jer2911mom Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 For those of you who have used Sonlight long-term, can you please share how it has positively affected your family and what long-term benefits you see? Thank you! Kathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaOz Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I'd love to reply to this but haven't got time right at the moment. Will try to get back to you....:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom28kds Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I only used Sonlight for History with my 4 older children. I have to say we all loved it. I did what worked for us though. I didn't do timelines and I didn't do all the read-alouds. But to this day they all have a love for history by reading real books and not just learning names and dates. I tried a couple other subjects but found I liked other things better but I LOVE the history and will do it with my younger kids also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer2911mom Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 Thank you! This is the type of reply I am looking for! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 For those of you who have used Sonlight long-term, can you please share how it has positively affected your family and what long-term benefits you see? Thank you! Kathy I don't have time for a lengthy reply, but will jump to say Sonlight has been the anchor of our homeschool for 11 years now. It connects us to history, literature, the world, and one another ~ all positive benefits, both in the short- and long-term. If you have specific questions, I'll try to stop by again and answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer2911mom Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share Posted February 10, 2011 I don't have time for a lengthy reply, but will jump to say Sonlight has been the anchor of our homeschool for 11 years now. It connects us to history, literature, the world, and one another ~ all positive benefits, both in the short- and long-term. If you have specific questions, I'll try to stop by again and answer. Thanks, Colleen. I mainly just want to hear the positives of SL long-term. I don't see much about that on this forum. Lately I see a lot of people who use it up to parts of/the end of middle school and then move on to TOG or MFW or something else and I just wonder how many people are still using it long-term. It has been around a long time and seems proven, but I want to hear what a child ends up with if they use SL long-term. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LindaOz Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 We haven't used SL all the way through yet, firstly because we haven't had anyone go all the way through school yet, and secondly because we have diverted along the way and done different things as well. However, I used Core 1 with my two oldest girls when they were in 1st and 2nd grade. It was great and they learned so much - things that have stuck even though they are now in 9th and 10th grades. We also used the LA that year and, once again, learned a lot. They still, even now will comment on books they read in Core 1 all those years ago. Then we changed to other programs - a bit of this, and a bit of that. My two oldest girls then did Core 5, and later Core 7 while some of the younger kids did lower cores. Last year we took a year to spend on Australian history but this year we are ALL doing SL and that is where I am planning on staying. Why? Because I love the literature it provides, the worldview it presents, the way it makes the kids think and discuss various topics. It has given (and is still giving) my kids an outward focus on cultures, events and peoples that is positive and challenging. It causes them to think and to care about issues. Does that help at all? I know I'm probably raving but I'm excited about re-renewing our SL journey and am looking forward to seeing the same positives that my older kids have received from SL in their early years now being repeated in my younger kids (and I'm starting to see that already.) HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandy in TN Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 This is another parts story. My oldest ds loved SL's book choices. He read most of the literature, read-alouds, and history for 3, 4, 5, 100, and 200. It was such a good fit for him and did exactly what it is intended to do- all that historical fiction really helped him to identify with what he was studying in history. SL was not a good fit for my 2nd ds who doesn't care for historical fiction. OTOH- core 5 was one of the highlights of our homeschool journey (even for the 2nd ds) and I can't wait to use it with my little man! Mandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 This is another parts story. My oldest ds loved SL's book choices. He read most of the literature, read-alouds, and history for 3, 4, 5, 100, and 200. It was such a good fit for him and did exactly what it is intended to do- all that historical fiction really helped him to identify with what he was studying in history. SL was not a good fit for my 2nd ds who doesn't care for historical fiction. OTOH- core 5 was one of the highlights of our homeschool journey (even for the 2nd ds) and I can't wait to use it with my little man! Mandy Mandy - Can you share what made SL 5 so great for you? Did you use the EHE? We are getting ready to do SL 5 next year and I'm looking forward to it, but I'm a little wary because of all the negative reviews I've read particularly about the EHE. Thanks! Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Mandy - Can you share what made SL 5 so great for you? Did you use the EHE? We are getting ready to do SL 5 next year and I'm looking forward to it, but I'm a little wary because of all the negative reviews I've read particularly about the EHE. Thanks! Lisa I don't know where you reading the negative reviews, but many long-time SL users consider Core 5 their favorite level. I'm currently going through it for the second time. The first go-around (my oldest was a 6th grader), I was less-than-thrilled about the World Book/EHE aspect of the program. It's definitely a different feel than the other SL Cores, but it also allows students to take charge of their own learning as they read articles and seek answers to questions. It turned out to be a positive experience for my son. This time around, the EHE has been upgraded and is also proving to be beneficial for my boys (7th & 5th grades) who are using it. I like to supplement the Core by checking out from the library a variety of books on the different countries/regions. Both the "Cultures of the World" and "Enchantment of the World" series are great additional resources ~ and of course there are plenty of other ways to supplement, e.g. travel documentaries, foreign films, museums, restaurants. Core 5 is a wonderful means of exposing us to cultures with which we may not be very familiar.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 (edited) Thanks, Colleen. I mainly just want to hear the positives of SL long-term. I don't see much about that on this forum. Lately I see a lot of people who use it up to parts of/the end of middle school and then move on to TOG or MFW or something else and I just wonder how many people are still using it long-term. It has been around a long time and seems proven, but I want to hear what a child ends up with if they use SL long-term. Thanks! Probably the best way to hear experiences from those who have used SL long-term is to ask on the SL boards. In general, it does get more difficult to get that kind of info because many people don't continue homeschooling through high school. Fwiw, I did give TOG serious consideration since I'd heard much about it on this board but ultimately, I considered SL more appealing and user-friendly. As my oldest son heads toward his junior year in high school, I'm well-pleased with his exposure to and education in history, literature, current events, and culture via the nine SL Cores he's completed thus far. Edited February 11, 2011 by Colleen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer2911mom Posted February 12, 2011 Author Share Posted February 12, 2011 Linda, Mandy, and Colleen, thank you so much for taking the time to reply! It is really helpful to have your insights! Colleen, I will post this on the SL forum as well. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2denj Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 We loved the EHE here!!! My dd loves to research and that pretty much sums up the EHE. It is a lot of research. I will tell you how we used it in our house. I would let her go through her assignment for the day on her own. I would then sit with her and help her with the questions that she had difficutly with. I know that a lot of families that have more that 1 child working on Core 5, will split up the assignments in the EHE and have them go over thier answers together. IMO, I think that the EHE is a great tool for teaching a child to research on their own. They will need this in college. I think that many kids get frustrated because not every single answer is easily found in the World Book CD. You have to look elsewhere sometimes. We loved Sonlight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 I don't know that you would consider us long time SL users. We didn't start homeschooling until 5th grade. We will be using SL for the 4th year next year. I will be taking a break from it in high school (we already did core 100), but I'm hoping to return for Cores 300 & 400. As to the benefits... well, we really enjoy it. My kids and I all love reading, together and individually. I think we've gotten wonderful exposure to different times and places through the historical fiction. It has gotten my kids to read books they never thought they would like and some of them they've loved. I think it has been one of the very positive parts of our homeschool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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