Should I send my kids to mathnasium?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there are many posts about the atrocious (and I most definitely mean that word!) FCPS educational system. If not for the high caliber parents living in Fairfax County, the schools in the system would have horrendous ratings. Ask any given parent, whether in AAP or GenEd, what their kid(s) is doing in school this week in Math or Science or LA, you'll hear them regurgitate the teacher's "weekly email," but they won't actually be able to tell you what they are DOING in class. I find it completely disturbing and whether you're in AAP or GenEd, it's just bad, period. The entire School Board needs to get wiped out from their seats, and parents need to raise this as an issue to the larger BoS to get the attention of the folks who need to be paying attention to this issue. We are only handicapping our kids if we keep implementing such a ridiculous "curriculum."

To the OP, while your child isn't the lowest in math, I totally understand where they are coming from--there's a culture of not wanting to be in the lowest group, especially among your peers. So it doesn't really matter that your kids are in LIV math, compared to their other LIV math peers, they feel they are at the bottom, and that is what concerns them. If they are asking for help, you should provide it to them. That may be in the form of Kumon/Mathnasium/RSM or private tutoring, or it could be a whole lot more parental involvement in homeschooling when they get home. Crack open an online math book and help your kid get through the current and upcoming content in math. You should be able to get that information from the teacher's weekly email. If kids are interested in math, there's no shame in providing the extra math work outside of school. There are a lot of naysayers on this board who are troubled by the outside coaching involved with kids in FCPS, but there's a reason why the highly educated crowd within the McLean or Langley (and other) pyramids do it--if the kids were being properly educated at FCPS (lower levels), most parents would let it be. It's too late to try and catch them up in middle or high school, when the basics at the elementary level are weak. The students who succeed (and not necessarily by getting into TJ, but succeed generally at McLean High or well rated high schools) are the ones who received the extra foundational help in elementary school.

The highlighted above is simply not true. My DD who is in AAP at a McLean school has never had math tutoring of any kind. She has always received 4s in math.

There's another post going simultaneous about what is happening with Algebra I Honors for kids who scored above advanced on SOL and in the 90th+ percentile on the IAAT ... check that out to get a rude awakening on what's actually required to succeed in an honors based and AP math trajectory. It's a disservice to your child to get fooled by your child receiving a "4" in a McLean area elementary school program. I think what you'll find noted time and again on this forum is how poorly the elementary level teaching functions at FCPS, where LIV AAP kids are not performing to standards or below on SOL. If anything, most parents should start paying a whole lot more attention to the actual learning going on with your kids.

You'll need to wait until middle or high school to speak ... that's the statement the prior poster is making--getting a 4 in elementary school doesn't equate to succeeding in a AP math curriculum! Sorry to say ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last year, in third grade, I noticed a serious change in DD's attitude towards math, for the worse. Her grades were fine, her attitude was negative. Instruction in general that year completely stank, with a lot of reliance (over 50%, from what I could count) on kids watching videos and then doing worksheets. Over the summer, we got Beast Academy, and worked through second and third grade material. Identified gaps in learning large enough to drive a truck through (in a child who was bringing home 4s in math on the report card). Worked the material, end to end.

It's been a complete turn around in attitude this year. Her grades continue to be good. She is less stressed. If she has questions about something, she looks it up on Beast, does the lessons, solves some problems, and is done. Her teacher once again describes math as 'an absolute strength' for her. The instruction is also much, much, better, but I would absolutely credit the work she did over the summer to how she overall feels towards math. The interesting thing is that her problem solving ability in general has improved, be they puzzles, or new math content she hasn't seen before.

Over the next summer, we will probably cover the fourth grade material in depth, and if time permits, get into fifth grade material. If there are once again knowledge gaps, that will get taken care of in the process.

OP: You do what works for your kids. If you feel that their attitude and confidence is suffering, then there is zero harm in giving them a boost.

