Social Studies is a common core subject in schools. It is an easy subject to add to a lesson plan and teach when you have time, but I don't believe it is an effective way to learn. Discover why children need to study History rather than social studies.
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What if you love literature-based learning and Charlotte Mason, unit studies, classical homeschooling, or another homeschool approach? Can you combine Sonlight with one of those styles?
In most cases, I would say absolutely yes. Families from a wide range of homeschool philosophies use and love Sonlight.
You certainly don't need to combine Sonlight with another homeschool style unless you want to. That's because Sonlight is a robust homeschool approach in its own right.
Sonlight's unique approach to homeschooling is to provide Christ-centered, literature-based, globally-focused curriculum that helps families love learning together. We emphasize families' reading and discussing together.
1. Sonlight is definitely complete on its own.
It's a broad program that covers all aspects of what your kids need to learn. We schedule it all out for you. Every day you can get up and know what you're going to do.
2. But I also liken Sonlight to a Thanksgiving feast.
You don't have to eat every dish offered on the table. Your children will get a fabulous education from Sonlight as their stand-alone curriculum. Or if you prefer, you can give them a fabulous education using Sonlight as your primary curriculum while adding in your favorite aspects of other homeschool approaches. It's really up to your personal preference and whether you want to spend time tweaking and planning activities.
If you're already hooked on a particular approach, let's look at some possibilities:
Sonlight draws heavily from Charlotte Mason's ideas (as well as those of Dr. Ruth Beechick). Sonlight already provides fantastic living books and plenty of hands-on Science activities. You can easily add in nature walks, extra narration, and other aspects of Charlotte Mason's approach. I encourage you to read a post from Robert, one of Sonlight's curriculum developers, on combining Sonlight and Charlotte Mason.
Some families love the environment and spontaneity of Montessori learning. Although Sonlight would not be a full-fledged Montessori experience, you can definitely incorporate key aspects of it into your day. In fact, Sonlight's preschool programs already draw from Montessori approaches in our purposeful developmental activities. Our Science programs and many of our Math programs also rely heavily on hands-on activities. You can easily add in extra Montessori activities and structures if you like.
Sonlight does not plan out unit studies for you, but we do provide the flexibility for you to add in your own unit studies throughout the year if you wish. I think it's crucial to have a cohesive curriculum (such as Sonlight) to provide a foundation for your homeschool. But if you want to take on additional adventures and mix in some unit studies along the way, go for it!
Some Sonlight families stretch out each History / Bible / Literature program over one and a half or two years instead of one, giving them time to add in a unit study when something really piques their interest. Also, some families like to think of Sonlight's unique History / Bible / Literature F: Eastern Hemisphere program as a unit study approach to a fascinating part of the world.
Sonlight does not follow a four-year chronological history cycle (find out why), but some Sonlight families definitely add in aspects of classical homeschooling. You can easily include Latin, extra grammar studies, and memorization in your school days if you wish.
Sonlight also pairs well with homeschool co-ops. Think of Sonlight as your primary curriculum and the co-op as supplemental enrichment. A co-op can let you get out of the house one day a week and explore something new. Whether or not your History / Bible / Literature studies line up with the topics in your co-op, I don't think any learning ever goes to waste.
Many homeschool moms love structure in their homeschool days. A daily schedule helps them feel confident that they're doing what they need to. With Sonlight, your Instructor's Guide can take you through every activity each day. You get to check things off as you finish. We have it all planned out so you can just follow along.
Perhaps the thought of a strict schedule makes you squirm. Fortunately, many Sonlight families use Sonlight in a very relaxed style as well. The Instructor's Guide is not their taskmaster, but instead provides great suggestions of what to do next. They can easily take an impromptu field trip and just pick up the next day where they left off. They can move ahead in subjects their children find fascinating, and take their time with other subjects.
In short, Sonlight offers you lots of structure, but you can easily make it as flexible as you want. As you grow confident in your homeschool abilities, you can add in whatever extras you'd like and adapt Sonlight to work the way you want it to for your unique family.
But if you love any of the approaches above, know that other Sonlight families do as well and easily adapt Sonlight to their needs. The Sonlight Connections App is full of great ideas on these topics. I'd also encourage you to chat with a Sonlight Homeschool Advisor at no charge. An experienced Sonlight mom can answer your questions, help you brainstorm, and encourage you with no obligation or pressure.
Do you ever wonder if you’re using your time well? Not in an hourly, time management sense, but in a big picture sense? Do you ever wonder if your time at home is worthwhile?
