Nature vs. Nurture and Friends

Bromide: platitude; a trite or obvious remark

Brought to you by Daphne Gray-Grant

Doing stressful things alone can tweak you out. The lone crazy person, wandering the jungle with a gun is now both iconic and contemporary (especially if you're watching Lost). The propensity for us to get in trouble on our own is also hinted at in passages of Scripture that mention how it's not good for man to be alone and the need for the body to work together.

We need people. Friends. Those who can encourage us to become the people we should be. Because, let me tell you, friends, I'm not yet the person I should be. There are days when parenting makes me feel like I'm the lone crazy person, wandering the forest with a gun.

There's currently an interesting discussion in part of the scientific community concerning the propensity for bad parenting and the abuse of children.


Karen Joy

I can totally relate to Karen's feeling that the parenting gene has passed me by. But for all my protests, I'm grateful that my wife and friends continue to nudge me to spend time with the girls.

The question for me isn't between nature and nurture. I learned in Psychology that it's nature via nurture, but I don't care much about that either. I'm much more interested in how I can overcome my nature/nurture to become who I should be. What I care about is community.

Who's supporting you? To whom are you listening? Are you alone, or have you found a group of friends to help keep you moving in the right direction?

That's what you need.

That's what I need too.

Where can you find a community? Here on the blogosphere. The Sonlight Forums. Facebook. Your local church.

It's a start, at least.

Where have you found community that fits your needs?

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

The Catalog Arrives at the Holzmann Home!

A curious two year old "reads" the articles. [The photo is, I'll admit, slightly staged. By the time I got the camera she had moved on. So we asked her to do it again.]


Future Sonlighter

My wife starts looking through the testimonials.


"I'm just looking at the pictures right now."

I've seen many other people have received their catalogs as well. What's your favorite part of the new catalog?

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

Sonlight's Box Day Video Process - Part 3

[Read Part 2 here]

Review and Re-render

After an uncounted number of hours of incomprehensible math whereby my computer converted a 1.2 gig stream of images made up of pixels housed within a specific type of coding that enabled some software to interpret it as a video into a different type of code that enabled some web-based software to convert the now 34MB file into something playable on YouTube, I give you...


Box Day v2

Thankfully my second attempt worked. I really didn't want to have to wait another 20 hours for my computer to give me a nice looking video.

Feedback? Thoughts?

I've had some very valuable input already. I would love to make this video even more helpful!

...granted, given how little time we have until April 1, I won't be able to make major changes. I also reserve the right to do what I believe is best for Sonlight... which may involve putting my efforts elsewhere even if there is a great idea for an improvement.

But such is the nature of production/business/life: We must pick our battles. There's always more to do. Sometimes choosing which things to leave and which things to change is the hardest part.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

Sometimes...

...during rigorous testing, you need to keep things fun.

Like so:


Awesomeville

I have no idea what Bo was testing, but it made me smile when I saw the envelope. It's been almost 11 months since I shared the flux capacitor with you, so I felt it was time to give you another glimpse into the things that make me giggle while working.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

Sonlight's Box Day Video Process - Part 2

[Read Part 1 here]

My computer is currently chugging away at making a web-ready copy of the next draft of the Box Day video. It says it only has 18 hours 3 minutes to go.

The video is a minute and a half long.

Yep. Video production can take time.

But the part that took the most of my time was assembling the pieces.


Illustrator to Photoshop

I went in and grabbed the specific elements that the artist drew (you'll notice these images lack my "homely" flair). Then I pasted them into my graphic program to resize to my scene's dimensions. After that, I saved the frame as a single moment in the video and moved on to the next scene. I did this about 60 times for each of the elements.

After that, I positioned all the bits in the timeline and exported the video with just picture and voice over. I brought this into my audio mixing software and added sound effects. This also takes a while because you have to find the right sound. If you can't find the right sound, you record it. I recorded some paper rustling and opening/closing a binder.

Exciting.

There were several moments throughout this process when I wished someone had assembled the pieces for me so I could focus on the fun part: Using those pieces to make something great. But, alas, no such person appeared. I was stuck wading through hundreds of layers and sound bytes looking for the one I needed. I was copying and pasting bits from something someone else had created. It wasn't fun. It wasn't how I wanted to spend my time. But it needed to be done.

Thankfully, you don't have to go through that.

