A woman stopped by our house in the middle of the day last week. She was hoping to sell us something. Most interestingly, she had her 7-year-old daughter with her, even though it was a school day.
The woman was obviously smart and was doing a great job training her daughter in how to meet and engage strangers in conversation. Seeing how she interacted with her daughter, and considering the time of day, John asked her if she was homeschooling her daughter.
"Oh no!" she replied. "I haven't got the patience!"
I didn't say anything, but I wished she knew a little secret: I don't think any of us feel like we had the patience when we started homeschooling. I know I didn't!
Of course, when friends or strangers explain off the cuff why they could never homeschool, they're usually not seeking a serious discussion. And that's fine. But what about a friend who really does want to consider homeschooling? What do you say when she gets hung up on one of the common I could never homeschool reasons?
Here are some thoughts about five of the most common objections to homeschooling.
1. "I could never homeschool because I don't have the patience."
A lack of patience seems to be a very common sentiment. And I can see how it's a legitimate fear. I just wish parents who thought this could know that homeschool moms and dads are normal people too! We're not ultra-patient wonder-women and supermen.
But I also think there's a hidden benefit of homeschooling lurking behind this fear. Homeschooling gives you extra opportunities to develop patience. And since patience is a fruit of the Spirit, shouldn't we welcome growth in this area? Although I struggled to be patient with my children (and myself), I really believe that homeschooling helped me to grow and mature here. I've heard many other homeschool moms say the same thing.
Again, I see this as a legitimate fear that may make you say, "I could never homeschool." It can be very hard to live on one income. But I've seen many, many families make it work because they made it a priority. And, of course, the pandemic has forced families to make choices they never thought they would. Surprisingly, many are discovering working from home while homeschooling is manageable.
Of course, there are exceptions. No matter how hard they try, some families simply can't make it work financially to live on one income or work from home and homeschool.
Every family must choose what's most important to them and make choices accordingly. But if you truly believe homeschooling is best for your family, the rewards of homeschooling will probably outweigh the sacrifices you make.
If a friend says, "I could never homeschool" because she lacks confidence that she can teach her children well, you might share these four points with her.
You know your children better and love them more than anyone else. You quite possibly are the best person to give them a great education. You'll stick with them, learn alongside them, and watch them learn and grow. You're simply not going to let them graduate with a poor education.
If your kids are young, focus on where they are right now. You don't even have to think about calculus and physics for years. (And when you do get there, you'll find plenty of resources to help. You won't actually have to teach the concepts unless you want to.)
Fortunately, I have a great answer for this. You can get curriculum that organizes your studies for you. As one Sonlight mom said, "I'm not organized. I buy curricula that have Instructor's Guides so that I don't have to figure it all out myself."
Sure, you'll still have to develop some systems. You and your kids will need to keep track of folders, books, assignments and supplies. But with some planning and all the available help out there, you can conquer this hurdle, too.
This was my biggest fear when I started homeschooling. If I was cooped up with the kids all day, when would I get the time alone that I need?
Fortunately a good friend graciously offered to babysit every other Friday night so John and I could get away. This was a huge blessing and helped give me confidence to start.
But I also found that I got great quality time with the kids each morning while homeschooling. After that time together, they naturally tended to go off and entertain themselves in the afternoons. We were able to establish homeschool patterns that built in alone time for me. If you're also an introvert, you may want to do this, too. One popular idea is to create a certain amount of mandatory quiet time each afternoon. The little ones can nap; older children can read or play quietly in their rooms. You can do whatever you need to reenergize for the rest of the day.
If you have friends who are stuck on these "I could never homeschool" concerns, a simple glimpse into your life could give them the confidence they need. You could go on a coffee date and share your experiences. Or even invite them over for a day of school so they could see how you do it. Brainstorm with them and help them imagine being successful in this, too!
And the next time your children drive you crazy give you an opportunity to develop patience, try to remember that this, too, is a blessing. Or just take a deep breath and eat some chocolate.
Imagine having a personal homeschool mentor who plans and organizes your entire homeschool year. What if she gave you customizable schedules, complete lesson plans, pertinent activities, and thoughtful questions to aid your students' comprehension? What if she left you handy tips and pointers to help you relax and homeschool with confidence all year long?
This is exactly the support you get with a Sonlight IG.
