Did you do anything to prepare YOURSELF for teaching AOPS?

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I'm still a couple of years out, but am wondering if there is something I should do to prepare for AOPS.  

 

I have no fear of the math itself, I'm a STEM major and taught math in another life.  But I've never experienced the AOPS approach.  

 

Any suggestions?  

 

Also, I see such mixed reviews on the Pre-Alg.  Would you skip these books and use something else, or go for them to get used to the AOPS approach? 

[8filltheheart]

I never taught AoPS. Ds took the online classes or had Kathy in Richmond as a tutor. That gave him access to a teacher to ask for guidance. (Neither gave answers or direct explanations, only questions to consider.) AoPS is written to the student and doesn't "teach" like a traditional text like Foerster's.

 

Ds jumped into AoPS after alg 2 without difficulty. Foerster's provided him with the foundation he needed, but he is a very strong math student. My dd is a strong math student and she strongly disliked AoPS when she tried it for alg 1, so she stuck with traditional texts.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I never taught AoPS. Ds took the online classes or had Kathy in Richmond as a tutor. That gave him access to a teacher to ask for guidance. (Neither gave answers or direct explanations, only questions to consider.) AoPS is written to the student and doesn't "teach" like a traditional text like Foerster's.

 

Ds jumped into AoPS after alg 2 without difficulty. Foerster's provided him with the foundation he needed, but he is a very strong math student. My dd is a strong math student and she strongly disliked AoPS when she tried it for alg 1, so she stuck with traditional texts.

 

Thank you  for the info.  I've been looking at Forrester's as well... it seems like I could teach it very well.  Not so sure about AoPS, might be one of those cases where I will need to buy both texts...  :-)  

 

So your son started AoPS with pre-calc (after Alg 2)?

[8filltheheart]

no, he took alg 3. He took C&P simultaneously with Foerster's alg 2, but alg 3 was where he jumped into just AoPS.

[Slache]

Have to you consisted going through them yourself? I'm asking for the pre-algebra book for Christmas.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Have to you consisted going through them yourself? I'm asking for the pre-algebra book for Christmas.

On my list of possible options!

[idnib]

I'm ordering the book to pre-read it. I'm also comfortable teaching math, and I never pre-read any Singapore stuff, but for AOPS I've decided to. 

[Arcadia]

I buy the books a month before my kids need to use them and read the books like story books. I also try some questions on Alcumus with my kids.

 

ETA:

I read through so that I have an idea on pacing for DS9, my daydreamer.

[SilverMoon]

You could play on Alcumus if you want to get familiar with AoPS methods. It's not as meaty as the textbooks, but it gets the gist across.

 

Personally finishing a prealg lesson with my DS is enough to make my brain hurt and I don't invite more than that. :tongue_smilie: DS has *really* grown from using the prealg book though, in more ways than just math. I don't regret using it with him at all, and I hope he stays in the series.

[Penelope]

I bought the books ahead and read over them. I didn't work many problems, but did review a few topics from algebra that I didn't remember clearly enough.

[lewelma]

AoPS is written to the student.  So my student did it independently from the beginning (intro Algebra). 

 

Here is a quote from EoO that is worth thinking about:

 

 

 

The Challenge problems mainly require looping.  The student has to apply previous knowledge gained, and supposedly mastered, in the previous chapters to complete the problem.  In this way, they are what create any spiral review.

 

I think this mainly depends on if you are wanting to continue using AoPS.  Each of the books is set up similarly, with the simpler problems leading quite directly through the discovery method into the theory based problems, and then asking for application of such theory from generalization into specific instances.  When a child is younger, doing that with a parent, or being gently steered works well.  As they get further and further, the parent should be pulling back more and more.  If you want your child to adequately be able to self educate later, then having them learn how to learn now is important.  The challenge and review problems do that.  They create a scenario where the student is having to self teach, self tend, and self assess their own knowledge.  It has nothing to do with math.  It has everything to do with self evaluation.  What do you want your child to learn from the program?  Are you wanting them to learn math or critical thinking?

 

Very small amounts of the Art of Problem Solving are actually about math.  This is the largest misconception of the program.  Most all of it is about the student learning how to learn, how to question, how to assess, how to hypothesize, how to ask questions and evaluate answers, etc.  It is a critical thinking program wrapped up in math.  That is why it is called the Art of Problem Solving, not the Art of Math. 

[Paige]

I just looked through the geometry book for DS and while I had been apprehensive about it before seeing it, I think it will be fine. IMO, the book has very clear explanations written to the student and so any parent who has a strong math background can catch on to what may have been forgotten. 