Well, you will if you decide to make a video like this. But you're not doing that at the moment. Right now you're focusing on homeschooling. And with homeschooling there are options where someone else has assembled it for you. Every one of Sonlight's curriculum packages includes the books and schedule you need. You can push a button and have all the pieces sent to you. You don't have to spend your time copy/pasting parts that others have built and left for you to put together.

Your time is valuable and best spent on important things. Consider having the work done for you in the form of a Sonlight curriculum package.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father


Lagniappe: an extra or unexpected gift or benefit

Brought to you by Heather

Literacy vs. Reading Ability

Sarita's Word

---

If the ability to read is so important, what do we do when our children just aren't learning to read well? What if we fill our houses with books and read aloud daily ... and they still struggle? Are our efforts in vain?

The same exposure to books ... differing abilities to read

I recently read a fascinating article. It claimed that children surrounded by books learn more effectively and thus do better in school. I heartily agreed and posted about it on my blog.
One mom commented that she has thousands of books in her home and reads to her children all the time. While two of her children are excellent readers, two others have a much harder time. Has she been wasting her time reading to the two who struggle? She certainly doesn't think so—and I agree.

I also had children who greatly varied in how early they learned to read. One read very early and continues to devour books. One worked very hard at reading and reads slowly even today, but never forgets what is read. Both children excelled in college. So what might be at work here?

The difference between literacy and reading ability

I'm going to postulate that all the hours we spend reading to our children make up for a host of gaps they might have if we hadn't read to them.

In E. D. Hirsch's book Cultural Literacy, he compares the reading ability of two sets of junior college students. They read two articles and answered comprehension questions afterwards. The first article covered a generic topic (love) that required absolutely no additional knowledge to understand, other than the ability to decode the words. Both sets of students answered those questions equally well. But the second article they read told the story of General Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomattox. Students who had no previous knowledge about the subject could not answer the questions about this article. They lacked the background information necessary to even know who Grant and Lee were and why they needed to meet. They had no context.

In my thinking, a literate person has the necessary background information—the cultural literacy, in Hirsch's words—to understand what she reads.

Keep on reading

In a home where families read a wide variety of books together, children gain invaluable cultural literacy. Combine this with the ability to learn from books (even if someone else is reading them out loud), and you've got a great head start on academic success.

So even if you have a child who struggles to read on his own, keep reading to him! Don't think for a minute that your efforts haven't born fruit. Consider the cultural literacy, cognitive skills and emotional maturity you're helping him build by surrounding him with great stories, engaging characters and thought-provoking discussions.

Blessings as you continue on,
Sarita

5 Ways to Have Poor Customer Support

1. Have short hours
2. Have long wait times (bonus points for bad hold music)
3. Have tiered support: "I can't help you with that"
4. Give but one point of contact (email)
5. Have people who don't know your product support it

How does Sonlight stack up to these?

Short hours: We do have limited hours. Some would say that they're standard, but that doesn't mean I don't get frustrated when someone tells me I can contact them during normal business hours... between the time I start and stop working. But with our many support options, I don't know how big of a deal this is... I ask for your thoughts below, so please keep reading.

Long wait times: I had to wait for a while to get through once. But I usually get help from Sonlight pretty quickly. And I've been very impressed with how fast I get someone via Chat. (Yes, I've chatted our Customer Relations team many times.)

Tiered support/Tied hands: Sonlight rocks this. Our incredible customer support people have the power to help you. Granted, they can't give you up to half the company, but do they have the authority to act on your behalf (so be nice <smile>).

Only email support: Nope. Not at all. Sonlight offers you phone, email and chat support. More than that, we've also got the Forums and Facebook, not to mention this blog, if you want to get opinions from customers who are currently using Sonlight.

Scripted answers: I used Sonlight when I was kid, but I don't have much experience teaching with it yet. But I can point you to the veteran homeschool moms who do have a ton of experience. Sonlight's Advisors are here to answer your questions about Sonlight and help you select the best program for your family. They'll look things up for you, but they won't be reading a script. This is personalized help based on years of experience at it's finest!


What say you? Have you been frustrated by Sonlight's hours? Do you find we get to you promptly on the phone and via chat? Have you been "wowed" by CR's ability to resolve your issue? Which is your favorite: Phone, email, chat, Forums? Have you chatted with an Advisor?

We say we have world-class support and strive to "wow" you each time you contact us. I'm curious: Do we live up to that?

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

Sonlight's 2010 Catalog on Facebook?

