hollyandab Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Hello all, OK, I had everything all lined up for next year, 6th grade boys: TOG for history, literature, worldview, geography, and writing (Writing Aids); Easy Grammar; TT for one kiddo and LOF for the other; Lively Latin; and RS4K Chemistry and Physics. (guitar lessons and basketball team at co-op) And THEN... I see all the reviews for MCT (which I had never heard of before), and off I go to check it out. It looks sooooo cool!! ACK! :tongue_smilie:!! So now I'm trying to figure out how to implement it with what I have lined up, which is making me pull my hair out! If I use their grammar, then I could drop Easy Grammar; however, EG worked well for us last year... If I use MCT writing, well, I guess I could use it along with the TOG Writing Aids (I already have it and I like the idea of writing about what we're learning in history)... Next... I really like the look of the poetry, but TOG has poetry in it...:confused::confused: and I suppose it's solid...And then the vocab looks cool, but hey, I'm doin' Latin already!!! And then there are the new lit guides from MCT--I can only imagine how wonderful they'll be!! I could use those as read alouds! Right?? :001_smile: HELP!!!! Well obviously, adding MCT will either cause me to overlap what I already have or else I'll have to drop some of the curricula that I already have. So, all of that being said, how wonderful is MCT? Am I missing something great if I don't use it?? Will my children shrivel up and die academically if they don't have MCT??!! :chillpill::chillpill: Or will they be okay without it?? Are there any parts of what I had planned that someone thinks I should swap out for MCT, maybe just using part of MCT? Any advice at all?? Thanks! I have gotten a lot of great advice on this forum to help me on several things, so I'm looking forward to what y'all (yes, I am from Kentucky!) have to say!! Blessings! Holly in KY Mama to 11 yo twin boys :D:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbabe Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Stick with your plan!!! It's a good plan and if MCT will throw it all off... don't do it. We did MCT this year, and while it is a good program, we are switching to something else this year. It's a good program, and I love the story... we'll probably still use it as a "living grammar" program... but we need the structure of something else (Winston Grammar). So, there will always be something else out there that looks amazing.... but if you've planned your year and it all fits in.... don't go messing with it. You're kids will still get a good grammar/writing education... I promise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 The vocab is IMHO the best part of MCT and that's the one thing you don't already have a program in (the Latin will cover the roots but Caesar's English goes so much beyond just root study). If you decide that MCT is an approach that works for your family, you can always do the rest of it the following year. If not, you can always re-sell it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollyandab Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 Stick with your plan!!! It's a good plan and if MCT will throw it all off... don't do it. We did MCT this year, and while it is a good program, we are switching to something else this year. It's a good program, and I love the story... we'll probably still use it as a "living grammar" program... but we need the structure of something else (Winston Grammar). So, there will always be something else out there that looks amazing.... but if you've planned your year and it all fits in.... don't go messing with it. You're kids will still get a good grammar/writing education... I promise! You're right; I know you are! I just have to get off of this forum!! :001_smile: Thanks for the encouragement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollyandab Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 The vocab is IMHO the best part of MCT and that's the one thing you don't already have a program in (the Latin will cover the roots but Caesar's English goes so much beyond just root study). If you decide that MCT is an approach that works for your family, you can always do the rest of it the following year. If not, you can always re-sell it. Now, this is how I got sucked in to begin with! I thought, well, I'll just use the vocab. And before I knew it, I was trying to figure out how to use them all! TOG also has a long list of vocab each week on top of using Lively Latin, so that was why I was thinking it would be too much. I had posted a while back as to whether to do Latin or MCT vocab, and I actually had several people say that MCT grammar wasn't as good as the rest of the program... I guess everyone has their own view. I probably should do what the previous poster said and stick with my plan... or... maybe just add the vocab???? :lol: Thanks for the suggestion! Holly in KY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkermamaof4 Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Just sayin'... I've never considered language to be so beautiful until we started using MCT. I've never realized I could help my children see the beauty in language either. You could take it slowly and complete it over more than a year and decide over time how it compares to what you were using. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 TOG also has a long list of vocab each week on top of using Lively Latin, so that was why I was thinking it would be too much. I didn't realize that TOG also covered vocab. In that case, I think it probably would be a bit redundant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 After salivating over this program for years I'm about to start this program with my son (12 days and counting). I (obviously) can't speak from the vantage point of an experienced user, but I can't imagine having the option to use something sooooo cool and then declining. I'd sell the other stuff in a heart-beat. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Hello all, OK, I had everything all lined up for next year, 6th grade boys: TOG for history, literature, worldview, geography, and writing (Writing Aids); Easy Grammar; TT for one kiddo and LOF for the other; Lively Latin; and RS4K Chemistry and Physics. (guitar lessons and basketball team at co-op) And THEN... I see all the reviews for MCT (which I had never heard of before), and off I go to check it out. It looks sooooo cool!! ACK!!! So now I'm trying to figure out how to implement it with what I have lined up, which is making me pull my hair out! If I use their grammar, then I could drop Easy Grammar; however, EG worked well for us last year... If I use MCT writing, well, I guess I could use it along with the TOG Writing Aids (I already have it and I like the idea of writing about what we're learning in history)... Next... I really like the look of the poetry, but TOG has poetry in it...:confused::confused: and I suppose it's solid...And then the vocab looks cool, but hey, I'm doin' Latin already!!! And then there are the new lit guides from MCT--I can only imagine how wonderful they'll be!! I could use those as read alouds! Right?? :001_smile: HELP!!!! Well obviously, adding MCT will either cause me to overlap what I already have or else I'll have to drop some of the curricula that I already have. So, all of that being said, how wonderful is MCT? Am I missing something great if I don't use it?? Will my children shrivel up and die academically if they don't have MCT??!! :chillpill::chillpill: Or will they be okay without it?? Are there any parts of what I had planned that someone thinks I should swap out for MCT, maybe just using part of MCT? Any advice at all?? Thanks! I have gotten a lot of great advice on this forum to help me on several things, so I'm looking forward to what y'all (yes, I am from Kentucky!) have to say!! Blessings! Holly in KY Mama to 11 yo twin boys :D:D I was in a similar boat. I had planned to use MFW but after seeing MCT at our local homeschool convention, I threw MFW out in order to use MCT and something else for history and lit. We've used Easy Grammar and dd doesn't retain it well. I had her speak with Dragon Academy (who was the rep for MCT at the convention) and the lights went on. Dd even ASKED me to buy MCT for her. If you knew how much my dd hates change and has her default setting at "I don't like it!" for any and everything, you'd realize how huge her asking for it really is! LOL So, I hastily scribbled a check out for MCT and re-thought my plans for fall. I can't justify the $$ for MFW (or TOG, because I considered that, too!) when I'm only going to use a small portion of the program. I'd already rejected MFW's bible component, and to reject the language arts part would leave me paying big bucks for 1/3 of a program. With TOG, I was only going to use the history and geography and maybe the lit, but MCT has a literature component coming out very soon and I want to look at it, too. You have two ds's using TOG, and you can use it again at a different level with them before they've graduated, so TOG could still be a good investment for you if you leave out the writing assignments. Or, use both. Use TOG's writing assignments as oral narration assignments and use MCT's writing for real writing. I've not used MCT yet, but from what I understand, while you can use pieces of it, it really works best to use the whole thing. So, there you have it. My .02, fwiw, and ymmv. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 (edited) Have you printed out the samples? Even though they are limited, that might help you decide. (I almost bought, until I finally printed out the samples. I had looked at them on the screen of course, but there was something different about having them in my hands. I ended up deciding it wasn't the right fit for us.) Edited June 30, 2011 by wapiti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCalMom Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Now, this is how I got sucked in to begin with! I thought, well, I'll just use the vocab. And before I knew it, I was trying to figure out how to use them all! TOG also has a long list of vocab each week on top of using Lively Latin, so that was why I was thinking it would be too much. I had posted a while back as to whether to do Latin or MCT vocab, and I actually had several people say that MCT grammar wasn't as good as the rest of the program... I guess everyone has their own view. I probably should do what the previous poster said and stick with my plan... or... maybe just add the vocab???? :lol: Thanks for the suggestion! Holly in KY Yes, this is what we are doing. We've added Caesar's English to our lineup. And TOG has great vocab lists that tie in with your studies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 The vocab is IMHO the best part of MCT and that's the one thing you don't already have a program in (the Latin will cover the roots but Caesar's English goes so much beyond just root study). If you decide that MCT is an approach that works for your family, you can always do the rest of it the following year. If not, you can always re-sell it. I agree. CE2 is wonderful (just be cognizant that it does contain some errors.f The definition of oblique is entirely wrong and there are several punctuation exercises with the wrong answers) I would not switch your entire program for MCT. His program clicked for me (I only used the Voyage level) b/c it resembles how I teach. It simply saved me from pulling out the sources and doing it on my own. (which I have done for many yrs and will be doing again this yr.) If you are happy w/what you have stay that way. I have purchased things based on the reviews on the forum and have ended up regretting the purchase. I should have just stayed happy w/how I was doing things. (LOF, CW, and even MCT after I used Voyage near the end of the book and the AAW books.