Mathnasium vs Russian School of Math?

[Anonymous]

Kumon is repetitive drilling, to the point where students will be able to do elementary math in their sleep. Best for memorizing multiplication tables, and the like. Lots of worksheets and minimal teaching.

RSM is heavy on the algebra early on. They drill, but not to the level of mindless repetition of Kumon. There is some encouragement of creative thinking. Teachers are gruff.

AOPS is high-level, creative math with very little repetition. They often encourage students to do the math in their head, which I don't always think is a good idea. Teachers have been warm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are many threads on this on DCUM. Use regular Google to find them.

I am not in the DMV area. I have paid for Mathnasium for middle school and high school skill remediation.

Mathnasium is appropriate for remediation. It works well for kids who don't like math. It doesn't have homework. I don't see a problem with the tutor to student ratio. I didn't need my kids to have continuous 1:1 tutoring and kids spend a lot of time doing math so don't need to be watched every minute while completing worksheets.

From what I read on this site, RSM and AOPS are good for kids who like math and want to do the added enrichment work. People rarely talk about using those programs to remediate.

Mathnasium has a mix of kids who are trying to catch up with their grade level and kids who are trying to move beyond their grade level. What both groups have in common is that their parents are making them go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mathnasium is worksheets with a 6:1 ratio (although it was much higher when we toured). It seemed like a huge rip off to me. RSM seems like legit enrichment.

When you tour either, ask to see the actual materials your kid will be using to make sure they're at the right level.

The Mathnasiums in our area generally have a ratio of 2-3 students per instructor with a max of four students per instructor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are many threads on this on DCUM. Use regular Google to find them.

I am not in the DMV area. I have paid for Mathnasium for middle school and high school skill remediation.

Mathnasium is appropriate for remediation. It works well for kids who don't like math. It doesn't have homework. I don't see a problem with the tutor to student ratio. I didn't need my kids to have continuous 1:1 tutoring and kids spend a lot of time doing math so don't need to be watched every minute while completing worksheets.

From what I read on this site, RSM and AOPS are good for kids who like math and want to do the added enrichment work. People rarely talk about using those programs to remediate.

Mathnasium has a mix of kids who are trying to catch up with their grade level and kids who are trying to move beyond their grade level. What both groups have in common is that their parents are making them go.

Not true. Lots of younger kids enjoy RSM and AoPS. Mine is signed up for session and I asked if he wanted to try something else or take a break next school year and he insisted I sign him up because it’s so good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are many threads on this on DCUM. Use regular Google to find them.

I am not in the DMV area. I have paid for Mathnasium for middle school and high school skill remediation.

Mathnasium is appropriate for remediation. It works well for kids who don't like math. It doesn't have homework. I don't see a problem with the tutor to student ratio. I didn't need my kids to have continuous 1:1 tutoring and kids spend a lot of time doing math so don't need to be watched every minute while completing worksheets.

From what I read on this site, RSM and AOPS are good for kids who like math and want to do the added enrichment work. People rarely talk about using those programs to remediate.

Mathnasium has a mix of kids who are trying to catch up with their grade level and kids who are trying to move beyond their grade level. What both groups have in common is that their parents are making them go.

Not true. Lots of younger kids enjoy RSM and AoPS. Mine is signed up for summer session and I asked if he wanted to try something else or take a break next school year and he insisted I sign him up because it’s so good.

[Anonymous]

RSM has expanded it’s math competition class offerings. DS favorite class is the math competition class. He started at RSM in 4th grade and tested into the math competition class. He has stayed with the math competition class ever since, he is in 7th grade now. He dropped the grade level RSM class and stayed with the math competition program. He moved into the National Class last year, which is a year ahead of the local math competition class.

If you have a kid who is finding the grade level material fine but a bit boring, look at the math competition program. It is a different approach and the math is more creative. He loves it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a participant of both RSM and Mathnasium, I personally think that Mathnasium is better for the learning experience as students have a motive to do the work. Although it might not be the same for everyone, if you want your child to learn something and be ahead of the school curriculum while effectively spending your money, Mathnasium is definitely better. RSM puts your kid into a plain classroom with depriving nature. Mathnasium has the experience of a bright friendly classroom with prizes to earn with the way to get to them being completing the worksheets and learning math. Students at RSM can skip most of their work as teachers will not always check them and students will copy off of others as they are all in the same packet and "scary" teachers to whom they are scared to ask help for. Mathnasium is lively and the instructors are younger and more approachable for help as well as diverse skill levels among the tables to effectively stop cheating and copying. I hope this helps!

What RSM did you go to because it sounds awful. That has not been DS experience. DS enjoyed his classes and has never complained about the Teachers. I would have complained to the school if he had reported anything like what you are discussing.

[Anonymous]

Mathnasium isn't great if your child is way ahead, because they make sure sufficient tutors are available by grade in school not grade of work, so my child has had instructors unable to answer his questions multiple times. It also isn't great for kids who are sufficiently good at math that they can pass tests without necessarily learning all of the strategies, because then they will lack those (necessary) strategies for high order math problems. On the flip side, for my good-not-great at math kid who is only 1-1.5 years ahead and needs external motivation to do the worksheets, Mathnasium works very well.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know even a rough estimate of the costs of RSM and Mathnasirim?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know even a rough estimate of the costs of RSM and Mathnasirim?

RSM summer is $700 and around $1100 per semester during the academic year (2 semesters).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a participant of both RSM and Mathnasium, I personally think that Mathnasium is better for the learning experience as students have a motive to do the work. Although it might not be the same for everyone, if you want your child to learn something and be ahead of the school curriculum while effectively spending your money, Mathnasium is definitely better. RSM puts your kid into a plain classroom with depriving nature. Mathnasium has the experience of a bright friendly classroom with prizes to earn with the way to get to them being completing the worksheets and learning math. Students at RSM can skip most of their work as teachers will not always check them and students will copy off of others as they are all in the same packet and "scary" teachers to whom they are scared to ask help for. Mathnasium is lively and the instructors are younger and more approachable for help as well as diverse skill levels among the tables to effectively stop cheating and copying. I hope this helps!

What RSM did you go to because it sounds awful. That has not been DS experience. DS enjoyed his classes and has never complained about the Teachers. I would have complained to the school if he had reported anything like what you are discussing.

That PP sounds like a Mathnasium booster to me. RSM isn't visually stimulating, but that is what I like about it. They are in plain classrooms and the teachers use the whiteboard to teach. DS gets plenty of videos and apps and learning gimmicks elsewhere. I like that RSM is a quiet and plain place to learn using pencil and paper. If you want the technology and edtech, but still want to keep the rigor, I would look at AoPS.