MFW Personal Finance Lesson Plans

[atozmom]

I would love to hear from anyone that has used this. I have the books that would be used with the course and was just going to create my own. However, if this is really good and laid out well, for $5 and $2.50 shipping, I'd spend the money to save some time. :001_smile:

[mchel210]

I havent seen that...I have to go and look at it. I just stumbled across one with MUS Stewardship. Looked interesting.

[Julie in MN]

I see you're not getting answers. I haven't used it, either, but I can just say some general things about MFW lesson plans that I have purchased for science, math, and French.

 

Usually they are simple typed up lists of what to do for each day, parsed out over the school year. They've already looked ahead to see which topics match up, or which lessons are extra long, or whatever. Mostly they will just tell you portions of the materials to read, but at times they might suggest alternatives and additions.

 

The main thing I like about them is that they can be done independently. My son can just look at the plans and see what he should do for the day. He doesn't need to question how much is assigned, and he doesn't need to wait for me to tell him. And when the plans are done, he's earned the credit, and I have my records.

 

Hope someone chimes in who has used these particular plans. Otherwise, you might try over on the MFW board?

Julie

[atozmom]

Thank you Julie. I hadn't even thought of the MFW board.

 

ETA: I didn't see a lot over there on the lessons plans specifically. I didn't ask a question there as I am not a registered user.

Edited June 8, 2011 by atozmom

[Julie in MN]

Do you want me to ask?

 

There's also a MFWHighSchool yahoo group.

 

Julie

[atozmom]

That would be great Julie. I don't have a problem with registering, but I hate to register only to ask a question about 1 small thing and then never participate again. It just doesn't seem right.

[cbollin]

if all else fails... you could call mfw office and ask if they can describe the plans to you or ask if they are like certain other electives plans they carry.

 

I just can't remember what the finance plans look like . I glanced so briefly at them at convention. I have the health plans. but that's no help.

 

Hopefully Julie will find someone who knows something. But I'd call their office and say that a sample of the plans or at least a quick description would be nice.

 

for 7.50 (plans plus shipping).... it's close to 50 cents a week for planning and check list and hand over to the student to stay on track. probably worth it. Most of mfw's elective plans are written for student to stay on track. and check work done. It's probably like that.

 

I wish I knew more. But just not ready to use finance yet.

 

-crystal

[Tenaj]

I have the lesson plans for personal finance and was a bit disappointed in them because they weren't the style I was used to receiving from MFW. There is a general plan for each week - not each day. Since my kids like specific assignments broken out for each day, this wasn't the style I was looking for or expecting when I ordered it. I would save the money and just make up your own schedule.

[atozmom]

Thank you Jan. I need a daily schedule as well. I was hoping I wouldn't have to plan. :tongue_smilie:

[atozmom]

Thanks for the idea of calling them Crystal.

 

I didn't even think about looking at our convention when I was there. In fact, there were a few things I thought about looking at, after the fact. :tongue_smilie: There was just not enough time to get it all in.

[4wildberrys]

I have the lesson plans for personal finance and was a bit disappointed in them because they weren't the style I was used to receiving from MFW. There is a general plan for each week - not each day. Since my kids like specific assignments broken out for each day, this wasn't the style I was looking for or expecting when I ordered it. I would save the money and just make up your own schedule.

:iagree: This is my experience too. But additionally, I didn't find the books to be very helpful with personal finance at all. If you agree with Randy Alcorn's POV about money and especially not leaving any inheritance for daughter's, then it is easy to schedule out the book and use the study guide questions out of the back of the book. The other 'workbook' is THE most ridiculously simplified 'finance' book for Teens I have ever seen! Really. I am using MUS Stewardship with dd ( after trying the MFW program). MUS is 'okay', but not for visual learners. I will most definitely be using Abeka Consumer Math with ds!!! (I should have just used it with dd from the beginning :glare:)

[Julie in MN]

I am using MUS Stewardship with dd ( after trying the MFW program). MUS is 'okay', but not for visual learners.

I'd be interested in hearing more about the stewardship program.

 

I will most definitely be using Abeka Consumer Math with ds!!! (I should have just used it with dd from the beginning :glare:)

I found textbook "consumer math" programs were really just "math" programs with consumer examples in them. I didn't feel they really were designed to teach consumer skills.

