Exclusively Khan Academy for Math?

[Jen in NY]

Have any of your kids exclusively used Khan academy for math?

Was this a successful strategy for your student?

 

or

 

If you investigated this path and decided against it, can you tell me why?

 

Thanks!

[Punks in Ontario]

It's not one that I would choose. I prefer that my guys push their pencils to get the concepts. We do use Khan some for reinforcement and to fill in gaps, but I find that they get lazy with it sometimes and don't try new things, but just keep to the concepts they know. If I took the time to assign videos and exercises it might work, but then I'd have to do at least as much work as using our current program.

 

I'd vote that it's a great compliment to a program, but not a stand alone.

[bobbeym]

I haven't liked it as a standalone for Algebra. It seems too difficult to figure out and keep track of all the skills needed. As Punks said, it would probably work if I took the time to dig through and sort it out first, but I don't have the time to spend doing that, and I know DS won't.

 

We used LOF Beginning Alg + Companion book, combined with Khan Academy to give visual examples when needed. Now we're using IXL.com b/c DH wants to make sure DS's Algebra I skills are strong before moving forward.

[Grantmom]

I haven't done this myself, but I thought that if you just sign up as a coach, and your student signs up under you, that it basically walks you through everything in order, like starting all the way back at 2+3 =5 if you want. I have a friend doing this with her child. It was my impression that doing it that way, it walks you through, moves you on to the next concept once you've mastered the prior one.

[CupOCoffee]

I haven't done this myself, but I thought that if you just sign up as a coach, and your student signs up under you, that it basically walks you through everything in order, like starting all the way back at 2+3 =5 if you want. I have a friend doing this with her child. It was my impression that doing it that way, it walks you through, moves you on to the next concept once you've mastered the prior one.

 

Yes, this. You just follow the "map" set up for the child. Sometimes they have to go back and do review (the areas on their map turn back to red or something, so they know when to work on review). It takes some getting used to, but if you spend some time setting it up right, and have an understanding of using the knowledge map, it should be fine.

 

Now, after having said that, my students no longer use it solely -- for my students, it was too frustrating to deal with being "knocked back in progress" for making only ONE mistake. My students also found that while they could follow and understand the videos, once it came to the practice problems it was like being asked to read a whole different language.

 

~coffee~

[dereksurfs]

I agree with others that is great as a supplemental. We use it as that and its works very well. Though I like the problems and the hints, I wouldn't want those to be 'the only' types of problems worked. One reason is that I prefer to have the student write out their work on paper including all the steps. Then if they miss something I can walk back through their steps and help them learn form their mistakes. Also for problems I will give partial credit if the steps were all correct, but a simple mistake was made for example. I find Khan great to use with any other curriculum as its so easy to look up the section or concept for further elaboration.