Jul. 24, 2019

8 Types of Portfolio Proof for the Literature-based Homeschool

By Veronica Soto
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8 Types of Portfolio Proof for the Literature-based Homeschool

Some homeschool parents are required to keep records of their children's’ work by state regulations. Other parents want to keep a portfolio for sentimental reasons or to practice keeping records for high school.

Whatever your reasons for wanting to keep homeschool records prior to high school, it can be confusing to try to keep records in a subject for which there is very little written work. Sonlight relies heavily on reading and discussing. How can you keep records of that kind of learning?

Getting Started with a Homeschool Portfolio

First, check your state’s laws for reporting. Requirements vary widely from state to state, with some states requiring no proof, and other states requiring much more. HSLDA.org helps homeschoolers navigate these kinds of questions.

Basically, it’s up to you to report when you need to and fill out any paperwork. State laws will provide you with a framework of requirements, and don’t feel obligated to turn in more than is asked for.

But What if We Move Later?

You aren't required to comply with the laws of a state until you are living there. So don't worry about keeping records in the case of a future move.

To reassure you, think of an example from driving. If you move from a state that has a 75 mph maximum speed limit to a state where the limit is only 65 mph, you cannot be fined for driving 75 mph earlier that morning in a different state. With homeschooling, you can’t be forced to prove you were meeting Pennsylvania laws while living in Wisconsin, or New York laws while living in Texas.

If you are traveling, consult the state laws for how long you can live in an area without being considered a resident (usually around 30 days). Military families also have special laws that can be discussed on an individual basis with a good homeschool lawyer.

Go Digital! Create an Online Folder

There are many cloud services where you can store digital files and photos. (Google Drive is one of the least expensive ones.) Everything in the list below can be scanned or photographed and uploaded to the cloud so you have a paperless record keeping system.

Most families find a mix of both digital records and physical paperwork is a good middle ground. Do what works for you!

Even though the bulk of your learning may happen through reading and talking, there is plenty of fodder for documenting learning with a homeschool portfolio! Here are eight things that work well to demonstrate a Sonlighter's homeschool accomplishments whether needed for an official evaluation or simply for personal memories.

1. Use Your Instructor's Guide

You can keep a written record right on your Instructor's Guide. Use it as is or make copies of the schedule for your own personal record keeping. (Refer to Sonlight’s copyright policy to verify acceptable use.)

Some people write on the guide, using color coding, initials, and dates to keep track of which children have completed various assignments at what time during the school year. This tip is especially useful when using a guide for more than one child or reusing it with a different set of students later.

2. Keep a Copy of the Catalog

File an entire catalog with your records for the year, marking the HBL, Language Arts, Science, Math, electives, etc. that you used. You can also use a copy of the book list found in the Instructor’s Guide. The sheer number of books you cover in a year with Sonlight is impressive to evaluators.

A less precise but certainly more fun way to record all the books you read is to stage a #sonlightstack photo!

(Not all books pictured are Sonlight titles. Because there's a WORLD of great books to read!)

3. Keep Your Language Arts and Science Activity Sheets

Many Sonlight programs—Science and Language Arts mostly—come with Activity Sheets. Take snapshots of the best work and upload them to your digital files.

Many of the writing assignment in Language Arts, especially in LA 3 and above, tie into the history lessons. By keeping copies of those worksheets, you can show that your child was not only reading and listening to many books about the subject throughout the year but also applying that understanding in their writing assignments. Most schools require only a handful of writing assignments in history, so one paper every quarter or semester is more than sufficient.

Just like the Language Arts worksheets, Science worksheets provide quick and easy records of what you’ve covered this year. A few snapshots of important pages in your online file will demonstrate just how much you’ve covered.

4. Take Pictures of Your Timeline & Markable Map

The timeline shows a variety of people and events you have covered over the year. Take pictures of the busier pages to show what you’ve learned.

Throughout the year as you do the mapping activities, take photos of your Markable Map and store them in your digital portfolio.

5. Document Your Hands-on Projects

Sonlight carries multiple lap books, activity kits, science kits, and coloring books to complement all the great books. By incorporating these hands-on components and taking pictures along the way, you’ll have even more photo evidence of completed work.