I know young women who have big dreams of changing the world, and then they marry, have children, and find themselves surrounded by domesticity. They freely choose to stay at home and serve first there. But at the same time, they look at the drastic needs of the world and wonder if they’re doing what they should.
Perhaps instead of important business meetings and global travel, your main concerns are getting through today’s math lesson and laundry while also buying groceries and a birthday gift for the party tomorrow.
Maybe you feel like your all-consuming tasks aren’t very important …
But have you ever considered how Jesus spent 90% of his life? We don’t know much about his life before he was 30. Yet we assume Jesus spent those years at home, serving his family. As a young man we think he worked as a carpenter in Nazareth, caring for his mother and siblings. He only spent three years in public ministry.
I believe Jesus brought as much glory to his Father in his years at home as he did in his public ministry. Why? Because he was following the Father the entire time. He was home when his Father wanted him home. And then he preached and healed and trained disciples when that’s what the Father wanted him to do.
Jesus listened to his Father, walked in step with him, and served where the Father had him. It was that simple and that difficult.
Your life, too, will have different seasons to it. This season at home with your children while homeschooling is just one of them. I encourage you to do it well and to seek God’s face the entire time.
It’s true that God may ask you to focus on something in addition to your family and homeschooling right now. God may be asking you to homeschool and do something else too:
I started Sonlight with my husband while I was homeschooling. I worked very hard all those years to give my best to all my commitments.
But that’s something you need to discern. I want you to hear, Mom, that staying at home with your children is a high and very worthy calling. Whether that’s your sole focus now, whether you serve elsewhere as well, or whether you even decide one day to stop staying at home with the kids, you will not regret these years of letting motherhood shape and change you. The patience, logistical skills, big-heartedness, grace and love you develop in these years will serve you and the world for the rest of your life.
And don’t forget, you are raising the next generation. You are equipping your children to know who they are in Christ, to know what they can do in the world, and to have the skills to go out to do it. You are equipping your children to do whatever God calls them to. Talk about a critical job!
The reality is that this season of intense motherhood is where God has you right now. I know it is beautiful and awesome, and sometimes frustrating and overwhelming. Yet it is always important.
So thank you for serving your children, and in so doing, serving the world. In seasons where you are also serving elsewhere, thank you for that. In seasons when your family life demands all your attention, thank you for your faithfulness to them.
Like so many Sonlight students, these scholarship winners exhibit a love for learning, exceptional character, service to their communities, leadership skills, creativity and spiritual depth. They are extremely well-prepared for the academic rigors of college. While many have used Sonlight all the way from preschool through 12th grade, each winner has used at least five
History / Bible / Literature programs, including at least one high school program.
Their exceptional talent, along with an eagerness to follow God’s leading, make it a joy for us to invest in their continuing education. Sonlight has awarded well over $1,000,000 since we began the scholarship program, including $86,000 over the next four years to these 13 winners. We look forward to seeing all God does in and through them as they take what they’ve learned – through Sonlight and their homeschool experience – into college and the world beyond.
Kiana Pieters of Mexico has used every Sonlight program from Pre-K through 500. Over those
years she has developed a true love to learn, and has been eager to master anything from Formal Logic to Mandarin Chinese. Growing up as a missionary kid in the Mexico City area, Kiana has become a vital part of her family’s church planting efforts there. She serves as the music coordinator and worship leader for her church, and also teaches guitar to children who would otherwise not get to learn an instrument. Both determined and kind-hearted, Kiana is known for the handmade cards and thoughtful letters that have encouraged so many in her community. She has also done missions work on four continents (USA, Peru, Taiwan, and Uganda). With a 1490 on the SAT, Kiana feels eager for college. Her dream is to serve the Lord overseas in a rural setting, teaching sustainable agriculture and development strategies while seeking and providing spiritual help as well. She writes, “There is a world right now in desperate need of hope. My life is a journey, an opportunity, a chance to make a difference—and with God, all things are possible.”
Amanda Christensen of Buford, WY is a problem-solver whose greatest passions are medicine and cattle. She plans to major in Chemical Engineering at the University of Wyoming and then start veterinarian school. A leader in her 4H club, Amanda also holds significant responsibility at her family’s cattle ranch. Among other work, she tracks each cattle’s medical care and watches over those in the maternity pen. Her sharp mind and quick interventions in emergency situations have proven her aptitude for veterinarian work. She also serves the children who ride the Sunday School bus to her church. She helps with and plays the piano for children’s church and visits the children in their homes each week. Amanda says the literature she has read with Sonlight has helped her develop sympathy for people in situations she might not otherwise understand. Her hope is to share the Gospel through her life as she serves animals and the people who rely on them.
