Can someone explain MFW to me?

[happynurse]

For those who are familiar with MFW, can you fill me in on some details? It was highly recommended to me by a couple of homeschooling famiiles and so I've been eyeing it for my first grader for next year. But....it appears that you can only purchase the WHOLE curriculum. Is that correct? I already have Singapore 1A/1B lined up, and also WWE1. We're doing LoE Foundations for phonics/spelling, etc. and will probably finish C and start D next year in first grade. SO, I was thinking of MFW for Bible, History, Lit/Reading and Science. It seems like I have to buy the whole 'box', so to speak. Is that correct? Even the things I don't need? 

 

Are there any of you who only use it partially? Is it even worth it to do that? Is the schedule difficult to sift through so you can just use what you need/want?

 

I'm trying to sort this all out in my brain. ;) I'd appreciate any tips and advice! Thanks!

[smily]

I have been using mfw for years but I don't use it as suggested for every subject. The packages for 2nd grade and up don't include math or some of the language arts items. I do think first grade is all sold together in the package. However, you can buy each item individually from the mfw website too. This is a bad idea if you want all or most of it (more $ total). But it is an option. Also check used options, buying student consumables from mfw.

 

I use it mainly for Bible, history, book basket/reading, and sometimes science. These are the main things in the teacher manual so yes, it is easy to swap out language arts and math (which isn't really specified as the pace is different for each student) I haven't used the first grade; only grades 2+.

[happynurse]

I have been using mfw for years but I don't use it as suggested for every subject. The packages for 2nd grade and up don't include math or some of the language arts items. I do think first grade is all sold together in the package. However, you can buy each item individually from the mfw website too. This is a bad idea if you want all or most of it (more $ total). But it is an option. Also check used options, buying student consumables from mfw.

 

I use it mainly for Bible, history, book basket/reading, and sometimes science. These are the main things in the teacher manual so yes, it is easy to swap out language arts and math (which isn't really specified as the pace is different for each student) I haven't used the first grade; only grades 2+.

 

Thank you. This was the impression I was getting, but I needed someone to confirm it! 

[5sons]

MFW does not schedule LA (other than narrations and student sheets, but I feel that goes with our history/science part of the day) or math. So if you get the "box" 2nd and up it schedules and includes the books for history, bible, and science.

[cbollin]

Adding some more information on first grade (random order of answers here) program.

 

First grade is designed as integrated approach.  The Bible reader is written to match up with the phonics/learning to read lessons. The unit study language arts (such as copywork and memory work) are related to the various verses from Proverbs that are in the student materials. other reading/literature books that are suggested (grab from library) are related to science and math topics and some fun stuff in there too to read.  The first grade year is one that is harder to separate out.  In Kindy and First, language arts is scheduled.  But grade 2 through 8, the recommended language arts components do not have to be done and you can pick/choose easily without losing the unit study feel. In those years, the daily lesson schedule has place for the recommended products, but lots of space to write in your own stuff to use if you prefer.   But first grade, well, it's not as easy to substitute stuff, but can be done with some work.  I was never the type who could. I liked the feel of using it as it was. I'm the odd ball on that.

 

You asked something with sifting through the schedule to pick and choose.  Yes, it's easy to see how they intended each day's work to be related to a specific subject.  If you have a chance to look at the pdf sample of the teacher's manual, I think it's on p. 11 of that sample where it shows how that looks in the current print edition.  Back a long time ago when I used mfw first grade (more than a decade ago), we didn't have it like that. oh it looks so nice now!   So if you are using something else for phonics, then you might be able to go "check, that's done".  Or with Math.  you'd be going with next page in Singapore book and you have the option to either ignore the math lessons in mfw first grade, or use them for hands on learning and review of topics, or even call it supplemental stuff. 

 

tagging on my point 2 at the end, you might enjoy doing some of the math with mfw first grade along with singapore.  you'd skip the complete book of math since you have singapore as workbook.  But some of the other stuff is really nice to do at that age with hands on learning with place value each day and calendar work, and games.  it's something to consider depending on the student.

 

hope some of that makes some sense. my head feels scattered today and I hoped thinking about familiar topics would help me a bit to reset the brain.

 

[happynurse]

Adding some more information on first grade (random order of answers here) program.

 

First grade is designed as integrated approach.  The Bible reader is written to match up with the phonics/learning to read lessons. The unit study language arts (such as copywork and memory work) are related to the various verses from Proverbs that are in the student materials. other reading/literature books that are suggested (grab from library) are related to science and math topics and some fun stuff in there too to read.  The first grade year is one that is harder to separate out.  In Kindy and First, language arts is scheduled.  But grade 2 through 8, the recommended language arts components do not have to be done and you can pick/choose easily without losing the unit study feel. In those years, the daily lesson schedule has place for the recommended products, but lots of space to write in your own stuff to use if you prefer.   But first grade, well, it's not as easy to substitute stuff, but can be done with some work.  I was never the type who could. I liked the feel of using it as it was. I'm the odd ball on that.