6. Keep a List of Field Trips & Extras

Keep track of any extras. Once you start documenting them, you'll be surprised at how often you add these in:

  • websites you researched
  • videos you watched
  • field trips
  • extra worksheets
  • library books you borrowed

On the downloads tab of your user account on the Sonlight site, there is a field trip planning page you can use. Or go the easiest route: simply take pictures of your children at the field trip locale. Upload those photos to your online homeschool portfolio.

7. Record Videos

Your children can document their school year by recording short videos:

  • oral book reports—narration-style talks about the books they are learning
  • short video diaries recorded on-site during field trips
  • an end-of-the-year report on a favorite character from history
  • reading a composition they wrote for Language Arts
  • reciting memory work such as a Bible verse or poem or a famous speech

Simply upload the videos to your online portfolio for safe keeping.

8. Create a Report Card

With a literature-based program like Sonlight, there are few to no grades. And while many parents find grading stressful or simply unnecessary, a report card can have value when it comes to keeping a homeschool portfolio. It’s simply a record of classes with some sort of evaluative ranking (a grade) and maybe a couple of comments. You can find many online templates for report cards online or simply create your own.

You can assign grades any way you choose. Some parents grade on a complex weighted scale, with such and such percentage given for discussion, completed assignments, and scores on workbooks. My favorite grading scale is a simple A or incomplete.

  • A—student completes all work to my satisfaction, seems to grasp content when we discuss it, and seems to retain what it’s all about.
  • Incomplete—anything that isn’t an A. As it is incomplete, it must be reviewed, revised, supplemented, retaught, or presented in a different fashion until the child can master the skill and get an A.

When you homeschool with a method that has a small paper-trail, there are still plenty of ways to record learning for a portfolio. I find digital records much easier to sort, but I do keep a few works of original art created by each child to save as memories. And because my record keeping is so low-key, the documentation process doesn't distract me from enjoying the day-to-day learning experiences with my children. I snap a few photos here and there, upload online, and then get back to our great books, science experiments, and math problems.

A well-planned homeschool curriculum is step one in easy record keeping. See how Sonlight's Instructor's Guides can make all things planning and documenting easy-peasy.

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Jul. 22, 2019

6 Ways I'm Turning My Kids into Book-loving Readers

By Deana Wood
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6 Ways I'm Turning My Kids into Book-loving Readers

"We are so thankful for all the wonderful books we get to add to our family library each year as we homeschool with Sonlight. Hayden (12) and Sienna (10) are helping put away this year's readers into one of our many bookshelves. We are excited to think of the collection we will have accumulated by the time these two graduate, as we anticipate many more years homeschooling with Sonlight.

— Leila E. of Kakabeka Falls, Ontario

My kids are all heavy readers. In fact, a few of them are known for getting in trouble for staying up too late, reading a good book. I’ve never really had to tell them to read. While I think that reading is probably in their genes, I can look back and pinpoint a few things that we did that helped cultivate that love of reading. 

1. Read and Talk to Your Babies

Building good readers begins early, even earlier than you may think. Actually, good literacy skills begin while the child is still in the womb. It’s never too early to begin reading aloud to your child. While it may seem strange, reading aloud during pregnancy is a great way to bond with your little one. Of course, once the child is born, you’ll be able to step up your game.

First, keep reading aloud. I can remember reading aloud from the Psalms during late night feedings. It was almost the only thing that kept me awake! I read picture books to my children before they could even hold up their heads, and some of their very first toys included the virtually indestructible, crinkly books that baby can use for light reading or chewing! Making books a part of your life early on is a great way to begin a love for literacy.

Of course, reading is a no-brainer for encouraging early literacy, but one other important part of literacy development most people don’t think of is speech. This was one of our favorite games to play with our babies: Whatever noise they made, we made right back to them. Every babble and gurgle, we would mirror. As they got older and they began developing a small vocabulary, we would begin “holding conversations” with them. Even if we didn’t have a clue what they were saying, we would nod and speak to them as if it were the most interesting thing we’d ever heard!

