Agh! I almost did it. Received the new SL catalog

[LG Gone Wild]

I almost caved. The new catalog had a bunch of great items and great programs. There was even a section on not having to teach a 4 year history cycle. It looked so good, so good.

 

Then I remembered how much work it was and inflexible the IG was. I don't mind reading out loud to my kids but it really wears me out. WTM has been much easier on me.

[Jennifer in NH]

I use their catalog to find good read alouds for the kids. I love looking through it, but it would be too much for me too! I tweak everything too much for SL to work for me.

[MIch elle]

unless you have dc who LOVE to read!

 

 

Not in this house!! :lol:

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Out of curiosity, what felt inflexible about the IG.

 

We're a couple months into our first Sonlight year (we started school in Jan this year) and I have had no problem crossing out certain books or entire sections (for example, we're only doing their suggested Bible memory work on the Bible section).

 

Sometimes we've finished a scheduled week right on time, other weeks ahead of time, other weeks took two weeks to finish up. But the IG is a guide, just like any other program's teacher manual is a guide.

 

Although admitedly I don't know if we'll do Sonlight again next year. The Core 5 program was the big deal for us. I have to look at what comes next and see if we want to stick with this or not. But I have very much enjoyed having A plan already laid out. It is much easier for me to deviate from a ready made plan than to make the plan AND deviate it, which is what my MO has been in the past.

[Colleen]

Okay, can I just say first of all that I'm way jealous you already received the new catalog? It's the only catalog I genuinely look forward to receiving. I'm still waiting by my mailbox.:D

 

Then I remembered how much work it was and inflexible the IG was. I don't mind reading out loud to my kids but it really wears me out. WTM has been much easier on me.

 

I'm the opposite. SL is what drew me to homeschooling nearly 9 years ago. I put it aside one year in order to pursue history a la the WTM, during which time my time prep time signficantly increased and my enthusiasm decreased. I kept thinking, "What's so special about the WTM approach to history?" I'm still wondering.;) I've never felt the Sonlight to be inflexible, and the reading has never felt excessive.

 

To each her own.:)

[caitlinsmom]

I am glad I am not the only one. I just told dh how much I love getting their catalog and seeing all the great things in it. But for us it just wasnt a good fit. But still I wait every year just to look at what they offer. :)

[Mandy in TN]

I almost caved. The new catalog had a bunch of great items and great programs. There was even a section on not having to teach a 4 year history cycle. It looked so good, so good.

 

Then I remembered how much work it was and inflexible the IG was. I don't mind reading out loud to my kids but it really wears me out. WTM has been much easier on me.

 

The SL catalog is very much like a big delicious cookie. It is very, very hard not to bite.

 

I was wonderful for my oldest ds, never fit my second ds, and I have no desire to use it with my little guy before core 1+2 when he is about 8yo/9yo.

 

But... it always looks so wonderful.:drool5:

Mandy

[Woodhaven]

Really? Inflexible?

 

I'm new around here, but just had to say a word.

 

SL has been wonderful for our family! So, I too, am jealous that you have your catalog and I don't have one yet!!! :drool5: I've used SL since pre-K, that's 4 years.

 

I don't find it inflexible at all, and I am using 2 cores this year (K and 3). Love, love, love my Sonlight! :) Just my own experience.

[readwithem]

I use their catalog to find good read alouds for the kids. I love looking through it, but it would be too much for me too! I tweak everything too much for SL to work for me.

 

:iagree: We did SL in the elem years - so I can't speak about how WTM is for the early years. But when I finally read WTM it was a perfect fit. I love the flexibility and the fact our discussion comes from, well, us rather than an instructor's guide. :)

[Annabel Lee]

I almost caved. The new catalog had a bunch of great items and great programs. There was even a section on not having to teach a 4 year history cycle. It looked so good, so good.

 

 

You're not the only one! I went through a "should we switch to SL?" phase too, pretty intensely, thinking it would be easier b/c it's all planned out. Some wise words from people on this forum helped me to simplify and narrow things down for next year. I'd hate equally to waste the time and the money if I started SL and didn't like it or it didn't work for us. Better to stay the course we're on - you know, don't fix what isn't broken.