Could it be true? Is Sonlight's 2010 catalog really accessible from Facebook?

Find out!

If you happen to see a warning message, it's okay to continue on...


Be Careful!

That is, if you trust me <smile>.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

A Moment of Panic

"11 new comments," my notice tells me.

I experience a moment of panic. Trepidation fills my heart. And I wonder yet again, 'Why do I come up with potentially controversial post topics on Fridays?' I write something and then leave it out there for the blogosphere to chomp on for a weekend. What am I thinking?

There's even more feedback on Facebook. Yikes.

And this is the paradox of being a blogger: I love comments, they make my day, they remind me that what I do matters to someone... and yet, there's always the fear that I've really upset you, pushed you over the edge, made you bust out the pitchforks, torches, tar and feathers. It's an emotional roller-coaster of "They love me!" plunging into the dread of "They hate me, yes?"


Tarred and Feathered

Sometimes my heart can't take it, friends. Even without the tar and feathers I'm still a chicken inside. As a blogger, my success rides entirely on my reception. If no one bothers to read anymore, it's curtains for me.

And then I begin to read the comments. Such wonderful comments! Even those who disagree or take issue with my position are gracious and kind. What a joy! What love! Up the slope I go, reveling in the heights to which I've climbed. Ignoring, for the moment, the plunge that awaits just beyond the crest.

I hate roller-coasters.

As parents, and homeschoolers to boot, we experience similar moments of panic. Perhaps not as sharp or clearly evidenced, but the fear is still there. Is what I'm doing good for my children, or am I causing irreparable harm? Our success as parents and homeschoolers rests on the response of others: Our children.

That's scary, friends. This gig isn't for the faint of heart. And yet we're all a little unsure at times. The doubt creeps in...

What can you do?

Read the comments. Read the comments of others about what you're doing. Read a few of the Sonlight Moments in the widget on the side of my blog. See what people are saying on Facebook. Read the hundreds of amazing and encouraging quotes in the Sonlight Catalog. Such wonderful comments! What joy! What love! And up the slope you go...

...so next time you take a plunge you can enjoy it instead of experiencing a moment of panic...

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

Theology Through Books

"God caused Columbine to happen. He is Sovereign, so don't think for a minute He wasn't behind this. He has a bigger plan."

It had been a few weeks since the incident. I was at a park not far from the campus attending a benefit concert for the families of those who had lost loved ones in the shooting.

I turned to one of my friends, "You've got to be kidding me. Did he just say that?"

Bad theology leads to very bad things.

Or, at the very least, statements that aren't very helpful. Now, I have a Minor in Bible. I grew up in the church. I was in Awana for a long while. I attended Bible studies and all that. I've been reading my Bible regularly since sometime early on in high school. But I don't have a degree in theology.

So what have I noticed most influenced my views on God and how He interacts with the world?

It wasn't my group leaders, pastors or professors--though I'm sure they were part of it.
It wasn't my friends.
It wasn't my family.
It wasn't reading my Bible--though that foundation, I pray, helps keep me solid.
It wasn't even my experience--though that has tainted some of my views and raised some significant questions.
It wasn't my Bible college texts.

What shaped my theology the most were the biographies we read as part of Sonlight. Why? Because these are real people living their real lives before a real God. Biblical interpretation is one thing, but practical outplay over history is another. And that's why Scripture--as part of that history--is so important to consider as well.

The debate about a woman's role in the church is quickly shown to be shallow when compared to the lives of great female missionaries. The nature of faith is tested in the lives of those who rested solely on God's provision. The goodness of God is pulled into perspective when seen in the light of martyrs. The love of Christ is demonstrated most clearly in the joy of those who find Him.

Yet, like all subjects, I don't have a complete understanding of theology. The pieces I've assembled over time through literature and study are incomplete. I can't help my best friend figure out hope. I can't seem to walk in the path of "the New Man." I don't understand why God would refuse to work through a willing servant to save others.

I wouldn't be surprised if your theology was significantly shaped by the stories you listen to as well. Which is why it is so important to consider what you take in. Read stories from people you'd like to emulate. ...but do more than that too. Strive to hear stories from other sides. Without a little dissension you can't really wrestle with the hard questions.

And wrestle we did in my house.

I'm grateful to my parents--and few professors--who presented the tensions and struggles of theology to me as we read biographies and discussed history. It's an important aspect of humility and a learner's heart.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

Ick! Pre-Algebra

Normally, we love box day around here just as much as the next family. All the new books to look through and read, such excitement.


