Sonlight Homeschooling Blog

May. 26, 2009

How do I plan for high school?!

By Judy

Homeschooling elementary age children is a huge decision. Many of us couldn't imagine teaching someone to read when we started out. But homeschool a high schooler?! No way I'm up to that task!!

When I talk with folks about homeschooling a teenager, two concerns seem to rise to the surface. The first is a perceived inability to teach such hefty subjects as Chemistry and Geometry. The second is a fear of planning and keeping records that will satisfy a future college.

While the first may be "easily" satisfied with all the on-line and computer-based science and math products available, the second seems to be more intimidating. I'd like to offer a couple of thoughts that might make it less so.

For any high school course of study, it is very helpful to create a syllabus. This is as simple as establishing your expectations for your student. Here are a couple of examples ...

AMERICAN HISTORY (Junior Year)

Read daily assignments from Core text
Maintain a Word document of answers to all questions based on reading assignments
Complete one research paper on an individual of your choosing from your American History studies (Length = 2-5 pages dbl spaced, complete bibliography with no fewer than three sources)

Satisfactory completion of these requirements will result in a passing grade.

AMERICAN LITERATURE (Junior Year)

Choose 10 titles from the provided book list
Complete the associated writing assignment for each literature piece

Satisfactory completion of these requirements will result in a passing grade.

Much like a college course, a syllabus provides a clear understanding between instructor and student as to what is needed to receive a passing grade. Creating a written copy of a syllabus for each course for your student's high school folder/portfolio presents a clear picture of your child's education. It also becomes easy source material for creating your high school transcript.

My final thought is simply this ... yes, *you* are qualified to create the syllabus for each high school course your student undertakes. You are the teacher ... you know your student's abilities ... and you are best able to set reasonable goals for your child's education. A syllabus goes a long way toward removing any subjectivity in the high school record keeping process. If your student completes the expectations outlined in the syllabus to *your* satisfaction, then a 4.0 or A or A+ is automatically entered on their transcript.

Trust your instincts ... just as you were the best one to teach your child to read, you are also the best one to guide that child through the high school process!

~Judy

Tagged high school, syllabus, transcript | Leave a comment

May. 26, 2009

RSS and Firefox

By Luke

...in plain English.

So, Friday I posted about how Internet Explorer has been giving Blogger some issues. And I've long be aware of the header image issue of this blog in IE (and I have not had time to try to figure out how to fix that yet).

If you'd rather not experience these issues, I suggested you get Firefox and start reading my blog via RSS. One of my friends asked that I explain these newfangled contraptions, and so I shall.

Firefox is a free web browser--much like Internet Explorer--only much, much nicer. Firefox works great, but it also lets you use AddOns like Adblock Plus--which makes it so you never have to see web banner ads ever again--and NoScript--which automatically turns off scripts from sites so you are more secure (don't worry, it's really easy to turn them back on for sites like YouTube when you want to watch a video).

In other words: Firefox replaces IE when you want to go somewhere on the web. If you need further proof, just watch this video. And then, go download Firefox. Or Google's Chrome, which is another option I really like.

RSS is a way of getting information, much like email subscriptions. The good part about RSS? You control it. You don't have to wait for someone else to subscribe or unsubscribe you.

Normally, while browsing the web and reading blogs, you have to open each page one by one. Maybe you have a Blog Bookmark folder that's filling up. Maybe you just remember your favorite URLs (like, sonlight.com/blog/). RSS readers let you go to one place and then it brings you all the new content from your favorite sites. It's much faster because it's only loading the content and not each page.

I use Google Reader because I log into my Google Account first thing every day. But my wife uses an RSS reader built into Firefox. So find one that works for you.

Basically, you go to a site you like and then either click on a subscribe button, or copy the URL (like http://feeds.sonlight.com) and paste it into the "Add New Subscription" box in your RSS reader. You will now get all the new content in your RSS reader. From there you can click on the post title you want to comment on and it will take you to the site. You can also unsubscribe really easily.

As a blogger who reads the posts of hundreds of blogs every day, I couldn't do my job without my RSS reader, and Firefox makes it much, much nicer. If you haven't tried it yet, please do. And if you have any questions, feel free to ask!

I want your experience visiting blogs--especially this one--to be enjoyable. And if you need to get start using all these new gadgets to have a better experience, I'm all for it!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

P.S. I'll be back Thursday and then off again on Friday. So see you in a couple of days.

11 Comments

May. 22, 2009

Gifts: Brown Paper Bag Edition

By Luke

A few days ago, I came up my walk and discovered a large paper bag on my stoop with my name on it. It wasn't on fire, which is a good sign, and I figured it was a present from one of my neighbors.

The night before, at 3:45am, I was alerted to the fact that some boys where moving trashcans around. Namely, my trashcans. They were bored, and so in an act of hoodlumary and teenage rebellion, they decided to take my trashcans and put them on someone else's drive. So I, dressed in nothing more than yellow shorts, went outside to confront them. My reasoning was that, as the many cultures who went to war naked discovered: it's much scarier to be confronted with a madman in the buff.

