highlight the major stories of the bible, and includes a character study from Proverbs. You memorize a proverb scripture, use if for penmanship, and discuss how to apply it to your life. But this is all wrapped up in a reading program as well. So I don't know if this would fit with what you are looking for. It is a wonderful program.:001_smile:

  11. My dh just got back from London (business) and Ireland (family). September is a great time to go. Where do you plan on going and how long do you plan on staying? Are you renting a car also?

     

    Kim

     

    Going for two weeks...my sister lives in Dublin, we will have her car. I guess we will use the ferry from Dublin over to England. She used to live right outside of London so she can navigate there pretty well. As far as Paris--I don't know...

  12. I am getting ready to purchase the Saxon 5/4 Homeschool Kit. I have a question about the "tests and worksheets" part of the kit. Is this worksheets for EVERY lesson, like Saxon 1-3?

     

    I guess my question is...will my child have to write out the daily problems on a separate sheet of paper, or is there a workbook to fill in?

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