It's been a long time since I instructed at ab-initio level but here goes.
The method I was taught as a student pilot and used as an instructor was to mark the track on the WAC with 6 minute markers (a similar concept to 10 nm markers).
Say you pass a feature at your 12minute marker in 10 mins, then you're faster than planned by 1 minute per marker. 10 markers to go to destination, therefore ETA 12 mins early.
For distance measurement, place your thumb reasonably firmly on the Lattitude marks on a WAC chart and determine the width of said thumb in nm. Then when calculating 1:60 your thumb becomes an easy measure of distance. For one thing, it should be easily found on your hand, rather than having to hunt out a rule.
1:60 works, practice it until proficient at completing the calculations in your head.
The more preparation you can do on the ground the more you can enjoy the view on the flight and usually, the lighter the cockpit workload.
When map reading, read from map to ground. To do it the otherway, you'll almost certainly convince yourself that you are somewhere, when you are not. One then becomes geographically embarrased.
Again when map reading, don't try to find every feature on the map to the point wher little attention is spent on flying because most of it's on the map. Look at the map, decide on a feature on or near track that you should be able to see relatively easily. Identify that feature, and fly to / abeam it.
Above all, work hard and enjoy!!
