Sonlight - K - 9th grade

by G. Marie
(Ohio)

One thing that I really love about Sonlight is being able to read aloud to all my kids at once. Even when my youngest was only 3, she would sit on the floor playing while I read the history and read alouds. I was always amazed at how much she picked up. Same for my middle son. I remember teaching my oldest the Lord's Prayer when he was in 1st grade - and shocked that my 3 year old could say it, too!

I love Sonlight's readers, the read-alouds, and how Sonlight is a literature based program. My sister (who has successfully homeschooled and graduated all of her children) always created her own curriculum. Lucky for me, many of the books Sonlight used were already in her library!

I have used Sonlight for most of my children's education. I used almost everything from Sonlight except the language arts worksheets. I have been very happy with them until last year, 9th grade. There was just too much reading for my son to complete along with all the other subjects/co-op activities he was doing. I have really liked the program in the past for him - because he loves to read, so it was a good fit.

I will still be using many of Sonlight's suggested books for his 10th grade year, but not purchasing the teacher's guide. I'm too much of the kind of person who feels compelled to follow what's in the teacher's manual! If it says it, I feel I must do it. Sonlight encourages you to follow your own schedule, but I'm not very good at that.

Sonlight has not been a good fit for my second son, who will be in 7th grade this year. He does not enjoy reading, but I have been trying to force him into the Sonlight mold. I finally realized he is a different kid, and needs a different curriculum. I'll still use the suggested Bible and science, however.

My youngest, who will be in third grade, is much like my oldest, so I will be using the readers and Bible for her. I'll also be incorporating some of the read alouds for my two youngest, choosing the ones over the last 10 years that I liked the best. They know that when mom gets to the end of the reader, though, she'll probably cry!