math supplementing advice!

[Anonymous]

Here we go! Diving into supplementing my rising 6th grader to fill in the gaps left by covid and a chaotic 5th grade. Looking for any and all feedback into programs and resources. My kid is I’d say naturally high average in math but is the type not to learn unless given a lot of structure, which has been sorely lacking.

Prior to the pandemic we did AOPS in person for a while - that seemed to work but it’s probably not practical for us to get all the way to Virginia now (or to the burbs for Russian math). We do have a Mathnasium in the neighborhood. I’m willing to hire a tutor but I think I’d like to try other routes first.

For my particular kid, small chunks of daily focus are likely to be most effective.

I guess the first question I should answer is how should I assess what he needs? I am fairly certain his math facts are weak. Do I just get the 5th grade curriculum and see what skills it covers and look for resources that repeat them?

My goal is for him to be well prepared for Algebra in 8th grade so I don’t have any aspirations for super acceleration. (I got accelerated in math and I don’t think it helped me.)

[Anonymous]

My kid does AoPS from home. Currently doing the self-paced pre-algebra class online because the class is largely a review of beast academy, but plan to do the remaining AoPS curriculum with a live online AoPS class. Works for great my 2E kid entering 6th. Tried other programs but none have the depth of AoPS.

[Anonymous]

AOPS at home, how does that compare to Khan Academy?

[Anonymous]

We do AoPS at home and it’s been good. One kid does the actual virtual class with the teacher. Meets twice a week for 55 minutes. The other kid does the one that’s all just via chat.

[Anonymous]

OP here. For those who do AOPs at home - do you mean a virtual class, or just Beast Academy? Do you have kids who like math or is it a struggle? My particular kid would likely do better 1:1 live so I wonder if Mathnasium is better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We do AoPS at home and it’s been good. One kid does the actual virtual class with the teacher. Meets twice a week for 55 minutes. The other kid does the one that’s all just via chat.

oh, what is the chat one like?

[Anonymous]

I have my rising 6th graders do 15 minutes of dreambox daily. It’s a lot of math facts. Which they are super weak on bc of Covid etc.

[Anonymous]

OP here again. I think my kid is burned out on screen-based learning because Iready is so horrible.

[Anonymous]

OP, if your kid is burned out on online, there are a lot of options for in-person math. Kumon, Mathnasium, Russian School, AOPS and other summer programs.

Pros and cons for each, but look them up and choose one that works for you.

[Anonymous]

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/716481.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do AoPS at home and it’s been good. One kid does the actual virtual class with the teacher. Meets twice a week for 55 minutes. The other kid does the one that’s all just via chat.

oh, what is the chat one like?

Only for Prealgebra and Algebra

https://artofproblemsolving.com/school/course/prealgebra1-sp

You get to join a "chatroom" with teachers and students.

Useful if you (parent) are math challeged or don't have time to help with homework.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here again. I think my kid is burned out on screen-based learning because Iready is so horrible.

What about paper book based learning?

[Anonymous]

I would prioritize a short commute over any other aspects. All outside math enrichment centers are more alike than they are different. The shortest commute that doesn't involve screens is books and workbooks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do AoPS at home and it’s been good. One kid does the actual virtual class with the teacher. Meets twice a week for 55 minutes. The other kid does the one that’s all just via chat.

oh, what is the chat one like?

Only for Prealgebra and Algebra

https://artofproblemsolving.com/school/course/prealgebra1-sp

You get to join a "chatroom" with teachers and students.

Useful if you (parent) are math challeged or don't have time to help with homework.

Oh thanks that looks good - the assessment test is useful too. I’m not even sure if they did negative numbers in 5th ….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do AoPS at home and it’s been good. One kid does the actual virtual class with the teacher. Meets twice a week for 55 minutes. The other kid does the one that’s all just via chat.

oh, what is the chat one like?

My kid has taken 6 classes from the online school. DC self-paced pre-algebra 1&2, and the rest of the higher level classes were following a schedule and met weekly in the chatroom. These were fantastic for a math-loving, motivated kid who might want to major in math eventually. I would not recommend these courses for just supplementation and reinforcement of math facts and strategies, because they do take a good amount of time and self-drive on the part of the kid, IMO. The kids are expected to read the chapters on their own prior to chat sessions, and learn the material well enough to work problems together during the chat. There is not really a "lecture" as much as a problem solving session. The kids do get a lot of support in problem solving through the forums from the moderators and other students throughout the week, as long as they are motivated enough to seek help. OP, for your kid I would suggest a 1:1 tutor instead if you are looking to fill in holes from teaching. I don't think all screen-based learning is bad, though. This has been great for my kid, and there are other online options that might be better for what you are looking for, which is small daily chunks of math practice: E.g. Khan.