applesing
-
Posts
207 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Blogs
Classifieds
Store
Posts posted by applesing
-
-
We loved MFW K and MFW 1st! In 1st, the child practices reading and narration using the MFW Bible Reader. I thought that this was a wonderful way to learn narration skills. The child makes a Bible Notebook containing the narrations and his/her drawings. It is a precious keepsake and something we will keep forever! This is one of my favorite treasures from all of our homeschooling years.
As a side note, my children were early readers and still really benefited from the phonics lessons and narration practice in MFW 1st. It is simple to adjust the program according to the academic needs of your student.
We have also done MFW Adventures, ECC and CtG, so we are fans of the program here.
Hope you find something that will fit your family!
Lynne
-
You are the second person in a week I have heard say that they decided to save Kingdom Tales until they were older, or plan to save it. May I ask the reason? I have not read the book.
. . .
So why do people choose to skip Kingdom Tales with younger students?
We read the first few chapters of it as a read aloud, and I could tell that my 8 & 6 year old were not completely understanding the symbolism of the characters. The book is an allegory, and it has some rather intense parts, and I wanted to make sure that they understood the symbolism of those situations. I have not read through it completely, but I plan to preview more of it this summer with the idea that we may fit this book in next year during RtR.
I have read excellent reviews of this book online. People seem to really like it and find it meaningful. And a year and a half after we read parts of the book, my dds will occasionally ask when we are going to finish it. So it was definitely something that they enjoyed.
-
PS - I did "edit" some of the read alouds as there were some violent parts. My dds are sensitive, so we just didn't need to deal with that. Also, we decided to save Kingdom Tales for when they are older. World Geography is geared for grades 5-8, so we didn't use that. But we used the other books and enjoyed them.
-
I did ECC with a 3rd grader and a 1st grader, and we all loved it. We really liked the Complete Book of Animals, and we were able to use POE for the most part. The Geography Game is simple, and my dds really retained the information learned from it. My dds really liked the passports and country celebrations and are excited to do ECC again when they are in junior high.
-
She saw that Michael Clay Thompson was going to be at the homeschool convention here, and reacted the same way the girls on her cheer team do to the mention of Justin Bieber.:tongue_smilie: (I haven't had the heart to tell her that parents who go to homeschool conventions generally don't want 7 yr olds in the sessions, clutching copies of Grammar Island to be autographed by their idol).
My daughters feel the same way about MCT! In fact, so do I. :001_wub: I met him last year at the Memphis convention, and he seemed like such a kind man. He even autographed a book for me. You should definitely take her to meet him! She would never forget it. Frankly, I think she would really enjoy attending his presentations!
-
I looked at his budget planner on his website this week and laughed when the lowest sample salary was way higher than Dh's. We would love to have that lowest monthly income! And I laughed when I noticed that the monthly budget for the lowest salary only allowed $150 for utilities. I don't know anyone who pays only $150 on utilities! Does that mean we do without a phone or electricity or gas or water or ???
I know that I could have created a 7 day free trial account and plugged in my own numbers, but seriously, I do not want the hassle of canceling the account before they charge me for it. I would just like to see a realistic sample. I thought that his figures were offensive to those of us on low incomes.
I always wonder if Dave Ramsey would laugh at our homeschooling endeavor and tell me to go back to work, given our low income. We certainly share his ideas about staying out of debt and are doing a good job with that, but he might be shocked at how little we are able to save. During this season of our lives, homeschooling and being with our children is a higher priority than funding our retirement account. I don't think that we will regret this choice.
That said, I sometimes enjoy listening to him and filter his sometimes arrogant attitude from the good information.
-
Wow, our relatives never even send an e-mail acknowledgement of the gifts we send, let alone a thank you note. I do find this rude, and we have decided to discontinue the birthday gifts when the nieces & nephews graduate from high school. I have a feeling that Christmas gifts are going to start decreasing, too.