Daniel Norwood of Siloam Springs, AR is the very picture of integrity and diligence. He has used Sonlight every year since preschool. A natural problem solver and leader, his stated purpose in life is simply to serve God. And he does that in many capacities. The second of eight children, Daniel is a mentor and role model to his younger siblings. Happy to work behind the scenes, he is eager to see a need and fill it, whether at home, at work or in his service positions. He is an integral employee at the Christian camp where he works in the kitchen and as a counselor. After earning his Eagle Scout rank in 2014, Daniel has continued participating and serving in his Boy Scouts troop, training and teaching the younger men. With a strong academic background, he is headed to John Brown University in Arkansas in order to major in electrical or mechanical engineering.
Ryan Watkins of Eden Prairie, MN has used Sonlight since preschool. With a near-perfect 1570 on the SAT and 35 on the ACT, Ryan has a brilliant mind for engineering as well as an accomplished artistic sensibility. He recently developed a successful laser engraving system for a manufacturing company where he interned for a year. A National Merit Finalist, his central passion is to follow wherever God leads him, and he is particularly energized by problems in physics that we do not yet understand. Ryan is a voracious reader with a hunger for knowledge. The oldest of 9 children, Ryan is a leader at home, quick to serve and encourage his siblings. He also regularly spends time with elderly community members at the local café. He has applied to several top engineering schools, with plans to major in both Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. An avid outdoorsman, Ryan thrives on “high octane” adventures such as downhill skiing, whitewater rafting, mountain biking and scuba diving.
Sarah Jones of Derry, PA plans to become a Physical Therapy Assistant in hopes of helping to alieve people’s pain. An accomplished dancer herself, Sarah also teaches worship dance to beginner students. With a creativity that knows no bounds, Sarah has won several Best of Show awards and dozens of first place ribbons in a host of 4H categories, from sewing to woodworking. With a heart for China, Sarah has long supported evangelism work there, and dreams of traveling to help distribute Bibles in unreached rural areas. Full of compassion, Sarah maintains a ministry to the elderly and shut-in seniors in her community. With a deep love for the Lord, Sarah writes, “God knows the plans he has for my life, and all I have to do is place my hand in his and let him lead.”
Lydia McGee of Colorado Springs, CO plans to major in global or public health before heading to graduate school for physical therapy. Through a struggle with a rare and painful nerve disorder, Lydia encountered how much relief and hope physical therapists can bring to suffering people. She hopes to minister to others in the same way her physical therapist helped her. She dreams of serving as a medical worker overseas. A National Merit Commended Scholar, Lydia is well-prepared for the academic path ahead. She is a successful swimmer and plays guitar with her youth group worship team. She loves to write mysteries and has won two regional awards for her work. Those who know her attest to the positive attitude that infuses everything Lydia does.
Nathan Pohl of Canton, MI dreams of working behind the scenes to help professional sports teams make a positive impact on their community. With a 34 on the ACT, Nathan hopes to attend either Calvin College or Hope College to major in Business Management. An outstanding ice hockey player and distance runner, Nathan has an offer to play hockey at one of his top-pick schools. Through tremendous leadership and diligence, he has raised $21,000 to fund research for Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetes. He participates in mission trips each summer, volunteers for his church’s VBS, has served as worship leader several times in his church, and even preached a sermon. He regularly serves the homeless population of Detroit. A deep thinker who also works as a tutor for younger students, Nathan’s goal in life is to be an ambassador for Christ in the world.
Jordan Randolph of Telford, PA has used Sonlight since preschool. Inspired by his very internship in the automation field, where he constructed electrical control panels, Jordan plans to attend the Penn State Berks campus to major in Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology. Having served on his church’s audio team since he was twelve, he also runs sound for the youth group worship team. Others attest to the fact that he is gifted with a keen understanding of technical things. Always one to lead by example, Jordan has started and led various Bible studies, including one with colleagues from the car wash where he works. With a heart to serve, Jordan writes “I know if I continue to obey [God] daily, I won’t have a problem seeing my part in advancing his kingdom here on earth.”
Jessie Susannah Reeser of Mexico has used Sonlight since second grade. Unafraid of the challenges ahead, she plans to become a medical doctor. Susannah lives close to two of the best U.S. accredited medical schools in Mexico, and plans to enroll at one of them next year so she can start her medical training right away. An outstanding gymnast, Susannah has competed and flourished in national and international competitions. She has delighted in coaching younger gymnasts for the past four years. She also is the leader and coordinator of a local dance workshop through Youth With A Mission. Susannah serves as an administrator in her local YWAM chapter, regularly leads large groups of children there, and has participated in several YWAM mission trips. She hopes to use everything she has learned through homeschooling, gymnastics and YWAM to serve the physical and spiritual needs of those around her.