They moved my trashcan back.

And the next day I had a bag with a note of apology and a six-pack by my front door. A kind and thoughtful gesture, though I can't stand the taste of alcohol, so cream soda would have been more fun for me.

Gifts

Also in the photo above is a gift we got from some of the kids we teach for Sunday School--since we're going on Summer Break. It is a paint can filled with s'more supplies and a very cute poem. My dad asked me to blog about it because we all need a little encouragement and some ideas of how we can bless those who serve us. And he's right. I'm terrible about giving thank you gifts, but they sure are great to receive.

And one last gift, this from the code demons of the blogoverse:

Blog Fail

It only happens in IE. It goes away if you clear your cache. It comes back if you refresh my blog.

Thank you to all my readers using Firefox, RSS, or some other tool that continues to display my blog content day after day. I will be working on this issue more next week.

Speaking of next week: I have to take some time off, so I won't be around as much next week. Sorry, friends.

Have a great Memorial Day!

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

16 Comments

May. 21, 2009

I'm a Superhero, a Hunter, a Human

By Luke

Mary Grace got me thinking: I like having my superhero cape askew.

My Cape

I like getting excited about things like business cards. I'm okay with the fact that a small piece of paper with a little ink makes me feel more legitimate. And I enjoy sharing these small moments of my life with you.

On the other hand, I'm an introvert by nature in the sense that I feel drained when I'm around tons of people, I don't mingle well at parties, and I keep my conversations one-on-one. But I don't mind public speaking and I like having people over to my house for a relaxed get-together. And that's part of this online community that I'm sad we don't do more of: Hang out IRL instead of on our various URLs.

So, until I can practice the ancient custom of hospitality and have you over, we have to settle for this online friendship. And so, I'd like you meet someone:

Ektharian

He's my "Main"--my original, main character--in World of Warcraft. WoW is another place where I find community, friends, and people with whom I can interact. I've met a student living in Iraq, a 14-year old struggling with her worth, and several Christians who have been incredibly encouraging. And there's something about running around as a Night Elf Hunter that lets other people open up to you. You can, in some sense, be more transparent and open with people when you're not face to face.

You can also lie, so that's the other side of this.

May you--the real, human, soul, you--find the support you need both in the real world and here. And if I can ever be of assistance, please let me know.

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

11 Comments

May. 21, 2009

Helpful conversations and true community

By Sarita

While homeschooling, I've found, is a wonderful experience for most families, it is sometimes quite overwhelming. Good things rarely are all peaches and cream!

As a result, I believe, finding like-minded, encouraging community is key for success and perseverance in homeschooling. Since God made us for relationship (even Adam needed Eve), a homeschool community can truly help you stay this important course.

Problem is, it can be tough to find other moms who homeschool. And that can lead to feelings of loneliness. (In my neighborhood, no one else homeschooled.) That's one of the reasons I feel the Sonlight Forums are such an important service to our customers. The Sonlight Forums give you the opportunity to interface with like-minded people who have almost assuredly "been there and done that" ... or are dying to hear from you how you are "being there and doing that."

Strange but true: I find I'm always glad to meet fellow Sonlighters. They tend to be "my kind of people"--open minded, love the Lord, have read a lot of the same books, like their children, love to learn, etc.--And so the forums offer an opportunity to meet lots of those kinds of people.

They also provide the "stretch" of engaging different ideas and opinions where minds are not-so-alike. You can find support in times of need (someone is always willing to pray), answers to questions you might not dare ask elsewhere (from deep theological concerns to practical "womanly" issues), to help in teaching your children in the most effective ways possible.

Getting a filling replaced and finding friends I can't replace
Besides homeschool advice, I find I also appreciate the easy access the forums give me to wisdom and experience in a wide range of areas. Just one example: Last week, after a routine dentist appointment, my dentist recommended I replace an old silver filling that was beginning to fail. I first went to the web to seek out information, but quickly became overwhelmed with the huge amount of information, most of which was uninteresting to me. I remembered a discussion on our forums that discussed fillings, so I went to the Sonlight Forums, and did a few searches--on fillings, silver fillings, and eventually, silver amalgam fillings. I found several threads that quickly and easily helped me find the information I wanted. Thank goodness!

Child behavior
I also double check the Sonlight Forums for tips on various children's behaviors. Sonlight parents discuss a multitude of topics, and I can always find someone with words of wisdom to share within our community. The advice is pertinent, helpful, and occasionally out-of-the-box ... a fresh perspective from moms who have walked this way before.

Sonlight Moments
My favorite forum is Unforgettable Sonlight Moments. The posts there often cause me to tear up, as they remind me that homeschooling is a precious privilege and offers many rewards. Every week, one of our employees reads one of the posts to the team at Sonlight to remind us (the people who work at the office) of the terrific people we have the opportunity to serve.

