HOD MTMM pros/cons

[MrsMe]

 I don't care if you've dropped it or are currently using it.  Being 3/4 done with HOD REV I would like more info on MTMM.  I have not been happy with the questioning in REV in their storytime box and lukewarm on the coverage.  It has not been my favorite year.  I'm looking to know what you think of the questioning in MTMM and whether you feel they're grade level appropriate. What REV deemed higher-level thinking questions, I found to be mid elementary.  I am a bit worried about this as we approach 8th grade, readying ourselves for 9th. Also how much do you feel is twaddle in the program and just your overall pros and cons.

 

 

[hopeallgoeswell]

Bumping

[abrightmom]

Alilac,

Do you mind sharing examples of the questions and an idea of what you would prefer or expect? Are you referring to history coverage? Your review surprises me and I am sighing loudly.

Do any upper level Hod moms post here?

[MrsMe]

Obviously no upper level Mom's post here. :confused1:

 

I think every provider has better years than other years.  I know CTC wasn't some Mom's favorite, but it was mine.  I know REV isn't mine, but others love it.    I was looking for what they thought was twaddle, what the new skills would be coming from REV if possible, what the books selections are like.  I'm hearing it's a bit choppy.  I like the book selections for the year, but wonder how well they're working and if they tried it why they dropped it.  So yes, mostly history and science.

 

I think REV has a lot of good points. It's not just covering American History, but hitting upon World too, and I was hoping more for a more in depth American study, so some of my issues lie with that.  I think it's a bit choppy because of the back and forth world/us topics.  Most of the books as usual, are a hit though.

 

[Molly]

May I ask what you are comparing the questions too?  I don't have MTMM but have REV2REV, and find the questions quite thought provoking for DD.

[MrsMe]

Myself for now.  :)  I just find a good portion of them not to be "higher level" in the least, some having specific answers, and some not worth asking at all.  So if it stated that we were simply asking questions in the key idea, that would be fine. But I don't find these, for the most part very high level.  Not all, but many.  I suppose it'll depend upon what grade you're using it for too. 

[Molly]

I guess the one thing I have found with the HOD questions thus far, is that I can choose how deep I want the question to be or not.  Not sure if this helps, but what I mean is if I expect a deeper answer to the question, the deeper thinking is going on.  For me I guess, a question is only as deep as you choose to make the answer.  An example would be asking what colour is that dress?  My 8 yr old would be red with some yellow.  My 12 yr old would answer, a rusty deep red with sunshine yellow and gold flecks throughout. 

 

Could some of the issue also be that you are well through the guide and you and your daughter are much more comfortable with the level of questions etc?  How is your daughter finding it?  I know the whole US/world coverage is a plus for us, as we are not from the US.  I think if I wasn't fussed on the history portion, that feeling would flick over to other areas too, making it much harder to keep my children motivated about it.

[MrsMe]

Perhaps it's because we are well through the guide. She does an eye roll with the questioning most of the time.  I know I'm not sold on having the skill level be increased solely in the beginning of a guide, since we begin the year with frustration then we just coast for the last 1/2-3/4.  A gentle increase throughout would be better, but that's my opinion.  I guess I just never found the questions that high of a level in REV.  So I'm hoping that MTMM is moving us closer to the logic stage.  I did see they're using Bloom's questioning for the storytime, but it appears it's been made cumbersome by way of "bookmarks".    HOD doesn't use "logic" until 9th, which I find too late and with the questioning not being what I think  it should, it makes me hit the panic button.    I just don't want to have to add more if it's not as thoughtful.  So I'm guessing I'm just hoping for more of a thoughtful line of questioning; guiding us towards the logic stage a bit more than it is. But the jury is out as the one week sample doesn't give me the info I need.  I did get a good answer from the forum, but it was one person and it's nice to hear a bit more reviews to make a decent decision.  

[Molly]

I completely get what you are saying, hearing from more than person would definitely be more helpful for you.  I know what you mean about the increase in HOD mostly being at the beginning of a guide.  I have found that about halfway through, I review with my children, and let them know my expectations for a higher level of work is expected even though there isn't a change in the guide.  I have found that had definately helped along the way.  I'm not sure if that helps any.

 

I think one thing I would like to share is that I have, over recent years, started looking at things in a very different way than I ever had prior.  I see connections between things I know I never would have come up with before, I think things through considerably more logically than I did prior to this.  I don't believe, to get children to think logically, means you need to tackle formal logic at an earlier age.  I think we need to demonstrate logical thinking, explaining how we came to this conclusion.  It is not something just to do during school time at our house, we discuss many things and help the children to think logically.  We encourage them to think logically when we discuss the sermon from church or when we start discussing whether we should travel our country for a year or how we can make our last $50 get us through the next two weeks.  It all works together.  I guess what I am saying is curriculum is only one small aspect of our children's education and learning.  

 

I really do hope you find out whether MTMM will be a good fit for you and your daughter.

[MrsMe]

Thanks Molly.  Like you, I totally agree.  Logic doesn't come from a book, nor is taught from a book called as such.   I like your thinking and it could be perhaps I'm putting too much emphasis on it, not looking at it in the right way.  Perhaps I'm more in need of leading questioning after the question.  :)  Inspiring point. :thumbup:

[MrsMe]

Let me add to this.  Being not happy with Rev's Storytime Box's questions, I have to say the Worthy Words at times are out of my league to discuss.  Most of the information HOD asks for here we can figure out, but having never been a big reader, my vocabulary lacks, so I'm having a hard time helping in this section.    So we have one area too simple and one a bit too difficult. Yes, I guess I'm a flake.  Anyone know if there's a book that would be helpful in discussing some of these speeches and letters in Worthy Words in either program?