A Regular Box Day?

Well, not so much the day the pre-Algebra came. We had already had our big box day with core 5 and all the books that come with it (and there’s lots). For some reason (and now I don’t remember why) pre-Algebra was ordered separately. So while there was semi-excitement, because it was a Sonlight box after all, Whitney only reluctantly opened the box to pull out her new math books. Can’t wait until she gets Algebra this fall! :)


Pre-Algebra

And apparently there was something good in the box, seeing the look on her face in the last picture.


Something Good from Sonlight

Debbi L.

Sonlight's Box Day Video Process - Part 1

I titled this "Part 1" because I'm hoping I'll have something to say further along the process that will warrant a "Part 2" <smile>.

We need to update for a video that is currently (as of writing) on Sonlight.com; unfortunately, it is outdated and cumbersome. We want a cool new video with all the right information for our April 1 web update which coincides with the official 2010 Catalog launch.

That means I need to get cracking on this thing.

So, I start the project with some storyboards:


Meet John and Jane Doe


Walk You Through Box Day


Strong, Happy, Pro-Sonlight Finish

I get a little feedback, and then toss together the first mockup:


Box Day Mockup1

Fun, short, cool. But Judy helped me work through some of the weaker story elements, added some ideas for needed content and helped me think the video through again.

So, back to writing up a few more voice over lines, sketch a few more frames and...


Box Day Mockup2

Much better!

What's next?

• Wait for feedback
• Tweak
• Get some real artwork
• Record with the real voice over talent
• Edit
• Build a soundtrack
• Create/add music
• Mix together
• and post online!

I love doing these "quick" projects, but they sure are a lot of work!

Do you have any Box Day Stories you'd like to share? Please do! Or, visit the Box Day Blog and read real Box Day stories.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

A Look Back to a Year Ago

A wonderful post he would write
If but day was not followed by night.
And so in its stead,
This from off of his head,
A limerick and picture your plight.

Happy Saint Patty's Day!

Whoa, just realized that we got our Catalog a day earlier than last year. And I didn't wear green again today. But I am in mostly blue.

Whether you're reflecting on the influence of the man of history, pinching your friends, eating corned beef and cabbage or doing something else entirely, may your day be full of joy.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

Look What I Got

It's coming...

Request your Sonlight Catalog today!

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

Do You See Yourself in Your Kids?

"I think I know why she did it," she whispers into my ear.

"Huh?" I look at the clock. It's well after midnight. I'd been asleep.

My wife scoots a little closer to me, glad I'm awake. "I can't sleep. I think I know why she got back on the potty right before bath. She's like you: She's a routine person and she always goes potty before bath."

"Huh." I pretend I don't care. I need to go back to sleep. Thinking about it would hurt too much. And, besides, I don't have a good response.

'Maybe I'll blog about this tomorrow,' I tell myself as I drift off to sleep, leaving my wife to her thoughts.

***

Six hours earlier the older child had just finished going potty. She got off to get ready for the coming bath. I started the water and she ran back into the bathroom. Her sister was heading in and looked like she might need to go.

"I need to go potty," the older one said.

I eye her suspiciously. She has a history of claiming to need to go potty when she really is just trying to kill time or stall. On top of this, her sister is walking a little cross-legged, which isn't a good sign. But the older one is already back on the pot. Guess I'll wait and see.

And wait we do as the steam slowly fills the bathroom along with the chatter of two excited little girls.

I'm waiting. There's no way she's going to go again. My suspicious are confirmed:

"All my pee-pees are out!" she proudly announces.

I'm furious. We've been working with her on this. We've been trying to communicate that she needs to tell the truth, that this is unacceptable behavior. On top of that, her sister looked more than a little uncomfortable waiting for her to finish the business she didn't need to do.

***

I've heard it said that the things we hate the most in others are the very things we do. And if it's true that she got back on the potty because of our routine, then all my assumptions and frustrations were unfounded.

The possibility brings tears to my eyes. The possibility that she and I are too much alike and, because of that frustrating fact, I couldn't see what was happening. I couldn't help her and encourage her to become a little more open to change. I was too busy focusing on what I was sure was going on that I might have missed a glimpse into who she is.

It's a good thing I have a wife who can look at both of us and see the similarities.

Some days the wife and kids teach me more about myself than I could possibly offer them: I'm a pretty poor husband and surrogate father. How many more times do I need to climb onto the proverbial potty before I get that out of my system?

