Math Path...

[SierraNevada]

I am more than a little worried right now, as our DS5, who ought to be starting K this month (but isn't) is starting out with Singapore Math 4A and knows everything in both books, A and B. I think the only thing that DS hasn't ever done is dividing with decimals. I was knew DS was ahead, but for some reason, I though that once we hit 4th grade, things would slow down. But looking ahead at what is covered in 4,5,6th grade, I fully anticipate that by the time he would enroll in first grade, he will be through with 6th grade and I guess ready for Algebra/Pre-Algebra? I am a little overwhelmed and don't know what path to take. My current plan (changing daily - it seems) is to compact 4/5/6th in Singapore, but have him work through all the challenging problem books. I am thinking this will take about a year. (He worked through all of third grade, not using Singapore though, in about six months.)  Can any one else on the same trajectory help me know how to plan for the future. What do I do with a 6 year old who will be ready for Algebra if he continues at this pace?

[mom2bee]

Math is not linear "path" but a wide and open range to be explored. Every day/month/season/year doesn't have to include math books or activites. Its not a 1st-6th or 7th grade thing that leads directly into Algebra > Geometry > Calculus and done.

 

Look for books that develop problem solving, logical thinking, and mental stamina. Read living math books, play with manipulative, do a year that focuses on History of Math, Famous people in Math. Read old books and work on accuracy in calculations, mental math and delve into extra topics in the 1st-6th grade "curriculum" introduce factorials, exponents, graphing, conversion and equations. Do geometry explorations and read about Calculus and study physics and chemistry (i.e. Math in nature) and go very easy on explicit math instruction some terms just so that your son can use all that he knows in new situations.

 

Look into math blogs such as livingmath.net, Lets Play Math, MathMamaWrites and others. Help your son write books on certain math topics and include historical information about the people who are often associated with those topics. Join KhanAcademy. Look into Beast Academy for your son, he oughta be engaged with their 3rd grade (4th is only now being published.) materials, look into AoPS, and Alcumus, Let him watch some of NjWildbergers videos on Youtube and get introduced to proofs.

 

Get creative. Stay proactive and engaged. Don't get over-excited or hyper-stimulated. When all else fails, Smile and pretend that Chaos was scheduled at that exact time of the day and everything is going according to plan.

 

[quark]

Definitely look at the IP and CWP books to challenge him further. It's cool that he is so good at it but the danger is that he will see math as being too easy at some point and start getting bored or worse, give up when facing harder problems in the future. We found the SM textbook too easy and diverged from the path early to use MEP, Life of Fred (fractions, decimals) and Math Mammoth for harder decimals and percents, living math books, then a huge number of mass market math books with thinking puzzles meant for lay adults and older children. By the time kiddo was ready to think in equations at age 8 and started coming up with his own equations for real life problems, he was well equipped to start algebra and also gradually develop the executive function side, in the same year, to show all his work. Contest problems are great too. Look for MOEMS books by Lenchner for example or check out the Math Kangaroo website.

 

With all that said however, I have encountered kids who are even more math hungry than mine is, who needed to start algebra earlier. If that's the case, I don't see why you should not start introducing him to it.

 

There's a link in my signature to the non-traditional math resources (pursued in an unstructured, non-parent-directed fashion) that my son has enjoyed/ is currently enjoying.

[Crimson Wife]

I agree with the suggestions to use the Singapore IP books and Beast Academy. I would also recommend taking a look at CSMP because that program has some off-the-beaten-path topics. http://ceure.buffalostate.edu/~csmp/CSMPProgram/index.html

 

Cryptography might be something he'd enjoy learning about. Duke's TIP has a cryptography course that anyone can purchase, not just those in TIP. I don't have any personal experience with it, but it has gotten good reviews on this forum: forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/465957-anyone-done-the-cryptography-course-through-duke-tip/

[dbmamaz]

also look at Zaccaro's Primary Challenge Math and Challenge Math

[Kerileanne99]

Definitely look at the IP and CWP books to challenge him further. It's cool that he is so good at it but the danger is that he will see math as being too easy at some point and start getting bored or worse, give up when facing harder problems in the future.

