Is there a program that is like Sonlight(m)

[Truman School]

that is not so dependent on parental involvement? Isn't that a terrible question? But honestly I am homeschooling a large family of various ages and while I know there are ways to tie it all together that's just not going to happen this year. I love Sonlight(we have used it previously), but I just know that this year there will not be enough time for all the discussions required for my ds if he does Core 7.

 

I'd just love for him to be able to read the books, have questions to answer and then writing assignments to complete and maybe even a test or two, to be sure he's comprehending and learning the history parts. In a perfect world this wouldn't be necessary, but right now I think it is and I just hate to have go the totally dry text book path.

 

Any thoughts?

[Guest]

Lightning Lit 7 by Hewitt Homeschooling maybe? History Ody Level 2 by Pandia Press? Gather a bunch of lit guides? Memoria Press's Famous men series with guides? HTH!

[proudmamma]

How about WinterPromise?

[G5052]

I love Sonlight, but I decided that this is our last year with it. I need to increase my work hours, DH's needs are increasing, and my kids are at the age where they can do more independent work. We plan to continue with Classical Conversations in the Challenge Program, but if I can't swing that, we'll enroll with Hewitt and use them for history and language arts for 7th and up. I'm really pleased with what I've seen of their programs.

[Melissa in CA]

Have you looked at Tapestry of Grace (TOG)? The only parent involvement that needs be is a one day discussion time (usually Fridays) with your student/s. You would also want to read the teacher's notes prior to said discussion so that you know what he/she/they have learned during their weekly readings.

Tapestry includes student questions, and activity pages for their literature readings. And if you purchase the Evaluations disc you can also have test-like evaluations to administer.

 

I have left Sonlight in favor of Tapestry myself. ;)

[paula j]

Let him do core 7 independently. Use the tests you can buy for Story of the World. Find literature guides for some of the books he will be reading to use for the writing and comprehension. Presto, you have it all!;)

[Melissa in CA]

Let him do core 7 independently. Use the tests you can buy for Story of the World. Find literature guides for some of the books he will be reading to use for the writing and comprehension. Presto, you have it all!;)

 

Yes, you can purchase tests for Story of the World. We did this for Core 6. The problem I had with them is that SL scheduled more than one chapter of SOTW a week, and the tests are per chapter. I found it difficult to use them adequately. Sonlight had my boys whipping through the SOTW books at such a pace that they did not have time in their week to really study any one chapter for testing. My boys were not able to automatically memorize all the facts from SOTW after reading it just one time and SL's schedule is not set up for the memorization of history. That is not SL's purpose or goal in ANY of their Cores.

 

One of the very reason's I left SL was because I was tired of having to add so much to make it what I wanted. Who wants to take an already full schedule and add tests, lit guides, etc., to it because it is still lacking in areas (I added these things also). The reason I love TOG is because it, too, is a full and meaty curriculum but it already HAS everything. I have no need to add to it. ;)

 

So, all that to say, yes, you can purchase SOTW tests and Lit guides...but it will be up to you to figure out how to use them to their fullest in an already full schedule. It can be done; I've done it. :D

 

Blessings,

[sagira]

Right now I'm very much involved in my children's education and actually plan my own curriculum. Ds is only turning 5 next week.

 

However, I anticipate lesser teacher involvement when my eldest is around 13-14 as perhaps I will be going to graduate school for a few years. I would like to continue homeschooling, but I don't know how to do that other than to have an independent curriculum.

 

I know, I like to plan ahead :D My plans are flexible, of course, but I was wondering if Winter Promise gets more independent in the later years?

[Kim in SouthGa]

We are using TOG, and while my son does a lot of independently, I'm still spending a good bit of time with him or in planning. Unless you decide to buy all the books, you may find yourself spending lots of time at the library. We have a state-wide interlibrary loan program here, but I am still having difficulty with this. For example, it is Friday, and I don't have several of the books I need for next week yet. Now, part of this is my fault for not requesting them sooner, but you can only request so many at a time, so I was working in two week increments. I'm going to have to go farther.

 

How old are your other dc, and are you going to try to combine them at all?

If not, my two suggestions would be History Oddessy or WTM version using Kingfisher and good literature, doing outlines and summaries that you can look over weekly.

 

I have not decided yet if we are going to continue with TOG...I just bought one unit to try it out. My oldest (12ds) loves it because he loves to read and loves history. But my younger two are struggling. I am struggling trying to keep up with all of their work and chasing the baby. If we decide to drop it, my oldest will probably finish out the SOTW series using the tests, and do the coordinating KF entries. He is really enjoying the HA Greuber books from TOG, so I may try to coordinate that as well. And then we will add a seperate lit program, or use Starting Points from David Quine which is a worldview program that studies lit and history.

 

hth