Well, MFW K is going great. We just finished up with week 2, the lesson on M (Moon), and I really like how I feel that I am becoming familiar with the routine of the program. That is a big plus for me. I am also very happy with how I have it organized. I do find that I am not adding a lot of items to the folders to enhance the lesson. But, with 4 kiddos I have not made time to do that very much, but I don't feel that it is in any way compromising the program. Jenna loves it and she can already sing the entire A-A-Apple song. I am trying to get a good video of that because it is just too cute to hear her sing it. It is the favorite part of the lesson for her.
The big excitement was finally getting to start ECC this week. Although Josh is a 10 year old, all boy, let me outside to chop a tree kind of kid he has loved this week. I mean really, he is so happy. He still loves time with his mom teaching him one on one and that makes me happy. The fact that My Fathers World has made it so easy for me to do this has just been the biggest blessing of all. After the initial set of of the notebooks I have found it to be one of the easiest programs to implement. When I say it is perfect for our homeschool I am not just saying it to be nice, truly it is a prayer answered. Now I can see why so many MFW users are long time users. I am so tired of the curriculum hunt anyway.
I think his favorite part of ECC was the passport application. He just cant wait to get that little book. He also loves the map work and science. We passed on the Wee Sing, because after 3 seconds of that first song, he very respectfully said "Mom, please don't ask me to sing that." I had to agree that perhaps Jenna would like it, but it is not something that I feel he will miss.
We have these Audio Memory Geography Songs 
and they are pretty catchy and I think we will just use them instead of Wee Sing for Josh.I am so excited at how things are going. We had a busy week and I almost put off starting the ECC because of 2 homeschool outings, dentist trips and some church commitments. But I did start and I have to say that we checked off all of the boxes! WOW~ You really don't know how good that feels. I know by now that I am not a slave to the teachers manuals but it was things I wanted to accomplish and we did it!
So now I am praying that much grace will be given in a few weeks when my oldest starts high school. We are using MFW Ancient History and Literature for her. She also is reading Lamplighter books, one a month (we actually fight over the book :)) Currently we are reading The White Gypsy.
The littlest one in my school is just as happy as can be if she has a crayon and a book.
Oh, and one last thing....I don't know what went wrong but we killed *gasp* our earthworms. :o
Hi, Melanie.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your very sweet words of encouragement regarding the MFW K grid "situation;" it means a ton to me that you (and others) have taken the time to be so kind. I don't know why other grids have been allowed in the past (and even still now). Part of the reason I made mine in the first place was seeing the others - and assuming from seeing them that it would be okay (in terms of copyright, etc.). Maybe MFW isn't aware of them because they haven't been shared around as much? My hubby encouraged me by saying maybe the others aren't as "well done" and so aren't a "threat." I really don't know...and I don't know what to tell others to do in terms of downloading those other grids. I guess, if I were you, I'd just send them to the yahoo group to download what's there if they want it rather than sharing it yourself. As for me, God's really continued to give me peace that His hand is on the whole big picture with this - and that He's working something special from it...in His time. :^)
Hi! I came along your blog last night through a long rabbit trail that I think began at the MFW-ECC yahoo group. After reading your post, I am very encouraged. We are starting ECC with my DD8 in a few weeks. I also wanted to do MFW-K with my DD(almost)5 this year, but hesitated to do 2 different things with the kids. I have tossed up the idea of just doing phonics and math with DD5 then having her tag along with ECC. How do you manage your time to get through both in a day? I also have a super busy all boy who is almost 2 and gets into everything all the time! Any advice would be appreciated!
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ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by. I hope you get this reply.
I have to tell you that the K program does not take long at all. It would take me longer to complete what we are getting done if I was trying to do it on my own. The Lesson Plans are the best thing that has happened to me. I think too that having the K organized makes it easy to just sit down and start the lesson. At the most we have spent 30 minutes together. You could do more, but I have 3 other children, one a toddler and I just want to make sure she (the K'er) is getting the basics. When I see we have time then we do extra crafts or book readings.
What I do is start my ECC student on his math work independently and then I do K with Jenna. Either my 14 year old watches the 23 month old, or she colors at the table with us (she is very content with that) for your little toddler you may consider some special toys just for school time. I haven't used the MFW preschool but I have often thought of it for just that purpose. I don't advocate the TV for babysitting but the Leap Frog Letter Factory is a big hit here and is why Jenna is doing so well with the K program. I started letting her watch it at 24 months. Mostly it was just played in the background while she played with other toys.
The ECC is just wonderful! I am loving it. Again, the teachers plans have made my day so much better! I really cant say enough about it. I am already planning my MFW purchase for next year! =)
Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have. I'm pretty new to MFW but am old enough to homeschooling to know a jewel when I find one! MFW is an answered prayer.
Melanie
Thanks for responding and giving your encouraging thoughts. I will be visiting regualrly to see how your year is going. We will be started ECC next week and are looking forward to the experience. If I ever get my act together and get past my fear of starting, I'll even get my blog up and running to document our year. Thanks for sharing yours.
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