Wildwood Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Would it be ridiculous to consider using MFW Adventures program for a 6 year old first grader? I am considering this for the future and wonder if anyone has sucessfully used it with a first grader. I own the 1st grade MFW program and it is not what I am wanting to move forward with. I appreciate any comments, opinions, whatever! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdeno Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I think you will be ok, depending on your son. Is he reading fluently? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AudreyTN Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I used it quite successfully with a Ker, 2nd, and 3rd. My Ker did great with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbollin Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 where is his reading level and what's his writing level like too? the overall time for a full day (with language arts, math and all of the bells and whistles) is longer per day than 1st grade. so don't do more school in a day than he is ready and able to do. make sure on the writing level (composition and narrative summaries) while using ADV. I know I used first grade with child who was already reading and just turned the phonics into spelling lessons, but she needed the handwriting, math, memory work (Proverbs), and learning compositions. Not sure if any of that is helpful or not. From listening to a lot of cyber conversations over the past few years, I get the idea that some 6 year old boys aren't ready for ADV in terms of writing and length of day. And then there are others who use it and "keep an eye on the child" and it works. -crystal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildwood Posted August 31, 2009 Author Share Posted August 31, 2009 Thank you all! I am considering it for my dd who is reading well but, I wouldn't consider her fluent. She has much progress to make in that area before I would even begin another program. I was thinking of possibly beginning it within the next 5 or 6 months after we finish our current program (HOD LHFHG). I just wasn't sure if it was even appropriate for a first grader who is reading and writing well. I appreciate the feedback, knowing that it can be done as long as she has some essential skills in place at the time. I will take a much closer look at it now.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmwife Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I would use MFW first grade, even if she is reading....the phonics moves very fast in this one. The Bible/Science parts are wonderful also. In my opinion of course. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devotional Soul Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 The MFW printed catalog says: Adventures in My Father's World For 2nd or 3rd Graders (and advanced 1st graders who are reading and writing well) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeAndTheBoys Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 We are in week 5, and I'm using it with a 5 year old and a 6 3/4 year old. They are LOVING it. I have not found anything "above their level", although I do have to read the history spine in a very entertaining voice :) but they are "getting it". As far as I can see looking ahead in Adventures, there *isn't* any reading required by the student, of the books. Some of the notebooking sheets have lyrics to read--but not required. And even just following along on those is helping my K-er to practice his budding reading skills. My 6 3/4 is reading on a 4th grade level, my K-er is learning phonics--and I haven't really come up against anything that requires him to read. When the older narrates, either he writes it down himself, or I write it and he copies. The younger, I write it for him (and sometimes he wants to copy). And that fits with Adventures. From what I've seen, the Charlotte Mason side of MFW makes them tend to raise the suggested ages. Coming from Sonlight to MFW, I would say Adventures is fine for many 1st graders, and even interesting enough to bring the K-ers along--- not for every family, but for many, and certainly for ours--we're loving it!! Betsy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildwood Posted September 1, 2009 Author Share Posted September 1, 2009 We are in week 5, and I'm using it with a 5 year old and a 6 3/4 year old. They are LOVING it. I have not found anything "above their level", although I do have to read the history spine in a very entertaining voice :) but they are "getting it". As far as I can see looking ahead in Adventures, there *isn't* any reading required by the student, of the books. Some of the notebooking sheets have lyrics to read--but not required. And even just following along on those is helping my K-er to practice his budding reading skills. My 6 3/4 is reading on a 4th grade level, my K-er is learning phonics--and I haven't really come up against anything that requires him to read. When the older narrates, either he writes it down himself, or I write it and he copies. The younger, I write it for him (and sometimes he wants to copy). And that fits with Adventures. From what I've seen, the Charlotte Mason side of MFW makes them tend to raise the suggested ages. Coming from Sonlight to MFW, I would say Adventures is fine for many 1st graders, and even interesting enough to bring the K-ers along--- not for every family, but for many, and certainly for ours--we're loving it!! Betsy Thanks Betsy! I had wondered if the CM influence might have "upped" the age rec. for this program. I am thrilled to hear that it may work just fine with a 6-6.5 