Sonlight forums charging to belong!

[Guest kacifl]

Wow, I just visited *or tried to* Sonlight after receiving mail from them. THey are charging $39. a year to use/visit/read their forums! I've purchased from them a plenty, in the past... but apparently not 'aplenty' enough! K:001_huh:

[dawn of ns]

That's crazy. I'll admit I've never used Sonlight but forum are a basic customer service tool. It's like charging to read an email from a customer.

 

Write and let them know that this is ridiculous!

[Jenny in Atl]

If I remember this right, you get a year free when you buy a complete core. Buy three cores and you have access free for a lifetime. I maybe off in my numbers, since I rarely post over there, even though I have free for ever status. :tongue_smilie:

I too think it's silly, and really not a nice way to pressure folks into buying their goodies.

[TraceyS/FL]

It's been that way for a few years now.....

 

My free year expired awhile back (i had spent $150 that prior year). It's a bummer..... but i'm not paying to join.

[hsmamainva]

I used to post alot on the Sonlight forums several years ago, but when they started charging to use them, it turned me off completely. They didn't like it AT ALL when folks would post praises about a curriculum that Sonlight didn't sell, so they decided to only offer the forums on a 'subscription basis'.

 

I've used Sonlight for nearly ten years, but I've only purchased 3 new cores, and you need to have purchased 4 to earn a 'lifetime membership'.

 

For the other cores, I've purchased used Instructor's Guides at curriculum fairs and bought the books that go with it used. It has saved our family alot of money!! For instance, I put Core 4 together for my boys for around $150. To buy it new would cost around $450.

 

My feeling is ... well, excuse me for trying to do what I can to stretch my homeschool dollar! I feel that they're penalizing those of us -- and I'm sure I'm not the only one! -- who love using Sonlight, but don't have $$$ to drop on a new core.

 

That is why I'm so VERY grateful that SWB has these boards available for *all homeschoolers*, whether they're following a 'classical model' or not.

[A.J. at J.A.]

I used to post alot on the Sonlight forums several years ago, but when they started charging to use them, it turned me off completely.

 

For the other cores, I've purchased used Instructor's Guides at curriculum fairs and bought the books that go with it used. It has saved our family alot of money!! For instance, I put Core 4 together for my boys for around $150. To buy it new would cost around $450.

 

My feeling is ... well, excuse me for trying to do what I can to stretch my homeschool dollar! I feel that they're penalizing those of us -- and I'm sure I'm not the only one! -- who love using Sonlight, but don't have $$$ to drop on a new core.

 

That is why I'm so VERY grateful that SWB has these boards available for *all homeschoolers*, whether they're following a 'classical model' or not.

 

:iagree:

[HRAAB]

I used to really enjoy the Sonlight Forum, but when they started charging, I quit enjoying it so much. I won't pay to read a homeschooling forum.

 

Janet

[dawn of ns]

Susan seems to be the only one out there who let's us get away with that ;) Maybe that's why her site is the busiest hs form around.

 

It seems like such a smart move to me. I mean, by allowing a lot of discussion around other curriculums she's drawing people to these boards like me who've never read WTM or aren't Classical homeschoolers. It becomes a way for her to reach other homeschoolers and expose them to her products and the genuine raves of happy customers.

 

Since Sonlight limits it forums to paying customers I'll never be exposed to all the discussions, raves and reviews of Sonlight customers. Further, judging from some of the responses here it seems to isolate some Sonlight customers.

 

Shortsighted to say the least.

[Susan Wise Bauer]

Susan seems to be the only one out there who let's us get away with that ;) Maybe that's why her site is the busiest hs form around.

 

Yeah, but whenever somebody slams one of my books I go off in a corner and weep. :crying:

 

 

SWB

[Kelli in TN]

Yeah, but whenever somebody slams one of my books I go off in a corner and weep. :crying:

 

 

SWB

 

Oh. Bless your heart.

 

Well, you can rest assured that we have all drunk the Peace Hill Press koolaid at my house!!! Really, you could ask my friends. My dog-eared copy of WTM is making the rounds at church now and SOTW and history are synonymous around here.

[Tabrett]

Oh, but Susan, you are the reason I'm not SL'ing any more!!!!:thumbup: I have the SL life time membership, but now I do it the WTM way! he he

[Susan Wise Bauer]

Oh. Bless your heart.

 

Aww, Kelli, you are sweet.

