Academics - Age-appropriate challenge for academically gifted?

[Fly2Peace]

Hi everyone- As anyone knows who reads my posts- we are using MFW 1 and I love it. I have been grateful to have something that gives her a break from the rigourous kindergarten experience that she had.

However, I am seeing that my daughter is needing to be challenged more. Here is my question- Will adventures give her more of an opportunity to be mentally challenged at the same time as being developmentally appropriate? I had just decided because I like these programs so much that we would just do them and add extra reading for her if necessary- however, I was just wondering for all of you who have used beyond MFW1 if it worked for your kind of gifted child.

My daughter is the type that loves to pick up an usborne science book and read the whole thing through and then be able to answer any question you have from going through the book. She seems to LIKE the traditional school approach and seems to just want to fill her head with as much information as she can get her hands on.

Not meaning to brag on my girl- I'm a little disappointed, actually, that I am having to re-think MFW. I think she truly needs (esp after discussing with hubby) a challenge. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Rachel
(MFW1 with daughter-6; and pre-K with 3 boys- 5,and twins-3)

Adventures is an exciting and fun filled year. The science experiments are wonderful hands on, see it and learn type things. The depth is dependent on you, and your children. Will you do the experiments and hands on projects?

The book list is wonderful. Lots of variety in depth and topics. You can pick and choose these to match your child. You can add more science by adding related books to the book basket, if desired. But, the included books and projects are great. They might seem simple, but the concepts are remembered long after.

The read alouds are wonderful. They fit so well together. They add to the topic and concept being taught. They are there for a reason.

Now, I will admit that we sometimes did more than scheduled. And wen had time for other things, like field trips, coop Fridays, etc. But, never did I feel that it was not enough. It was appropriate on so many levels that I felt quite blessed to have found MFW. (It was our first year with this curriculum).

We have moved on to ECC. It is a step up! I know that before Adventures came along many moved from 1st to ECC, but I have to say, I wouldn't. DD is an avid reader, and very smart. However the depth of her learning in ECC as a third grader is much more than it would have been as a 2nd grader. Just my opinion....

[HopeAnn]

I think Adventures is challenging as a whole. If you purchase the deluxe package you will have music and art and read alouds.

The science is a little light. You might add in a few science kits occasionally for interest. With "My first encycopedia of science" we did all the internet links and my kids enjoyed that. The bird study is awesome! You can add lots of field trips and books for that.

The Bible is only 4 days so I added in a daily devotional to make it 5. The history is great. If you need more challenge you just add in more books and videos. The book list appendix is a super resource for doing extra reading. There are books for all reading levels. You also get to choose your own language arts and math, so you can make those as challenging as you like. MFW also reccommends possibly adding a foreign language program and a spelling program. I added a reading curriculum.

So once you add on all the extras you like, you have a challenging but not overwhelming program and you can tweak it by your choices of LA and Math. Also you can add extra writing in the history like a state report or extra paragraphs on key figures, and with the science you can have them write a summary about their experiment. If I remember from past reviewers, each year progressively gets more difficult and challenging, and as you have the freedom to choose your Language Arts and Math, it is a full and complete curriculum with plenty of work and challenge.

[cbollin]

My daughter is the type that loves to pick up a usborne science book and read the whole thing through and then be able to answer any question you have from going through the book.

My oldest is like that. I let her read ahead in the Botany book in EX1850. But she has to remember it and do the notebooking activities when they are scheduled. It helps with retention and all of that. She might remember it right after reading, but it is nice to know that she remembers it a week or so later.

Anyway.... that book is too much for a 6 y.o. It would be easy to add in one or two little lessons on Fridays or other days when it is light. Here's a fun one. Janice Van Cleave's Science Around The Year.

The one thing that I want to try to look ahead on is this: your daughter is enjoying what she is doing. Don't pile on too much at this point. It's great that she is reading, and wanting to learn. I don't know if you'd want to start now and switch to Adventures. It doesn't sound like the long term answer. I'd wait until fall for that.

Maybe this is something for you and dh to talk about: add a little bit more science (since she likes it), add fun reading books (like what is suggested in Honey for a Child's Heart) and looking to increase the range of subjects for your daughter through other interests such as dance (or other physical education activity based on your family preferences), crochet, learn to play music, helping with cooking, watching you balance a checkbook, learning a foreign language, computer programming, learning how to serve others (ministry).

My dh and I were some of those kids in public school with the "gifted and talented" label. And in those days, they didn't push us to jump and skip grade levels of work. They provided enrichment courses that were interest based. They didn't want us to only have our noses in books and to only gain depth of knowledge. They were concerned with breadth of knowledge as well. Maybe that is still a good course of action. It is what we are doing with our oldest, since we want her to be the same kind of gifted geeks that we are.

Now somewhere in the archives.... there is a post about Productive Afternoons
http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewtopic.php?t=1829

Perhaps there are more ideas in there about what to do when the children need more to do (I still love Julie in MN's lists on that thread)

:)
crystal

[rachel]

Thank-you for your answers!!

