Sonlight Homeschooling Blog

Jun. 13, 2014

What Does It Mean to be Educated?

By Luke

I recently wrote that education is more than simply taking classes and passing tests. This is frustratingly clear in things like driving tests. I took my student to try to earn her license yesterday. Unfortunately, the stress of the situation weighed heavily on her and things didn't go super smoothly. Ultimately, she was failed because she didn't realize -- in the moment -- that she could turn left on a green once traffic cleared after the turn signal.

Traffic Light

She passed the written test months ago. She's studied. We've spent hours driving around. But all that education does not make her "road ready." I need to spend more time driving with her before her driver's education is complete.

Definitions

Google the word "educated" and you'll find the definition is "having been educated." (I guess Google doesn't care that you're not supposed to define a word using said word. <sigh>) So I propose this definition: You are educated when you can use or apply your instruction/training in life and accomplish the tasks before you.

My student will have learned how to drive when she can drive safely on her own.

Given my working definition, questions of being "more" or "less" educated prove silly. Am I, a guy who writes blog posts, less educated than a woman who performs surgery? Would she be less educated than an inventor creating the next propulsion mechanism? Who is more educated: A grandmother who has seven grandchildren or a twenty-something who has taken six Master's level courses in Information Systems technology?

I'm not aware of a word to distinguish between one who has taken many classes compared to someone who has learned much through life experience. But the reality is that there is always more to learn, postdoctorate or postpartum. This life-long learning thing is a reality of our finite humanity, not just a nice phrase for educators.

Once you have developed an appetite for learning, you'll never feel "less educated." That's not a phrase you'll even consider because your focus is different: You're not done. You're always growing. I found, a few Father's Days ago, that feeling well-educated hindered me. Far better to be like my dad who -- albeit incredibly informed -- maintains an attitude of humble ignorance, always ready to take input from others.

Sitting in classes does not mean you're being educated. Passing tests says little about how much you have learned. That's not to say that classes and tests don't help (they can!), but it should be an encouraging reminder that education is much more than either. If anything, tests and classes help foster an education, they are not, themselves, an education.

Academics

Academics are important (please read that post). Academic excellence is a huge part of being educated, and it honors God. And this is where my proposed definition of education -- "being able to do what you need to do" -- falls short. A large portion of becoming educated requires us to expand beyond ourselves.

Let's say, for the sake of example, that I wanted to become the next Alton Brown. I have lots of experience with eating food and making quirky, edutaining video vignettes (such as the ever popular Discover & Do and MathTacular DVDS). I could learn how to cook more than macaroni and cheese, hone my film making skills, and eventually become a star of television culinary arts. But would I be "educated"?

In one sense, yes; I'd know quite a bit more about food preparation than I do now. But in a very real sense, no; if all I knew was film and food, I'd be missing out on much of life.

That is why Sonlight offers a more "liberal arts" approach to learning. Trade schools and interest-focused education can be great for equipping for a job or hobby, but a prevailing schooling experience should provide a far broader perspective.

The more you learn, the more you can learn. I've been told that acquiring multiple foreign languages allows you to think better and learn other languages more quickly. But I don't have to speak Latin or Spanish to see this in my own life. When I learn a new English word, suddenly I recognize it everywhere. My increased knowledge enables me to take part in that information rather than letting it circumvent me.
Reality interconnects. Focusing overmuch on one subject disconnects it from the wider world. A liberal arts education allows us to make connections across the broad spectrum of disciplines and human knowledge.
You can discover new interests. The broader our experience, the more opportunities lie before us. If I had never been exposed to woodworking and Legos, I wouldn't have realized that I enjoyed building things. Give your kids many chances to find their passions.
You use everything you learn. It's true.

To be educated, then, means that you can do what you need to do and have a broad foundation upon which you can grow.

Outcomes

A truly great education does more than just set you up for both the present and the future. A well-educated person has been given a hunger to learn more. Thus, a huge part of any education should be the art of learning how to learn. You and I, and your children, will never know everything.

