Tell me about MFW ECC

[MrsMe]

What are your favorite books used in the program and not so favorites? What is the science like? I need a change of pace next year. I've done MFW K MFW Adv HOD Bigger, Preparing and some WP; so we've done HOD for the last two years and I'm getting bored. Not that it's not good content, but I'm back with my boredom questions.:001_huh:

 

But there's such a discrepancy of reviews of ECC. DD is 10 now, but we've always been better late than early types. So Preparing is good, but very full and frankly I'm really tired of some of the same old thing. We haven't done any geography yet other than the normal "point to" and "find". Does the repetition get annoying? I hear it tends to be better if kids are a bit older, but I can't find any consistent reviews.

Pros and Cons would be great. And pros or cons regarding multiple kids aren't needed. I only have one child so you can save your typing skills regarding multiples for another post.:tongue_smilie: I loved MFW Adventures, except for the spine. But I know it's not like that. How long does a normal day take?

Edited November 2, 2010 by alilac

[abrightmom]

:bigear: I'd love to hear more about ECC as well . . . I'm also interested in hearing if others have chosen to use it a bit later than 3rd grade and if that is better (per the OP's question).

 

Has anybody used ECC in an unusual way (i.e. used it in part or slowly over a couple of years as a "thread" rather than a main program or . . . )?

 

Thanks for posting this thread OP. :001_smile:

[bethben]

I found that it got boring for me about 1/2 way through the year. It is really repetitive. You can see a sample page and just expect that each week will be basically the same books just different countries. The book basket saved the program. Ds didn't seem to mind and had a good year, but you did basically the same thing each week or two for different countries. He did learn where the countries are, but it made me jump ship from MFW totally. I started combining weeks toward the end just to finish the thing early and move to something else. It seems with ECC, you either love it or hate it around here. Maybe someone could chime in with the "I love it stance".

Beth

[Momma H]

We loved it here.

I had to say that I understand the feeling of repeating but I am not sure how else to systematically teach about something like countries (or other things that are really similar and need the same information taught about them) without causing confusion or breaking the bank. I appreciate what they are up agianst.

It is really a fun and wonderful program. We liked the games, cooking, missionary stores, praying for other countries and religions and learning where the countries were. I think, as with anything, it is what you make it. If you think learning about the world without a huge amount of work by mom and a ton of money sounds good, this is it!

[Guest aquiverfull]

Well I was hesitant to reply since I very briefly used MFW ECC and I don't know if my limited experience is an accurate portrayal of the program. However, since you haven't gotten many replies, I'll share what I can.

 

Last year, I used this with my then 10 year old dd. I thought I wanted a whole year of geography. I was looking for something different and didn't want to start the 4 year cycle yet... so I chose MFW ECC. We didn't get very far with it. Mostly I think it was the timing. We had already read Window on the World with SL two years before and well, neither one of us were looking forward to doing it again. Neither of us really liked Hero Tales either. We also had previously read Usborne Living World Encyclopedia, and Maps and Globes with SL. I bought this right before the new edition came out so we didn't have some of the books that are used now in the program.

 

We started off with this and then since we had never done a state study we camped out in the USA section for much longer than recommended. I added in so many state lapbooking elements from Homeschool Share. Plus some other books so that put us "way behind" in the MFW guide. I think you will find a good bit of repetition in ECC. They have you doing those Country Report sheets with every new country and it is a lot of work. Busy work in my opinion... we just didn't like that book "World Geography" where all those country sheets come from. See if you can find a sample of that book, since that is a main component of the program. It was just too "schoolish" for my taste, but you may feel differently. We liked the Trip Around the World books but overall I think that was the problem.... There were no books used that we really enjoyed. So after about 2 months we dropped it, and then I just had my dd read CHOW for the rest of the year.

 

I hate to be negative about MFW. I think they are a great company and we are thoroughly enjoying MFW K right now. I may use some of their other guides in the future with my children. I hope others can give you some different perspectives.

Edited November 2, 2010 by aquiverfull

[GWOB]

I found that it got boring for me about 1/2 way through the year. It is really repetitive. You can see a sample page and just expect that each week will be basically the same books just different countries. The book basket saved the program. Ds didn't seem to mind and had a good year, but you did basically the same thing each week or two for different countries. He did learn where the countries are, but it made me jump ship from MFW totally. I started combining weeks toward the end just to finish the thing early and move to something else. It seems with ECC, you either love it or hate it around here. Maybe someone could chime in with the "I love it stance".

Beth

 

Didn't I sell this to you?:lol: Sorry.

 

We felt pretty much the same way. It is a great program for the right family. We were not the right family. I wanted something planned out for me since I hate planning. At first it was great. Then, as Beth said, it got repetitive. Basically same thing, different week. We liked most of the books, except for the Properties of Ecosystems book. I could barely stay awake while reading! I didn't like the short lessons and constant switching.

 

Now, it wasn't all horrible. We did learn tons about different cultures. My kids have a better grasp of geography than my dh. We loved making foods from around the world. The book basket list is phenomenal. It will provide structure if that is what you need.