Ian Sheridan of Canada plans to attend Trinity Western University in preparation for a career in neuroscience. Clearly gifted in math and science, Ian’s dream is to work as a researcher to better understand depression and other mental disorders so that he can find a cure or more effective treatments for them. His openness and honesty is refreshing to those around him – from the fellow teens he leads in a Bible study, to the children he serves at the kids club he started with friends in a low-income housing development. He serves on the sound team at church and often works as the lead sound engineer for funerals and weddings. He operates his own lawn and yard work business and also helps teach a weekly homeschool PE class. Ian is a serious pianist who also enjoys playing guitar, ukulele and violin.
Rebekah Spoelman of Southeast Asia portrays an unusual maturity in her love, understanding and care for the disadvantaged people around her. Many of her close friends are illiterate, and Rebekah is keenly aware of the persistent struggles they will face in life. Her dream is to earn a college degree in the US and then return to her country to open several businesses that will provide a living wage, job training and education for her employees, equipping them to thrive in their culture. Rebekah provides in-home wound care for a neighbor suffering from diabetes, and routinely prepares meals for large groups of children who come to her home for tutoring. She is one of the local children’s favorite AWANA leaders. Rebekah is eager to serve, extremely hard-working and competent in the very practical challenges of living cross-culturally in a difficult area.
Caleb Vivanco of Mexico has used every Sonlight program from Level A through 400. A born musician, Caleb used to sleep with his drumsticks in his toddler bed so that he could start creating rhythms as soon as he woke. A key member of his church’s worship band, Caleb often records and creates multi-instrument sound tracks so that he can play along and provide live music for outreach events even when there aren’t enough other musicians. Caleb’s other big love is science, which he hopes to use to “glorify God and point people to the Creator.” Caleb plans to major in Chemistry at a top academic Christian university. Caleb is known for his quiet integrity, his sensitive heart toward others, and his ability to bring out the best in those around him.
Andrew Joel Williamson of Aldan, PA is a self-motivated learner ready to tackle anything. He is headed to Taylor University to study Biology and prepare for a career as a scientist. Intensely interested in plants and animals, Andrew is working with his father to research, develop and implement a sustainable small farming method that will allow rural unpaid pastors in Honduras to feed their families and earn an income. In his own words, Andrew says “I want to be an example of Christ to the secular world through science. I plan to dedicate my life to representing God through excellence in biology.” Andrew has worked with his autism diagnosis to overcome great obstacles. He frequently serves as a Spanish/English interpreter, and worked with a native to be conversational in a new regional language last year in order to minister more effectively alongside his family.
Click here to learn more about Sonlight's college scholarships.
I had no idea the impact homeschooling would make on my family when we started this journey. At the time, my oldest son, Isaac, had just finished kindergarten in public school, and we simply wanted more time with him. That was all. I didn’t have lofty goals. I didn’t want him to be a child prodigy in math. I didn’t think he was ahead or behind; my husband and I merely wanted the time back. We wanted to slow down and have the time to influence his life and his heart.
When I chose Sonlight for our second year of homeschooling, I knew that even if we hated the curriculum, the books alone would be worth it. I can still remember the day we opened the door and saw The Box sitting there. It was like Christmas with our large dining room table, covered in books. I would have never guessed at the time that there were books in that box that would change our lives forever.
Thankfully, I can now report that we didn’t hate the curriculum. Quite the opposite! We loved it. Every day was like entering into another time and place. One day, we were knights and princesses. Another day, we were Robin Hood and his band of merry men. It was quite the adventure. But nothing prepared me for the day that I’ll never forget.
We were all piled in the living room one crisp fall morning reading George Mueller, and as I read, I realized that the room was completely quiet. I glanced up to see my kids with their mouths gaping open. We were reading the chapter where George Mueller sits down to the breakfast table at his orphanage, staring at 300 hungry orphans with absolutely no way to feed them.
With the incredible miracle of provision that followed, I saw awe and wonder of God in my kids’ eyes. After we finished reading, I wondered aloud, “Do you guys think we could ever do that? Do you think that we could ever care for orphans like George Mueller?” My son replied, “No way, Mom, that’s not for regular people like us. That’s for people like George Mueller!”