This is one of my concerns. Inhave a math-crazy dd3.5. Besides the regular math, I read her stories of scientists and mathematicians who make mistakes, fail repeatedly, and continue to work on it. Math is always treated as if she is not making mistakes, we need to find some more challenging problems. Also, we always end our mathwork on a stumper question. I know it sounds awful for a 3 year old, but if she doesn't figure it out, I don't show her how to do it that day. I let her think about it and she will be begging for another go the next day:).

And still I worry, so we definitely do more on an expansion level than on a linear path. She has gone through RSA, RSB, Then into Singapore. We are now working through 2B. But we mix in all sorts of things to pique her interest, approach math through different angles (ha!) and generally make sure she stays challenged. So much of the earlier math she picked up just from playing games and our math lab, and the only thing keeping her from going faster was her writing as I insist she at least demonstrate that she can work the problems independently. We go through LOF together, but she will often take them to her reading tent, along with 'Penrosie' HER mathcat books.' We dip into CWP, IP, apps. She loves BA, although this will take her longer...she knows much of the conceptual information in there but they challenge her in a fantastic way. We read at least 1-2 living math books or chapters at bedtime reading, which introduces her to things she wouldn't have seen for awhile.

She is also learning Japanese Soroban as a challenge. I don't know where she will go with it, but as long as she loves it, we will definitely keep it up.

 

And yet, to the op, I have found that the more we visit other avenues for math, the 'easier' any one math program gets as she has learned at least bits and pieces of material not yet introduced in that program. This, in turn, tends to increase the speed at which she can do it. The great news is that I know there is an infinite number of possibilities for math work and education in any area she expresses an interest in. For life!

[SierraNevada]

Thanks for all the great ideas. For people that are suggesting multiple curriculums going at once - is that really necessary? He does read math books on his own - stuff like Murderous Maths, The Number Devil, etc. But I don't want to really give him any more math work. In fact, as soon as we start into our new curriculum, I think the sheer amount of problems is going to drop off a lot. Singapore seems to be pretty light on repetition, and just doing the workbooks and then the CWP, seems to be pretty fast and light. For him, I think he will jet through fourth grade in a few months or less. I don't see anything really challenging in there for him. He moves from novel to mastery like lightning!  I want to slow him down, as I am not really ready to have a six year old doing algebra. So I will look into all your great suggestions. Quark, you mentioned that you found SM too easy as well? I am curious because I went with it after sooooo many people suggested it as being the most challenging program. But honestly, I am kind of floored at how easy it is, and though I haven't given it to him yet (we still have three weeks left to finish off our 3rd grade curriculum) I KNOW that he already knows just about everything in there. I am looking forward to the CWP, but other than that, it seems super easy. 

[quark]

I really don't think there's anything wrong with a 6-year-old wanting to do algebra if the motivation to do it is coming from him kwim? I delayed it as long as possible and was concerned about pushing my child but the flipside was that my child started showing signs of hating math (I was having him practice arithmetic-fractions/ decimals and he was getting very bored) and it only improved when we found the tutor to teach him algebra. It was like a switch was turned on. He just gulped it up.

 

So you see for some kids, you try not to push them and you try to slow them down and it actually makes them unhappy! You don't have to do this now of course, just saying that this situation exists and to watch out for it. I would never push a 5yo or 6yo or even a 10yo for that matter to do more if he didn't want to.

 

Yes SM textbooks + workbooks combo was too easy. He was stumped several times by the CWP and IP though.

 

Of course, you don't have to use multiple curricula if you don't want to and I think reading Murderous Maths and Number Devil etc is pretty cool and useful for any kid interested in math. Son did all of that as well. I just liked having different resources on hand to approach math in as many different ways as possible.

 

Your son sounds similar if not more math-crazy. :)

 

[MissKNG]

My mathematically gifted big girl enjoys Penrose the Mathematical Cat books.

[Greenmama2]

Don't discount Beast Academy. We are finding that BA3 and SM4 are a perfect for each other. My mathy girl (not so advanced as she is seven and doing BA3B, SM4 and LoF concurrently) really thrives on multiple curricula. We also use a few other things intermittently.