yr. old. Interestingly enough, we will be coming from SL as well, as we are just beginning Core K (alongside another program) and I was hoping to utilize MFW Adv. upon completion of it (them). We are blowing through both programs so, I started looking for what we would do next. Adv. really looks like everything I wish for in our next program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleWMN Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 The only thing I would look at and consider is if your child would then be ready for ECC the next year (not sure, I haven't used it). We were in the same spot in 1st. My daughter was reading beyond the 1st grade program. I considered Adventures at that time, but just made 1t work instead. For 2nd, we went with SL. This year, in 3rd, We came back to MFW. :) We are using Adventures for 3rd grade for our advanced 3rd grader. It's going well! I'm adding in library books and such, but it is fine. Anyway, looking at it now, I am sure she would have done well with it in 1st grade as well. My pre-k'er in sitting in, and while I don't expect her to get much, she is getting some. :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheila in OK Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 This was my first thought as well. I used Adventures with an average 2nd grader and we loved it, but the jump to ECC the next year was too big and it didn't work out. So if you are thinking of staying with MFW for the long run, this might be an issue. Otherwise I think it would work out fine. You may need to adapt some of the writing activities if it got to be too much. The only thing I would look at and consider is if your child would then be ready for ECC the next year (not sure, I haven't used it). We were in the same spot in 1st. My daughter was reading beyond the 1st grade program. I considered Adventures at that time, but just made 1t work instead. For 2nd, we went with SL. This year, in 3rd, We came back to MFW. :) We are using Adventures for 3rd grade for our advanced 3rd grader. It's going well! I'm adding in library books and such, but it is fine. Anyway, looking at it now, I am sure she would have done well with it in 1st grade as well. My pre-k'er in sitting in, and while I don't expect her to get much, she is getting some. :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna A. Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 I used Adventures with a 10yo, 7yo, and 3yo at the time. I found it very easy to adapt to all three ages. I wouldn't *normally* recommend Adventures for a 10yo, but between the fact that she hadn't had any American history yet, and the fact that I was also using it with two youngers, it worked out fine for our needs at the time. (Thank you to the author for the extensive booklist in the TM which made it so flexible for us!) About the student reading independently, though.... one of the features of Adventures is the Discoverer's Bible that they recommend. Of course you can use any version of the Bible you want in MFW, but this particular recommendation is with the emerging reader in mind. They actually have instructions in the TM about this (both reading ability and learning how to look up verses), and it was a blessing for us because while we have many Bibles in our house, I had a new reader at the time who was struggling with fluency. Using the MFW recommended Bible was such a blessing for her! It was just the right "fit" to give her both practice and confidence... plus she was thrilled to have her "own" Bible. Thus, I would consider Adventures a great program for a "transitional" year. I don't think I agree, though, that "the Charlotte Mason side of MFW makes them tend to raise the suggested ages". It's not about that. For one thing, if you know how rigorous of an educator Miss Mason really was, you know that she would've considered some of the books in Adventures to be way too easy for that age. (Take a look at the Ambleside suggestions for an example.) MFW isn't *just* CM. The author also takes into consideration developmental stages for a wide range of abilities, not just reading level. And you also see Bible being a really huge part of each year of MFW, so they're not just adapting MFW to any one philosophy, i.e., CM or classical, but rather, a more "global" style of learning. Anyway, just some rambling thoughts from a happy but exhausted mom after celebrating her firstborn dd's birthday all day. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildwood Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 Donna A., Thank you so much for taking the time out to share what you did, I appreciate it! (Thank you all!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neesek Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 I did Adventures with my oldest when he was in 1st grade. He was ready for it, and had a great year. My 2nd child would not have been ready for it, though. The only problem for us was that even though Adventures was fine for a 1st grader, ECC with a 2nd grader did not go well. We bailed halfway through and did something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
campmom Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Wildwood do you want to sell your MFW 1? I am interested in buying that level of MFW to use next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildwood Posted September 16, 2009 Author Share Posted September 16, 2009 Wildwood do you want to sell your MFW 1? I am interested in buying that level of MFW to use next. Campmom, That is tempting but, I think I am going to hang on to it for now.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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