MFW AHL Question.

[Jenn121]

My eldest DD will be in 8th grade next year and will be 13.5 years old in the fall of 2014.  I am considering starting her in MFW AHL for 8th. I know it is a high school level course but we are at a point in history where I am not sure what to do for 8th as we are finishing up Modern history this year.(7th) 

 

She is at or above grade level in all subjects. She is very capable and needs challenge. Academics seem to come fairly easy to her. We tried Omnibus but I became pregnant and was not able to be as involved as I needed to be and we found it VERY dry.

 

Is this a feasible idea for a bright 8th grader? Would it work better for me to split it into two years?  I will also have a 1st grader and a new baby. 1st grader will be in STOW 1.

 

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

 

[cbollin]

I can share about my oldest (who starts college in the fall).   She did MFW's ECC in 7th grade.  And then I was trying to decide between MFW's CTG for her and then 5th grade sister, or have oldest in AHL and 5th grader in CTG.  My oldest is academically smart, gifted, and would have handled the academic side of AHL ok.  But I'm glad I waited until she was closer to 15 and at the beginning of 9th grade to do the AHL program because she had another year of life to get that much older and be able to have more to say about all of the topics.  She just seemed to be fine with the back to back CTG to AHL because that meant we got to be a little more relaxed on 8th grade with "grade pressure" of high school, and transcripts, etc.  so instead of doing AHL in 8th grade, her 8th grade year was (move to a new state) more about working on writing skills, reading "whatever she was interested", life and home skills, learn archery, and participate more in student leadership activities.   History class that year wasn't done very heavily for her and that was ok b/c she got to make sure she could type faster, and do all of these other things that we needed to do.  I don't see any evidence that it held her back in any way at all to start 9th grade in 9th grade. 

 

Idea for you to think about?  If you otherwise like what MFW has, you might consider doing the jr. high version of their ECC program (when you do the jr. high stuff, there's a mini report every 2 weeks, a  bigger research project, older missionary stories... my oldest who was advanced in 7th grade liked it when she could help me and younger sis with the crafts and cooking in ECC b/c it "was a nice break from all of that writing you are making me do in ECC"

 

Everyone is different of course.  That's my story and how it worked out.  Oldest was still able to do an advanced course in high school and got a solid strong ACT score.. .etc..   

 

social studies ideas for 8th grade when you finish modern in 7th and want to wait until 9th for ancients:

1. social studies could be state history

2. or civics/economics

3. world geography and cultures (even at credit level if you want)

 

my middle daughter was 14.5 at beginning of 9th grade (this year for her) and she's not advanced school wise.  She's doing well in AHL.)

 

hope some of those experiences with my girls help you think about your options. but if it brings up more questions, I can try to answer  :)

[Jenn121]

Thank you. You bring up good points. I would like her to finish WWS2  and was not sure how to integrate that with AHL.

 

 World geography sounds intriguing and I think she would enjoy it. Recommendations for a curriculum?

[cbollin]

I'm bias on that.  I've used MFW's ECC (exploring countries and cultures) for world geography.  Did it in jr. high years and liked it.  had just enough fun and structure with some research in there, and meatier biographies.  I didnt' feel it was overkill on the subject, but plenty to do especially in light of math, science, writing, and life in general, and archery.    Other people really hate that mfw program though.. and it's nothing like the history years and nothing like the high school either. (edit for clarity:  I'm using hate as hyperbole)

[Julie in MN]

We also used Exploring Countries & Cultures in 8th grade, and it was a nice foundation to the high school years.  The 7-8th grade grid reports and such, that Crystal mentioned, included plenty to explore at our house.  I don't know about others "hating" ECC, but I do think it's an adjustment for some to realize it's written for grades 3-8, so you will be adapting up or down as needed. 

 

That said, I didn't even have my son do every report or research worksheet scheduled in 8th grade, because I enjoyed having some room in 8th to work hard on writing, do some "shop class," some last-minute field trips we might not have time for later, and plenty of time to get used to algebra and textbook science.  I also added the book of Proverbs to his Bible.

 

I'm sure there are other geography programs out there, too, but this one was good for us, both meaty and God-honoring.  I did tend to post on the MFW Ideas forum about things we delved into further with an 8th grader.

 

HTH,

Julie