But I think that your relative is being completely unreasonable about this situation. I would be thrilled to receive any thank you note, even if it was a few weeks late! It sounds like you were very polite and not in the wrong in this situation. Oh my.
-
I've been thinking about this a lot lately and have determined that I will probably keep more books than I had originally planned. I can foresee a future in which few books are actually printed on paper, and I don't like it.
Lynne
-
We have done MFW K, 1st, Adventures, ECC and now CtG. We liked all of those years, but ECC was my least favorite year, and I think it was because I missed the narrative of history woven throughout the program. You get bits and pieces of history in ECC, to be sure, but it is different from studying a time period for an entire year. We are doing CtG now, though, and I can really see the fruit of our ECC work as we study ancient history. My dc learned so much about geography and cultures during ECC, and that has been helpful as we study history chronologically again. I personally am enjoying CtG more than ECC, but my dc liked both.
I'm sorry that you are not liking it, and I'm just sharing this as an encouragement -- that there may be some good knowledge you all can glean from the program. I like the pps' suggestions to condense the material and use it in the way that best fits your family.
FWIW, my dc really benefitted from playing the ECC Geography Game. I let them use Skittles as markers, and they learned a lot. They are better at locating countries than my dh and me. :)
-
I don't mean to hijack this thread, but Heather, what have you used for your dc beyond RS E and Geometry? My eldest will start E this spring, so I am starting to think ahead . . .
-
One other thing that I thought I should add . . . some people have mentioned that they don't agree with MFW's philosophy of teaching language arts. Just so you know, it is very simple to add in your own language arts resources so that you are doing what you think is best for your family. I personally think that MFW includes enough language arts activities in the earlier years, but we use extra language arts materials now that my oldest is in 4th grade. I selected a writing program that is different from the one that MFW recommends, and we also chose a math program other than the one sold by MFW. The outside math and language arts resources are not scheduled specifically in the TM at that level, anyway, so it's not an issue.
Lynne
-
I put post-it notes and tabs all over mine so that I can find things more easily. I also appreciated being able to make notes on the pages.
-
Lynne,
I'm not the OP, but thank you for that wonderful overview of MFW. I've been looking at the curriculum for my children. I especially like the looks of the bible in the program. Am I right that it uses the Bible instead of reading from other books, like devotionals?
I am glad that our experiences could answer some questions for you!
Yes, you seem to be understanding the Bible portion of the curriculum correctly. MFW schedules readings from the Bible and has not used a devotional in the programs we've completed. MFW does use supporting books in some of its programs; these books provide historical or geographical information that relates to the Biblical passages being studied. It appears that MFW does not use devotionals in any of the programs through 8th grade, but I am not familiar with MFW high school.
Here is a summary of what they do for Bible lessons:
Kindergarten - Each letter of the alphabet has a short and sweet Biblical principle associated with it. These are big ideas and led to wonderful worldview discussions with our 5 year olds. The family reads corresponding Bible verses for each principle.
1st Grade - Students practice reading and narrating using MFW's Bible Reader, a sweet book written on a child's level. (My children were very advanced readers but still found this resource intriguing, and learning to summarize was a challenge!) Students write their narrations and illustrate a Bible Notebook. I treasure having these notebooks; they bring back such wonderful memories for all of us! Students do copywork from Proverbs. MFW has scheduled the Bible verses so that some of them are directly applicable to the Bible stories being studied, making our discussions very rich.
Adventures - Students study the names of Jesus throughout the year, referencing Bible verses and coloring illustrations to make a Jesus poster. We love MFW's unit study approach -- for example, MFW schedules "Jesus is the Living Water" to coincide with science experiments about water and "Jesus is the Bread of Life" to coincide with a bread baking activity.
Exploring Countries & Cultures - Families read through the book of Matthew together. Memory verses and copywork are pulled from this book. We also read Hero Tales, a wonderful book about courageous Christian men and women. Students copy character traits from this book and narrate the stories. Window on the World was another wonderful book. It isn't a devotional; rather, it teaches about various religions around the world and includes detailed information about various countries. Our children loved both of these books!
