Will MFW-K or 1st be best for DD who is sounding out CVC words?

[Rhondabee]

Right now I am having other, unrelated (health) issues, and so maybe it would be best (for me) to take a summer's break and just start over with MFW-K next year even though she is so excited. The last two weeks her reading has just really taken off. I hate to crush her excitement. (And by "sounding out", I do mean "sounding out" - not reading fluently.)

 

(This post is really just a cry of "somebody tell me it's gonna be ok that I've already ordered MFW-K on a whim when I ordered the older kids' stuff" - because simultaneously in my world the worst migraine I've ever had made my veins in my left arm swell out of all proportions, gave me chest pains, I wound up in the hospital, only to be told that "I should start taking Xanax (sleep the rest of my life away), and I really should learn to just ignore these pains" as if I haven't been ignoring my migraines for the last 20 years trying to live a normal life. :glare:)

 

I think when I ordered MFW-K my thinking was that even if some of it was review, that she would really enjoy the activities in MFW. You know, it's always fun to do something and get a 100%. And we could continue reading 10 minutes/day in our Bob Books/MCP Books or even in OPGTR. IDK...

Edited May 18, 2010 by Rhondabee

[Sue G in PA]

Rhonda, I cannot remember how old your dd is, but I will tell you this: MFW K is so much more than just phonics! We did MFW K with my dd4 this past year, who was also sounding out CVC words (and then reading them quite fluently!). She loved MFW K! There are science activities, art activities, worksheets to cut/paste, handwriting practice, math explorations, etc. You can continue with OPG at her level if you wish and she would still get a ton out of MFW K. MFW 1st really ramps it up very quickly. Very short and quick review of K stuff and then moves into silent 'e' and blends. It moves fast and has a TON more writing. My dd4 would not have been able to do that this year. Probably not even next year, come to think of it. Her writing is good, but not quite there yet. You will be fine with MFW K. Praying that you get your health issues remedied quickly. Have you tried Topamax for migraines?

[Rhondabee]

Rhonda, I cannot remember how old your dd is, but I will tell you this: MFW K is so much more than just phonics! We did MFW K with my dd4 this past year, who was also sounding out CVC words (and then reading them quite fluently!). She loved MFW K! There are science activities, art activities, worksheets to cut/paste, handwriting practice, math explorations, etc. You can continue with OPG at her level if you wish and she would still get a ton out of MFW K. MFW 1st really ramps it up very quickly. Very short and quick review of K stuff and then moves into silent 'e' and blends. It moves fast and has a TON more writing. My dd4 would not have been able to do that this year. Probably not even next year, come to think of it. Her writing is good, but not quite there yet. You will be fine with MFW K. Praying that you get your health issues remedied quickly. Have you tried Topamax for migraines?

 

DD will turn 5yo in June. But, she is ...well, to put it bluntly...my third priority after my rising 10th and rising 7th grader. So, ya know? (I try to avoid all the Kindergarten threads because I'm really just looking for something to make her happy, help her learn to read and begin to understand math, but keep it basic and easy on me.) Sounds like the MFW-K is going to be the best fit for next year - thanks for helping me!!

 

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I have only been on Topamax for 2 1/2 weeks. ....edited...

 

 

Anyway....sorry so long-winded!....thank you for your prayers! For your advice! I am praying that I'm not fooling myself. The right side of me that feels like it's 17yo says, "We can homeschool and make this happen, babe!" But then the left side is prone to think maybe the doctors who look at me like I'm "off" and just need to be in the funny farm have the right idea, and the kids need to be in school. I just keep laying that problem out before God, and I just can't hear the answer.

Edited May 19, 2010 by Rhondabee

[Lovedtodeath]

:grouphug: I will pray for you. My mom has a lot of the same type of symptoms. She had surgery to sever damaged nerves in her head. She also has blood pressure problems. I have had migraines that are affected by hormones, but caused by other things. If you want to write to me or my mom about all of this send me an email. :grouphug:

 

MFW K is a good program and will have your daughter spelling words and reading stories, so she will make progress. If you want to supplement the phonics, you can use the same ideas from MFW (building with lauri letters and playing games) and just add in silent e and a few consonant digraphs.

[Donna A.]

I agree, go with the K program and not 1st grade yet. K is only 26 weeks long, anyway, and since she's not quite yet 5, K will be a great way to reinforce what she already knows and help her to become more fluent and confident. Plus there are soooo many other aspects to K that she (and you) will really enjoy!

 

My best tips for making K work with health problems:

 

1. As soon as you get the manual, sit down and read through it to get the layout of the land. Then add divider tabs between each section so that you can easily flip back and forth between the math pages, the phonics pages, and the science & Bible pages.

 

2. Note that it's set up on a 6-day schedule, but you're not bound to follow that. Just "do the next thing" as you have time, interest, and energy. It'll be okay if she has to skip a day now and then.

