MFW AHL

[MrsMe]

I'm curious to know what you all think of MFW AHL.  How long does it take?  What would you say the pros and cons are to it?  Did your kids like Homer or was it awful? 

 

[cbollin]

I've used it twice.  Oldest (currently college freshman) didn't take as long as Middle gal (currently 10th grader in WHL, but did AHL last year).   middle gal needs about 6-7 hours a day to do all of her subjects (mfw stuff plus math science, other).  Oldest read quicker and was faster on writing so she needed 5-6 hours a day.

 

I'm guessing 3 or so hours to do just the mfw stuff.  a day.

 

Oldest - got through Iliad, but was meh on it.. Liked Odyssey.

Middle gal - we stopped Iliad halfway through (she couldn't stand hearing the details on war and stuff), and then we read plot summary on spark notes.  She liked Odyseey.  

 

both liked Bulfinch.  both got through first chapters of Bubastes slowly then took off with the book and liked the rest. 

 

Pros:  well, I'm long time fan of mfw and it continues to work for us.  high school stuff did too.  Lesson planning is done for us.  Most days seemed reasonable in length.  I liked that we were able to do Bible time together and read the scriptures.  I liked that they were able to take lesson planner and get their stuff done and I could grade/check work in literautre.  Overall for the 4 years of the high school program, I've been pleased.  My oldest was prepared for college and is doing well.  I liked the Biblical discussions that we had.  and at the same time, my middle daughter is doing well and she might not be full time college bound straight out of high school. 

 

con's. no matter what, I felt insecure in my abilities to coach in writing.  However, now that I've seen my oldest daughter is making 90's on her papers in English composition in college, I'm a little more relaxed in my abilities.  I always thought she was border of a B vs A paper in ability and apparently I was right.   On one hand, the AHL has a lit and comp supplement to help with assignments and evaluations, so it is there.   I would have liked to have had a range of examples to help me be a better writing evaluator.   So, mfw didn't provide that, but honestly it was easy for me to get that on the internet with a little bit of my time to search.

 

overall, there were some days that were boring, but I didn't feel like that every day of every week.    I know with my middle gal, she needs me to do a little more teaching than oldest did.  I don't mind that. We use audio books when needed.  I discuss stuff.

 

I really like that mfw provided syllabus and suggestions/guidelines on assigning grades.

 

worked for me. 

[MrsMe]

I am a bit worried about Homer.  Looks awful.  I actually have Homer (both), but it's in story form.  Could that be used?  And, do you have to read both?

[cbollin]

In the lesson planner, it says you don't have to read both.   Iliad is the one they recommend can be dropped or subbed.   They give a list of ideas in the intro parts of the lesson planner for other books that retell the story of Iliad.  The daily writing assignment with Iliad can be modified for those who don't read it.  It can be a journalling on handling emotions, or just a journal response to the general questions asked.  Example on that, the daily lesson planner  after book 1 of Iliad (chapter 1), it lists comparisons of David in OT and his motive to fight Goliath , Achilles' motive for fighting... then you're to write a few minutes on "what makes you angry? would you become more angry if someone dishonored God's character, or if you weren't treated fairly"    so, you can do that daily journal assignment without having actually read the Iliad chapter.

 

both of my girls liked the Falges translation of Odyssey.  one chapter a day. wasn't that bad. and middle gal listened to the audio.  either my library had the audio book or it was on librivox or maybe youtube..  I know mfw sells a cd version.

 

and the one of my daughters didn't read all of Iliad. She did a little writing and read something else (not even ancient history related) for a few days.

[MrsMe]

I think Odyssey is the one that is more engaging if I remember correctly. Well good then. That makes me happy not to have to wade through both. :svengo:

[Dassah]

Are there activities in this guide or are hands-on activities phased out in high school?

 

[MrsMe]

Oooh, Dassah, good question! 

[Julie in MN]

MFW high school doesn't have all the activities of earlier MFW levels, because there just isn't time. 

 

However, to me it felt like there was a transition to some degree.  In AHL, there is learning the Greek alphabet, writing your own Psalms, doing a Proverbs project, and plenty of mapping and timeline-ing.  It felt like there was less of that sort of thing as my student got closer to graduation, unless you want to count things like science labs and interviews for his research papers.

