Help Organizing Sonlight 300 (please? Pretty please?)

[Kendra]

This will be our first year using a Sonlight Core. I'm looking forward to it, but I've gotta admit that I don't think there's an easy way to organize the binder so that my son can use it with as little daily direction from me as possible.

 

I love the weekly schedules and plan to follow them, but if my son has to flip back and forth between sections instead of having everything right there behind each week's tabs, he might be tempted to throw the binder at me ;)

 

Complicated by the fact that the nifty "how to organize your IG binder" video on the Sonlight site shows the sections color-coded ("the yellow pages are science", etc.) but Sonlight 300 pages are all white...

 

Further complicated by the fact that I'm assuming they sent me the wrong binder tabs since mine say "read-aloud study guide" and I'm not thinking Sonlight 300 has read-alouds...

 

So, this is a plea for help from anyone who has hit upon a logical way to organize their IG.

 

Thanks!

 

~Kendra

[cocoabean]

Not a sonlighter, but don't throw the book at me just yet! :D Could you color the outside edges of the pages with highlighters? I've done this with other books... ran the highlighter down the edge about 1/4" in. I used pink, yellow, orange and green, and it worked perfectly to help me figure out where things were in my binder.

 

Other than that, you could make paper dividers out of cardstock or colored copy paper. Just 3-hole punch the 8.5x11" colored papers and place a post-it flag on the edges for easy identification.

 

Not sure if that helps, but hopefully it gave you something to think about. :-)

[keptwoman]

DS is also doing SL300 as our first ever SL core. I have to say, we are really loving it, the books are wonderful!!

We take the pages that will be required from each section for the week and put them in a smaller folder, then at the end of the week they go back in the main folder.

We did it for about 4 weeks as written, but DS really didn't like having multiple books on the go, so I rescheduled slightly and he now has a list which includes one book per week. We had already cut all the Bible/Apologetics out of it, or it would have been harder to do.

[Rhonda in TX]

I put the book study guides in separate folders. (the 2-pocket kind with fasteners) I write the name of the book on the front cover of the folder. I only do 9 weeks worth at a time and will rotate the folders to new books when those are done. That way I'm not having to deal with the big binder. That thing drives me crazy. I think it will be easier to pull a folder off the shelf as needed.

 

As far as the binder tabs go, I looked and it says they are not compatible with the upper level cores. I'm not sure what's up with that. Is the read-aloud tab extra, or do you actually need other tabs? (I haven't used the upper cores yet.)

[AngieW in Texas]

SL only has one set of tabs and they don't match up with Core 100 or higher.

 

I used the reader tab for biographies&historical fiction and the readaloud tab for literature.

 

Core 300 doesn't have a science schedule or a separate LA, so there aren't any colored sheets for them.

 

The writing assignments are in the literature guides.

[4wildberrys]

We are on week 27 of Core 300---and I have not found an 'easy' way to organize this yet! We are also using the older spine for history "20th Century Day by Day" because dd found the Visual History book ridiculous at best. The Lit Q&A, IMO, contain little to no Literary Analysis which I am sorely disappointed about because this core has been revised and updated! I LOVE the SL reading lists---but the high school Cores are severely lacking, especially when compared to other programs like TOG, MFW etc. There are discussions going on right now over at SL about this complete lack of proper direction and organization of the IGs to make this program not only REAL high school level, but open and go for student and teacher. SL is listening, but it doesn't seem like they have any real plans going on to improve this 'problem' that SL'ers have been bitterly complaining about for close to 5 or more years now. The LA assignments are fine if you have a student who is already an accomplished writer who needs no further guidance or instruction. For the Literature Study Guide there are Introductory Comments that summarize a story, give some insights about author/time period, or just say read and enjoy. Some mapping that you have to figure out, some questions like "Where does the story take place?", "What is the conflict?", LOTS of simple recall and not much true analysis---and the answers are right there at the bottom of the page. In fact, the author of this guide states at SL that deep analysis of books is for college and if you want do study a few books in depth, basically put your kids in a CC class! No kidding.