Crystal- That is exactly what I needed. I was also labeled as such and I always loved school. I have needed a perspective from someone dealing with the same deal. I'll look into those areas- as far as expanding.... I just love the layout/spirit/approach of MFW so much but I was starting to wonder if it was "just me" and not necessarily the best for my brainiac children. But, your post made a lot of sense to me. I do know that if it is not something she is interested in (anything besides animals and science- outside of whatever I am doing), it wouldn't stick anyway.

Anyway, thanks for an awesome post; needed it. Isn't your hubby a science professor? I have a MFI- Masters - marriage and family therapy- not that that says much, ha-ha.... Maybe the fact that I debated my way through college shows a little more of my enjoyment of exercising my brain....LOL (doesn't that mean, "laugh out loud"?)

Rachel

[Lucy]

Awesome responses by Fly2Peace, HopeAnn and Crystal. I do not have kids like that(wish I did some times) nor was I like that.

When I read your post earlier, Rachel, I did think of several friends of mine who as their gifted child has gotten older they have been able to encourage them in a particular hobby or skill that they like instead ,of like Crystal said, pushing them ahead. These kind of kids naturally seem to go ahead without much extra effort. It just ain't fair! (Like that grammar!).

I also agree with the other posters that when you move to Adventures the amount of information will increase as well as the variety of books in the T.M.

I think you(and your dh) are doing a great job seeking out how to challenge and stimulate your daughters natural love for learning and reading.

Lucy

[cbollin]

Rachel,

I was getting ready to go to sleep and an idea came to me that I just had to share.

Sometimes it's hard to come up with service projects for younger aged children (especially when there are even younger siblings around.) But this idea just came to me. Your daughter likes to read a lot. Considered asking relatives, friends and neighbors to perhaps sponsor her in a personal Read a Thon. then give the money to something like Bible translation projects or maybe a favorite local charity like a homeless shelter or a pregnancy center or maybe even supporting a missionary from your church.

If you need help with how to go about donating to Bible translation projects, give the MFW offices a call. They can help you with that.

Isn't your hubby a science professor?
Rachel

Yep, that's him. He spent 12 years as a research scientist in a university chemistry department. This fall he changed jobs and is now a full time computer geek, I mean a software application architect.

g'night
-crystal

[tkbbrl6]

Rachel:

I don't know about the younger levels of MFW - but ECC has been perfect. I have three kids that test in the gifted range and have used various curriculum over the years and MFW has been the one that fits all of them perfectly. It is easy to pull in and add to for their various interests without overwhelming anyone - esp mom - or getting off "schedule". And MFW gives great suggestions - like avg 3rd graders in ECC would only do x number of pages in the Geog book but 5/6 graders should do most so there's plenty of "extra" built into the program.

I also allow my dc to move ahead in the area that they are most gifted -- for example if they excel in math we used more Adv math programs or do challenge work; if writing is their thing they might take off and make a book complete with illustrations; for my budding scientist we get additional library books and experiment kits and let him have fun learning; for the artist we pull in additional art/craft supplements to either coordinate with our study or just for fun. We do games that challenge and help them learn (chess is a great game and most families have it so I'm not talking about it needing to be anything elaborate).

I've also picked up some traditional textbooks over the years and pull some of that out - if your dd enjoys that type of learning how about adding in something like Jane Ervin's Reading Comp in Varied Subject Matter, or Extensions in Reading, or Daily Skill Builders. My kids have fun with various analogy books, Daily Grams, etc. Since she likes Sci what about adding in something like Singapore's Earlybird Science? Another one is Science Through Children's Literature that gives kind of unit study type ideas to go with various books. Have her create notebook pages about what she reads or experiments she tries. How about letting her put together a Science Fair project that she could demonstrate for dad and grandparents?

How about learning a foreign language? These things don't have to be added every week - but if you're finding that dd is not challenged, asking for more, then adding a few things in each week might be the trick. Also, maybe she could help "teach" the boys something that she's learned or demonstrate an experiment for them. Outside resources are also sometimes a plus -my kids do music lessons, gymnastics, karate right now - we've done Science advanced classes, co-ops, art lessons, etc.

All that to say - I wouldn't quit with MFW I think it is a fantastic program that gives lots of opportunities to learn and take rabbit trails. I would stick with it and figure out what dd feels she's missing or what you and dh feel she's missing and add to those areas.

[rachel]

OK - I know I have been saying thank-you a lot but I do so appreciate your feedback- education(of my children) is still a very new "field" to me and I was in many ways happy to delegate it to someone I saw more fit in that area than myself. So thank you for your supportive, understanding and educated answers (love the practical ideas!!)- feel free to post more! I feel much more confident about being able to branch out without "throwing the baby out with the bathwater"- and even know what that looks like.

Thanks,
Rachel