Needing to ditch the box, but scared to death!

[emmaluv+2more]

We have been using MFW since 1st grade, but as I have been preparing ECC (3rd grade) it has become more and more clear that it just isn't going to work for us anymore. I've been unable to find any other boxed curriculum that feels right either.

Over and over I feel led back to TWTM, but I have absolutely no clue what I am doing! I have ordered the book, but I really feel like I need some insight/direction to help me get started in the meantime. What am I looking for and where do I start?

I am so incredibly overwhelmed and any help would be very much appreciated!

[momto2blessings]

Have you checked out Simply Charlotte Mason? I love their history/geo/bible handbooks. Very reasonably priced and mom-friendly. And easily adaptable. Their free curriculum guide and forum are wonderful too:) Blessings, Gina

[emmaluv+2more]

I looked through that site briefly early on in our homeschooling journey. I will revisit now. Thank you for the reminder!

[Guest]

Memoria Press has boxes now. What about MFW is not working for you anymore? Would sometihng like Tapestry of Grace help fill the need?

[Tracy]

It sounds like you don't actually have TWTM in your hands yet.  You will feel much better when you do.  Each chapter is very thorough and has curriculum recommendations in the back.  You may want to start with some of SWB's materials, such as SOTW, FLL, WWE, and just add in spelling and math.  Once you feel good with that, you can add in science, foreign language, logic, etc. (or not).  

[Ellie]

We have been using MFW since 1st grade, but as I have been preparing ECC (3rd grade) it has become more and more clear that it just isn't going to work for us anymore. I've been unable to find any other boxed curriculum that feels right either.

Over and over I feel led back to TWTM, but I have absolutely no clue what I am doing! I have ordered the book, but I really feel like I need some insight/direction to help me get started in the meantime. What am I looking for and where do I start?

I am so incredibly overwhelmed and any help would be very much appreciated!

 

I don't consider MFW "boxed." :huh: But if you don't like it, and it isn't working for you, then don't do it.

 

You need something for English skills, so if you want to follow TWTM, then you're looking at FLL and WWE, yes? If you still need to teach any of your dc to read, then OPGTR. Choose some stuff for history (you'd start with Ancients if you're going to follow the four-year cycle, right?) and science. Just start with one thing, and don't worry about planning the whole year. :-)

[amselby81]

I also don't consider MFW a boxed curriculum.  I'm considering switching over to it for first grade, although I do consider it a boxed curriculum for first.  I'm curious as to what you don't like about it? 

[emmaluv+2more]

I don't consider MFW "boxed." :huh: But if you don't like it, and it isn't working for you, then don't do it.

 

You need something for English skills, so if you want to follow TWTM, then you're looking at FLL and WWE, yes? If you still need to teach any of your dc to read, then OPGTR. Choose some stuff for history (you'd start with Ancients if you're going to follow the four-year cycle, right?) and science. Just start with one thing, and don't worry about planning the whole year. :-)

The definition of "boxed" wasn't the point of the thread. It feels boxed to me in that it includes everything but math & LA. But thank you so much for taking the time to make me feel even more inferior and anxious than I already did.

 

I wasn't seeking permission to abandon MFW and I obviously know which subjects I would need to cover. It is the sheer abundance of options, abbreviations, etc that is overwhelming. I was looking for a bit of friendly advice to get me going before the book arrives.

 

Thank you all for your suggestions.

[emmaluv+2more]

It sounds like you don't actually have TWTM in your hands yet. You will feel much better when you do. Each chapter is very thorough and has curriculum recommendations in the back. You may want to start with some of SWB's materials, such as SOTW, FLL, WWE, and just add in spelling and math. Once you feel good with that, you can add in science, foreign language, logic, etc. (or not).

Thank you. This was extremely helpful and much appreciated.

[amselby81]

The definition of "boxed" wasn't the point of the thread. It feels boxed to me in that it includes everything but math & LA. But thank you so much for taking the time to make me feel even more inferior and anxious than I already did.

 

I wasn't seeking permission to abandon MFW and I obviously know which subjects I would need to cover. It is the sheer abundance of options, abbreviations, etc that is overwhelming. I was looking for a bit of friendly advice to get me going before the book arrives.

 

Thank you all for your suggestions.

 

I'm sorry if my post upset you.  I was asking out of sheer curiousity, since we were planning to use MFW.  I have been on the fence about whether to use MFW or piece it together on my own.  I'm also scared of piecing it together, and I do have TWTM.  You are a more experienced homeschooler than I am though.  My oldest is starting first grade. 