A great education is only the beginning of an education.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Guardian

P.S. Do you want to instill a life-long love of learning into your children? Sonlight's homeschool curriculum is guaranteed to help you love to teach and your children love to learn. And given everything we've just discussed about what it means to be educated, this is the curriculum for you.

P.P.S. Okay, maybe not. Sonlight is not for everyone. If you haven't at least glanced over the 27 Reasons NOT to Buy Sonlight, please do. I want you to love your homeschooling experience more than I want to sell you curriculum. Of course, with our 1-year money-back guarantee, I think you'll quickly see for yourself that Sonlight provides exceptional outcomes.

Tagged education, learning, life-long learning, school, skills | 1 Comment

Jun. 11, 2014

From Luke's Inbox: What About AP Classes?

By Luke

What do you think about the push for dual credit and AP classes? We sometimes feel we are behind since we aren't in that super competitive circle. And yet, I feel our more peaceful approach has not left us any less educated than our stressed and pressed for time peers.

It is nice to get college credit before going to college where credits become expensive. But it's very easy to make that overkill. Far better to love learning and continue to lay a foundation for a life of further education. You are absolutely right: Education is more than simply taking classes and passing tests.

Which Is Right?

Having said that, I do want to give a big nod to Ken Chapman's series Why Skip High School. That was not at all my path, but having seen the careful planning and great results, I think this idea makes a ton of sense if you want to pursue that. I loved and hated my high school years; a community college campus is likely more mature than a bunch of high schoolers (not surprising at all). Opting to dual enroll in homeschooling and a local college may be much better for your student than a local high school experience. Notice that their goal was not to have young college graduates and add stress, but to spare students four wasted years in a cruel and stupid world.

I took a far more traditional route, transitioning from homeschool to high school. I took two AP classes (Economics and Psychology) and a math class that also earned me college credit (dual credit). I needed Psych and Math for my degree, so I was able to skip both at Biola. Economics came over as an elective. This freed up my college schedule a bit so I had more options and flexibility, which was nice. This fit with my schedule and allowed me to enjoy certain topics at more depth, but I never felt pressure to cram in AP credits.

Some of the kids I know today, however, take, like, five AP classes a semester. They are stressed to the max and do not enjoy their studies. Plus, despite all this effort, they've had to take many classes all over again in college. More beneficial would be to slow down and really learn the content, such that you could take a random Psychology test at a University for fun and do just fine (that's a testament to how great my high school Psych class was).

If an AP or college credit course looks appealing to your student, go for it. If skipping four years of bland social interaction seems like a much better use of your student's time, do it. And if taking these four years to learn and grow at a peaceful pace would be more beneficial, do that.

We definitely do not need more pressure on our kids. Take opportunities that make sense, and be free from any guilt for those things that don't fit.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Guardian

P.S. On Friday, I plan to dig a little deeper into the idea of what it means to be educated. I think it is important to flesh out why a more peaceful approach to learning may not leave you "less educated" than those taking tons of classes.

Tagged AP, college, credits, high school, Time Management | 4 Comments

Jun. 10, 2014

5 Traits of a Supportive Homeschool Dad

By Robert

Father's Day is coming up--you got the greeting cards, right?--and this got me thinking about my role as a father in relation to homeschooling. It didn't start out so well.

When my wife first suggested that we homeschool our children, I was reluctant to pursue the option. Among other things, I had (unfounded) concerns about a common objection to home education--"What about socialization?" But as we began the process and stuck with it, I realized the immense value of home education. I've also realized the importance of being a supportive homeschool father.

So what are some key traits of a supportive homeschool dad? Here are five:

1. Don't expect your wife to do it all. Like anyone, homeschool moms have limited amounts of time, energy, and ability. Offer to help where you can. You don't have to know everything about the curriculum you are using to help, either. You can offer to read a book to the kids, do some tasks around the house that your wife usually handles, or take the kids out and let your wife have some quiet time.