 

I used the Larry Burkett book with my older dd, along with a similar one from AGS, and I felt they taught the consumer skills that I wanted her to get before graduation. (I liked the AGS book because you used their sample wages etc., whereas the Burkett book asked you to compute your own sample income, which might not be much!) We also did some things like go to the bank & open an account, used Consumer Reports, evaluate classified ads, help with my taxes, etc. Can't remember which were suggested in the workbooks & which we just made up, or even which kid I did what with, but those kinds of things.

 

I think if you want a full year academic math course, then a textbook program is probably the way to go. But if you want consumer skills as an elective, I'm not sure you'll get them in Abeka?

 

Just one opinion,

Julie

[atozmom]

I'd be interested in hearing more about the stewardship program.

 

 

I found textbook "consumer math" programs were really just "math" programs with consumer examples in them. I didn't feel they really were designed to teach consumer skills.

 

I used the Larry Burkett book with my older dd, along with a similar one from AGS, and I felt they taught the consumer skills that I wanted her to get before graduation. (I liked the AGS book because you used their sample wages etc., whereas the Burkett book asked you to compute your own sample income, which might not be much!) We also did some things like go to the bank & open an account, used Consumer Reports, evaluate classified ads, help with my taxes, etc. Can't remember which were suggested in the workbooks & which we just made up, or even which kid I did what with, but those kinds of things.

 

I think if you want a full year academic math course, then a textbook program is probably the way to go. But if you want consumer skills as an elective, I'm not sure you'll get them in Abeka?

 

Just one opinion,

Julie

 

What is AGS and can you link the book you used? Thank you. :)

[atozmom]

:iagree: This is my experience too. But additionally, I didn't find the books to be very helpful with personal finance at all. If you agree with Randy Alcorn's POV about money and especially not leaving any inheritance for daughter's, then it is easy to schedule out the book and use the study guide questions out of the back of the book. The other 'workbook' is THE most ridiculously simplified 'finance' book for Teens I have ever seen! Really. I am using MUS Stewardship with dd ( after trying the MFW program). MUS is 'okay', but not for visual learners. I will most definitely be using Abeka Consumer Math with ds!!! (I should have just used it with dd from the beginning :glare:)

 

I actually have the Abeka Consumer math set. Picked it up this weekend for a steal at a local used curriculum sale. Thank you for your review of the Burkett and Alcorn books. I will have to read through them as I have yet to do that.

[cbollin]

:iagree: This is my experience too. But additionally, I didn't find the books to be very helpful with personal finance at all. If you agree with Randy Alcorn's POV about money and especially not leaving any inheritance for daughter's,

 

 

I think you misread that part of the book. and that's a polite way to say it.;)

 

The Alcorns very much left financial inheritance in their wills for their daughters. They changed the percentages after the daughters were adults and married and on their own, and higher percentages went to charity. But they very much believe in leaving money for children.

 

from page 377 of the Alcorn book "Once written, wills should be periodically updated. When our children were small our will designated one-third of the estate to be divided between our children..... Another third was left to their guardians to be used for caring for the entire family.....final third was designated to our church........

As our girls got married in 2001, we revised the will to leave a modest designated gift amount to our daughters and their husbands and our possible future grandchildren. All of the rest is designated to (charititable)..... of course if family needs or circumstances change again, we can revise our will accordingly"

 

just saying.. that's the text of what they did with leaving financial inheritance to their adult children. When the children were not adults, they had a lot more of the estate and more to go to those who would care for them.

 

 

-crystal

[Julie in MN]

What is AGS and can you link the book you used? Thank you. :)

 

Sorry, I should have said that I thought the AGS workbook went out of print years back. However, maybe I'm wrong. This is the book we used:

http://www.amazon.com/SKILLS-MATHEMATICS-WORKTEXT-LEARNING-CONSUMER/dp/078540953X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1307714356&sr=1-1

 

But the Burkett workbook is very similar (we used both), and adds a Christian perspective, too. (I haven't read the Alcorn book, but plan to. I think "giving" is something my ds needs to hear more about :) )

 

AGS is American Guidance Service, and their texts are often used in alternative schools with struggling students. Therefore, they have an emphasis on teaching kids practical life skills. If you search Amazon for AGS, you will see the types of books they publish. And you can search for the math series using "Life Skills Mathematics Series." I've never found a publisher's website.