 

I was mostly joking.:nopity:

 

SWB

[OnTheBrink]

I think SL has gotten almost cult-like. Not the materials, but the boards. I used to belong to them, too, and I've purchased SL materials in the past, but when I'm told that I didn't spend enough to belong to the forums, I walked away and never looked back.

 

I much prefer it here, where I can speak freely and not worry where my colander is (it's plastic, anyway!).

 

And, Thank you, SWB, for this forum. It's my favorite one in all the internets.

[swellmomma]

you know what sucks more. The year I spent $1500 on them, the school board I was registered with placed the order with a purchase order for me, so I was not given access to the forums, the person who placed my order for me was, so here I spent all that money and they still wanted more for me to access the forums to talk with others about how to implement it all. I was not impressed.

[G5052]

I also enjoy these boards more than the Sonlight ones even though we follow a different model of classical homeschooling ala Classical Conversations and use Sonlight for science and history. Periodically I would pop over though for questions, but I lost access because I went to used IG's, that ended. Frankly life has gone on just fine without it. Now I just preread everything or ask my friend who has used it for some 15 years now.

 

I do enjoy their book choices though and the IG keeps me sane. I'm not using it for 7th and up though, so this year is last with Sonlight. We start our last core in December or so and will have done PK-4 (sniff!).

[Colleen]

The SL boards had so many, many people there who didn't use SL and who wanted primarily to engage in hot topic discussions. Requiring people to pay to participate isn't unreasonable, imo, and I wouldn't mind in the least if SWB did the same. In fact, I often think she should do just that.

 

The folks at SL aren't upset when people praise curriculum they don't sell. I also can't agree that SL being "cult-like" ~ certainly no moreso than this community.:)

[Denisemomof4]

if SL wants to exclude others who use their products but don't buy directly from them, that IS, in my opinion, wrong.

 

Someone needs to start a Sonlight Yahoo group.

 

:thumbup:

[Colleen]

if SL wants to exclude others who use their products but don't buy directly from them, that IS, in my opinion, wrong.

 

There are all kinds of things we do in life that require us to pay to participate. What's "wrong" about that?

 

Someone needs to start a Sonlight Yahoo group.

 

As far as I know, there's at least one if not multiple SL Yahoo groups.

[Jenny in Atl]

Yeah, but whenever somebody slams one of my books I go off in a corner and weep. :crying:

 

 

SWB

 

I think this though shows a lot of guts and confidence on your part. I stopped going to the SL forums because I felt little support when I was frustrated with a part of the SL curriculum, and was looking for ideas on how to tweak it. Boy did I get slammed. I love how we are open, encouraged to mix and match ideas in and around the WTM. Even though I have used SL for six years, I also have used WTM ideas and suggestions as well. I do treasure the freedom here to discuss all types of schooling and all types of resources.

 

Bravo Susan!

[Amy loves Bud]

Yeah, but whenever somebody slams one of my books I go off in a corner and weep. :crying:

 

 

SWB

 

I can only imagine. I do appreciate these boards, as well as all of your books!

[siloam]

Yes there are TONS of SL yahoo groups. None of them are very active beyond the SL Preschool and the SL Moving On (from Preschool) groups.

 

If you are not buying whole cores you can still get access by buying $150 in merchandise, but I believe you have to buy it all in one purchase and not several over a year. Generally I buy my math and a few other hard to get elsewhere books and still get access...most of the time. It is about to expire right now and I probably won't place an order for about 6 months. Their loss.

 

While I do understand the reasoning behind it, I also don't agree with it. But neither do I agree with the TOG policy of not allowing the discussion of other curriculium or the WP policy of asking you not to sell the IG's. I would also prefer these boards were private and not public. Every company has something I don't like. <shrug> In the end it is their business to do as they please with...

 

Heather

[Jenny in Atl]

The Yahoo SL secular group is very active. Not sure how many are interested, but it's a great list with lots of very supportive folks.

[missplacedalaskan]

I used to post alot on the Sonlight forums several years ago, but when they started charging to use them, it turned me off completely. They didn't like it AT ALL when folks would post praises about a curriculum that Sonlight didn't sell, so they decided to only offer the forums on a 'subscription basis'.

 

I've used Sonlight for nearly ten years, but I've only purchased 3 new cores, and you need to have purchased 4 to earn a 'lifetime membership'.

