My Father's World-First Grade -- Share Your Experiences

[Renai]

My dd is a recently-turned 7yo, who age-wise is considered 1st grade. In English, yes, in Spanish she's ahead. I posted last school year of whether or not to get this program for her, and I am so glad we were encouraged to do so! We are thoroughly enjoying this program!

I thought the math simplistic, but she's been growing by leaps and bounds with the simplicity! I was concerned at the end of last year she sometimes "forgot" numbers 6 and above (recognition) in either language. She now recognizes all numbers up to and past 40, and enjoys doing addition - all the time, not just during "school time." We also like the math library book choices a lot.

I considered doing another curriculum that talked about a lot of Greek and Egyptian gods, but MFW has sealed a love for the word of God in dd, and she wants to hear nothing about other gods (we were given an activity guide for free).

The phonics were a bit too fast for her, but so she would still get her reading matched with the history lesson, I used the Bible Reader as a guide and translated it into Spanish. I simply slowed down the English phonics and we read the Bible in English at her pace. Not ideal, but it serves as review. AND she enjoys showing her (Spanish-speaking) papa she can read in English as well as Spanish!

All in all, I'm very glad we were lead to this program.

Renai

[kenziekylanmom]

We have really enjoyed the curriculum this year! It's been such a blessing! I wish I would have known about it last year for Kindergarten...I think my dd would have enjoyed it so much!
Just wanted to share a neat website that we used during the Noah's ark lessons.
www.janbrett.com/mural/on_noahs_ark_coloring_mural.htm
We printed out all of it, colored and then cut out and glued to butcher paper and hung it up in our schoolroom and it is constantly commented on by everyone that comes over!

[Ariasarias]

I just wanted to give a suggestion to those wondering to use this for their very good reader. My dd was reading very well at the beginning of this year (actually before K). This year has been more a review of phonics to prepare her to spell. It's been very laid back in some ways but she has been able to focus on other interest, which has been nice to watch her enjoy being a child :). But to my suggestion. She was excited about the Bible reader at first, but it quickly was too easy. We gave her a Bible for Christmas and on her own she has decided she would much rather read from her "real" Bible than the Bible reader. After I read her the story, she asks me which chapter out of the Bible to read. This year has been lots of review, but I see it giving her so much confidence and time to process what she is learning. Today she was realizing why the Israelites were called Israelites. I know we have talked about it before, but she "discovered it" for herself. How fun to watch them learn and enjoy it!!! Thank you MFW!!!
Nicole :)

[irelat]

My 5yo grandson & I moved in Dec. then started MFW 1 in Jan. We did
much of MFW K in the first semester. I believe MFW has helped
him learn to read and enjoy learning. I have ADD so I really struggle
with organizing my days & we don't always get everything done for that
day. Moving threw me off really bad, but even with my imperfections
MFW is working nicely. My grandson reads well & he loves words.
He makes up sentences for the words he learns in the blue student
workbook all the time, on his own. His penmanship looks great. He loves
the Bible reader & the activities like making the scroll. He wants to be a
scientist & a secret agent LOL. Studying Proverbs has helped us both to
apply God's word to daily living. I use Schiller math.

I thank God for MFW. My grandson has always been quick but being so young and busy, and then my ADD, I was worried about what curriculum would work for us until I found MFW. The step by step Tm is good for me especially since Spanish is my 1st lang. I wish I could have used it with my son. I believe it would have made homeschooling an ADD child easier & more enjoyable for him. Sorry I went on so long.

In Christ, Irela

[ShariD]

We used MFW-1st grade last year and loved it. Now we are in Adventures & MFW-K. I am seeing a benefit now that I want to pass on.

We followed MFW recommendations and used CBof M for math in 1st and have now moved into Singapore Math for grade 2. When we hit adding and subtracting with regrouping late in 1st grade, my son was having a hard time understanding this foreign concept. So I pulled out our 10 groupings from MFW-K (we used toothpicks) and used them to demonstrate. For example, if the problems was 80-25, we started with 8 bundles of toothpicks. He easily saw that we could take away 20, but there weren't 5 more available. We went back to the 80 and found that 7 bundles of 10 and 10 singles also makes 80. Then it was easy to find those 5 singles and solve the problem.

