Missions to Modern Marvels (MTMM)
I have been privileged enough to use all of HOD’s guides with my oldest ds, Wyatt, and I look back on each year spent together as having its own special memories, unique with its own areas of growth and maturity. This year, however, is extra special – it is like a total harvest season for the two of us! For all of you ladies newer to HOD, all I can say is, putting some time into the younger guides as HOD intends us to do as teachers of our young dc, has a HUGE payoff - HUGE! It pays back big dividends year after year after year. MTMM is like the culmination of all of these years of learning coming together. It feels like a celebration of sorts for Wyatt and me. You know how pair figure skaters work together sort of seamlessly, each knowing their individual part in the routine, yet all the while the pair is working together! Yep, you guessed it, Wyatt and I are the pair figure skaters here!!!
I just feel so blessed by MTMM, for it is giving me confidence to move on to homeschool through high school. I thought I would, but now I know I can.
I have taken waaaaaaaaaay too many pictures of Wyatt doing MTMM, so I will try to scale it down for you ladies here, so this doesn't become a novel.
Wyatt LOVES, LOVES, LOVES the science in MTMM! He is a regular chemist. Having looked quite extensively at other science programs, I was very happy to see that the chem in MTMM does the exact same experiments done in science programs thought to be "advanced," but with clearer instructions and a great chem kit that is not so incredibly dangerous, so he can be successful without me taking it over and doing it for him (which is a scary thought in itself
). Wyatt has begun calling himself "Professor, Scientist Extraordinaire," as he performs the wonders of MTMM's science experiments for his adoring younger onlookers. (I am not kidding about him calling himself that either. Obviously MTMM's Biblical Worldview study of a healthy self-image is working.
)...
MTMM's History Projects are appropriately mature for Wyatt's age, and give him an important outlet for meaningful hands-on work...
This is how we spend our "meeting time" together. Wyatt with his gigantic hot cocoa, and me with my super strong coffee. We love this time together. Our favorites have been the Worthy Words socratic discussions, the period memorabilia, the President Study multi-media research, the Biblical Worldview study readings and discussions, and the Nature Study. He also loves his bookmark Storytime follow-up. I love his prayer journal notes in his Bible study - they are a window into his mind for me. This has been such a great year already!
Here he is with his hot cocoa, and then with his index card he prepared for our Socratic discussion...
Math. Praise the Lord, Wyatt STILL loves math!
We are in Singapore Math 6B and trying which path we will take after that. For now, we love the way it is going. We use the marker board a lot, and we write right in the textbook (they are cheap and it's easier). I stay by his side the whole time, but I honestly am impressed with what he can do in his head. It is totally due to having done Singapore for so long, because I was pretty good at math, but he's faster than me for sure.
Our DITHOR kickoff for nonfiction was a family affair!
Here is our boys' reenactment of the Battle of Gettysburg, complete with all sorts of 'weapons' and performed outdoors...
Okay - better stop now. We are loving MTMM so much here! It is the right "hard enough" yet "heart enough" balance. Love it, and looking forward to sharing more here as the year progresses!
In Christ,
Julie