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[quote=pettifogger][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]DD completed math program at Kumon McLean. She breezed through Algebras and skipped Calculus - because of Kumon.[/quote]

So if my child was sitting in same algebra class with your child, my child would appear to be struggling since your child already learned or at least had exposure to material being taught in class.

I will take my kids to visit mathnasium. Guess it can’t hurt.[/quote]

Yes. I teach AAP and the amount of kids who already know all of the standards I have to cover this year is insane!! They learned it outside of school two years ago and are doing way harder math outside of school. The schools won’t put them in a higher grade for math class though... so I’m stuck with 1/4 students who aren’t familiar with the standards (which is what a teacher typically expects- to teach kids the standards), 1/2 already know it all, and the other 1/4 are somewhat familiar from doing less intense math outside of school. I have pressure to challenge and engage the kids who are bored because they know it all, but my concern is catching up the students who come to school to learn math. Not everyone’s parents have spent thousands to get them way ahead in math from first grade on...it’s cool they know so much but I think having them take a test and go with the right grade for math block would make more sense. Parents so crazy competitive about TJ, but half these kids are getting far far ahead of the pacing guide doing math outside of school. I think it really effects the confidence of the kids who come to school to learn math because we have al these kids saying “this is easy” and solving problems so quickly...

I just think the schools should stop having stupid rules about sending a kid to another grade for math. Test them and if they’re doing 8th grade math outside of school- send them to an 8th grade math teacher during school. [/quote]

Op here. So my kid isn’t wrong when he says he is in the lowest math group within AAP.

Do you think the kids without outside help are at a disadvantage?

I actually really value free time and play. We are Asian American. My parents prioritized education and did not value socialization.[/quote]
It all depends on how well the material is taught in class. If your kids are in the lowest group yet they're understanding, are happy to learn, and bring home good grades, then it is fine. If most of these things are not happening then yes, they could be at risk of staying behind or even getting more behind. But disadvantage is a relative term, i.e with respect to what? In McLean AAP it's much more likely that kids are already ahead (or even way ahead) of the pacing. But it's not a problem unless you have some specific goal in mind (such as TJ, etc) which not all parents believe in, or have kids who are interested.

Here's the thing: In elementary school the most important thing is NOT how accelerated your kid becomes compared to others. This is a mistake many here make. Many parents end up focusing on speeding up vs just slowing down and building more depth in problem solving. When their kids get into the highest class (honors Algebra in 7th, or even earlier) they are happy and proud, but they later notice that the kids are actually struggling because their foundation is somewhat shaky and they can't handle it. I.e the kid seems to understand the basics but when it comes to a test that has a problem they haven't seen before, their brain shuts down and they bomb it. (For some it's even worse, their kid is on pace for TJ, they get in, only to realize that they're again more unprepared than they thought and it is even harder to get back on track, resulting in years of real struggle).

So to answer your question, kids in elementary definitely need to play and have time to be creative, socialize with their friends, and have time to explore their interests and find their passion. If they're unhappy in class, it would be a good idea to sign them up for outside help (assuming you're unable to provide that yourself at home). There are many options as discussed earlier in this thread, and not all one size fits all. For example, Kumon is known to emphasize an extreme focus on repetition, which may work well for some kids but feel like awful and boring drudgery for others. On the other side of the spectrum AoPS has the deepest problem solving curriculum that I know of, and focuses on challenging the kids who are bored in school by teaching them to solve problems they have not seen before. If a kid is struggling with concepts and needs regular tutoring AoPS is often not a good fit, but for other kids it's exactly what they're looking for. And the numerous other programs such as Mathnasium, etc. are somewhere in between. You'll have to explore some of them to figure out what is right for your kids.[/quote]

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