We are now finding that the same principles apply to multiplication and division. You are looking at groups and how they combine and break apart! Singapore actually shows pictures of groups to reinforce the concept.

So reinforcing the concept of making 10s will help you with the next level of math, too!

[doodleboomommy]

I realize Math-U-See is not the recommended curriculum with MFW, but are on our second year of using it. It teaches place value, regrouping/borrowing, etc. so well! The block sets are excellent for this if your child is having a difficult time understanding it.

[KimberlyND]

We are using MFW-1 for our 6yr. old son. I love it!! We are now on Day 102. My son does well on the math and has always liked doing it. But the reading has been a struggle. I found myself getting frustrated and on occasion would have him in tears. What really helped me (other than prayer and asking for forgiveness) was to color in a coloring book. I didn't have to think while doing it and could focus on what he was reading. It kept me busy and helped me not get impatient while I waited for him to get the word he was sounding out.

About 2 weeks ago he finally started to take off with his reading. I don't need to color anymore!! He is reading his Bible reader quickly and is getting the narration, too. I have some other readers around the house that he enjoys reading to his dad.

Even before he could read this well, he liked doing the workbook. And he likes writing his verse. I didn't think he would be able to learn his books of the Bible but he is! He hasn't been able to learn a new one everyday but is up to Daniel in the OT. A side benefit of this has been his 2 yr. old sister is learning them, too...amazing.

Anyway...I love MFW and look forward to getting and using Adventures.

Kimberly

[amelasky]

I haven't posted yet on the MFW1 board, and decided that I needed to this morning. I cannot say enough great things about this program. We used MFWK last year with our daughter, so I felt that she had a great foundation for not only reading, but God's principles. She LOVES her Bible Reader. Of course, I do too! She is so excited because we are on day 114 and she knows that before too many more days she gets to keep her Bible Reader in her bedroom. She reads it to her Dad, her Grammy, her PePa, her cousins, and basically anyone else she can get to sit still and listen to her.

Her reading skills amaze me. She really is learning how to read even large words. I don't know why this surprises me so much, the program really is great. I guess I just expected this big struggle. She does occasionally ask me to read something for her if she's tired and had a "full" day at school. Overall, she is doing great.

I take very little credit for her success. I lay it all at the feet of Jesus. He is changing her heart (and mine) as we work our way through the Bible, and memorize His word. Little by little, I am seeing a new sensitivity in her that can only come from Him.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this. My husband and I so prayed for wisdom on what curriculum to use. We felt for sure MFWK was the route to go. We so prayed last year, I looked at other choices, considered switching to something else, but never felt peace about it. My husband was the one who said, "If it worked last year, why would you spend any time even looking at something else?" Finally, even my daughter chimed in saying that she wanted to do MFW again. I am so glad that God speaks to us on things like this, that are so important to us.

Sorry for the long post, but I HAD to share. Thank you Marie, Thank you MFW staff. Thank you for diligently seeking Him on what to share, what to teach and how to present it. You are making a difference, one precious little on at a time. (It impacts the lives of the siblings, and parents as well!)

Make your day a great one! Remember God is SO good![/i]

[gratitude]

Dear MFW - David & Marie,
Thank you for a fabulous 1st Grade Bible & Phonics curriculum! I am so grateful for the work you have done, the thought you have put into this program, and the amazing phonics! I love the fact that God is at the heart and soul of this curriculum. I love seeing Jesus everywhere in our studies. It's so peaceful to use MFW. A breath of fresh air. It has brought so much joy, peace, and happiness to our home school venture. Thank you!

