Beast Academy for a non-mathy kid?

[Wabi Sabi]

My 9 year old is just finishing up MM3B. He does alright with it, but overall he just isn't a kid who enjoys math very much. Math does not come naturally to him at all, and I've found that he has to work at it much harder than any academic subjects in order to stay on track. 

I've been considering trying out Beast Academy for him over the summer to see if it appeals to him more than MM. I'd would like for him to enjoy math, not see it as a drudgery if at all possible. If he was in school he'd just be finishing up 3rd grade and about to start 4th. He's successfully completed MM1A-3B, but not without plenty of struggle. I'm trying to decide whether to start him in BA 3 series or go ahead and start with the BA 4 books. 

Thoughts on whether 3A or 4A would be more appropriate for rising 4th grader who CAN do math, but just finds it tedious and difficult? 

[Farrar]

I'd do 3A.  You can accelerate it if it works out by skipping certain chapters or topics if you want.  Though it's just on such a different plane that I think it's fine to be doing the 3rd grade books later.  Even middle schoolers could benefit from many parts of them.

 

I don't think Beast is just for mathy kids.  I think many non-mathy kids could learn to appreciate math better from Beast.  Conversely, though, Beast isn't for everyone (I think ability to be patient and deal with frustration is one of the biggest keys to liking it, as well as desire to solve puzzles, whether you're really good at it or not).  I'm sure there are some mathy kids out there that Beast wouldn't work for at all.

[Above The Rowan]

Do it! :)

My oldest is loving BA 3A and he's not particularly "mathy". I mean, he is decent with math but nothing crazy special about it.

 

He BEGS for BA and even when he gets stumped he just breathes deep, asks for help, and keeps on going. He loves reading the guide book on his own.

 

I'd give it a shot.

[boscopup]

The only reservation I would have is that there are some really hard problems to puzzle through, so if it were a child that would lose confidence in his math abilities if confronted with such problems, it might be a bad thing. AoPS products are all designed to have difficult problems and force even the gifted kids to work at math. That said, I could see a kid start to like math via BA and end up being mathy after all, once having it presented in a fun and challenging way.

 

Basically, it won't hurt to try 3A over the summer and see how it goes. If it turns on a love of math, great! Due to the confidence issues, I would tell the child ahead of time that he isn't expected to be able to do all the problems first try. Praise for effort. Use the easier problems to build confidence. Not all the problems are hard, thankfully. :)

[rjand6more]

Yes. Do 3A.  My very non mathy 9yodd loves BA.  I mean LOVES it.  It is a different way to look at math.  Do it with your child.  It is fun to read the text!  I have a whole bunch of voices for the different characters. hehe.  Really there is not much that is "hard" imo  Everything has a "trick".  I ask her, "So what do you think the trick is??"  If I did not do it with her, I would think the problems were too hard.  It's all about the presentation.  She only did 3A and 3B this year because it was a supplement to MM3(which she breezed through this year because it was easy, she didn't have to think!lol)  We will do 3C and 3D next year with MM4.

[kiwik]

Maybe you could do 3A TOGETHER as a project then ask him if he wants to switch. Most hard things are more fun with company.

[OneStepAtATime]

Agree with kiwik.  

 

FWIW, my kids, especially DD13, have really struggled with math.  But they both love Beast Academy.  It has reinvigorated their love of math.  But we do it together, and we do it for fun.  Great math concepts and reinforcement even as a group.  We still do other math programs as our spine but have found Beast to be an EXCELLENT addition.

[sweetpea3829]

The only reservation I would have is that there are some really hard problems to puzzle through, so if it were a child that would lose confidence in his math abilities if confronted with such problems, it might be a bad thing. AoPS products are all designed to have difficult problems and force even the gifted kids to work at math. That said, I could see a kid start to like math via BA and end up being mathy after all, once having it presented in a fun and challenging way.

 

Basically, it won't hurt to try 3A over the summer and see how it goes. If it turns on a love of math, great! Due to the confidence issues, I would tell the child ahead of time that he isn't expected to be able to do all the problems first try. Praise for effort. Use the easier problems to build confidence. Not all the problems are hard, thankfully. :)

 

Totally agree with this.  Beast is a hard math curriculum...designed to challenge those kids that tend to find traditional math curricula to be too easy.  

 

But...its approach is so incredible, that I could see it being appealing to many students.  My dyscalculic daughter LOVES to sit and read the Beast books...is she getting anything from them?  I'm not really sure.  But she does enjoy reading them.  

 

Definitely start with 3A and sit with your kiddo and do it together.  See how it goes!  

[Julie of KY]

Agreeing with everyone to start with 3A. Work through it together. Take it slow if it is tough.

Enjoy learning.