Choosing the right curriculum for your family is a crucial first step to the homeschooling process. Sonlight is among the best of the many available options. You can use Sonlight from preschool right up until high school graduation and it covers every major subject, such as math, reading and science, along with history, languages, music and a wide range of electives.
This curriculum is somewhat unique in that it incorporates a lot of age-appropriate literature into the curriculum for any given subject. The advantage to this approach is a more well-rounded education, since the literature will likely encompass more than just the required subject matter. Studying various forms of literature as part of the program will also create more discussion opportunities with your child, which opens more learning opportunities than you might otherwise have had. It also tends to make learning subjects like history a lot less dry and more enjoyable for both the students and the teacher.
Science vs Creation
Sonlight is a Christian centered program, so theories like creationism are taught, but an understanding of evolutionary theories are also required as a normal part of the study. One good aspect of Sonlight is that it does not shy away from controversial issues. Instead, it encourages the child to consider all viewpoints and come to a conclusion based on his own research and values. This also leads to opportunities to discuss these issues with your child in a setting where the child already has some knowledge to draw from.
Flexibility
Flexibility is a big advantage with the Sonlight curriculum. Let's say you don't like a particular book that is included with the curriculum, either because you object to the subject matter, or you don't feel like your kid is ready for that material. You can simply substitute another book of your choosing and not miss a step. This flexibility also allows you to adapt it for several siblings at once, or even reuse it as younger children grow into it. Another way that Sonlight is flexible is it includes both a four day and a five day curriculum. Many homeschool families choose to be involved in co-ops that take place once a week, or leave one day a week free for field trips or other opportunities such as music lessons. Sonlight makes this a very viable option without having to try to cram in a day of school on those already busy days.
Reading is Fundamental
Since reading is such a fundamental part of this curriculum, your children's reading skill will grow by leaps and bounds as a natural byproduct of the program. The main goal of Sonlight, even more than teaching specific information or concepts, is to create a desire to learn and the ability to evaluate information with a solid base as they mature. By making each reader age appropriate, they can be read-aloud books or books that are simply assigned to the child. Sonlight makes a suggestion as to which type of book each should be, but the curriculum is so flexible that a family can easily tailor it to their own needs.
Some homeschoolers take issue with the fact Sonlight includes novels and historical fiction in their curriculum offerings. Sonlight believes that including information within the context of a story can help the student retain it more effectively, and to develop an understanding of why the information is important. Sonlight also includes stories that are sometimes considered extremely deep for a child. For instance, in their pre-k curriculum they have a book entitled New Toes for Tia. This book is a true story of a young girl in a small tribe who has her feet severely burned. There are descriptions of what happened with her, that could lead to questions that some parents would not wish to discuss with their small children. Overall, though, it is Christian based and most parents who consider themselves Christians will not have a problem with it. There are some stories that include magic in them that are considered good literature but that some Christian parents may object to. It would be a good idea, if you are considering Sonlight, to look over their book list for the year(s) that you are planning and make sure you do not have this type of objection.
This curriculum offers a flexible education option that encompasses various points of view, a strong emphasis on reading and the flexibility to decide what your child should be exposed to.
Sonlight is a great option for parents who wish to give their child a Classical Education. They are able to learn to think for themselves and develop their reasoning skills at an early age. If you think you would like to allow your child to experience this wonderful educational style, please look into the Sonlight curriculum. The time that is invested in your child’s education will not be wasted.
If you're interested in the Sonlight curriculum, get more information here
