Note: Our family is no longer using Sonlight, but I am keeping these posts available for those who are interested. For more information on why we have changed course, READ HERE.
Part 4 – Every Curriculum Has It’s Cons
Originally, I had entitled this post, “Not a No-Brainer” because frankly, that sums up the majority of my “concerns” surrounding Sonlight
. However, that title could be a bit misleading as Sonlight doesn’t require extensive hours of preparation. What it does require is a homeschooling parent willing to think.
Several years ago, I was not willing to think. I hoped someday I’d find a curriculum that did all the thinking for me. Told me what to think would be more like it. Year after year I searched for the perfect curriculum that either believed precisely what I believed or told me what to believe when I wasn’t sure of a subject. Imagine my dismay at NEVER finding such an animal.
I know it seems like I bring nearly everything back to this, but losing a child changes everything…even homeschooling. I realized I could no longer take other people’s opinions/theology/identities and make them my own without doing my own homework first. I used to listen to one homeschool speaker and Amen him all the way to the next homeschool speaker where I would find myself Amen-ing that speaker even when his or her theology or ideas were in direct contradiction to the previous speaker! I was wishy-washy (and I still am at times because God isn’t finished with me yet!), but being forced, by the death of a child, to face what I believed head on, I came to the understanding that I could not check my brains at the door and ask a curriculum to do the hard work for me.
Do I agree with everything I encounter in Sonlight? No.
(Sonlight handles some tough topics. I would love it if Sonlight would include Scripture references in their discussions because the difficult subjects brought up in their books require further discussion, and I am not always able to find the Scripture references I need to fully discuss the subject matter. I don’t need Sonlight to tell me what to think, but I could use the time saver of having the references readily available.)
Do I keep a running commentary with my children on every single book they read? Yes.
(Until they can see false doctrine and systems for themselves, I have to “Salt” them myself.)
Do I read the materials and give my own opinions, encouraging them all the while to formulate their own opinions? Yes.
(Steep them in the Word, folks!)
Are there little things I wish Sonlight would do that would make my life a whole lot easier? Yes.
(the Instructor’s Guide tells you when there is map work to be done, but not when there is timeline work, and tabs on each section of discussion questions would be rather handy–I’ll be adding these myself, by the way. And once again, great discussion questions, but I would love for Scripture references to be given. All of these are little things that would save me time and energy.)
Is it ridiculous to think I should only use a curriculum that is “perfect” and one that I 100% agree with? Yes!
(I don’t even expect that from my closest friends!)
It is also ridiculous to think I should use a curriculum that does all the thinking for me. I might as well send the children to public school if I’m looking for that. I don’t care what curriculum you use (or even if you’re children ARE in public school!), you CANNOT detach yourself from what is being taught and allow the curriculum to have the final say.
Sonlight forces me to have deep theological (even in the 3rd grade!) conversations with my children. It forces me to talk WITH them and not AT them. It teaches me that there are many sides to an issue and we cannot ignore those sides just because we would rather they didn’t exist.
I have learned a ton in six weeks. I have grown in my homeschooling in six weeks. I am excited to see what the next six weeks and the next six weeks after that bring.
So, now it’s your turn…
Got more questions about our experiences with Sonlight? Want to share your own experiences–good and bad? Head over to my Blog Frog Discussion. Like I said in Part 1, I’m not an expert, but I am a real homeschooling mom who cherishes honesty and openness. If I don’t know the answers, I’ll try to send you to someone who does.
Sonlight Series:
Part 1 – Why We Bought Sonlight
Part 2 – How We Chose a Core
Part 3 – Making the Curriculum Work for You
This is Part 4 – Every Curriculum Has Its Cons
Jasmine says
Amy, you touched on some very good points. And yes, the death of a baby does change everything – even the way we see homeschooling. I’m glad you pointed that out!!!!
I use to do the same thing Amen every speaker…. lol. Funny you should say that.
