Sonlight Homeschooling Blog

Jul. 22, 2011

Fear: A Challenge to Learning

By Luke

I enjoy books which make a case for "everything you've been told is wrong." That's probably a big part of why I like Gladwell and Dr. Sax, as well as things like the evolution/Creation dispute. I also enjoy hearing about what other people believe about stuff. The idea is that exposure to the other side will help me get a better picture of truth. But, to be honest, sometimes it's scary. We get The Week, and seeing both sides of a current argument can be pretty disquieting. It's much easier to pick a side and parrot the catch phrases of "the party line."

Allow me to start over: I enjoy books which make a case that "everything you've been told is wrong" about something I'm not particularly fond of. The possibility that an idea I've accepted my whole life is wrong often terrifies me. "What if this person presents proof I'm wrong about ______?"

When such fear grips me, I don't want to learn. I don't want to know. 'Ignorance is bliss,' my mind reminds me.

But no. Truth is powerful. Truth is beautiful, even if messy. Ignoring information--while easier--isn't a better place to be. It may be where you need to be today. But don't let fear stop you from learning. Other priorities? Absolutely. Don't have time for this right now? Not a problem. But fear? Please, don't let that stop you.

I bumped into a couple really good (and challenging) Other Posts of Note today. If you have time, I'd encourage you to take a look-see.

But, again, if you have other priorities, please, don't feel pressure! I'm talking about fear in this post, not responsibilities and the constraints of time.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Tagged education, priorities | Leave a comment

Jul. 20, 2011

Placement Tests

By Luke

Tests can be very useful. You could find things to tweak in your homeschool. Or, with a good placement test, you could find which Math program would the best fit for your child. If you're not sure what your student's reading level is, check out the Quick Reading Assessment.

I'm currently working to make the Reading Assessment easier to use. While I'm fiddling with it, check out the placement tests available to you.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. Want to learn more about standardized tests and homeschooling? Watch the To Test or Not to Test? webinar.

Tagged math, reading, Testing | 2 Comments

Jul. 18, 2011

A Social Drawback to Being Well-Educated

By Luke

In 9th grade my dad asked a question of the teacher. The children behind him giggled while my dad laid out his query. After getting his answer, my dad asked his friend, "Why were they giggling?"

"They didn't understand a word you were saying."

My dad realized he wanted to communicate with everyone. From that day on, he tried to speak in a way that everyone around him could understand.

Ike, my friend of Discover & Do Level K fame, hangs out with Jr. Highers and says "dude" all the time. He's also one of the smartest guys I know. But he doesn't let on. Why? Because he wants to connect with people more than he wants to prove he's an intellectual.

Because homeschooling is such a fantastic way to learn, it's possible to become "smart" without realizing it. Sadly, your student's knowledge may elicit giggles from the other children--which does little more than demonstrate their poor socialization and the pressure to not be a nerd. In response to the giggles, I know I've purposely obfuscated my statements to separate myself from the masses mocking me.

The better response is to learn how to communicate with those who are less familiar with the topic at hand. This isn't about "stooping" to someone's level, but rather enabling him or her to climb up to yours. Great teachers can make the complex make sense.

May we all learn to communicate clearly with those around us, especially when we have the opportunity to learn far more than our peers about a particular topic.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Tagged education | 6 Comments

Jul. 15, 2011

Trying to Find the Best Curriculum for Your Family?

By Luke

The homeschool community is packed with a wide range of curricula. With Sonlight, you have many Core options, Math programs and various Electives to chooser from. Add to this your budget constraints, your students' individual needs as well as a limited amount of time in your day. Mix it all together, and you may have a question or two.

If you have questions about Sonlight before you're ready to try it out, we've got answers. If you'd like a little more insight into a particular Math course before you can make up your mind, we can help. Want someone to go over your selection of homeschool materials with you before you purchase? Looking for the best way to teach your students together with Sonlight? Wish there was an experienced homeschool mom who was around to help you figure all this stuff out? No problem.

Sonlight Homeschool Advisors are here for you. An Advisor can help you make sure you have the best curriculum selections for your family. And remember, you are covered by Sonlight's unmatched, one-year Love to Learn Guarantee.

You can also find excellent insights from the Sonlight Forum community by posting on the Choosing Sonlight Forum. Which, by the by, I want to give a shout out to the wonderful people of the Sonlight community who answer questions on the Forums and Facebook. Thank you so much for sharing your insights with your fellow homeschoolers.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Tagged curriculum, help, questions | Leave a comment

Jul. 14, 2011

Are homeschooled students really all that different?

By Judy

I've been watching a fascinating conversation unfold on the Sonlight Forums regarding whether or not kids who are homeschooled are really all that "different" than their public or private-schooled peers. It's certainly a legitimate question to ask ... none of us wants our kids to be "oddly" different or socially inept, or to stand out in a crowd in a negative way.

