Thinking about Sonlight

[ChristyH]

I am finding that I need a lot of structure in my homeschooling but don't want to use textbooks, so we are very strongly considering Sonlight. My dh likes it also from what he has read in the catalog. Has anyone else had good experiences with Sonlight?:001_smile:

[jlovebaker]

I love Sonlight ... We used Core 6 last year and now we're doing Core 7. I've already bought Core 5 for next year.

 

I love most of the books ... and even sent some to my mom to read. I've learned so much (oh yeah - the kids have too).

 

FYI - We don't use the LA (we use IEW instead). We're using the science for the first time this year - Sonlight 5 and I think it's great. The other years don't get as good of reviews but I bought Sci 6 anyway and I like the look of the books.

[ChristyH]

We are looking at doing core 3 and core 6. I am pretty excited about it.

[G5052]

I used Cores PK-4, and it saved my bacon. I didn't use their Bible choices and dropped a few of the missionary bios that were too brutal for our tastes, but otherwise I used it as is, and we got more history/lit done with it than my prior attempts. Both kids came out avid readers and check out adult books now. They loved the read-aloud time, and we still read aloud after breakfast but now use Beautiful Feet before they go off to their own studies.

 

I always suggest that you check out some of the books from a library that are in the core you're thinking about before buying to see if the level and type of book is OK, and consider buying a used Core and starting with just a few books if money is tight.

[meet me in paris]

We've had some great experiences with Sonlight. The only thing I didn't like about it, and the reason we're drifting away, is that there isn't much *work* to do in the middle grade cores. We have portfolio reviews with our county, and I just didn't have much written work to show with SL. If that's an issue for you, know that you will either have to supplement, type out questions from the IG, or something else. For example, this year for SL Core 6, I bought the SOTW tests (she does one for every chapter) and IEW Ancient History Based Writing Lessons.

 

Cores 3 & 4 have a workbook (and we used the SL LA to go with it, which helped) and Core 5 has the EHE, so it's mostly 6 & 7 that you have to worry about.

[Love2Smile]

I love the idea of Sonlight but all the reading buried us! If I ever used it again, i'd use it as a guide and pick and choose not feel like a slave to all those books.

I prefer Beautiful Feet over SL

[zaichiki]

We have used/are using Cores PK-4. We skip their Bible choices and dropped a few of the missionary books in favor of others more in line with our faith.

 

Love SL!

[Guest kidoma]

We have done Core 1 and 2 and are now in the middle of Core 3. I love SL, all the literature, some of the books are challenging reads but we have read all but 2 books. DD9 is reading a lot more on her own, so she has done some of the Read Aloud on her own but we still do the spine book and most of the Read Alouds together.

When we started, she had to be bribed to listen to a story and was a non reader (dyslexic). She is still dyslexic but she reads 6th grade level and loves, begs for reading time together.

We don't the LA, we use IEW instead.

 

Dominique

[Guest aquiverfull]

We did the Combined SL 1+2 Core. Only the history and literature. We also used their science 2 that year. We use other things for our Math and Language Arts. My dd and I enjoyed it, but were looking for more activities. So the next year we tried Winter Promise American Story 1. We really enjoyed it as well. However, by the end of the year we were tired of all the activities.

 

I'm looking into going back to SL for the next few years for my oldest. I'm currently considering SL Core 6 for next year but will most likely add in Mystery of History. That should give us some activities, plus more biblical content than what is in Story of the World. I'm also thinking of doing the P4/5 with my little ones.

[Katiebug_1976]

I have been drooling :drool: over Sonlight for several years now, but just couldn't fit it into our budget. Well, dh & I have decided to make it fit this next year. We will be doing core 3 & core 100. I am so excited about it that it is hard for me to focus on finishing up this year! We absolutely LOVE reading together, so my kids are excited about the change also.

[Hen]

I tried it several years ago, crashed and burned right away...I am a very unscheduled sort of person. But then started using it again this year. I am homeschooling 5 students and realized I need some kind of plan. I am doing core 2 with the 3 younger kids, core 6 at a regular pace with my 7th grader and core 6 then core 7 at a faster pace with my 9th grader.