2. Read Often

Take advantage of the little moments. Read aloud as often as you are able. Keep a couple of favorite books in the diaper bag or your purse to read during unexpected wait times. If you find yourself without a book, recite nursery rhymes together or see if your child can remember the rhyming words. 

Car trips are the perfect opportunity to have conversations or listen to songs or audio books. I used to always keep a stash of picture books in the car for when we traveled. Think of easy ways to sneak books into your everyday routines. And of course, a literature-based curriculum like Sonlight will infuse your day with plenty of great books.

3. Make Up Stories

Another important element of early literacy is creating stories. Now, much of this work happens naturally for children. If you’re a parent, I’m sure your little one has told you a fantastical tale a time or two. Of course, there are ways to encourage this imagination exercise.

  1. Wordless Books—One of our favorite wordless books is Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie dePaola. I would explain to my kids that these types of books are wordless and that we get to create the story! I would show them how it’s done, and then they would take a turn, telling a story using the pictures provided.
  2. Round Robin Storytelling—Another way to create stories is collectively with each person taking a turn. One person starts a story and then tags someone else to take over. Keep going until everyone has had a turn. You’ll be amazed by the tales you spin!

4. Create Space for Reading

As kids get older, you might find that it’s a little more difficult to keep them reading simply because of all their activities. Our solution is to create space for reading in our daily routine. When they are little, we read a book before naptime. Not only was it a good literacy practice, but it provided a cue that it was time for rest. As they got older and began to transition out of naptime, we continued Quiet Time. The kids could stay awake, but they had to stay on their beds and rest while reading a book. That seemed to be a good compromise for everyone. 

Now that naptime is a thing of the past around my home, I am finding that my kids still need me to help them create space for reading. By limiting time on screens, we create more time for reading. We also try to gather in the living room in the afternoons for reading. My teenager is finding himself on a different clock now, wanting to stay up later at night and sleep later in the morning, so we have determined that before bedtime is a great space for his reading time.

5. Model the Love of Reading

What the parent does, the children are sure to follow. Making reading a part of your life is a great way to pass on a love for literature to your children. My children have seen me cooking dinner while reading a book. (I can’t say for certain how the dinner turned out on those particular nights!)

I, too, have stayed up far past my bedtime reading, so I tend to be understanding when they do that. We regularly read the newspaper and the Bible. Letting your kids catch you reading is a really important element to developing their own reading habits.

My kids also know without a doubt that I am going to be the most excited person in the room whenever we start a new book together. No one can match my eager anticipation. While they lightheartedly make fun of me for my zest, I know that deep down they are internalizing the role that books play in my life.

6. Make Book Recommendations & Keep a Stock of Great Titles

Books are even part of my love language. I learn my children's reading preferences, and I make book recommendations. We don’t buy new toys often, but my kids know that books are a weakness. If they ask me for a book, chances are good that I’m going to get it for them. They also know that they may come home to a new book, waiting on their bed—just because I thought they might like it.

I’ve also been known to restock the living room book basket with a selection of carefully chosen stories, at least two for each child. They each have a book basket beside their beds as well. Making books accessible is a huge key to instilling a love of reading. This can be accomplished in a few different ways. While we choose to build our home library, making weekly trips to your local public library or organizing a book swap can provide the same benefits. 

Building readers may sound like an impossible task, but it’s really more about making books a part of your family lifestyle than anything else. Finding small ways to encourage reading can translate to big payoffs in literacy development. And if you read this blog post, and you think it’s too late, don’t worry. It’s never too late to encourage reading.

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Sonlight is an entire curriculum built around the love of great books. Learn the most enjoyable way. Experience a Sonlight education. Get started here.

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Jul. 19, 2019

The Quandary of Second-Gen Homeschoolers: Just the Way Mom Did It

By Rachel Guerrero
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The Quandary of Second-Gen Homeschoolers

We are a second generation homeschooling family. My husband was homeschooled using Sonlight, and my mother-in-law introduced it to me when we started homeschooling. I love the Instructor's Guides and how easy it is to use. My daughter Anastasia (age 4) loves books because of Sonlight. She also loves science and can't wait until she can start Science A.