Homeschooling, it's not just for the kids. I've still got a lot to learn as well.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

Genuine: One of Those Days

We wake the girls up for our new Friday morning routine and discover that both had thrown up on their pillows in the middle of the night. The good blogger that I am, I thought about snapping a picture.

The good blogger that I am, I decided against it and took the sheets down to be washed instead.


Laundry

My morning had started five hours earlier when I woke up with the distinct impression that I needed to throw up. So I headed to the bathroom. I didn't, but those thirty minutes "on the pot" weren't all that pleasant; I would have preferred to have been happily sleeping.

Things weren't going well and it wasn't even 7:30 yet.

Then, I got a call at about 9:00 telling me that the main line of my house had clogged and water was filling the laundry room.

Fantastic.

It's been a long and rather frustrating day. Nothing like this day, but long and frustrating nonetheless.

Oddly enough, this is a benefit of homeschooling: Our kids get to experience life in the real world. They get a genuine experience. They see us at our best and our worst. We get to introduce them to the Plumber and explain how he helped fix the toilet so we can flush it again. They see us rip off the sheets in frustration to then tromp off to the basement. They get the good and the bad.

Sunday school teachers, instructors, coaches, anyone in a professional or paraprofessional leadership role will tend to present the world as stable and under control. In fact, this is such a common experience the two exceptions I've encountered in my life stand out in stark contrast. And while this professionalism is essential to a public situation, that's not where most of us need improvement. We're all pretty good at behaving in public.

Homeschooling allows our children to learn from how we handle stress, frustration and disappointment. They go through the experiences with us and learn how to cope. Sobering thoughts for those of us still in the process of learning how to roll with life's punches.

I'm writing this post to remind myself that even days that start off not so well are excellent opportunities for me and my children to learn and grow together. And if it turns out that your three month long project in the basement wasn't ruined, you had a coupon for half off the plumbing service and you were taken out to dinner by some friends, perhaps it's important to celebrate the blessings of life as well. I'm not nearly grateful enough because I'm too often focused on dealing with the things that went wrong.

So, here I am, at the end of one of those days sitting back and thinking, "Life is good."

How's yours?

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

Homeschool Priorities: Pick Your Battles

You're busy.

My wife is busy too. We're having guests arrive four hours earlier than anticipated so she's probably pretty active at the moment making the house ready. And that's on top of the things she normally does like, you know, tend to the children, make meals and all that.

You may not have guests showing up, but I'm sure your life has it's own unexpected twists. Even without those, you're plenty busy. And if you're anything like me, every once in a while you lose the ability to determine the most important things to focus on. I have so many pressing items on my schedule I seem incapable of completing any of them. Worse still, many of them have wait times associated with them, so I can't even "just do it a minute" and be done with it.

And in these moments do we really care about eschatology? My world already feels like it's falling apart, I don't care when the Tribulation is supposed to hit!
Hermeneutics? A child is trying to tell me something from the bathroom, I need to investigate that first.
Age of the Earth? Today already feels like a contradiction: I've only had ten minutes to do anything but I feel like I've been doing it for a million years!

I could go on, but you're busy.

As finite creatures we have to make priorities. We must pick our battles. And some days, our priorities require that we forgo participating in even our pet conflicts.

I'm not saying that the things listed above--or the numerous other topics like organic food, abortion, pollution, politics, evangelism, etc--aren't important. But for the time being, your time may be needed elsewhere.

Where?

Only you know that. But if you're having trouble focusing, perhaps it's time to remind yourself of your homeschool goals and work from there.

I need to work out my priorities as well. I think it would help me tremendously.

If only I could find the time...

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

2010 Catalog Goes to Print!

Sarita's Word

---

Have you seen these snapshots of the new catalog?

The 2010 catalog has officially gone to print. Trusting all goes according to plan, paper copies will start landing in homes by April 1.*

Maybe you can sympathize with Luann on the Forums. She says that around this time of year:

My daughter is always complaining about having to go to the mailbox the minute the mail comes. My husband thinks it is a hoot that I'm always talking about how the catalog has gotten to so and so and why haven't I received mine yet!

So just what did it take to produce the 2010 catalog? Well, if it's any indication, the project coordinator took a few days off when it was all done. She needed time to regroup!

