MFW K users, I need encouragement and opinions.

[Mommy7]

I think it is a great program, but the TM is driving me bonkers. I spent time this afternoon looking at it so that I could get a grasp on it. It just seems so wordy to me. Part of the problem may be that we are only on Week #3, so maybe I just haven't gotten into the swing of it yet. I feel like I am forever reading the manual and trying to figure it out. (Which I don't have time to do because of the number I am teaching this year.)

 

I am also a little frustrated with the pace. See, they know most of their letter sounds already. If I understand correctly, the goal of MFW K is to read 3 letter words by the end of the year. Today, my 4 yr old read 17 3-letter words without much assistance from me. My 5 yr old did very well also, but it took more help from me with blending the first two sounds. He doesn't know his sounds as well as the 4 yr old. (I'm teaching them together.)

 

I haved considered several things. First, I have thought about just continuing and seeing if I am less frustrated once I get into the swing of the program. Second, I have wondered if I should just ditch it and get OPGTR. I've never tried that program, but I like the looks of it. I also have Abeka K, although I would have to get workbooks for it. But, it seems so clean and simple compared to MFW K. I am thinking that I will be using Abeka for 1st grade. It's what I have always used and although it's not very exciting, it is quality and does the trick.

 

The thing I am most disappointed about is that I have not had time to do the "activity" stuff where the focus is Jesus. I am using MUS for their math. So, the only part of MFW K I am using is the phonics part. I do like the variety of learning activities in MFW K.

 

If you were me, what would you do? I just need clean and simple. I'd rather not spend much more money either. I'm teaching 6 this year, so I really need it to be short and sweet and to the point, but fun.

 

Any ideas or thoughts???? Thanks!!!

[cbollin]

I am also a little frustrated with the pace. See, they know most of their letter sounds already. If I understand correctly, the goal of MFW K is to read 3 letter words by the end of the year.

 

That’s not exactly the goal. Blending of syllables starts in unit 6 and by unit 12 you are reading short vowel stories. So they work on reading CVC (3 letter words) stories by half way through the year and they practice a lot so fluency is there.

 

If your child needs to do more with the phonics, here is a long post I wrote once on ideas to “beef it up†for a child who was already reading at the beginning of the program. My middle child was like that and so was the youngest.

http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=7179#p47744

 

I’m sad to hear that you aren’t getting to the activity stuff. Can’t you just do that first in the day and then do math? Or drop MUS and do the calendar and place value and hands on stuff in MFW K? I know it didn’t take us long each day to do the hands on math in MFW K. My oldest never did MFW K or 1st (we didn’t know they existed), but did use MUS from K – Zeta. I noticed that MFW K math covers the same stuff that MUS Kindy level does. Later in the year in the activities section you do more with coins, addition/subtraction, skip counts on the 100's chart, and lots of math/science in the activities.

 

But, why not start with the fun activities, do the phonics, then do math later in the day (no matter what you do for math)? Start with the fun stuff.

 

And yes, I think the routines each day of the steps in the phonics do get easier and I found myself looking at the script less and less each unit. I know I started MFW with one of the older programs that was in more grid format, so the style of the daily plans took me some time to get used to.

 

May I suggest looking at the daily routine in a grid format? Here’s a link for that:

Just click on it to see the whole thing. Maybe seeing it in that format might help?

http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=7348#p48725

 

-crystal

[Mommy7]

Crystal, thank you for your wise words! It really helped to see it in that grid format!!! I think that is the part that is the most frustrating to me. (the TM) I think the amount of phonics will be fine and probably give my 5yo time to catch up with my 4 yo. You can't have too much practice with it, that's for sure.

 

Thank you for reassuring me. I think I will try doing the activity part first. Then, phonics and math later. I am dealing with some health issues and having a hard time getting up early enough, so I haven't been doing the phonics part as regularly. They LOVE it when we do it, though. They are loving MUS, so I think I'll stick with that. We are doing that on a daily basis.

