Homeschoolers: What is your opinion of the Sonlight curriculum?

Question

Homeschoolers: What is your opinion of the Sonlight curriculum?

Answer 1

I LOVE Sonlight!!! Yes it comes with a lot of books but they are all great books to read. It has the lesson plans and everything all set up for us. It is a bit expensive but if there is more than 1 child using it it can be a great investment. We spent $900.00 for two years worth of stuff. We have core 3+4 and will use it through next year. We figure it like this we spent 900 to work for 3 kids for 2 years. It comes out to 150 a child / year.

What matters most is that my kids love it. They enjoy the books and everything we got with the curriculum. My daughter is devouring the books and loving every one. She doesn't want me to stop reading the read alouds because she wants to know what happens and cried at the end of the last book.

Answer 2

wonderful but expensive

If you choose wonderful novels, you could create the same type of unit study program yourself at a minimal cost. You do need a separate math program.  

It is a great program though if you want to buy it.

Answer 3

If I were willing to be that structured, and willing to pay that much, I'd use Sonlight. It looks fantastic. I know a couple of families who have been using it for years and they absolutely love it.

Answer 4

I think it's a good program, but it has a lot of curriculum coursework "holes".

The scope and sequence do not measure up to my standards.  The curriculum I chose over Sonlight five years ago (when I first started HS'ing) is several years ahead of Sonlight in academics.  It's a much better fit for my son.  For instance, novels he's read, or is reading in 3rd - 6th grade are high school level novels in Sonlight.  The same history books we're using for 5th grade, Sonlight uses for high school history.

It's so literature based that there aren't enough activities for all types of learners.  So it's not a good fit for my son, nor does it fit my teaching style.

I look at Sonlight as more of a "lesson plan author".  They use a lot of general curricula and literature, and just put together the lesson plans/schedule to go with them.  This can easily be done on your own, for much less money, using the same materials.  However, if you don't want to take the time to put it all together, then it would be worth the price.

I know many people who use it and love it.  I know a lot more people who use their catalog as a reading list framework to supplement other curricula.  They do use wonderful books - many of which are used in my chosen curriculum.

Answer 5

I think it is great, but way too expensive.   I enjoy their catalogues and use it as a reference and buy some of their materials.     I think if I was going to start from scratch, knowing what I know now and with the budget in mind I would go straight Robinson Curriculum.     The problem I have with homeschooling is finding a program to fit my needs.  I have discarded so much material as flawed, phony, or just plain irrelevant.  Basically I am just eclectic now, but it is exhausting struggling through the curriculum jungles trying to find what works for my children.

Answer 6

As I recall, there are a lot of work books with sonlight.  I admit that it's been years since someone showed it to me, so I could be wong.  

Basically, my reaction was that I would never choose that to homeschool my kids.  But, then I really am a die hard unschooler (I wouldn't have said so at the time, even though I was).  

It's religious (and not my religion) and school at home, so it isn't a good choice for me.  

Good luck :D