I understood how he felt, but I pressed him, asking, “Why not? Wasn’t George Mueller at one time just a regular person like us? Doesn’t God use regular people every day?”
And at that moment, I saw the wheels start turning in their little minds: Maybe God could use them too.
Through the course of that year, we were repeatedly challenged by our curriculum. I’ve learned that when God is leading you to do something, He won’t let you forget it. It seemed as if every book we read that year kept adoption fresh in our minds. We encountered it over and over. After reading Gladys Aylward, we discussed how caring for orphans was sometimes a difficult, lonely task. After each reading of Window on the World, we talked about how there were so many children, even in our own community, who did not have families. We prayed for God to send families to care for them and love them. Through these books, God used Sonlight to open our eyes and our hearts to adoption.
Now, almost three years later, I’m looking at not three, but four sweet children. In January of 2015, after a lengthy process of training and paperwork, we adopted James, a seven-year-old boy from our state's foster care system. It hasn’t always been easy, but during the hard times, we were reminded of some of our heroes of the faith like George Mueller and Gladys Aylward.
Today, a year and a half later, our adopted son is one of our many great blessings. Through adoption, we were able to give our oldest son something that he had never had—a brother.
It’s so interesting to see how God works in our lives. Today, I am homeschooling all four of my children, and I’m still using Sonlight, the same curriculum with James that helped bring us all together in the first place. I’m happy to say it still brings us together a little bit more every single day.
To find out more about Sonlight's inspiring Read-Alouds and our complete book-based homeschool programs, order a complimentary copy of your catalog today.
As I continue to reflect on my own upbringing, I offer the following two analogies of godly parenting and homeschooling. I trust they are an encouragement to you as you raise your children and help you answer questions others may have about your decision to homeschool.
Continue reading below or listen here:
I had a rather sheltered homeschool experience. If what you imagine by sheltered is something restrictive or fearful, may I reframe this word for you?
My sheltered childhood was like a day at the beach: sun, shells, bikinis, beach balls, and all. The sheltering I had was a shaded awning, like something made from bamboo and dried palm fronds. The sea-breeze could flow in with the sights and sounds of life. I could go out and come back. I had a safe place to be, protected from rain and cold. I was not tossed alone into the world. I was sheltered, covered, protected . . . and free.
Sure, I got sand in my shorts. The air occasionally was fishy. Sometimes I got sunburned.
But despite this mild discomfort, my parents let me dig moats, fly kites, talk to people, explore, run, play, discover.
The world was open to me, and I was encouraged to interact with it and, in doing so, to exhibit God's love and grace to any and all whom I met along the way.
Life does not disrupt the kind of sheltering I had. Because as we read our Bibles and various biographies and learn together, we encounter complex characters and situations. We learn about life. Like anyone, we can be disheartened and disillusioned. But we're not huddled in a house, hoping nothing gets in. We are standing on the shore, looking out.
Sheltered.
When I took archery in college, one of the first things I learned was that how they shoot in the movies is all wrong. Real archery is quite different from the big screen:
In other words: Archery is all about keeping your hands open and your body relaxed, as you point the arrow where it should go. Doing so actually makes the arrow fly more accurately toward the target.
The Psalmist compares parents to archers in Psalm 127: “Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.” What a beautiful picture of parents as archers: Hands open. Body relaxed. Pointing your children toward God.
Prepare your children for flight—and then release them.
If you want to find out how your family can enjoy this kind of sheltering, order a complimentary Sonlight catalog today.
With homeschooling, you have the daily opportunity to teach your values and pass on your beliefs to your children. There is, of course, no guarantee that your children will choose to agree with you at the end of the day.
But homeschooling does give you time to demonstrate your faith. As Moses says in Deuteronomy (6:5-7):
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Time is incredibly important in teaching your values and beliefs to the next generation. And I like how Moses puts it, that you talk to your children—that you have a conversation, a discussion.
With homeschooling, your children have the opportunity to ask you questions and bring up tough subjects as they encounter them. Since you’re available, you can help them work through their struggles and doubts, and provide clarity in areas that confuse them (or, perhaps, commiseration—you probably have some questions, too).
When you homeschool with Sonlight, you walk with your children as they learn, providing education, not indoctrination. This principle means that your children are learning and growing, not merely repeating what they think you want to hear.
Sonlight helps you:
You can teach your values and beliefs because homeschooling gives you opportunities to model your values, and address your children's questions.
Education, not indoctrination.
Curious to see what this type of education might look like for your family? Go to SmoothCourse to explore your options.