 

I think it will be challenging for DS, and perhaps me as I help, but as I go over the problems, even the hard ones, and read through the text and solution key, I'm getting a feeling of, "Oh....Now, I remember, of course..." It's not that hard, IMO. 

[daijobu]

Starting in Geometry I needed to do the challenge problems at the end of the chapter ahead of time.  It saved us all a bunch of time, rather than having to read slowly and carefully through the solutions for the first time with dd waiting not so patiently at my side.  The same is true for Intermediate Algebra.  

[Targhee]

I don't teach AoPS.  The books teach. Really, the books are excellent teachers.  

 

I did look over the format, worked alongside my dd in her first few sections of preA, and then helped her set up a structure for the rest of the book. She did problems and solutions one day, watched video and did exercises the next, and then for the chapter summary and review/challenge problems she had two or three days to work them depending on the length.

 

Then in Intro to Algebra she started online classes.

[Guest schradeline]

I'm asking for the pre-algebra book for Christmas. 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

AoPS is written to the student.  So my student did it independently from the beginning (intro Algebra). 

 

Here is a quote from EoO that is worth thinking about:

 

 

Starting in Geometry I needed to do the challenge problems at the end of the chapter ahead of time.  It saved us all a bunch of time, rather than having to read slowly and carefully through the solutions for the first time with dd waiting not so patiently at my side.  The same is true for Intermediate Algebra.  

 

 

Thanks to all for the tips!  I quoted a few of you who have used AoPS to ask another question...

Where to the CP and NT books fit in?  Are they optional?  Do they take less than a full year?  How does it all fit together so that a student isn't spending four years in algebra?  :-)  

 

 

I don't teach AoPS.  The books teach. Really, the books are excellent teachers.  

 

I did look over the format, worked alongside my dd in her first few sections of preA, and then helped her set up a structure for the rest of the book. She did problems and solutions one day, watched video and did exercises the next, and then for the chapter summary and review/challenge problems she had two or three days to work them depending on the length.

 

Then in Intro to Algebra she started online classes.

[8filltheheart]

If they take the online classes, the pace is fast. The upper level books are completed in 18-24 weeks. The other books are optional. I personally wouldn't call their intermediate alg book optional even though it does cover some non- standard topics.

 

We didn't discover AoPS until ds was 1/2 way through 8th grade. Between 2nd semester of 8th and 10th he took C&P, alg 3, pre-cal, and cal. He never took any of their NT courses and he had already taken geo by the time we discovered AoPS.

 

Fwiw, ds attributes both Foerster's and AoPS for his strength in math and physics. Jumping in mid-stream was fine for him, but that might be a chicken/egg scenario bc he is a very strong math student.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

If they take the online classes, the pace is fast. The upper level books are completed in 18-24 weeks. The other books are optional. I personally wouldn't call their intermediate alg book optional even though it does cover some non- standard topics.

 

We didn't discover AoPS until ds was 1/2 way through 8th grade. Between 2nd semester of 8th and 10th he took C&P, alg 3, pre-cal, and cal. He never took any of their NT courses and he had already taken geo by the time we discovered AoPS.

 

Fwiw, ds attributes both Foerster's and AoPS for his strength in math and physics. Jumping in mid-stream was fine for him, but that might be a chicken/egg scenario bc he is a very strong math student.

 

My main concern is not strength, but maturity.  I expect ds to be in pre-alg in 5.5-6thish grade.  I am not sure he will be ready to self-teach at that point, and I'm not sure how he'll be doing with ability to handle frustration.  I am tempted to do Forrester's pre-alg first, so that I can continue direct teaching, then transition into AoPS Alg.  The AoPS site lists the intro geometry book as their hardest book, so I'm not sure I want to jump in at that level.  

 

My other thought is to continue SM 7 and 8, then go to AoPS geometry then Alg 2.  

 

SM 6 is supposedly optional.  So that's another thing to consider.  So many things to consider!  I appreciate this thread.  

[daijobu]

 I am not sure he will be ready to self-teach at that point, and I'm not sure how he'll be doing with ability to handle frustration.  

 

 The AoPS site lists the intro geometry book as their hardest book, so I'm not sure I want to jump in at that level.  

 

 

 

My dd14 has only recently begun to self-teach using the Intermediate Algebra book, but up to now, she's hasn't studied and of the AoPS texts without my teaching.  Part of that is her academic maturity, and partly she's just social and doesn't like to study alone.  But we do both problems and exercises in one day, and spend about a week on end of chapter review and challenge problems.  