This is what is required! You want your kid to really--REALLY--get math, get involved. Your child's teacher is NOT doing the work that this parent did for the child. It's troubling to think that parents on here are fooled by a "4" on a report card, and think that FCPS is teaching their elementary kids math given the class sizes, the lack of an in depth curriculum, lack of school books, and focused on electronic diversions and worksheets. Really troubling!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there are many posts about the atrocious (and I most definitely mean that word!) FCPS educational system. If not for the high caliber parents living in Fairfax County, the schools in the system would have horrendous ratings. Ask any given parent, whether in AAP or GenEd, what their kid(s) is doing in school this week in Math or Science or LA, you'll hear them regurgitate the teacher's "weekly email," but they won't actually be able to tell you what they are DOING in class. I find it completely disturbing and whether you're in AAP or GenEd, it's just bad, period. The entire School Board needs to get wiped out from their seats, and parents need to raise this as an issue to the larger BoS to get the attention of the folks who need to be paying attention to this issue. We are only handicapping our kids if we keep implementing such a ridiculous "curriculum."

To the OP, while your child isn't the lowest in math, I totally understand where they are coming from--there's a culture of not wanting to be in the lowest group, especially among your peers. So it doesn't really matter that your kids are in LIV math, compared to their other LIV math peers, they feel they are at the bottom, and that is what concerns them. If they are asking for help, you should provide it to them. That may be in the form of Kumon/Mathnasium/RSM or private tutoring, or it could be a whole lot more parental involvement in homeschooling when they get home. Crack open an online math book and help your kid get through the current and upcoming content in math. You should be able to get that information from the teacher's weekly email. If kids are interested in math, there's no shame in providing the extra math work outside of school. There are a lot of naysayers on this board who are troubled by the outside coaching involved with kids in FCPS, but there's a reason why the highly educated crowd within the McLean or Langley (and other) pyramids do it--if the kids were being properly educated at FCPS (lower levels), most parents would let it be. It's too late to try and catch them up in middle or high school, when the basics at the elementary level are weak. The students who succeed (and not necessarily by getting into TJ, but succeed generally at McLean High or well rated high schools) are the ones who received the extra foundational help in elementary school.

The highlighted above is simply not true. My DD who is in AAP at a McLean school has never had math tutoring of any kind. She has always received 4s in math.

There's another post going simultaneous about what is happening with Algebra I Honors for kids who scored above advanced on SOL and in the 90th+ percentile on the IAAT ... check that out to get a rude awakening on what's actually required to succeed in an honors based and AP math trajectory. It's a disservice to your child to get fooled by your child receiving a "4" in a McLean area elementary school program. I think what you'll find noted time and again on this forum is how poorly the elementary level teaching functions at FCPS, where LIV AAP kids are not performing to standards or below on SOL. If anything, most parents should start paying a whole lot more attention to the actual learning going on with your kids.

You'll need to wait until middle or high school to speak ... that's the statement the prior poster is making--getting a 4 in elementary school doesn't equate to succeeding in a AP math curriculum! Sorry to say ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there are many posts about the atrocious (and I most definitely mean that word!) FCPS educational system. If not for the high caliber parents living in Fairfax County, the schools in the system would have horrendous ratings. Ask any given parent, whether in AAP or GenEd, what their kid(s) is doing in school this week in Math or Science or LA, you'll hear them regurgitate the teacher's "weekly email," but they won't actually be able to tell you what they are DOING in class. I find it completely disturbing and whether you're in AAP or GenEd, it's just bad, period. The entire School Board needs to get wiped out from their seats, and parents need to raise this as an issue to the larger BoS to get the attention of the folks who need to be paying attention to this issue. We are only handicapping our kids if we keep implementing such a ridiculous "curriculum."