This homeschool mom shared that in a conversation with someone she knew, the statement was made that a relative had noted that they could easily "spot homeschooled kids in a crowd" because they stood out in a less than positive fashion. The rest of the thread explores the validity of that statement and whether or not it is something that should concern us as homeschoolers.

I must admit, I have sometimes worried about the big *S* (socialization) as every good homeschooler does! I often come to the conclusion that social awkwardness is not unique to homeschool students ... nor is it unique just to school-aged individuals. I know plenty of public schooled adults who struggle in social settings ... including myself at times!

Do we want our children to be "different"? Perhaps we do in some ways. If my students are more gracious, more giving, or more mature than their peers (homeschooled or otherwise), then that difference is a positive thing! If my children struggle with social settings and would rather spend time alone, then maybe I should reassure myself that there is room in this world for the quiet thinkers and allow them to be who they are. Perhaps we need to carefully consider our definition of "socially acceptable" and determine if it needs changing.

In the end, I recall the verse that speaks to the folly of comparing ourselves with one another, and using ourselves as the standard of measurement. God has created each of us for a unique purpose ... some to be a hand, some to be an arm, some to be the big toe. My prayer is that my kids will be the best hand, arm or big toe God has designed them to be!

Still on the journey,
~Judy
Sonlight Customer Champion

Tagged character, socialization | 3 Comments

Jul. 12, 2011

What is true education?

By Robert

Christian thinker Francis Schaeffer wrote, "In our modern forms of specialized education there is a tendency to lose the whole in the parts, and in this sense we can say that our generation produces few truly educated people. True education means thinking by associating across the various disciplines, and not just being highly qualified in one field, as a technician might be" (The God Who is There, IVP 30th anniversary edition, p. 32).

The late American philosopher Mortimer Adler shared Schaeffer's concerns and referred to "the barbarism of specialization." Adler pointed out that the great books of the Western world were all written by generalists, not by specialists (The Great Conversation, p. 35).

But what did Adler and Schaeffer mean? After all, specialization is helpful to some extent. No one wants to have brain surgery performed by a physician who is not a specialist! Schaeffer and Adler didn't dispute this. Instead, they were concerned with the overall lack of knowledge in areas of great importance. What are these areas? Some include science, literature, philosophy, the fine arts, history, and religion.

At Sonlight we seek to provide well-rounded curricula, sometimes concentrating on areas of specialization, but often looking at educational topics broadly and across disciplines so we don't "lose the whole in the parts." We also want children to think across disciplines, not just viewing certain subjects in isolation.

To more fully integrate the Christian worldview into every area of our lives, we need a better understanding of the significant areas and intellectual contributions of many subject areas.

Do you agree with Schaeffer's definition of "true education"? If not, how would you define it? What steps are you taking to help your children strive to become truly educated? Let us know!

Robert Velarde
Product Development
Sonlight Curriculum

Tagged education, Francis Schaeffer, Mortimer Adler | 2 Comments

Jul. 11, 2011

Odd Pastimes

By Luke

My mother-in-law placed a domino on the table and gleefully announced, "Chickie four!" It was our third round of Chicken Foot. I was doing well, but ultimately didn't win.

Dominoes

As we shuffled the plastic tiles again, I started thinking about pastimes. We are blessed people indeed to have time enough to wonder about how we spend our free time. Dominoes is a game of matching the number/color of dots. Games involving cards, dice or spinning wheels have similar mechanics. These are great for teaching early math and such, but why are we adults so often involved in playing them?

Puzzles--another pastime currently in the works at my house--puzzle me. Last night I ask my wife, "Who was the first person to say, 'I'm going to take a perfectly good piece of art, cut it into tiny pieces and then put it back together again. What fun!'?" Don't get me wrong, I'll spend hours on a puzzle if you get me started. But isn't that a bit odd?

Other forms of entertainment make much more sense to me. Books, movies, video games can all transport you to other worlds where you experience adventure, friendship, loss and victory. But even here there are arguably only a handful of story lines, and the mechanics of computer games are virtual dice thrown behind the scenes.

What is it that drives these diversions? Is it the discovery of how this particular hand of cards will play out for me? Is it the joy of experiencing yet another adventure, however closely it matches one we've already been on? Is it seeing just how clever we can be at fitting pieces together? Or is it simply the joy of spending time with friends and family?

This is to say nothing of the creative pastimes of writing and recording and performing, or of gardening, sports and art; the expressive, less-passive pastimes, if you will.

So, what about you? Do you enjoy "killing time" around a board game or with a deck of cards? Do you prefer the more creative games of finding words within a jumble of letters or acting out a well-known phrase? Would you rather curl up with a fantastic book and be swept away to another time or place? What's the oddest pastime you enjoy?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Tagged summer | 5 Comments

Fear: A Challenge to Learning

Placement Tests

A Social Drawback to Being Well-Educated

Trying to Find the Best Curriculum for Your Family?

Are homeschooled students really all that different?

What is true education?

Odd Pastimes

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