Thanks for sharing. xox
Amy @ Raising Arrows says
Luke,
Thanks for passing what I’ve said along and I appreciate you following along w/ the series and offering input!
Luke says
Thanks for writing this up! Very good points, and I’ll be sure to pass along your ideas to others at Sonlight. I like your suggestions! Please also include them when you send in your feedback too. Sonlight gets better the more great ideas we get [smile]. Thanks again!
~Luke
Heidi says
I have no knowledge or experience with sonlight, but I just wanted to say don’t feel like you have to appologize for everything being changed by the death of a child. Everything IS changed by the death of a child. In ways we never imagined, but it does make us stronger. Maybe more convicted/passionate about what we do believe would be another/better way to say that.
I am blessed! says
I would probably ignore all this extra stuff if they had it because I love the simplicity of Sonlight. I mainly rely on them to choose our books for us and they do a great job of that. We’ve loved our books with just a few exceptions. I also carry on a running commentary with my kids about what we’re reading, probably a good idea regardless of the curriculum content. I don’t know if I’ve encountered any cons with the curriculum this year. Maybe that I would appreciate an instructor’s guide with Mystery of History as an option instead of Story of the World. I use both and it takes a few minutes to synchronize them each day.
thesleepyknitter says
Thanks for this good series! I’m considering Sonlight for our 2.5 year old. I read Raising Olives, se7en, and other blogs by Songlight moms, and I have several friends who have used Sonlight, and everyone is mostly thrilled with it. The “cons” are always such slight issues compared to the “cons” listed by moms using other curriculum.
Amy @ Raising Arrows says
I can appreciate that, Betty. In fact, I’ve also never looked at the booth at our convention either. Always grabbed the catalog they were handing out, but never actually looked at the booth. I’ll see if I can put a bug in someone’s ear about that!
Betty says
You now have me thinking, however, I find the people at the homeschool conventions, so pushing and “in you face”, that I end up turning the other way and walking away. Typically I like to browse through the booth, but it seems I never get to it, without being bombarded by the people working the booth. ;o) Anyone else ever feel this way?
Because I honestly use a ton of stuff out of their catalog, and like what I see, but I don’t like the “in your face”, car sales man like stuff I get at our convention…
Amy @ Raising Arrows says
That’s a good idea, but I suppose once you do that, you end up with having to synchronize several different curricula and that could lead to clutter all it’s own.
Here’s a suggestion (since I am sure you have scads of time on your hands–hee hee)…You should write down your “synchronizations” and post them as a .doc that others can find easily, as I’m sure you’re not the only one doing this.
Blessings,
Amy
Kacie says
This series is fantastic! My son is one and so we’re still in the early stages of this whole homeschooling journey.
Right now, I’m reading all I can on homeschooling and looking through various resources to help myself prepare.
Sonlight seems like a really neat option for my family maybe someday. I do have a question though.
I understand that there are roughly 13 Cores, and you can take about 1 school year to do each of them.
But, I see the age ranges for each core are something like 2-4 years wide.
So are you supposed to match up the kid’s learning level with their core and then do one per year? Or do you sometimes do the same core for two years?
Or are there assignments/activities for several ages/levels within a single core?
Amy @ Raising Arrows says
Great question! First of all, the age/grade suggestions listed w/ each core are just that…suggestions. Since your son is so young, I would just follow the core suggestions and put him in at K or 1. For me, the core age/grades are more important when adding siblings. It gives you a middle ground between their ages. There are several cores that can be combined to fit into 1 year (all but Core 5 actually). In the high school years, you can begin to hone in on your child’s particular areas of interest and that work is much more independent.
As for assignments, no there are not age-segregated assignments. Much of Sonlight revolves around discussion. You are free to add in your own assignments and crafts, but there are no “have-to’s” with the curriculum.
Hope that answers your questions, if not, let me know!