—A. family, Sonlighters in Grantsburg, IL

I see you, second-generation homeschool moms. We were the guinea pigs—those of us homeschooled in the 80s and 90s when homeschooling was much less widely accepted than it is today.

In that era, our parents didn’t take us out in public on school days for fear of running into strangers who still questioned the legitimacy, and even the legality, of homeschooling.

Most of us who continue the legacy by homeschooling our own children admire our parents a great deal. They were counter-cultural and had far fewer resources. Back then, helping your child do research meant paging through an actual encyclopedia rather than hopping on the internet and reserving books through the library’s website.

As second-generation homeschoolers, we now find ourselves wanting to continue in the paths our parents blazed, but we wonder sometimes if we’re disloyal by wanting to change our homeschool culture. Maybe we want to add new emphases that didn’t exist in the homeschools we were raised in.

First-Generation Homeschool Mistakes

My parents both attended an engineering university—my dad in the mechanical engineering track and my mom in the electrical engineering track. It may not surprise you that as a high schooler, I took advanced physics and advanced chemistry courses, along with as many math courses as I could fit into my schedule, ending with calculus my senior year. As a homeschooled student, I was well-prepared academically to go into a science and technology field.

But it turns out, I was a Mandarin Chinese major and spent the four years of my college studies taking Spanish and Japanese courses on the side, along with every writing elective that I could get myself into.

My parents did an excellent job of educating me, but they missed the fact that my talent and passion lay in language and writing. They recognized that I was academically gifted, and prepared me very well for the science and math-based career that, from their angle, seemed the right fit for their gifted student. Because languages are not one of their passions, it didn’t occur to them that my brain angled that direction.

I’m not disappointed in the way I was homeschooled. I thrived as a homeschooled student, and I thrived in college when I decided to take my education in a totally different direction. I now spend my days neck-deep in a multilingual education community where I create with words. I’m fully content with the direction my education and passions have taken me in life.

The Second-Generation Homeschooler: Torn Between Choices

As a second-generation homeschooler, I have found myself sometimes torn between loyalty to doing things “the way mom did” and taking my own homeschool in a different direction.

The Second-Generation Homeschooler: Learning from Mom

I’ve decided neither to copy the first generation nor to depart from it entirely, but rather, to learn from the choices my own parents made as homeschoolers. This is the great gift that we have in the second-generation!

We’re not all on our own, figuring out what homeschool might look like. We’ve seen homeschool before; we know what it can look like. And we have ideas for taking our own second-generation homeschools further.

When you design your own homeschool as a second-generation homeschool parent, reflect on your past with questions like these:

  • What classes from my own education have benefited me the most in life post-graduation?
  • What classes from my own education do I have little-to-no recollection of?
  • What type of homeschool experiences and assignments do I remember with joy?
  • What homeschool experiences were difficult or unpleasant, but, in retrospect, were needed for my character growth? Which unpleasant experiences probably could have been avoided?

The Best of Both Worlds—Old and New

We second-generation homeschoolers have both a gift and a responsibility! We need to be thoughtful as we plan our children’s education, not doing things exactly the way we remember merely because “that’s how mom did it,” but also not entirely doing away with the tried and true homeschool methods that worked for ourselves as children and teens.

My school will probably have a little less emphasis on math than my parents’ did. However, I’ve learned from my own experience of homeschool that I want to be flexible, always on the lookout for cues about where my children’s passions and interests lie. I’ve learned that I shouldn’t assume that because I’m not interested in something, that my child won’t be interested in it either. If I find out that I’m raising a little person who’s far more comfortable with numbers than with conversing in Mandarin, well, bring on all the algebra! I’m ready. After all, those advanced math courses I took when I was homeschooled are sure to come in handy someday.

Experience a Sonlight Education

Whether you are a first-generation homeschooler or a second-generation one, Sonlight has a program for your children. See your options here.

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Jul. 17, 2019

12 Books That Teach Empathy for Ages 3-5

By Sonlight
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12 Books That Teach Empathy for Ages 3-5

Taking on the perspective of another person is at the heart of empathy. While you can lecture your kids about being kind, an easier and more effective way to teach empathy is to read books to them. This list of 12 carefully chosen titles will put your children, ages 3-5, in the shoes of the characters so they are able to consider and feel the emotions of someone else.

