Sonlight Homeschooling Blog

May. 6, 2014

Six Things to Try This Summer

By Luke

She's "graduating" from middle school this year. She was in my Sunday School class not that many years ago. I must be getting older because she seems way too young to be in high school. But this school year is wrapping up -- 17 days, she tells me, a day earlier than the non-graduates.

Summer is coming. Colorado's temperamental weather whips back and forth as usual, like a teenager learning to drive a stick shift.

You're busy finishing up school. You'll probably find yourself pulled in even more directions once your kids are on break. If you find your children looking for something to do over the summer, consider having them try one (or more) of the following:

Summer Activities

Coding - more and more opportunities exist in the digital world. Computer games now compete with blockbuster films in entertainment. Websites power the economy. Apps have transformed our phones from long-distance communication tools to digital assistants, cameras, web browsers, and more. So if your child feels bored in the midst of all this technology, perhaps it's time to try programming. You can get a focused homeschool computer programming course for web or apps or games, or you could start smaller with a free introduction like Codecademy. It's easy to get started, and the opportunities are virtually limitless.
Playing - it could be time to pick up an instrument or sport. Sonlight offers some piano resources, but there are many other musical options out there (guitar is popular; I played trumpet). Learn more about the benefits of playing music. Local club teams provide opportunity to try out a new sport. Sports have numerous benefits. Plus, if you find one you like, they are a ton of fun!
Writing - when my wife and I tried NaNoWriMo two years ago, my wife discovered she loves writing. Well, sometimes she hates it because her skill doesn't yet match her vision, but she's developed a lasting interest in writing. Writing is free, can be done anywhere, and is a great way to build communication and storytelling skills. When bored, try writing.
Experiments - do you have Science Activities you never got to during the school year? Did you use something other than Sonlight's hands-on Science programs? Then give the Explorations in Science packs a try.
Movie Making - almost every phone is now a video camera and every computer comes with free editing software. There has never been a better time to learn how to make movies.
Helping - getting a job is nice, but not always practical for an eight year old. Volunteer at a local center or church or agency. The experience will not only look good on a resume, but it also gives students an opportunity to put their skills into practice, develop new abilities, and live out their growing faith in practical ways.

Before you sign up for anything, I highly recommend you review the seven questions to ask when choosing an extra-curricular activity. You certainly don't need one more burden in your life. But summer offers many opportunities for things your family can try this summer.

What is your family looking forward to doing? Do you school year-round? Have a trip planned? Get involved in something else? What do you recommend as a great summer activity for kids?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Guardian

Tagged extracurricular, summer | Leave a comment

May. 5, 2014

Finding the Inspiration that Drives Us

By Luke

Homeschooling built on great stories ignites the imagination. There is no need to fruitlessly wait for inspiration, this is the spark you find. With these ideas burning in your chest, you tend to be more expressive, boundlessly creative, alight with passion for the possible. I think you see it in your kids.

My First Pinewood Derby Car

As a blogger, I find myself grasping for blogable ideas. But I stumble upon these parched wastelands only when I haven't read anything fascinating recently, or had an interesting discussion, or learned a mind-blowing new tidbit about the world. Give me a glimpse of humanity through the retelling of a event and my mind is fertile. It is only when I claw my way through the humdrum of daily subsistence -- buried beneath an avalanche of laundry, a hailstorm of dishes, the doldrums of a dozen other daily tasks -- that the will to push myself flags. Share something amazing and my drive returns.

I was a creative kid. Not every day, mind you, but often. More often than not. Growing up with such role models as diverse as Horton and Mr. Bowditch, Homer Price and Robert Fulton, Praiseworthy and Milo, how could I not want not change the world for the good? And following in the footsteps of Gladys Aylward, Mother Theresa, and Joanne Shetler, it's easy to find motivation.

Homeschoolers are known for their expressiveness and creative play. I think that inspiration comes from the material we encounter in our homeschool curriculum every single day.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Guardian

Tagged books, creativity, inspiration | Leave a comment

May. 2, 2014

Learning While Ill

By Luke

Do you remember going to school while feeling sick? Wasn't that miserable?

Unfortunately, my student woke up coughing this morning. My wife reviewed the school's guidelines. Without a doctor's note, every student is required to show up. Gone are the days when my parents could simply call up and tell them I wasn't coming.

So to school she went.

My wife muttered something about letting the nurse send her home.

Runny Nose

See, in the school system, the only way to learn is by having your rear in your seat during class. "Every student needs to come to every class every day," the Superintendent told us at orientation. "If you're not in class, how are you going to learn?"

It was a rhetorical question then. The absurdity of the assumption clicked into focus as I watched my high schooler shuffle into the building. It is true, for her to learn anything in class she must be in class. But there are a great many more ways for her to learn that do not involved meeting attendance requirements. 'In fact,' I told myself as I adjusted the mirrors back to my specifications, 'she's learning how to drive... with me, outside of a classroom.'