Please meet and join us in congratulating these exceptional Sonlight-educated students who are poised to make a difference in the world. As the winners of our annual Sonlight scholarship competition, they have each been awarded $20,000, $10,000, or $4,000 for college.
Sonlight's 2021 Scholarship Winners
Many of these students have used Sonlight since they were young. They’re headed into careers in engineering, arts, education, and more. Most are headed to their college of choice, and many have superb SAT or ACT scores.
But they are also kind, big-hearted young adults. Through ministry and volunteerism, they live life with Jesus in their hearts and long to share God’s kingdom with the world.
$20,000 Scholarship Winner: Emmalene Sotomayor of Douglassville, PA
Awarded $5,000 Per Year
Emmalene Sotomayor
Emmalene Sotomayor of Douglassville, PA has used Sonlight throughout her entire education and has excelled academically, being named a National Merit Commended Scholar based on her PSAT scores. She doesn’t stop with academics, however. Her list of extra-curricular involvement fills an entire page!
Emmalene is musically talented and plays for the youth band at her church, took 2nd place at a local fiddle festival, and played violin in orchestras throughout her high school years. She is also a talented writer (we’d like to think that all of those Sonlight books gave her some inspiration!) Emmalene is the creator and editor of the World Changers Homeschool Association newspaper and has written three novels. The first of these novels was completed at age 8.
Somewhere between all of her writing and musical talents, Emmalene finds time to serve at her church in the nursery and children’s classes, serve as a student leader in her youth group, and has participated in two mission trips in Costa Rica. “Emmalene is a natural leader!” observes the outreach coordinator at her church. “She does not seek the spotlight and is willing to grow and work hard.” She also notes that Emmalene’s self-motivation likely stems from her accomplishments in homeschooling.
In the future, Emmalene wants to attend Liberty University and study to be an English teacher. She considers herself “fortunate to have an education based on God’s Word,” and wants to “bring God back into academics through (her) choice of thought-provoking books” for her future students.
$10,000 Scholarship Winners: Julia Baker, Rachel Norwood, Anna Ramsey, and Caroline Zeller
Awarded $2,500 Per Year
Julia Baker
Julia Baker of Poy Sippi, WI describes her life as a conglomeration of “midnight airplane trips and homeschool on the road.” She grew up in a missionary family and has spent many of her growing up years in Kazakhstan. She serves alongside her family by acting as a Kazakh translator, tutoring in English, and leading youth activities, Bible studies, and discussions. Providing childcare, participating in evangelism events, and leading summer camp activities round out her diverse list of ministry activities.
Julia is artistically gifted and enjoys experimenting with drawing, painting, sculpture, and textiles. One of her paintings is a collage of pictures depicting her family’s missions activities. She also leads worship and teaches guitar to beginners. She writes poetry, too, which her father describes as “heartfelt and poignant.” A short novella inspired by her experiences growing up in a foreign culture was recently added to her portfolio, as well.
Having used Sonlight throughout her entire education, Julia intends to turn her love of learning into a career. As a teacher, she wants to either teach at a Christian school in America or overseas as a missionary. One thing she’s certain about; she definitely wants to homeschool her own children one day. While Julia plans to attend Concordia University Nebraska, she knows firsthand how plans can change. She says, “I want to continue living as a child of God, learning from the back seat of the car…as He guide(s) me on this new portion of my life.”
Rachel Norwood
Rachel Norwood of Siloam Springs, AR is described by her associate pastor as the epitome of a “humble, Christ-centered servant.” He’s seen this firsthand as he watches Rachel lead worship for youth group, lead a prayer group, help with childcare, and volunteer in audio/visual. She also volunteers with an organization that helps children with special needs and serves as a tutor for children who are falling behind in their studies. Rachel’s servant heart hasn’t distracted her from her own academic achievements. After many years of learning with Sonlight, she scored 33 on the ACT.
Rachel is also a gifted athlete and was a varsity volleyball player from 8th-12th grade. Her coach says that Rachel was a “leader both vocally and by example to the other girls on the team.” Rachel’s leadership doesn’t stop there…she completed three tiers of a leadership development program and graduated summer 2020. In addition to volleyball, she took ballet classes for nine years, and taught ballet classes for three years.