I prayed over every curriculum choice I had ever thought of last January 2010 as I reflected on our current K /1st year for my oldest ds. God slowly led me to your curriculum. How I wish I had found MFW K when my oldest was four. I could teach him math, but with reading I was lost. I never learned phonics, so I was even more lost when it came to a spelling foundation. He was reading sight words and I couldn't help him. I did manage to turn him off to reading though for two years through some poor curriculum choices. I am very glad I have MFW K for my second ds, and am so relieved to see my ds 6 enjoying and loving to read his Bible reader that Marie put together. We are on day 50 of MFW Grade 1, and the phonics have unlocked the door of reading. His reading has taken off like a rocket, and it is becoming so easy for him. Praise God!

I plan to continue with MFW for the rich peace it has brought into our lives and home schooling. In the midst of God's will there is a peace that surpasses all human understanding.

[mlhom4him]

I cannot thank MFW and Marie and David Hazel enough for the wonderful 1st grade curriculum that grounds our children in the knowledge of the Word. Even though my daughter and I are both sicker than sick with a nasty spring cold, I went ahead and started Bible with her today. (She loves structure even when she is sick.) Due to the wonderful phonics training in MFWK and in 1st grade, she was able to read the story from the TM. We stopped over and over again to discuss what was going on in the story and the many spiritual implications. I could never have this with any other curriculum or if she went to a B&M school! Thank you Lord for Marie and David and for the knowledge You gave them to create this wonderful curriculum!

Mary Lou Hom

[forHisglory]

Hi,

I just wanted to stop by and say hi and introduce myself. We are a military family. We've been a homeschooling family for 3 years now. Ethan (he would be 9) is now with Jesus. Evan is 6, and currently K (we are using another curriculum similar to MFW). We are sort of burnt out with our current "main" curriculum, and so back to MFW we go! I love the way MFW First teaches reading!

Now I did say back to MFW. We used MFW First Grade back in 2009-2010 with Ethan. It was a blessed year, and I am thankful that the Lord (and a great friend of mine) lead us to MFW! Ethan passed away in the summer of 2010, and our family dynamic and homeschool forever changed.

I felt God really pulling me back to MFW. The good memories we had with Ethan, how much our walk was strengthened with the Lord...priceless. I remember one of our Proverbs was 3:5-6, and I remember illustrating a straight path and crooked path on our large dry erase board for both of the boys. Then I asked the boys which path would be easier to walk, and of course, they answered the straight one. Then I went on to talk about some things that might get us on the crooked path, etc. Anyway, how this verse was incorporated in MFW, and that illustration forever stuck with Ethan. It became one of Ethan's life verses. Two days before Ethan passed (he died suddenly in an accident), I remember both he and his brother sitting at the dining room table, eating homemade smoothies. Ethan stood up and said,"Mommy, I am going to take the straight path to heaven!." He was referring back to Proverbs 3:5-6. And indeed, two days later he did take the straight path to heaven.

I share this with you all, because that was a blessed year (and our first year) homeschooling. Don't ever forget the eternal impact we are creating in our children by choosing to homeschool and teach them His ways!

I hesistated sharing my story right up front. However, it's our testimony, and we had such a connection with MFW First Grade and Ethan that I just had to share. I will try not to make you all tear up each time I post.

Take care!

Posted Mon Apr 02, 2012 5:28 pm by forHisglory
I just wanted to write a quick note to tell you all that our first day of First Grade went well! We had so much time left that we were able to spend some good, quality time outdoors, and do our read aloud from On the Banks of Plum Creek

Surprisingly, my little man didn't complain about writing his Aa's, Bb's, Cc's & Dd's (yes, I totally forgot to stop him at A&B, didn't realize C&D come tomorrow)! This was shocking to me because this is totally a review for him. But he really did seem to like his new workbook and student pages. Tomorrow is clay pot day! Friday is earthworm and ant day, and he cannot wait to go buy the worms! LOL

Thanks for reading about and sharing our excitement with us!

[afelton]

MFW 1st grade phonics has been great for my son 6. He was in tears most of the time with our last phonics program. This year he loves the bible reader and illustrating it in the notebook. I just heard David speak at the convention in Cincinatti. I loved his heart for God and missions. I just bought Adventures and can't wait to start.