2. Spend meaningful time with your children. I know, you've worked hard all day and you come home and just want to rest--have dinner, plop yourself on the couch and watch a movie, or play with that latest tablet app that everyone is obsessed about. But don't neglect to spend time with your children. They need you and you need them. Even if you're tired, take time to meaningfully interact with your kids. Do something with them. Play outside, grab a board game, or do something that they have an interest in. This will also give your wife a break.

3. Enjoy the little things. Ok, I took this one from the movie Zombieland, but it applies to the homeschooling dad, too. Take your wife out for coffee, go with her on a shopping trip, or get her that book on her wish list that she's wanted for a while. There are lots of little things you can do that will offer encouragement and support.

4. Take time to listen. Learning to listen well is difficult, especially for men who are more interested in determining what the "problem" is so they can fix it. Turn your phone off (or other distracting devices) and genuinely take the time to really listen. If your wife has had a rough day, home with the kids for hours and hours, she might just want you to listen to her attentively without interruption.

5. Avoid always trying to "fix" things. I don't mean this in reference to fixing a broken screen door or that leaky faucet (by all means, go fix them), but in relation to problems or challenges that come up in the ordinary course of home education. Sometimes difficulties that arise don't have a quick or easy fix. As fathers we can't just squirt some WD-40 on our kids and be done with it. But we can listen, interact with our spouse, and try to work things out together.

Are there times when I don't do these things? Unfortunately, yes, but it helps to keep them in mind.

What are some things your husband does that encourage you in relation to homeschooling?

Robert Velarde
Author/Educator/Philosopher

Tagged education, family, Father's Day, Homeschooling, parenting | 1 Comment

Jun. 9, 2014

When to Stay Within the Lines

By Luke

My wife has been helping a family at church by watching their not-yet-two-year-old. She's a cute kid with a giant impish grin and a vocabulary that's growing beyond "car" and "motorcycle" (her dad's a mechanic and loves cars, so she does too). Last Thursday, after getting home from work, she's outside with my wife drawing on the driveway with chalk. Suddenly I'm the person to color with and she asks me draw a heart.

I do.

She colors it the way toddlers without fine motor control do: Three lines that radiate from the center and spill out into the wider world. And, like all youngsters, she loses all interest for a moment to go wander over to the car before returning, chalk smudges decorating her shirt and next to her nose where it itched.

Coloring in the Heart

In art and creativity, I see no reason to stay within the lines (unless, like me, you prefer that). But boundaries are important, even -- especially? -- for a 2-year-old. I talk about looking both ways before crossing the street and remind her that she needs to eat her snack at the table.

Many lines are dangerous to cross. I regularly remind the student I'm teaching to drive to "stay in your lane." She doesn't like it when I yell at her to slow down around turns; frankly, I don't like when I feel the need either. I'm still trying to figure out how to get her to recognize that the brakes are her friend.

Moral lines are even harder to help people recognize. At Movie Night on Saturday one of "my kids" told me about her out of state boyfriend's visit. I guess they had decided, in his hotel room, that they would move in together when he moved out our way. "We've been together for a year. I think that's a reasonable amount of time. You know," she told me, with all the wisdom of someone not yet 19, "some people really love each other but then discover they simply can't stand living together." This is a girl who goes to church.

How did we get here? When did morality become like lines of chalk to color in instead of guidelines to keep you safe?

I don't know. I'm not sure how this generation drifted into this view of reality. But it's dangerous, like not bothering to check for cars before stepping into the road. I very much appreciate Kate's reminder:

Even as [our children] get older, we have to remember that it's our job to set their boundaries. We can give them some leeway but if they can't handle that much responsibility, it's time to rein them in. At the end of the day, we are in charge.

Boundaries. That word continues to be the very thing that seems to define this next generation by their lack of them.