And that's not even the best example.

Some of her teachers are failing to make sense to her. So she finds different instructors to sit down with and learn. Thankfully she has some excellent teachers who are willing to fill in the gaps left by some of their coworkers.

How are you going to learn if you're not in class? By reading, studying, and asking for instruction. Lectures are hardly the only way to master knowledge.

With homeschooling, it's possible to stay in bed while sick. Your child can still pick up books and read, or listen while you read. Learning doesn't have to stop because your student is ill. The classroom mindset forces your student to fit the system. Homeschooling is a system that is built to fit your student.

And that is better.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Guardian

P.S. Fed up with your current schooling method? Thinking of checking out Sonlight? Request a Catalog and learn more about a flexible, literature-rich approach to learning.

Tagged benefits, Homeschooling, illness, learning, options, school | Leave a comment

Apr. 29, 2014

Violent, Imperfect, and Redemptive

By Luke

I think I saw the question on Facebook shared by one of my irreligious friends. "Why do Christians wear torture devices around their necks?"

Why? Because the cross symbolizes Christ's death and resurrection, our freedom from sin and our connection with God. The cross, for Christians, has shed its historical form and come to mean salvation. It's simple, beautiful, and full of depth that does -- even now -- echo of pain and suffering and the brutal effects of sin. The cross is a picture of redemption where God takes what man meant for evil and turns it into good.

Cross

I'm still thinking about Easter. (I'm not the only blogger, which is nice.) And what struck me this year is that the Easter Story is one of the few times we Christians dwell on the violent, imperfect, and redemptive. Too often, I think, we tend to shy away from the violent and imperfect. I know I'd rather ignore the wider world and keep things "safe for the whole family," enjoying my peace and comfort. Christian martyrs dying daily? Rather not think about that. Girls sold into the sex industry? Too horrible to consider! Christians struggling with serious sin? Rather pretend I don't have issues, thank you very much.

Easter breaks through this. Instead, we come up with Easter images and activities that are, well, ...horrifying. When I first saw that post a couple weeks ago, I was struck by a similar feeling my non-Christian friends must experience if they actually notice a cross necklace. It's so other than my cushy American life is used to (which is somewhat ironic given the nature of our television shows and movies).

But we love Easter because it's redemptive. Indeed, without the violence and imperfection, the redemption wouldn't have happened. The cross -- not to mention the betrayal, scheming, sorrow, and loss before and after -- provides hope because that is the culmination of Christ meeting us in our human blood, sweat, and tears. ...and then doing something none of us could in rising from the dead days later!

Like so many other places in Scripture, God meets us where we are and calls us upward. Sonlight often mirrors this approach, including content that rather bothers some people. But for Sonlighters, violence and imperfection do not rock our world. Indeed, through the ups and downs of history, experienced in the incredible books we read together, we see redemption at work.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Guardian

P.S. If you grab your homeschool curriculum before tomorrow night, you can take advantage of our free 9-month financing. If you're excited for the amazing places and people you'll visit next year, order today!

Tagged holidays, Meditation, religion | 1 Comment

Apr. 25, 2014

Reminder: Faith Matches Reality

By Luke

I've known him since he was a lanky, awkward child in middle school. Like me, he's a tad less awkward today. We're sitting near my computer, which I shut off so I'm not distracted while we talk.

"You know I went to church as a kid. It's just that now," he pauses, scrambling for words, "I haven't decided on a set of morals yet. I know I should choose to believe or not, but I haven't. I don't know how I could."

My mind unearths a photo of me dressed as a monk at the Ren Faire. I try to find words to make the connection.

"I don't think faith is something we should choose to believe or not. I am a Christian because I believe it matches reality. I look at the world and I ask, 'Does this make sense with my Christian views?' It does. So my faith isn't based on a choice to believe, like turning off my mind, but on a recognition of truth."

He nods, almost as if what I've just said makes sense.

"Of course," I grin, "I could be wrong."

This undermining of our faith is subtle and ubiquitous. I'm a film guy, and the refrain "have faith" or "just believe" echoes emptily through the porn-drenched Don Jon, the slur-slinging Grand Torino, the ridiculous Bulletproof Monk, and even the colorful and stylistic Peter Pan. These four films gloss over, respectively: the purpose of penance, the basis of Trinitarian doctrine, the reality of gravity, and even the existence of fairies (something not real in our world, but very real in that one). Faith in films is often empty and devoid of thought, or somehow so connected to reality that lack of belief diminishes it's existence. Without regular reminders to the the contrary, it's little wonder my friend starts to believe that faith is something we choose, like the shirt I put on in the morning -- easily replaced by something else had I merely reached for a different one. I'm sure the internet normalizes belief-based faith as well... how many times have I seen someone in an online discussion come back with, "Well, I just choose to believe what I believe"? Too many.