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 I can't imagine having the option to use something sooooo cool and then declining. I'd sell the other stuff in a heart-beat. Bill If she already has shelled out for materials that are working fine, I'm inclined to use what she has for this year and then switch to MCT next year rather than continuing on to the next level. This is exactly the reason why I'm using FLL 1/2 with my DS even though Sentence Family looks so cool. FLL is rather dull but it is solid and I already own it. OTOH I don't own FLL 3 and therefore will switch him to MCT "island" rather than purchasing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAutumnOak Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 I can't say whether it is worth it or not, but I decided to use it...I made my decision not based on forum reviews, but based on what I saw of the program at the conference and after hearing him explain it during several classes... I am not a big fan of using many different things for the same subject...I would rather use one program and do it well and complete it...I am not talking about an all in one sort of thing, but I am talking about using multiple history, writing, etc. programs...I know that this is my personal preference and many either disagree or just can't seem to make a choice... I felt that the MCT program would suit our needs...I was planning to use something else but decided not to use both...If MCT will get the job done and I like it, it seems like it would be a waste of my time, energy, and money to try and combine it with something else...I also don't want to waste my boys' energy either by having them do too much and get burned out...Completing one program for each subject is enough for them to do...I don't want many uncompleted programs because we did a little of this and that...Again, I realize that this is just my opinion... I also get the feeling that to get the effect MCT intended (which is for the program to what it should) you probably would need to use the entire thing...At first I thought of just using the vocabulary parts when we get to it, but I really like the program and decided to use it in it's entirety... Bottom line - I agree with SpyCar...If you like it, I would sell the other one(s)...I wouldn't add it on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAutumnOak Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 If she already has shelled out for materials that are working fine, I'm inclined to use what she has for this year and then switch to MCT next year rather than continuing on to the next level. That is also a good solution... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAutumnOak Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Which level are you planning to use this school year? I am starting with level one because I do not want to miss anything...If it is too easy, we will move faster through it ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollyandab Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 So, I hastily scribbled a check out for MCT and re-thought my plans for fall. I can't justify the $$ for MFW (or TOG, because I considered that, too!) when I'm only going to use a small portion of the program. I'd already rejected MFW's bible component, and to reject the language arts part would leave me paying big bucks for 1/3 of a program. With TOG, I was only going to use the history and geography and maybe the lit, but MCT has a literature component coming out very soon and I want to look at it, too. . ;) This is what I'm afraid of. I don't want to spend all of my money on TOG and not use the majority of it. However, Tapestry has the Christian worldview that I want to implement, especially in high school, so I really want to stick with that! Another poster suggested getting MCT LA and going slowly through it, doing a lot of the assignments orally. That's actually what I was thinking about doing, that is if I can get past spending the money! I haven't bought Easy Grammar for next year yet, and I'm certainly not married to the curriculum, so I could easily drop that. I guess it's the poetry and vocab part that's getting to me since TOG incorporates that already--although TOG's vocab is more "history/lesson" related than it is focusing on roots and such. I also need to quit looking at Latin as a vocab program. We've been doing Rosetta Spanish for the last couple of years, but I'm dropping that this year for Latin. So I really need to look at Latin as a foreign language....which....creates a need for a vocabulary curriculum!! :lol: Well, I don't know if I'm any closer to a decision, but I appreciate all of the feedback!! Blessings, Holly in KY Mama to 11yo twin boys :D:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 I say, if what you have planned has worked well, your kids are learning and retaining and are happy, then don't break it. If you can go to a friend's house who has several levels of MCT and you just fall in love and your kids think it's the next best thing to sliced bread.....only then would I switch. Capt Uhura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osmosis Mom Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 I agree that you shouldn't fix what's working for you. That said, then my own kids have gotten bored with workbooks and traditional learning, sort of. Yesterday I was continuing MCT with ds 13. He is a computer nerd and thought the book was weird at first when we started a few days ago. Then yesterday as we are reading together (a page each), he suddenly asks if this book is it 9as in, where is the catch)?? I said, yup, this is it, and he was thrilled that there was no written assignments to go with it (now). So, yeah, it the jackpot with him. It's a fun, engaging and surprising program. And now, back to regular programming!!!!!