To the OP, while your child isn't the lowest in math, I totally understand where they are coming from--there's a culture of not wanting to be in the lowest group, especially among your peers. So it doesn't really matter that your kids are in LIV math, compared to their other LIV math peers, they feel they are at the bottom, and that is what concerns them. If they are asking for help, you should provide it to them. That may be in the form of Kumon/Mathnasium/RSM or private tutoring, or it could be a whole lot more parental involvement in homeschooling when they get home. Crack open an online math book and help your kid get through the current and upcoming content in math. You should be able to get that information from the teacher's weekly email. If kids are interested in math, there's no shame in providing the extra math work outside of school. There are a lot of naysayers on this board who are troubled by the outside coaching involved with kids in FCPS, but there's a reason why the highly educated crowd within the McLean or Langley (and other) pyramids do it--if the kids were being properly educated at FCPS (lower levels), most parents would let it be. It's too late to try and catch them up in middle or high school, when the basics at the elementary level are weak. The students who succeed (and not necessarily by getting into TJ, but succeed generally at McLean High or well rated high schools) are the ones who received the extra foundational help in elementary school.

The highlighted above is simply not true. My DD who is in AAP at a McLean school has never had math tutoring of any kind. She has always received 4s in math.

Let us guess why your DD has always received 4s. Were you one of the room parents collecting gifts for the teacher? Were you sliding magic gift cards under the desk? Or your DD received tutoring from one of the school’s teachers (of course there’s conflict of interests)

No, to all of the above. Never give teachers gifts. Never received extra help or tutoring from ANYONE. Perhaps my DD is just smart and gifted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of defensive parents. However you rationalize it. It is tutoring. If you think common core (from which VA standards are based) isn’t teaching math standards at fast enough rate, and you use that as an excuse to pay for classes that do, that’s tutoring.

Ignorant poster, nobody thinks FCPS isn't teaching math standards fast enough! From the many posts it's clear they are not teaching well enough, and actually do very little teaching! They actually rush through a bunch of topics, do not teach them effectively (using worksheets, group lessons, and pretty much anything other than teacher involvement). Because they haven't taught them enough, they have to "spiral" around to them again, year after year! So you expect most kids to just get it through osmosis? That's why there's a huge business in private tutoring/teaching/enrichment centers everywhere you look. It speaks to the large elephant in the room, namely that there is very little teaching being done in elementary and middle school! (And high school too, but hopefully by that point many kids should be able to at least figure out how to learn on their own).

[Anonymous]

Did you buy the Beast workbooks or is there an online program?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there are many posts about the atrocious (and I most definitely mean that word!) FCPS educational system. If not for the high caliber parents living in Fairfax County, the schools in the system would have horrendous ratings. Ask any given parent, whether in AAP or GenEd, what their kid(s) is doing in school this week in Math or Science or LA, you'll hear them regurgitate the teacher's "weekly email," but they won't actually be able to tell you what they are DOING in class. I find it completely disturbing and whether you're in AAP or GenEd, it's just bad, period. The entire School Board needs to get wiped out from their seats, and parents need to raise this as an issue to the larger BoS to get the attention of the folks who need to be paying attention to this issue. We are only handicapping our kids if we keep implementing such a ridiculous "curriculum."

To the OP, while your child isn't the lowest in math, I totally understand where they are coming from--there's a culture of not wanting to be in the lowest group, especially among your peers. So it doesn't really matter that your kids are in LIV math, compared to their other LIV math peers, they feel they are at the bottom, and that is what concerns them. If they are asking for help, you should provide it to them. That may be in the form of Kumon/Mathnasium/RSM or private tutoring, or it could be a whole lot more parental involvement in homeschooling when they get home. Crack open an online math book and help your kid get through the current and upcoming content in math. You should be able to get that information from the teacher's weekly email. If kids are interested in math, there's no shame in providing the extra math work outside of school. There are a lot of naysayers on this board who are troubled by the outside coaching involved with kids in FCPS, but there's a reason why the highly educated crowd within the McLean or Langley (and other) pyramids do it--if the kids were being properly educated at FCPS (lower levels), most parents would let it be. It's too late to try and catch them up in middle or high school, when the basics at the elementary level are weak. The students who succeed (and not necessarily by getting into TJ, but succeed generally at McLean High or well rated high schools) are the ones who received the extra foundational help in elementary school.

The highlighted above is simply not true. My DD who is in AAP at a McLean school has never had math tutoring of any kind. She has always received 4s in math.

You'll need to wait until middle or high school to speak ... that's the statement the prior poster is making--getting a 4 in elementary school doesn't equate to succeeding in a AP math curriculum! Sorry to say ...

This is PP. DD is now at Longfellow. Straight A student. You people just can’t accept the fact that some kids are just naturally good at math!

[Anonymous]

The mathnasium in McLean is their busiest location in the entire DC metro area, they are open for longer hours and open on Saturday as well, that tells you all you need to know. We moved to McLean past summer and my kids have been doing fine in Gen Ed and so far I have been going by let kids be kids but we are starting mathnesium in couple of weeks. I cannot tell you the kind of rigor their classmates are being put through, I gotta get mine ready to compete. Mine are 3rd graders and pretty good at math but I want to be solid and very good at it. My kids are not in AAP but my plan is 1 year of mathnasium and then AoPS.

BTW, I went their 2-3 times and every time they had majority white kids with a sprinkling of Asian, this myth of only Asians tutoring the kids is just a myth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:... The students who succeed (and not necessarily by getting into TJ, but succeed generally at McLean High or well rated high schools) are the ones who received the extra foundational help in elementary school.

The highlighted above is simply not true. My DD who is in AAP at a McLean school has never had math tutoring of any kind. She has always received 4s in math.

You'll need to wait until middle or high school to speak ... that's the statement the prior poster is making--getting a 4 in elementary school doesn't equate to succeeding in a AP math curriculum! Sorry to say ...

This is PP. DD is now at Longfellow. Straight A student. You people just can’t accept the fact that some kids are just naturally good at math!

Yes, we the people That's fantastic in your case and nobody claimed it is impossible. Your anecdote doesn't imply that this is the experience of most people in the area.

[Anonymous]

Meh... everyone is prepping like crazy, the ones saying their kids are "naturally gifted" are the biggest frauds. BTDT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The mathnasium in McLean is their busiest location in the entire DC metro area, they are open for longer hours and open on Saturday as well, that tells you all you need to know. We moved to McLean past summer and my kids have been doing fine in Gen Ed and so far I have been going by let kids be kids but we are starting mathnesium in couple of weeks. I cannot tell you the kind of rigor their classmates are being put through, I gotta get mine ready to compete. Mine are 3rd graders and pretty good at math but I want to be solid and very good at it. My kids are not in AAP but my plan is 1 year of mathnasium and then AoPS.

BTW, I went their 2-3 times and every time they had majority white kids with a sprinkling of Asian, this myth of only Asians tutoring the kids is just a myth.

+1 My child has been attending Mathnasium in McLean for months now, and this has been my observation as well. Perhaps Kumon is more popular in the Asian community? I only say that because I've never known a white person to send their kid to Kumon, and the friends I have who have mentioned Kumon over the years are Asian.

I am an American born white woman, and I don't understand all the nasty things that are written about Asian families on this board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there are many posts about the atrocious (and I most definitely mean that word!) FCPS educational system. If not for the high caliber parents living in Fairfax County, the schools in the system would have horrendous ratings. Ask any given parent, whether in AAP or GenEd, what their kid(s) is doing in school this week in Math or Science or LA, you'll hear them regurgitate the teacher's "weekly email," but they won't actually be able to tell you what they are DOING in class. I find it completely disturbing and whether you're in AAP or GenEd, it's just bad, period. The entire School Board needs to get wiped out from their seats, and parents need to raise this as an issue to the larger BoS to get the attention of the folks who need to be paying attention to this issue. We are only handicapping our kids if we keep implementing such a ridiculous "curriculum."

To the OP, while your child isn't the lowest in math, I totally understand where they are coming from--there's a culture of not wanting to be in the lowest group, especially among your peers. So it doesn't really matter that your kids are in LIV math, compared to their other LIV math peers, they feel they are at the bottom, and that is what concerns them. If they are asking for help, you should provide it to them. That may be in the form of Kumon/Mathnasium/RSM or private tutoring, or it could be a whole lot more parental involvement in homeschooling when they get home. Crack open an online math book and help your kid get through the current and upcoming content in math. You should be able to get that information from the teacher's weekly email. If kids are interested in math, there's no shame in providing the extra math work outside of school. There are a lot of naysayers on this board who are troubled by the outside coaching involved with kids in FCPS, but there's a reason why the highly educated crowd within the McLean or Langley (and other) pyramids do it--if the kids were being properly educated at FCPS (lower levels), most parents would let it be. It's too late to try and catch them up in middle or high school, when the basics at the elementary level are weak. The students who succeed (and not necessarily by getting into TJ, but succeed generally at McLean High or well rated high schools) are the ones who received the extra foundational help in elementary school.

The highlighted above is simply not true. My DD who is in AAP at a McLean school has never had math tutoring of any kind. She has always received 4s in math.

Let us guess why your DD has always received 4s. Were you one of the room parents collecting gifts for the teacher? Were you sliding magic gift cards under the desk? Or your DD received tutoring from one of the school’s teachers (of course there’s conflict of interests)

No, to all of the above. Never give teachers gifts. Never received extra help or tutoring from ANYONE. Perhaps my DD is just smart and gifted?

Sure. It’s the magic of secret donations

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meh... everyone is prepping like crazy, the ones saying their kids are "naturally gifted" are the biggest frauds. BTDT.

Isn't that what life should be? Gifted or not, you work hard, or, "prep", in your words. Is there anything wrong with it? We "prep" in school, at work, all our lives. This is our ethic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of defensive parents. However you rationalize it. It is tutoring. If you think common core (from which VA standards are based) isn’t teaching math standards at fast enough rate, and you use that as an excuse to pay for classes that do, that’s tutoring.

Ignorant poster, nobody thinks FCPS isn't teaching math standards fast enough! From the many posts it's clear they are not teaching well enough, and actually do very little teaching! They actually rush through a bunch of topics, do not teach them effectively (using worksheets, group lessons, and pretty much anything other than teacher involvement). Because they haven't taught them enough, they have to "spiral" around to them again, year after year! So you expect most kids to just get it through osmosis? That's why there's a huge business in private tutoring/teaching/enrichment centers everywhere you look. It speaks to the large elephant in the room, namely that there is very little teaching being done in elementary and middle school! (And high school too, but hopefully by that point many kids should be able to at least figure out how to learn on their own).

+1. In the last few years, AAP math for my kids has been rotating through: The teacher center, where they might actually learn material, the "game" center, where they do some sort of vaguely math related game, the "technology center" where they are stuck doing Dreambox, the "sudoku center", where they do sudoku puzzles, and the worksheet center, where they do worksheets. My oldest is in 6th, and I'm still seeing a lot of this.

Mine are in AoPS so they can actually learn math. It has nothing to do with learning the material earlier or faster, since the AoPS track has Algebra in 7th. I've recognized a lot of kids from my kids' AAP center at AoPS, and I would imagine that a bunch of other kids are doing Kumon, RSM, or Mathnasium. No one is trying to get ahead in the curriculum, and we all accept that our kids are going to be bored out of their minds during school math. At least this way they're getting a solid foundation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meh... everyone is prepping like crazy, the ones saying their kids are "naturally gifted" are the biggest frauds. BTDT.

This is PP again. No, I’m not a fraud but you sound jealous. Jealous of the fact that your child needs intensive tutoring to keep up with the truly smart kids. So sad