What are your plans for 2018-2019?

[Poohbee]

Hi!
We just started our summer break, but I'm already starting to think about and plan for the next school year. Anyone else doing that, too?

We have used MFW continuously in our home since 2006 until last year. My daughters, ages 13 (8th) and 17 (12th), use a variety of different materials to match their interests and learning styles.

My son is 9 and is autistic. He was in 2nd grade last year. He completed both MFW K and 1st grade, taking 1 1/2 years for each. I had purchased Adventures to do with him last year, but I decided he wasn't ready for some of the wonderful resources and for the time required. So, I benched ADV for a year and used different materials for him.

In 2018-2019, I am excited to return to MFW and use ADV for my son's 3rd grade year. I'm sure I'll be checking in on the Board more often to seek ideas and suggestions as well as share our experiences.

Looking forward to chatting with all of you!

Share your plans for the upcoming school year.

[manyblessings]

Hi! I am just finishing K with my youngest, and already have grade 1 mostly organized and ready to go But I know I need to take a break to regroup, enjoy family time, and declutter and reorganize my home. My home evolves every year I am very much looking forward to doing 1st with my little one. She has learned so much through AAAT, VOD, and GCA, and had fun doing it. I love the way you tailored the curriculum to fit your son's needs-and Adventures is perfect for either 2nd or 3rd grade, so you are right on target

[DS4home]

I am so loving hearing about all your young families! I am on the other end of the spectrum. I only have my youngest at home and she is working through high school now. They grow up so fast. She has gone through the whole cycle from kindergarten on. We have loved MFW and can't imagine using anything else

[Sallylourn]

We will be starting RTR with my 7th and 4th graders and kindergarten with my 5 year old in the fall. We finished our school year in mid-May, and we’re still tying up loose ends from the school year. We still have paint palettes in the freezer for finishing up an art assignment that maybe we’ll get around to sometime this summer. We were very blessed to form a synergy group with another family last year, and we will continue meeting next year.

I’m a little nervous about starting K with my daughter because this year we used VOD, and it was hard to fit it in. I know kindergarten is a little more important than preschool, so I’m really going to have to make an effort to work that in this year. My 2 year old will be 2 1/2 this fall, so I’m hoping she will be able to participate a little bit more with school this year instead of trying to scribble on everyone else’s papers.

I am looking forward to starting my prep work for next year, but first, I have to work on potty training! Pray for patience!!!

[TriciaMR]

My oldest is graduated (I actually graduated her last December), and started at the local university in January. She will continue there this fall. She got a 4.0 her first semester (12 credits), and between that, dual enrollment the previous semester (7 credits), and CLEP tests, she starts the fall with 48 credits under her belt.

My twin boys will be starting AHL this fall. One will be doing Biology (lab at co-op), VideoText Algebra, and a programming class that I am teaching. My other one is doing Biology (lab at co-op), Saxon Algebra 1, and Spanish (through our co-op).

I will be teaching the programming class at our co-op.

Should be a fun year!

[ruthamelia]

Jen- Thanks for starting this conversation! It is always encouraging to hear what other families are doing.

Tricia- Do you have some materials that you like for your programming class? We had 2 kids work through a book of projects in Scratch this past year and they loved it. I'm still looking for something that will continue helping them build this skill, though.

Sallylourn- Paint palettes in the freezer? I didn't know that would work! Are you using the paints from God and the History of Art? Do you just let them sit out to thaw and use again?

For 18-19 we are going back to ECC- very excited! It is such an enjoyable year! (They all are, but as many people often comment, this one just stands out in a league of its own!) Actually the 14 year old is bummed that he has aged out of the cycle because he enjoyed ECC immensely. I won't be surprised if he ends up hanging out with the group some, but he certainly won't be allowed to play the geography game because he would cream everyone else!

Speaking of the 14 year old, he will be using AHL this year, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it goes. Also doing geometry and chemistry.

The 12 year old already chose Progeny Press guides: The Secret Garden and The Hobbit. They will probably be challenging for her, but I knew it would go better if she got to choose the books. She will finish Singapore 6B about halfway through the year, trying to decide what to do next, because we probably won't do Saxon.

10 and 7 year old will be doing the bulk of ECC together- neither was old enough to remember the first time through, and I think they will enjoy it.

6 year old will do First Grade- I expect she will breeze through because she is already a pretty good reader, and likes to write as well.

And the littlest ones...we'll try to keep them busy! My 3 year old son was just telling a friend yesterday, referring to himself and his cousin, "we do homeschool, but only if we want to" which is pretty much true.

[TriciaMR]

Ruth,

I was a programmer before becoming a stay at home mom, and I will be teaching him Java programming myself.

[allgrace]

We school year round and are finishing up ECC and will start CTG in July. In September my kids will be almost 10, just turned 7, just turned 5, almost 3, and 14 months.Next year my oldest will be 4th grade. He will be doing CTG. My 7 year old started MFW 1st already and will continue that. My 5 year old will continue VOD. My almost 3 year old will continue AAAT. And my just turned 1 year old will hopefully be occupied! I am going slowly through the preschool programs, but I find that my kids loving having 15-20 min. Of one on one time. We do the family cycle Bible, History/Geography, and science together.
I am really excited to teach CTG. I think it will be a more challenging year for my son who still would rather play all day. But he does love MFW. I am praying that I will know how much to encourage, push, and tweak things. Especially the writing assignments. We will continue with Rod and Staff spelling because he would rather have a workbook and he is learning how to spell and vocabulary from it. We are using MFW recommendations for everything else. My 7 year old will be having her learning to read year and my almost 3 year old will be potty training. I am still working on balancing school and home management.
I still feel like our days are crazy with so many littles and the necessary character training, child training, mothering, etc. But I am convinced that this is where God has us to be ( homeschooling and using MFW). I am very thankful for God leading us here.

[Joyhomeschool]

I just finalized what we are doing for next year. We are still on summer break until after our move next month. I ordered 1st grade for the last time for "the baby". And I also ordered US 2 for my oldest! Because of how we did her Jr high years she only needs Algebra 2 to graduate but will do some of US 2 to round out her hjghschool. I also will have one in AHL and 4 in EXP to 1850! It will be a full year!

[Sallylourn]

Ruth,
The part of God and the History of Art where it introduces painting says that you can just put them in the freezer for later, and then you can just pull them out to thaw when you are ready. I honestly have not tried thawing yet. We just can’t get around to painting that stag beetle. My kids are in full summer break mode and are enjoying their mostly unscheduled days. We will get it painted yet!

[arosemalone]

I'm planning to do CTG with my sixth-grader, with her working mostly independently. I plan to do K with my son, and have my two year old play with my daughter while I work with him on reading and math. I hope to start in August with a four-day-a-week schedule. This should allow us the flexibility to get involved in co-op or go to appointments without falling behind in our school work.

[bethinga]

We took Memorial Day through mud-July off and just began to get back into our routine. Dedicated school will begin Aug 6. We're still on week 29 of CTG, so we'll probably begin RTR mid-late Aug. Slowly collecting my books! Excited!