Need suggestions on academic
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Anonymous
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DS7 loves math, chess, youtube, and board games. He is really advanced in math, above average on reading/writing, good at drawing/chess for his age, bad at any kind of sports/physical activities. He used to love math challenges and play spelling tests so much at preschool ages, and I think the public school curriculum is not challenging at all. His passion has gone down. I hate the ideas of academic enrichment because I think ES kids should just try different sports and explore all activities. DH wants to do enrichment at home for math, reading and writing to bring back the passion and interests. I don't trust myself to teach, and DH is just a talker ( he wants me to take this task).
Right now, he knows some multiplication, fraction and division as a first grader. He reads magic tree house and some random space/dinosaur/pokemon books, comics, and science/nature. If I do enrichment, what should I teach on math, reading and writing? Should I consider paying a tutor to do it? He is doing soccer, swimming, cub scouts and foreign language now. He is bad at these, but I want him to continue for social, strengthen body and don't be a geek. He likes to go to these classes. We have a little girl, and she is 4. She is the opposite of my DS7. She loves to social, and she likes to attend as many classes/activities as possible. She is good at physical activities and making friendship. She is bad at all academic, drawing/writing and cannot play any little kid board games yet. I don't know how to teach her how to read/write because DS learned all of these without me. They both attended the same daycare/preschool with same curriculum. She is doing ice skating, dance, swimming and foreign language now. How do I help her out on academic? Her level now is she recognizes a few capital letter and a few numbers only. I have no patience to teach her because she seems to forget everything she just learns. She is just like a little monkey. DH gives up on her on academic. Teacher says she is a smart girl, but she has problem with attention. She learns the best through ears. She can sing some songs in foreign language. What should be my strategy for her? I am considering to ask DS to teach her, good or bad ideas? |
Anonymous
| Check out RSM for math. CTY for reading and writing. For dd consider neuropsych testing, which can tell you of any serious attention issues and how to address |
Anonymous
| My son is reading the same for those we give him a book report template to fill out and he loves that so far. He does not know as much math as your son, which is impressive ( I was an advance kid similar and ended up getting multiple Math degrees and loving my career). But to get DS to entertain we are doing Singapore math. Not too rigorous but the stuff he can do it with minimal teaching from his parents. |
Anonymous
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I think you should encourage kids interests whatever they are. You can enrich academics and still pursue other activities. I would try to avoid acceleration, however, as much as possible, because that will just make the disparity between the instructional level at school and his actual ability level worse. By all means, continue the other activities as long as he enjoys them. Even if he decides he doesn’t enjoy a sport, there are lots of other sports he could try instead. You might also consider music or art classes as non-academic forma of enrichment.
Hoagies is a website that offers links for all subjects and ages to websites for enrichment. https://www.hoagiesgifted.org/links.htm Secret codes are great for math kids. The Third-Grade Detective series of books features kids using various secret codes to solve mysteries. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=george+e+stanley+grade+detectives&i=stripbooks&crid=1MOF09GZK6T58&sprefix=george+e+stanley+grade+detectives%2Cstripbooks%2C70&ref=nb_sb_noss Scratch is a programming language developed by MIT to teach kids how to program. It’s designed for kids that are a little bit older, but he seems to be working at an advanced level. There is also a simplified version, Scratch Jr., for younger kids. https://scratch.mit.edu/parents/ Cyberchase is a PBS show that is great about introducing kids to math concepts. While their focus has changed, you can find the earlier math seasons here: https://pbskids.org/cyberchase/videos/?selectedID=...5c-0ec9-4490-9f88-7890cfb1689a The Sir Cumference books by Cindy Neuschwander are great for introducing geometry concepts. https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cindy-Neuschwander/author/B00699FJ34?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true Logic puzzles are great. He might enjoy Sudoku or Magic Squares. Here is a very basic book introducing Magic Squares. The reading level will be below his, but it’s still nice background. https://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Magic-Squares-Step-Into-Reading-Step/dp/0375806210 Rush hour is a logic puzzle. This is a physical version, but I think there are a lot of online versions and apps available as well. https://www.amazon.com/ThinkFun-Rush-Traffic-Logic-Girls/dp/B00000DMER/ref=asc_df_B00000DMER/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312062319564&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5915261595130975777&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007781&hvtargid=pla-366869227830&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=62847940260&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312062319564&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5915261595130975777&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007781&hvtargid=pla-366869227830 If he likes Chess, he might also like Go, Checkers, Chinese Checkers, Othello, Connect 4, Pentago, and Blokus. Really, all games are great for math, whether they’re strategic/logic games as listed, games that require keeping score, or even games that involve math like Monopoly. Cooking is also a great way to enrich math. You say he knows some fractions, but cooking can really reinforce those. If he’s multiplying and dividing, you can double or halve recipes. There are all sorts of conversions you can do too (cups to tablespoons to teaspoons, etc.) Crafts are another great way to enrich math. Depending on the craft, he may need to measure, calculate perimeter/area/volume, determine smount of materials he needs, talk to you about budgeting for supplies, etc. He may need to learn geometry, etc. Origami (Japanese paper folding) is great for geometry. For reading and writing, the main thing is reading. Read to him, let him read to you, provide him with lots and lots of books to read. Please don’t require him to read daily, though. I can think of no faster way to turn an intrinsically enjoyable activity into a chore. Madlibs is great for introducing kids to parts of speech. Schoolhouse Rock is also good for explaining parts of speech, and I think it’s available on Disney +. It looks like Apple TV may be coming out with an updated version of Ghostwriter. I don’t know anything about this new version, but the original PBS version was excellent, so you might want to give it a try. Based