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollyandab Posted July 1, 2011 Author Share Posted July 1, 2011 Hmmm...I'm thinkin' I'll stick with what I have and just add in MCT for "fun." That way I can see how they respond to it, and if they love it, then I'll switch. By doing it for fun, I can avoid dumping everything else only to possibly find out that it isn't working for us. I can always sell it if we don't like it, and if we do, then hey, win-win!! Now to get myself to click the "buy" button...gulp! Thanks everyone! Holly in KY Mama to 11yo twin boys :cool::cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Hmmm...I'm thinkin' I'll stick with what I have and just add in MCT for "fun." That way I can see how they respond to it, and if they love it, then I'll switch. By doing it for fun, I can avoid dumping everything else only to possibly find out that it isn't working for us. I can always sell it if we don't like it, and if we do, then hey, win-win!! Now to get myself to click the "buy" button...gulp! Thanks everyone! Holly in KY Mama to 11yo twin boys :cool::cool: I think that's really a good idea. I did this same thing with Miquon math and we ended up using that exclusively. It's nice to ease in to a new approach when you're not completely relying on it to do the job. It eases the stress and pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAutumnOak Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Hmmm...I'm thinkin' I'll stick with what I have and just add in MCT for "fun." That way I can see how they respond to it, and if they love it, then I'll switch. By doing it for fun, I can avoid dumping everything else only to possibly find out that it isn't working for us. I can always sell it if we don't like it, and if we do, then hey, win-win!! Now to get myself to click the "buy" button...gulp! Thanks everyone! Holly in KY Mama to 11yo twin boys :cool::cool: Sounds like a good plan to me...Congrats on finding some clarity :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollyandab Posted July 6, 2011 Author Share Posted July 6, 2011 Well, I did it! I bought it over the weekend, including the great deal on the literature package. Here we go!! Thanks! Holly in KY Mama to 11yo twin boys TOG'ers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAutumnOak Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 LOL, it's hard to resist isn't it? ;) Very... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gailmegan Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 And all the peer pressure here doesn't help either. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollyandab Posted July 6, 2011 Author Share Posted July 6, 2011 And all the peer pressure here doesn't help either. ;) And here I am trying to teach my children NOT to give in to peer pressure... :lol: Do as I say and not as I do!! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truebluexf Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 That's what we're doing. I was able to scoop up GI and SI super cheap at a used sale, so I'm going to incorporate them for "fun" and a different perspective. Not sure if I'll pick up the other parts of the program yet or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nestof3 Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 The vocab is IMHO the best part of MCT and that's the one thing you don't already have a program in (the Latin will cover the roots but Caesar's English goes so much beyond just root study). If you decide that MCT is an approach that works for your family, you can always do the rest of it the following year. If not, you can always re-sell it. I agree. I love root study, and so do the boys. So, I bought Caesar's English. I also added in the poetry. I don't want to use it all, and I don't think Lang. Arts needs to cost that much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollyandab Posted July 6, 2011 Author Share Posted July 6, 2011 Well, I should clarify...I bought MOST of MCT LA. I bought the grammar, writing, sentence practices and the literature study. I decided to wait on the poetry and the vocab, although I very well may buy it a bit later. I wanted to, first, make sure I liked it, and second, see how much TOG covered poetry and vocab (along with Lively Latin) before purchasing the poetry and vocab. I'll skip Easy Grammar this year (I was only going to use Daily Grams this year anyhow since we did the full EG 5 last year). I'm still planning on using Writing Aids for the TOG writing assignments along with MCT. I'll probably just read the MCT writing book and not do many of the assignments, or maybe I'll pick and choose which of the TOG assignments I want them to do and add in the MCT assignments...??? We'll see. The read-alouds in TOG don't have any discussions/lit analysis, so I'm going to use MCT literature as our read-alouds instead of the TOG suggestions. I think this will all fit in nicely, and if I absolutely love the MCT that I did buy, and if I don't particularly care for TOG's vocab and poetry, then I'll buy the rest! :tongue_smilie: Make any sense!! Thanks for listening to me struggle through this! But I think I'm alllll set! Woohoo!! :lol: Holly in KY Mama to 11yo twin boys :cool::cool: TOGers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osmosis Mom Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Well, I practically have stock in the company, but I can at least justify it with the number and ages of kids that I have :D. I for one like to use different programs and interchange. It fits my temper and my kids get different views and keeping the subject matter interesting. This past year was a light year for my 4th and 7th graders due to the new baby and being busy with two high schoolers. Next year is looking relaxed and fun in comparison! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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