 

For the other cores, I've purchased used Instructor's Guides at curriculum fairs and bought the books that go with it used. It has saved our family alot of money!! For instance, I put Core 4 together for my boys for around $150. To buy it new would cost around $450.

 

My feeling is ... well, excuse me for trying to do what I can to stretch my homeschool dollar! I feel that they're penalizing those of us -- and I'm sure I'm not the only one! -- who love using Sonlight, but don't have $$$ to drop on a new core.

 

That is why I'm so VERY grateful that SWB has these boards available for *all homeschoolers*, whether they're following a 'classical model' or not.

:iagree:I have dumped Sonlight all together right now. It seems like they were "all about the $$" and I choose to spend Dh's $$ elsewhere.

[Momof2kids]

I think SL has gotten almost cult-like.

 

:iagree:

[Mom0012]

I used to really enjoy the Sonlight Forum, but when they started charging, I quit enjoying it so much. I won't pay to read a homeschooling forum.

 

Janet

 

Same here!

 

Lisa

[Colleen]

I stopped going to the SL forums because I felt little support when I was frustrated with a part of the SL curriculum, and was looking for ideas on how to tweak it. Boy did I get slammed. I love how we are open, encouraged to mix and match ideas in and around the WTM. Even though I have used SL for six years, I also have used WTM ideas and suggestions as well. I do treasure the freedom here to discuss all types of schooling and all types of resources.

 

I'm sorry you dealt with that on the SL forum, Jenny. I feel compelled again to note again that it's not reflective of my own experiences there over the years. There is undoubtedly, from some corners, a "rah rah!" attitude about SL and the Holzmanns, but it's no different than the cheerleading here for SWB. I've always felt free on the SL forums to discuss different methods of schooling and different curricula. In fact, the SL boards are where I first learned of some programs that are very popular among by folks here (e.g. R&S English). I do appreciate the diversity here, on the WTM boards, but when I visit the SL forums, I am glad to be among people who, for the most part, are using SL in a generally similar manner. That benefits me. I find that the mass of varied voices and opinions (re schooling) here can at times be overwhelming.

[LibraryLover]

Yeah, but whenever somebody slams one of my books I go off in a corner and weep. :crying:

 

 

SWB

 

You're funny. :)

 

Very cool beans.

Edited September 27, 2008 by LibraryLover

[Tabrett]

 

I'm sorry you dealt with that on the SL forum, Jenny. I feel compelled again to note again that it's not reflective of my own experiences there over the years. There is undoubtedly, from some corners, a "rah rah!" attitude about SL and the Holzmanns, but it's no different than the cheerleading here for SWB. I've always felt free on the SL forums to discuss different methods of schooling and different curricula. In fact, the SL boards are where I first learned of some programs that are very popular among by folks here (e.g. R&S English). I do appreciate the diversity here, on the WTM boards, but when I visit the SL forums, I am glad to be among people who, for the most part, are using SL in a generally similar manner. That benefits me. I find that the mass of varied voices and opinions (re schooling) here can at times be overwhelming.

But SL has asked that you not hyper-link other curriculum sites while posting on their forum. They will delete the post if you do that (from my understanding). They started that about a month or so ago. Since then I post here more. I don't like the idea of not being able to help people find a different curriculum if it would be a better fit for their child. I do love SL, but man, their LA is awful!!!!

[Annie Laurie]

I used to post alot on the Sonlight forums several years ago, but when they started charging to use them, it turned me off completely. They didn't like it AT ALL when folks would post praises about a curriculum that Sonlight didn't sell, so they decided to only offer the forums on a 'subscription basis'.

 

I've used Sonlight for nearly ten years, but I've only purchased 3 new cores, and you need to have purchased 4 to earn a 'lifetime membership'.

 

For the other cores, I've purchased used Instructor's Guides at curriculum fairs and bought the books that go with it used. It has saved our family alot of money!! For instance, I put Core 4 together for my boys for around $150. To buy it new would cost around $450.

 

My feeling is ... well, excuse me for trying to do what I can to stretch my homeschool dollar! I feel that they're penalizing those of us -- and I'm sure I'm not the only one! -- who love using Sonlight, but don't have $$$ to drop on a new core.

 

That is why I'm so VERY grateful that SWB has these boards available for *all homeschoolers*, whether they're following a 'classical model' or not.

