Should I send my kids to mathnasium?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been struggling with the same question/issue as it seems like our AAP center has many children going to these places to get ahead. But that’s exactly what you need to tell your children- they are doing great if they are getting 4s and doing well learning the material in class. It’s about confidence.

Our AAP center calls the math divisions- “most exposed”, “middle exposure,” and “least exposed”. I love this terminology because the teachers make it clear at BTSN that they give they pre-tests to group the kids accordingly but there is nothing wrong with NOT being exposed to what they are about to be taught yet. Honestly, the class that is most exposed are always the kids I know that have been doing Kumon every day since Kindergarten. That doesn’t impress me and makes me feel sorry for the child when my kid never has, learns the material in the classroom, and still gets a 4 on the same test as the “most exposed” group.

OP here. I didn't know about these different groups until recently. I thought all AAP math would be the same. My 5th grader seemed to be aware that he was in the lowest AAP math group but never mentioned it or complained. My third grader who is new to AAP is bothered by the fact that his classmates are better than him at math. My third grader is also hyper competitive. We have never mentioned TJ or even interested in TJ. We moved to McLean to be in a good school pyramid! We lived closer to TJ previously. However, third grader asked about TJ and said he wants to go to TJ. He asked me why I would not want him to go to TJ if everyone there is so smart. He wants to be smart and go to TJ too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure I understand the problem. Is it that OP's kids aren't being taught the math they're supposed to learn for that grade, or is it that they feel bad because other kids are more advanced?

If it's the former, take it up with the school. There's a set of standards for each grade level that they should be following. If it's the latter, that's a very poor reason for doing math tutoring. If your kids are behind, do tutoring. If they love math and want more, do tutoring. Don't do it just to keep up with the Joneses. The bottom group that your kids are in is apparently the group of kids who haven't been pre-taught all of the grade level math. There's nothing wrong with being placed in that group and then learning the material that they're supposed to be learning.

I agree, OP needs to give us more specific info in terms of what is the problem with both kids, if they want a better assessment of what they should do.

I want my kids to be happy well adjusted well rounded kids. I want them to have a happy childhood.

Both my kids and I don't like my smart kids who are good at math to be in the lowest math group when they are actually good at math. I don't want my kids to be at a disadvantage.

I'm not the type to keep up with the Joneses in terms of material items. I don't like my kids being in the lowest math group when they are actually good at math. I don't know if that makes sense. I'm sick and on meds making me groggy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure I understand the problem. Is it that OP's kids aren't being taught the math they're supposed to learn for that grade, or is it that they feel bad because other kids are more advanced?

If it's the former, take it up with the school. There's a set of standards for each grade level that they should be following. If it's the latter, that's a very poor reason for doing math tutoring. If your kids are behind, do tutoring. If they love math and want more, do tutoring. Don't do it just to keep up with the Joneses. The bottom group that your kids are in is apparently the group of kids who haven't been pre-taught all of the grade level math. There's nothing wrong with being placed in that group and then learning the material that they're supposed to be learning.

I agree, OP needs to give us more specific info in terms of what is the problem with both kids, if they want a better assessment of what they should do.

I want my kids to be happy well adjusted well rounded kids. I want them to have a happy childhood.

Both my kids and I don't like my smart kids who are good at math to be in the lowest math group when they are actually good at math. I don't want my kids to be at a disadvantage.

I'm not the type to keep up with the Joneses in terms of material items. I don't like my kids being in the lowest math group when they are actually good at math. I don't know if that makes sense. I'm sick and on meds making me groggy.

But it is the lowest AAP math group. They are still a year advanced.

[Anonymous]

Welcome to South Korea. Face it. This is what is happening when we are influenced by Asian culture. Our public school 'magnet' programs are becoming places that fit the 'winner take all' society and American culture is being influenced by this 'cram' school mentality. Go to public school for social reasons -- and cram school to get ahead. Remember in Asian culture they do not value 'native' intelligence as much as hard work. As a fifth generation American we could borrow some of their philosophy -- I think we've become too soft on our kids and they are in for a shock when they realize they have to compete in a smaller and smaller global marketplace. Great article from Harvard Education on the subject. 'The Other Achievement Gap: The lessons we can learn from Asian American success." https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/17/04/other-achievement-gap

[Anonymous]

The parents who think their progeny are so gifted at math are the same ones who stress about keeping them artificially ahead of their peers by using kumon or aops.

It is stressful. They think if they can just keep Jonny ahead every step of the way their kid will get into TJ. But it’s short sided thinking. The truly gifted kids don’t need tutoring. It will catch up to them eventually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been struggling with the same question/issue as it seems like our AAP center has many children going to these places to get ahead. But that’s exactly what you need to tell your children- they are doing great if they are getting 4s and doing well learning the material in class. It’s about confidence.

Our AAP center calls the math divisions- “most exposed”, “middle exposure,” and “least exposed”. I love this terminology because the teachers make it clear at BTSN that they give they pre-tests to group the kids accordingly but there is nothing wrong with NOT being exposed to what they are about to be taught yet. Honestly, the class that is most exposed are always the kids I know that have been doing Kumon every day since Kindergarten. That doesn’t impress me and makes me feel sorry for the child when my kid never has, learns the material in the classroom, and still gets a 4 on the same test as the “most exposed” group.