[laughing lioness]

I just list subject areas:

Memory Work

Math

English

Science

History

For. Lang

 

and then list resources/curriculum for each. Like I've said before I plan BIG so I list everything I HOPE to do and wait for it to settle down to reality.  I do agree that once you get TWTM in hand you will probably feel better- BUT you may feel overwhelmed- it's a guide AND a scope and sequence so don't fall in to the trap that you have to do everything the book suggests. 

[Ellie]

The definition of "boxed" wasn't the point of the thread. It feels boxed to me in that it includes everything but math & LA. But thank you so much for taking the time to make me feel even more inferior and anxious than I already did.

 

I wasn't seeking permission to abandon MFW and I obviously know which subjects I would need to cover. It is the sheer abundance of options, abbreviations, etc that is overwhelming. I was looking for a bit of friendly advice to get me going before the book arrives.

 

Thank you all for your suggestions.

 

:huh:

 

 

You asked a pretty general question. I gave you a pretty general answer. I commented on "boxed curriculum" because people mean different things when they use that term, in the same way that people mean different things when they use "language arts." It was just a passing comment.

 

[Pen]

... What am I looking for and where do I start?

I am so incredibly overwhelmed and any help would be very much appreciated!

 

 

I found TWTM after Story of the World, which my ds loved.   I would  personally suggest starting with Story of the World from the first book right through to the end of the 3rd, maybe leaving modern for 4th grade as intended--books and or audio, not all the extra activity books etc.   We did the entire thing of it in 3rd grade.

 

I think TWTM is a helpful resource, but we do not stick to it as written--including we are not doing Latin, and our literature etc. are not based on our history.  Still, I sometimes look back at it when stuck, or trying to decide how long to give a particular subject, etc.

 

I try to find a good fit for my son in each area that I feel he needs.  After SOTW, I'd look to find a good math match if you don't have that yet, and a good program for writing next.  And then I'd just add on one thing at a time, with other subjects maybe coming from library books as you get your own a la carte system figured out.

[HS Mom in NC]

MFW and "boxed" don't usually go together, so you're sending mixed signals. When you say, it's not working for you and you don't want to abandon it, it sends mixed signals. 

 

No one here knows your personal circumstances and your personal preferences unless you detail them for us. You'll have to be more specific for us to be able to suggest anything useful.  Usually, in Classical Education homeschooling circles "boxed" means workbooks and textbooks by the same publisher for a year's worth of school in one grade level in multiple core subjects or something similar to that.  If you mean something different you'll have to specify. What about MFW isn't working for you?   What specific problems are you encountering?

[Pen]

PS I started with a "boxed" or "boxed"ish program because I didn't know where to begin, but having moved to an eclectic system now, and also a "do the next thing" system it has become easier to do than the "boxed"ish was.  The idea was more scary than the reality.  And the result of individually chosen materials for each area make for a better fit to both my teaching and my ds's learning style, and we can have some areas way "ahead" of typical grade and others "on" or "behind" far more easily, as well as go intensely in some areas when we want or need to.

[PachiSusan]

Do you know how to eat an elephant?

 

One bite at a time. :)

 

If you truly want to do TWTM way of educating, you will have a learning curve, but once you start? You will be okay.

 

Start one bite at a time. Maybe plan just history first. Maybe just keep what IS working witH MFW and work through each subject until finally you have the process down and all the subjects are switched over.

 

I assume you have read TWTM, but just don't own it yet?

[Mom in High Heels]

We ditched the box in 2nd grade, and while it was scary at first, it was the best move and incredibly liberating.  I started looking through various curricula websites and reviews and samples, which can be incredibly overwhelming, until I found things that worked for us.  I now take different books and make my own decisions.  I know you're looking at 3rd, but here is an example of what we'll be using for 6th, to give you an idea:

 

Human Odyssey (with student sheets) and OUP books (Rome through the middle ages) also with student sheets.

TT 6 and 7

Elemental Science biology (I adore ES-it's inexpensive and easy to implement)

Killgallon Grammar/Writing

Phonetic Zoo (Spelling)

Philosophy Rocks and Reasoning About Resoning (Philosophy)

Intro to Classical Greek (finishing the book) and then Greek to GCSE (if we finish ICG)

Latin Prep I (finish) Latin Prep II

 

You can do it, but be prepared to be slightly overwhelmed at first (or even 3 years later ;)  )

[Mom2TheTeam]

Can you get TWTM at your library to borrow until yours comes? 

