If I dropped HOD (twice!) will I like MFW?

[lotsofpumpkins]

I'm thinking ahead to the 2011-2012 school year, when I'll have 4th, 3rd, and 1st graders (as well as preK, a toddler, and a baby). We've always done American history, so I want to go ahead and start a history cycle in 2011. One of my choices is MFW (we'd start with ECC), but I'm hesitant to spend that much money when I've already dropped out of HOD twice. My other choice is to use SOTW, but then I'd have to add in my own Bible and science.

 

Here's what I didn't like about HOD:

-It bugged me to have even the math/LA scheduled out, but we were either using something else or were on a different page; meaning I had to ignore some of the boxes or have bookmarks all over the guide to show where we were.

-The readings seemed too short, and I didn't like reading tiny snippets from 2 or 3 books, which all ended up saying essentially the same thing (ETA: AFter reading replies, I realized I am remembering this incorrectly. We were doing LHTH and LHFHG at the same time, so there was a lot of overlap; I was reading the same Bible stories from different storybooks. Regardless, the readings did seem short to me.)

-It was difficult combining my children; a lot of it was over the younger child's head.

 

Here's my concerns about trying MFW:

-Book basket- I have a tiny library here. I don't want to HAVE to go each and every week to try to find books. My homeschool budget will be spent by getting this program, so I will not have a lot of extra money to buy book basket books.

 

I guess that's it! Can someone who has seen/used both HOD and MFW help me figure out if I'd be happy with MFW? Thanks!

Edited August 4, 2010 by lotsofpumpkins

[MrsMe]

I don't think we read several snippets from books in HOD. I'm doing HOD now and the core read is only one book. There is a storytime reading that is a usually fictional add, but not several snippets from different books, reading the same thing.

 

However, If you don't like HOD, my guess is that you won't like that in MFW either. Book basket makes me sort of laugh because if you want to just buy the book, then buy it and bypass the library. No biggy there. I'm not a library person and if I want the book, then I buy it.

 

But MFW works the same way. You read a little bit every day and in addition there is a storytime element. So they would be the same in my opinion. Sonlight is worse as far as reading short snippets from many, many books as well as WP if that is an issue. MFW and HOD are Charlotte Mason based; it's a short and steady sort of way. That's not to say you can't go on and read further, but yes, in HOD it will throw you off. I don't do their math or reading, so it's not an issue about being "off". But remember you can use elements of it; maybe history or science or both or all; whatever you choose.

[fenni]

Well I used MFW ECC and if I hadn't had access to the library for book basket, we wouldn't have gotten much from the program. My oldest was 8, though, and we dropped much of the scheduled books because we didn't like them. Book basket was a great asset to us! I have a small library but an excellent inter-library loan system. I was burned out on the reserving and library visits by the end of the year, though.

 

I'm using HOD this year (after MFW K, 1st, ADV, and ECC) and I do not see the reading snippets from several books on the same topic that you describe. I felt there was more of that w/ MFW for sure.

[lotsofpumpkins]

I don't think we read several snippets from books in HOD. I'm doing HOD now and the core read is only one book. There is a storytime reading that is a usually fictional add, but not several snippets from different books, reading the same thing.

 

 

 

Now that I'm thinking about it more, I guess you are right. We were trying to do LHTH and LHFHG, and for a while there was some overlap, so I was reading the same Bible stories from different storybooks.

 

I do remember that it was difficult getting my youngers to sit still and listen, except for storytime, in which case they would beg me to read more, and I hated having to tell them that I couldn't read more because we'd get off-schedule!

[Mom0012]

I haven't used MFW ECC, but I have used Adventures and I did find the readings to be very short. They do have the book basket, but unless you can purchase a bunch of those books, you will be stuck with the library. It sounds like you might like SL if you want more reading, but again, you will either have to buy the books or hit the library.

 

Lisa

[Nakia]

I used MFW ECC and CtG with my oldest daughter, and we have a tiny library with a pretty crappy children's area. I know some people swear the program is complete without the book basket, but it just isn't for our family. If we had a better library system, we might have stayed with MFW.

[blessedmom3]

I wanted to try MFW ECC . I bought it , read the TM and gave up with it ! I prefer HOD . Maybe you will like the older guides . I see you have a lot of little ones and are pregnant ! HOD make it easy to teach even two or three guides . Or you could just do the basics ( Math, Reading )and use a reading list your older could read by themselves. I know many people do that but I feel we don't get enough done that way . I like to have a schedule , a guide.

[Momofeat]

We really enjoy MFW. We've used MFW K, 1st, ECC, Exploration to 1850 and 1850 to Modern Times. This is the first year I've truly been able to combine my dc with it, and I can already see how wonderful that is going to be.

 

I have not felt the snippets as much because we often combine the reading for 2 days into one.

 

As far as the book basket goes, how is your interlibrary loan? I actually prefer to use it, because I can request books online & then pick them up when they're ready.