MP First Start Reading

[Green Bean]

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Edited June 12 by Green Bean

[Dianthus]

That looks like a lot of parts to me!

I used LOE foundations to teach 3 kids to read. I thought it was thorough and they are reading advanced words when they finish, where traditional programs are reading much simpler words. Also, LOE handwriting is very well done with a beautiful font. MP begins with manuscript and I believe starts cursive in grade 2. Their font is a hybrid print/cursive, not traditional, and imo unattractive.

I'm trying a lot of MP this year for grades 4 and 7. It has SO many parts, which I am hating, so many books that all look the same.  I'd be wary.

For my first grade guy, I am using the MP recitation and the literature and enrichment. I love the recitation.  It is simple but is so great to cover all the bases and he loves it (it is only a few dollars). I generally like the literature, but I'm not as impressed with the enrichment and science. Some of the book selections are very dull and I feel they could have done much better. Their craft book is not exciting.

I still need to take time for the entire review, but I'm no longer so awed and impressed with the MP catalogs.  We had a couple wins (love Spelling Workout) but mostly, it will only be part of this year's adventure.

LOE's lesson plans are pretty straighforward and you can easily find what you need for each lesson. I'm not a preplanner. I wing it every day, and just grab the flashcards or white board or reader as the lesson calls for it. Not a lot of parts. The teacher book, student book, white board, flashcards and readers. I keep all the flashcards in one plastic bin and put the entire bin on the table when we start.

[TheAttachedMama]

Yes, I have used it.  I like MP products a lot, but their reading and spelling programs do not work well for my particular kids.   My children have all seemed to need a lot more practice and explicit instruction.  I also wouldn't personally say that there are fewer moving parts than LOE foundations.   MP has flashcards, multiple student teacher books....just like Logic of English.  

  (We do switch to their literature guides once the kids are reading and writing well!  Usually in 4th grade.   I really like their literature guides.  )

Edited November 18, 2021 by TheAttachedMama

[dahmdr]

I am using FSR with my daughter this year. It seems to be working very well. This is my second year homeschooling. Last year I used Sonlight first grade level with my son and it also seemed to work well for him but once I found MP I was eager to try it bc I was drawn to so many of their other subjects. My daughter has flourished and she loves the short stories included in FSR as well as those in the readers. Her ability to blend and decode is coming along well. I will say she LOVES the workbook aspect of MP--she likes doing the Alphabet Book (MP schedules in their preK but I knew she would like it), Cut and Paste, Morning Work, etc. I have found the flashcards useful for sight words, primarily. 

My son (second grader) is using their Traditional Spelling I and Literature this year--we do a lot of the lit guides orally which works well. Once I got the hang of teaching spelling--the teacher guide is great but you do have to do the daily activities for reinforcement!--TS I is working very well for him.

 

[Green Bean]

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Edited June 12 by Green Bean

[Green Bean]

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Edited June 12 by Green Bean

[Green Bean]

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Edited June 12 by Green Bean

[Clarita]

On 11/19/2021 at 1:05 PM, Green Bean said:

AAR is also interesting to consider, but no integrated handwriting. Not huge- I can make my own copywork using the day's lesson and HWT paper. Those fluency pages look like a nightmare, though! And all. those. tiles! App anyone?

There is an app. If your kids are young and normal the teacher guide actually says you don't have to do the entire fluency page. So not all the single words totally skip the phrases and straight into the sentences. The phrases are there if your kid struggles with the sentences. 

AAR is expensive I think really that's their weakest link, even more so considering it is just reading.

[Green Bean]

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Edited June 12 by Green Bean

[Green Bean]

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Edited June 12 by Green Bean

[Xahm]

14 hours ago, Green Bean said:

After much deliberation, I went ahead with the full MP kinder (minus math) program. I think he will like it- or I will be coming back here crying come March! So off we go!

Sounds great! Please let us know how it works out.

[Green Bean]

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Edited June 12 by Green Bean

[Clarita]

Oh no! Although if he can't sound out words I don't think he'd be ready for AAR level 1 either. I also think there's a big gap between AAR pre-reading and AAR level 1. I like AAR but I would suggest someone start AAR level 1 after their kid can read a lot of CVC words without having to explicitly sound them out each time. 

Yes I agree with your plan. I don't know if the HWT book you are using has the words in it yet (like they write 1 letter of a word). You can use those to show him how to blend sounds together. Like slowly reveal one letter at a time. Also you can look up Montessori method for teaching reading. As much as people monetize that method it's pretty gentle and actually implementation can be free (you don't need all the fancy wooden blah blah blah). 

[barnwife]

FWIW, I never start formal reading instruction until a child can pretty darn easily read CVC words. Our current 5 yo can read them, but still it in the sounds out slooowly stage. (So cat is "C...A....T......maybe repeats that a time or two, then you see it click and he says it fluently.) So all he does is I write random CVC words on the dry erase board and he reads them. I aim for 10ish words a handful of times per week.