 

Anyways, consumer topics usually relate to living independently, so I think they are best used towards the end of high school.

Julie

Edited June 10, 2011 by Julie in MN

[4wildberrys]

I'd be interested in hearing more about the stewardship program.

 

 

I found textbook "consumer math" programs were really just "math" programs with consumer examples in them. I didn't feel they really were designed to teach consumer skills.

 

I used the Larry Burkett book with my older dd, along with a similar one from AGS, and I felt they taught the consumer skills that I wanted her to get before graduation. (I liked the AGS book because you used their sample wages etc., whereas the Burkett book asked you to compute your own sample income, which might not be much!) We also did some things like go to the bank & open an account, used Consumer Reports, evaluate classified ads, help with my taxes, etc. Can't remember which were suggested in the workbooks & which we just made up, or even which kid I did what with, but those kinds of things.

 

I think if you want a full year academic math course, then a textbook program is probably the way to go. But if you want consumer skills as an elective, I'm not sure you'll get them in Abeka?

 

Just one opinion,

Julie

 

I haven't seen the Abeka Consumer Math yet, but Cathy Duffy's review makes it sound like a great course. I have a schedule I printed from somewhere that schedules Abeka CM as an Economics elective, and from the titles of the weekly topics---it sounds like a very comprehensive consumer math course----going through topics like buying food, clothing, cars, buying insurance, paying taxes, etc. The MUS does cover these topics, but isn't quite as comprehensive as the Abeka and for dd and myself was actually kind of hard to follow because it's not very clear in the explanations sometimes. She actually stopped using MUS when it got to the Buying Lumber and other household fix-it sections and switched to Power Basics Consumer Math, which sounds as practical as the AGS books you used. Power Basics is doing the job clearly and well, but is written apparently at a 4th grade reading level----so might not appeal to every student. She detests math, so it's working here :tongue_smilie:

[4wildberrys]

I think you misread that part of the book. and that's a polite way to say it.;)

 

The Alcorns very much left financial inheritance in their wills for their daughters. They changed the percentages after the daughters were adults and married and on their own, and higher percentages went to charity. But they very much believe in leaving money for children.

 

from page 377 of the Alcorn book "Once written, wills should be periodically updated. When our children were small our will designated one-third of the estate to be divided between our children..... Another third was left to their guardians to be used for caring for the entire family.....final third was designated to our church........

As our girls got married in 2001, we revised the will to leave a modest designated gift amount to our daughters and their husbands and our possible future grandchildren. All of the rest is designated to (charititable)..... of course if family needs or circumstances change again, we can revise our will accordingly"

 

just saying.. that's the text of what they did with leaving financial inheritance to their adult children. When the children were not adults, they had a lot more of the estate and more to go to those who would care for them.

 

 

-crystal

 

I know Crystal, I think we discussed this before ? I just don't care for him or his attitude and dd was literally having fits reading the book :glare: SL uses the same book in their Economics course---and I am mystified WHY MFW and SL see this as a good book :confused: Dave Ramsey is SO much more practical and helpful with any financial advice, and while a Christian, he doesn't preach or bash other types of Christians in his financial advice. I'll leave it at that without further explanation what I mean, but really, I think the Randy Alcorn book is just a poor choice overall.

[cbollin]

It's totally fine to not like Alcorn or anything he says. It's totally fine that you don't like the book. I have mixed thoughts on the book.

 

But it's another thing when you intentionally misstate what he says about what he did with his will and his daughters. and that, well. sorry, even if we've had that discussion before on another thread or whereever, it needs to be said again since you brought it up.

 

That is what I was pointing out by actually quoting the text where he says what he does, which is the opposite of what you claim he says about daughters.

 

I'm sorry that your daughter was "having fits" reading it.

 

What I don't like about the book, is that it's seems in my eyes to be written as a response to the "health and wealth gospel" of the late 80's and early 90's. So some of the cultural basis of it might be lost on the current generation. If we end up using the book, it will definitely be as a discussion instead of read on one's own.

