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Time4Learning vs Sonlight®: Pros and Cons

Before spending your hard-earned money on any curriculum, you should fully understand their pros and cons. As for the Sonlight® curriculum pros and cons, we did most of the legwork for you and created this informative page that also highlights Time4Learning. After all, you should have a clear picture of what program will best suit your family.

The Difficulty of Picking Out the Pros and Cons

Before we move ahead, it’s important to point out that every family has their own reasons for homeschooling. And just as there are different reasons, there are also different curriculum packages that will better fit those needs. While one family may believe the Sonlight® pros and cons match their children’s learning style, another may think differently. So, as you review this page, keep in mind that no one curriculum is perfect for everyone, but there will be one that better meets your needs.

Teaching with Sonlight® vs Time4Learning

We’ve created a chart that will help you identify the pros and cons of both curricula. This should make the process of choosing a program much easier. While you browse the chart, look for the pros that match your needs as a homeschooling family.

Homeschool Use
Sonlight® Various purchasing and curriculum options available so parents can customize their child’s education. Book-based curriculum may not work for student’s who require a more interactive approach to learning.
Time4Learning One low monthly fee includes 4 core subjects (math, science, social studies and language arts), plus automated grading and recordkeeping. Online homeschool curriculum requires internet connection and computer or tablet.

Pricing Structure
Sonlight® One time expense, unless you require more lessons.  Full grade levels range from $300 to $900.
Time4Learning No large up front purchase; cancel at any time. All subjects are included for one affordable price. Must create a monthly budget.

Lesson Style
Sonlight® No internet required. Literature based program. Offers hands-on activities for purchased correlate with our 1st grade through middle school programs. There’s an additional fee for the hands-on activities.
Time4Learning Interactive lesson approach is helpful for visual and auditory learners. Step-by-step guides, printables and Virtual labs included for kinesthetic learners. Must have computer or device with internet connection to view lessons.

Recordkeeping
Sonlight® You do it yourself. Science and ELA worksheets do capture answers for parents to save that work if needed. More administrative work for you. The Instructor’s Guide can be used as a list that parents check things off of as students complete them.
Time4Learning Saves time and gives you concrete information for homeschool portfolios and reviews. Account must be kept active to access archive of grades (although they can be downloaded and saved for future reference).

Worldview
Sonlight® Many school subjects include bible verses and are written and taught from a faith-based worldview. Religious teaching may not meet the needs of all homeschooling families.
Time4Learning Can be used by most any homeschooling family, regardless of worldview. Families may skip any content they find objectionable. Does not include dedicated Bible curriculum content, so Christian families must supplement this subject.

Finding It Hard to Choose?

You may have read over the Sonlight® curriculum pros and cons and the Time4Learning pros and cons but still don’t have a clear answer. The automated record keeping that Time4Learning provides sounds great but so do other aspects of the Sonlight® curriculum.

Don’t worry. Many homeschooling families blend curriculum programs and find the sweet spot that matches their children’s needs.

If you want to learn more about Time4Learning and Sonlight®, visit these other pages for additional information.

*Time4Learning is not affiliated with Sonlight®. Time4Learning’s purpose with this article is to provide information to families who are considering an eclectic approach to homeschooling or who wish to compare the benefits of using both curricula. Time4Learning’s products and services are not endorsed or sponsored by Sonlight®.
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FAQs

Time4Learning is a trusted online curriculum provider serving PreK-12th grade students. We provide student-paced lessons and activities in subjects like language arts, math, science, social studies, and electives. Our parent support features include planning and reporting tools to simplify scheduling and progress monitoring.Time4Learning lets parents control their child's learning schedule and approach. It's favored by homeschoolers as a main curriculum or a supplement and is also used for after school or summer learning to address learning gaps or maintain skills.

Our comprehensive preschool curriculum gives students a solid foundation in all core areas through fun stories, characters, and interactive activities in math, language arts, science, and social studies.

The elementary K-5th grade curriculum consists of standards-based language arts and math, and social studies and science for most grade levels. Time4MathFacts, our elementary-level math learning game collection, is also included for free!

Our standards-based middle school curriculum covers math and language arts, as well as options to personalize science and social studies coursework. You can select up to 3 middle school electives for students in grades 6-8. Additional electives can be purchased for $5.00 per course, per month.

Time4Learning’s standards-aligned high school curriculum consists of the primary subjects of language arts, math, science, and social studies. To meet individual needs and academic requirements, we offer a variety of options for math, science, and social studies coursework, as well as 15 elective courses.

Pricing depends on the grade level of your students:

Preschool to 5th Grade

  • $29.95 / month
  • Includes four courses
  • Access to Time4MathFacts

6th - 12th Grade:

  • $39.95 / month
  • Includes seven courses
  • Additional courses can be added for $5 each per month per student

Plus:

30% off each additional student*

10% off annual memberships with code ANNUAL10

Your billing cycle begins on the day of registration and members are billed every 30 days. Time4Learning has no hidden fees, offers a 14-day money-back guarantee for new members, and allows members to start, stop, or pause anytime. Parents must cancel through their Parent Dashboard. Once an account is canceled, members will only have access to the program and student reports until the end of their billing cycle.

*Discount applied to the student(s) of equal or lesser value.