OP here. I didn't know about these different groups until recently. I thought all AAP math would be the same. My 5th grader seemed to be aware that he was in the lowest AAP math group but never mentioned it or complained. My third grader who is new to AAP is bothered by the fact that his classmates are better than him at math. My third grader is also hyper competitive. We have never mentioned TJ or even interested in TJ. We moved to McLean to be in a good school pyramid! We lived closer to TJ previously. However, third grader asked about TJ and said he wants to go to TJ. He asked me why I would not want him to go to TJ if everyone there is so smart. He wants to be smart and go to TJ too.

PP here. Again, tell your child it’s not the lowest math group- that makes it sound like they are working on completely different units. They are not. It’s the same material but the “most exposed” group has already learned the material from outside companies- explain that to your child. They just use bigger numbers, harder examples, but in the end it’s the same unit and all AAP classes are taking the same test. If TJ is your child’s goal- then that’s another thing. I’m not the person to comment on that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Both my kids and I don't like my smart kids who are good at math to be in the lowest math group when they are actually good at math. I don't want my kids to be at a disadvantage.

I'm not the type to keep up with the Joneses in terms of material items. I don't like my kids being in the lowest math group when they are actually good at math. I don't know if that makes sense. I'm sick and on meds making me groggy.

It actually doesn't make sense. It's the lowest group in AAP within one of the highest performing pyramids, which means it's still advanced. Also, why are you assuming that the other kids aren't as naturally adept in math as your kids? McLean has a lot of highly educated parents, so there are many very smart kids. Even if kids weren't taking outside classes, there's a good chance that your kids still wouldn't fall into the top group. On top of all of that, it's likely that the only difference between the top group and the bottom group is that the top group is getting a few more projects or extensions. There isn't a huge gulf between what the top group is getting and what the bottom group is getting.

[Anonymous]

OP, elementary school group placements will have no bearing at all on TJ admissions. In middle school, most of the kids in the highest groups in ES will place into Honors Algebra in 7th. If your children are bright in math, there's no reason that they wouldn't also place into Honors Algebra. They just need to do well enough on the IAAT and 7th grade SOL, which many kids in FCPS pass with no tutoring of any kind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The parents who think their progeny are so gifted at math are the same ones who stress about keeping them artificially ahead of their peers by using kumon or aops.

It is stressful. They think if they can just keep Jonny ahead every step of the way their kid will get into TJ. But it’s short sided thinking. The truly gifted kids don’t need tutoring. It will catch up to them eventually.

1+

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The parents who think their progeny are so gifted at math are the same ones who stress about keeping them artificially ahead of their peers by using kumon or aops.

It is stressful. They think if they can just keep Jonny ahead every step of the way their kid will get into TJ. But it’s short sided thinking. The truly gifted kids don’t need tutoring. It will catch up to them eventually.

1+

The truly gifted kids don't need tutoring but they definitely do need enrichment.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP, if your kids like math, also consider RSM, the Russian School of Math. My DS has been going since first grade, and it is his favorite extracurricular.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP, if your kids like math, also consider RSM, the Russian School of Math. My DS has been going since first grade, and it is his favorite extracurricular.

AoPS (either the Vienna academy, or online) is also fantastic if you want them to be challenged and learn how to solve harder problems that what is typically shown in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD completed math program at Kumon McLean. She breezed through Algebras and skipped Calculus - because of Kumon.

Is this doublespeak for "Took AP stats" ?

McLean High told her she can take AP stats in 9th grade, but she got into TJ and is on a different math path now.

OP here. I suspect these kids who do the extra math are TJ bound. Would you say most kids in middle school who went on to TJ did these outside math programs?

My kids are bright. I'm sure they wouldn't mind going to mathnasium. They get barely any math homework. 3rd grader gets 1 math worksheet per day and not even everyday. I don't think my 5th grader gets any homework or he finishes it during free time at school.

I don’t know which middle school students did any outside math programs or used a tutor. DD says that at TJ a lot of her friends share their grades with her, but nobody ever acknowledges that they have a tutor - even though many of them do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD completed math program at Kumon McLean. She breezed through Algebras and skipped Calculus - because of Kumon.

Is this doublespeak for "Took AP stats" ?

McLean High told her she can take AP stats in 9th grade, but she got into TJ and is on a different math path now.

Nice that it worked out well, but I don't think ppl should get the idea that Kumon => TJ. I've heard many stories of Kumon being worksheet drilling on crack and sucking any life out of math and making bored kids more bored, is this true? If so, it wouldn't work for many TJ bound kids since it could them off to math before they have a chance to realize it's actually interesting.

DD enjoyed Kumon. We never helped her with her homework or reminded her about it. Some of my friends were laughing at her first worksheets when in 2nd grade she had to do 2x2, but it worked out well at the end.

[Anonymous]

Your kids literally have only one chance to experience childhood. Let your kids be kids. Please stop putting all this pressure on your kids to get ahead. It will backfire.