 

-crystal

[Julie in MN]

I haven't seen the Abeka Consumer Math yet, but Cathy Duffy's review makes it sound like a great course. I have a schedule I printed from somewhere that schedules Abeka CM as an Economics elective, and from the titles of the weekly topics---it sounds like a very comprehensive consumer math course----going through topics like buying food, clothing, cars, buying insurance, paying taxes, etc. The MUS does cover these topics, but isn't quite as comprehensive as the Abeka and for dd and myself was actually kind of hard to follow because it's not very clear in the explanations sometimes. She actually stopped using MUS when it got to the Buying Lumber and other household fix-it sections and switched to Power Basics Consumer Math, which sounds as practical as the AGS books you used. Power Basics is doing the job clearly and well, but is written apparently at a 4th grade reading level----so might not appeal to every student. She detests math, so it's working here :tongue_smilie:

 

Yeah, I think it just depends on what you're looking for.

 

- If you want your child to know how to do the math -- compound interest and compute percentages and whatnot -- then do a textbook consumer math course that isn't intended for alternative high schools (at a 4th grade reading level) :)

 

- If you want your child to succeed financially in living on his own, and not drop out of college & come home to mom with a cell phone bill of $8,000 & rent in arrears (happens to smart kids, too), maybe use some of the workbooks we've all shared (AGS, Burkett, Power Basics, not sure about MUS).

 

- If you want your child to think of money in kingdom terms instead of in terms of personal accumulation, then use some of those books that have been discussed (Alcorn, parts of Burkett, not sure about MUS).

 

 

Or combine.

Julie

Edited June 10, 2011 by Julie in MN

[cbollin]

- If you want your child to think of money in kingdom terms instead of in terms of personal accumulation, then use some of those books that have been discussed (Alcorn, parts of Burkett, not sure about MUS).

 

Julie

 

MUS stewardship has a MUS devotional book with it. Not sure content. I had it once a few years ago, but gave it to our church when they were helping some men who were homeless who wanted to begin new lives and learn to handle finances. I can't remember if the church used it or something else. jus saying there is the devotional book with it.

 

-crystal

[atozmom]

Thanks ladies. :001_smile: I have a lot to look at over the summer. I did want to check into the Dave Ramsey course too. All of this is not for my dd for next year. (she will do it, but not yet.) I was trying to put together something for a friend and just let her borrow my stuff. They've had a lot going on lately (health and other) and she hasn't been able to do the research to get it ready herself.

[4wildberrys]

 

- If you want your child to think of money in kingdom terms instead of in terms of personal accumulation, then use some of those books that have been discussed (Alcorn, parts of Burkett, not sure about MUS).

 

 

Or combine.

Julie

 

MUS has faith thrown in there, but in a more practical way than the others, since I have all 3. I guess I just really have a problem with Faith=Money types of preaching because we can't take ANY of it with us when we die! So I don't get why Christians should be so obsessed with money----whether we have it or not---on Earth. :confused: It's a tool. Having more or less doesn't make us more or less Christians, so I guess that's why Alcorn's book drove me crazy. It was obsessive about money AND posessions. We ALL have to pay bills, drive the car, buy food----and that's why a practical book that actually SHOWS how to do this is what I searched long and hard for. Preaching that we should obsess over the best and cheapest deal or buy everything used just drives me nuts..:tongue_smilie:

 

Sorry---my own personal beef with faith based money management books :glare: I'll be quiet and run and hide now..........

[Julie in MN]

MUS has faith thrown in there, but in a more practical way than the others, since I have all 3.

Good to know.

 

I guess I just really have a problem with Faith=Money types of preaching because we can't take ANY of it with us when we die! So I don't get why Christians should be so obsessed with money----whether we have it or not---on Earth. :confused: It's a tool. Having more or less doesn't make us more or less Christians, so I guess that's why Alcorn's book drove me crazy. It was obsessive about money AND posessions. We ALL have to pay bills, drive the car, buy food----and that's why a practical book that actually SHOWS how to do this is what I searched long and hard for. Preaching that we should obsess over the best and cheapest deal or buy everything used just drives me nuts..:tongue_smilie:

 

Sorry---my own personal beef with faith based money management books :glare: I'll be quiet and run and hide now..........

Doesn't sound like you need his book.

 

I'm not convinced that no kids need his book, though? A lot of kids I see are spending a LOT, and can't even pay their own bills let alone have anything left to share. I rarely see a kid even willing to take hand-me-down couches like we did at their age (and still do!). I'll have to buy that at convention next spring & decide for my kid.

