Aops online preA class

[Roadrunner]

So we took a plunge into preA. We decided to do the first half of the book at our pace and sign up for the class for the second half. We are only halfway through chapter one and I have questions. First I must say my kid is ecstatic. He has been running around with the whiteboard explaining proofs of why negation of negation is positive to anybody who walks through our door. And here comes my question. He understands everything so far and can explain back all on the whiteboard, how important is it for him to remember this long term? I think in another couple of months he will probably forget all those proofs. Do you review periodically? Yes, I am out of my depths here. :)

[Mike in SA]

So we took a plunge into preA. We decided to do the first half of the book at our pace and sign up for the class for the second half. We are only halfway through chapter one and I have questions. First I must say my kid is ecstatic. He has been running around with the whiteboard explaining proofs of why negation of negation is positive to anybody who walks through our door. And here comes my question. He understands everything so far and can explain back all on the whiteboard, how important is it for him to remember this long term? I think in another couple of months he will probably forget all those proofs. Do you review periodically? Yes, I am out of my depths here. :)

 

Memorizing the proofs isn't the point -- understanding the principles is.  So, no, I would not recommend reviewing the proofs.

 

If you stick to the AoPS curriculum, you will get a solid review of all the key concepts as you go along.  Number theory, for example, is only the first couple of chapters in "Prealgebra," but there is a full text on it later on.

[wapiti]

He'll be using negative numbers throughout the book so it's unlikely that he'll lose his understanding.  He doesn't need to memorize a proof.

 

It will probably also be touched on in ch 1 of Intro to Alg.

 

Eta, what Mike said - it's the understanding that matters.

[Roadrunner]

Great. That's what I thought. Thank you!

[kiana]

So we took a plunge into preA. We decided to do the first half of the book at our pace and sign up for the class for the second half. We are only halfway through chapter one and I have questions. First I must say my kid is ecstatic. He has been running around with the whiteboard explaining proofs of why negation of negation is positive to anybody who walks through our door. And here comes my question. He understands everything so far and can explain back all on the whiteboard, how important is it for him to remember this long term? I think in another couple of months he will probably forget all those proofs. Do you review periodically? Yes, I am out of my depths here. :)

 

I think it's super awesome that your son is so excited about the proofs. 

 

He totally doesn't need to memorize them, but he may find it interesting to go back and look at them again if they get him so excited.

 

(Also, it warms the cockles of my heart to hear a kid excited about proofs). 

[Roadrunner]

We are so excited to start aops preA 2 class in February!!! I need some advice to help me understand how to best prepare for the class. We decided to do assigned section and end of section exercises prior to the class. Do they assign review and challenging sections in their entirety? or do they assign exercises not included in the textbook? If the latter, do you still do all the exercises in the book? I just want to have a clear picture on how the classes function.

[crazyforlatin]

It is an exciting class; we took it last year starting in March.

 

They assign approximately 7 problems every week, one of them a question requiring a detailed yet concise paragraph. These questions are not from the book nor from Alcumus. And, the student also has to complete an appropriate Alcumus section as that makes up part of the grade.

 

We read the lesson and did the problems prior to class, worked on the book's exercises during the week as those exercises can help with the assignment, then finished up the assignments by Saturday evening (or whatever due date you may have). In between I would have DD do as many end of the book review exercises as possible. Usually she could only have enough time to do a couple of challenge problems. After the class was over, we went backwards to finish up whatever problems were not done.

 

If you want a report card, you will have to email an administrator.

 

We are planning to take Algebra 1 class as soon as we are done with the majority of the chapters in the first half of the book.

[Roadrunner]

It is an exciting class; we took it last year starting in March.

 

They assign approximately 7 problems every week, one of them a question requiring a detailed yet concise paragraph. These questions are not from the book nor from Alcumus. And, the student also has to complete an appropriate Alcumus section as that makes up part of the grade.

 

We read the lesson and did the problems prior to class, worked on the book's exercises during the week as those exercises can help with the assignment, then finished up the assignments by Saturday evening (or whatever due date you may have). In between I would have DD do as many end of the book review exercises as possible. Usually she could only have enough time to do a couple of challenge problems. After the class was over, we went backwards to finish up whatever problems were not done.

 

If you want a report card, you will have to email an administrator.

 

We are planning to take Algebra 1 class as soon as we are done with the majority of the chapters in the first half of the book.

Thank you! How long would you say those 7 problems took to complete? I am looking at their schedule and it seems to me that only one or two sections are assigned per week. Seems like a slow pace. I wonder if the material in the second half of the book is tougher.

[wapiti]

The assigned "reading" will be book lesson numbers that he should work through on his own prior to class to the extent possible.  The assigned work is a weekly challenge set (usually including a free response proof-ish answer) and the applicable alcumus sections.  The weekly challenge set is due 8 days after the class.

 

It is a lot of work to get all the book questions done as well as the weekly challenge set and Alcumus.  I can't remember exactly what dd did with Prealg 2, except that she had a head-start in the book by a few months, so it was much more manageable.

