Why (or whether) and how to supplement?

[Anonymous]

I know that lots of families supplement at home. It has never been a priority for us but I'm curious to hear and think about the arguments for why to do it.

Also, how does supplementing actually typically work? Are there ways to do it that are actually fun for kids who don't find academics inherently interesting, or is it just a matter of pushing them to do it like you would tell them to do their chores?

(In our case, my 3rd grader is bright but not highly gifted. Test scores generally fluctuate in the 65th-85th percentile range... my gut is that she has the capacity to be consistently in the high 80s/low 90s if she was continuously exposed to new, challenging content. She is not very interested in academics (although she does love to read and write) so I expect it would be a struggle to get her to do more math/etc unless I can find her really fun apps/games with learning built in or something similar. This is top of mind a little more as we head towards the ELC and compacted math selection process, and I'm wondering whether our lack of supplementing might mean she misses out on those due to her MAP scores even if she might benefit from them, and whether a lot of the other families in the grade are likely to be supplementing while we're not...)

[Anonymous]

We did workbooks and fun apps. This year we started with online tutors (older kids and we cannot help easily anymore). You can get cheap online tutors.

[Anonymous]

We do RSM for math and a literacy tutor for enrichment in ELA. My kid likes both, but if he didn't, I would not push it--that seems like it would just be wasted money.

[Anonymous]

Use IXL

[Anonymous]

We pay $$$ for the McLean summer reading and writing intensives. They also offer a math intensive, but even their “learning leaps” camps are enough to avoid the summer slide but a HUGE step above the MCPS summer offerings for elementary.

We also pay for private instrument lessons since 30 minutes a week at school is barely enough time to learn anything.

Lastly, we supplement with a lot of outside physical activities since McPS doesn’t even meet the state required minimum for PE. Swimming, karate, gymnastics, etc are what my kid enjoys

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know that lots of families supplement at home. It has never been a priority for us but I'm curious to hear and think about the arguments for why to do it.

Also, how does supplementing actually typically work? Are there ways to do it that are actually fun for kids who don't find academics inherently interesting, or is it just a matter of pushing them to do it like you would tell them to do their chores?

(In our case, my 3rd grader is bright but not highly gifted. Test scores generally fluctuate in the 65th-85th percentile range... my gut is that she has the capacity to be consistently in the high 80s/low 90s if she was continuously exposed to new, challenging content. She is not very interested in academics (although she does love to read and write) so I expect it would be a struggle to get her to do more math/etc unless I can find her really fun apps/games with learning built in or something similar. This is top of mind a little more as we head towards the ELC and compacted math selection process, and I'm wondering whether our lack of supplementing might mean she misses out on those due to her MAP scores even if she might benefit from them, and whether a lot of the other families in the grade are likely to be supplementing while we're not...)

Everyone wants their kid to be challenged and reach their potential, even pushed occasionally to do a bit more. That said, not every kid needs or wants compacted math or ELC. If your kid is consistently scoring in the 65-85 percentile range, the should be fine with the on grade level curriculum for now. As for supplementing that’s completely up to you. If you are going to do it, I would lean in to the things your DC likes. If it’s reading and writing then encourage a variety of books. Challenge her with interesting creative writing prompts. Give her opportunities to utilize and grow like helping with holiday cards or writing a play for each season. It should be about what is best for your kid, not keeping up with some other family who’s motive or reasoning you don’t understand or some competition that doesn’t matter in the end.

[Anonymous]

There are tradeoffs. If you pack the kid’s schedule with supplementing and other activities, they will lose free time. I am not saying that it has to be all one or the other: if you feel supplementing can help, then you should look into it. But you do not have to join the rat race to help your kid. Most of dcum thinks they are giving their kid an edge by joining the rat race, but I do not think this is necessarily the case.

[Anonymous]

Supplement by exploring the world, not with workbooks and apps, and encourage reading.