Aside from the process of creating your curriculum and keeping it fresh each year, the mere task of assembling a catalog can be quite exciting and challenging. Here's a glimpse into what takes place in our office:

• We start with last year's catalog. First, we review the critical feedback Sonlighters gave us about last year's catalog. We listen to it all and often tweak the new catalog accordingly.

Linda enthusiastically kicks off and leads the catalog process.

• A creative team helps John and me step back and brainstorm any big picture changes we'd like to see in the new catalog.
• Lots of Sonlighters join in the creative process by providing photos, captions and quotes. After all, who wants a catalog without tons of great pictures and comments? We take great delight in all the wonderful submissions.
• We evaluate the current articles in the catalog and freshen them up. We might add new articles, remove old ones, completely re-work some, and leave some in their tried and true form.

Anne Marie takes her editing very seriously.

• At several stages, we print a draft and ask big-picture questions:
• Does this catalog communicate what Sonlight is all about?
• Are the graphic updates aesthetically pleasing?
• Do they make the catalog easier to understand?
• Is the written and graphical content clear?
• Is everything organized logically and does it flow well?

Tim and Dave ponder the deep questions of catalog flow.

• We revise multiple times.
• A few dedicated staff members comb through to check all prices, ensure the accuracy of page number references, test all the URLs listed and proofread.

Christiane examines some text ... very closely.

• Then finally, after months of work, we're at the stage you can see here. With proofs spread all over the conference room, we pore over everything again.
• Then we revise one more time, double-check new proofs, and finally ... give the go-ahead to print.

And that's where the real fun starts, because the 2010 catalog will soon reach your mailbox!

As you plan your upcoming year and dream about wonderful new books, Instructor's Guides and curriculum resources, don't hesitate to call one of our experienced Sonlight Curriculum Advisors. Your advisor, a Sonlight mom with years of experience, can answer your questions and help you meet your family's unique needs. If you have questions even now, please don't hesitate to go to www.sonlight.com/SCA, even now before you've received your new catalog.

Many blessings,
Sarita

*We're working to give Core and Heirloom Sonlighters Club Members a special online sneak peek of the catalog before April 1!

Say that again?

My kids are beginning an on-line writing course this week. I've endured all the expected weeping and gnashing of teeth ... followed by the standard explanation of why I will not graduate children who cannot write well.

Coming directly on the heels of those conversations, a friend shared the funniest web site I have yet to see related to the massacre of the English language. WARNING: Be sure you're sitting down, not drinking anything hot, and have a full box of tissues handy. This is just too funny. (Standard disclaimer: I have not read the entirety of this site nor have I clicked on every link. So proceed with caution.)

Enjoy!
~Judy

Holzmann Family Update

...well, my branch of it, at least.

For those of you just joining us, let me catch you up:

• My wife and I are in the process of adopting three children. Two years into the process...
• In the meantime, we're pseudo-fostering two girls.
• We're doing Sonlight P3/4 with them.

And that's pretty much the last I've said of it.

Until now.

My good bloggy friend Mrs. C emailed me and asked how things were going. And while I'm still going to email you back with specifics, Mrs. C, I thought it'd be a good idea to post an update here.

First things first: The girls really like the Sonlight stories. They currently love Go, Dog, Go! and will often ask me if I like their hat. I once got it wrong by saying I did like it, not realizing I was supposed to not like it three more times. It's also not uncommon to hear, "Go! The light is green now!" as they run laps around the coffee table.

Second, we've received a few new pictures of our kids in Kyrgyzstan. Unfortunately, due to adoption law, I can't share them with you until the adoption goes through. And, near as we can tell, it's still just as stuck as it was over a year ago when the clog stopped up the pipe.

Third, the life of pseudo-fostering continues to be hard. Your prayers are much appreciated. However, Brittany and I recently decided to make conscious efforts to accept that the girls are part of the family. Not that they weren't accepted before, but that we hadn't yet consciously moved out of babysitting mode. It was exhausting to always be "watching" them. As we try to relearn how to go about our lives, now with children underfoot, we are trying to figure out how to incorporate them into what we do rather than waiting for them to go down for a nap before we start doing chores. Writing that makes it sound so obvious that we should have done that from day one. But some of us are just slow, I guess. Especially since we're still figuring it out...

There's more to say, I'm sure, but I've run out of steam. I think my emotional regulator just kicked in and shut off oxygen to my brain, ceasing all thought.

I'd be happy to answer any questions you have, or provide more details for anything you're interested in. Please just leave a comment and I'll try to get to it. If you have no questions, that's fine: I would absolutely appreciate your prayers.

