One of the amazing ladies I work with shared an email conversation she had with a young mom a couple weeks  ago. Mom was concerned that her 2 year old would be bored with Sonlight's PreSchool Program because there was no real academics included, just reading and activities. She was worried that her child, who was already identifying colors and numbers, would lose interest quickly. Cathy's response was wonderfully gracious and right on the mark, and she gave me permission to share it with you. I hope you'll be as encouraged as I was when I read it!

It's easy to get caught up in teaching about things (like colors, shapes) and think that will lead to academic success later. We can feel that pressure, especially if we see others studiously drilling their young children. There's that fear that our children will be behind, less capable, less knowledgeable. In reality, many of these things are more easily learned and better understood at a little later age. The greatest preparation and predictor of academic success is a strong, positive relationship with the parent. Lots of reading and simple, enjoyable activities such as found in the early Sonlight years are the best way to forge that strong positive relationship between parent and child. 

Think of it this way, stories are a way to bond with your child, and we generally have stronger memories of hearing favorite stories than we do of learning colors and shapes, even though we all learn shapes and colors at some point. This time reading together builds not only the relationship, but also vocabulary and language skills in an easy, low-pressure way without drilling or workbooks. Language skills are also a huge predictor of future success, and Sonlight is an enjoyable way to do that. 

Information is also best learned "in context". This means that while a child could learn to identify a color by just looking at a sample of it and hearing the name repeatedly, for example, an easier way to learn that color would be if it's important in the context of a story. 

Finally, maturity affects learning. The brain matures in a certain pattern, and information that is presented which the child is not yet able to grasp will cause frustration until the child's brain is ready to learn it. This is much the same as learning to walk. No matter how much you hold your child's hands and help her to walk, she will not walk on her own until her body is ready to do so.

I hope this helps you understand Sonlight's perspective on early learning, and why "just reading and simple activities" is a great approach that addresses the most important factors for enjoying the present and looking forward to future success.

Couldn't have said it better myself!

Still on the journey ...
~Judy Wnuk
Sonlight Customer Champion

While I was there, I really felt like the Lord said, "Jonelle, it's time to stop with the negative self talk. If I have called you good enough, who are you to say you otherwise?"

I knew I needed to draw a line in the sand and commit to not putting myself down any more. Especially since college for me, this has been huge. "If I could just lose 10 pounds, I'd be so much better. If only I had better gifts, I could be so much more effective"...(I know I've even mentioned these lines of thinking on the blog, so, this has been a LONG time coming!) It was time to be done. Time to look at myself in the mirror and say, "I'm beautiful. God has created me in His image and if He makes beautiful things, that's good enough for me."

So, I drew that line. I committed that, if God would be with me, we would get through the mountains of lies together and that I would no longer put myself down.

And it's been great.

And by God's grace, I've been able to look kindly on myself and see the beauty God put there.

And then I went bathing suit shopping.

And it was not horrible. It was not completely demoralizing and depressing as it's been in the past. I wasn't able to find one, but I didn't go home in tears. In fact, as I was leaving the store I was able to say, "they just didn't have my size and one that fits my body type. But do I really need to be thinner to be healthy? To fit into their size of swimsuits?"

And immediately what popped into my mind was a statement of what health is from one of my books I'm studying for my homeopathy course: health is freedom from physical, emotional, and mental things that would hold you back from your greatest calling.

I love this statement of health because it doesn't talk about size. It talks about freedom. If I am obsessing about reaching a certain size, that is not freedom. And therefore, it is a form of un-health. If I am physically able to do what I feel called to do, I am, in a sense, healthy. Just because society says I should be thinner, would that really be more healthy for me? To count calories or exercise compulsively (because that's me...), is that really more healthy? I don't think so. Because while my body might be a well oiled machine, my mind and emotions would be focused on decidedly unhealthy things for me.

So, I'm fighting back against what our society says I need to look like to be "healthy" and "beautiful."

