Beast Academy? What's the fuss?

[Sarahkay]

I'm seeing lots of about it on these boards. Is it supplement? Just for fun? Maybe like LOF but for the younger set? Meant to entice non-mathy kids? What's the fuss?

[boscopup]

It's a full curriculum from the AoPS folks. I'd say it's NOT for non-mathy kids, as the problems are HARD even for mathy kids. It's much like the AoPS older materials, except in a fun, comic book format for the guide. For a kid that is good at math but doesn't like math, this would be a great choice. For a kid that struggles with math, I think I'd stay away. YMMV, of course!

[foxbridgeacademy]

I don't know that non-mathy students should "stay away". My DD is "non-mathy" an loves BA. She is just going a bit slower. She was a previous math-hater, now she giggles her way through a lesson. When it comes to the practice not so much love but she does like the challenge. Think of it like Singapore maybe a 1/2 grade or so ahead of other programs. As to a supplement.... I think it could be used as such but I wouldn't skip the practice book that's where the real learning is located.

[stripe]

It is a math curriculum being developed by the Art of Problem Solving.

 

It is nothing like Life of Fred, thank God. There is a practice book (workbook) that doesn't get as much attention as the comic book styled "guide."

 

If you want a mathematically excellent supplement, I recommend Marilyn Burns (Math for Smarty Pants) and Theoni Pappas (Penrose books). Johnny Ball's books are also good, with more math history. (Don't buy both Why Pi? And Mathemagicians, they're the same book inside.)

Edited April 10, 2012 by stripe

[Julie of KY]

Beast Academy is a full math curriculum put out by Art of Problems Solving. So far only the first half of 3rd grade has been published. This is the first time I've been excited and impressed by a math curriculum for elementary. It's presented in a fun way and is engaging. Time will tell, but I think it will make my daughter into a kid who will probably be better than math than most, but still not go into a mathy field.

 

By the way, I'm using it with a bright child who is dyslexic and struggles with math. She can't read the book on her own so needs help there. She struggles and interacts with the problems, but wants to figure everything out on her own. How she interacts with this program is exciting and different than any math program she's used before.

[onaclairadeluna]

What's the fuss?

 

When my son (14) was little he really disliked anything that involved writing. Dyslexic. So any academic subject was slightly unpleasant to teach. It was really hard to either overwhelm him (too much writing) or bore him to tears (not intellectually challenging enough).

 

When he got his first AOPS book he went from basically hating academics to loving them. I could tell right away because instead of groaning when he did his work he would shriek with joy. The math in their books is the hook. AOPS books really do have math as an intrinsic reward.

 

So I think many of us are just excited that they are making a book for younger kids.

 

I think the beast format just came out of the mind of one of their geeky staff. It's cute but not the main attraction to the curriculum. It is meant for either a highly gifted child or one that likes to work (think) hard. Or both.

 

I don't think you can really tell if a child is "mathy" or not until you give them real math. Stripes suggestions (Math For Smarty Pants, Penrose...) are good for that but so is Beast Academy. Many elementary math programs are lacking in higher order thinking skills. There are a handful of good elementary math programs out there that incorporate these thinking skills. So far beast blows them away (at least for a very bright child).

 

What makes beast better is that almost all of the problems are challenging. I don't have to keep skipping ahead. It's so nice to know that DD is going to have challenge on every page and sometimes it's going to be so hard that she won't even be able to finish the page.

 

Many of us don't want to wait until prealgebra to give our kids that type of challenge.

[wapiti]

There's a post over on the high school board discussing whether the AoPS approach is suited to a certain type of thinking or processing (big-picture, which also seems to be the case for many dyslexics), and I think that it is. Oh, if only I'd have had AoPS back in my day...:D

 

Personally, I don't care much for the comic style, but I like the math (we have BA but I don't have anyone to use it with at the moment :tongue_smilie:)

[Guest]

We are not into comics here, at least Adrian and I. I put BA samples side by side with Math in Focus and he chose MiF. We will be switching from SM because my boy is a self learner (gets that from both his dad and I) and I feel that the way MiF is set up, will work really well for him. Anyway, just posting to thank stripe for the Pappas books recommendation. I really liked those and so did my cat loving boy. I just ordered him the first one :).

[deerforest]

I think "beast" is part of the vernacular for the AoPS folks. The forums often refer to folks as "math beasts" reflecting great skill... so I think they probably used that concept as their concept for these books... pure conjecture on my part but it seems to fit..

[shanezomom]

Is anyone using Beast for an older kid who is new to this approach? Too easy or could it still stretch his/her skills if they are not mathy.

[Dmmetler]

My DD isn't an older kid, but is at the end of an elementary school level and moving into algebra in math, and has found BA to be a stretch in places, despite being supposedly a 3rd grade book. And one of my comic book enjoying adult friends thinks it's amazing :).