How many subjects should my child do each day?
A full ACE workload generally covers six to eight subjects:
- Maths
- English
- Social Studies
- Science
- Word Building
- Literature
- Bible (especially for high school students)
- Elective (high school; includes typing)
Many students work well doing a little of each subject. Three pages for each of seven PACEs makes a total of 21 pages for the day. 18 to 21 pages is a good goal as a rule.
Some students can work well doing about 15 pages per day, but we suggest this is the minimum number, and only if some subjects are taking too long.
Imagine a school with eight 40 minute periods each day. Some subjects are double-periods, but I remember teaching and learning in such a system, and I know that often the first five to ten minutes (on a good day) are taken up with settling down and reviewing the last lesson. Many schools opt for five or even four periods of about an hour and a quarter or longer, and although it made some lessons drag on, it could be very efficient as there was far less settling time.
There is no single correct answer: some students take time to settle and focus, preferring to work on a few subjects for a longer time, while others prefer small doses and lots of variety.
You, as the supervisor, will have the best idea of what best suits each of your children.
How do I assign work for just a few subjects?
If a student is doing just a few (most probably three, maybe four) subjects, still aim for about 18-20 pages per day.
Do not assign subjects on alternate days! Doing Maths on Monday, then not again until Wednesday, will defeat the purpose: work will be forgotten and more review will be necessary. You might have noticed this already over a weekend or holiday break.
Start with, say, three subjects: Maths, Science, Word Building. When the Maths PACE is finished and passed, start English. When Science is finished, start Social Studies. When Word Building is finished, start Literature. Alternate Bible with another elective. Keep an eye on the term’s goals, to make sure that some subjects are not being sacrificed because of slower ones.
An important key to this method is: Alternate Maths with English; Science with Social Studies.
Here is an example of how a student can be doing four subjects at any one time. They don’t all have to start and finish at the same time:
