Beast Academy vs Khan Academy?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| At my kid's request, we are supplementing math work outside of school. She is doing well (high 4 on PARCC), just wants more than she is getting in school. The teacher recommended we look into Khan Academy, but I've been seeing posts recently about Beast Academy. Any experience with either? Khan is free which is nice, but we could spring for Beast if it's worth it. |
Anonymous
|
I have experience with both!
I think Beast is worth it in your situation. Khan is good for teaching basic concepts, but it doesn't go broader and deeper than the grade level material. Really, the only option that would satisfy what your kid is asking for would be to work ahead, and that's just going to make next year even more boring. I've used Khan in a homeschool situation, where getting ahead was fine, and for remediation for a kid who didn't understand something and needed to practice it at grade level, so I'm not against it. Beast on the other hand, takes grade level concepts and applies them to more challenging problems. It's exactly what a bright child who is in school and wants more math needs. It's also more fun for kids who enjoy challenge. Other things to look at: Math Kangaroo practice problems, and maybe participating in the contest Life of Fred (some kids love, some kids don't) Singapore Math's challenging word problems books |
Anonymous
| feels like some dude is sock puppeting about Beast whatever it is |
Anonymous
| If they are, I am too. Beast is really great for a motivated kid. It covers the basics, but then adds in puzzle-like problems and concepts. I'm a very math-oriented adult, but even some of the level 3 problems required me to stop and think for a bit. So kids definitely could work through it themselves, but most will need a little assistance at times. I'd try Beast for a month and if it goes well, then get the annual subscription (I don't know your financial situation, but it's $15/month and $96/year, which for some families will be a stretch, but compared to tutoring it's almost nothing.) |
Anonymous
We bought some of the beast Academy books during covid but have never tried the online part. From what I have read, the levels don't exactly line up with grades, how have people figured out where their kid should start? |
Anonymous
| Beast Academy has been great for all three of our kids. There are placement tools online on their website which can help you pick the right level. Our kids will actually do the online lessons for fun and our middle has been able to join his school’s math team (which follows the Beast Academy/AOPS program). The program doesn’t exactly line up with DCPS curriculum but it does an excellent job of engaging kids and truly teaching them to think mathematically. |
Anonymous
| Very, very roughly I'd say that the early mid-elementary is about 1 year ahead of a decent student. E.g., for a third-grader who's doing well in DCPS math, but isn't a math superstar, you'll probably start at level 2 - but definitely use the placement tests. |
Anonymous
| I'm yet another sock puppet in that case! Beast Academy is really high quality and exactly addresses the need to challenge a math loving child without moving them so far ahead conceptually that they'll just be extra bored later on. We've used it for our 2nd and 3rd kids. |
Anonymous
|
Hi! Beast academy is not good and khan academy I way better thank you motu's.
|
Anonymous
| Beast goes more in-depth than any other program, so it's ideal for supplemented advanced kids who don't get enough from school. |
Anonymous
|
OK we have not done Kahn but after two years of Beast Academy we are considering trying it. Not because BA is bad -- it is great in many ways and I really like the approach. But it does not match up well with the DCPS curriculum. There are areas where BA is using a different approach to teaching an advanced concept and my kid has received classroom instruction on the same topic and the approaches are different enough that it is confusing. I think longterm it will be fine because she'll have a very broad understanding of these topics. But right now it's a bit frustrating and we though we'd do a year of Kahn Academy to see if we like it better.
But my kid is in 2nd grade and hasn't taken PARCC yet. Also she's getting a good amount of advanced instruction at school because they bumped a small group of kids from her grade into a group that works with the next grade up. So the supplementing is really just because she loves math and wants to do it on her own and in the summer. |
Anonymous
That's one of the reasons I liked it! Variety in presentation and approaches is a good way to develop mathematical thinking. But I also understand your perspective. |
Anonymous
|
Work in education. Both have good reputations and are free or relatively inexpensive, especially compared to tutoring or private school.
If you have the resources, maybe give each a spin and see what your child finds more engaging/helpful? |
Anonymous
Beast Academy is actually kind of pricy. Perhaps worth it but definitely not free or inexpensive. And AoPs is definitely not inexpensive. |
Anonymous
Beast Academy if you just get the books or the online or even if you do both is pretty inexpensive. Like max $200 for a year’s worth of curriculum? |