Another complete curriculum question..MFW, SL, WP

[CashCrew]

We are really enjoying our first year homeschooling this year with the curriculums we went with, but I am quickly burning out with all the planning. I feel like all I do outside of teaching is planning to teach and my other obligations (house, church, one on one kids time, HUSBAND, etc) are really suffering. For this reason, I am researching complete curriculums next year with all the planning already prepared for me. The problem is I have researched and researched and every time I research I'm sure I have found "the one for us" and then second guess myself later. I'm torn between MFW, SL, and WP. I also love the idea of HOD, but I ordered a used copy for my K son to check it out, I didn't like the literature selections. LOVED the idea of it though.

 

I will be homeschooling 1st, 2nd, and 5th next year. We did ancient history this year, but I am torn between US history or middle ages next year. I would like to buy one curriculum for all 3. We would love a very literature & history emphasis with a lot of hands on activities. I LOVE the literature selections in Sonlight, but I want a lot of hands on activities (without having to plan them separate). My kids thrive on all the activities we are enjoying from SOTW.

 

When I look at the websites and how the programs are set up, I prefer SL because I like how it is organized and easy to follow. I wish MFW and WP were more "here is what you will cover in 6 years and in which order you will cover" but that would take away the flexibility most like. Plus I worry that SL would be harder to combine ages than the other programs but without trying it I could be wrong. It appears that WP would be easier to combine ages since it lists assignments for each age (or am I getting it confused with something else?). Can you tell how torn I am? lol I need some level-headed focus for I have none right now. ;)

[cbollin]

If I understand from listening to SL users, there are no hands on activities in SL. You will add those if you go with SL. Some people do that very easily and it works for them.

 

are you going to be able to get to a convention this year to see any of these in person? Sometimes seeing it all in the booth really helps where those online things don't.

 

With MFW: you get the scheduling of hands on stuff. You get a great book list (many of the SL are on there) and it is scheduled by week of study too. That's what they call book basket. They just suggest you go to the library and allow some flexibility for your student (if they don't like one of the books, put it down and get an equally good, but different historical fiction that week.)

 

Basically, MFW's 5 year plan for grades 2-8 to combine the family together:

*ECC - a foundational year of geography and cultures

then CTG - ancients

*RTR - rome to the reformation

*EX1850 - US history in the context of world history up to 1850

*1850MOD - US history in the context of world history to modern.

 

then high schoolers work in different set of programs to meet their college prep needs.

 

and in those years, kids younger than 2nd grade focus on 3R's and are invited to join in the hands on fun in older program.

 

Basically, in MFW younger kids will not do the assignments marked "advanced". In some of the years (EX1850, 1850MOD) the younger set is given alternative assignments and readings when they are not doing the advanced readings.

 

Haven't used WP. Haven't used SL.

 

not sure that helps. I just know once I saw MFW in person at convention, I knew it was what would work for me.

 

lots of good stuff out there.

 

-crystal

[Mom22ns]

In sonlight, you could combine right now, just choosing some easier readers for your youngers, but you will probably eventually need to separate into 2 cores. Sonlight does not offer activities. If you like hands on, its not the curriculum for you. I love sonlight and love recommending it to people, but it doesn't sound like a great fit for you at the moment - except that it offers wonderful books and a well planned schedule.

[dhudson]

My advice is to go to a convention and get your hands on the TM's for each of these curriculums. That could make a huge difference in what you choose. Also, these three have very different educational philosophies and so you might need to figure out what your philosophy is and then narrow your choices from there.

 

I love the classical education philosophy but really wanted a strong Biblical curriculum with do-able hands-on projects so we chose MFW but I add in books from SL because we love books and like more books on hand.

 

Teaching multiple ages is one of MFW's strong suits and we love the family learning aspect.

 

Each of these curriculums have very good points but the trick is to find one that works for your family and your long term goals.

[jentancalann]

I have done SL, MFW and have coveted WP for a long time! Never took the plunge because I just can't spend that much, w/ readers not being included. I have several of their books, though. What I know is this... SL is definitely harder to combine your children in, unless they are very close together, if not in age, in learning/cognitive abilities. Just looking at their ages, I would suspect the youngest two would combine well, say core 1, but then you'd probably want to go w/ 3+4 for the 5th grader as Cores are typically a "grade" ahead. You would have to do a lot of tweaking to get them all in one core.