These titles provide opportunities to consider important—sometimes painful—topics, like guilt, betrayal, and bullying. The characters demonstrate how to cope with bad feelings, how to sacrifice for others, and how to come back from a mistake. You will find ample fodder for family discussions, and you won't need to do any lecturing to teach empathy with these books. The stories gently teach the lessons for you. Enjoy!

1. George and Martha

by James Marshall

from Sonlight's Preschool Package

George and Martha do everything together. They go to the movies. They play at the beach. And like many best friends, they also just hang out together. Along the way, they learn things like: privacy is important, practical jokes can sometimes backfire, and pouring soup into your shoes to spare the chef's feelings is not a great idea.

2. Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales

Retold and Illustrated by Val Biro

from Sonlight's Preschool Package

These eight stories are not often found in fairy tale collections. Includes such stories as The Ugly Duckling and The Emperor's New Clothes. Simple storytelling at its best.

3. Horton Hatches the Egg

by Dr. Seuss

from Sonlight's Preschool Package

A classic story of faithfulness, with an end so stunning, so right, it defies description. Whimsical illustrations showcase Seuss at his best.

4. Mike Mulligan and More

by Virginia Lee Burton

from Sonlight's Preschool Package

A glorious, unabridged, full-format anthology of Virginia Lee Burton's four most famous books including Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel and the Caldecott Medal-winning The Little House.

5. Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs

by Tomie dePaola

from Sonlight's Preschool Package

A lovely picture book tells the story of a 4-year-old boy and his 94-year-old great grandmother who lives in the home of his grandparents.

A touching, tender tribute to those who are significantly older than we are. 

6. Adventures with Waffles

by Maria Parr

from History / Bible / Literature A

This adventure book is outstanding. A year in the life of two neighbors in Norway and their laugh-out-loud adventures. Cheery, sweet, good family story. Touches on grief, remembering, restoration. What do fathers do other than eat boiled cabbage? When the son has lived through his most sad day, the father comes and sings the son's own song, until the son releases his grief: "suddenly I realized what dads are for." Loved it entirely.

7. The Family Under the Bridge

by Natalie Savage Carlson

from History / Bible / Literature A

This story begins with homelessness and ends with coming home. When children and their mother lose their home, they move under a Paris bridge. The homeless man who lived there finds this annoying: all this time, he's avoided emotional entanglements, and now these children are stirring his affection. Drat!

Set around Christmas time, the end is a realistic and charmingly satisfying Christmas gift. A thoroughly delightful story told with humor and warmth. Newbery Honor.

8. The Hundred Dresses

by Eleanor Estes

from History / Bible / Literature A

Two normally sensitive girls repent of "making fun" of the poor girl in their class who says she has a hundred dresses. Heart-rending.

9. The Light at Tern Rock

by Julia L. Sauer

from History / Bible / Literature A

When the retired lighthouse keeper goes out to the rock to substitute in for the current keeper, she brings her nephew. They fully expect to be back to the mainland in time for Christmas. But as the days pass … something has gone wrong. This is a story about betrayal and forgiveness. It sings.

10. Mary on Horseback

by Rosemary Wells

from History / Bible / Literature A

There are no hospitals or doctors in the Appalachian Mountains in the 1920s, so Mary Breckinridge, founds the Frontier Nursing Service to help those in need. Told through the eyes of three people whose lives she touched, this informative and inspirational story by author Rosemary Wells paints a clear picture of the life and service of this little known heroine.

11. No Children, No Pets

by Marion Holland

from History / Bible / Literature A

Three children and their widowed mother inherit a run-down apartment building in Florida. A sign on the front door says "No Children, No Pets." Adventure awaits as the kids solve lingering mysteries and help fix up the building. No Children, No Pets by Marion Holland is a satisfying childhood tale that keeps you guessing what will happen next.

12. Twenty and Ten

by Claire Huchet Bishop

from History / Bible / Literature A

During the German occupation of France in World War II, twenty French children are sent to a refuge in the mountains. When 10 Jewish children are brought to the school, hiding them seems like a game—until the Nazis arrive, and ten lives depend on the cunning and courage of twenty. An astonishing, beautiful tale based on a true story.