 

Any other ideas or thoughts? Anyone else?

[Mommy7]

Just bumping my thread before I go to bed. Heeeey...that rhymes. :lol:

[Sue G in PA]

I am using MFW K w/ my dd4 who also reads CVC words w/out any problems at all...she just "gets it". But, she is only 4. So, she loves doing the worksheets, cut and paste pages, coloring, etc. Sometimes she will do all her pages in a day or 2...b/c she loves to "do school". We do the math part very quickly. She loves to be read to, so we make sure to get a ton of books on the topic of the week. We do the experiments and I look for extras on Learning pages or Enchanted Learning. I try to find things for my ds8 and ds6 to do as well to go along with each topic. Keep at it...it's not all about the learning to read part. MFW K is so much fun...I regret not planning better last year to do it with ds6. We love to do the badges and memorize the verse. Dd4 also does the ETC books for extra enrichment, ETC online and Starfall. For reading...we use The Reading Lesson b/c I use it for ds6.

 

if it helps, I put little Flag Post Its on each of the different lesson pages for quick reference and put on in for each topic we are on (each week i move it). Don't beat yourself up if you don't do EVERY activity...just pick out some of the more fun ones and read, read, read!

[Mommy7]

Thank you, Sue. That was very encouraging. :001_smile:

[clarkacademy]

I have a question I bought the deluxe set and I think I am missing something. How do I know when to use the extra stuff like is there a heads up order the ants now or something somewhere???

[cbollin]

I have a question I bought the deluxe set and I think I am missing something. How do I know when to use the extra stuff like is there a heads up order the ants now or something somewhere???

 

Deluxe items:

 

textured letters - used for 5 days in each unit. instructions vary and are located in the phonics yellow pages

 

What happened to Dinosaurs: read aloud during Unit 8, dinosaur and then keep it out for other time.

 

You can do the ants during the Insect lesson - or at any time you'd like depending on when Insect Lore will ship to your location. There are times of year when they don't? That is unit #11. Does it have to be done in unit 11 -- nah. so, it takes usually 2-3 weeks for that to be shipped. Or if it is too cold in your area, they'll ship that part later (they - insect lore's ant shippers, not MFW)

 

Butterfly garden -- you can try to plan for it to be in the butterfly unit, unit #21. We did ours in the summer before starting MFW K and took pictures. I think it is 2 week or so for orders?

 

So, don't worry if it doesn't match the time of the unit.

 

Music CD -- that tended to work for me on Literature Day when it was otherwise "lighter" in schedule

 

Cuisenaire Rod and book -- I use those once per unit, on "literature day". On Lit Day, which is the day that doesn't have phonics routine, it's easy to sub that for worksheets. Just do the pages in that book that match the letter focus of the unit.

 

For the Children's Sake -- parent resource to read on your own.

 

 

hth

-crystal

[clarkacademy]

Deluxe items:

 

textured letters - used for 5 days in each unit. instructions vary and are located in the phonics yellow pages

 

What happened to Dinosaurs: read aloud during Unit 8, dinosaur and then keep it out for other time.

 

You can do the ants during the Insect lesson - or at any time you'd like depending on when Insect Lore will ship to your location. There are times of year when they don't? That is unit #11. Does it have to be done in unit 11 -- nah. so, it takes usually 2-3 weeks for that to be shipped. Or if it is too cold in your area, they'll ship that part later (they - insect lore's ant shippers, not MFW)

 

Butterfly garden -- you can try to plan for it to be in the butterfly unit, unit #21. We did ours in the summer before starting MFW K and took pictures. I think it is 2 week or so for orders?

 

So, don't worry if it doesn't match the time of the unit.

 

Music CD -- that tended to work for me on Literature Day when it was otherwise "lighter" in schedule

 

Cuisenaire Rod and book -- I use those once per unit, on "literature day". On Lit Day, which is the day that doesn't have phonics routine, it's easy to sub that for worksheets. Just do the pages in that book that match the letter focus of the unit.

