Tune in for useful homeschooling tips and encouragement to provide your children with an academically excellent education … right where you are. Wherever you are and whenever you can sneak in a few minutes of listening time, the Sonlight Connections podcast is available for you. 

Binge-listen all of season 1 or savor each episode over a longer period. The choice is yours! Listen as you do household chores, as you squeeze in your self-care exercise time, or as you drive about town while running errands. You’ll love the mix of topics and guests hosted by Stephanie. 

How to Listen and Subscribe

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and other podcast feed apps. Just open your favorite listening app and search for Sonlight Connections to find the podcast. You can even listen right in a browser on the Sonlight website here. 

SEASON 1

Season one is complete with 17 episodes, outlined here. There’s no need to listen in order. Just jump in with whatever topic suits your mood today. 

Episode 1: Keep Calm and School at Home

Advice from Veteran Homeschool Moms

During this time of uncertainty with schools closed, parents are concerned about what to do next. Stephanie sits down with two veteran homeschoolers, Judy and Barbara, to discuss what parents should do now, advice on how to navigate having children at home, and how to keep little minds busy. Get advice on schedules, organization, and time management.

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Episode 2: Managing a Large Family Homeschool for the Not-so-Organized Mom

When I tell people that I homeschool my 10 children, they nearly always say, “You must be very organized!” I smile and pinch my husband so he doesn’t reveal the truth that I’m not a terribly organized person. Even though I have never used a fancy planner to plot out my life out on paper, I have discovered three key secrets to managing my large family homeschool. Maybe they will help you, too!

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Episode 3: How to Meet State Requirements with a Four-day Homeschool Week

While every state has different requirements and we urge you to check the legal issues concerning homeschooling in your state at hslda.org, here are tips for meeting education requirements with a four-day homeschool schedule.

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Episode 4: Homeschooling the Struggling Reader

A child can love books yet struggle with reading. It’s true! Children can suffer from vision issues, dyslexia, dysgraphia and so much more but still learn to read and actually enjoy books! Homeschooling can help. Homeschooling provides the flexibility to let children learn at their own pace. With homeschooling children can continue learning, even if they get overwhelmed by some of the mechanics connected to a subject. With this flexibility, homeschoolers can focus on learning instead of reading level. If you find an area that your child especially enjoys, let them soar in it! If they need extra time to master a subject, you can take the time needed for that, too. With homeschooling, we can let our children keep moving forward. Here is Luke’s story.

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Episode 5: Teaching Through the Grumbles

with Tricia Goyer

In this episode, author and homeschool mom Tricia Goyer provides excellent advice for both homeschool families and newly schooling-at-home families. Listen in as she explores focusing techniques, books to help your children cope, homeschool schedules that work, and ideas for sticking to a routine.

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Episode 6: Schooling at Home: Training Children to Help

with Kristi Clover

Join Stephanie as she talks with Kristi Clover about how to engage children to help with their own education and around the house. Whether you’re a veteran homeschooler, new to homeschooling, or recently thrown into schooling at home, Kristi’s advice will help!

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Episode 7: All About Happy Cheetah Reading Curriculum

About one in five students struggle with learning to read. With Happy Cheetah Reading curriculum, students experience success, whether they are brand new to reading or have persevered for several years already. With Happy Cheetah, you can teach your student to read, effortlessly, in just a few minutes a day. Amy Lykosh, Sarita and John Holzmann’s oldest daughter, talks about the program and how it works.

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Episode 8: Homeschooling a Child with ADHD

with Misty Bailey

Join Stephanie as she talks to Misty about the importance of reading for a special needs student and her journey homeschooling a child with ADHD. She talks about how to help a reluctant reader love books, the importance of reading aloud to special needs students, and how her dedication to homeschooling has actually been a better choice for her family. She also shares tips to help a child with ADHD, apraxia, and dyslexia.

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Episode 9: The Basics of Literature-based Learning

Literature-based learning is an educational philosophy based on children’s natural curiosity and love for stories. With Sonlight, you’ll read real books to study history, make geography simple, grow students’ reading ability, increase family connection. Literature makes learning information enjoyable and easy to remember.