 

MFW is the best for combining, because of the cycle MFW uses. What the little ones don't get the first time around, they will pick up the next time you cycle through it. MFW is very easy to follow, but is not as literature based as SL or WP. You will read less than half the RA's of SL, and readers will be gotten from the library, or you can pick and schedule your own. There isn't much literature discussion, but there are notes daily on what you are to do each day. Though I started w/ SL and am very attached to it, I probably love MFW more, but can't seem to use it as effectively. I think it just doesn't suit my particuluar children.

 

I have totally been drawn, and have been the closest I've ever been, to ordering WP for next year. We are going through the medieval period this year and I had ordered the SL's core 6 RA's/readers, and WP's Quest for the Medieval World RA's. So far, they have been the most enjoyable. We have also enjoyed the picture type history books from WP this year. SL's haven't been a big hit, but I think many of them they are too advanced for my 6th grader (who is a big reader and very smart). WP books seem to be more informational/pictures, while SL's are fiction/historical fiction.

 

Here is one more choice (like you need another one thrown in there!). Take a look at http://www.learning-adventures.org/ . I found this around Christmas when I couldn't bring myself to go back to what we were doing after the break. We needed something different ( I was using MFW RtR). It has been wonderful! Many of the literature selections are the same as SL's, and the discussion questions are even better. Better, longer answers are given which helps me because literature analysis and discussion is where I fall short. Science, LA/writing, Bible is all included as it is a unit study, and it is very easy to follow. Hands on activities and cooking are included.

 

Hope this helps some, I know I didn't address all your concerns but feel free to ask more questions if you need to.

[CashCrew]

Thanks everyone!!! Learning Adventures looks VERY interesting and is inexpensive enough that I wouldn't break out in hives if I didn't like it. I wish their website had more information/samples.

 

Yes I hope to attend a convention this summer and I hope that helps more too. I have seen a friend's SL TM and it is GREAT and just what I want as far as planning it out for me. I would love to get my hands on the other two (or three) curriculums.

 

Why does this have to be so difficult? I think I want it all in one package and that may not be possible. :) I'm all for having my cake and eating it too. ;)

[3byzaz]

Just to throw another one out there at you...we have used Biblioplan this year and have really loved it. It is easy to combine by boys and there are a TON of excellent literature suggestions - most of the books the others use also. Plus, we have used MOH and SOTW as our spine and they have great activity suggestions in there you can use IF you want!

 

I would love to use the ones you said also, but cost has always prohibited it. This was a lot less - even though I did have to purchase some books that my library didn't have.

 

BP plans for a 3 day week...I do stretch to at least 4 and sometimes 5...but it's been great! Love their maps, timelines and coloring pages also. They have also added some other companion books too for some of the guides.

[Marsha]

You might still want to look at HOD. I like the Bigger and up guides better than the lower guides.

[krismoose]

We're big fans of HOD, though I'm keeping MFW in mind if our family goals change. Beyond Little Hearts covers early american history through the civil war era, and Bigger Hearts covers American history from a biographical perspective through the 1970s, with target ages 7-9 and additional readings for 10-11 year olds. You might look at that for your older child, letting the youngers participate in whatever science/history/bible activities are interesting to them, maybe checking out some younger library books for them, and doing their 3 Rs separately. Lots of users combine guides, using the appropriate 3R side of one guide with each child, which lays out math, LA, handwriting and storytime read-alouds, and then combine their kids for the left side of whichever guide fits their family best. The ladies on the HOD message board are very helpful to find what combination would fit your family best if you are considering HOD. HTH :)

[crl]

We are really enjoying our first year homeschooling this year with the curriculums we went with, but I am quickly burning out with all the planning. I feel like all I do outside of teaching is planning to teach and my other obligations (house, church, one on one kids time, HUSBAND, etc) are really suffering. For this reason, I am researching complete curriculums next year with all the planning already prepared for me. The problem is I have researched and researched and every time I research I'm sure I have found "the one for us" and then second guess myself later.

 

 

I do this too. Why can't the perfect curriculum just show up on my door step?

 

I'm torn between MFW, SL, and WP. I also love the idea of HOD, but I ordered a used copy for my K son to check it out, I didn't like the literature selections. LOVED the idea of it though.

 

 

I too love the idea of HOD and have used a few of their guides. But I have not found a way to truly make it work for our family and our goals. WP gives me the ability to combine my 2 kids through their school years so we are switching to WP for now.

 

I will be homeschooling 1st, 2nd, and 5th next year. We did ancient history this year, but I am torn between US history or middle ages next year. I would like to buy one curriculum for all 3. We would love a very literature & history emphasis with a lot of hands on activities. I LOVE the literature selections in Sonlight, but I want a lot of hands on activities (without having to plan them separate). My kids thrive on all the activities we are enjoying from SOTW.