 

FWIW I vote for Intermediate Algebra (especially the polynomials section) as the most difficult AoPS text so far.  Geometry was way easier.  

[SanDiegoMom]

My son, a daydreamer, did a run through Jousting Armadillos before tackling PreA. So most of the topics are familiar to him- he can get through the basics easily. We have been cheating a little bit also- he watches every video before he tackles the solutions. The videos teach him everything except how to do the challenge problems, which really do stretch him. I think if it were all brand new material AND he did the problems first (i.e. the discovery method) he would be frustrated, mostly due to his age. Adjusting to the level of difficulty was enough for this past year. We just started up after a summer break (he just finished chapter 10) and I've noticed a big leap in maturity. The daydreaming has dropped and the ability to cope with frustration is much higher. An age thing I'm sure. (and possibly going off a medication which I'm convinced caused a lot of ADHD type symptoms this year, but that's a completely different thread:-))

[lewelma]

My main concern is not strength, but maturity.  I expect ds to be in pre-alg in 5.5-6thish grade.  I am not sure he will be ready to self-teach at that point, and I'm not sure how he'll be doing with ability to handle frustration.  I am tempted to do Forrester's pre-alg first, so that I can continue direct teaching, then transition into AoPS Alg.  The AoPS site lists the intro geometry book as their hardest book, so I'm not sure I want to jump in at that level.  

 

My other thought is to continue SM 7 and 8, then go to AoPS geometry then Alg 2.  

 

SM 6 is supposedly optional.  So that's another thing to consider.  So many things to consider!  I appreciate this thread.  

 

My suggestion would be to skip SM6, 7, and 8.  6 is a repeat of 5 and only advances topics a little bit.  7 and 8 are not as good as I wanted them to be, and I am not the only one on this board who thinks that. I tried to use them with my younger and had to abandon them. Because 7 and 8 cover similar material to AoPS PreA, I would start witih PreA and plan to work on it *with* him, with the goal of by the end of the book having him working more independently and beginning to self teach.  IntroA has 5 chapters that really go back over PreA just a lot faster and with some more difficult challengers, so that would be the perfect time to really let him self teach.  His self teaching skills would have been built up to it with PreA with your guidance, and he would have also covered the material at a lighter level when he first starts self-teaching.  But I would still expect self teaching to slow him down for a bit.

 

And remember that self teaching absolutely includes reading the solution manual and comparing your answers to theirs, which includes learning about other ways to do the same problem.  It also includes learning how to write an answer with proper workings, and keeping track of what you missed with a plan for going back over it. It also includes keeping to a plan. Self teaching is a massive skill, but incredibly important.  My older ds learned it on his own with tears of frustration (because that is how he had to do it), and my younger is very resistant to learning how to do it at all.  But either way it is worth the hard slog to get there.

 

Ruth in NZ

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

My suggestion would be to skip SM6, 7, and 8.  6 is a repeat of 5 and only advances topics a little bit.  7 and 8 are not as good as I wanted them to be, and I am not the only one on this board who thinks that. I tried to use them with my younger and had to abandon them. Because 7 and 8 cover similar material to AoPS PreA, I would start witih PreA and plan to work on it *with* him, with the goal of by the end of the book having him working more independently and beginning to self teach.  IntroA has 5 chapters that really go back over PreA just a lot faster and with some more difficult challengers, so that would be the perfect time to really let him self teach.  His self teaching skills would have been built up to it with PreA with your guidance, and he would have also covered the material at a lighter level when he first starts self-teaching.  But I would still expect self teaching to slow him down for a bit.

 

And remember that self teaching absolutely includes reading the solution manual and comparing your answers to theirs, which includes learning about other ways to do the same problem.  It also includes learning how to write an answer with proper workings, and keeping track of what you missed with a plan for going back over it. It also includes keeping to a plan. Self teaching is a massive skill, but incredibly important.  My older ds learned it on his own with tears of frustration (because that is how he had to do it), and my younger is very resistant to learning how to do it at all.  But either way it is worth the hard slog to get there.

 

Ruth in NZ

 

I appreciate you weighing in!  I know that SM6 is considered optional, but I'm guessing that we will need it.  My plan is just to move through relatively quickly and aim for depth of understanding rather than any real new material.  I think he will need the additional time.  He is a strong math student, but not a self-motivated one at this point, so I'm hoping an extra half year might be beneficial.  But again, I've got about a  year to watch him grow and see what happens before I'll need to decide. :-)  

 

It's good to know that SM7 and 8 might not be worth the trouble.  I was debating on continuing with them, then joining AoPS in int alg, but if AoPS pre-alg is superior, I will go that route.  I had heard previously that pre-alg was AoPS weakest book, so I was willing to not use it, but I will keep in mind that SM7-8 are not particularly great either.  haha!  I think we will aim for AoPS pre-alg, with Forrester's in reserve in case we need a mother year of trule "lecture style" math at that point.