This is one reason why I am so passionate about life-long learning! May we not be those who merely roll with what's popular. Let us do the hard work of building our foundation on what's real. And if we find that something we believe grates against reality, we must accept that we

misunderstand reality
have misapplied our faith
or see a conflict where there isn't one (like the Baffling Balloon Behavior video making the rounds these days)

Water Walking (me on a frozen lake)

My friend still hasn't settled on accepting a particular set of morals. We're still talking about a great many things. But I hope that our continued conversations help both of us to see where faith and reality line up.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Guardian

Tagged faith, knowledge, life, life-long learning, reality, truth | 2 Comments

Apr. 23, 2014

Do You Keep Quitting? Start Smaller

By Luke

Growing up, the really religious kids, who loved Jesus way more than me, did devotions and read their Bibles for, like, at least an hour a day. I'm not one to back down from a challenge; I pushed myself to do the same. And I failed.

Every time.

In less than a week, I'd be so far behind that I would never catch up. So I'd throw in the towel. I quit. This cycle perpetuated itself for years. I'd gain a renewed sense of my need to be in Scripture, realize that I should be able to carve out time for God if I really loved Him, and burn out in no time.

Finally, I gave up on my grandiose designs to be a spiritual guru whom others could aspire to be like. I decided to set a goal so infinitesimally small that even I could attain such heights. I would read my Bible for five minutes a day, just one chapter, and if the chapter was too long, I'd only read part of it. I also wouldn't read on weekends.

It worked. I've been faithfully reading my Bible for well over a decade now. And I'm regularly surprised by how quickly I get through the Word. It's no yearly reading plan, but I've still gone through the Bible several times since starting this routine.

One writing coach recommends writing for just five minutes a day. Yes, it may be an embarrassingly small amount of time, but it's also doable. And simply doing something carries significant benefits.

This is also true of starting homeschooling with preschoolers. I had this picturesque idea of contently reading for hours to my little ones. Then reality hit. We wouldn't even make it through the first picture book before the child grew indifferent and wandered off.

But that was fine. Soon I would be walled in by a growing pile of books as that same child would beg me to read an unending flood of stories. Over Easter, my wife snapped a picture of me reading to my nieces who brought a similar stack of books. Eventually I had to take a break and eat more to refuel.

Story Time with Uncle Luke

Are there things you know you ought to be doing but find yourself quitting? Do you get overwhelmed when you try to start something new? Start small. Take five minutes to tidy, read, write, start a load of laundry, sketch, snap photos, put photos in an album, or whatever. Put another way: Give yourself grace. I am frequently amazed by how much I get done if I cut myself some slack. The journey of a thousand miles I start today? I don't have to finish it right now.

Perhaps your children would benefit from this lesson as well.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Guardian

Tagged Bible, Encouragement, preschool, reading, writing | 5 Comments

Apr. 22, 2014

Adventures

By Karla

Life in general is just unpredictable, isn't it?

A few weeks ago, when I was asked to go to Alaska to represent Sonlight at a series of homeschool conventions, I jumped at the chance. I had never been to Alaska, but I had always wanted to go. What an exciting opportunity! The timing wasn't wonderful (over Easter weekend), but I decided I could deal with that. So I began to make plans and travel arrangements.

And then, things began to go "wrong."

Well, not "wrong" exactly... but certainly not what I had in mind. Arrangements had to be changed and different plans made. When I arrived at the first event last week, I discovered that my display racks hadn't shipped, and I had forgotten an important binder and my supply of pens. Time to regroup... again.

I had looked forward to the beautiful Alaskan scenery... and the skies turned out to be gray. Our timing has been off on some of the experiences we had hoped for... and those elusive Northern Lights just refuse to show themselves.

In many ways, I could consider the trip to be disappointing because it hasn't met my expectations. But I really don't think of it that way. It has been an adventure.

Has it been above and beyond anything I could ever imagine?

No.

But overall, I'm very glad I got to come. It has been rewarding and satisfactory in ways I hadn't thought of.

My experience with homeschooling has been that way, too. Not necessarily the warm-fuzzy, super-organized, highly-academic experience I imagined starting out. We've had highs and lows all along the way, and sometimes, in the daily nitty-gritty it seems like there are more lows than highs. But in general it's the same as my trip to Alaska has been... rewarding and satisfactory in ways I hadn't thought of. And definitely worthwhile.

Enjoying the adventure,
~Karla Cook
Lifelong Learner

Six Things to Try This Summer

Finding the Inspiration that Drives Us

Learning While Ill

Violent, Imperfect, and Redemptive

Reminder: Faith Matches Reality

Do You Keep Quitting? Start Smaller

Adventures

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