on his reading interests you might try: Time Warp Trio series Ben and Me Magic School Bus picture books and chapter books (the TV series is excellent) Encyclopedia Brown Einstein Anderson Museums and festivals are fantastic for enrichment. COVID has disrupted everything, but as things return to normal, here are some you might look at. There are probably many others in the area I just haven’t come across yet. If you search your local area or a specific topic you’re almost certain to find a related event. Don’t forget to check the event calendars of museums and your local library. National Math Festival https://www.nationalmathfestival.org/ Smithsonian Folklife Festival Maryland Science Festival Montgomery County Heritage Days Artscape (Baltimore) Sakura Matsuri festival Shakespeare’s Birthday celebration at the Folger library Maryland Renaissance Festival (fantastic, but be warned, only portapotties are available) Nature is also great for enrichment. Hang out in your backyard, maybe have a garden. Go for walks through the woods. Great Falls is a great place to hike (but you might want to avoid the Billy Goat Trail till your kids are older, or at least check with the visitor’s center). Go to the zoo or aquarium. I think it’s a bad idea to have your son teach your daughter. If that’s something that spontaneously happens between them, great! Otherwise, you’re altering their dynamics. She becomes a chore for him, he becomes a quasi-authority figure for her. It seems like a disaster waiting to happen. I wouldn’t worry about the academics. She’s got plenty of time, and if you try to push it on her now, she may become more resistant. If you give her time, she may develop an interest on her own. In the meantime, foster whatever she is interested in. If she likes songs, sing songs with her, any songs. Play her an assortment of music. Sesame Street has counting songs, etc., and there are certainly lots of learning songs on YouTube. Super Simple Songs has all kinds of preschool songs and it has some in other languages as well. I don’t know what language your daughter is learning, but as an adult learner, I’ve found the Spanish ones helpful. There are countless other Youtube channels you just have to search. Really, any music is enriching, even if if’s not “educational”. Play her whatever you enjoy. https://m.youtube.com/@SuperSimpleSongs https://m.youtube.com/@SuperSimpleSongs/channels Jolly Phonics is a phonics program that uses songs and gestures to teach the letters and their sounds. I thought it looked great, but never could get my kids into it. It might appeal more to your daughter, if you want to check it out. I wouldn’t bother, though, until your DD starts to show interest in letters and words. For kids games, Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, and Memory are probably the simplest that most kids start out with. I suspect it may not be so much that she can’t play them, but rather she just isn’t interested. She might be more receptive to physical games like Charades/Kids on Stage and Mother May I?, or word games like I Spy or rhyming games. You could even play Name That Tune by humming songs she knows. Here’s an amazing post I read once on DCUM about how a parent uses cooking as an enrichment experience as her kids grow. I wish I’d read it when my kids were younger, but it’s a great illustration of how there are learning opportunities everywhere. (08/04/2020 11:44) https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/15/901600.page Keep in mind that EVERYTHING is enrichment for kids. Everything is a new experience. The more they experience, the more connections they can make. The more connections they make, the stronger the framework they’ll have for incorporating new information later. Talk to them, read to them, do things with them, let them see appropriate, educational content on TV and the web, take them places, etc. Ultimately, it’s all enrichment and may enhance their academic experience in unexpected ways. |
Anonymous
Woww, thank you for these resources. I hate academic enrichment because I came from a culture of school academic and tutors as a norm for my whole childhood. Every week is about exams , homework & score ranking. That is why I don't want to do enrichment on academic for my first grader, but I feel a bit sad that he lost interests and passions in math and spelling now over time. He is into rubik cube, chess (he wins me and DH many times), and other geeky things these days. He can spend hours on those things. It is boring to me, but it is fun to him. |
Anonymous
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PP here
Yeah, I think extracurricular homework and exams may be necessary if a child is struggling and behind, but is counterproductive for the child who is ahead in school because they enjoy learning. Extra work will put them further ahead of their classmates, making school even less interesting, while turning learning into drudgery. I think you’re on the right track. Clearly your son is thriving academically. Your daughter may be taking a different route, but it sounds like she’s doing great too. Just keep things fun for them. As long as they’re not falling behind in school (and you don’t notice any gaps in the curriculum), just give them opportunities and let them pursue what they want (that works for you). |
Anonymous
| Wow, huge thanks to the PP for that list!! |
Anonymous
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I think it is important to support each kids’ interests, and promote balance for both.
Learning should be joyful. Your very advanced first grader likely needs enrichment because he will be bored out of his mind in regular public school. You can see if they will do any enrichment at school, or do CTY, AOPS, etc. It is ok to be a geek if that’s where his interest lie!! But it’s good to keep him in fun, social and sports activities. For your daughter, I wouldn’t pressure her if she is not naturally inclined to the academic. But keep an eye on the attention issues. You may want to evaluate for adhd when she’s a little older. For now, I would try to keep exposing her to fun things that are also educational. Museums, gardening, hiking, cooking, summer camps etc. all provide fun experiences that are also educational. |
Anonymous
| Have you looked into private options? River School has a joyful, interest-based curriculum with individual differentiation. Teachers are able to keep kids advanced in certain areas while making other activities fun. Upper elementary has clubs based on student interests, so kids can make friends with similar interests. Also office hours for kids to pursue their own interests with a teacher as a resource. |
Anonymous
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If you don't feel comfortable teaching, Beast Academy has an online program. It's made by AoPS, which is the #1 place for gifted/competition math.
I also suggest you read the book "developing math talent", which can be found at libgen.rs Look at the sample for singapore math challenging word problems 1, and if they seem too easy for him, get the second book. Ditto for the intensive practice books. |
Anonymous
| OP, work through https://explodingdots.org/ up through island 5, along with all the extra activities and extensions, then go through it again with your child |