John Brown University has been Rachel’s first choice since childhood, but it took her several years to determine what she wanted to study. When Rachel was young, first responders were called to her house for a medical emergency. Remembering how calm and reassuring the paramedics were, Rachel began to consider a career path as an emergency responder. She’s put in the research, riding along with local police and fire department, and plans to have her EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) license before she graduates high school. In college, she wants to minor in Spanish to allow her to communicate with an even wider range of people and help them efficiently.
Anna Ramsey
Anna Ramsey of Iowa City, IA scored a 35 on her ACT, receiving perfect scores in both English and Reading. As one of her academic mentors states, “Anna will never be satisfied with mediocre work. She will excel!”
And excel she has, in a diverse range of activities. Anna is a talented musician and plays in an advanced violin ensemble and an advanced orchestra. She takes violin, piano, and voice lessons. Academically, she shines in her involvement with the Future Problem Solving individual and team competitions, which require students to analyze problems, brainstorm solutions, and explain the most promising solution. Anna has placed third internationally in this competition, outranking problem solvers from 31 states and several countries.
Anna’s academic pursuits extend to her work as a student lab assistant in the Anatomy and Cell Biology department at the University of Iowa, where she is involved in a research project studying cell migration in embryonic development and cancer metastasis. The professor in charge of the study notes that Anna has accomplished more than many of the undergraduates performing research in the lab.
In the future, Anna intends to study biochemistry in the hopes of someday running a research lab. She intends to focus on her research on neurological diseases because of her belief that, “We are made in God’s image, and no other organ reflects this as powerfully as the brain.”
Caroline Zeller
Caroline Zeller of United Arab Emirates has used Sonlight throughout her high school years. She developed a love of great literature that grew into a small book club at her church. Caroline is very creative and enjoys sewing, embroidery, painting with watercolors, and any opportunity to give away handmade gifts as an encouragement.
Much of Caroline’s extracurricular involvement centers around her church, where she leads Bible studies, serves in children’s ministry and kid’s choir, and participates in youth group. She has gotten a head start on theological studies through helping her father at the Theological Seminary that her family runs. She is involved in marketing activities for the seminary, and has audited many graduate-level Bible and theology classes. Some of her favorites were Apologetics and Expositions of Proverbs, Revelation, and Hebrews. Caroline took the exam for her Psalms class, “just for fun”, and scored in the high 80s. When reflecting on her life, her greatest desire is for it “to be a life glorifying to God.” She wants to attend Master’s University, where she is considering studying special education or occupational therapy. Caroline is open to living anywhere in the world that the Lord calls her; growing up as a missionary kid in Delhi and Dubai has made her comfortable with different cultures.
$4,000 Scholarship Winners: Caleb Cook, Chloe Couch, Michaela Elliot, Hannah Jensen, Simon Marchesseault, Alexandru Muresan, Zoe Oshman, and Hayley Theil
Awarded $1,000 Per Year
Caleb Cook
Caleb Cook of Knoxville, TN is described by his track and cross country coach as remarkable in “his commitment to excellence in both scholastic and athletic endeavors.” Those athletic endeavors include cross country, track & field, and participating in a church basketball league.
Caleb is involved at church in more facets than just basketball. He has participated in two mission trips and is involved in student leadership with his youth group. He also volunteers weekly at a Boys’ and Girls’ Club with others from his youth group.
Caleb’s small group leader at church notes that Caleb is “very disciplined and self-motivated to learn. Not only academically has he thrived, but…he has a solid biblical background as well, and this shows in his ability to recall stories and teachings from the scripture.” Caleb’s discipline in learning is evidenced through his exemplary ACT score.
In the future, Caleb intends to become a Physician’s Assistant. After reading a book about a medical missionary in Africa, he became inspired to use his medical training as tool to bring the Good News around the world. For his undergrad, he wants to attend Union University and study biological science.
Chloe Cough
Chloe Couch of Chesterfield, VA lives with a “servant-oriented approach to life.” As a high school student, she has served as a youth soccer coach. She also volunteers with the Civil Air Patrol and Youth Conservation Leadership Institute. In the Civil Air Patrol, she was given a great deal of responsibility planning and teaching classes to guide new recruits through the beginning stages of the program. As a result of her leadership and communication skills, her team was the first to have a 100% graduation rate within the squadron.