[Bee]

no one says you have to do it all. The years I've done Sonlight I've crossed books out, added in different books, read books out of order, and even (for oldest dd starting with Core 3) handed the RA to dd to read to herself. Sometimes we discuss the books and sometimes we don't. I'm doing parts of Core 3 next year with youngest dd and I plan to skip the RA completely.

Although my oldest dd is certainly capable of reading the books suggested in TWTM, she simply isn't able to fully understand them at her age and with the lack of experience that an adult has. I'd love to say that my child is reading the "Great Books" the WTM recommends but she isn't ready for most of them yet.So...SL.

SL isn't for everyone. The year we did Core 3 we felt as though we'd overdosed on history and badly needed a break from it. But I keep going back to it because it makes my job of educating my children easier for me.

[Veronica in VA]

We are Sonlight users here, but we don't use everything. I usually don't buy the whole cores anymore since that makes me feel like I have to use it all. I buy the IG, main history books, and some of the reading books. I also have learned to be very comfortable switching out some of the books. For instance, I wanted my daughter to read Animal Farm, and some others that SL doesn't use. I pulled out some of the other readers and substituted. I also use The Well Educated Mind when we are discussing literature - it has great questions and my dd thrives with this approach.

 

If you feel like you have to do everything that SL schedules in their IG, though, it probably is way too much.

 

Veronica

[Rhonda in TX]

We did Core 3 and loved the books. My only problem was that I felt like all we did was read - I never made the time for much discussion or activities. My fault - not Sonlight's!

 

We tried Core 5 this year with DD and it just didn't work. She didn't care for many of the books. And, if you don't like the books, SL loses a lot.

 

SL is an excellent program. Not for everybody, but then nothing is.

[Chris in VA]

I got mine and quickly ran upstairs to my bedroom, crawled under the covers and read it...all.

 

What a pretty production! What terrific family pictures of learning, engaged children! What great books--and every one is fascinating, a real gem, wonderful, gripping, compelling...

 

Ah well.

 

Next year.

 

(just going to read some of the Core 3 books and do the rest WTM way)

[Jenny in Atl]

I've used both WTM & SL for six years now. I find SL very flexible, if you want it to be. But then, I feel comfortable taking what I like and leaving the rest.

[Jennifer in MI]

I've got to say that I've not found Sonlight inflexible at all!! If anything, it allows us to be more flexible because it frees up SO much of my planning time. I spend zero time getting ready for the next day's lessons. I just pick up the book and go. We spend about 1 - 1 1/2 hours on Sonlight per day.

 

We don't read everything - we pick and choose the books that work for us. I hear my kids discussing the things we've read after we're done.

 

Sonlight simplified our homeschooling! Next year I go to two cores for the first time. I'm actually looking forward to it!!

[KristineinKS]

I agree, Sonlight simplified our homeschooling too, but then I'd probably feel overwhelmed if I felt I had to do everything in the IG! Even though I'll be taking 2 years for our current core, I'm quite anxiously awaiting the new catalog!

[Tammyla]

No new catalog here. It makes a wonderful library list for us along with WTM, and the BF catalog.;)

 

I almost caved. The new catalog had a bunch of great items and great programs. There was even a section on not having to teach a 4 year history cycle. It looked so good, so good.

 

Then I remembered how much work it was and inflexible the IG was. I don't mind reading out loud to my kids but it really wears me out. WTM has been much easier on me.

[DB in NJ]

Okay, can I just say first of all that I'm way jealous you already received the new catalog? It's the only catalog I genuinely look forward to receiving. I'm still waiting by my mailbox.:D

 

Same here (even though I am going with all ABeka next year! *GULP* LOL

 

 

 

I'm the opposite. SL is what drew me to homeschooling nearly 9 years ago. I put it aside one year in order to pursue history a la the WTM, during which time my time prep time signficantly increased and my enthusiasm decreased. I kept thinking, "What's so special about the WTM approach to history?" I'm still wondering.;) I've never felt the Sonlight to be inflexible, and the reading has never felt excessive.

 

To each her own.:)

 

:iagree: And in my ideal world, we'd do a full SL Core (or 2 with the way my kids are spaced out) every year. We used SL 3 for history and read-alouds and a separate set of readers for reading last year. We loved it, but I am finding we need something more traditional for my 2 kiddos next year.