[Roadrunner]

The assigned "reading" will be book lesson numbers that he should work through on his own prior to class to the extent possible.  The assigned work is a weekly challenge set (usually including a free response proof-ish answer) and the applicable alcumus sections.  The weekly challenge set is due 8 days after the class.

 

It is a lot of work to get all the book questions done as well as the weekly challenge set and Alcumus.  I can't remember exactly what dd did with Prealg 2, except that she had a head-start in the book by a few months, so it was much more manageable.

 

Did you also go back after the class and have her do challenge problems that you didn't get to during the class?

[wapiti]

Did you also go back after the class and have her do challenge problems that you didn't get to during the class?

 

You mean the end-of-chapter challenge problems or the weekly on-line challenge sets?  She completed all the weekly on-line challenge sets, IIRC.  Later, after the course had ended, I had her do a few end-of-chapter challenge problems for each chapter, as review.  She did not complete the majority of the end-of-chapter challenge problems.

[Kathy in Richmond]

We are so excited to start aops preA 2 class in February!!! I need some advice to help me understand how to best prepare for the class. We decided to do assigned section and end of section exercises prior to the class. Do they assign review and challenging sections in their entirety? or do they assign exercises not included in the textbook? If the latter, do you still do all the exercises in the book? I just want to have a clear picture on how the classes function.

 

Oh, that's wonderful that he's going to take the class! It wouldn't be the Thursday night class by any chance, would it? Someone I know & love is going to be teaching that section. :D

[Roadrunner]

Oh, that's wonderful that he's going to take the class! It wouldn't be the Thursday night class by any chance, would it? Someone I know & love is going to be teaching that section. :D

 

I know who she is!!!! :) I had my son read her biography and he is soooo proud and impressed that a homeshooler is now an AoPS professor! 

 

We are taking the Friday class though. We signed up early before the teachers were assigned, anticipating that soccer was going to eat up our Thursday evenings.

 

[crazyforlatin]

Oh, that's wonderful that he's going to take the class! It wouldn't be the Thursday night class by any chance, would it? Someone I know & love is going to be teaching that section. :D

And, if this said person will teach Algebra 1, let's say several months later, DD will be there! We're just finishing up Chapter 7, so I'm thinking summer would be a good time. :D

[Kathy in Richmond]

Aw, too bad Roadrunner. But the Friday teacher is absolutely terrific. Hope your son loves the class!

 

I will tell her that, crazyforlatin. She would love to have some WTM kids in her class!

[madteaparty]

Oh, that's wonderful that he's going to take the class! It wouldn't be the Thursday night class by any chance, would it? Someone I know & love is going to be teaching that section. :D

Mine might be taking the Thur one:) either that or Tuesday. Doing the semester shuffle. I apologize in advance if it ends up being Thursday ;)

[crazyforlatin]

Thank you! How long would you say those 7 problems took to complete? I am looking at their schedule and it seems to me that only one or two sections are assigned per week. Seems like a slow pace. I wonder if the material in the second half of the book is tougher.

Hmm, is it tougher? I don't think it's that; the Pre-A classes are just slower in general. We never dealt with some concepts towards the latter part of the book.

 

Generally those 7 problems are a bit easier than the challenging problems. The paragraph takes some time because the graders are tough and you have a strong desire to please them. :D No, seriously, you have to write as if the reader has not read the question, so it has to be detailed, but not verbose, and logical. I would sign up for the class just to get their feedback (which is what we will do in the summer with algebra). Anyway, 7 problems are equivalent to 7 problems in the review, and maybe a couple of them are like starred problems.

[Roadrunner]

Hmm, is it tougher? I don't think it's that; the Pre-A classes are just slower in general. We never dealt with some concepts towards the latter part of the book.

 

Generally those 7 problems are a bit easier than the challenging problems. The paragraph takes some time because the graders are tough and you have a strong desire to please them. :D No, seriously, you have to write as if the reader has not read the question, so it has to be detailed, but not verbose, and logical. I would sign up for the class just to get their feedback (which is what we will do in the summer with algebra). Anyway, 7 problems are equivalent to 7 problems in the review, and maybe a couple of them are like starred problems.

Actually, this is going to be really good start for eventually writing proofs! We are excited. :)

[Roadrunner]

Aw, too bad Roadrunner. But the Friday teacher is absolutely terrific. Hope your son loves the class!

 

I will tell her that, crazyforlatin. She would love to have some WTM kids in her class!

Tell her the annoying little boy who can't wait to get his first written homework back (she just replied to his post on a class board) is TWTM kid. :)

He is also completely starstruck and loving the class. We have to miss the next class due to his recital, and he is begging me to see if the concert can be rescheduled. :)

[Kathy in Richmond]

Tell her the annoying little boy who can't wait to get his first written homework back (she just replied to his post on a class board) is TWTM kid. :)

He is also completely starstruck and loving the class. We have to miss the next class due to his recital, and he is begging me to see if the concert can be rescheduled. :)

 

Haha, I will tell her!! She just told me yesterday that she has been corresponding with some of my WTM board friends. :)  She just loves, loves, loves working at AoPS. Glad to hear that your son is really enjoying the class!