Request a Catalog

To see more top-notch books and our complete book-based homeschool programs, order a complimentary copy of your catalog today.

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Jul. 15, 2019

Finding Hope in the Exhausting, Proverbs 31 Superwoman

By Deana Wood
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Finding Hope in the Exhausting, Proverbs 31 Superwoman

This is not the first time I find myself writing about the Proverbs 31 woman. I suppose that I'm really intrigued by her. For years, I would read Proverbs 31 and I would feel the weight of this woman of God and all she did, and it did not bring me joy or comfort. It brought me fatigue and the feeling that I would never measure up.

But in more recent years, I have found myself being drawn back to this woman again and again, examining the text over and over, searching for the deeper meaning.

The Proverbs 31 Woman is Exhausting

This last time I revisited the passage, I was charged with doing the devotional at our annual Mother-Daughter Tea at our local church. When I was first asked to do a devotional on the last three verses of Proverbs 31, I have to admit that I was not super excited. Again, I have never found Proverbs 31 to be very inspiring at all. Frankly, she’s exhausting.

She selects wool, works with eager hands, provides food, buys fields, plants vineyards, works vigorously, feeds the poor and needy, makes her bed, and she is never idle. She is Superwoman. But here I was with the task of the Proverbs 31 devotional. So, I prayed and asked God to help me see the passage with fresh eyes. And I must say that I’ve never seen it quite the way I saw it during my studies for that devotional. So it is my prayer that this article helps you see it with fresh eyes, too.

Proverbs 31 is Not About You and Me (or Her)

Reading through the list of the Proverbs 31 woman certainly is exhausting, but a truer picture of a woman could not be painted any other way. While at first it may seem more draining than inspiring, we can certainly all identify with her in one way or another. Moms are notoriously the jack-of-all-trades for the family, and even more so when you throw in homeschooling.

But, if we look at this passage in the context of the entire Bible rather than a stand-alone passage, you will see one simple thing...this passage is not about the Proverbs 31 woman. It’s not about me, and it’s not about you.

It’s about God.

Let me explain. When we look through the passage, we see all the traits of the Proverbs 31 woman.

She is worth far more than rubies.

She is worthy.

We see that her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

She is faithful.

We see that she brings him good and not harm.

She is good.

We see that she considers a field and buys it, planting vineyards.

She is wise.

She works vigorously.

She is powerful.

She opens her arms to the poor, extends her hands to the needy.

She is compassionate.

She clothes her family in scarlet.

She is attentive.

The Proverbs 31 Woman Reflects God

As I was studying this passage, it hit me why she is included in the Bible as a model for us. It’s not because she is busy all the time. It’s not because she’s Superwoman. It’s because she is a reflection of the character of God.

Though reflections are always at least slightly imperfect, when we look at this woman, we see the character of God shining brightly through her.  

He is worthy. He is faithful. He is good. He is wise. God is powerful. God is attentive.

This is the beauty of the Proverbs 31 woman—she helps all those around her to know the character of God. Through the work of her hands and her heart, the attributes of God can be known by every person within her reach. This is where our beauty lies as well. It’s not in our hair and our nails, our smooth skin, or our figure. Our beauty lies in our reflection of the Creator. One of my favorite authors says,

“True beauty has staying power. It doesn’t terminate on its owner, but points others toward its origin.”

Jen Wilkin

We are image-bearers of God. If we point others to Him, to His glory and goodness, well... there is nothing that compares to that beauty.

The Hope in Proverbs 31

Unfortunately, there is no seven-point blog post to tell you how to become a Proverbs 31 woman.

Sanctification is a process. But I think I can give you hope.

When you, unseen homeschool mama, go through the mundane routines of everyday life...washing dishes, teaching children, making the beds, feeding all the people, you are reflecting God’s character. You are demonstrating the attributes of God to everyone within your reach. And in that place, that unnoticed place, you will find the fullness of joy. Because that is what God created us to do and to be.

