6yo that gets math...

[kidsnbooks8]

What do you use with a child that "gets" math. My 6yos is using Saxon 2, but it just seems rediculous. We do math just to say we did it. He is not challenged at all and I would like to make the best use of our time. I also have levels 1,2 and 3 of MM, but I am just not sure I want to go that route , I am not really sure where to put him in that either. Any suggestions?

[Amy Jo]

For right now, I'd print off some MEP practice book pages - the ones that look fun. (I'd start at the second half of year 1, and check year 2). Then I'd dig up the Math Journal threads from a few weeks back.

 

Check out some living math books, and then try doing yourself what's in the book. (Sir Cumference series, if that's to easy try the Number Devil.) You could try LoF, but I'd go faster until you hit something he doesn't know. I have & recommend Family Math, Ruth Beechick's books, and I plan to get the Kitchen Table Math series. You might want to read the First Grade Diary that is part of the Miquon books. I bought a discounted copy at Rainbow Resources. It might even be a PDF on currclick. It has some good ideas.

 

I've read of others who use Saxon that skip the first few books, replacing them with life math / hands-on / etc. and starting at the 5/4 book. You might look into Art of Problem Solving for when he is older.

[EKS]

I'd switch to a more challenging program (Singapore with IP and/or CWP, for example) and let him go quickly until he gets to something that he doesn't already know.

[Jane Elliot]

My 8yo who gets math does well with Singapore.

 

Our older son who got math (years ago when Singapore was new here and untested) used Horizons 1&2, started with Saxon 54 when he was 7yo, and continued with Saxon through Algebra. He has fond memories of Saxon and says it gave him a good foundation. He later tested out of Calc 1&2 at university (with a 5 on the AP Calc BC exam) and is currently majoring in Computer Science on full scholarship. I think Saxon worked out in this case because we skipped straight to 5/4. Those first three levels of Saxon can be just tedious for a kid who gets it.

Edited December 4, 2011 by Luann in ID

[alpidarkomama]

Singapore is much more challenging, and for a very mathy kid it can be a great choice. We did Saxon for K and part of 1st, Singapore for 1st/2nd, then switched to Mammoth Math this year, and that (at last!) has suited oldest DD very well. My daughter's least favorite subject is math and Singapore was just too overwhelming. She's very happy doing MM. My personal favorite was Singapore, but MM is a very close second. Saxon we all just found very boring.

 

I would consider Singapore for DS6 and DD5, who are both very mathy, but since I have the downloaded Mammoth Math, I can use them for all of my children so it's a big cost savings.

[ChandlerMom]

Since you have MM, I'd give it a try. It is spiritually very similar to Singapore, imo.

 

Does ds know all his math facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)? I wouldn't move past 2nd grade without at least +/- facts at automaticity. For abstract thinking kids (like mine) it's easy to accelerate forward because everything is so easy until 4th grade or even beyond (algebra has always been easy for my dd). IME it's better to add enrichment first: pick up books that will force dc to stretch how he thinks and use the tools he's already got before picking up new ones.

 

My dd really enjoys the Math Olympiad problems -- we do one each day. Zaccaro also has elementary challenge problems which are indeed challenging. If you add those to MM2 (which is a step up from Saxon, imo) and move briskly to MM3, I think math will be a lot more interesting. Basically, let MM be your efficient training of basics and math facts (do half the problems per page unless dc needs more), and the challenging problems to stretch the mind.

 

Other fun things are puzzle books or math games/tricks. THere's an old one called something like "Math for math haters" (check out from library) that had some interesting stuff. I would do a math "trick" and them challenge dd to figure out why it worked (the pick a number, divide by, add digits...your answer is 6! kind of things).

[acurtis75]

I'm in the minority in that I'm not a big fan of Singapore for the core curriculum. I do use the challenging word problems as a supplement and we just started using the iPad app. We use mathusee and I started accelerated it quite a bit because it also seemed ridiculous to keep doing easy problems over & over when she got them all right the first day. The way we do acceleration could probably be use switch MEP also. We watch the lesson DVD and then I watch dd work a few problems. If she does it easily I let her take that lessons test and we move on to the next lesson. This means we're moving through several years worth of curriculum in one year but she's no longer bored and I'm comfortable because I know we're getting the fundamentals down before getting in to upper math.

[Beth in SW WA]

We use a combo of various resources which is great for both my dds who seem to enjoy math (list below). Hands-On Equations is our latest find. Both girls love it. It can be modified to accommodate various levels/interests. I just posted about it on the accelerated learner board.

 

Dd8 is currently obsessed with the book I Hate Math by Burns. Both my girls play chess and take music lessons. Santa is bringing the Lego NXT Mindstorms so we will learn a bit of robotics & programming.

 

HTH! :)

[chepyl]

My 6yo is doing very well with SM 2. We just finished a and will start b in January. He loves the IP and CWP. He actually begs to do CWP pages. We move quickly through the text and work book then go back and cover the other books.

[boscopup]

I'd switch to a more challenging program (Singapore with IP and/or CWP, for example) and let him go quickly until he gets to something that he doesn't already know.

 

:iagree:

 

You could use MM and add in Singapore's IP and CWP. I did that while accelerating my 1st grader last year. That was cheaper than buying 4 levels of Singapore in one year. :p Now that we've found where he is, we've switched to Singapore, since he likes the presentation better.

 

My son did Saxon in school. It was a horrible fit for him.

[chepyl]

You should take the placement tests on the SM website. It will give you correct placement. We did a little review but the test put my son in the right book.

[AmyinMD]

I've got a 7 yo boy that just seems to get math. It is such a stark contrast to my first 3 girls that have really struggled with math. I have 2 of them in MUS and another in TT. My son would be so bored with both of those programs. He is currently using Singapore for 1st grade and has just a few pages left of 2A. He understood carrying from me just showing him a couple and the same with borrowing. He just gets it. It would be silly to have him do tons of pages of review on those things.