 

It's going better this time around, I knew what to expect. Ordering all the books also helped. It is very easy to have the next book on the schedule right there on my shelf! (magic).:001_smile: I arranged my binder in a better way this time around, works better with how I think.

 

good luck in your decision.

[ChristyH]

That is sort of the boat we are in with making it fit into the budget. he wants to me to have peace of mind and spend more time teaching then planning.

[ChristyH]

Hey Jen that is exactly what I am looking for also. Ease of use and no more hunting everything down.

[Tess in the Burbs]

We like SL. I tried it b/c I loved the catalog and their guarantee made it worth the try. We did Core 1 last year and are in Core 2 now with plans to keep going. We don't do the LA though. I am going to try the Science next year as well since it didn't get done this year on my own.

 

My kids love the books, love me reading aloud to them, and they know more History than most of our family ;-) As long as they like it we will be using it and I have high hopes for science next year!

[Melissa in CA]

I used to be a SL user! I've used cores 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 100, 300, and 400. I've since moved to TOG and wish, wish, WISH I had know about TOG back in my SL days. My older boys missed out! Big time. I now wouldn't go back to SL if you paid me. :D In fact, I still have three cores on-hand 6, 100 and 300...yet I would rather purchase and use TOG for the exact same time periods. ;)

 

One thing I absolutely despised about SL was their TM. Good Grief....I don't think they could make it more cumbersome and annoying to use. I am a very visual person and no matter what I tried, I could not stand that TM. After several years of use, I finally just stopped using it and only used the Schedule. SL became just a list of books to be read. Oh, and John's notes...soooooooo boring. My highschoolers absolutely hated them. I would read the notes to them and they'd look at me like I was speaking in Greek. I would never again use SL for Jr. high or high school. My two favorite cores were Cores 1 & 2.

 

For me personally, TOG is much more user friendly and just gives you, more. It's also waaaaaaay better organized. It also uses some of the same books as SL, but at the appropriate age levels.

 

By the way, SL is wonderful at advertising! One cannot help but want to purchase a Core...or FIVE...after looking through their catty. It's lovely...and enticing. :lol: TOG on the other hand, does not advertise, at least I have never seen an advertisement. I bet if they advertised as well as SL...SL would have some major competition! ;)

 

Anyhow, all that to say, I had a love/hate relationship with SL. I used it because I really wanted a whole books approach to history and I did not know of anyone else who offered that already planned out for me. But, I struggled with it every. single. year. Oh, most of the book choices were great, if all you want to do is read all day long. :tongue_smilie: It was the "extras" and the organization that I really disliked. Meh.

 

Sorry. I just thought you might want a different perspective on SL. Many use it....wonderful advertising remember ;)...so you'll gets lots of, "SL is wonderful comments." I figured a different view might be helpful? If not, just ignore me. Most do. :D

Edited January 25, 2010 by Melissa in CA

[....]

Keep in mind that you could use Sonlight as a supplement and get most of the read-aloud books from the library.

 

The Readers can be bought through their website and the TM (with all the comprehension questions) is like 5 bucks.

[Guest aquiverfull]

Keep in mind that you could use Sonlight as a supplement and get most of the read-aloud books from the library.

 

The Readers can be bought through their website and the TM (with all the comprehension questions) is like 5 bucks.

 

 

Yes, but from what I understand this is only available for the lower cores. I asked just recently on this board and was told that starting in Core 3 those are not available separately and you would have to purchase the normal IG to have those comprehension questions. Correct me if I'm wrong though.

[ReneeK]

We have used K and core 1 and love it. When we first started homeschooling I tried A Beka and it was not a fit for my dd. She hated it. She loves the books from SL and can't get enough of them. I happen to like them also!!!!! The budget thing was what kept me from it at first but, I found out that I still spend around the same amount of $$$$ on other curriculums and all the resources that go with them.

[Mom0012]

This is our 5th year using SL and we've really enjoyed it. I read to the kids at breakfast and they really look forward to it and they've learned a lot. I have been considering TOG after core 4 or core 5, but haven't really looked at that closely.