Creation to the Greeks - We are currently doing this program, and the Bible is one of the history spines. We are reading through much of the Old Testament this year, and we are really enjoying it! Honestly, the OT has never been my favorite portion of the Bible, but I am finding it so much more interesting now that I see how the OT's stories fit in with the scheme of history. MFW schedules readings from Journey through the Bible as well as Usborne's Ancient World. These books provide historical, geographical and cultural information. We have also enjoyed learning about and celebrating Jewish feasts rooted in the OT using a book called Celebrating Biblical Feasts.
So MFW does use additional books during Bible lesson time, but they aren't "devotional" books. I have found MFW's Bible lessons to be nondenominational. MFW expects the parent to lead and teach those lessons, and that is very important for our family.
Lynne
-
I have never used SL or HOD, but I thought it might be helpful to you to hear of our experiences with MFW. All 3 programs are very solid. I would suggest that you try to look at the programs in person, if you can. I always find that so helpful!
We have used MFW K, 1st, Adventures and Exploring Countries and Cultures. We are currently doing Creation to the Greeks. We have really enjoyed MFW, and it definitely fits the goals you listed. I especially appreciate the organized weekly grid in the TM (starting with the Adventures year). The grid makes the activities easy to tweak to one's needs. MFW provides an excellent assortment of simple hands on activities -- this is one thing that made me choose MFW initially. I did not want to have to come up with those on my own! The Bible lessons are solid, thought provoking and non-denominational. MFW does a good job of scheduling efficient lessons so that my children have plenty of free time to pursue their interests or explore outside.
One thing to consider -- MFW uses both Christian and secular books and schedules the readings so that the topics are studied in a logical order. The mix of books strikes a good balance so that you are reading multiple perspectives. This has led to some good discussions in our family.
I am a huge fan of MFW's history scope and sequence. The kindergarten year is delightful -- thematic units based on letters of the alphabet. Within each unit, the child reads related literature, does science and math activities, and best of all has Biblically based worldview discussions with the parent. During 1st grade, MFW helps children learn to summarize using simplified stories in their own Bible reader. Because the history/Bible lessons/language arts is largely combined, the lessons are very efficient. Adventures -- the program recommended when one's oldest child is 2nd or 3rd grade -- is a fun year of American history and includes a study of the states. So the K through 2nd/3rd grade programs take the family through an abbreviated first history cycle. As with all MFW programs, these years contain rich Bible lessons, providing an excellent foundation for the next history cycle.
Exploring Countries and Cultures is next, with a wonderful introduction to geography, habitats and cultures around the world. This is when MFW introduces world religions; they spend a great deal of time on what people around the world believe. My children completed this year in 1st and 3rd grades, as my youngest "tagged along" with the oldest in the program.
Next, Creation to the Greeks is an in-depth study of ancient history. We are now learning about the Egyptians and their beliefs regarding life and death. We are learning the details of mummification. My children are ready for all of that now that they are 2nd and 4th graders and have the foundation from the earlier years. I am really enjoying how Creation to the Greeks interweaves Biblical and secular history. So for example, you study Egypt's culture and history, and then you learn the story of Joseph and how he ended up in Egypt. It's all related, and CtG is organized to show that.
We are looking forward to future years of MFW, but this gives you a taste of our experience so far.
You mention cost -- I do think that MFW is an excellent value. In addition to the "basics," we also use MFW's scheduled art and music appreciation lessons. I love having that organized for me. I also appreciate the extensive book basket list at the back of the manual. These are relevant books we can get at our library for the children to peruse. Using the book basket concept is not necessary for the program, but it does add depth.
Regarding combining your children . . . I combine my children for MFW activities and for some other subjects, and they are 22 months apart. It has worked really well for us and decreases the stress level for Mom! Each situation is different, so you will just have to see what works best for your family.