 

Sorry to sound negative on SL, especially considering I have every Core now and love the books. But I am sorely disappointed with the complete lack of depth for the high school Cores so far. I can't believe how SL is totally missing the boat on sucking so much good info from all the books----or even just a few! :glare:

[AngieW in Texas]

This is why I have abandoned SL. I've used it since K, but I don't like the high school Cores.

 

I was going to use Core 6 with my youngest this year, but I don't want to go through SOTW again, so I switched her over to Oak Meadow along with my middle dd.

 

Core 300 does hang together much better if you add in A Short History of the Twentieth Century. There is a post somewhere on the SL300 board that gives a schedule for using this book to correlate it with Core 300.

http://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Twentieth-Century/dp/1566637937/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276180889&sr=8-1

[Kendra]

We are on week 27 of Core 300---and I have not found an 'easy' way to organize this yet! We are also using the older spine for history "20th Century Day by Day" because dd found the Visual History book ridiculous at best. The Lit Q&A, IMO, contain little to no Literary Analysis which I am sorely disappointed about because this core has been revised and updated! I LOVE the SL reading lists---but the high school Cores are severely lacking, especially when compared to other programs like TOG, MFW etc. There are discussions going on right now over at SL about this complete lack of proper direction and organization of the IGs to make this program not only REAL high school level, but open and go for student and teacher. SL is listening, but it doesn't seem like they have any real plans going on to improve this 'problem' that SL'ers have been bitterly complaining about for close to 5 or more years now. The LA assignments are fine if you have a student who is already an accomplished writer who needs no further guidance or instruction. For the Literature Study Guide there are Introductory Comments that summarize a story, give some insights about author/time period, or just say read and enjoy. Some mapping that you have to figure out, some questions like "Where does the story take place?", "What is the conflict?", LOTS of simple recall and not much true analysis---and the answers are right there at the bottom of the page. In fact, the author of this guide states at SL that deep analysis of books is for college and if you want do study a few books in depth, basically put your kids in a CC class! No kidding.

 

Sorry to sound negative on SL, especially considering I have every Core now and love the books. But I am sorely disappointed with the complete lack of depth for the high school Cores so far. I can't believe how SL is totally missing the boat on sucking so much good info from all the books----or even just a few! :glare:

 

This it totally, completely, and utterly discouraging. I was looking to SL to be a plan I could present to my 10th grader and just oversee it. There are 7 other children in this house who need my oversight ;)

 

So... would anyone be willing to share any work/planning you've already done to enhance SL 300 so I don't have to reinvent the wheel? Please?

 

~Kendra

[Emma]

Actually, if you look on the SL website, Cores 100 and up have their own unique binders, without the read aloud tabs. As far as organizing, check out Jenn Guest's website: http://www.guesthollow.com/blog.html. Her oldest son is using Core 300 and she is super nice if you email her any questions. If anyone could organize anything, she can. We love SL here and are looking forward to using the upper cores. No more switching around for us.

[ChildofGrace]

Further complicated by the fact that I'm assuming they sent me the wrong binder tabs since mine say "read-aloud study guide" and I'm not thinking Sonlight 300 has read-alouds...

 

 

Hi, Kendra.

 

Just wanted to quickly say that I would contact SL regarding your tabs. The catalog lists item #B300 as a binder with tabs "specifically designed for Core 300", so perhaps this was a simple mistake on their part?

[mom2paul]

Hi, Kendra.

 

Just wanted to quickly say that I would contact SL regarding your tabs. The catalog lists item #B300 as a binder with tabs "specifically designed for Core 300", so perhaps this was a simple mistake on their part?

 

 

There must be some issue with these tabs. When I rec'd my Core 300 IG I noted they sent tabs that did not correlate. I contacted them and they were very quick to send me a new set -- of the same tabs. I gave up.

 

I went over to the Sonlight forums today and read the discussion currently going on about the lack of lit analysis and IG issues. I have the IG here, but have not yet opportunity to review it. I am very discouraged by what I am reading and hope Sonlight takes measures to remedy these things. Many have complained about their high school cores, lacking or not being high school worthy. They do not offer an Ancients program for high school was one area of concern I had. We will use Core 300, but am supplementing for grade 10.

[Kendra]

We will use Core 300, but am supplementing for grade 10.