 

I'd love to hear more from Merry about what the impovements are with TOG over SL.

 

Lisa

[Mom22ns]

I love sonlight. We are using Core 100 and 3+4 this year. It has been great. I played with Core 5 last year and next year I will be using Core 6.

 

I really looked at TOG. I thought hard about switching. I downloaded every sample, planned all the trial weeks, and made a book list for ancient history. When all was said and done, TOG was too much more work for me and not as good of a fit with my kids learning style. They are both great curriculums, but right now we are much happier in SL. We may still switch for the Rhetoric stage, but not yet.

 

I do buy my SL IG's used from the sale board here. I then go through and check what books are available from my local library, mark all of those and buy anything that I will need longer access to or that is not available. My total cost for Core 6 next year will be about $120. We have great library access and I don't mind keeping that organized. Is it handy to just pull a book off the shelf? Of course! But buying used and using the library makes SL work for us.

[WeeBeaks]

We have done SL from P3/4 through core 1 now, about to start core 2. Overall, I have been pleased. But I just purchased a unit of TOG DE to try. I love the literature in SL, but I do feel like I could be doing more with my 2nd grader (we are in the 2nd 1/2 of 2nd grade right now) in terms of history. So I'm going to try to blend TOG with SL some, taking selections from both. We'll see how that goes in one unit.

 

I have used SL language arts through LA2 int now and don't particularly care for it at all. Like a lot of people, my problem is the readers are extremely boring for his reading level but anything higher is too hard for his writing level. Plus, of course, I can't really go beyond LA2 adv anyway because in core 3 you need to have the LA match the core. My hope is TOG will provide some more meaty reading selections for him. He does his own choosing too at the library, of course, but recommendations that correlate with the time period being studied are always welcomed! I love that TOG has so many additional/alternate suggestions to keep a voracious reader going.

 

I know a lot of people suggest SL is just too much reading, but I haven't found that at all personally. Again, we just finished core 1, so perhaps I haven't really hit it yet. Right now I can easily keep up with reading all the required core 1 plus P4/5 for my younger son, and we are complete by early afternoon even with breaks and seat work time. A SL LA reader that is scheduled over 2 weeks takes my son less than 1/2 hour to read at this point. For the last couple months we have been doing 2 weeks of core 1 every week. My oldest is advanced in some ways, but honestly even at double time it has been a very manageable load, and I have added extra seat work, WWE, FLL and lapbooks plus some extra library reading in there.

 

SL science to me at this level is scattered all over the place, probably deliberately at a "survey" type of thing, but we find it frustrating and lacking in depth for his interest level. He does a week or two of science in a day on his own easily with perfect comprehension. So that isn't working for us. Others love it, so take what you will from our opinion there. :)

[michelle l]

We're using SL 3 and the history portion of SL K. The reading at this point can be a bit much, as I am not only reading from a read aloud book, then also from a history selection from the spine, a textbook, or another read-aloud novel. We're more used to it now, but it was difficult for them at first to listen that much...and hard for me to have so much to read. I do think they are becoming better readers because of the SL books they read on their own. It's just much more reading than they've done in the past. I'm thinking about switching to something else in the future, however, because I don't know how I could keep up on two full cores. Right now dd just listens to all their read-alouds. I think it would be challenging to have another book to read alone to her, which would become necessary if we continued with SL long term.

[Zoo Keeper]

We've done most of Core K, my own version of Core 1, and are currently working our way through Core 2. The best advice I can give about SL is to make it work for you. I use parts of their IG's, and other times I do my own thing. We are stretching out Core 2 over two years (and adding in SOTW 2 and some other lit. as well), because I feel Core 2 covers too much too fast. So, I slowed it down. No big deal. Too many read-alouds? Don't read them all out loud--let the kids read them out loud (with help) to you. I enjoy their lit selections, they have a great guarantee and wonderful customer service, and I feel comfortable having a framework to work from. I don't have to go book hunting (or schedule hunting) unless I choose to.