A video linked from the BibleMesh blog reminded me that moral decline happens when people no longer voluntarily follow the law. I blogged about Vishal Mangalwadi's observations on this in my post on our growing culture of theft. (My mom gave a great overview of Mangalwadi's thesis of our culture's Christian roots.) I don't like doom and gloom projections or fear mongering of the faithful. But I do want to encourage you as you raise up the next generation: Teach them to stay within the lines, why it's important, and how to tell the difference between preference and responsibility, chalk and street lanes.

If that needs to start with a simple reminder that naps are important, so be it. As homeschoolers, we have the opportunity to demonstrate these realities and offer grace day in and day out. Take advantage of that blessing!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Guardian

Tagged boundaries, rest, teaching | Leave a comment

Jun. 4, 2014

Privacy Problems with Public Testing

By Luke

Historically, we do not like it when people mandate things for us without our of feedback. "Taxation without representation" rallied us to break into our own nation. And every now and again I read about something in schools that makes me wonder how close to revolt teachers are. I know many are not happy with the directives coming down from the powers that be.

For example, who thought weighing kids and tracking their BMI was a good idea? I mean, being healthy is good, but would a letter home help ... especially if teachers are required to parent as well? I don't see this benefiting anyone. By making this information public -- in the form of a stickered envelope -- policymakers draw needless attention to kids dealing with a sensitive subject.

And this amassing and publication of personal information is yet another reason to distrust the push for ever more testing. It's something I had not considered (and I hope it does not become a reality), but Brian Polet brought privacy concerns to light in his resignation letter:

More disturbing to me is the inability to guarantee the data privacy of our students. [C]orporate vultures, marketers, and political interest groups [could use a child's data] in a malevolent way. Equally troubling is the ability for educational personnel to manipulate tests and assessments to move any student into certain fields or vocations and to modify behavior without consent or knowledge of the parent.

It is not clear to me how this relates specifically to the Common Core, but the wider issue of public testing is that the data is now available. Those who can gain access are able to use that information to dictate opportunities for students. And seeing how powerful data manipulation can be -- such as the guy who "hacked" OkCupid to get way more dates than anyone else -- coupled with the impact of telling a teacher a student is gifted and the opposite impact of telling a child the same, there are so many opportunities for this information to be misapplied ... even with perfectly pure motives.

Scores Do Not Determine Personal Outcome

I know there are teachers who work to teach individuals, not classes. I know there are educators who care much more about learning than test results. But the machine is powerful and locking itself in. How much more will be imposed on teachers by those not in the classroom?

Sobering thoughts as we look toward the future. As people deeply interested in education -- not just for our own children -- please pray for those making decisions that they would have wisdom and discernment with how they collect information, apply test results, and direct the future of public academia.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Guardian

P.S. From the sounds of it, as I look through my recent Other Posts of Note, the Common Core is helping in some districts. If your local schools need improvement, raising the bar may actually move things forward. But I would like to remind you that your Sonlight legacy proves your success and there is no reason to tweak Sonlight try to to match the Common Core.

Tagged Testing | Leave a comment

Jun. 2, 2014

On Controversies and Learning

By Luke

I have friends and family who range from self-proclaimed anarchists to political activists working on healthcare reform. Like all Sonlighters, I have a strong desire to learn both sides of an argument. Too often, however, discussion becomes something else entirely. At that point, learning becomes less possible. I find John Newton's observations about controversy prove true:

Controversies ... provoke those whom they should convince, and puff up those whom they should edify. I hope your performance will savor of a spirit of true humility, and be a means of promoting it in others.

A friend of a friend was over. He, after "relaxing" by smoking some weed, wanted to talk politics. Knowing he pushed hard left, I decided to lean a little further right than normal. I like testing how much -- or little -- I know when I get to talk to someone who knows much more than me.

"What are taxes?" he asked, using it, I'm sure, as a barometer of how informed I was.

Not much informed, I offered, "The act of forcibly taking property from citizens."

He looked at me like I was an idiot and then proceeded to say something much to that effect.