With her Youth Conservation Leadership Institute involvement, Chloe implemented a project focused on environmental stewardship. The program coordinator says that “Seeing Chloe tackle littering, an issue she feels strongly about, demonstrates how (she) both cares for her community and does something about an issue rather than ignore it.”
While Chloe is unsure what major she wants to pursue, she knows that she wants to go to a Christian college so that her “spiritual life will grow along with (her) academic knowledge.” Chloe’s university of choice is Southern Adventist University.
Michaela Elliot
Michaela Elliot of Hockessin, DE began using Sonlight in Kindergarten, and hasn’t stopped since! With Sonlight at the core of her academics, Michaela still had the opportunity to participate in sports and extracurriculars at a local Christian school.
Michaela plays varsity soccer and basketball and is also a member of a traveling soccer team. She will continue to play soccer for Messiah University after she graduates high school. In addition to her athletic pursuits, Michaela is a youth group leader and a kids camp chaperone at her church. She is also on several worship teams.
Since 2016, Michaela has fostered 150+ dogs and puppies for the Delaware Humane Association. The executive director of the humane society describes her as “one of the most well-rounded and mature teenagers I’ve ever met.”
Spurred by her strong passion for both spiritual and physical health, Michaela’s goal is to major in Exercise Science in order to pursue a career in personal training or life coaching.
Hannah Jensen
Hannah Jensen of Santee, CA is a “gracious and intelligent scholar who believes passionately in the power of stories to change people.” She’s used this passion to drive her success as a competitive debater. Competing with ninety debaters at one tournament, Hannah was one of only three competitors to achieve a perfect 6-0 record. Her love of story also extends to creative writing, and she publishes much of her work online with the intention of sharing Biblical truth through her stories.
Hannah’s pastor expresses his gratitude for her “kindness and creativity” in her service at church. Her servant’s heart extends beyond church into her participation in drama, which she has not only acted and sang, but also coordinated younger actors.
Hannah plans to continue writing and exploring her passion for stories, books, and movies throughout college. She’s choosing between two Christian universities, and is considering a career in either editorial and publishing work, or film and movies.
Simon Marchesseault
Simon Marchesseault of Marlborough, MA has used Sonlight throughout his entire education and scored a 1350 on the ACT. His extracurricular activities include his involvement in the Civil Air Patrol. Simon is the highest-ranking cadet in his squadron, and he mentors lower-ranking cadet leaders. His service and leadership continues into his church involvement, where he is an active member of the worship team. The worship pastor at his church says that Simon does everything as if “He was doing it for the Lord.”
Simon trains and competes in agility with his dog, Timmy. He has titled in two American Kennel Club Competitions. Timmy and Simon also compete in nosework competitions, where the dog is trained to detect scents. They have earned three titles in this area, as well. His training instructor calls him a “phenomenal trainer and handler.”
In college, Simon plans to attend Liberty University and begin his path towards becoming a professional commercial airline pilot.
Alexandru Muresan
Alexandru Muresan of Montgomery Village, MD was named a National Merit Scholar based on his outstanding PSAT scores. Alexandru has competed in a Science Olympiad team since 6th grade and finished in first place multiple times. The events he’s competed in include thermodynamics, entomology, water quality, meteorology, and many more. He also contributed to the Smithsonian Institution Teen Pepper Program, in which he researched exhibits and programmed a robot to present that information to visitors.
Computer programming is Alexandru’s passion, and he taken several AP programming courses. The technical lead at Alexandru’s church comments that his contribution to the technological challenge of livestreaming church services during Covid has been “invaluable and greatly appreciated.” Alexandru’s youth leader says that he takes “his faith seriously (in) serving his home church.”
Alexandru is already well on his way to his future goal of being a software engineer. He takes a dual-enrollment course at Messiah University and intends to continue his education there after high school graduation.
Zoe Oshman
Zoe Oshman of Parker, CO is a face you might have seen before…she and her family made an appearance in the 2016 Sonlight catalog, reading a Sonlight book while sitting on their balcony in the Czech Republic.
Zoe is gifted in robotics and is the lead programmer for a robotics team that won the Kent Denver Robotics Tournament. Her robotics mentor says that “(Zoe’s) programming work on the robotics team has clearly demonstrated her skill, enthusiasm, and prowess in computer science.”
Zoe is also a self-employed piano teacher and math tutor, and in her free time she volunteers at a food bank and an organization that serves the local homeless population and helps then transition into employment.