 

WP has hand on activities scheduled into their guides. They also have a few programs that have a wide variety of ages to use it with. Such as Sea and Sky has a younger learners guide. The All American sets are meant for a large age range also. I've heard of people on the forum using American Story 1 and 2 with older kids and just adding some books and projects. You could add some of the Sonlight books that you don't want to miss.

 

When I look at the websites and how the programs are set up, I prefer SL because I like how it is organized and easy to follow. I wish MFW and WP were more "here is what you will cover in 6 years and in which order you will cover" but that would take away the flexibility most like. Plus I worry that SL would be harder to combine ages than the other programs but without trying it I could be wrong. It appears that WP would be easier to combine ages since it lists assignments for each age (or am I getting it confused with something else?). Can you tell how torn I am? lol I need some level-headed focus for I have none right now. ;)

 

 

Since you like the layout of Sonlight, you would probably be ok with WP too since they too do the grid schedule. WP does have a few suggested order of sequences in their catalog.

 

From what I can tell, MFW also has a grid schedule layout and has the ability to combine a variety of ages. I've been told that they also have some hands-on things too. (I've never actually used MFW so I can only go by what I've seen or been told.)

[Julie of KY]

We've been "Sonlighter's" for seven years now and love it. The Sonlight boards are full of ideas of how to easily add hands-on activities if that is what is holding you back.

 

I agree that it would be best if you can put your hands on the choices you are considering. It will give you a much better feel for what will suit you best.

[Tiffani]

We are really enjoying our first year homeschooling this year with the curriculums we went with, but I am quickly burning out with all the planning. I feel like all I do outside of teaching is planning to teach and my other obligations (house, church, one on one kids time, HUSBAND, etc) are really suffering. For this reason, I am researching complete curriculums next year with all the planning already prepared for me. The problem is I have researched and researched and every time I research I'm sure I have found "the one for us" and then second guess myself later. I'm torn between MFW, SL, and WP. I also love the idea of HOD, but I ordered a used copy for my K son to check it out, I didn't like the literature selections. LOVED the idea of it though.

 

I will be homeschooling 1st, 2nd, and 5th next year. We did ancient history this year, but I am torn between US history or middle ages next year. I would like to buy one curriculum for all 3. We would love a very literature & history emphasis with a lot of hands on activities. I LOVE the literature selections in Sonlight, but I want a lot of hands on activities (without having to plan them separate). My kids thrive on all the activities we are enjoying from SOTW.

 

When I look at the websites and how the programs are set up, I prefer SL because I like how it is organized and easy to follow. I wish MFW and WP were more "here is what you will cover in 6 years and in which order you will cover" but that would take away the flexibility most like. Plus I worry that SL would be harder to combine ages than the other programs but without trying it I could be wrong. It appears that WP would be easier to combine ages since it lists assignments for each age (or am I getting it confused with something else?). Can you tell how torn I am? lol I need some level-headed focus for I have none right now. ;)

 

SL advertises freeing up your weekends because they've done all the planning for you. This is soooo true! This is one of the main reasons I use SL!

 

I've used all three of these (SL, MFW & WP). My only question for you would be, "how much hands-on do you want"? I ask this b/c that's one of the reasons I switched to WP several years ago. And though I liked the "idea" of all the fun hands-on stuff, we didn't do much/most of it. My oldest (then 8th grade) spent weeks on building a castle, but the funny thing he didn't learn anything about castles, he was just concerned w/ making it all fit. Does that make sense? So, after 2 years w/ WP (and I can't and won't be negative about them....they're wonderful) but for us, we've switched back to SL. I don't love everything about SL, but it's what I like best. WP was too weak for my now 9th grader. I need the wonderful IG from SL w/ all those wonderful discussion questions/literary analysis questions etc. that come with it. I also like their emphasis on missions (especially in the younger years). WP is weak in the area of bible (IMHO). I prefer using Mystery of History for the Ancients and Middle Ages, so that's a plus for WP....but in those upper grades, the Apologetics is outstanding with SL.