 

For the Children's Sake -- parent resource to read on your own.

 

 

hth

-crystal

 

 

WOW!!!! Thanks

[Rebecca77]

I used MFW K a few yrs. ago. I ended up ditching the phonics and math for Abeka and Saxon. If your not feeling peace about the phonics I would act on that.

 

The best part of MFW K is the science and bible, but I can't imagine doing so many hands-on projects when schooling 6 kids. You'll need to just pick and choose what ever works for your family, or just ditch it all together, because it really is just gravy. If you can pull it off though, it really is worth the extra work. I have fond memories of every unit I did with my dd., and still feel like it was worth every penny just for the science/bible aspect.

[Mama2Three]

I agree with a PP that the science/bible is the best part about MFW K. I also love the math (calendar, 100s chart). I don't use the phonics because it wasn't a good fit for DD. She uses ETC right now (love this, too), worked through part of Phonics Pathways (probably will come back to it at some point), and we read together A LOT! We go to the library every Monday to get our weekly "theme" books -- eg, we are doing nests next week and I just reserved some books on birds and nesting, both fiction and nonfiction. We also have a read-aloud that is not theme related and well above her reading level. Right now it's unabridged Peter Pan. And I throw in extra math when I have the time.

 

I really can't speak highly enough of MFW K. It's given me the structure and ideas that I need. It's a very complete curriculum as-is and it's easy to add/adjust if you want.

 

Best wishes to you!

[Mommy7]

Thank you, Christina. We have just started with MFW this year and we are loving it, overall. We are also using RTR. You are absolutely right...the grid format is super simple!!! I soooo wish the MFW K program was formatted that way. O'Well...I guess I'll just grin and bear it.

 

Have you used MFW 1? I was wondering what that is like because I have wondered if I should use it next year or do my normal thing...Abeka Phonics for 1st.

 

Also, I noticed in your signature that you use MUS. Do you supplement with anything else or just do MUS? I use that program too. It seems we are doing a lot of the same programs.

 

I also have Lively Latin. As soon as my husband gets it printed, we'll be starting that as well.

 

I always enjoy reading your responses. Thank you for your thoughts. :)

[Momofeat]

We used MFW K last year, and we also dropped the phonics, because she already knew the things being taught. We used ETC for spelling and Primary Phonics readers instead.

 

To be honest, we did MFW only for the fun stuff, and to help her see what God has done in the world he created. I honestly think she could have successfully completed MFW 1, but I'm glad we took a very relaxed approach and enjoyed her K year.

[Donna A.]

Have you used MFW 1? I was wondering what that is like because I have wondered if I should use it next year or do my normal thing...Abeka Phonics for 1st.

 

 

We've done K and just started 1st grade last week. The TM is similar to K, but better. Not *quite* as confusing. For example, there's a math grid with those lessons in the yellow pages of the manual, which makes it nice because I just check off that day's math lesson as it's completed (similar to the grid in the upper years). This section is just math, though. And there's room to write in if you did more than just what's scheduled for your math lesson, too. All the math "living books" are categorized together in the booklist at the back of the manual, and are divided by concept (counting, grouping, skip counting, addition, subtraction, etc.).

 

Then the daily lessons for everything else are listed by Day... Bible is always first. Then you have Reading, Math (which simply says "Refer to MFW Math Guide, which are the yellow pages), and then whatever science, activity, or art you have for the day.

 

At the back of the manual, behind the math booklist, is the science booklist divided up by Day #. (So you know what to get when.)

 

For Reading/Phonics, the first 11 days review the letter sounds and names. (This is assuming your child took the summer off, or you're just coming into MFW without having done K.) Short vowels are Days 12-17, and long vowels begin on Day 18. But there are other language arts in there, too, so it's not *just* letter and short vowel review.

 

I hope that makes sense knowing you're not looking at the manual like I am. But it really is much clearer to follow than the K manual, and you don't flip back and forth nearly as much, either.