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Episode 10: Literature-based Homeschooling in High School

High schoolers are busy people. Education is just one of the many responsibilities on their plate and may not be a priority in their minds. If your high schooler is already a book lover, then using a literature-based approach to learning will likely resonate with your student. Join veteran homeschoolers as share the value of literature-based studies for high school and offer practical tips for engaging a literature-reluctant student.

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Episode 11: Balancing Homeschool and Work Life

Homeschooling is not the only job you have as a mom. Whether you have a full-time job, volunteer for an organization, or have a side gig that takes your time on a regular basis, the stress can add up in a hurry. Balance is the key to successfully pull off the juggling act between work and homeschool. Join these veteran homeschoolers as they help you set goals and establish boundaries that make it possible to do both well.

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Episode 12: How to Engage with Books … the Sonlight Way

Literature-based homeschooling uses outstanding books and delightful stories as the centerpiece for learning. Listen to hear how families can make the most out of reading books—how to pick great literature for your family and how to facilitate meaningful conversations.

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Episode 13: Literature-Based Homeschool Schedules and Routines that Work

with Ana Willis

Whether you are a veteran homeschooler, new to homeschooling, or just starting your home education journey, this session is beneficial. Join Ana as she talks in detail about homeschool schedules and routines that work. Her encouragement, advice, tips and unwavering faith is she to inspire you and motivate you to move forward in your homeschool journey.

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Episode 14: Managing all the Books

A Practical Perspective for Organizing Your Homeschool Materials

Let’s talk about an organized homeschool with a place for everything, and everything in its place. Yes, an orderly homeschool environment does matter. But how do you create such an atmosphere when using a literature-based approach to learning? There are books and school tools everywhere! ⁠Whether you’re using a literature-based, or classical, or traditional, or unit-study curriculum, this workshop will offer practical tips on keeping track of your materials and creating a peaceful learning environment. ⁠

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Episode 15: Raising Globally Minded Children with a Heart for the World

with Sarita Holzmann

Christian homeschoolers have an obligation to educate their children with a heart for the world. Help your children move beyond your own backyard, state, and even hemisphere with a globally-minded perspective that produces empathy and instills a sense of purpose. Join Sarita Holzmann to discover how literature is one of the simplest–and yet most powerful–ways to develop a Christ-centered, global mindset in your family.

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Episode 16: Teaching Multiple Ages with Literature

Literature-based learning is a great choice for teaching children across multiple ages. There is no better way to create a relationship and develop strong bonds between your children that will last a lifetime. Learn how to establish an environment that encourages learning together. Veteran Sonlight homeschool moms, Rhonda, Sandy and Sheila share practical ideas for planning and organizing your homeschool time around great literature. 

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Episode 17: Turning Children Into Book LoversーOne Chapter at a Time

Humans are wired for stories and storytelling! That’s what makes great literature and delightful narratives so effective for teaching. Learn how to choose the best books for your homeschool, using Sarita’s 7-part test. Also, find out what kinds of books to avoid and how to get your kids begging for just one more chapter-even if they aren’t in love with reading yet. 

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SEASON 2

Season 2 is underway with an incredible lineup of guests and topics—all relevant to homeschooling in 2020. Subscribe (in your listening app of choice) so you don’t miss a single episode. Or bookmark the Sonlight Connections page on the Sonlight site and check each Tuesday for a new show. 

Episode 1: Meet Sonlight’s Mission Agency Partners

Meet Sonlight’s Christian Mission Agency Partners: Mission India, Pioneers, The Seed Company and Far East Broadcasting Company. Search for Sonlight Connections on Spotify or Apple Podcast to tune in and subscribe. 

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Episode 2: Advice From a Reluctant Homeschooler Turned Curriculum Founder

When Sonlight’s founder, Sarita Holzmann, first realized she needed to homeschool, she was not thrilled. She found herself overwhelmed, uncertain, and reluctant. After starting, she found that, with her literature-rich method, she actually loved this new dimension of her life. ⁠ ⁠ Tune in to hear her transformation!⁠ 

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Subscribe in your favorite podcast app to listen to the rest of season 2. A new homeschool podcast is released each Tuesday.