One Subject A Day · Attendance

One or two subjects a day is suggested for students in 3rd grade and above. This simple approach allows students to stay on task, focusing their whole mind’s energy on the subject at hand. Most students prefer this option because they usually finish sooner than they would have studying multiple subjects. Also instructors benefit as they need to cover only the one or two subject scheduled that day.

SACC With One Subject a Day
For years we have seen homeschoolers working too hard. Our goal has been to take the toil out of home schooling and nurture the joy that should naturally be there by providing the finest curriculum and tailoring it to each student. With the program in hand the school day is divided into four parts:

1) Your student studies today’s subject,
2) Your student answers questions or applies knowledge by completing a project,
3) You check your student's work by marking any mistakes or noting what needs to be done,
4) You help your student to discover why mistakes where made and help him/her correct or complete them. You do not grade daily work as grading is reserved only for tests.

The simplicity of this plan means that you only need to prepare for the one subject the night before. With the time you have left there is room to include family interests, special research topics, volunteer work, Life Management Skills (LMS), special projects, or just enjoy some down time. You may even include Unit Studies if you wish.

CURRICULUM SERVICES developed these simple yet efficient teaching methods for both those new to homeschool and veterans alike. These include: 1) a one subject a day plan [or a modified version of it], 2) the S.A.C.C. method, and, 3) grading only tests.  

Attendance
Most states require that you hold school 180 days or 36 weeks. The length of the school day is suggested to be between three hours a day for Kindergarten, four for 1st to 3rd and five hours for 4th grade and above. However, this time can equal the weekly hourly equivalent. To be sure you are in compliance with your state check with your local support group, or the HSLDA.

It is a common misconception that the required number of hours of instruction must be dedicated solely to academic studies. Some promote this misconception in the hope that parents, new to home schooling, will feel intimidated and concede. Other valuable activities such as free reading time, art, life skills, field trips, religious instruction, Physical Education, music education and educational, viewing should be included.

It is not necessary to record every activity, doing so would drain your resources as any experienced teacher will tell you. Classroom teachers are not required to keep such detailed records and neither are you. You may wish to log one week of all activities to the quarter hour to give you an idea of what to put on attendance forms if required.

Parents often withdraw their youngsters from classroom schools during the academic year to begin over. This “fresh start approach” is advantageous to those who, for what ever reasons or reasons, had not benefited academically from the school year. For these students minimum attendance is not the focus as their school year will continue into the summer taking them beyond the 180 days required. Since most of our students spend less than two hours a day in academics this is not a burden on you or your student.

If enrolled in a private school you may be able to teach year round allowing you to schedule around vacations and special events. Others chose to follow the public school’s schedule to give their youngsters the same days off as their friends.