In so many ways I am completely content to be countercultural and have no qualms. But, the lies of the enemy have become so ingrained in this aspect of my life, that this is a toughy. I am choosing to be kind to myself. To say, the way you eat is good enough. The way you exercise, and the amount you do, is good enough. The way you look, is not just good enough, it's beautiful.

Would you join me in fighting back? In not putting yourself down? In not saying, when I am different, then I will have worth and value. Lies. A bunch of lies from the one who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Today, would you choose life? Choose to be kind to yourself. Choose freedom. Choose to see yourself as one created in God's image. Beautiful.

Until next time,
Jonelle

Check out all the math programs Sonlight offers.

Are you feeling intimidated by even the thought of teaching math yourself? Check out Judy's encouraging post about teaching math in the early years. You can do this!

Is your math program not working? Learn more about my own experience as you pick a new math program.

Learning to do math is important. There are many stories of men and women who lack basic math skills who are consistently ripped off by merchants (one of the reasons we support the work of Mission India). But even if you've been through math in the school system, you can still get tripped up. You've probably seen the missing dollar problem before. Have you tried to solve it (or looked up the solution)?

Granted, not everyone is destined to do math full time. That's why you can select a math program that is right for your child. Your student may never need more than the basics of math, or, perhaps, your son or daughter will be able to explain Shinichi Mochizuki's ABC Conjecture solution.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

P.S. I'm going to be out next week. Autoblot will kick things off on Monday with another post about math...

The Instructor's Guide does include a note to that effect, but even so, I sincerely appreciate feedback like this. As I wrote last year, thoughtful criticisms of Sonlight's curriculum help us improve. They also exemplify a great benefit of homeschooling: parents know what their children are learning and can discuss topics where they disagree.

So then, why do we include the book? For one, Rachel Carson was hugely influential and we still feel the impact of her work today. As a scientist who authored the controversial book Silent Spring, many say her work launched the environmentalist movement. I think that's worth studying.

Inspiring kids to pursue science
I also want to show children how math and science can change our world. When Sonlight students read about Archimedes, Isaac Newton, George Washington Carver, Nathaniel Bowditch and Albert Einstein, they learn that scientists are real people who can have a huge impact on society (for good or bad). They learn to see science as a viable career option. They learn that research and discovery require careful, dedicated work.

So what's the problem?
Unfortunately, Carson's work has had some drastic, if unintended, consequences. Because of her writing, cultural perceptions about the pesticide known as DDT shifted enormously and the US and other countries banned the chemical.

But here's the complicated part. DDT seems to be a very effective way to protect against malaria. The ban of DDT in various regions correlates with a steep rise in malaria there. But because Carson painted the chemical in such a negative light, many governments and aid organizations refuse to fund projects in Africa that use DDT.

The mixed impact of scientists
I don't claim to understand all the specifics of DDT, public policy surrounding its use, or its prolonged effectiveness in controlling malaria. But I do know that scientists, like Carson, often create unintended consequences.

I think of Alfred Nobel, who invented dynamite and other explosives. When he realized people saw him as "the merchant of death," he established the Nobel Prizes to help mitigate his work's damage.

Thomas Midgley discovered a cheap way to make car engines run smoothly: add lead to gasoline. He also found that Freon provided an effective way to keep foods cold without ice blocks. Of course, scientists later determined that lead is highly toxic and Freon is linked to ozone depletion.

Automobiles revolutionized the flow of daily life in the U.S. … and cause a staggering number of deaths each year. The Wright brothers invented the airplane, and Orville lived to see planes used as devastating bombers in two World Wars. Brilliant breakthroughs in antibiotics have led to strains of mutated bacteria that resist all treatments. A scientist looking for new insecticides accidentally discovered sarin gas, which is now a deadly chemical weapon.

Scientific inventions, discoveries and political decisions all have consequences. Even what we intend for good can take unexpected turns.

We therefore need new generations of people equipped in their fields to continue research, public discourse, and critical thinking. If Carson was wrong about DDT, thank goodness for new scientists and public policy workers working to correct her mistakes. I hope that Sonlight's programs will inspire scientifically-minded students to pursue their gifts and use them well.