Might I encourage you, as you are doing all of this research, to realize that there is no hurry for this curriculum decision, and nothing is permanent? If you try any of these programs, you will learn about your children through it, and it will help you make future decisions. All three are good programs, and I stressed out about which one to choose when we were first homeschooling. It's exciting and fun to do all of that research, I know! But many people actually don't even use a full program for preschool. You are probably already doing wonderful activities with your children. And many people switch gears and try something new after the first year or two.
I have found that when I am torn regarding a curriculum decision, if I do all the research, pray about it and sleep on it a few nights, I will find a sense of peace regarding which choice is best for our family. My DH is very supportive, too, and I really value his opinion.
Many blessings to you as you embark on this wonderful journey.
Lynne
-
I would close the Department and send the education funding back to the states. Our schools should be managed at the state and local level, not by the federal government.
-
Our favorite Christmases have been the ones during which we stayed in our jammies all day, played with the new toys and enjoyed an easy breakfast casserole with rolls for brunch and leftover chowder from Christmas Eve for supper. Our tradition is that we stay home on Christmas Day, and it is very special. We often do the big dinner on the 26th. That actually gives us an extra day of celebration, and we find that this is a more agreeable time for a family gathering.
-
We are doing CtG and are really enjoying the Deluxe activities. I really like the art program -- it ties in with the history nicely at times and teaches good art skills and appreciation. I've always liked MFW's music appreciation selections. We borrowed "The Story of . . ." CDs from our library, as we only needed to listen to them once. We also add books about the composers to our book basket. We like the read alouds, as well. These, too, are available at our library, but I did go ahead and purchase those so that we will have them to read again.
-
I am curious to know why you prefer the other meds to Singulair? Is he not tolerating it well? What does the pediatrician think?
We have allergies here, too, and use these meds.
-
I love the Christmas season, but one reason that it is stressful to me is that I miss my parents, both of whom died during the month before Christmas. The holiday season is more sentimental and bittersweet to me now, and I am very aware of how quickly time passes in regards to my own children growing older.
-
We've done MFW K, 1st, Adventures and ECC. We are currently doing CtG. We love MFW! The teacher's manual is very organized and includes the right balance of reading and hands on activities for our family. I like the variety of resources used for history, and the book basket list at the back of the manual is priceless, imo. I also like how MFW schedules non-denominational Bible lessons, art, music and science. The curriculum is very flexible and interesting for our entire family.
-
I don't have one. I am quite content with my life, and I don't need all of the bells and whistles of this world to feel fulfilled. There are things I would like to do, to be sure, but the most important things involve growing closer to God and being with my family. The things of this world pale in comparison.
-
My dad walked me down the aisle, but we did not have him do the traditional "who gives this woman?" routine. Instead, dh's parents and my parents gave a blessing for our marriage. The four of them said it together.
-
She absolutely needs to see a doctor. Now.
-
applesing- could you tell me why you need to also add PLL/ILL? I don't know a ton about them, but just wondering what parts you feel they supplement?
And Spelling Power, would that work for an 8 and 11 year old? How does it work and about how long does it take per day/week? I guess I would then need something different for my 5.5 year old right?
I add PLL and ILL only because I personally like those resources. I use ILL and PLL primarily for narration practice, some picture study, oral reading practice and casual discussion of grammar. We may even find some ideas for writing assignments in ILL and PLL this year. I skip lessons that seem redundant and move through the books pretty quickly, picking and choosing what is helpful to us. Each child uses these books for 15 - 30 minutes per week.
I actually think that MCT and TWJ make a complete language arts program without PLL and ILL, but I am an English nerd (former English teacher) and so I combine what we need from all three programs.
I use Spelling Power with my children who are 8 and up. When used as it's designed, it takes 15 minutes per lesson. Some of the time is independent study time for the child. Mom only needs to be involved for 5-10 minutes. I use this twice per week with my 9 year old. I like it because it covers many words in a short amount of time.
Lynne
Something to share with your 13+ daughters (re: Facebookl, Foursquare, etc. privacy)
in General Education Discussion Board
Posted
Oh wow. That is shocking. How horrible!