[StephanieZ]

I love SL cores. The organization, combined with the good lit selection, combined with the fact that in half a dozen clicks I can order the whole package and get it on my doorstep a week later. . . It is just sooo helpful.

 

So far, I've used Cores 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Next year we'll be doing 2 and 7. . . . I am very satisfied.

 

FWIW, I order most of my elementary math through SL (Singapore and Miquon books) but don't use the math "packages". (Great pricing on this stuff through SL, BTW.)

 

I tried SL's LA one year and it was a bust for us, so we do other things for LA.

 

We have enjoyed SL's Year 4 Science, but there are relatively few of the science years that could work for us due to theological differences of opinion so we don't usually use SL Science either. If I were a creationist, I would likely use a lot of the SL Science years. . . but as I am not, many of the years are not a good fit for us. Year 4 is mostly physics. . . and there aren't so many obvious ways to involve evolution-vs-creation in magnetism or electricity, lol.

 

Anyhow, I love SL for elementary reading and history. I can't judge it post jr high as we haven't crossed that bridge yet.

[Julie of KY]

I love Sonlight in the younger years, but have concerns with some of the upper level cores (which I haven't used yet). I've used Sonlight for 7 years now. I plan on using it into high school for history unless my kids need something different, but I will stray another direction for literature/writing - probably Excellence in Literature.

 

I have picked through TOG and while I think it looks great, it wouldn't fit ME so well. I'd go crazy trying to do everything.

[lovemykids]

I love Sonlight in the younger years, but have concerns with some of the upper level cores (which I haven't used yet). I've used Sonlight for 7 years now. I plan on using it into high school for history unless my kids need something different, but I will stray another direction for literature/writing - probably Excellence in Literature.

 

I have picked through TOG and while I think it looks great, it wouldn't fit ME so well. I'd go crazy trying to do everything.

 

Excellence in Literature - I like this program as well! (from samples)

 

My children love SL; at least my girls do. My oldest actually cried when I told her I didn't want to continue using it.:001_huh:

[at the beach]

I am finding that I need a lot of structure in my homeschooling but don't want to use textbooks, so we are very strongly considering Sonlight. My dh likes it also from what he has read in the catalog. Has anyone else had good experiences with Sonlight?:001_smile:

 

I have not had a chance to read all the replies. We bought our first Cores last fall. Cores 1/2 and 5. The first half of the year went really, really well. We loved it. The second half of the year, I had some stresses in my life that resulted in me being unable to really do a good job homeschooling except for basics, so we fell behind and that frustrated me. But I finally just decided to move on where we were and try to be okay with that. I gave myself permission to take two years to cover these Cores, and I am fine now with that. My 13 yo dd does lots of extracurriculars, and she takes online Latin and we spend quite a bit of time on math...so, it seemed to make sense to just draw it out some. We disliked Core 5 Bible and dropped it. She doesn't have much left to go of the Core now, and to just break things up a little, we've paused it where we are and she is taking an online mythology course this spring for literature. She's going to continue working on the EHE and then she'll finish up the remaining weeks of Core 5 reading this summer. She's very much enjoyed it so far. My 10 yo has learning differences so she is not on grade level in some respects. She has immensely enjoyed the readers and read alouds for Core 1/2. We've disliked Child's History of the World (she just can't relate to it) so I have subbed Kings and Things instead. She enjoys the other history books in this Core but more of a let's look at these and just enjoy them sort of thing, which I am fine with.

 

The IG are HUGE and a pain in some ways because of that. But I've used them and liked them anyway. ;)

 

So, all that said, here's what I've learned using SL--don't be afraid to take longer than the standard year. It really is a lot of reading, especially if you have lots of outside activities and focus heavily on other subjects. It's okay to skip a book here and there, too, if you really don't like it or are not getting anything out of it. Also, if you can combine your kids, do that. Having more than one core going is not the easiest, at least not with the lower cores from my experience.

 

Will we keep using it? I've been on the fence because I really love Ambleside. But the thing is, my kids want to keep using SL. So, I guess that means my decision is made. My current plan is to buy Core 100 for my 13 yo and have my youngest tag along. I'll have my youngest listen in on Hakim and then we'll add in some readers and read-alouds from Core 3/4 and that will be her history next year.