Learning opportunities in your homeschool
Even if your children aren't ready for groundbreaking scientific research, they can still grow from reading about public figures whom you (and they) may not fully appreciate.

The Science D Instructor's Guide helps you discuss this with your children through a 4-paragraph note about Listening to Crickets. In that note, we consider Carson's book Silent Spring, its impact, and how the world might be different had it not been published. The note brings to light the interplay of DDT and malaria, reminds us of our Christian call to be stewards of God's world, and points out that "However you look at it, without Silent Spring our world would be a very different place—in many ways worse, in other ways better."

So if you read Listening to Crickets and find yourself concerned, I encourage you to share your insights with your children. If they're interested in Carson or DDT, you could do some quick research online and see where the discussion stands today. You could talk about how complicated it is to do good in the world, as evidenced by the tension between caring for the environment long-term and addressing pressing human needs today.

This is a wonderful aspect of homeschooling – you can continue to learn beyond what the curriculum presents. That's a great way to help children become lifelong learners.

As we study scientists, politicians and public figures who made an impact, we'll continue to learn how history isn't nice and clear-cut. We can learn to think critically about a person's impact and to consider what difference our own actions will make.

Blessings,
Sarita

"There is some incredible stuff going on in the genetics field right now," I offer. But, for the life of me, I can't recall the term "heritable epigenetics." I could have impressed her. Oh well. [Interested in learning more? Check out the Time article on DNA changes from your environment.]

"So what do you do?"

So many teachers ask me about homeschooling. It's uncanny. I tell her.

"Homeschoolers are socially awkward," she says, more as an observation than a statement.

I can't really disagree. But that's only part of the story. I wipe the water dripping from the tip of my nose. "That's more of a personality thing, right? I mean, I went to public high school, and there were some pretty awkward kids there who had been in school their whole lives."

She makes a sound of agreement. I imagine her thinking of a particular student of hers.

But I can't leave it at that. Paul Graham's essay on nerds keeps coming to mind. "Homeschoolers have a different set of priorities. Sometimes they're not as hip to what's hip these days; that makes them strange."

And here, like in the van to the airport, something changed. "You know," she says, "James was homeschooled." I don't know who James is, a coworker from the sound of things. I let her go on. "And I think Timothy was as well." She turns to another lifeguard nearby. "Wasn't Timothy homeschooled?" Getting little more than a shrug, she turns back to me, "I'm really all for that. And charter schools."

I smile. We make a little more small talk and then I push off the wall for a few more laps.

Homeschoolers are not really any more strange than their public schooled counterparts. But their priorities are often rather different. To me, that's a good thing.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Our recently revised Core 400 seeks to do just that with the addition of a book to the Bible portion. God and Politics: Four Views on the Reformation of Civil Government explores four different ways Christians relate their faith to government.

This is a unique book in that it features contributions from more than a dozen experts who often interact with opposing ideas, responding to each major position presented in the book. Instead of one book by a single author making the case for a specific view of government, God and Politics offers four alternatives. Our helpful Instructor's Guide Notes also provide further insights and commentary on the book.

What four options are covered? In the order they are addressed in the book they include Theonomy, Principled Pluralism, Christian America, and National Confessionalism. While it's beyond our scope to cover the details of what each view is about in a brief summary, here's a quick overview of each approach:

Theonomy: Sometimes called Reconstructionism, theonomy emphasizes the application of God's laws, including Old Testament laws, to contemporary government.

Principled Pluralism: This view states that there are many different perspectives represented in society, leading to the conclusion that the state should ensure equal rights for all citizens, not just a particular faith.

Christian America: This approach comes in different forms, but the general thrust is belief in the Christian heritage of America, which should lead Christians to restore their faith throughout government.

National Confessionalism: Adherents of this viewpoint believe that every nation should explicitly declare allegiance to Christ in their official documents and seek to implement policies that honor the God of the Bible.