 

You said you were worried about combining w/ SL. Well, after many years of trying to combine I've resounded to the fact that we're all going to be on different cores. So that's what we're doing, 4.different.cores. And you know what.....I'm enjoying that one-on-one time with each individual child, reading books on his level and having little discussions w/ just him. If you'd have told me several years ago I would need to do 4 cores, I would've laughed and laughed. But I'm finding more and more people doing this and doing it successfully. One last note, my younger 3 boys (ages 12, 8 & 6) usually sit in with each others readings...not all the time, but most. Especially the read-alouds. So I feel they're getting double and triple the education (in a small sort of way).

 

HTH!

Tiffani

Edited February 9, 2010 by Tiffani

[SnowWhite]

I'm one of the board WP posters, LOL. I agree that if hands on is important to you, AND combining is important to you, then WP beats SL or MFW. For a first grader, you would have to do a separate program with MFW. Plus you have to do a "book basket". HOWEVER, you would not be able to do Middle Ages with WP for those grade levels. Middle Ages starts at grade 4 for WP. A possible progression for WP for you (since you mentioned you wished that were laid out for you) would be:

 

1,2,5: American Story 1 or All American 1

2,3,6: American Story 2 or All American 2

3,4,7: Children Around the World

4,5,8: Adventures in the Sea and Sky, with Older Learner Guide for the 8th grader (one year overview of World History, concentrating on transportation)

5,6,9: Quest for the Ancient World

6,7,10: Quest for the Middle Ages

7,8,11: Quest for Royals and Revolution

8,9,12: Quest for Modern Times

 

WP is also supposed to release another one year overview of world history, which you could then use for your youngest two before heading back to the ancients if you so desired.

 

For myself, I am going to do Adventures in the Sea and Sky with the Younger Learner Guide for grades 1 and 4 next fall. After that I am seriously considering lightening up on history and literature by going to Truthquest and using a spine (Mystery of History) and library books/readers for both boys. It will depend on what life looks like with a 2yo, 2nd grader and 5th grader, but at the moment that is the way I am leaning. (I would not spend a lot of time planning, but would just follow along with the TQ commentary and pick books at our monthly library trip to correspond to the part of history we have reached at the time).

[live2love]

You mentioned you loved the idea of HOD but wasn't too thrilled with their literature selections. There is a great book by Christine Miller called All Through the Ages that lists over 7000 books by category and age. Besides history, it also lists some for science and other things. I don't actually have it yet, but I just ordered it and have heard nothing but good things about it!

 

This way you could do HOD but substitute some of their not-so-good picks with better ones.

 

Check it out at http://www.nothingnewpress.com/atta.shtml

 

I am also going around in circles trying to pick a good history curriculum/schedule to start my oldest dd in first grade this year, but I know for sure I wanted this book so it's the only thing I have ordered so far. :) It will work with any history curriculum.

[cbollin]

For a first grader, you would have to do a separate program with MFW. Plus you have to do a "book basket". .

 

Since I use MFW.. may I offer a gentle clarification?

 

MFW recommends that first graders have the opportunity to work in a program that meets 3 R's for their needs and then be invited to join in the older siblings program for extra activities and combined family teaching.

 

Of course they will "recommend" their first grade program to meet the needs of 3R's. But you can use whatever language arts and math you wish.

 

Isn't that similar to WP? Maybe I just misunderstand WP's website. When I look on WP's site, it sure seems like language arts packages are separate and by grade level. I think it is a similar thing the way MFW does it -- you make sure your first grader gets language arts and math even when they are included with the Family Cycle programs.

 

Book basket -- is just going to the library for enrichment reading instead of buying more books. I think I've seen on the WP users fans and even SL fans, that some of them even use library to cut costs instead of buying. You can buy extra books just like in the other programs. Their book basket list contains a lot of the titles that you'll find in other programs. But it is enrichment reading -- not required reading.

 

 

-crystal

[birchbark]

I tried Sonlight last year. I loved the books, but did not find the Instructor's Guide easy to use at all. Also like others mentioned, there are no activities.

 

I have heard that Winterpromise is one of the best for activities. If cost is an issue, could you buy a guide and then get the books used or through the library?

[melmichigan]

I love the ease of the SL IG's and find it easier to add in my own activities, many from the SOTW AG's, we also love History Pockets. I have spent extensive time looking at other programs, I even bought part of TOG, but I really like SL. I tweak and change to suit our needs but it is what works for my family. We just had a family discussion and all decided they wanted to continue with it again next year.

 

Just FYI, depending on whatever curriculum you order, Amazon has many to most of the books used by many of these programs on the 4 for the price of 3 special right now. I just saved $300 on two cores worth of books for SL. It was less than what they are currently running used, especially if you make sure you are ordering in quantities of four on the special whenever possible. :D