 

The biggest reason we ditched ECC was the fact that the nearest decent library was over an hour away. You really need those book basket books to make the program interesting. If you live near a great library, desire structure in your school, are not Catholic, and don't mind a few crafts, MFW ECC is a great choice.

[Julie in MN]

My son used MFW through the entire middle cycle, doing ECC in 3rd grade and then again in 8th (only 1 semester, due to getting behind over the years). ECC was my very favorite and is very dear to my heart.

 

Why do I love ECC so much? I could think about that for a while, but off the top of my head --

 

- It introduced my son to the whole world, without any wars or politics or traumas. My son learned things that I as an adult wasn't too sure on, such as where countries were on a blank map and what differences were between China, Japan, and India. We didn't do many of the worksheets, but we played the game and tried to make clothes from India out of sheets and made hummus when we learned about Saudi Arabia. We read fairy tales from different countries and opened up different kinds of atlases to see what was in there. We learned about biomes by feeling tree bark blindfolded and making a permafrost desert, besides reading about them of course :)

 

- My son prepared for the history cycle not only by learning geography but by praying for the world and being concerned about other peoples. In 8th grade, he prepared for high school by learning to do a bit of research and cutting out current events articles.

 

- The pattern of learning was consistent, so he could see that *every* country had the whole range of things to be learned. But on the other hand, it also included mention of unique things to learn about in each country, both in the teacher manual and in the Trip Around The World "amazing facts" pages etc.

 

- The study had such a range of ways to learn, from simple children's songs and learning to count in different languages, to map work. All of that was scheduled and all of the materials were there and even the amount of time needed was pretty much set aside according to how long each thing would typically take. And then, since I have a lot of books at my house, I was able to add books that meant something to me, as well, such as the Families of the World books that I like.

 

- I credit ECC with changing my son's idea of a hero. Helping people receive the Bible in their own language became more admirable, and even more exciting, than sports stars or movie stars.

 

- ECC's book basket exposed my son to the broad range of literature that you can find about any topic at all, from picture books to novels, from fairy tales to cookbooks. It just felt so much more rich and so much more freeing than the kind of literature that one homeschooled gal told me about at her house: "My mom has five books on George Washington that she wants me to read."

 

- The ECC schedule seemed to remember every tidbit that I didn't want to forget, such as singing, practicing math facts, writing letters, and taking nature walks. ECC was the only year we seemed to actually take nature walks :) The first time around, we were done with all subjects in about 4 hours and had one day a week for co-op; the second time around, our days were probably closer to 6 hours with more like 4 hours on days we had afternoon activities.

 

 

I'm sure there are many more things I could say :tongue_smilie:

Julie

Edited November 5, 2010 by Julie in MN

[cbollin]

chiming in very late.....

 

I've used ECC twice now. 5 years apart. I loved it both times. The stories from Hero Tales planted seeds in our lives. The missionary biographies touched us.

We had fun with the crafts and scaled back if needed.

We enjoyed trying new foods and cooking together.

 

Praying out of Window on the World was a good thing to do.

 

We enjoyed doing some of the research. why not just have fun with it?

 

geography game was fun. Even grandparents got into it on visits.

 

When it got to the winter blues, of course, I had to change some stuff up. We decided to pretend to be tourist in the country and each morning would start in a tourist hotel with breakfast. Then, we'd get in the pretend bus and I'd play boring tour guide, or play "peppy tour guide".

Sometimes we'd snuggle on the couch and look at pictures. Then enjoy some books.

 

I'm the total "loved it and very happy to have done it twice" crowd. My oldest got to do the jr. high version in 7th grade. She did a great report on Russia. Challenged with the older biographies. Middle gal had fun. Youngest even enjoyed the music and crafts and all of it.

 

I'm the total opposite where it was a fun year to add in extras and explore interests. Then it made us more aware of people around us and had conversation starters at stores and parks.

 

I like it.

 

-crystal

[MrsMe]

My thought after reading these posts is while it's repetitious, it could be an easy fix. Between reading a book choice in Book Basket or doing what you did Crystal, there's a lot you can do with this program.

 

I also like the idea of using more of a main spine that is an informative text, such as an encyclopedia or a textish book, than a complete living book. Living books, I find you can't really deviate from. You have to finish the story or it doesn't make sense. So if you're using 3 living books, throughout the entire curriculum, you can't stop and use something else, or the story/program gets lost in it's continuity. They don't pick up and leave off where needed. So if you deviate at all, you stop dead in the living book; mid story. Where as if you use a main text, you can add books, such as the book basket and they can be a historical fiction or biographical, picture, etc. of choice. So if you dislike "that" book on Greece, you can use another one and nothing will be lost in the program. When you use all living books without anything else, you really have to box check. You really give up some choices.