 

I wasn't around on the old SL board, so don't have any idea what SL said there. But I know on the current boards that they allow discussion of other curriculums, I recently chatted on a thread about MFW there, and they have a sticky in the choosing forum now with threads from posters comparing SL to other curriculums.

 

I've read that the reason for creating a pay forum was for more privacy, they supposedly had a lot of trolls and didn't want a public forum anymore and wanted people there who were invested in using SL , in order to create a supportive atmosphere. They market the forums as a SL resource or tool, it's promoted as a benefit of buying a new core in the catalog.

[Annie Laurie]

I think SL has gotten almost cult-like. Not the materials, but the boards.

 

I think it can be like that at any homeschooling board where a group congregates who generally like and use the same material. You will hear a lot of great things about that material, and a lot of reasons why the people who use it feel it's better than other materials. We all feel like what we're using is the best- the best for our families and circumstances or we wouldn't be using it. I've seen the same defensive attitude on other curriculum forums.

[Annie Laurie]

But SL has asked that you not hyper-link other curriculum sites while posting on their forum. They will delete the post if you do that (from my understanding). They started that about a month or so ago. Since then I post here more. I don't like the idea of not being able to help people find a different curriculum if it would be a better fit for their child. I do love SL, but man, their LA is awful!!!!

 

My understanding was that they ask you not to link to a website selling the same materials SL sells, I couldn't link to the singapore website, for instance, since SL also sells Singapore Math. I want to clarify this for myself so am going to check into this.

[LibrarianMom]

The Choosing Sonlight forum is free to anyone and you may post if you register. In addition, the talk to Sonlight forums are free. Those forums were immensely helpful to me when deciding to use Sonlight. It seems to me that the difference between full forum access and free access is that the bulk of the forums are geared toward "how do I use this particular curriculum" versus "hey what do you use for this subject?" I understand why even the non-core forums (science, LA, etc.) are paid because they hope people are using and discussing their products. However, I've found that I have learned of many other curriculums and resources via those forums.

 

The chatty general interest threads are broken down a bit more than here and serve to help create a community of people who use Sonlight just as the general interest forum here creates a community of WTMers. Purchasing a core IG or $150 of resources allows 1 year of access and purchasing a complete core offers 2 years. I see it as customer appreciation.

[Lovedtodeath]

I have heard a lot of people on a different forum who wished it were private (like Sonlight). So I know there are those out there that prefer it.

[tibbyl]

I think it can be like that at any homeschooling board where a group congregates who generally like and use the same material. You will hear a lot of great things about that material, and a lot of reasons why the people who use it feel it's better than other materials. We all feel like what we're using is the best- the best for our families and circumstances or we wouldn't be using it. I've seen the same defensive attitude on other curriculum forums.

 

Nicole, that was my experience on a yahoo group for a certain curriculum. Some users cross line from defensive to nasty though if anyone dared question the price to value ratio. Like many curriculae, one could put it together themselves for much less but the tradeoff is having to design and monitor program oneself. Honestly I have never developed an emotional investment in any learning materials. While I may be enthusiastic about certain products and readily recommend them, I refuse to effectively pledge an oath of loyalty to any one curriculum provider.

[kalanamak]

Yeah, but whenever somebody slams one of my books I go off in a corner and weep. :crying:

 

 

Just picture my 6 year old pulling SOTW 1 out of a stack of books for his bedtime reading.

[Annie Laurie]

My understanding was that they ask you not to link to a website selling the same materials SL sells, I couldn't link to the singapore website, for instance, since SL also sells Singapore Math. I want to clarify this for myself so am going to check into this.

 

It took them a few days to get back to me since I posted over the weekend, but for anyone interested I wanted to share their response. I have been told by customer service that linking is fine, as long as it's not to products they themselves sell.

[siloam]

It took them a few days to get back to me since I posted over the weekend, but for anyone interested I wanted to share their response. I have been told by customer service that linking is fine, as long as it's not to products they themselves sell.

 

Yep that is true. What is hard is that it is really easy to link a product that SL doesn't carry, but forgetting that they also carry products SL does carry (like the Singapore you mentioned earlier). For example I once linked SOTW activity guides and got a warning because the site I linked also carried the SOTW books (and at a cheaper price).

 

Generally they seem to go through seasons of enforcing it tightly and letting things slip. Unless a person is purposefully posting links I don't think they would throw you off the forums for it.

 

Heather