 

And this is what is so frustrating! I was lured by the subject matter covered in SL 300, the scope of reading, and the (assumed) organization. I was seeing it as something a high schooler could do primarily as a self-learner, something we expect by the sophomore year. My current sophomore in particular needs more hand-holding than others, so all this prep on my part rather defeats the purpose.

 

Bummer. Guess I know what I'll be doing all summer.

[Kendra]

Oh, and in regards to the tabs- I'm thinking of taking my binder to our local convention and showing the gals in the SL booth. Perhaps that will get a better/quicker response?

[4wildberrys]

And this is what is so frustrating! I was lured by the subject matter covered in SL 300, the scope of reading, and the (assumed) organization. I was seeing it as something a high schooler could do primarily as a self-learner, something we expect by the sophomore year. My current sophomore in particular needs more hand-holding than others, so all this prep on my part rather defeats the purpose.

 

Bummer. Guess I know what I'll be doing all summer.

 

 

I know---very frustrating! I was under the impression it was 'open and go' for high school too---but it's not. I wish SL could address this issue soon. You'll have company working hard this summer though----that's what I am going to spend my summer doing too---retyping and reorganizing my Core 400 notes to make them actually usable for dd and I :glare:

[keptwoman]

I haven't read the SL forums. I went over there, but since I'm on a Jan-December timetable, they all seemed to be at a place I wasn't, so I stopped reading.

We got the correct binder tabs, J likes the core book and is learning plenty. I do agree about the lit analysis, so occasionally I dig out a bit more information, but I don't find it a big deal. After rescheduling the books, which took me about an hour, I'm finding it very open and go for us. I don't know, perhaps my standards are just lower.

[Kendra]

I haven't read the SL forums. I went over there, but since I'm on a Jan-December timetable, they all seemed to be at a place I wasn't, so I stopped reading.

We got the correct binder tabs, J likes the core book and is learning plenty. I do agree about the lit analysis, so occasionally I dig out a bit more information, but I don't find it a big deal. After rescheduling the books, which took me about an hour, I'm finding it very open and go for us. I don't know, perhaps my standards are just lower.

 

So, Sandra, how did you reschedule the books?

[4wildberrys]

I haven't read the SL forums. I went over there, but since I'm on a Jan-December timetable, they all seemed to be at a place I wasn't, so I stopped reading.

We got the correct binder tabs, J likes the core book and is learning plenty. I do agree about the lit analysis, so occasionally I dig out a bit more information, but I don't find it a big deal. After rescheduling the books, which took me about an hour, I'm finding it very open and go for us. I don't know, perhaps my standards are just lower.

 

All the complaining is going on in the Dear Sonlight section ;) Consider yourself lucky if you have Core 300 figured out and are not stressing :tongue_smilie: Perhaps you are an organizational genius? What books did you reschedule and how?

[keptwoman]

ROFL I certainly would not consider myself an organisational genius!!

I just put the books in order, and assigned one a week, then printed out the new list and stuck it in the front of the folder. Some books take a little less and some take a little more, he knows though that if he is getting toward a week behind in his reading according to my list, then he is probably behind. In putting them in order, I looked at the Creative Expression assignments to be sure that by the time he hit any of them, he had finished the appropriate book. This may have been harder to do if we were doing the Bible/apologetics reading, but we are secular so we don't do that.

[momee]

I just want to say the reasons not to buy sonlight were a draw to me after spending so much time on literature analysis and great books work with a classical curricula.

 

My son may be "doing less" but he is enjoying learning much more. He actually took Murder on the Orient Express to bed with him our last few weeks of school this year. I haven't seen him do that in a while. He was glad to change in our last couple months after years of hard classical study. Can't say whether this is a path my girls will continue on but for this oldest boy, he's got to like what he's doing or it won't get done and we'll just fight :(

 

So SL is a breath of fresh air for us.

 

I'm going to have to admit, the "work" I am used to isn't the same with SL. He's not doing really hard papers once a week and he's not digging in depth to historical events, geography is almost nill, and the lit analysis, well, nill again.

 

I don't know where we'll go from here after 300. I must say they could have expected an awful lot more of the kids, but I have to go back to the love of learning thing with my guy right now.

 

I hope SL listens to the comments but manages to keep from overwhelming the kids. Tricky balance...