My anecdata from my other kids tells me that I will know when that light bulb goes off for him. And then we can start Progressive Phonics (free), OPGTR, or AAR. He can choose, as we already own those.

I agree it sounds like you just might need to wait a little longer and try again.
 

[Green Bean]

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Edited June 12 by Green Bean

[GoodnightMoogle]

What do you think of the rest of MP kinder? I’ve had my eye on the enrichment and copy work as a possible future choice

[Green Bean]

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Edited June 12 by Green Bean

[qlauraq]

On 12/6/2021 at 10:09 PM, Green Bean said:

After much deliberation, I went ahead with the full MP kinder (minus math) program. I think he will like it- or I will be coming back here crying come March! So off we go!

MP has some great support! I'd recommend looking on their website for old Teacher Training videos for Kindergarten, and Sodalitas videos. They will explain step by step how to implement the programs. the TT videos are aimed at classroom teachers, but I found them extremely helpful in implementing 1st grade (and like you we got everything except math), and only wish I'd found them before we did K. 

They also have YouTube channel, Podcasts, and forums where you can get more information, and even a FB group for MP in general, and then grade level groups. IMO they have the absolute best support for how to teach with their materials. I once made the mistake of thinking of their guide books as workbooks, but now see them entirely differently. 

[qlauraq]

5 minutes ago, Green Bean said:

As always, MP's literature and poetry selections are excellent. It isn't like FIAR where you do activities/lessons related to the book. Each one has a long list of possible questions to ask your kid and that is about it.

I didn't buy the science & enrichment book pack, but everything is in the main Enrichment guide for those, as well.

I use the Christian Liberty Nature Reader: K as science and narration practice. Read about the animal, ask, "What is one thing you remember?", write it in the composition book in highlighter for him to trace, then he draws a picture of the animal.

I didn't do the music bit, but the list is impressive.

My guy liked the art pictures, but nothing is done with them- they are just displayed for the week.

The Story Bible is awesome! I didn't find the additional discussion book neccessary-- it's nice, though.

I feel the copybook is too advanced for developmental age. My advice would be to hold off on that until 1st grade when the child has a better handle on letter formation.

The MP Read Alouds each have intro information, vocabulary, and comprehension questions. The books are read every day all week long. There's also a coordinating craft project for each in the Book of Crafts for each grade level. 

The music includes an introduction, a couple questions, and a bio for each piece. Plenty for K-2. 

The Art Cards aren't just displayed--there's a page full of suggested discussion questions and prompts, information on the back of each card, and additional information (about artist and piece) in the Enrichment book. We manage to discuss each piece for about 5 or so minutes every day of the week. We also memorize the title and artist's name in 1st-2nd grade, but do not do this for K (though some do). 

There's TONS of information in the front of each teacher's guide in their programs, and tons more information on their website, communicated in the Sodalitas conference each summer (old videos available on website for free), and in the summer Teacher Training conference. They also have YT videos, podcasts, and forums for more support. I think if you don't read the extra information for Parents/Teachers at the beginning of each Teacher Guide, then you don't realize how much is/can be done with each of these elements. 

[Green Bean]

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Edited June 12 by Green Bean

[Janeway]

On 11/19/2021 at 3:05 PM, Green Bean said:

Lots to think about here. I'm glad we have so many options now, but it does make choosing so hard!

LOE seems like each lesson has so many bits and are long. Maybe it is the layout for me, IDK. I'm also not thrilled with the multiple lines for handwriting. I know my guy would feel like he just HAD to do every line! The manuscript font seems odd, too, as I taught the older two with the HWT method.

AAR is also interesting to consider, but no integrated handwriting. Not huge- I can make my own copywork using the day's lesson and HWT paper. Those fluency pages look like a nightmare, though! And all. those. tiles! App anyone?

Both are expensive, too, with the multiple levels. I guess I see these as more of a need if my guy isn't making progress.

I like lots of the rest of MP and my older kids are enjoying what we are using this year from them. Maybe it will be the right path for us long-term then.

If anyone else has thoughts on FSR, I am glad to hear them.

What about Sing Spell Read and Write? That used to be quite popular.

[Green Bean]

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Edited June 12 by Green Bean

[countrymum]

I am using first start reading with my k`er now. I used AAR with my older 2. I really like the integrated writing! Just agreeing here;) I do really like the looks of the MP pre K. I think I am going to use it next year with another as well as most of 1st with this current k student;) 

I think I'd drop back to MP preK or just do AAR prereading. I'd do AAR if I wanted phonemic awareness and Memoria press preK if you wanted more than that. 

You can do AAR pre with just a teachers manual (try to find used) and the cards. The student book is a letter craft page for each lowercase and uppercase letter as well as 1 sound page per letter....

[Green Bean]

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Edited April 1, 2022 by Green Bean

[Mamaof3under5]

On 12/6/2021 at 11:09 PM, Green Bean said:

After much deliberation, I went ahead with the full MP kinder (minus math) program. I think he will like it- or I will be coming back here crying come March! So off we go!

So did you stick with it? How did it go?

[Green Bean]

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Edited June 12 by Green Bean