 

You asked something with sifting through the schedule to pick and choose.  Yes, it's easy to see how they intended each day's work to be related to a specific subject.  If you have a chance to look at the pdf sample of the teacher's manual, I think it's on p. 11 of that sample where it shows how that looks in the current print edition.  Back a long time ago when I used mfw first grade (more than a decade ago), we didn't have it like that. oh it looks so nice now!   So if you are using something else for phonics, then you might be able to go "check, that's done".  Or with Math.  you'd be going with next page in Singapore book and you have the option to either ignore the math lessons in mfw first grade, or use them for hands on learning and review of topics, or even call it supplemental stuff. 

 

tagging on my point 2 at the end, you might enjoy doing some of the math with mfw first grade along with singapore.  you'd skip the complete book of math since you have singapore as workbook.  But some of the other stuff is really nice to do at that age with hands on learning with place value each day and calendar work, and games.  it's something to consider depending on the student.

 

hope some of that makes some sense. my head feels scattered today and I hoped thinking about familiar topics would help me a bit to reset the brain.

 

Very helpful! Thank you! 

 

Now that you all have explained it a bit to me, what I'm seeing on the website makes so much more sense. I appreciate it!

[homemommy83]

Also if you dc is advanced in Reading and since you already have Math planned, I would suggest the Adventures program.  I feel it fits advanced 1st graders very well.  To be ready for Adventures a child should be able to read an early reader Bible, copy one paragraph oral narrations, and be able to listen and enjoy chapter books being read aloud.  I think since Reading, Math, and Copywork (which WWE champions) are the most important studies for grades 1/2- I wouldn't feel even a bit bad for encouraging you allow yourself to do MFW Adventures over 11/2 years allowing your daughter to mature more for before beginning the 5 year cycle- still allowing a buffer year for a rough year, and still be able to finish the entire cycle (if this is your plan). 

 

MFW Adventures is my second favorite year from MFW following MFWK, but ECC is nice too-lol.

 

I like to add the book called The American Story to my study with Adventures, this also helps in lengthening it out a bit- it is 100 stories in American History in 2 pages on average. My children LOVE this book, and always want a second story.

 

As an addition, MFW Adventures recommends Primary Language Lessons for 2nd/3rd grade; if you believe that your daughter may not be ready for that yet, we love First Language Lessons as it is mostly oral and great for 1st grade.  We often do level 1 and 2 in one year followed by Primary Language Lessons as they are more "usage" focused so I feel that we apply what we memorized in FLL 1/2 in Primary Language Lessons.   This is what works at our house-lol.

 

I hope you have a great year!

[happynurse]

Also if you dc is advanced in Reading and since you already have Math planned, I would suggest the Adventures program.  I feel it fits advanced 1st graders very well.  To be ready for Adventures a child should be able to read an early reader Bible, copy one paragraph oral narrations, and be able to listen and enjoy chapter books being read aloud.  I think since Reading, Math, and Copywork (which WWE champions) are the most important studies for grades 1/2- I wouldn't feel even a bit bad for encouraging you allow yourself to do MFW Adventures over 11/2 years allowing your daughter to mature more for before beginning the 5 year cycle- still allowing a buffer year for a rough year, and still be able to finish the entire cycle (if this is your plan). 

 

MFW Adventures is my second favorite year from MFW following MFWK, but ECC is nice too-lol.

 

I like to add the book called The American Story to my study with Adventures, this also helps in lengthening it out a bit- it is 100 stories in American History in 2 pages on average. My children LOVE this book, and always want a second story.

 

As an addition, MFW Adventures recommends Primary Language Lessons for 2nd/3rd grade; if you believe that your daughter may not be ready for that yet, we love First Language Lessons as it is mostly oral and great for 1st grade.  We often do level 1 and 2 in one year followed by Primary Language Lessons as they are more "usage" focused so I feel that we apply what we memorized in FLL 1/2 in Primary Language Lessons.   This is what works at our house-lol.

 

I hope you have a great year!

 

I will look into Adventures! Thank you!! My will-be-first-grader is a son actually - but believe it or not, he's a great reader and LOVES handwriting (and drawing, etc.) So not a typical 5 year old boy in that sense - ha! I appreciate your input very much. Again, thank you!

[homemommy83]

I have had three boys so far that haven't fit the "mold"-lol.  My middle son loves to write, my oldest was reading at 2- very very well, it was shocking, and my younger middle son who has apraxia (speech disorder) seems to love anything that requires writing, drawing, or being read aloud to.  The only child that I had that didn't enjoy being read aloud to when young was actually my oldest daughter!  Every child is so different.  She was slow to read, but is voraciously reading now! 

 

One thing that I have noticed is the more I have read aloud to a child the easier they seem to learn to read when they are ready to learn.

[Amy M]

I have purchased only individual items that I needed to complete a package from them. Each individual item is listed with pricing and info underneath the package on the website, so you can pick what you need, but you'd need the TM. I wouldn't do 1st with MFW if you already have phonics, language arts, math, WWE planned. 1st grade covers mainly those things. In fact, I didn't do 1st with MFW for that reason, but am almost done with my third year using MFW for the "family cycle." (on week 33 of RTR) It would be easier to switch things out for the family cycle, depending on what you wanted to switch out. I did SCM's 106 Days of Creation for science in 1st grade, and I really liked that. It was very gentle. We read through a Bible, memorized some things, and did SOTW1 for history. Doing Adventures is also an interesting idea, so long as he doesn't mind writing.