woolybear Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 Or is this just a ridiculous idea?:001_smile: I like all the materials (I was looking at Exploring Countries and Cultures) but I really need it to be secular. In some curriculums (ie. Sonlight and in some cases Winter Promise) it is fairly easy to just exclude certain materials. However, looking at the MFW catalogue it looks as if the religious aspects are integral to the curriculum. Can anyone tell me if this is possible or not? Thank you, Woolybear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudreyTN Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I haven't done ECC, so I'm not sure... but you definitely wouldn't be able to do Creation to Greeks or Rome to Reformation without the Bible. The Bible is the History Spine for those two years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jentancalann Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 (edited) nope, not a chance. ;) ok, eta, you probably could get away w/ it in ECC by only doing the geography and science, but it wouldn't be much of a program IMO. Edited June 23, 2009 by jentancalann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I've done ECC first edition twice now. can the geography and science be done "secularly". Hard for me to answer as I didn't do it that way. If you skipped all of the Bible section.... if you changed the read alouds from missionary biographies to just good literature and novels (could even be book basket titles for that) Science: parts of Ecosystem book would have to be tweaked, but lots of the information is science about biomes and such. (that is from 2nd edition ECC) The geography section might be able to be done. so, you're left with Geography, book basket (which will have lots and lots of titles) Science Crafts hmm.... I can't imagine trying any of the other years in a secular manner, but maybe the geography/science could be done that way:confused: ?? if all you wanted was geography based social studies with crafts and reading. I don't know. Hard to know because I never tried to leave it all out. The other years in MFW - I can't see how it would be done or worth it. as Jennifer said "nope". :) I remember another thread over here where someone was doing their own biome unit study (and she mentioned it wasn't religious based). maybe some of that would help http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106218 -crystal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I bought the first edition used cheap just to get a good look at it (yes, I am a curriculum junkie). I think it would be doable with minor tweaking if you use the 1st ed. I would avoid the 2nd ed because they switched one of the main science resources from an Usborne book to an Answers in Genesis book. I plan to ditch all the missionary stories (Hero Tales, Window on the World and the biographies) and sub in non-fiction books from the library, Children Just Like Me and Material World). I have a good library and own MW and CJLM so this is easy for me. I do think we'll do some of the Bible stuff because it's good general knowledge. Although I'm an atheist, the kids do attend catechism and will make their First Communion so we're not strictly secular, although I avoid teaching Christian beliefs as much as possible at home. I'd say you could only follow this program as written if you are a biblical literalist because of the science program. Some of the read-alouds would have to be changed if you are Catholic or EO because almost all of the Christian heroes are protestant missionaries or theologians, some of whom are quite anti-Catholic and/or anti-Orthodox. In short, it's tweakable and IMHO the most tweakable complete world geography program available (comparing it to WP CAW and Galloping the Globe). If you can pick up the 1st ed cheap, I'd give it a go. I wouldn't buy the 2nd ed because of the changes in science and I wouldn't pay full price because you will still need to tweak and use the library extensively. Hope that helped! If you have any specific questions, pm me and I'll look them up in the guide for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 Okay, taking all those responses into consideration it sounds like it would make more sense to just pick a different program and perhaps add some of the MFW books if I like. However, Juliana does make it sound doable. I am leaning more towards Sonlight at the moment however. :) Thank you all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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