Beast Academy...how to get ready?

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

I looked at the assessment questions and how they answered the problems and realized our math curriculum does not teach to think this way. We have always used a traditional math program but I am wanting more for dd. Looking at the solutions I know dd would have NEVER approached the problems like they did, she could have answered them, but she would have lined the numbers up and added or subtracted the old fashioned way. How can I get her ready to use Beast Academy? I plan on only using it alongside our main math. Could I use BA and teach her the mechanics as I go? or should I get her thinking a different way before attempting BA?

[matilda]

Could I use BA and teach her the mechanics as I go? or should I get her thinking a different way before attempting BA?

 

Have you tried the samples? If she likes the samples, then you can just start and then decide if you need to teach anything extra as you go along.

[Elfknitter.#]

:lurk5:

 

I've been wondering the same thing. Dd would be ready for 3A in a couple of months. However, I'm not sure she would transition easily from MM to BA and I'm not sure if I'd want BA as merely a supplement.

[FairProspects]

I've been wondering the same thing. Dd would be ready for 3A in a couple of months. However, I'm not sure she would transition easily from MM to BA and I'm not sure if I'd want BA as merely a supplement.

 

If you are coming out of MM, the only concern I would have is multi-step word problems, and even then it hasn't been much of an issue for us. Ds came out of MM and was well-prepared for BA. The biggest difference is that BA is not so incremental and wants the student to fill in some of the steps themselves to find the solution where as MM would give a set of problems demonstrating each intermediate step. Coming out of a traditional math program is much harder. I think some Singapore techniques at least would be helpful, otherwise it might be an exercise in frustration.

 

ETA: We are about 5 pages from the end of 3A, fwiw.

Edited July 16, 2012 by FairProspects

[fractalgal]

I looked at the assessment questions and how they answered the problems and realized our math curriculum does not teach to think this way. We have always used a traditional math program but I am wanting more for dd. Looking at the solutions I know dd would have NEVER approached the problems like they did, she could have answered them, but she would have lined the numbers up and added or subtracted the old fashioned way. How can I get her ready to use Beast Academy? I plan on only using it alongside our main math. Could I use BA and teach her the mechanics as I go? or should I get her thinking a different way before attempting BA?

 

My son 9 year old son just finished BA 3A and 3B. In his experience, the CWP and IP (supplements from Singapore's Primary Math series) prepared him from the more challenging BA problems. Both CWP and IP encourage thinking outside the [traditional] box, approaching problems from different angles, and multi-step visual problem solving. Any program that encourages those types of thing would be helpful. :)

[Mama2two]

My son 9 year old son just finished BA 3A and 3B. In his experience, the CWP and IP (supplements from Singapore's Primary Math series) prepared him from the more challenging BA problems. Both CWP and IP encourage thinking outside the [traditional] box, approaching problems from different angles, and multi-step visual problem solving. Any program that encourages those types of thing would be helpful. :)

 

My son is in 3A and I would agree that CWO and IP are a good prep, although it still challenging him! A Lot!

[Parker Martin]

We started it as a supplement to MM, but it is quickly taking over as the main program because my son asks to do it everyday. I don't think it requires special prep. Maybe initial prep for the parent to be prepared for the child to say, "I don't know how to do this!" at first, but that goes away, or at least it did in our case. Letting my son read the textbook independently as much as he wanted got him excited about the problems, and that's when he started asking for it everyday.

 

ETA: Today he drew his own tiny BA comic panel, so I guess the format is very appealing.

[letsplaymath]

I looked at the assessment questions and how they answered the problems and realized our math curriculum does not teach to think this way. We have always used a traditional math program but I am wanting more for dd. ... How can I get her ready to use Beast Academy? I plan on only using it alongside our main math. ...

Good preparation for you would be to read the "thinking strategies" sections in these posts:

PUFM 1.3 Addition

 

PUFM 1.4 Subtraction

And then sit down with your daughter and "Buddy Math" your way through several of her current worksheets, using these thinking strategies to simplify them and work mentally. If she can adapt to that, then she should have no problem adapting to Beast Academy. She may get stumped on certain puzzles (AoPS makes the puzzles hard on purpose!), but the basic approach should work fine.

 

Mainly, you want mental flexibility and the willingness to try different things. Most young children have that, though many of us adults have had it trained out of us by years of traditional memorize-the-rules math programs...

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

Thanks all. I think I am going to try it as a supplement and just teach her methods as we hit them. I might get the CWP and IP though just in case we need a more concrete lessons then ones on the fly.