 

HTH,

Julie

[cbollin]

I'd add to Julie's list of closer to graduation hands on:  speech practice. and optional activites in the Econ.

 

 

I would say the biggest Hands On activity in MFW high school is encouraging the students to do service projects on a regular (weekly if possible) basis. Faith into Action. That was our "hands on" all 4 years.

 

But if you're looking for crafts like building a tabernacle or doing feasts (as was done in CTG) that's not going to be there.   When Oldest and MIddle each did AHL, I did pull down our old CTG tabernacle from the closet.  Pictured here

http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=4761#p47453

 

They liked seeing it again since they made it and it went nicely with the color brochure in AHL package on the tabernacle.   If you have a student who needs to build something, you'll have to add it in or do it again from younger years, or ask them to supervise (if they have time) when the younger sibs in the 5 year cycle are doing a project.   There were times that Oldest would walk by the table at lunch time and "supervise that for you mom while you uh. uh uh do something."  But most of her hands on was chores and service projects even though it wasn't necessarily history related.

 

Other ways that there are activites in MFW high school... (even though this isn't AHL specific), is in the idea of how you do a fine arts credit.  That will include time attending concerts and such.   

 

I know this year in WHL we watched an animated Julius Caesar (Shakespeare in Bits from homeschool buyer co-op). and just watched a performance of Everyman on youtube (portland community college performing arts)

 

[ThisIsTheDay]

I'm curious to know what you all think of MFW AHL.  How long does it take?  What would you say the pros and cons are to it?  Did your kids like Homer or was it awful? 

 

Absolutely LOVED it, and my ds loved it even more.  He's not "into" school and had a laid back couple of years in middle school and not much actual teaching in formal writing.  I was worried about how MFW AHL would work, if it would work, in our home.  We didn't do it exactly as written. I switched out a book or two in the Bible section (including the daily study), and he didn't do any of the service project.

 

He embraced the first writing lesson (which was pretty intimidating to me, considering his background).  He loved Bullfinches so much that he asked to keep it when I sold the curriculum.  The Iliad became his new favorite book--this from a child who doesn't spend much time reading.

 

He has said several times that he was able to understand much of the lit from his earlier readings of Percy Jackson. lol  He knew the mythological characters, strengths/weaknesses, and relationships before beginning AHL.  If he hadn't had that familiarity, he says he would have become overwhelmed by all of the different gods.

 

We were pretty flexible with the curriculum.  I believe he read all but one of the books (a missionary book?). Instead of meeting just once a week, we touched base more frequently, and he enjoyed sharing what he was learning.  Although there was a lot of reading, he appreciated that it was made up of several different books, instead of intense reading in just a few selections.  (My older dd had used Notgrass alone one year and absolutely hated it.)

 

He was nervous about finishing up the year because he didn't want to leave something he loved, and he was worried that WHL would not be nearly as fun.  (But it was, and he liked that very much too.)

 

We'd not used MFW until these levels.  He really rose up to the challenge, and those were both really great years that formed a solid high school foundation for him.  It really worked for us.

 

 

[cbollin]

my oldest liked Percy Jackson too.  can't remember if she read those before or after doing AHL...   :)  

 

(just a side note... there is a chart in the AHL lesson planner to help students keep track of the different gods in the readings.  I know my middle gal used that for a little bit to look back and remember who was who.)

 

sorry for chiming back in, I just like to talk sometimes.

[MrsMe]

On the sample is a "Reading" with a check box.  Is this for a book of choice or is that planned?

[cbollin]

On the sample is a "Reading" with a check box.  Is this for a book of choice or is that planned?

 

Book of choice.  Ideas are given in the intro of the lesson planner for "easier" titles in ancient history fictional history titles. (similar to book basket in younger years).  Or pick a classic that you want.  Or it can be free style.

 

That reading part is there for helping to fill up the "academic hour" as needed so your student has fun reading. 

 

with my middle daughter, there were times the reading selection was current events magazine.  some weeks  we needed to work longer on writing, so we didn't worry about reading list.