Prayer connections
At Sonlight, we begin each day with a prayer time open to all who wish to participate. One of our employees collects a list of prayer requests that our forum moderators notice and creates a list of prayer needs. She prints the list and passes it to the rooms where small clusters of us meet to pray. We cut the list into chunks and various employees pray over these specific needs by name, one at a time.

We count it a joy to partner with you in this way. The forums allow us to get the most recent updates and information to know how to pray. We also daily pray a general blessing over the homeschooling families we serve.

Community: A key ingredient to staying the course!
If you're feeling like you are making this journey alone, may I encourage you that a host of fellow homeschoolers are eager to meet you!

May you enjoy true community and find helpful advice whenever you need it. Visit the Sonlight Forums soon!
Sarita

P.S. I invite you to comment on the Beam forum and share what the Sonlight Forums mean to you. As always, you can email me at president@sonlight.com.

"Where Could He Be?"

By Luke

Luke Skywalker was, of course, referring to C-3PO. But I have commandeered the quote in reference to myself. Because this is my blog, so I can do that kind of thing. Watch me.

For the two of you who may have noticed that I didn't blog yesterday--and the one who took it a step further and actually wondered, 'Why hasn't Luke posted anything today?'--here is the answer: I'm sick.

I left work at 1:30 yesterday and went right to bed. I didn't get up until 8 this morning; I had a meeting at Sonlight I needed to attend, so I had to get up. I'm still not feeling great, so your prayers are welcome.

I even had a plan for what I was going to write about yesterday, but I didn't get around to it because I was trying to get better by sleeping. And it's hard to write blog posts that others can read while you're asleep.

I was going to comment on a video about charitable giving. Sonlight is very aware of the fact that 99% of church giving stays in the US, and only a very small part of what goes overseas is used to reach unreached peoples. Most of it goes to the "sexy" things like relief work. That's why my parents have made a conscious effort to give to bring the good news of Christ to people who have never had the opportunity to hear it before.

What bothers me about this video--and other things like it--is that I find the comparisons unfair. Sure, it may cost a lot less to feed Sudanese children than American children, but that's because the cost of living is so high here. It really costs a ton to live in the US. And, yes, if I drove an SUV, had a gym membership, and owned a time-share, this video may speak to me more. But I don't.

On the other hand, I do give to my local church, support missions efforts, and am thrilled to participate in Sonlight's giving opportunities like the Rice Bag Project--the one coming up this year is even more exciting... in my opinion.

Yes, true religion is looking after widows and orphans. But the more I hear about the nations who refuse money and are doing better because of it, I have to wonder if just giving money is the answer. As I mentioned above: It's "sexier" and easier to feel good about, but is it really helping? Is it really looking after widows and orphans to pour money into those countries?

My guess is that it's much more of a "teach a man to fish" kind of thing.

Thoughts?

~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Expectant Father

Homeschool Mom Guilt

By Judy

So you want to homeschool your children? OK ... first let's see if you "qualify". Please check all that apply from the following list:

You use cloth diapers only
You grow all your vegetables (and then can or freeze them for the winter)
You bake all your bread (after you've hand-ground the wheat)
You sew all your clothes and your husband's and children's too
You bake cookies only from scratch, with some of that hand-ground wheat and honey from the bees you keep out back
You feed your children only whole milk, straight from the Guernsey you keep out back
You play the piano beautifully, sing like an angel, and whistle while you work, in the garden out back
You knit beautiful blankets from the wool you spin from the sheep you raise out back

I suspect you know where I'm going with this! A friend recently shared a blog post she read over on WorldMag.com and it got me to thinking about this topic. I suspect that WorldMag article does carry some truth to it. We moms can indeed be cruel to one another. But I wonder where that judgmental attitude really comes from? Maybe because we're not terribly confident in our own choices?

I find myself often guilty of the same behavior ... comparing myself to others and finding myself coming up short. Or I compare myself to my own self-imposed expectations, and once again come up short. Sort of like those Corinthians that Paul had to remind ...

2Cr 10:12	We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.
2Cr 10:13	We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field God has assigned to us, a field that reaches even to you.

One of the great lessons that God continues to teach me in both my parenting and my homeschooling is that He and He alone sets the standards for my life. I can certainly admire the efforts and accomplishments of others, but ultimately the only plan that matters for my life is the one my Father has assigned.

So what does this mean on a daily basis? Huge boatloads of grace! Grace towards myself, when I fail to reach the expectations *I've* set for myself (or for my spouse or children). Grace towards friends and acquaintances who make different choices from mine. Or put more plainly ... cut myself (and others) a break!

Keep on keeping on ...
~Judy

Tagged guilt, Homeschooling 101, Meditation | Leave a comment

How do I plan for high school?!

RSS and Firefox

Gifts: Brown Paper Bag Edition

I'm a Superhero, a Hunter, a Human

Helpful conversations and true community

"Where Could He Be?"

Homeschool Mom Guilt

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