If your child participates in math competitions

[Anonymous]

If your child participates in math competitions, please share how they are doing with reading. Do they spend as much time on reading? What do they use to learn the subject in depth. AoPS language arts? CTY? How many hours a week do they spend on each subject per week outside of school (I prefer my child study no more than two hours a day at home and keep the passion for learning longer.)?

My kid enjoys both subjects and doesn’t want to focus on either math or reading/ELA yet. It’s easy to find a program for advanced math, but I don’t know about reading/ELA.

[Anonymous]

My kid is very advanced in both reading/humanities and math/science. (Just admitted to both Blair and RM IB program) - this advice is based on my approach. I recommend you follow your kids lead which probably means backing off and not searching for “enrichment” opportunities. Encourage them at school (if they want to join math team they will), take them to museums and plays, art galleries and the library. Encourage reading, talk to them about numbers, talk to them about current affairs, read the newspaper together, spend time as a family etc. Beyond that remember they are a kid and don’t be that pushy parent. That’s how you keep the passion for learning alive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is very advanced in both reading/humanities and math/science. (Just admitted to both Blair and RM IB program) - this advice is based on my approach. I recommend you follow your kids lead which probably means backing off and not searching for “enrichment” opportunities. Encourage them at school (if they want to join math team they will), take them to museums and plays, art galleries and the library. Encourage reading, talk to them about numbers, talk to them about current affairs, read the newspaper together, spend time as a family etc. Beyond that remember they are a kid and don’t be that pushy parent. That’s how you keep the passion for learning alive.

OP is here. Thank you for sharing your experience. I agree to let kids lead. Both of my kids ask to be challenged because learning is fun.

Their father is a mathematician, and their grandma is a professor in English literature. So they get exposure to these subjects and get fascinated/motivated.

My goal is to provide my kids with interesting options so they can spend their time doing what they want.

If anybody wants to answer my original questions, I'd appreciate! Thanks.

[Anonymous]

One of my kids, who is in 7th, participates in math competitions. They're on their school's varsity math team.

For language arts, the only thing I've done is to try and find interesting books for them to read independently. The MS English curriculum is lacking, especially after CES.

[Anonymous]

AOPS LA. Outside theater groups.

[Anonymous]

You could check out the institute of reading development’s online classes. They list the books the kids will be reading for each session.

[Anonymous]

Once kids know how to read, supporting a reader is easy: take them to the library, and talk to them about their books. Give them access to a computer for writing stories or essays, if they aren't great at handwriting. Read their writing and give feedback. If you aren't fluent in the language, then you might need enrichment classes of your kid.

[Anonymous]

Are you looking for similar competitive opportunities in literature/ language arts?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you looking for similar competitive opportunities in literature/ language arts?

No, I’m looking for a path which they can follow and learn reading/ELA in depth.

[Anonymous]

I am curious what kind of math competition that people do here? Would you mind sharing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am curious what kind of math competition that people do here? Would you mind sharing?

AMC
AIME

Lots of kids in this area are very strong in Math!

[Anonymous]

My 7th competes in school math competitions. He’s done a few outside of school a few years back. He’s never liked reading but somehow manages to well in English class. His MAP in reading is high enough that I’m not worried. I tried to force him to read books but he absolutely hates reading. So at this age I’ve just let him be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Once kids know how to read, supporting a reader is easy: take them to the library, and talk to them about their books. Give them access to a computer for writing stories or essays, if they aren't great at handwriting. Read their writing and give feedback. If you aren't fluent in the language, then you might need enrichment classes of your kid.

Exactly this. Our 4th grader scored in the 99% percentile for both math and reading. We do now have him in Russian School of Math (he enjoys it) but we do absolutely nothing on the reading side other than make sure he gets to the library. He’s always just reading / writing various books and manifestos on his own.

[Anonymous]

simple. parents should read too. not just scroll phone and ask kid to read. easier said than done

[Anonymous]

Parent of 8th grader here. He is captain of the school’s math team, did AMC and MathCounts. Last weekend, at the Potomac Chapter competition, he qualified for state.

He is also a very strong reader. Going to the library and reading books that he finds interesting makes all the difference. With ELA, more reading and writing improves skill.