 

So am I correct? I know I'm a bit off subject here while I ponder Crystal's answer, I did have a lightbulb moment. While MFW does use a main spine and many times informative, such as an encyclopedia, there are a lot more choices to delve deeper through book basket without loosing the schedule? So it works for a box checker and it works for someone who wants to just go off on her own without getting off track from the program? Or am I off track? I know I'm repeating myself, but I'm really tired and I'm not going back to rewrite this. :tongue_smilie:

 

Crystal you just gave me something to think about, where MFW could differ from HOD. Sometimes we just don't have time to read 2 chapters a day in a chapter book for Storytime in HOD like we're supposed to. In HOD we were should have read Tirzah, but we couldn't manage 2 chapters a day. But if we did one chapter a day, then we'd go "over" and end up still doing Tirzah, but on a completely different historical period. Having a book basket, choosing something we could just look at one week and read the next seems to be a little bit more enticing. A choice with a schedule.

[Julie in MN]

So am I correct? I know I'm a bit off subject here while I ponder Crystal's answer, ...

 

 

So it works for a box checker and it works for someone who wants to just go off on her own without getting off track from the program? Or am I off track? I know I'm repeating myself, but I'm really tired and I'm not going back to rewrite this. :tongue_smilie:

 

Crystal and I are poster children for the fact that MFW can provide a solid structure while you adapt for your family. We're often comparing how we approached the same thing -- she with her oldest daughter and me with my youngest son, she with her two younger ones under foot, me with a quieter house and illness in the family, yet both of us with a strong academic leaning and a passion for seeing our faith lived out in our day-to-day.

 

So yes, MFW can work for both a box checker and for someone who goes off on her own often. And there are just enough tidbits of ideas throughout the programs that you don't even have to work hard to find something to go off and explore :) Just remember to cross something off the schedule when you sub something else in, so you don't add-add-add. Otherwise, you'll get mired in the same spot and lose the value of a program that moves you along so you really do cover a complete history cycle and all your other skills.

 

Julie

[Donna A.]

My thought after reading these posts is while it's repetitious, it could be an easy fix. Between reading a book choice in Book Basket or doing what you did Crystal, there's a lot you can do with this program.

 

I also like the idea of using more of a main spine that is an informative text, such as an encyclopedia or a textish book, than a complete living book. Living books, I find you can't really deviate from. You have to finish the story or it doesn't make sense. So if you're using 3 living books, throughout the entire curriculum, you can't stop and use something else, or the story/program gets lost in it's continuity. They don't pick up and leave off where needed. So if you deviate at all, you stop dead in the living book; mid story. Where as if you use a main text, you can add books, such as the book basket and they can be a historical fiction or biographical, picture, etc. of choice. So if you dislike "that" book on Greece, you can use another one and nothing will be lost in the program. When you use all living books without anything else, you really have to box check. You really give up some choices.

 

So am I correct? I know I'm a bit off subject here while I ponder Crystal's answer, I did have a lightbulb moment. While MFW does use a main spine and many times informative, such as an encyclopedia, there are a lot more choices to delve deeper through book basket without loosing the schedule? So it works for a box checker and it works for someone who wants to just go off on her own without getting off track from the program? Or am I off track? I know I'm repeating myself, but I'm really tired and I'm not going back to rewrite this. :tongue_smilie:

 

Crystal you just gave me something to think about, where MFW could differ from HOD. Sometimes we just don't have time to read 2 chapters a day in a chapter book for Storytime in HOD like we're supposed to. In HOD we were should have read Tirzah, but we couldn't manage 2 chapters a day. But if we did one chapter a day, then we'd go "over" and end up still doing Tirzah, but on a completely different historical period. Having a book basket, choosing something we could just look at one week and read the next seems to be a little bit more enticing. A choice with a schedule.

 

Alilac, you nailed it! :D I *LOVE* the "structure with flexibility" that's built into MFW exactly the way you described. I also like to describe it as being "balanced" and "efficient". You can do just the bare bones, or you can beef it up a lot if you choose, or somewhere in between. :001_smile:

[jentancalann]

I found that it got boring for me about 1/2 way through the year. It is really repetitive. You can see a sample page and just expect that each week will be basically the same books just different countries. The book basket saved the program. Ds didn't seem to mind and had a good year, but you did basically the same thing each week or two for different countries. He did learn where the countries are, but it made me jump ship from MFW totally. I started combining weeks toward the end just to finish the thing early and move to something else. It seems with ECC, you either love it or hate it around here. Maybe someone could chime in with the "I love it stance".

Beth

 

 

Exactly my sentiments. I love the idea of MFW and keep almost going back. Then I remember ECC and RTR and give up the idea.

[hlee]

We've used ECC for 9 weeks now; we used Adventures last year. The interesting thing for me is that while I found the pattern of how states (last year) or countries (this year) are introduced and covered repetitious, my kids actually seemed to love the repetition. They are always excited to do the worksheets that accompanied each country, and I think the fact that the structure was in some ways predictable freed them to enjoy the content of each country which varied. We'll add in fun activities as suggested by ECC to do arts/crafts, etc., and those also add variety. We are also loving the mission emphasis of ECC, my eldest son especially. I agree with the previous posters who feel that ECC provides both structure and flexibility; this is why I enjoy using it, and I also enjoy being able to mix ECC with other curricula as recommended by TWTM for the language arts and math. So far, I have no complaints about ECC and My Father's World in general. =) But, I know there is no one-size-fits-all for curriculum, right? We will all have our different preferences and different learning styles to consider when we make these difficult choices!