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pre-algebra - LOF then AoPS?


dbmamaz
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Hey, I posted this at the end of another thread and got no response, so I'll try again.

 

I have a boy who will be 9 in september. We have used a variety of materials, but the closest to 'curriculum' would be Time4Learning in 1st and 2nd, and LOF - we finished fractions and are currently taking a break from decimals over the summer.

 

My son enjoys math and likes learning new concepts, but he is very immature and also is slightly behind in reading/writing - i have been reading LOF to him, and he can do pretty large problems in his head. He will do long division written out, but with multiplication of even 2x2 or larger, he does most of it in his head.

 

I am trying to figure out what to do after decimals.

 

One option is to try LOF pre-algebra/biology, because I already have it.

I am also considering AoPS pre-algebra.

 

So here are my concerns. We had the sample chapter for review from BA, and my son found it frustrating - he doesnt have the maturity to stick with hard problems, or at least didnt last year. So I am worried that he is not ready for AoPS yet.

 

I am considering going through the LOF book first, and then going through AoPS when he already knows some of the concepts - so its more about the challenging problems than about learning new material. Hopefully after that, he'll be willing to continue on with AoPS.

 

Does anyone have any opinion about using LOF first and then AoPS for pre-algebra for a 9 yo?

 

I can also put it off for a while - we could read more murderous maths (again, with me reading), we could check out Zaccaro's Challenge Math (we already did primary), we could try Ko's journey. But i've never had my hands on an AoPS book and I really want some opinions!

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Not with a 9 yo, but I did it with my then 11-12 yo, but actually did about half of the LoF Algebra book in addition to the pre-algebra books. AoPS involves a very different approach. It is geared towards those who are not easily frustrated and are willing to mentally grapple with math concepts before they have been explained. My ds was only a year ahead in math, and due to my experience with his older sister, I was in no rush to move him up through the math sequence, but wanted to reinforce the arithmetic concepts.

 

He tolerated AoPS, but much prefers to have the concept explained first.

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My son enjoys math and likes learning new concepts, but he is very immature and also is slightly behind in reading/writing - i have been reading LOF to him, and he can do pretty large problems in his head. He will do long division written out, but with multiplication of even 2x2 or larger, he does most of it in his head.

 

I am trying to figure out what to do after decimals.

 

One option is to try LOF pre-algebra/biology, because I already have it.

I am also considering AoPS pre-algebra.

 

So here are my concerns. We had the sample chapter for review from BA, and my son found it frustrating - he doesnt have the maturity to stick with hard problems, or at least didnt last year. So I am worried that he is not ready for AoPS yet.

 

I am considering going through the LOF book first, and then going through AoPS when he already knows some of the concepts - so its more about the challenging problems than about learning new material. Hopefully after that, he'll be willing to continue on with AoPS.

 

Does anyone have any opinion about using LOF first and then AoPS for pre-algebra for a 9 yo?

 

I can also put it off for a while - we could read more murderous maths (again, with me reading), we could check out Zaccaro's Challenge Math (we already did primary), we could try Ko's journey. But i've never had my hands on an AoPS book and I really want some opinions!

 

We used LOF fractions and decimals before going directly into Dolciani's algebra. I had the pre-alg books but we didn't like them for some reason...cannot remember why now.

 

We didn't feel that it was necessary to use a pre-algebra program when there was already a good grasp of fractions and decimals and son was confident manipulating equations and word problems. For some gaps in percents and more advanced fractions and decimals, we used Math Mammoth worksheets.

 

However, I do understand that your son might not like writing his work down in worksheets. In that case, why not try LOF first and supplement with AOPS if necessary for the challenge?

 

We use AOPS a little differently from most folk here. We don't use it as a core curriculum. We supplement by choosing the challenge problems or just picking and choosing sections that my son is interested in. He is highly math-intuitive though and doesn't seem to need the "discovery" approach of AOPS every step of the way for the earlier stages at least (prealg and alg) -- for some things yes, but not for everything -- and this works well for him. So I wonder if you might consider introducing an AOPS pre-alg problem in tandem WITH LOF pre-alg to keep things challenging. This might build his stamina for the more challenging problems? Then again, LOF pre-alg might be plenty challenging on its own too. I wish I could remember what the LOF pre-alg book was like.

 

Due to the bolded, I do think that continuing with the living math type books, as you've been doing, will help at least until maturity is there. And until maturity is there, you could write the steps out for him?

 

Good luck!

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Thanks for the feedback!

 

He will write down long division, so he is getting SOMEWHERE on writing down steps. I guess I'll finish decimals and glance at LOF preA . . .and maybe BUY AoPS PreA . . . and probably end up doing more living math until I think we're ready, as you said. I keep expecting him to mature any day now . .. lol. I was a hard-working, rule-following type who LOVED doing worksheets. His father was legally blind, but stole his older brothers math workbook and did the whole thing (when he was 4). I am really baffled by how unwilling he is to do workbook-type stuff. But my attitude is that its more important to protect his love of math than to force him to do busy-work . . . i'm sure he'll be mature enough by the time he's ready for college! He KNOWS he wants to go to college, so that will help focus him at least

 

thanks again for the feedback

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You can try some AoPS pre-algebra problems free online-- they have a Khan Academy-like free online area called Alcumus on the AoPS website, where you can work problems, accept quests, and even watch some videos of the AoPS founder teaching the concepts behind some of the problems.

 

I would stick with Fred, and if you are curious about AoPS, try the Alcumus site. Do not feel you need to add in AoPS just 'because,' it is not the be all/end all for all bright math students, and you can always grab interesting problems or presentations from other points of view. Singapore presents math differently and is excellent for accelerated learners as well. A large percentage of math faculty in my husband's department, no matter where in the world they went to school, learned from the same copy of Dolciani that I have on my dining room table (yo can still buy it used on Amazon).

 

If AoPS works for your son, great, run With it. If it does not, drop it; don't let wanting to use it make him start to hate math. Fred is terrific for kids that it works with, and the other options I mentioned (and several more I did not) are equally strong.

 

At age 9 I would also keep interest high with Penrose the Mathematical Cat, Number Devil, calculator games, and early computer programming experience such as Alice and Scratch.

 

Good luck!

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We tried number devil about a year ago and i hated it . . he had trouble paying attention. We liked the . . . oh, i forget, one about a cat and a hotel and infinity. My husband the mathematician loved that one, actually! We did some scratch last year, and he was getting it, but didnt seem to have enough motivation to stick with it. This summer his brother is working through 'scratch programming for teens' or whatever it is called, and i'm thinking the younger one could easily do that in another year or so.

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I'm doing something similar with my DD7-she's working through LoF independently (the preface explicitly tells the kids to do so, and she's taking him at his word-she brought her LoF and math notebook with us on vacation) and is doing Key to Algebra as her "school math". She's also doing Continental Math league and Math Olympiad resources.

 

I'm hoping to bridge over to AOPS-or a more traditional high school math class in general in a year or two, but I'm tanking right now we might work through Fred and then go backwards and work through AOPS-it's not like she doesn't have time!

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