 

I think if you like and need structure, you'll enjoy it. I'm fairly unorganized and I still like it, but I think if I were an organized momma I'd like it even more. ;)

[melmichigan]

We are using Cores K, 1, and 6 this year. To quote myself "We are enjoying SL this year. I tweak and add in history pockets, DVR'd shows from History Channel, Nat. Geo. and other things. I use the IG as a guide and adapt as needed, I also sub in SOTW and the AG for other activities. We use the core, history, readers, and read-alouds. I have the LA for 1 and for 2Int. but only use the supplemental books and fill in the rest of the schedule with our other materials. The LA just didn't work for us. We are also a science heavy house so although we have most of the books used in their science programs we don't "use" their science."

 

The biggest suggestion with SL is right in the IG binder, under tips: "Use your Instructor's Guide as a resource, don't permit it to "use" you." They also have a nice return policy, if you buy a core you can try it for 18 weeks and still return it if it isn't right for you as long as all the materials for the other 18 weeks are in new condition (don't even put the stickers on them). I'm hoping I can use my TOG in high school because I can't return it or sell it (I own TOG DE.)

[calandalsmom]

I have used core 1+2 thru 5 and am using core 6 now. I use the IG for schedule but im no slave to it. If I dislike a book I drop it. I think SL is a good frame for our homeschool. The most re-organization and drop/ adding I did was cor e5 bc I couldnt stad all the missionary nonsense. We are not evangelicals and I have a distatse for that sort of thing.

 

I buy all used so apparently the ads havent gotten to me yet.

[lovemykids]

I have used core 1+2 thru 5 and am using core 6 now. I use the IG for schedule but im no slave to it. If I dislike a book I drop it. I think SL is a good frame for our homeschool. The most re-organization and drop/ adding I did was cor e5 bc I couldnt stad all the missionary nonsense. We are not evangelicals and I have a distatse for that sort of thing.

 

I buy all used so apparently the ads havent gotten to me yet.

 

We cut out the religious aspect as well, or use what we do encounter as a springboard for discussion.

[Captivated]

In my 10th year with Sonlight. I used PreK, K, 1, 3/4, 5, 6/7, 100, 200, and 300. Love it. :) Great experience with the company, IG, everything. I've looked at a LOT of other curriculums, had my hands on most b/c I have this "grass is greener" problem. Always come back to Sonlight.

[sixglides]

I would love to hear, Amy, what you ADD to Sonlight. That is my current struggle!

[trust and obey]

I've tried doing my own thing, but Sonlight has it so well organized, and hands down picks the best books. They have made my ds love reading. We're on our fifth year of it.

[calandalsmom]

I add a lot every year. Sometimes because I didnt like what SL chose but most often because there is just so much out there.

[melmichigan]

I add a lot every year. Sometimes because I didnt like what SL chose but most often because there is just so much out there.

 

:iagree: I understand many people don't add or subtract but I would have a very hard time not doing this. Just yesterday we tied science and history together with the younger kids and threw in some extra for my DD using Core 6. We watched Ancient Asteroid , which was about the mystery of the glass found in one of King Tut's necklaces, and how scientists think it might have been formed. It also had great historical references to the geography of the area over time, and amazing pictures from space. Last week my DD watched "Who Killed Julius Caesar" on the history channel. We are also finishing up history pockets and picking out additional readers for Greece and Rome, depending on the core, since they are at different places. There is so much available it's hard not to add. Don't get me started on Literature. :)

[mrsrevmeg]

I went with TOG because I have three kids and did not think I would like to be trying to teach three separate cores every single year. A friend of mine has four kids and loves Sonlight more than anything in the world. I think a lot has to do with your expectations. I like being able to tweak, add to/subtract from my teacher's manual. Sonlight has things more scripted so if you start doing things your own way, it can get hard. TOG is the perfect balance of artsy-craftsy/academic for our our family. Sonlight has less hands on, but more reading. I say if you feel like Sonlight is a good fit, try it. If you get it and do not like it can be returned.