Thanks so much for saving our homeschooling experience! We have been homeschooling our oldest from the beginning, but it seemed to get harder each year. We were using a popular workbook-based curriculum for 3 years and then switched, out of desperation, to a computer-based program. But all we got was cries of 'I hate school!!' I was at my wits end when a friend recommended Sonlight. We got Core D and slowly I noticed he wasn't upset at the mention of school time. By the time we finished the year, he was not complaining at all. A few years after we'd started Sonlight, he said, 'Mom, don't tell anyone, but I actually like school now. I kind of hate to have to stop for the weekends.' That was music to my ears. Here, middle son, Eli (5), gives a sprawling hug to his new Core A books. The D family is now in their fourth year of Sonlight.

We love Sonlight because it teaches our children to think critically about what they are learning. It challenges them to carefully consider the worldview that the media and many of their friends hold. They are learning that the biblical worldview is supported by science (among other subjects) and they are learning how to defend their faith. Sonlight also breaks us free from the 'school at home' mindset by allowing a more relaxed learning environment and encouraging discussion rather than completing lots of worksheets. Thanks Sonlight! Here, twelve-year-old Mackenzie reads from Science G in her third year of Sonlight.

Sonlight takes learning to a whole new level by combining story-telling, drama and intimate student-teacher interaction instead of just memorizing boring facts. The family lives on a rural island in the Andaman Sea off southern Thailand, where they work among the Moken Sea Gypsies. With Sonlight, we're free from the bounds of the traditional classroom. Since Denalyn and Alyssa love acting and singing, we often encourage them to sing or act out various roles from the many stories they read. The Moken children love to join in our homeschooling sessions. Our two girls have been using the curriculum for two years now and absolutely love it! Denalyn is on Core F and Alyssa is working through Core B. Here, Cally, Alyssa (7) and friends Chanap and Phen cheer on Denalyn (11) as she delivers her best impersonation of the famous Gettysburg address. 

Aug. 2012