Building Off Something Great

There is a fantastic article in the latest edition of Wired. (Unfortunately, it's not on their website yet, so I can't link to it.) The article presents the radical shift in computing that is upon us because of the Kinect (and our ability to tap into its power). The short, short, short version: The Kinect solves a long-standing robotics problem and now that Microsoft supports the use of their hardware outside of the Xbox, we are moving into a new world of computing.

Wired is really promoting the ability to build off something great. The article cheers when tightfisted corporations surrender to the ingenious hacker who can take their product and use it in a new way. And I cheer right along with them. As you may recall, I tend to tweak my tools too. It's important to note that this is modding, not piracy. Modding creates more with what is there, piracy takes what isn't yours.^*

How does this relate to homeschooling?

From what I've gathered, many people begin their homeschool journey by getting the recommended items or "boxed curriculum." Over the years, as they gain confidence in their homeschooling and insight into their children's learning styles, they begin to modify their curriculum selections to meet their needs.

In the end, you build off something great to make a home education just right for you and your family.

Modding Your Curriculum

Sonlight fully supports this customization. That's why we offer so many different homeschool curriculum options from complete packages to individual items. Of course, having such a great approach to homeschooling means that others "mod" Sonlight's foundation to create their own products as well. I admit that's a tad frustrating for me, but I also appreciate how this has brought homeschooling to a whole new level over the last 20 years. May your studies--no matter the form they take--enable you and your family to do amazing things and experience the joy of learning together.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester