harder math for 10-year-old

[EmilyGF]

My son is turning 10 next week.

 

He got his solid foundation in RightStart. Then he transitioned to Singapore 4B with Intensive Practice instead of workbooks, but that was way too easy. Then I moved him to 5A, also with IP, and he keeps complaining that he knows all this (and then proceeds to get everything right). I feel like he's getting better at learning math at a crazily fast pace.

 

I'm planning on buying SM 5B IP (not wasting money on the texts this time because he doesn't seem to need any guidance), but then what? 

 

What is a good sequence for upper elementary math for a kid who has a long attention span, enjoys hard problems, catches on quickly? Do we finish SM 6 then go to AOPS algebra? I'm shy to do AOPS pre-algebra, given the wordiness I've heard of. I had considered JA a few months ago but he keeps flooring me by how much better he is getting at learning math.

There it is. Help appreciated. Thanks!

Emily

[wapiti]

In that case, I'd probably either (1) follow SM6 with AoPS Intro to Alg, or (2) follow SM5 with AoPS Prealgebra.

 

My own personal preference would be #2.  That's basically what I did with three of my kids (AoPS Prealgebra following MM5 and a few parts of 6).  If you've read the "wordy" reviews then you've probably run into my own opinions on that angle and what we did with it; I happen to like (love!) the prealgebra text better than Intro to Alg.

 

Don't forget that the prealgebra videos and Alcumus are both free on-line, either merely as a sample or as a supplement to another program.  You might also ask on the accelerated board.

[Luckymama]

If AoPS PreAlgebra had been ready when dd was ten, I would have started her in that during her first year as a homeschooler. As it was, we futzed around a bit with some Key to things, Patty Paper Geometry, and a very schooly pre-algebra text I got for pennies.

 

I don't think AoPS PreA is wordy. I think adults look at the book through their lens of having internalized that material decades ago, deciding that it is "too wordy". Frankly, if the kid gets the problem correct, and there isn't an alternate correct solution (or two!), I don't see the need in reading the problem explanation.

[go_go_gadget]

If AoPS PreAlgebra had been ready when dd was ten, I would have started her in that during her first year as a homeschooler. As it was, we futzed around a bit with some Key to things, Patty Paper Geometry, and a very schooly pre-algebra text I got for pennies.

 

I don't think AoPS PreA is wordy. I think adults look at the book through their lens of having internalized that material decades ago, deciding that it is "too wordy". Frankly, if the kid gets the problem correct, and there isn't an alternate correct solution (or two!), I don't see the need in reading the problem explanation.

 

All that. Also, I think AoPS has pretty high resale value, so if money's not incredibly tight, it would be worth trying without requiring full commitment in advance.

[deerforest]

DD took a very non-traditional path through elementary math. She thrived in BA, and we glued together everything else from bits of Right Start, MM, Singapore, Key to, Danica McKellar, Khan, Hands on Equations, living math, and lots of other things. 

 

I thought we'd do JA because I wanted a gentle discovery approach, but folks encouraged me to give AoPS a try, and she wanted to because she loved BA. I am working alongside her, but she is driving the lesson. She's had no problems with Chapter 1. It's all review so far, though. Since I thought we might need a bit more review once we get further in, I evaluated the programs I own.

 

I really wanted to like JA, and many people do, but I know it won't work for us. It's very text-dense and doesn't use any information design elements except for bold and numbering, which just presents too much of the same-looking info at once. DD is 2e with working memory issues, and she looked a bit panicked when I showed it to her. I wish I could post pictures because I find JA to be much more verbose than AoPS. I also feel like it never quite circles backs to the conclusion and it lacks some basic information design layout elements that would make it easier to use. I think AoPS's excellent use of design elements provides just enough consistency and scaffolding for DD. (Examples: color distinctions between problems and solutions, boxes separating problems from explanations, clear summary of important take-away message at the end of sections, good use of bold and attention getters.) (Full disclosure: I am a professional information designer with a background in cognitive/neuroscience so these things pop out to me quite obviously. These types of things are incredibly important to the way DD and I organize information in our brains.)

 

 I think it's an excellent program (in terms of content), and I never would have realized these things if I didn't have it in my hands.

 

I think that there are actually a fair number of excellent choices. MM has pre-algebra now. We also have Lial's, which I quite like too, and others have found it to be too busy (Again, I felt Lial's consistently used information design elements which made it easier for us to use.) Dolciani is a solid traditional approach. There are more choices than this and even more once you hit algebra.

 

For now, I am working with both AoPS and Lial's. I like that both will give us a solid and clear path beyond pre-algebra. Lial's is more traditional in its approach yet still includes conceptual material. 

 

I realize now how difficult it is to choose one of these just based on other people's reviews and comments. Except for AoPS, I found all the other programs for quite cheap, and I think it was really useful to be able to compare them myself with consideration of DD's learning style and my teaching style.

 

 

[EmilyGF]

 (Full disclosure: I am a professional information designer with a background in cognitive/neuroscience so these things pop out to me quite obviously. These types of things are incredibly important to the way DD and I organize information in our brains.)

 

Wow, this is me (not the design background, but the importance).

 

Could you please start consulting for certain homeschool material companies? So many layouts are terrible and really screw with my brain!

 

(I figured out why I could never deal with most CM stuff and LAYOUT is a lot of it.)

 

Emily

[zarabellesmom]

I really wanted to like JA, and many people do, but I know it won't work for us. It's very text-dense and doesn't use any information design elements except for bold and numbering, which just presents too much of the same-looking info at once. DD is 2e with working memory issues, and she looked a bit panicked when I showed it to her. I wish I could post pictures because I find JA to be much more verbose than AoPS. I also feel like it never quite circles backs to the conclusion and it lacks some basic information design layout elements that would make it easier to use. I think AoPS's excellent use of design elements provides just enough consistency and scaffolding for DD. (Examples: color distinctions between problems and solutions, boxes separating problems from explanations, clear summary of important take-away message at the end of sections, good use of bold and attention getters.) (Full disclosure: I am a professional information designer with a background in cognitive/neuroscience so these things pop out to me quite obviously. These types of things are incredibly important to the way DD and I organize information in our brains.)

 

I think it's an excellent program (in terms of content), and I never would have realized these things if I didn't have it in my hands.

 

I think that there are actually a fair number of excellent choices. MM has pre-algebra now. We also have Lial's, which I quite like too, and others have found it to be too busy (Again, I felt Lial's consistently used information design elements which made it easier for us to use.) Dolciani is a solid traditional approach. There are more choices than this and even more once you hit algebra.

 

For now, I am working with both AoPS and Lial's. I like that both will give us a solid and clear path beyond pre-algebra. Lial's is more traditional in its approach yet still includes conceptual material.

 

I realize now how difficult it is to choose one of these just based on other people's reviews and comments. Except for AoPS, I found all the other programs for quite cheap, and I think it was really useful to be able to compare them myself with consideration of DD's learning style and my teaching style.

Thank you for this review. My oldest daughter is an advanced math student with working memory issues. I've been trying to figure out what our next step would be. I think she is prepared for pre algebra and I have AoPS pre-algebra. I've been working through it. It's tough. I've also been looking into JA and have been close to making that purchase several times. I have been worried about all the text on the page in AoPS and just assumed JA was less wordy. I do agree that AOPS is very well organized and this makes the text less overwhelming. I like that they have videos and Alcumus too. You have been a big help.