Amy
Dani says
Hi Amy,
It is 4.45am here in New Zealand and being heavily pregnant, I am of course not in bed sleeping like “normal” people do at this hour. Lol
I just stumbled upon your site and I LOVE IT!!! I would love to tell you a bit about myself but this probably isn’t the area so I will just say that after homeschooling on and off (more on than off) for the last 20yrs (I have a very large family that the Lord continues to bless and GROW, Hallelujah!!!)I have finally tackled and researched the ‘dreaded Sonlight’. I mean that in the most positive way though, it was simply my own fears that had kept me from even daring to look into this curriculum. Late last year I desperately needed a change and there started my research. We finally took the plunge at the beginning of this year and it has been such a delight. Beginning with the anticipation of the books arriving, then ‘box day’ was finally here, then buying a new (2nd hand LARGE bookshelf), then getting my poor brain into gear so we could begin, and NOW………we have finished the first 12 weeks. Its been amazing. My children have learned soooooo much and like you, we have some incredible discussions after some of the reading. Its been an excellent way to press home God’s Word and His ways. Mostly I can just read something hideous about false gods or something, and then say, “Is that the right thing to do, children?” and when they say NO!!! I ask them to tell me what God thinks about it and WHY!!! They can always tell me Gods opinion of it according to His Word, but the WHY often has them beat…..and thats my opening for a great discussion and yet more important learning for my children….straight from the Word of God.
The only problem I have with Sonlight is actually my problem and not Sonlight’s problem. So far I have stuck to the IG and ticked off each thing, each day, and felt good about it. Except on the days when I had to rush due to outside circumstances. I know I need to RELAX and let it be a guide and not a RULER. I have read of others just grabbing the next few books and sitting on the couch reading to their children and doing not much else for a few weeks and at 36wks pregnant, that sure sounds GREAT to me, but I find it hard to NOT tick things off. I guess I find the set routine keeps me on track and I’m afraid other areas will get left behind if I don’t keep up with it all. HELP!!!!! Any ideas would be gratefully received. 🙂
Anyway, I have rambled on for ages. I look forward to learning more from your site and your wealth of experience too.
Blessings to you and your family.
Dani
Amy says
Dani,
How wonderful to “meet” you! I admire moms who have been in the trenches longer than myself!
What I’ve done w/ Sonlight is maybe a bit unconventional, but it is working quite well. First off, I do not do every single thing in the IG. For instance, the Bible study for this year isn’t where I was heading w/ my kiddos, so I changed it. Next year, I think it will be right on track with what we are wanting to do. Secondly, I have voracious readers and when I just cannot handle reading aloud (because I’m liable to fall asleep!), they read it to themselves. It’s worked quite well for us. I do not do all the discussion questions (it’s just too much and I think even Sonlight acknowledges that…they are a jumping off point for you) and the map work is done by looking at our globe instead of on the big map they sent.
Finally, after years of being a check mark kind of mom, I’m realizing it is okay not to get every single thing in. They are still learning and it is at a pace that I can handle. I don’t know if that helps at all, but I really think it needs to a decision you come to on your own. Start by looking at what can be left out or done in one day (one of our readings that is supposed to be done all week, I always do in one day), and then work on being okay with that. Then, move on from there.
And for what it is worth…I was scared to death of Sonlight and refused to even look at the booth at the conference every year. I was just sure it was big, bad and scary…turns out it wasn’t any of those things!
Reggie says
My mother-in-law is soooo an ‘amener’! That bit cracked me up! Not to diss Sonlight (as I know quite a few families who LOVE it) but I was fortunate enough to run into it before I began formally homeschooling and knew after a brief glance that we would NEVER go that route. All that required reading! I knew I couldn’t teach something that made me want to run screaming in the other direction!!!
Jess says
Hi there ,
Looking at this curriculum for next year for my girls , I just was shocked on price for shipping to nz . Is there somewhere in nz u can buy ? How long does the package last one year ?
Amy says
You would need to contact Sonlight and ask them. Sorry I’m not much help in this area.