So, if you are like me and find the Proverbs 31 woman exhausting instead of inspiring,

  • stop doing it for your family
  • stop doing it for success
  • stop doing it for physical beauty

Instead do all the things to be more Christ-like. Do all the things because there is rest in the fullness of joy we find in that place.

Sonlight Connections Facebook group

Join a community of other homeschool parents (mostly moms), striving to be more like Christ as they teach their children at home. You're welcome to join us! Request membership here.

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Jul. 12, 2019

6 Things to Know Before Teaching a Child How to Read at Home

By Veronica Soto
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6 Things to Know Before Teaching a Child How to Read at Home

Reading is the academic building block for every other subject and is often used as the primary standard when evaluating how well a child is doing in school. But deciding how (and when) to start can be difficult. There are so many great reading programs out there, and they all teach so differently.

Despite these facts, teaching reading doesn’t have to be so frustrating and intimidating. Here are six nuggets to keep in mind when you start teaching your child to read.

1. Start with Pre-Reading Basics

Just like your child learns to walk by first holding up their head, you can also teach pre-reading skills very young.

Reading Aloud

Research shows that being read to daily improves reading abilities later on by developing vocabulary, listening skills, comprehension skills, and phonemic awareness.

Close Up Play

Close up work builds eye muscles and the visual discernment needed for reading. Encourage pre-reading skills with these activities:

  • Modeling with play dough
  • Cutting and pasting
  • Working puzzles
  • Solving mazes
  • Sorting objects
  • Playing matching games

Distance Play

Distance work develops the eye muscles for depth perception. Examples of activities include:

  • Climbing
  • Throwing/catching
  • Playing on monkey bars

Children this age learn best through playing, so allowing them to play will also build their reading readiness skills.

2. Teach Letter Sounds

Letter sounds are the basic building blocks of reading.

Focus on teaching the sounds the letters make, not the name of the letter. For example, when reading cat, use the sounds, not the letter names. Say “k-ah-t,” not “see-ay-tee.”

3. Use a Reading Program

Not all children need reading programs, but it is more difficult for many children to learn to read without some instruction. Reading programs are designed to be easy to use and teach in a logical, structured manner that's superior to the trial and error method many children naturally use.

If you aren’t sure whether you need a program to teach your child to read at home, I would advise using one. If your child breezes through with little effort, you’ll feel better knowing you didn’t leave any gaps. If your child begins to struggle after hitting some confusing reading rules, you’ll appreciate having a program there to guide you through.

Should you decide you’d like to try teaching reading without a program, prepare yourself with a book like The Three R’s by Ruth Beechick.

4. Expect Plateaus

Many parents find that their child does well with letter sounds but struggles with putting them together. Or they read well but later seem to stall or hit a wall.

If your child is struggling to go from one reading skill to the next, don’t worry. Shelve the materials, work on easy skills for a while, and come back later on. Some children need a few weeks or months to develop their brains between skills just as some children need time to go from standing to taking their first steps on their own.

5. Expect Regressions

Learning isn’t organized and linear; in fact, it's usually sporadic and even chaotic. Children often experience regressions in ability, inexplicably moving backward in skill. When you are teaching a child to read at home, one day they might be reading well, and the next day they are crying the work is too hard.

One reason for regressions is the brain sometimes redirects power to other areas during certain seasons. For example, it’s hard to focus on trivial details after a traumatic event. Another illustration: people watch television to distract themselves from worry or stress. The brain likes to focus on one main task at a time. You may be asking your child’s brain to learn about reading, but their brain is telling them, “Let’s learn everything there is to know about how trains work” or “Wouldn't it be way more fun to learn about the periodic table?”

Regression is often a sign your child is reaching their cognitive limit and they need more time to develop before progressing. The good news is that re-learning what seems lost is usually fairly easy.

6. Let Kids Read Below Their Ability

Parents sometimes feel alarmed when a child is advanced in reading but only wants to read easy books below their ability. My response is, “That’s great. Let them!”

Reading for fun, below maximum reading level, is a great way to reinforce a variety of skills:

  • word recognition
  • fluency
  • vocabulary
  • comprehension

Reading easy books is just as important as reading harder books. I can easily read at a graduate school level. But I would get very bored and frustrated if that were all I was allowed to read. I can enjoy and learn from both college textbooks and my favorite childhood classic.