 

If you want to do TWTM, I would wait until you have the book and then flip the grade you are going to be doing and outline for yourself what you need to do using the condensed lists at the back of that chapter....so, for 2nd grade for my son, I flipped to the end of the grammar section where it lists the suggestions for how much time to spend on each thing for each grade.  Then, I wrote that down for 2nd grade with any tweaking that I felt it needed.  After that, flip to the chapter on each subject and look through the curriculum recommendations and start researching which one you want.  If you already know, write that down next to the subject and the amount of time you already have noted.  Keep doing that till all subjects are filled with a time goal and a curriculum choice to use...and there you have it, a WTM plan.  :)

 

The above is exactly what I did.  However, I'll tell you, I'm a MFW user and lover.  I LOVE it.  I tweak it a lot, but I love it just the same.  :lol:  I add in and tweak where needed.  I have a stronger classical bent than MFW does. I tend to skip the more CM type stuff...like the Friday nature walk. (My kids get plenty of nature though. ;)) So, I take what they give me, that I love, and I tweak it to fit.  We are doing 2nd this year.  I have not done this with the higher grades because he is my oldest.  But, I'm using FLL instead of PLL and I've added in WWE, which means I have to tweak a bit not to do too much copywork, but it's easy to do that.  I try hard to beef up the content both in history and science with book basket.  (But, I have 6 kids 7 and under and only so much time. ;)) This year we have also added Apologia Flying Creatures because I don't care for the little Usborne books.  But, we are doing a little of both for science. I've found that MFW really is classical at heart. 

 

Of course, if the reason is more content than method, it completely makes sense to change.  At any rate, if you outline what you "need" to do using TWTM book, you can use that as a jumping off point to plan the year.  Until you get the book, you can start with anything you already know is going to be recommended, Peace Hill Press books, like SOTW, FLL and WWE. 

 

Good luck! :)

[Mom0012]

OP, I agree that having the book will help, but that it will also probably be overwhelming. You could go with SWB's programs for some of the basics, which I am sure will be recommended in the latest edition of TWTM anyway -- FLL for grammar, WWE for writing, SOTW for history. If you are still happy with what you have been using for math, you'd be well on your way. Once you have a few subjects up and running that are going well, add in something else. I would read through TWTM, but focus on the resources section she has at the end of each chapter. There are also schedules in the book that will give you a loose outline of what you might want to cover.

 

I need to follow my own advice because I haven't really sat down and made my own outline this year to make sure I have all my bases covered.

[warneral]

When you get TWTM, you really only need to read from the beginning through the grammar stage portion at first. You can read the rest (logic, rhetoric) after you have your plans in place and are ready for a glimpse of the bigger picture and what the end goal is. SOTW, FLL and WWE are a good place to start.

 

I never really knew what " the box" is. I started with sonlight but within a month (having just read TWTM), I ditched it for the 4 year & classical model.

[Jane Elliot]

OP, while you're waiting for the book, you could listen to some of Susan or Jessie's audio lectures or read some of the free articles on the website. I've been using WTM since 1999 and have read all three editions, but I still go back to the lectures and articles frequently.

 

I agree with the posters who suggested you get the history and language arts from Peace Hill Press to get you started. Those materials flesh out the method in the book and make it very user-friendly.

 

When you get the book, read the grammar-stage section first (chapters 1-12), as another poster suggested, and then quickly read chapters 38 (on organizing) and 47 (on starting in the middle).

 

Best wishes!

[Walking-Iris]

As I've slowly been adapting my homeschool more and more to a WTM way, I have to agree with the pp that said it's like "eating an elephant."  You have to pick just one area to change and work on it and slowly digest the rest.

 

And it's okay to tweak things. For me I also fell in love with SOTW (Story of the World) first and that led me to other SWB( Susan Weiss Bauer) materials. The rotations are the biggest help to me in WTM, the history and science rotations. After struggling with finding a science fit, I've found my happy place with RSO materials (Real Science Odyssey) <pssst..I may be the only one who noticed it was the abbreviations of things that were overwhelming you...>

 

I personally feel that WTM is weak on science. 

 

I also love the History Odyssey materials. There are quite a few companies that attempt to follow the rotations in the classical method.

 

And then look for writing. I personally love Writing With Ease (WWE), but I'm not comfortable with that being the extent of writing instruction , so I use Bravewriter heavily. 

 

Keep your math if you're happy with it. There's no reason to switch to what WTM recommends, same with spelling, and grammar. There's no reason you have to use what is recommended in the book for those subjects. If you find something that works, use it. If you want to try what is recommended, go ahead.

 

If you're worried about ditching the box because MFW schedules things out for you, I assume it does, then no worries because there are sample schedules in WTM. If you're worried about ditching because of how much it cost, no worries, sell it, or keep just the parts you liked and change what you didn't like.