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In 2007 I completed my last year of homeschool. I studied for 12 years at home. My parents chose the Accelerated Christian Education curriculum and all in one curriculum that teaches everything from basic mathematics and grammar to electives in Foreign Languages and Art.

My experience with this all-in-one curriculum is extremely positive. I feel confident in my knowledge of mathematics, English, science and history. My schooling has enabled me to complete the Scholastic Aptitude Test and enrol in a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Business double degree.

My parents were provided with training before beginning to homeschool us. My mother, who was the primary supervisor of my schooling, was able to teach us effectively with only a high-school education. In fact, she has been able to pick up extra knowledge along the way.

The value of all-in-one curricula such as ACE should not be underestimated. I value the curriculum I was through which I learnt for its:

1. Completeness

The ACE curriculum has been developed over a number of years both in America and Australia. As I mentioned above, it provides a wide range of subjects. Study begins with the base subjects of arithmetic, grammar, basic social studies, basic science and spelling. These set the foundation for expansion in electives and chosen subjects such as art, chemistry, calculus and many other topics.

The curriculum also provides standard tests so progress can be firmly tracked and includes certificates and awards.

So far myself and three of my siblings have entered university based on homeschool education. Two have completed their degrees with success. I am the first of the four to have been homeschool from the beginning.

2. Simplicity

When my friends ask me how my mum can teach me the wide range of subjects that school involves, I usually tell them the course is largely self-taught. My parents act as supervisors to ensure I am completing my work on time.

The ACE curriculum presents the subject matter in workbooks that are a combination of text and questions. Each workbook includes about three checkups throughout so I can ensure I'm learning all I need to learn. They conclude with a self-test I complete as preparation for the final test.

The use of standard tests means my parents can assess my knowledge of a subject by checking the test against an answer sheet. Should I not understand concepts in the course, they can help me either from their own knowledge or by reading the workbook themselves and finding things I may have missed.

3. Flexibility

One issue I can see with all-in-one curricula is that it restricts the students range. I have already mentioned a couple of times how many different subjects ACE supports. A well put-together curriculum should provide enough flexibility to include more unusual or specialized subjects while still ensuring the student learns the most important concepts for future education and life in general.

Find out more about ACE at: http://www.aceministries.com/h omeschool/Default.aspx

Learn more about this author, Lauren Okely.
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