Thanks!

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

The New Sonlight Logo

Last month I mentioned that our old logo had been removed from the building.

Today the new logo was installed:


A Work in Progress


A Few of the Pieces


Sonlight's New Logo

Pretty cool...

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

He Who Defines, Wins

I really like words. That's one of the reasons I share "Words of the Day" with you when I stumble across them:


Autochthonous:^* indigenous; originating where it is found

Brought to you by Milton Gaither

Definitions are important because, without them, we lose meaning and the ability to communicate. In debate they say that "he who defines, wins" because if your definition is accepted you can direct the conversation where you want it to go. A few examples:

• Is abortion a medical procedure or murder?
• Is swatting your child's hand training or abuse?
• Is evolution a scientific fact or a godless lie?
• Is homeschooling selfish and vile or a wonderful opportunity?
• Is eating meat productive or immoral?
• Is the use of "he" instead of gender neutral pronouns acceptable or chauvinistic?
• Is this blog fantastic of lame?
• Is Luke Holzmann a ninny or brilliant?

Ultimately, much like the last two, neither answer is entirely accurate--or, perhaps more accurately, both answers contain a certain level of truth. Logicians call what I gave above a false dichotomy. But the point remains: If you can convince people to accept your definition, you are more likely to sway them to your side.

The difficulty, then, is determining what definitions are correct. And when there is disagreement, discover what drives the two sides. Why do they define it that way? And what's influencing that definition?

Are you a parent or a teacher? Are your offspring your children or your students? And what in the world is a Core or an Instructor's Guide anyway?

I spent some time today working on a lexicon for a potential new Sonlight product. It was amazing to me how difficult it is to find words that will be wildly recognizable without leading to wrong impressions or confusion. Schedule or Calendar? Asset or Resource? Teachers Manual or Lesson Plan? Course or Program or Study Unit?

May the words you use today be edifying and understood by those around and closest to you.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

^*Yep, I had to look up the pronunciation too.

The Problem with Routine

...is when you have to break it.

I'm a routine guy. More than that, I'm a schedule guy. I don't always have to be on time ...as long as I'm early. I park in the same spot every day. I have a morning routine. I have a evening series of events. I do the same thing every Saturday night and Sunday morning (Movie Night and church, respectively). My body is so used to my order of life, I wake up at 6am on mornings I forget to set my alarm (which is great because otherwise I'd throw a hissy fit because my groove was thrown off. Not proud of those moments).

You get the picture.

Today, my routine was broken.

Garage sale season has started; there was one this morning. And for that one garage sale I got up early to do a little work, then drove my wife to meet my sister and my mom, watched the girls for a couple hours with my brother-in-law, drove home and then, and only then, was able to come into Sonlight--four hours later than I usually do.^*

I was grumpy.

And that's the real problem with routine: I feel entitled to it. The problem is me. Routine is fantastic, even beneficial in many ways. But like so many good things, it's how we use it and respond to it. Vegetables are great, but they aren't if I were to go ballistic on the kids over them. Money is wonderful, but an unhealthy focus on it leads to trouble.

You get the picture.

Are you like me and need to have a solid routine? Or are you on the other end of the spectrum--with my wife--and fight against repetition? I'm guessing neither extreme is super healthy. That's why I'm so thankful for Sonlight's approach to scheduling: Consistency with flexibility. Every Sonlight Instructor's Guide allows you to plan your day how you want so you can quickly adjust when you need to. Like when garage sale season starts....

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

^*My wife accused me of wanting to get to work so desperately I almost drove down to open the building at 6:30. I still maintain that I had responsibilities that were thankfully covered by another.

Sonlight's 2010 Catalog Proofs

Stop the presses!

Sonlight's Catalog is heading off to the printer.^*

Today we looked over the "blue lines"--whatever that means--of the catalog and it should be back to the printer soon. I can't believe it's already March 4th. April 1 is coming so quickly...


2010 Catalog Proofs


The Red Pens of Marking

When we find mistakes, we mark them on stickies. Rebel that I am I used my blue pen instead of the red.


This Blog is Getting Some Love! That makes me super excited <smile>.

Are you excited about the 2010 Catalog?

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father


Deportment: demeanor; the way a person behaves toward others

Brought to you by Mrs. C

^*Come on, that was punny.

