Identify and Then Fix What's Not Working in Your Homeschool

Is something not working in your homeschool? It's your homeschool – you can adjust.

Do you have a struggling student? Or just need additional enrichment for your students? Read below for a list of recommended items available from Sonlight.

If your Math program isn't working

Is it possible you chose the wrong level?

• If the work is too easy, remember that some programs include review chapters to help students who may have forgotten some things over summer vacation. Look ahead to see if the work will be more properly challenging in a few more lessons.
• If the work is too challenging, you can always move back a level.

Don't forget that you can take a free math assessment for many of the Sonlight programs.

Is it possible you chose the wrong program (at least, the wrong program for that student)?

Any quality math program will work with many students. But it's possible that your student needs something more hands-on, or something with more built-in review, or something that has fewer practice problems. Sometimes a program isn't a good fit.

If what you chose doesn't seem to be working, give yourself grace, talk to an Advisor, and try again. Sonlight offers all of the best and most popular brands to make choosing your ideal math homeschool curriculum easy. Check them out here. Here are a few helpful supplements to also consider.

Does your student:

• Find math too confusing? Try MathTacular.
• Find math boring? Try Life of Fred.

If your Reader program isn't working

Are your children racing through the books?

Many parents require rereading. If children read the book on their own, that's wonderful, but when the schedule assigns it, they can reread it then. Or many parents find sequels or other works by the same author. In the younger grades, especially, the authors of Sonlight books produce many quality books. Or parents can choose to order the next level of Readers.

Are your children struggling with the reading?

You might alternate reading pages with your children. Sarita did this with her struggling reader for years. You might need to wait a half year for your child's development to catch up with the reading. Blending sounds, eye movement … these and more need time to develop. Some families have found that pausing a few months to enjoy Read-Alouds allowed the child to jump ahead in ability when reading practice resumed.

You might consider Sonlight's Remedial Reading program.

If your Spelling program isn't working

Is your child sick of memorizing rules?

Try Spelling You See, which does not require memorizing rules.

Does your child like to know the why for the way things work?

Try All About Spelling, which breaks down even some of the most confusing aspects of the English language with clear and easy-to-understand explanations.

If your History / Bible / Literature program isn't working

Is it taking more time than you expected?

If it's still in the early weeks of the program … that's very normal. When you're getting started with almost anything, it takes a while. You will find your groove.

Do your children seem unable to focus?

There's a few options here. It could be that the program is developmentally more than they are able to manage. In that case, you could exchange your HBL for a lower level.

Or it could be that your children are still trying to get used to this style of learning. If they've not listened to books before, give them some time to build up their listening muscles.

And don't require them to sit still! Some children learn best when they are moving. Hanging upside-down from the couch, swaying, crawling – something quiet can still allow the brain to focus.

If your homeschool spirit or motivation is lagging

Add in a fun extra or elective to bring a fresh excitement to your routine. Check out all Sonlight electives here.

You're doing a great job. Trying something new after you identify a problem is part of the process for most homeschooling families.

We're in this together and we want you to have an enjoyable and successful homeschooling year. We encourage you to take advantage of a no-cost, no-obligation consultation with a Sonlight Curriculum Advisor if you have any questions about your homeschool.