Math: Stick with Beast or move on?

[talantine]

My daughter had been doing Singapore Math though 2B and then I switched to Beast Academy.  We are finishing 3A right now and I am deciding if we should continue with Beast or go back to Singapore.

 

My daughter doesn't love doing the Beast problems.  She can do them if she thinks, but she frequently doesn't want to think.  She likes to do problems she knows how to do, get a nice little answer and put a nice little box around it.   We also use a daily math practice book and she loves doing that.

 

On one hand, I think she should struggle a little.  I am pretty sure she would measure as gifted, though we haven't had any testing done.  On her ITBS she scored 99%-tile in math.  So I want her to learn to get over not knowing how to do something, and persist through it.

 

But on the other hand, she was happy doing Singapore, and I guess I could add CWP or intensive practice or what ever would challenge her.  I could wait until she is more ready to struggle through a problem and pick up there.

 

I don't know.  What do you think?

Thanks.

[73349]

There's always the option to compact Singapore (going faster, concentrating on harder problems and fewer easy ones) and use BA as her challenge problem for the day.

[OneStepAtATime]

Why not use Singapore as the spine since she likes it but do Beast together on the side at a slower pace? Eventually, as she matures, she may do more and more of Beast on her own but right now she may not be developmentally ready to tackle it on her own. Lots of people do Beast with their kids. Also, FWIW, several students/teachers have found BA3a to be harder and sometimes less engaging than the other parts so 3B might be a better fit.

[Esse Quam Videri]

My mathy son hated Beast-- he's also my history/science/non-fiction only kid, and he just couldn't get into the monster thing. He felt it was babyish I think. Anyways, I tried and tried by eventually just went back to Singapore. DEFINITELY add the CWP and IP- it's not the same without those! And you could also occasionally whiteboard some Beast concepts without her knowing :-)

[SoCal_Bear]

Definitely think you can get the challenge aspect that you want using SM's IP and CWP. 

 

Alternatively, you could use Beast and SM in sequence. I use Beast a level behind SM. SM does the job on teaching and solidifying the topic. Then when I pick up Beast later, the topic has gelled and my son is solid on working with that topic and ready to go deeper. 

[Kat w]

Yea, I do what one-step said.

 

I use Singapore as my spine and supplement with beast in the afternoon even if it's just a couple or few days a week.

 

We cuddle up in the couch and make it fun time. I read the monsters to them in funny lil voices and they live that.

 

I see what your daughter is saying tho...BC beast is about learning the different methods to get the answer rather than getting the right answer.

The answers not the point and that's really different to understand sometimes. We've Ben conditioned to...get the right answer.

 

Beast stretches their minds and gets us thinking out if the box.

Learn the formulas...not focus on rigjt answers. Of course we want them to get right answer. But the point if beast is to teach the formulas.

And let's face it...the way the world if going is STEM. I think it's important to learn the formulas . and beast makes it fun with the monsters.

 

We LOVE SM. So I'll never give that uo as my spine .

I think the boys would cry lol.

 

But maybe just make beast a nice, fun, not mandatory all the time,supplement that you 2 van enjoy together.

Maybe start reading it to her ir do shared reading. She read a page, you read a page and you do the funny monster voices. Thst made the boys really into it.

 

I DO love how beast is also good for critical thinking and reading.

I never though there could be so much reading with math...and cute fun reading.

 

If nothing else, it's a fun way to teach critical thinking too :)

Edited July 27, 2016 by Kat w

[Kat w]

Onestep also makes another good point. 3A is the hardest esp the first chapter . we started with the last chapter area and perimeter .

 

The game on the first CH. Is much harder than the others too. The one in area and perimeter is easier to " get" how they do those game/critical thinking problem s.

 

Funny the very first CH. Out if the gate is the hardest lol. Skipt to 3B or the back of A. The area and perimeter is alot of fun

[Ewe Mama]

Onestep also makes another good point. 3A is the hardest esp the first chapter . we started with the last chapter area and perimeter .

 

The game on the first CH. Is much harder than the others too. The one in area and perimeter is easier to " get" how they do those game/critical thinking problem s.

 

Funny the very first CH. Out if the gate is the hardest lol. Skipt to 3B or the back of A. The area and perimeter is alot of fun

r

 

I am so glad I found this thread and your advice about what part of the book to start with. I just ordered BA and my sons were horrified at the problems at the beginning of the book. I will gladly skip ahead now!

[Kathleen.]

How much time does it take your kids to complete one book?

[bolt.]

3A was a difficult start for us too. I'd definitely give her 3B, and possibly C before you evaluate the experience overall.

[talantine]

Thanks you everyone for your help.  I think I will order in Singapore 3A and Beast 3B and see what works out naturally.  She does like Beast when I am doing it along side her, I just don't always have the time to do that. 

[Kat w]

Thanks you everyone for your help. I think I will order in Singapore 3A and Beast 3B and see what works out naturally. She does like Beast when I am doing it along side her, I just don't always have the time to do that.

Yes, you could even start with any if the 3 books, depending in what you want to teach at thst moment.

 

I use what I'm not teaching in Singapore so they can be reviewing a concept, tho as well see who use beast, it goes WAY deeper than anything I've ever seen...and I think that's ever been published.

[Kat w]

I'm struggling with this right now too. We have always done SM and are trying Beast out for the summer. I think it's awesome and I am so impressed with how it is stretching them and helping them to go deeper than I thought they were capable of...but they melt down if I'm not right there supporting them the whole time and I just don't know if I have that much undivided attention to go around this year! And no matter what I say dd10 is upset that the third grade book is hard for her (even though it's hard for me, lol!) because she's so used to SM being easy. I wish I had the money for two or three math programs. 😕

Yes. It is definitely a parent be with em book huh? I have to read the text to mine .

 

You could just use it as a supplement fun time a couple for few days a week.

 

I think this and the programs that are likely to come out like it ( beast has been super successful)

Will be what puts America higher up in global test scores.

 

It's sad to me now where we as a nation lie with math.

 

All if the stems but math, just a travesty to me.

[Janeway]

I would just move on.

 

Also, I have a negative opinion of CWP. I think it is great. But I think it serves its purpose in a classroom where the child might be advanced compared to the class and needs the extra challenge. If you are home schooling, the child can just move through the books quicker. the CWP are simply problems you will see at a higher level. They are quite similar to doing a pull out GT program. If a child is ready and able to do CWP, they are probably ready to just progress to a higher level. We do not have to hold kids back in home schooling. CWP itself is great. But I find progressing faster to be better. That is only my personal opinion.