Some easy-looking books are deceptively difficult, hiding educational material, large vocabulary words, or a lot of content broken up by pictures to give the eyes a chance to rest. Don't be afraid to use these books if they encourage your child to read.

As for children who learn to read young and advance quickly, but later stall out, it gets hard to remember that they are really just little children. The 5-year-old who reads at a third grade level doesn’t really need to worry about 4th grade reading for at least 4 more years yet, and by then, they’ll likely be well beyond that level anyway.

Being the parent of four dyslexic children, I recognize that not all children are easy to teach, and some do require more effort than others. But it’s better to wait for a child to be ready to read than to push ahead until they get frustrated.

It’s a fine line to walk. If you would like advice from someone with years of experience, reach out to a Sonlight Advisor. She can help you recognize signs of reading readiness and choose the best materials to guide your children into successful reading.

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Jul. 10, 2019

4 Ways to Get Dad Involved in the Homeschool Day

By Rachel Guerrero
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Homeschool families come in all varieties! In some, homeschool duties are split equally by parents while in others the father is the main homeschooler. But many families are like mine growing up—Dad worked a demanding job and attended graduate school in the evenings. Mom homeschooled us on her own.

When a dad is away from home much of the time, he can sometimes feel a bit left out of the homeschool dynamic. He’s a homeschool dad, but he’s not there during the day, so sometimes he doesn’t even really know what’s going on in the homeschool.

Here are four simple ways a father can play a vital role in his family’s homeschool day, even if he’s often away from home.

1. Save One Read-Aloud for Dad

Sonlight has so many fabulous Read-Alouds, it should be easy to reserve one for the whole family to read together with Dad.

Depending on his work schedule, perhaps after dinner or before bedtime might work for a family read-aloud session. Otherwise, you could read the book together on his days off. The benefit of this will be that Dad gets to join in on family conversations about the books that you have all read together!

2. Have Daily Homeschool Check-ins

If Dad is home for dinner with the family, make the “What did you do in school today?” question a regular routine. Sometimes homeschool families neglect to ask this question. After all, with the siblings and Mom in the same class all day, talking about what you did in school might seem redundant.

But if Dad wasn’t there, having the kids tell him what they learned and did can help him feel more connected to their education. Plus, hearing their descriptions of the school day will give Mom a good chance to see how well they are retaining the day’s lessons!

3. Have Dad Take a Child to Work

Depending on workplace policies and the field of work, letting a father take one of the kids to work with him can be an enriching experience. As a bonus it allows Dad to play a larger role in educating his child and can give Mom a day with one less student to be in charge of. That's a win all around!

My father was a lighting engineer who designed lenses for the interior lights in cars. I went into work with him once and spent the day learning about the science and engineering that goes into lights as I played around with lenses and colored films. Nearly 20 years later, I still haven’t forgotten about my day at work with Dad.

"As a military family stationed in Germany, we were privileged to take our daughter Cami, 11, to many WWI and WWII sites as we learned about these somber events in HBL E. Here, her father brings history to life and helps her explore the American Cemetery in Luxembourg where General Patton is buried." —Danielle L.

4. Let Dad Take Over One Class

Let Dad choose one class that he wants to be in charge of. If he works long hours, it’ll probably need to be an elective rather than a core class.

  • If Dad is great with computers, choose coding.
  • If he loves plants, opt for botany.
  • If his weekend hobby is renovating and repairing your home, go with a shop class.

It’s good for the whole family when the kids know that Mom and Dad are a united team when it comes to the business of homeschool. Allowing Dad to be in charge of planning and teaching in his own way is a fantastic method to accomplish that unified front while fostering a family culture of learning.

Even though homeschool days often feel long when you’re in the middle of them, the school years of your children will fly by faster than you might expect. It’s worth it to find a way for both parents to be involved in the educational process.

What are some strategies your family uses to get both parents involved in homeschooling?

Sonlight is open-and-go so that either parent can jump in at any point without missing a beat.

SEE YOUR CHOICES
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