Multitasking

My wife can hold three small children at the same time. She can make dinner, tell me to stop looking in the fridge for a snack and keep an ear open for the plaintive wail of a distressed child. She can listen to a podcast and play WoW or be in Second Life. She's a pretty impressive person.

But she can't multitask.

You can't either.

NPR has an interesting article on this. But I think, 'Perhaps I'm different. Perhaps I really can do multiple things at once.' If you're anything like me, I suggest you give yourself a practical test via the Multitask flash game. [NB: There are ads for webgames on this site. While I didn't notice any offensive ones when I hit the site, that does not rule out the possibility that they exist.] It took me all of about a minute before I realized that my constant switching in focus didn't cut it.

Businesses--I hear--have found this to be true as well. People are far more productive if they sit down and focus on a task. Unfortunately, the world of instant messaging, email, phones, Facebook, Twitter, RSS and the like make it difficult to stay on target. I know I get distracted when a message pops up telling me that I just got a new email.

I found it interesting, then, to read about a school that is excited that giving their students laptops "helps them multitask." I don't see how this would be a good thing. I heard that recent studies have found no benefits to trying to multitask.

Case in point: I know when my wife is multitasking while I'm on the phone with her. She's far less communicative if she's also checking Facebook or looking for a cool new app... she may be able to juggle a bunch of kids, but she still can't multitask.

Instead of encouraging your children to practice being distracted in the hopes that it will make them more prepared for the world of new media, encourage them to focus on a book or story and then switch their attention fully to the next subject at hand. This is a great skill to have when talking to people too: Give them your full attention.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

P.S. Despite what I say above, I think it was great that my mom let us play quietly with Legos while she read to us. My sister sometimes doodled as well. There is something to be said for freeing children to focus on something other than merely "staying focused." So, perhaps--just perhaps--moderation is a good thing as well...

Always Be There to Help Your Students

Jerri Ann asked, "When do you quit [helping with] homework?"

It's the homeschooler in me that answers, "It depends."

If a student is truly confused, why wouldn't you help them? Because they need to figure it out on their own? That is a great skill to learn. But if we believed that people should always figure things out on their own we'd never try to teach them anything. The learning process is a give and take that, when applied well, leads a student to move beyond what the teacher has taught. Confusion is a terrible state. Sure, don't spoon-feed answers, but simple clarification can be the difference between giving up and a light bulb moment.

If a little instruction will help a student move forward, help them! I am grateful for the friends who help me with things even here at Sonlight. And if I'm not too old to still benefit from a few pointers, I doubt your student is either.

Ultimately, though, I think this sums it up: Learning is far more important than "going at it alone." In fact, pushing students to figure it out on their own may actually reinforce the idea that building on what others have learned is a bad thing... and that would be a terrible mistake. We should all strive to stand on the shoulders of the giants who have gone before us.

I'm not advocating, however, that students should always get your help. I know there were times when I was mentally "dragging my feet" instead of applying myself. In those cases, it was good for my mom to leave me alone. Hand holding wasn't going to help me.

As a teacher you are your student's weightlifting partner. You're there to help lift the bar when the weight becomes too great. But you'd do no favors if you carried the burden instead.

Now I just mixed my metaphors...


Lifting Weights on the Shoulders of Giants

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father

Cowboys, Facebook and Stuff I'd Write About

I mention cowboys and Sonlight's catalog on my blog and no one comments. No one mentions it on Facebook. I mean, I realize it was toward the end of a post, but I thought I'd get at least one giggle or "yeehaw" or something.

I got crickets instead.

Then I noticed that Facebook never published the post that mentioned cowboys and catalogs and contests. Say wha? What's going on here?

I fiddle. I tinker. I poke around. Finally I add the "Notes" tab and, lo and behold, there the post is... but it's still not on Sonlight's Facebook Wall. First it was Twitter that just stopped updating my stuff. Now it's Facebook. The social media world has conspired to bring me a slow social death.


<tears>

I've got several things I want to blog about, but they are sensitive subjects that require more thought and much more wisdom than I have. A few others would be better to post about at a later date. One is perfect for Father's Day (though I wrote it last week).

Needless to say, I'd rather be writing about other things than trying to sort out the mysteries of social media tools that simply stop working all of a sudden...

...and, please, someone tell me you thought having a cowboy on a page that said "Whoa! Hang on a minute there, cowboy" would have been hilarious. Otherwise, I'll have to post the crying cowboy sketch again...

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father