Bookshark is the neutral branch of Sonlight, which is a Christian curriculum company. We're secular and we do use a bit of Bookshark's resources, and I am comfortable doing so because my background is in Biology and Anthropology, so I am easily able to add in resources to make their Science options more secular, rather than neutral. I find their instructor guides to be excellent. We do use a lot more from Build Your Library, though...As a secular, moderate-to-left-leaning family, we do find our values better represented in BYL's book choices, and we truly appreciate that. BYL is truly secular, not simply neutral. As to BYL 0 compared to Bookshark A, I found BYL 0 to be more truly an intro-to-the-world program, whereas Bookshark A, in our experience, was more a very light intro-to-world history program...I liked aspects of both, but found them to be quite different, really. I haven't seen any other videos comparing these two programs, especially at these levels, so I think that your comparison will be so helpful for many families. 💚
Oh, and as I've gotten further along in your video, DK People & Places is scheduled in BYL 7, which is its middle-school-level around-the-world program. Our favorite kinder/early elementary around-the-world foray (we've now done this a few times as each of my children has begun their individual homeschool journey : ) ended up being a blend of Torchlight Kindergarten with Blossom & Root 1 Language Arts. As you said, there are now quite a few lit-based options available to us, and that there now are is so refreshing and lovely, I find. 💚
This is great information! All of it, thank you. I am still pretty new to homeschooling and this is the first time I have heard of "neutral" curriculum. You sent me down a rabbit hole of research and I learned a lot! Secular will definitely fit our family and goals better. And I love hearing that BYL 7 does have People & Places! We LOVE this book so much. Looking forward to exploring it more.
@@ThatsRightIHomeschool I kinda thought that might be the case -- that more-secular-rather-than-neutral resources might end up being the best fit for your family -- as I've been watching many of your videos over the past week or so, and some of the materials you've chosen look to be more "progressive" than would generally be scheduled in neutral programs...That said, some neutral programs are excellent, and those that are are generally very easy to make more inclusive and truly secular, when a family cares to do so. 💚 For us, we're neurodiverse, and it absolutely works best for us to pull what we like from several curricula (and, yes, we lean heavily on BYL, Torchlight, and Blossom & Root, as lit-based programs tend to be more engaging for us), and leave what we don't, precisely as you described in this here video of yours. : ) And, welcome to homeschooling -- you and your learner seem to be off to a great start! 💚
@@amandasegur thank you for the insight. I love the suggestions. Teaching inclusivity and respecting different perspectives of history + present day is extremely important to us.💜 Torchlight was the other lit based program we really considered. I have a feeling we will be exploring that company too. ☺️ You are very sweet. Thank you for the warm welcome to the homeschooling world! 😊
