Hi everyone, I'm fairly new here and new to homeschooling too, but I have been using the ACE curriculum. I've used it with my dd from pre-school and she's in grade 5 now, and my other dd is in SK now with ACE. I find it really good so far, although, I've never used anything else! However, other families in my homeschool group don't like it. I'm the only one using it. The reason I like it is because it's very simple to understand, and doesn't require too much from the parent. Also, we end up finishing a little before the school year is done, so where ever I felt the curriculum lacked, I have time at the end of the year to supplement. For now, it works great for me. I would have like to try Abeka, but I don't think my dd could keep up with it, since she works at a bit of a slower pace. ACE allows us to work at her pace whatever that is. Hope that helps some. I've also learned a lot just reading the posts here from some of the more advanced homeschoolers. Thanks! Tracey
Hi everyone, I thought I'd let you know that I requested a catalog from School of Tomorrow and I received it yesterday. It doesn't have the actual PACE for you to look at, but it does have better information. I also found a website that offers ACE cirriculum and they sent me an actual PACE for me to look at...free. I have decided based on that to use this program. My kids were able to sit and look through it and they really liked it. It is just different than what we have done or seen to this point (of course, this is only our first year of hs!). They are actually excited to get started with it! Go to www.midwestchristianacademy.com and see if you can get a sample PACE to look at. They are very pleasant and helpful. Hope this helps!!
A.C.E. Curriculum Here is a site that has I think the best price on this wonderful curriculum------ basicchristianeducation.com and you can look through some of the paces on this site :love:
No tomatoes, please! Just wanting to give my .02. Okay, I'm not trying to be Miss Gloom and Doom (really, I'm not!), but I have a few concerns with the ACE program. I taught (basically homeschooled) ten kids at a youth center for troubled teenagers. One of the boys was working through paces to keep up with the Christian school he'd be going to once he finally got back home. I thought they were very basic and didn't require much skill other than find the answer and write it in or plug/chug a formula. I know a mom who has homeschooled 7 children. She used nothing but ACE for a long time. She said at one point (after about 8 years of homeschooling) that she noticed that her kids had zero critical thinking skills. So, if you do choose to use the program, I would try to pull in some logic/critical thinking from another program or company. Of course, this was about 8 years ago, so they could've changed some. I know many various homeschoolers who do use parts of ACE for sanity's sake! But, I wouldn't use the entire program without adding something else. I think it would be best to pick/choose. But, then again, I'm the queen of eclectic, so feel free to ignore me! I know, I know, I know -- different teaching methods for different people/families, but I feel like homeschooling can be so enriching, and I just don't think that paces can provide that. Remember comprehension/memory are lower forms of learning and application, analysis, and evaluation are higher-- Bloom's Taxonomy. Also, the Indiana State Convention is AWESOME! You must go! :lol: 2008 IAHE Convention Friday Apr. 18 - Saturday Apr. 19 Indianapolis Convention Center (317) 467-6344
the school at oru church used Ace for years then switched to SOS and said that SOS was ahead of Ace. but also the kids did the work once they caught up with more enjoyment. The Ace was a bear to keep them working up to goals. This was a class room setting but it is run like a home school. a dear friend of mine used Ace in high school and she said it was good enough, When I have looked at thier books they are pretty much like Life Paks in appearance and style.
We used ACE last year, and about middle of the year we began going with other things. When we first received the curriculum (we purchased the entire grade for fourth and sixth grade)- the boys were very excited. The lit books looked great, and they liked the idea of smaller workbooks (not a 300 pg math book). The boys liked the comics too, although they are a bit old-fashioned if someone is into more graphic art. We went along fine for a while and then we began to get bogged down. The Literature was a lot of reading comprehension for the books being read- and that simply stopped the flow of reading the book. I used the placement tests prior to ordering, but the math and the spelling was not challenging enough in either grade to keep their attention. It felt like busy work. The boys also didn't like scoring their own pages- (they actually seem to like the "teacher- me" to do that). But that may just be my kids. Yes, we could work ahead but to spend over $600 on two kids work- well, I wanted to use it to get the money out of it!! In the end, that didn't happen.... Anyway, I ended up supplementing so much to try to get them excited about schooling that I finally dropped the PACES and went back to Christian Liberty Press. This year we tried SOS and are really enjoying that- although my 7th grader picked out an algebra workbook at the homeschool store to add to his schoolwork because it looked "fun". My next door neighbor went to a private school that used ACE and she really likes it. So I know that it works for some people. It just was not a good fit for our family. Hope that helps, MT3
Another caution which may not apply to you. I haven't used this program but I have friends who do & I found that for visual learners (dd & I both) the pages are too cramped & the work then 'looks' visually overwhelming. I was looking at material for the upper grades & it may be different in the lower grades but I have learnt to be very aware of the visual impact material has on visual learners. I have also heard others comment on the lack of developing critical thinking in the ACE program though they may be good supplementary material.
This has been my experience too in working with it at a Christian school--pre kiddos days. I have never used it with my own kids. . .I feel like it puts kids way behind. Of course I veer as far away from this type of curriculum as I possibly can so you can ignore me too.
We got samples when we first started, but decided not to go with it b/c my 2 are hands on learners, and that looked like a lot of read and answer the questions to me. I thought it looked very boring, and it was pretty expensive here too. I have a firend from South Africa, and her kids used this at their private school all the way though, and she raves about it, but I am pretty sure it's not for me.
