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[quote=pettifogger][quote=pettifogger][quote=Anonymous][quote=pettifogger][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
There are no assigned readings or the children are not told to do any reading, just to complete the HW problems. The chapters are posted online, so a self motivated child may read the chapter. [/quote]

Don't they still hand out the Beast Academy guidebooks?  My kids loved those and had no problems with reading the material.  My kids are in their 3rd year at AoPS, and the homework has never been a problem or a big deal.  If it is for your child, I would look into whether your kid is in an inappropriate class level.  Or, is it possible that your kid is reluctant to attempt problems that require any thinking, and instead over-asks for help?  [/quote]

Yes they do and kids can always read them on their own at home if they wish, even though they get read as a group during class.

[b]A big problem that I've noticed is that kids have not learned how to ask for help outside of class.[/b] Each class has a dedicated online message board and if they are stuck, they can always post a question anytime. Usually within a few hours max, someone will provide a hint or guide to help them. The issue is that most kids do not use the message board and when they do, they say they need help with problem x, but don't provide any info about what they've tried. We're trying to teach them the skill that asking for help is very valuable in life, but it's hard to get them used to the fact that it's ok to do that (I suspect this is because not enough encouragement is given in school to ask questions and not be afraid of being wrong).[/quote]

You're asking 2nd and 3rd and 4th graders to explain the question and ask why you need help in an online forum--that's a bit much for this age group.  I think it works great when the kids are in the higher grades, but to expect the Beast Academy kids to do this and do it well doesn't quite make sense.  Maybe 1 in 5 will be able to do so, but that still leaves 4 kids who aren't really learning the concepts well.  I'm not saying that RSM does it any better, but at least having the younger kids do the homework on paper and having it checked by the instructor to understand what the kid is getting wrong is a better way to go.  Also, I agree with one of the PPs, the Homework Help is a huge benefit of the RSM program.  My child has used it several times to get better familiar with the concept that they were having trouble with on the homework.[/quote]

Sorry you're correct, I should have clarified I was referring to older kids in the post Beast Academy curriculum, i.e. Prealgebra and up. I'm actually not even sure if the classroom message boards are open for the Beast academy classes like they are for the upper level curriculum.[/quote]

I just checked, confirmed that the Message board help is for Prealgebra courses and up, see below:

[quote][i]Get help when you need it!
It's good to ask for help! Getting stuck can happen when you're learning new things. There are a couple ways you can get help:

Talk to Your Teacher. Teachers are always available before and after class to answer quick questions about the material. Arrive a couple minutes early or stick around a few minutes after class.
Go to Message Board / Office Hours. Math classes from Prealgebra through Calculus hold online Office Hours every weekday, 7:30-8:30 PM ET (4:30-5:30 PM PT). If you are enrolled in one of these classes, you can ask questions on the message board. Your question will be answered in the next office hour by teachers at AoPS National Headquarters. You can also live chat with Headquarters teachers on message board during office hours.
Talk to the Campus Director or an Assistant Campus Director. For in-depth questions that take more time, please set up a conversation with one of these content experts. Call the front desk to schedule a meeting.[/i][/quote][/quote]

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