In her future career, Zoe would like to become a robotics engineer. She believes that her faith-based view of science and design gives her a more whole appreciation of her robotics work. Zoe wants to attend the Colorado School of Mines when she graduates.
Hayley Theil
Hayley Theil of Cincinnati, OH shows her love for others through her work as a Certified Therapy Pet Handler, which allows her and her beagle to spend one-on-one time with residents at a senior care facility. Through this work, she’s been able to provide company and comfort to older adults, many struggling with cognitive decline. And that’s only the beginning! Hayley volunteers at a hospital, works as an office assistant, and is the treasurer of her Girl Scouts group. Hayley’s Girl Scout leader overflows with praise, describing Hayley as “(leading by example…creative, courteous, determined, accomplished, humble, and a bright source of positive energy.” She received the highest award for leading a project to educate 3,000 clients from an underserved population on sugar content in foods.
Could Your Young Learner Win a Sonlight Scholarship?
From preschool through high school graduation, Sonlight prepares your students. We have the big picture in mind, and we help you raise students prepared to launch into any career God calls them to. We share your desire to help your children succeed, and we’ll walk alongside to help you create the long-term educational experience you envision.
Each year, our charitable foundation offers a number of college scholarships, ranging from $4,000 to $20,000, spread over four years. Each year, the Sonlight Foundation offers the following scholarships:
$5,000 per year
$2,500 per year
$1,000 per year
We offer scholarships on two tracks: one emphasizes academics, and the other creativity, mission-mindedness, and service. Got a perfect score on the SAT? Got average test scores, but served overseas during summer vacation for the last three years? In either case, you may qualify.
The Sonlight Foundation recognizes that academic giftedness is only one type of giftedness. If your student is gifted in academics, service, music, art, or has a heart for missions, we encourage you to submit an application.
Eligibility for college scholarships is one of the many SonlightCares benefits.
1. Read-Alouds show it's okay for dad (or mom) to cry
Since I did most of the homeschooling in our family, John and I made sure he got some quality Read-Aloud time each night. And you know what? I would purposefully hand him books I knew would make him cry. Even John got a bit choked up as Charlotte and Wilbur's story drew to a close.
John reading to Amy, Luke, and Jonelle
I felt it was important for children to know that it's okay for a man to cry. Even someone as strong and sure as their father could get caught up in a good story and express emotion. When dad (or mom) cries during a good story, kids see us demonstrate empathy for the characters and they learn an appropriate way to show emotion.
2. Read-Alouds help children focus
Children today must learn to focus. When teens today have to choose between checking Facebook again or keeping their attention on the schoolwork in front of them … it's hard for them to stay focused.
One way we can help students resist distractions is through reading aloud together. When my children were young, they'd often play with LEGO bricks as I read out loud. With their hands busy, their minds could truly engage the story. When the phone rang or my husband took a call in the next room, my children would tune in all the more intently. They wanted to know what happened next! They didn't act up because they wanted to hear the story. They tuned out other thoughts, sounds and distractions to pay attention to the task at hand. That ability is a huge advantage in life.
3. Read-Alouds motivate children to do their math
On a typical homeschool morning at the Holzmann house, we would get up and tackle math, language arts, spelling, and other more laborious work. But then came the really good stuff; we'd reconvene after a short break and dive into the day's reading.
Three of my four kids would work diligently through their other subjects each morning because they knew that fun reading lay ahead. (I'll admit that one of my children still needed a little extra encouragement to stay on task in the morning.) But for the most part, my children worked hard because they wanted to get to their "real" books and find out what happened next in their Read-Alouds and Readers.
When I was in the ninth grade, my language arts program consisted of studying grammar for an entire year. I can diagram sentences with the best of them. But is that language arts?
What about worksheets? Do they teach language arts? I must have done thousands of them in school, dutifully correcting the mistakes and adding a period to the end of each sentence. Is that language arts? I'm not convinced.
I believe the purpose of language arts is to teach students how to communicate through the written word.
Children need to know to start sentences with a capital letter. They must learn to use an instead of a before a word that starts with a vowel. They need to learn about homonyms (e.g., their, there and they're). These are the types of things that make people look uneducated if they don't how to use them properly.