 

I will use SL again. And I will fight the urge to cancel my order with ABeka when I get done looking through the new SL catalog (which has not come yet!!).

[Sweetpeach]

Ummmmm, I'll soon be receiving my first ever Sonlight catalogue . . . I'm saying my Vineyard Prayer over and over and over again . . . Oh God Oh God, help me not get sucked all the way into Sonlight. :)

 

We're pretty happy where we are right now, but I did receive my Tree of Life school catalogue yesterday, and I do wonder if I could ever get my kids to the place where they wouldn't die on the hill of classical correspondence courses. Four short years away . . .

[LG Gone Wild]

It's a small thing but I hated going back and forth between the weeks and I would get lost. We would be on week A on something and week F on another and then on a different week for another subject.

 

Okay, I did try to do everything on the schedule and felt like a failure when I didn't. Afterall, I paid good money for all that stuff!

 

I tried to do two cores which was tough. My kids are not close enough to combine a core. Bummer. Plus I found it hard to integrate other programs with SL. Couldn't stand their LA program.

 

Why can't SWB put together a package like SL? That's really what I want. I have the fixed idea of giving my kids a classical education. I want to stay true to that. SL is fabulous but I don't know if it fits the bill.

 

I still might switch later when DS is a little older. Though I found them inflexible, it did allow my son to see where he was going with his studies.

[Tammy]

I actually received a postcard asking me if I wanted the new catalog.....I was thinking maybe because I haven't purchased anything from them in a while.....but at least they asked, LOL! Of course....I said 'yes'!

[Colleen]

It's curious to me that some of you don't use SL have received the new catalog. Did you recently request one? Or order from them recently?

[Ria]

Gosh, I think Sonlight is just about the most flexible program out there. We loved it.

 

Ria

[nukeswife]

I got a catalog because I did order Core 1 from them 2 years ago and have purchased a few odds and ends since then. I tried History Odyssey instead and have decided that it's just not working the way we want it to. SO I just got my catalog from Sonlight yesterday and after 2 days for drooling over it my kids found it and stole it from me. When I asked if anyone knew where it was, after searching for 30 minutes, they fessed up and said "Are we going to use that again, it was fun, why didn't we use it this year?" I knew the change to HO wasn't just something I was enjoying.

 

All this to say that I took a BIG OLE BITE of that Sonlight cookie and have ordered both Core 3 and P4/5 for my kids to start next fall. We'll probably take our time and use Core 3 for more than just a year since my kids are going to be 10 and almost 8 when we start. We're all very excited now and can't wait for Box day.

[Laurel]

It's curious to me that some of you don't use SL have received the new catalog. Did you recently request one? Or order from them recently?

 

I've never ordered from them, but I did request a catalog last year.

[JoyfulMama]

I actually received a postcard asking me if I wanted the new catalog.....I was thinking maybe because I haven't purchased anything from them in a while.....but at least they asked, LOL! Of course....I said 'yes'!

 

I got my postcard, too! I've never ordered anything from them, but I use their book lists to supplement for my voracious reader!

I'm waiting... waiting... waiting... :D

[Colleen]

I took a BIG OLE BITE of that Sonlight cookie and have ordered both Core 3 and P4/5 for my kids to start next fall. We'll probably take our time and use Core 3 for more than just a year since my kids are going to be 10 and almost 8 when we start. We're all very excited now and can't wait for Box day.

 

Core 3 is great. I'm using it again now (along with Core 7, for my oldest) and I'm enjoying it as much as the first time around. Have fun!

