Will Beast Academy help accelerate in math, or is it just for problem solving?

[Anonymous]

DD 3rd grader attends public school and is in Math 3 at Beast Academy. Will sticking with BA / AOPS help her be able to test into algebra in 7th grade, or would we better off switching to a different program for 4th and 5th grade? And if so which one? They don't seem to do any math differentiation in our public until 5th grade, but I know from talking to older kids moms that accelerated means they end up taking algebra in 8th, while twice accelerated means they end up taking algebra in 7th. I guess i'm confused how this naturally happens unless all the accelerated and twice accelerated kids are learning more material outside of class during elementary school to be able to test in. Or do the different paths mean they just move a lot faster within the year? School has been weirdly secretive about it and wont give me a straight answer.

[Anonymous]

She should be doing Beast Academy, or any other academic enrichment, because she likes it not because you want her in Algebra in 7th grade. Math is one of the areas that it best to let kids progress at a pace that makes sense for them and not try to accelerate them unless they 1) can handle it 2) want the challenge.

She will be able to take Calculus in HS if she takes Algebra 1 in 8th grade.

[Anonymous]

She should take her time what’s the rush

[Anonymous]

The goal of Beast Academy/AOPS is to develop critical thinking skills, of the mathematical variety. It's an excellent approach and I encourage everyone to try it! There is not, to my knowledge, any similar approach readily available here.

Does it help with acceleration? Maybe, since it can lead to familiarity with topics not yet addressed at school, depending on how far along your child is compared to their grade level.

My kid only did a few years of Beast Academy in elementary school, because she liked the comics in the books, and did not go on to AOPS algebra. She did not receive any other form of math enrichment. She did Compacted Math in 4th and 5th grade in MCPS, which led to Algebra 1 in 6th grade (you need to request it, otherwise they put you in a lower math class, AMP or something like that), and is doing AP Calc BC in 10th, without any issues. Next year, it's multivariable calc and who knows what in 12th grade. She has never had any difficulties understanding math.

[Anonymous]

We attend a similar school. I can tell you many kids tested into Algebra without intensive or hardly any outside supplementation. Maybe the parents worked on some topics, some Khan Academy review. That doesn't mean Algebra is super easy, some kids are now getting tutors/outside help to keep up and I hear some drop down in 8th grade. The kids naturally good at math are still good at math.

I have heard RSM is the way to go for bright kids who are being "pushed" into Algebra because they do a lot more review of concepts. I would never push a kid who doesn't love math down this path.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She should take her time what’s the rush

Agreed

[Anonymous]

My son is in 5th grade and has been doing Beast since 2nd. We do it because he loves math and his public school math curriculum isn’t very challenging. He was always asking me to give him “fun” math challenges but I wasn’t sure how to do that so Beast gives him an outlet for his enthusiasm for math.

He may end up testing into harder math in 6th grade (that’s the soonest he could here), but Beast is for fun for him, not acceleration.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it will help with acceleration. If she continues at this rate and finishes BA5 in 5th grade, does AoPS in 6th- she should be more than well prepared to take Alg I in 7th

Kids won’t learn accelerated math unless it’s taught to them. The ones taking Alg in 6th and 7th are getting math taught to them outside of school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, it will help with acceleration. If she continues at this rate and finishes BA5 in 5th grade, does AoPS in 6th- she should be more than well prepared to take Alg I in 7th

Kids won’t learn accelerated math unless it’s taught to them. The ones taking Alg in 6th and 7th are getting math taught to them outside of school

As was explained above - not for some kids. Algebra 1 in 6th grade isn't that much of a stretch. Truly.

[Anonymous]

Duplicate thread:
"https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1305796.page