4. Grammar
A subset of mechanics, Sonlight teaches grammar within the context of what children are already reading. We teach the grammatical terms (e.g., nouns, adverbs, etc.) through sentences. We do so for the sake of both information and for standardized testing.
We then teach grammar in order to train students how to write more effectively. If parents want a more formal approach, we recommend our additional grammar resources.
These skills support the key function of language arts: to practice writing.
5. Writing
Your kids have vast amounts of practice speaking. But writing is simply a different skill. When you speak to people and they don't understand, their body language tells you that and you can quickly self-correct. You don't get that luxury with the written word. Your writing must be clear and must logically flow from point to point. That requires a lot of practice.
And since effective communicators must write in a variety of forms (think emails, blog posts, college essays, and more), Sonlight helps children practice writing for many purposes. Some key purposes include:
Persuasion: This is a key skill in our world, so Sonlight students practice it. In one assignment, children try to persuade their parents to buy them something. We want students to learn how to provide compelling reasons instead of just begging.
Narration: We want kids to tell stories. I've read that the most popular people at parties are those who can tell great stories. Our goal is obviously not for children to be popular at parties, but to be effective communicators. And I think that includes telling a good story with a beginning, middle and end. That's why Sonlight has children create new stories as well as re-tell stories they already know (such as their latest Read-Aloud).
Description: If you think of the advertising world, it's all about good descriptions. Marketers carefully choose each word. Our children should also be able to describe things well and to notice when marketers use hyperbole or deceptive tactics.
Explanation: An age-old skill, children need to learn how to communicate straightforward ideas to others. They must learn to stay on point, which also requires practice.
Sonlight assigns a wide variety of writing assignments because we want students to approach these skills from different angles. We want to prepare them for whatever they might do in life. From poetic descriptions of household objects, to letters for Grandma, to full-blown persuasive essays, your children will learn to wield a pen effectively.
One final way that we help kids write well is that we immerse them in good writing. The best way to learn to craft a story is to listen to or read great ones. We learn the rhythm of effective writing through hearing solid examples. This is a big reason why Sonlight includes so much reading.
In short, the entire Sonlight curriculum helps students learn to write. As a parent, you have a chance to influence the next generation of communicators. May it be that we raise up students who communicate well.
Download this FREE, no-stress guide to teaching language arts with purpose!
My chief desire for Sonlight is to help you raise children prepared to do whatever God calls them to do. In order to do that well, Sonlight presents multiple views on various issues.
Students in today's world quickly realize that not everything is black and white. They are exposed sooner or later to many sides of an issue and many different viewpoints – in history, art, science, technology, nutrition, music, politics, etc. I believe students must be able and willing to compare conflicting ideas and think critically.
I most definitely believe in absolute truth. But my experience, and I suspect yours, is that in many areas of study, the truth is rather hard to get at. We certainly know that Jesus is the only way to God. That's a truth that's pretty clear according to the Bible.
But what about when the truth in other areas isn't that clear? I believe in those cases we must learn to engage the issue and discern a more nuanced picture.
Seeing Multiple Sides of History
Take the field of history, for example. Every historical account is written from a point of view. Ancient first-hand accounts, historical fiction, textbooks, biographies … they all come from the point of view of a particular individual or group.
So how can we really know what history was like?
Was the colonization of America the perfect fulfillment of God's desires for a new nation? Or was it the godless slaughter of an indigenous population? The answer is probably somewhere between these two views.
Accordingly, it would be irresponsible to present either account solely as black-and-white truth. It would be equally irresponsible to ignore either account.
With Sonlight's approach, we offer tools, notes, instructions, and invitations for students to examine various views and accounts, and to work toward the truth carefully. And so our American history courses include materials written by people who represent various populations and viewpoints.
We include notes in the Instructor's Guide to help you, the parent, discuss these conflicting viewpoints with your children. For example, we help you explain to your children why the settlers and the indigenous populations might report the same event in different ways.
But why go to all this effort?
Education Not Indoctrination
I believe weighing conflicting perspectives is what true education entails. In that spirit, Sonlight exists to educate but not indoctrinate.
Children must learn to take in competing information, and with their parents' help, weigh that information, ask questions, and discern truth. You then can help them respond reasonably and wisely. And Sonlight provides a structure to help you achieve that goal for your family.
Our children will be bombarded with conflicting information their entire lives. Let's help them learn what to do with it!
