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[quote=Anonymous][quote=pettifogger][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=pettifogger][quote=Anonymous]Is BA a complete curriculum or supplement? Could it be used in conjunction with Khan Academy or Kumon worksheets as a complete curriculum? DC is home schooled for the time being and just wondering how thorough BA is. [/quote]
It's a full curriculum and it's pretty thorough, particularly with regard to problem solving, making lots of conceptual connections, and many challenging problems. While it does of course contain basic exercises at the beginning of each chapter/topic, some parents find that their kids needed a bit more practice on the drill type questions. For that, anything such as Kumon/random worksheets can be used.

It's important to guide/support the child, especially initially when they are not used to the feeling of being stuck and want to quickly give up if they can't think of anything in a minute. Ideally work some of the problems together with them, and read the provided hints/solutions as they're very helpful. Some parents do the problems themselves ahead of time so that they can explain/help their kids effectively when they do get stuck :) Initially it's a big step for kids (and some adults) to switch away from thinking in a very procedural fashion, but once they get used to it, it's very much worth it for the critical thinking skills.[/quote]

Thanks! I have noticed this already as we work through BA2 and am working on balancing providing support and encouraging persistence. Are the practice books useful for the extra practice over and above the online material or are you talking about a different kind of practice like memorizing basic facts and procedures? Does BA teach all the basic procedures or concepts the child would encounter on Kumon worksheets and elsewhere?[/quote]

It sounds like your child would be better in a program like RSM where they teach the math concepts and dive more deeply into those concepts. AoPS and BA are solid options for kids who already understand the fundamentals or grasp the fundamental skills quickly and easily.If your kid is not one of those kids then you need a parent who can explain the fundamentals and provide extra drill questions/support. The AoPS in-person/online classes use the BA books in the classroom environment but there is a Teacher to walk the kids through the books. We noticed that the Teacher needed to have some kids stay online after class to review material with them pretty much every week. It isn’t an easy program. I think people on this forum think that BA is challenging but doable for everyone because they have kids that grasp math concepts quickly but those kids are the rarity. They also have/are parents who can guide their kids through the BA books but, again, those people are the rarity.

RSM works well for a kid who needs some level of support, that is what the first level of class is for, as well as kids who can grasp the material quickly and want to dive deeper. There are more RSM store fronts then AoPS for a reason, more kids can succeed at RSM then in AoPS because of how the courses are designed. RSM has the math competition classes that they offer for the kids who want to delve into more creative math problems.

Both programs are great, we have used both and ended up with RSM simply because it was a lot closer and saves us an hour of drive time. But they are not inter changeable. AoPS is more niche. If I was was looking for a program for a homeschool kid, I would probably look at RSM because it offers a more traditional approach that moves quickly and cna go deep. [/quote]
My quibble with RSM was that they have not published any books or material that I can just buy and evaluate. AoPS has all the books published and I can buy them from their website and evaluate their scope and depth by working through samples of it. Anecdotally, I saw a few RSM worksheet like samples from a friend in a different state and they did not look challenging. So outside of their math contest preparation class, I'm unsure as to what and how they are learning since there is no way to access anything without enrolling in a class.[/quote]

RSM Honors is challenging for many kids. DS has had years where he was moved into the next grade level classes because the correct level was not a challenge. We did have to ask but the Staff evaluated his performance and he took the assessment for the next grade up and was moved up. The program is flexible, which we appreciate. And while some of the work seems easy, DS has units that he is not as strong in as he thinks.

Kids who are handling BA are fine where they are, obviously. I have witnessed kids struggling with AoPS and needing extra help after class. Those kids might be better served in RSM. AoPS is great but a different approach to math that assumes kids grasp concepts quickly. [/quote]

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