[Lisabeth]

I do have to put in the plug for the Schedule for the 7th grade Apologia Science from SL. My daughter was struggling, but after this tool from them it made it soooo much easier for her. BTW - It is fun to look through the catalog and then go to the library for new reading material :001_smile:

[Melissa in CA]

Those Sonlight people are MASTER advertisers! One cannot look at a SL catalog without being swayed. Even I, who have used eight Cores and no longer have any desire to use SL at all, get tempted when I look through a new catty. They make their curriculum sound PERFECT and to DIE for! :lol:

 

I drool through each new catty, and then eventually come back to my senses. :w00t: ;)

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Those Sonlight people are MASTER advertisers! One cannot look at a SL catalog without being swayed. Even I, who have used eight Cores and no longer have any desire to use SL at all, get tempted when I look through a new catty. They make their curriculum sound PERFECT and to DIE for! :lol:

 

I drool through each new catty, and then eventually come back to my senses. :w00t: ;)

 

I know that I have a similar reaction going through the Veritas Press catalog. And getting a Delta Science catalog makes me want to break out the plastic test tubes and start mixing stuff up.

 

I remember a comment long ago on the old boards that the Rainbow Resource Catalog only said good things in the item blurbs. That of course, is because they are highlighting what is good about each product. But they aren't a review site that is also going to tell you how the product is not going to meet your needs.

 

I think that Sonlight does a pretty good job of discussing how their product might not fit your family (Ex, the Reasons Not to Use Sonlight). But isn't it great that homeschooling lets us take or leave whatever part of a curriculum we want. I'm enjoying the Sonlight we're using this year, but I'll confess that I only do parts of the schedule and haven't been doing the discussion questions at all. Yet I'm still satisfied with what we are doing for us. Having a schedule to work from in a season with a big move and extended periods with dh has been a huge thing for us.

[Colleen]

Those Sonlight people are MASTER advertisers! One cannot look at a SL catalog without being swayed. Even I, who have used eight Cores and no longer have any desire to use SL at all, get tempted when I look through a new catty. They make their curriculum sound PERFECT and to DIE for! :lol:

 

I drool through each new catty, and then eventually come back to my senses. :w00t: ;)

 

I know you now use and prefer ToG; I'm glad you've found something that's a better fit for you and your family. Sonlight of course isn't for everyone, nor is it the be-all, end-all. I agree that they present their product well in the catalog (though I believe it's somewhat off-putting and confusing to new/potential users).

 

I don't agree with you that they make their product sound "to DIE for", though. Sonlight has always been very up front about why their product might not work well for some people. That honesty is one of the things that attracted me to SL in the first place. Of course they want to sell; every good business needs to sell in order to stay afloat. But they certainly don't imply that they're everyone's ideal.

[staceyobu]

Those Sonlight people are MASTER advertisers! One cannot look at a SL catalog without being swayed. Even I, who have used eight Cores and no longer have any desire to use SL at all, get tempted when I look through a new catty. They make their curriculum sound PERFECT and to DIE for! :lol:

 

I drool through each new catty, and then eventually come back to my senses. :w00t: ;)

 

I know... I've ordered a ton of homeschool catalogs since we made the decision to homeschool. I keep the 2008 sonlight catalog on my bedside table to look through at night when I can't sleep. I can seriously just about quote what comes with every. single. core. Every other catalog I've gotten I've spent about 20 minutes looking through. I'm not sure how sonlight manages to make a catalog appealing enough to maintain my interest for months... I can't wait for the 2009 one! Of course, I'm planning on ordering... not coming back to my senses, lol!

[Melissa in CA]

 

I don't agree with you that they make their product sound "to DIE for", though. Sonlight has always been very up front about why their product might not work well for some people. That honesty is one of the things that attracted me to SL in the first place. Of course they want to sell; every good business needs to sell in order to stay afloat. But they certainly don't imply that they're everyone's ideal.

 

Colleen, I think you purposefully look for things to disagree with in my posts! :blink: You take what I say FAR TOO LITERAL! Goodness girl, lighten up a bit! :D I was not implying that SL is not up front about their products, or that THEY think they are "to die for" or "everyone's ideal." Good grief. :001_huh: I was just stating that they do indeed advertise themselves very well...which is what they should do...and that they do it so well that they still tempt me. ;)

 

It was a compliment by the way. I have never once said that I hate SL, but have on several occasions stated that though I no longer use SL, I remain faithful to them; they have treated me VERY well over the years. In fact, if they sell something I need, I buy it from them. Period. (Of course my lifetime discount does help a bit in that respect. :lol:)

[jamnkats]

I find I have to agree with Colleen. If this unschooling athiest doesn't find SL inflexible, I wonder what you have to be to find it inflexible. :)