Share Your Beliefs with Your Child
Another reason for Sonlight's approach is to help you, the parent, pass on your own values and beliefs to your children. We also know that your children will encounter false ideas someday; we'd prefer that they have the opportunity to engage these ideas for the first time when they are at home with you, under your guidance.
I could go on, but I think others have already written well on this topic. If you'd like to learn more, please check out a few of the other places where we describe our approach:
Even if today’s math lesson may have felt like it lasted a thousand years, the truth is, we don’t have unlimited time with our kids at home. We must choose wisely how to spend our minutes as they become our lives, our memories, and our relationships.
My children are grown up now, and I want to share what I feel is the most effective, most enjoyable, and most memorable way to teach—and to caution you against methods that may rob your time and suck you dry.
If you can educate your kids in deep, nuanced ways and actually enjoy the process, why not educate them well and leave them with a lifelong love of learning?
Here are five ways a literature-based approach fits the way God wired our brains, is stronger academically, promotes empathy, uses time efficiently, and is just plain more enjoyable than a traditional textbook or rote-memory approach.
1. The Brain Loves a Story
Your brain is wired to learn through story. From a scientific perspective, when you read a story, it lights up more of your brain than reading that same information as a basic fact.
In simplified terms, your brain responds in the same way as if you had actually lived that experience. So you are better able to remember a story than an isolated fact, because—according to your brain—you’ve been there.
2. Context Is King
Memorization has its place. Scripture memory, for instance, is a high priority for me in the Sonlight Instructor’s Guides, and we all need to drill multiplication tables. But most learning happens best in context.
We want our kids not just to memorize lists, but to understand the depth behind that information and make connections.
We don’t want to give our kids the false pride that because they can name 1861 as the start of the Civil War that they “know about that already” unless we also help them understand the intricacies of that tragic moment in history.
A literature-based approach gives kids a deeper understanding of history instead of superficial knowledge of names and dates. They can see that ideas have consequences and learn how those ideas connect in history.
3. The Empathy Factor
Good literature stimulates empathy in a way that bare facts can’t. With a lit-rich approach, our students not only learn the facts but also gain insight into how people feel.
Years ago, our family was discussing racism in history. I was shocked when my son-in-law (who had memorized dates and information about civil rights in public school) said, “It wasn’t all that bad, was it?” You should have heard the gasps from my children as they filled him in on all they had learned from books likeRoll of Thunder, Hear My Cry(set before the Civil Rights Movement). They hadn’t merely read the facts; they identified with the plight of those characters and were quick to share the characters' stories and their pain.
When we engage in literature-based education, we walk with characters in their unique situations. We sit with people in their sorrow and victory and watch the consequences of ideas unfold.
4. More Time for Deeper Learning
Less time spent memorizing dates means you can use your time on higher priorities. In this day and age, it’s easy enough to look up a date, and contextual knowledge can help kids triangulate a point in history when needed.
Of course, it’s not bad to teach important dates (our Sonlight Timeline Book helps with this), but it makes sense to weigh the amount of time we spend here with our long-term goals. Give the whole story, and you place natural markers in your children’s minds that help them make sense of history.
5. The Joy of Great Books
A literature-based approach makes learning enjoyable for kids and parents and leads to a lifelong love of learning. Drilling by rote memorization for every subject quickly loses its luster.
We can pull out all our motivational tricks, but self-motivation (what we’re truly after!) happens when children’s curiosity and imaginations are so engaged that they hunger for more. There’s no reason to squash their love of learning at an early age by making school into something to slog through and check off. Instead, offer the kind of learning that draws them in and gives you memories together.
Who doesn’t want “cuddle up on the couch with a good book” on the to-do list?
Your children will not only remember key aspects of history, they will also remember the time they bonded with you and the fact that you were enjoying it, too. I’d call that a success.
All the homeschool styles and methods can be overwhelming. Maybe your head is swimming as you weigh a literature-based approach compared to Charlotte Mason, classical, unschooling, eclectic, traditional, school-at-home, or Montessori. Maybe you’ve been homeschooling, but the method you’re trying doesn't match what you really want for your family.
The Sonlight Advisors are happy to chat with you about your unique situation so you can find a homeschool fit that brings delight into your every day—no memorization required.
If you are looking for books to read during Black History Month or simply wanting to add more diversity to your family reading, this list is what you need.