As you can see, there are a variety of viewpoints represented in the four views covered in God and Politics. Although there is disagreement among the Christian contributors to the book, there's an appendix that summarizes not only areas of disagreement, but key areas of agreement. This provides a fantastic way of underscoring Christian unity on important areas despite differences.

So what position does Sonlight follow? One of the wonderful and often unique characteristics of our approach is that we don't tell you or your children what to believe. Instead, we provide helpful information to guide you and your children as you seek to understand, evaluate, and come to your own conclusions.

What view of God and politics do you follow? How will you teach your children about the relationship between God and government? Let us know in the comments section!

If you want to learn more about the four views, pick up a copy of God and Politics.

Robert Velarde
Author/Educator/Philosopher

I get that people do mean and stupid stuff when cloaked by anonymity. But clearly the problem is deeper than simply having a digital megaphone and a username. The problem is us. If YouTube teaches us anything about socialization, it is that people--both children and adults--can be cruel, especially if they can "get away with it." You don't have to read Lord of the Flies to understand that.

This morning I wandered into another dark corner of the internet. It's a popular forum where people routinely criticize and mock Sonlight. I am never driven there by my own curiosity, but occasionally I am alerted to a thread I should glance at. So I do. And I usually come away discouraged. These intelligent and well-meaning homeschoolers rag on our approach, our products, and even our character. There is no building up. There is no spurring on.

As homeschoolers, we have the opportunity to socialize properly--to train our children to interact in a manner fit for society. The unfortunate reality is that much of society acts in a manner other than this. Kids are especially mean in school. May your family, both online and out in the world, be winsome ambassadors for Christ because of your time learning at home (see goal #5 here).

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

Will I be able to teach my kids the more advanced subjects next year?

Your student may not be to calculus just yet. Perhaps it's "human reproduction" next year. Or you may not be sure you can teach your student to read. You may simply feel unqualified to cover a subject you were never taught when you were in school. Or maybe simply looking at the sheer volume of wonderful stuff you'll do next year has you feeling inadequate. You may be thinking, "Can I keep up with my students?"

Yes.

You can.

There will be some not so awesome days. There always are. But just like this year, next year you and your students will get to enjoy the pleasure of learning. Together. You may not remember everything about Trigonometry today--I sure don't--but you've been learning alongside your children for at least a year now. As homeschoolers, we have the privilege of learning (or relearning) in the process of teaching. What an opportunity!

If you're looking toward next year, please find encouragement in this year. This has been a fantastic year full of wonderful books, amazing discoveries, a few "light bulb" moments, and one or two more steps forward in this life-long journey of learning. And you--and your kids--have been loving it.

Keep up the great work.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester

As the school year winds down for many, and plans for vacations are in the works, it's a good idea to build a little science into your summer. As the pressures of math and essay writing are set aside for a time, plan to build some exploration and discovery into your schedule.

Younger students should begin their summer with a nature notebook in hand. Each time you head to the park, or the beach, or even your backyard, be sure their nature notebooks and a package of colored pencils are making the trip as well.

Summer is a time for planting and growing, so don't miss the opportunity to do some square-foot gardening, or utilize a handy windowsill to plant some radishes, or begin some corn and beans. So many valuable lessons, both in academics and character, can be taught in the process of preparing the soil, tending the plants, and ultimately harvesting the results.

I talk with many homeschoolers who complain that it's just tough to work science, and especially experiments, into their daily school schedule (anyone remember HENSE = Home Educators Neglecting Science Experiments?!). Summer is the perfect time to get a jump on those science assignments ... and to accomplish them with excitement, instead of just a sense of responsibility. Sonlight's Discover & Do DVDs are a great way to add fun to your science studies, and the perfect activity for those rainy summer afternoons.

Don't miss the opportunity to introduce your students to the marvels of God's creation, and the fun of discovery that science has to offer. No more listening to kids say "I'm bored" during their summer break!

Still on the journey ...
~Judy Wnuk
Sonlight Customer Champion