"How would you define taxes, then?" I asked, very interested in his position. Not feeling any need to hold to my hastily constructed definition, I really wanted to uncover a nuance to public policy I had not yet encountered.

He hemmed and hawed. I pushed. He pirouetted a few more times, slinging belittling comments in my direction.

"You can keep insulting me if you like, or we can actually talk about the ideas," I finally said in frustration.

Still unwilling to be succinct, I finally got the impression he felt taxes were some kind of group contribution effort toward the "common good." Whatever that meant. He also tried to use Rome as an example of a good historical basis of taxation, which was ironic to me with the absurdly high rate of slavery and the fact that citizens of Rome were exempt from (all/many/some?) taxes. He told me I must be horribly misinformed. I checked Wikipedia after he left, just to make sure my Biblical knowledge was corroborated by at least one internet source (which cites a Catholic site).

With this experience still rather fresh in my mind, I immediately clicked a link a coworker sent me titled The best way to win an argument. The short version: Ask people to explain what they mean and how their position works in detail. I've encountered this in the past, such as the time I asked someone a simple question about evolution that completely changed the tone of the conversation. I feel that my conversation on taxes fits well with the observation that

it only takes the first moments when you start to rehearse what you'll say to explain a topic, or worse, the first student question, for you to realize that you don't truly understand it. All over the world, teachers say to each other "I didn't really understand this until I had to teach it."

This is why I love conversations -- even with people who disagree with me. First, and foremost, I get a chance to test my own knowledge and refine my understanding. Second, I get to challenge someone else to defend their position (as I challenge myself). Third, my hope is that this exercise helps us both understand the world a little better.

That's what you do every day you teach your children or answer a question. You get to learn right along side your children. And by teaching, you're likely learning this material better than you did the first time around. The more your children ask, "Why?" ... the more you'll discover how much more you have the opportunity to learn yourself.

Ok ... but why?

And as you tackle multiple views on various topics -- with the help of your Instructor's Guide -- I believe you will discover that you can better explain the hows and whys of your position. This can be very edifying personally, even if you never have to try to convince someone else to see things your way.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Guardian

Tagged discussion, education, learning | 3 Comments

May. 28, 2014

The History of Literature

By Luke

...in one graphic

Grant Snider has summed up Conflict in Literature in a delightful comic:

Hat Tip
Lisa

Three of my favorite books presented themselves, one for each era:

Classical - Till We Have Faces (Man vs God)
Modern - The Gammage Cup (Man vs Society)
Postmodern - A Barrel of Laughs, A Vale of Tears (Man vs Author)

The more I contemplate this breakdown of human thought and experience, the more insightful the simplicity becomes. We can see history itself unfolding.

When we live alone with our families on our farms, we face the encroachment of nature back into a our clearings. When we band together into groups, we must address the tensions created by different perspectives, expectations, and expressions. And today, isolated in our techno-bubbles, we experience a loss of control as we trade it for convenience.

Similarly, the shift upward in Maslow's Hierarchy as we create comfortable lives for ourselves leads us away from conflicts with individuals, through self-doubt, to broader questions of truth (what is murder? what is marriage?).

The third section is very intriguing to me. We've exchanged one all-powerful Entity for another, swapping God for our creative selves after giving up the empty exploration of a world without purpose (The Sun Also Rises, I'm looking at you). I very much enjoy the playfulness of authors and characters interacting, and I wonder if that will lead us to new ways of understanding how God connects with us today.

We can learn a lot from literature (we have an entire homeschool curriculum built around that very idea). I was pleasantly encouraged to see the wheel of history turning behind the broader themes we humans wrestle with in our stories.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Guardian

Tagged history, literature, musings | 2 Comments

What Does It Mean to be Educated?

Definitions

Academics

Outcomes

From Luke's Inbox: What About AP Classes?

5 Traits of a Supportive Homeschool Dad

When to Stay Within the Lines

Privacy Problems with Public Testing

On Controversies and Learning

The History of Literature

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