 

3. Go through the first two weeks' lessons and see which books, if any, you'd like to get from the library. Order those a week to two weeks before you're ready to begin lessons. (This depends on how long of check-out time you get from your library, of course, and how long it takes for books to get to you.) After that first time, if you stay on top of it the library lists every week or two (ordering and returning books), it's just a once-a-week (or so) stop in the library. Plan which day you want that to be.

 

4. Set up the 26 files it recommends for each week's lessons. Check the supply list to make sure you have things on hand. (Love the handiness of that supply list!)

 

Then you're all set! After that it should be fairly open and go. :001_smile:

[Rhondabee]

I agree, go with the K program and not 1st grade yet. K is only 26 weeks long, anyway, and since she's not quite yet 5, K will be a great way to reinforce what she already knows and help her to become more fluent and confident. Plus there are soooo many other aspects to K that she (and you) will really enjoy!

 

My best tips for making K work with health problems:

 

1. As soon as you get the manual, sit down and read through it to get the layout of the land. Then add divider tabs between each section so that you can easily flip back and forth between the math pages, the phonics pages, and the science & Bible pages.

 

2. Note that it's set up on a 6-day schedule, but you're not bound to follow that. Just "do the next thing" as you have time, interest, and energy. It'll be okay if she has to skip a day now and then.

 

3. Go through the first two weeks' lessons and see which books, if any, you'd like to get from the library. Order those a week to two weeks before you're ready to begin lessons. (This depends on how long of check-out time you get from your library, of course, and how long it takes for books to get to you.) After that first time, if you stay on top of it the library lists every week or two (ordering and returning books), it's just a once-a-week (or so) stop in the library. Plan which day you want that to be.

 

4. Set up the 26 files it recommends for each week's lessons. Check the supply list to make sure you have things on hand. (Love the handiness of that supply list!)

 

Then you're all set! After that it should be fairly open and go. :001_smile:

 

Thank you! How very helpful!

 

Boy, I really did buy this on impulse - I had no idea it was a 26-week program. :blush: I just saw all the neat, fun, pre-planned "stuff" and just knew I wouldn't take the time to do all that with her unless someone planned it for me.

 

Thanks for taking the time to post!

[Donna A.]

Thank you! How very helpful!

 

Boy, I really did buy this on impulse - I had no idea it was a 26-week program. :blush: I just saw all the neat, fun, pre-planned "stuff" and just knew I wouldn't take the time to do all that with her unless someone planned it for me.

 

Thanks for taking the time to post!

 

It's okay, really! Like I said, given your health issues, you may not be able to stay "on schedule" with it, anyway. That being the case, it could end up taking you longer than 26 weeks. OTOH, the beginning lessons may be super easy and you can go through those at the rate of a couple of lessons a week... so it can vary. You'll find your groove! :001_smile:

[Lovedtodeath]

My understanding was that they made each unit 6 days so that one wouldn't feel the need to do it 5 days a week and stay on schedule.

[vonfirmath]

Right now I am having other, unrelated (health) issues, and so maybe it would be best (for me) to take a summer's break and just start over with MFW-K next year even though she is so excited. The last two weeks her reading has just really taken off. I hate to crush her excitement. (And by "sounding out", I do mean "sounding out" - not reading fluently.)

 

(This post is really just a cry of "somebody tell me it's gonna be ok that I've already ordered MFW-K on a whim when I ordered the older kids' stuff" - because simultaneously in my world the worst migraine I've ever had made my veins in my left arm swell out of all proportions, gave me chest pains, I wound up in the hospital, only to be told that "I should start taking Xanax (sleep the rest of my life away), and I really should learn to just ignore these pains" as if I haven't been ignoring my migraines for the last 20 years trying to live a normal life. :glare:)

 

I think when I ordered MFW-K my thinking was that even if some of it was review, that she would really enjoy the activities in MFW. You know, it's always fun to do something and get a 100%. And we could continue reading 10 minutes/day in our Bob Books/MCP Books or even in OPGTR. IDK...

 

Reading the MFW forums... it appears the K is the best choice even if the child is already reading because of the themes that you run into as you go up the curriculums

[Sue G in PA]

I did what Donna did for my manual and it really helped me. Also, sorting the student pages in file folders marked with each letter was a big help. What I did, was gather materials for each unit ahead of time and put each in the file with the pages. For example, if I already owned the book suggested for each unit, I put that in the file and if I had any supplemental pages or activities, etc. I went a bit overboard, but keep it simple. It is, after all, just K! Also, if you need a library book (esp. if it is an ILL..interlibrary loan), put a post-it note in the folder for 2 units ahead of it to remind yourself to order that book or check it out. Helped keep me on top of things. Don't feel obligated to do each activity or even follow the 6 day schedule. We only did 5 days b/c my dd completed the workbook pages a few at a time (she LOVED them). That worked for us b/c she was advance. So, we did the pages over a 3 day period, spent the next 2 days doing the science, art stuff along with the supplemental reading, the badge, etc. Check out the MFW board for some great ideas for activities but don't get overwhelmed! Good luck to you...it can be difficult to school with health issues. I know. But, take care of yourself and be easy on yourself. K is really not "necessary" IMHO...they have plenty of time to learn all they need to learn. Let MFW K be fun...not stressful!