Interested in Space? Visit the Smithsonian Air and Soace Museum and plan a trip to Cape Canaveral. Interested in History? Visit Gettysburg and some historic homes. Dinosaurs? Natural History Museum and go fossil hunting (there's a place in MD, am blanking on the name). When you travel, don't just visit the hotel pool, visit cultural sites.

We have 1 out of college and 2 in college, all successful/on the road to success and we never did workbooks or allowed apps. In fact, limit technology as much as you can without impinging on their social life as they get older. We never allowed and still never allow phones during a meal, and all phones and computers and all electronic devices were not allowed in bedrooms overnight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Supplement by exploring the world, not with workbooks and apps, and encourage reading.

Interested in Space? Visit the Smithsonian Air and Soace Museum and plan a trip to Cape Canaveral. Interested in History? Visit Gettysburg and some historic homes. Dinosaurs? Natural History Museum and go fossil hunting (there's a place in MD, am blanking on the name). When you travel, don't just visit the hotel pool, visit cultural sites.

We have 1 out of college and 2 in college, all successful/on the road to success and we never did workbooks or allowed apps. In fact, limit technology as much as you can without impinging on their social life as they get older. We never allowed and still never allow phones during a meal, and all phones and computers and all electronic devices were not allowed in bedrooms overnight.

School also looked different for your kids and a better curriculum with books and textbooks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We pay $$$ for the McLean summer reading and writing intensives. They also offer a math intensive, but even their “learning leaps” camps are enough to avoid the summer slide but a HUGE step above the MCPS summer offerings for elementary.

We also pay for private instrument lessons since 30 minutes a week at school is barely enough time to learn anything.

Lastly, we supplement with a lot of outside physical activities since McPS doesn’t even meet the state required minimum for PE. Swimming, karate, gymnastics, etc are what my kid enjoys

Activities and music are not supplementing.

They mean workbooks, online stuff, tutoring, etc.

[Anonymous]

My kids both needed a Math tutor. We were told when they were in 3rd grade at Bradley Hills ES that every kid in the class had one. My math skills are next to zero and my husband works long hours. We needed someone to help with homework and go over the concepts that had been more challenging, that I definitely could not comment on.

Both kids are graduating HS this year. Both are straight A students with offers for top colleges in hand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids both needed a Math tutor. We were told when they were in 3rd grade at Bradley Hills ES that every kid in the class had one. My math skills are next to zero and my husband works long hours. We needed someone to help with homework and go over the concepts that had been more challenging, that I definitely could not comment on.

Both kids are graduating HS this year. Both are straight A students with offers for top colleges in hand.

I cannot imagine every child had one. We only got one starting in Caculus. We did it on our own. If you are that busy, you need to rethink things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We pay $$$ for the McLean summer reading and writing intensives. They also offer a math intensive, but even their “learning leaps” camps are enough to avoid the summer slide but a HUGE step above the MCPS summer offerings for elementary.

We also pay for private instrument lessons since 30 minutes a week at school is barely enough time to learn anything.

Lastly, we supplement with a lot of outside physical activities since McPS doesn’t even meet the state required minimum for PE. Swimming, karate, gymnastics, etc are what my kid enjoys

Activities and music are not supplementing.

They mean workbooks, online stuff, tutoring, etc.

Brain research says otherwise. Have you not paid attention for the last decade?!?

[Anonymous]

Honestly if she is not interested I wouldn’t push it. She’s doing fine.

Missing out on compacted math is not a big deal. Do you really want her taking calculus in 11th grade if she’s not a stellar math student?

[Anonymous]

I don’t think her scores are high enough to push toward compacted math. If you decide to supplement in math, do it to strengthen her skills and interest, not to push ahead. My oldest kid was around 90th percentile for math and didn’t do compacted. Calculus as a senior is plenty challenging and enough for most colleges. You don’t want to be paying for tutoring for years and struggling. Get the fundamentals down.

Supplement with music or dance or art lessons or sports or whatever. Or creative writing if that’s her jam. Ask her teacher where her weak points are to see if some tutoring is needed.