ABBA Homeschool Academy

Parent Training Manual for Parents Using ACE

We hope you and your child enjoy learning with ABBA. You may want to print this information and save it for future reference as it contains more specific instructions on how to homeschool with ABBA.

1. How To Decide How Many Pages To Complete Every Day

The very first thing you need to do is decide if you are going to do the 'bookwork' part of your school 4 days per week or 5 days per week. This will determine how many pages in each of the subjects you will have him complete every day. Figuring how many pages in each of the subjects Your child needs to complete every day is pretty simple if you follow these basic guidelines: You simply divide the number of pages in each of the subjects by the number of school days in this 9 week quarter (approx.45 days in a quarter for a 5 day week or 36 days for a 4 day week). You have 3 Paces in each of the subjects, so there will be around 90 pages total in each of the subjects. You take 90 (pages) and divide it by the number of days total (approx.45 days for a 5 day week or 36 days for a 4 day week) and that gives you the number of pages he will need to complete every day (which figures up to be approx. 2 pages per subject for a 5 day week or 2.5 pages per subject for a 4 day week). If you need additional help please call (620) 223-3434.

2. How To Decide Which Subjects To Teach First

You may decide which subjects to teach first during the day based on your knowledge of how your child performs throughout his day. If your child is perky during the morning that would be a great time to do your schooling. Have your child do the subjects that is most difficult for them first while they still have patience and energy! This allows them to do the subjects they enjoy most at the end as a reward. Make sure to give them plenty of recesses and snacks during their work time. Most homeschooling parents have their children complete the necessary number of pages for each subject every day instead of doing only one subject per day. We do NOT recommend doing only one subject per day as this overwhelms the child and gives too much time between working on that particular subject. We recommend doing the necessary number of pages in each of the subjects every day (see above). It should not take more than 2-3 hours each day for an elementary student to complete their work. If your child is able to complete their daily work in less time, that is fine. You may have them work ahead if you choose. You are always welcome to turn in your quarter's work ahead of schedule. If you need additional help please call (620) 223-3434.

3. How To Begin Teaching The Lessons

To actually begin your lessons, there are several things you may want to take a look at first:
Take a look at a PACE and review the following: All directions for your child are written in blue ink and are at the exact place in each PACE that your child will need to read them. The inside front cover of each PACE will have goals for the student and a Bible verse for the child to memorize before they reach the end of that PACE. We encourage our parents to make sure their children can recite the Bible verse by the end of each PACE and before they take the final unit test for that PACE. There will be plenty of memorization practice throughout each PACE. Go over the listed goals with your child at the beginning of each new PACE and review the Bible verse for that PACE with them every day as they begin their daily work on that subject. When your child is ready to take the final unit test for that PACE, have them try and recite their Bible verse from memory before they take the test. Remember to give lots of complements and positive reinforcement to your child for wholehearted effort and a good attitude! If you need additional help please call (620) 223-3434.

4. How To Give The Tests
There will be several self tests and 1 unit test per PACE. Please tear out the unit test which is in the middle of the PACE before giving it to your child. It is the one with a border around it and is designed to be torn out. Your child needs to first pass the self tests by 80% before continuing on in the PACE. If Your child fails to pass a test by the required 80% then review the academic concepts missed until you're confidant he have understood it adequately and have Your child retake the test or take an alternate test. Make sure your child also passes the unit tests with at least an 80%. Once he passes the unit test, you save his test and have him proceed on to the next PACE. If you need additional help please call (620) 223-3434.

5. What To Send Back To ABBA And When To Send It
At the end of each quarter please send all unit tests and test keys back to us. (You may want to make a copy of the tests before mailing them to us). We will record your child's grade for that quarter in the permanent file and will issue you a Progress Report for that quarter. You will receive a grade card at the end of the year. Remember all Test Keys are the property of ABBA Homeschool Academy and need to be returned at the end of each quarter along with the unit test for each PACE. If you need additional help please call (620) 223-3434.

6. How To Use The ABBA Homeschool Academy Project Boxes
The ABBA Homeschool Academy Project Boxes will be shipped during each quarter. The ABBA Homeschool Academy Project Boxes will have enough activities to last from 3-12 weeks depending on the subject. The amount of time you spend, and the number of activities you choose to do with the ABBA Homeschool Academy Project Boxes are entirely up to you. We recommend that you do the activities in the order in which they are listed. The ABBA Homeschool Academy Project Boxes are intended to supplement and enhance the concepts your child is learning during that particular quarter. There are no required activities to turn back in to us with the ABBA Homeschool Academy Project Boxes.

Some parents find that using the Project Boxes with their science class works well. Other parents have their children work on the Project Boxes at the end of their school day or during their Exploration Day. If you need additional help please call (620) 223-3434.

7. How To Fit An Exploration Day Into Your Weekly Schedule

An exploration day is simply a day you take off from "book work". This is a time to take your child on a field trip or on a nature walk, or spend the day doing science activities or working on your Project Box. An exploration day can easily be scheduled into a student's school week by dividing the amount of 'book work' that needs to be completed by 4 days every week instead of 5 days. This gives you one day every week to do something different, which helps keep learning fun for both students and parents. If you need additional help please call (620) 223-3434.

8. How To Use The ABBA Homeschool Academy Living Books
The Living Books are books of a high literary quality that engage Your child's interest while teaching Your child about some particular subject. They may correlate to an academic concept or to a Biblical character trait your child is studying that quarter. Some parents may choose to have their children do book reports on the Living Books they have read. That will be left up to your discretion as their parent and teacher. You are welcome to send their review of a Living Book to us for consideration for the next ABBA newsletter. We have a section in each newsletter for book reviews. Your child would receive acknowledgment if their review was published. If you need additional help please call (620) 223-3434.

9. How To Use The ABBA Homeschool Academy Imagination Station
The Imagination Station your elementary child will receive during the first quarter is our gift to you, and is intended to be used for any craft projects you may choose to do with Your child. The Imagination Station will contain a ‘sample’ of the types of materials you may use. There are no rules on what you may use, although we suggest a variety of materials, colors, and textures. The contents of the Imagination Stations will vary from box to box and are intended only as suggestions. We recommend that you allow your child to sort the items themselves into the compartments inside the box in any order they choose. They may choose to sort the items by color, size, texture, or shape. Sorting and sequencing items into patterns helps students become more fluent readers. It also helps develop their fine motor skills and logical thinking skills. Any of the items in the Imagination Station may be used as math manipulatives as well. If you need additional help please call (620) 223-3434.

10. What Part Of The Curriculum You Get To Keep

The Project Boxes, Imagination Station, and Living Books are yours to keep and are meant to complement and enhance certain concepts from each quarter. You may also keep any worktexts or PACES. Remember all Test Keys, Teacher’s Manuals, and Videos are the property of ABBA Homeschool Academy and need to be returned at the end of each quarter or semester whichever applies. If you need additional help please call (620) 223-3434.

11. Your Child’s Immunization Record

We need your child's immunization record as soon as possible for placement into their file. If you need additional help please call (620) 223-3434.

12. Your Child’s Records From Their Previous School

We need you to print the Record Release Form, sign it and send it to your child’s previous school. This needs to be done as soon as possible. This is extremely important especially for the high school students. We will not be able to project which high school courses your child will need in order to graduate until we receive their previous records. If you need additional help please call (620) 223-3434.

13. How To Obtain Help If You Have An Academic Question

Please let us know how we can assist you. No matter what questions you might have, you’ll find us willing to answer and help you any way we can. We have masters’ degreed credentialed teachers on staff to help answer your questions. If you need additional help please call (620) 223-3434.