[4wildberrys]

I'm not convinced that no kids need his book, though? A lot of kids I see are spending a LOT, and can't even pay their own bills let alone have anything left to share. I rarely see a kid even willing to take hand-me-down couches like we did at their age (and still do!). I'll have to buy that at convention next spring & decide for my kid.

 

Really? I see kids that will take hand me downs all the time, including my kids. I just meant that a program like Dave Ramsey gives practical, spelled out steps on EXACTLY what to do with and how to manage that paycheck when it comes in. Why and how not to go into debt for college, why and how to buy a used car in a very practical way without the brow beating. KWIM? I want a financial program to teach my kids why credit cards are bad from a practical POV, and I want them to learn HOW to avoid getting into the credit card trap to begin with.

[Julie in MN]

Really? I see kids that will take hand me downs all the time, including my kids.

Yes, really. Really, really, really. Adult kids stay home or have an expectation of being supported unless/until they can get it all -- nice furniture, full kitchen appliances, cable, internet, cell, etc etc.

 

I just meant that a program like Dave Ramsey gives practical, spelled out steps on EXACTLY what to do with and how to manage that paycheck when it comes in. Why and how not to go into debt for college, why and how to buy a used car in a very practical way without the brow beating. KWIM? I want a financial program to teach my kids why credit cards are bad from a practical POV, and I want them to learn HOW to avoid getting into the credit card trap to begin with.

I'd like to look at Dave Ramsey, too! So many good things, so little time...

[4wildberrys]

Yes, really. Really, really, really. Adult kids stay home or have an expectation of being supported unless/until they can get it all -- nice furniture, full kitchen appliances, cable, internet, cell, etc etc.

 

.

 

Wow!! That is incredible to me! In fact----I'm embarrassed for these kids just reading this :001_huh: I guess I'm glad we live in a very low income town because everyone learns to pull their own weight and there is no shame in working even awful jobs to make ends meet.

[Julie in MN]

Wow!! That is incredible to me! In fact----I'm embarrassed for these kids just reading this :001_huh: I guess I'm glad we live in a very low income town because everyone learns to pull their own weight and there is no shame in working even awful jobs to make ends meet.

 

Yes <sigh> you're fortunate to live sheltered from some things, I think. Not that every kid is the same or every neighborhood here in the Twin Cities is the same, and certainly homeschoolers often stand out from the crowd. But there's definitely a trend. For example, none of the kids wanted to work at McDonalds type jobs, and you will see almost zero teens working there. There's a word I hear kids label these jobs -- "ghetto." Therefore all our (millions of) McDonalds are populated by Hispanic folks, even though they have a hard time taking drive-thru orders and probably get very cold during our Minnesota winters!

 

So maybe that helps you understand why the particular book is written and is still considered helpful for some teens.

 

Julie

[atozmom]

Sorry, I should have said that I thought the AGS workbook went out of print years back. However, maybe I'm wrong. This is the book we used:

http://www.amazon.com/SKILLS-MATHEMATICS-WORKTEXT-LEARNING-CONSUMER/dp/078540953X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1307714356&sr=1-1

 

But the Burkett workbook is very similar (we used both), and adds a Christian perspective, too. (I haven't read the Alcorn book, but plan to. I think "giving" is something my ds needs to hear more about :) )

 

AGS is American Guidance Service, and their texts are often used in alternative schools with struggling students. Therefore, they have an emphasis on teaching kids practical life skills. If you search Amazon for AGS, you will see the types of books they publish. And you can search for the math series using "Life Skills Mathematics Series." I've never found a publisher's website.

 

Anyways, consumer topics usually relate to living independently, so I think they are best used towards the end of high school.

Julie

 

Thank you Julie, I just got the chance to search and look for this. It looks like it would be very inexpensive to pick up.

 

So many good things, so little time...

 

:iagree::iagree: I am very thankful that we have so many choices as homeschoolers, but sometimes, all of those choices make it so hard to decide. :lol:

[atozmom]

 

I'm not convinced that no kids need his book, though? A lot of kids I see are spending a LOT, and can't even pay their own bills let alone have anything left to share. I rarely see a kid even willing to take hand-me-down couches like we did at their age (and still do!). I'll have to buy that at convention next spring & decide for my kid.

 

I see both sides of the spectrum here. My kids have been raised that hand-me-downs are a blessing. But I know some that would look at you in horror if you tried to give them hand-me-downs.