For those who have used SL and MFW

[mom22722]

I love sonlight. I have 6 kids and combining has been really hard. I tried TOG this year and I just don't like it as much as SL. I miss all the great books and I have tried adding some in but it is just too much. I was wondering how MFW compares. I don't want to lay the money out for something I am not going to like again. I have looked at it at conventions but I really can't get a feel for it and again the books just don't look as good as SL.

[Donna A.]

In short, I think you'll find MFW to be a very nice balance between SL and TOG. :001_smile:

 

I don't have a ton of time right now, but wanted to remind you that you can add a lot from Book Basket, and you'll find several SL books on that BB list, too. Also, some MFW users buy books from SL to use in lieu of BB.

 

When you looked at MFW at conventions, did you get to talk to one of the reps working in the booth? Sometimes it takes having someone go through the manual with you to *show* you how it works and to answer specific questions. And it could also be that your mindset wasn't ready for it yet at the time, so you weren't really envisioning yourself using it, kwim?

 

There are several reasons why I chose MFW over both SL and TOG.... one of which is the biblical integration, one is the combining factor, one is the Book Basket which gives me flexibility and the option for more reading as time and interest allow (vs. having a TON of books scheduled as "required" reading"), and one is the cost of the program over the long term. Oh, and minimal prep time on my part, too. It was already low prep before they did 2nd editions, but 2nd editions are now even more user friendly. I *love* how the manual is laid out, and how efficient the program is.

 

Unfortunately I need to run right now, but I recommend you spend some time on the MFW forums.... http://board.mfwbooks.com/ To ask questions/begin a thread, go to the General-Main Board shown right at the top. Probably Crystal or Julie or other MFW users will come along soon....

[CarrieF]

Having tried MFW and now having used SL, I would have to go with SL. It just goes deeper and is laid out better, as far as the TMs go. One idea would be to incorporate the MFW book basket idea and put the younger kids books in there so they can freely look at them as you read aloud/work with the older kids? Or, have your older kids read books to the younger kids so they are both getting the ideas/content and sharing a special time together. I am not "there" yet because my two youngers are still too little to fold into school (3 and 1.5 yrs.), so I can't speak from experience. However, having used both MFW and SL I would try to make SL work before switching back to MFW. Note to MFW people: I am not bashing it at all, there were good books and experiences with MFW! It just did not feel as rigorous or as deep as SL - IMHO. :001_smile:

Oh, another thing I have implemented this year with SL is using color pages/notebooking pages - maybe your younger kids would enjoy that as you read aloud? Sorry, just trying to think off the top of my head!

[athomemom]

I've used both. I have used MFW Adventures, ECC, and am currently using RtR.

 

I chose to come back to MFW because of the biblical integration as well. I only have 2 to school and they are close in age. I find that it is easier to add to a program than to be overwhelmed and feel like I'm not getting everything finished.

 

MFW does feel lighter in some ways after doing SL core 6. However, I love that I can add to the reading with book basket. Plus, the price of MFW allows me the freedom to buy other books *if* I want to.

 

If you have specific questions, I am happy to answer them if I can.

[Julie]

While I have not used TOG, I have used both Sonlight and MFW. One of the big draws for me was learning from them at our local conference if I stick with MFW for the whole shi-bang my student will have read through the Bible 3 times. I don't know of any other curricual that boasts this.

 

Additionally, I like the notebooking, the book selections just seem more age appropite, and the book basket is great for picking books that have high appeal for your kids.

 

Overall, of all the curricula I have used over the years MFW is my clear favorite.

[cbollin]

Probably Crystal or Julie or other MFW users will come along soon....

 

who? me?...remember, I haven't used SL.

 

well, I guess briefly I was using the SL catalog for reading lists when I first used MFW many years ago. But when I saw that MFW suggests many of the same books in book basket, and "general reading", I figured if all equals out.

 

I like that I've been able to combine for many years.

 

I'm too bias from just using MFW for almost 8 years. it clicks with me and gives me good reading, some text, ability to get it done and combine in some stuff. love the Biblical integration and that it's just scheduled without interpretation. and low planning skills. I mean, I take time to make sure I'm not going into lessons totally blind each day like a substitute teacher, but I don't spend hours a week prepping plans either.

 

not much help to original poster. sorry.... just felt like rambling

 

-crystal

[Julie in MN]

I love sonlight. I have 6 kids and combining has been really hard. I tried TOG this year and I just don't like it as much as SL. I miss all the great books and I have tried adding some in but it is just too much. I was wondering how MFW compares. I don't want to lay the money out for something I am not going to like again. I have looked at it at conventions but I really can't get a feel for it and again the books just don't look as good as SL.

 

I must have heard my name calling out to me :)

 

I only used SL-100 (it was American History, not sure what it's called now), and I've used MFW from 3rd to 9th grade. Obviously I prefer MFW. Not sure what things you didn't like about TOG vs. SL, so not sure what to mention. I'll just say what the difference was *to me.* I think I'll be comparing to MFW's 2nd-8th grade, rather than to their high school program?

 

1. SL "grid" and notes were only for one subject at a time, basically. I found myself running out of time and not realizing which subjects weren't finished yet.

 

2. SL scheduled in some books I wanted to use (Hakim's HIstory of US) and some I didn't want to use (Dear Mr. Henshaw). MFW schedules all essential books, and then it has a slot for "reading" and for "book basket." Those books have complete guidance as far as lists of books that connect to history or that are classics, but also complete freedom if you want to read your own choices.

 

3. SL gave me "comprehension questions" for some books. Note that it did NOT give these questions for every book, by any means. We don't like "comprehension questions" because they are rarely about anything important in the story. There were lists of vocab words, but no definitions or instructions. MFW schedules two PP literature studies per year in grades 7 & 8, and PP typically gives you things to do with the vocab etc. That amount was plenty for us. Narration was much better at getting the big picture of a story at our house.

 

4. SL gave me lots more teaching notes, but, in 100 at least, they were hundreds of pages on why the north & south issues were not that different -- much more notes than either I or my dd would ever read. Not a lot of other topics that I saw.

 

5. SL actually provided very little instruction on writing compared to MFW, and almost no instruction on mapping or timelining. There were maps and major dates, but I couldn't figure out what to do with them -- even after asking on the SL forums multiple times. MFW tells you exactly what to do with their timeline and maps, and has some writing assigned and other bits they have suggested resources (with a suggested schedule).

 

6. Both SL and MFW gave specific instructions for beginning to do current events with older kids. SL suggested handing kids an adult newspaper, which didn't work with my teen. MFW suggested using a middle school magazine (God's World News at appropriate level), which worked well with my 8th grader.

 

7. Bible in MFW is there, every day, part of the conversation and the prayer. Bible in SL I never bought, I guess. We were reading the Bible through together instead. I was so glad when I found MFW had the Bible scheduled in for us.

 

 

Julie

[Mom0012]

I've used SL from Pre-K currently through core 4, so that's obviously what works for my family, but I've also squeezed in some of MFW K and Adventures.

 

Now, I don't know the ages of your kids and I haven't used the upper levels of MFW, but if the reading is as streamlined in the upper levels (compared to SL) as it is in the lower ones, I think you could make MFW work for your family. You could follow the MFW schedule so that you can have everyone on the same page and then add in books from the book basket (as others said, some of those are SL books) or some SL books to use as read-alouds that you think all your kids would enjoy.

 

Lisa