[Donna A.]

My understanding was that they made each unit 6 days so that one wouldn't feel the need to do it 5 days a week and stay on schedule.

 

But it totallly depends on the child (and the parent). Some kids, like the OP's and like mine last year, already have the individual sounds down pat and may be able to blend a *little bit*. They just need to get to the point of starting to blend fluently. So in the beginning it IS possible to take it at a faster pace.

 

Another reason to take a different pace than what's scheduled is if the child is very young and is starting to read already, but still has difficulty with fine motor skills. Maturity levels, Mom's schedule and how many other children are in the family, whether the child doing K is doing science and Bible with older sibs or not... all of these are reasons to do it faster or slower.

 

I don't think I've ever heard of anybody doing MFW K *exactly* the way it's scheduled. Kids in the 4-6 age range can vary sooooo much. Love that flexibility!

 

OH, Rhonda! I need to clarify something. The K program is actually 28 weeks long, not 26. In the first two weeks you'll be doing a Creation book, and then the actual reading lessons (one week per letter) begin after that.

[Rhondabee]

I did what Donna did for my manual and it really helped me. Also, sorting the student pages in file folders marked with each letter was a big help. What I did, was gather materials for each unit ahead of time and put each in the file with the pages. For example, if I already owned the book suggested for each unit, I put that in the file and if I had any supplemental pages or activities, etc. I went a bit overboard, but keep it simple. It is, after all, just K! Also, if you need a library book (esp. if it is an ILL..interlibrary loan), put a post-it note in the folder for 2 units ahead of it to remind yourself to order that book or check it out. Helped keep me on top of things. Don't feel obligated to do each activity or even follow the 6 day schedule. We only did 5 days b/c my dd completed the workbook pages a few at a time (she LOVED them). That worked for us b/c she was advance. So, we did the pages over a 3 day period, spent the next 2 days doing the science, art stuff along with the supplemental reading, the badge, etc. Check out the MFW board for some great ideas for activities but don't get overwhelmed! Good luck to you...it can be difficult to school with health issues. I know. But, take care of yourself and be easy on yourself. K is really not "necessary" IMHO...they have plenty of time to learn all they need to learn. Let MFW K be fun...not stressful!

 

Yes!!! My DD LOVES her worksheets! And cut-and-paste! and art and science and all that stuff that smells like "real school". As long as it's fun and not hard - LOL! And, boy, that MFW Board is very well organized. I hadn't looked at the boards for the individual years before. Cool!

 

Thank you guys so much! You have encouraged me more than you know. I have always tried to keep going in spite of any pain (tho' I admit nausea is my Kryptonite - LOL!) I am hoping and praying this doctor I will see tomorrow (Wed.) has been sent to me by God, and what looks like the worst will actually turn out to be for the best. Thank you, again, for giving of yourselves, and your time. May God bless you and your children and your husbands richly!!

[erikdeb]

Too late for me to answer now, but wanted to also verify that K should be GREAT for her. I somewhat recently started it with my nearly 5yo who is reading CVC words fluently, and we love it. The phonics stuff doesn't take as long. We are kind of doing "do the next thing". Some lessons have taken us 3 days, some have taken us 3 weeks.

 

I did want to point out, though, that the intention on the schedule is not for a letter a week, and if you follow the plan as written, it is a 33 week program. 6 days per letter, but not a 6-day week. ;)

[Donna A.]

I did want to point out, though, that the intention on the schedule is not for a letter a week, and if you follow the plan as written, it is a 33 week program. 6 days per letter, but not a 6-day week. ;)

 

Yes, I guess that's true. I often hear of it referred to as "weeks" rather than "lessons", so my brain sticks that way. :tongue_smilie: Plus, Charlotte Mason actually did do school 6 days a week (Mon-Sat) with her children, so that sticks in my head that way, too. :001_rolleyes:

 

http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=431

[Rhondabee]

Charlotte Mason actually did do school 6 days a week (Mon-Sat) with her children

 

Well, obviously, *some* things have changed for the better - :lol:

 

 

And, erikdeb, I *do* appreciate your post! It is just that much more reassuring to hear that someone like your daughter is enjoying it.

[tangomoon]

Thanks for asking this. I've been wondering the same thing about my about-to-turn 5 daughter who is at the same sounding out level.