[lewelma]

After the SM7 fail, I switched to MEP with my younger.  Never looked back.

[Roadrunner]

I have one aops kid and one most likely a non-aops kid. In this house if you can do aops independently and solve the majority of problems without my help, you are an aops kid. That describes my older. If you need constant hand holding, you aren't an aops kid. That's my second. I was planning on using SM 7 and 8 with my second boy. I have never heard that those levels were weak. In fact I read workbooks were super tough and the closest thing to aops in terms of challenge. Can anybody tell me why SM 7 and 8 isn't good?

[Targhee]

The suggested order is preA, Intro to Alg in parallel with CP and NT, then Geometry for the introductory books.  We did preA, Alg A online, Alg B and then will do Geom.  We may circle back to CP or NT but not sure yet.

[lewelma]

I have one aops kid and one most likely a non-aops kid. In this house if you can do aops independently and solve the majority of problems without my help, you are an aops kid. That describes my older. If you need constant hand holding, you aren't an aops kid. That's my second. I was planning on using SM 7 and 8 with my second boy. I have never heard that those levels were weak. In fact I read workbooks were super tough and the closest thing to aops in terms of challenge. Can anybody tell me why SM 7 and 8 isn't good?

 

The problem we had with SM7 is that it was too hard without enough time spent on each topic or enough explanation give about each topic. And sometimes there was too much time spent on a topic.  It was just very uneven.  It felt like either a survey book or a review book: like my ds(11) was already supposed to know the information. AoPS moves fast, but there is the whole discovery aspect which develops progressively.  SM just felt like things were thrown at us without proper development.  The other person I know of who had to quite SM7&8 was crimsonwife. So you could ask her for her opinion too. 

 

Ruth in NZ

 

ETA: DS(11) just read this and said "unless I ask you a *ton* of questions, I just won't remember it."

[madteaparty]

I don't know whether we are talking about the same Singapore materials, but they do not strike me as easy. For some ungodly reason we are sticking with Aops through algebra, but I have all the Singapore and fondle them wistfully often. AoPS has not been good for me, I can't tell whether it has been good for DS. Singapore seems the same level of difficulty only in a rather streamlined manner with less words. Clearly wiser people disagree but wanted to add my data point here :)

AOPS prealgebra (done in 5th grade for my non math gifted kid)was a horror show here. We finished it with huge amounts of relationship cost and I had Forrester ready for some rehabilitation when DS insisted on the aops algebra class. I have to say this has been easy going by comparison. I still don't think it is right for us and when DS returns from France we will do algebra over.

The one negative I can say about Singapore is that the solutions (I bought the solution books too) don't read like solutions to me, more like just answers. Aops solutions are solid. I'm not a math person so I need all the solutions, all the time.

[Roadrunner]

I ordered SM workbooks for grade 8 to supplement Aops, namely to do some extra work on solving simultaneous equations.

 

I was really hoping SM was going to be the answer for my youngest.

[lewelma]

I don't know whether we are talking about the same Singapore materials, but they do not strike me as easy. For some ungodly reason we are sticking with Aops through algebra, but I have all the Singapore and fondle them wistfully often. AoPS has not been good for me, I can't tell whether it has been good for DS. Singapore seems the same level of difficulty only in a rather streamlined manner with less words. Clearly wiser people disagree but wanted to add my data point here :)

 

I agree that Singapore 7&8 are challenging. Sorry if my post wasn't clear.  My younger and I just found that they were challenging in a way that assumed too much previous knowledge and had too little in developing ideas and problem solving skills for the level of problems that were given.  So it was like the problem sets were too hard for the level of teaching.  We went to Singapore 7 from Singapore 6, and the jump was too great.  Perhaps now that we have done MEP 8, we can go back to Singapore 7.  

 

Ruth in NZ

[madteaparty]

I agree that Singapore 7&8 are challenging. Sorry if my post wasn't clear. My younger and I just found that they were challenging in a way that assumed too much previous knowledge and had too little in developing ideas and problem solving skills for the level of problems that were given. So it was like the problem sets were too hard for the level of teaching. We went to Singapore 7 from Singapore 6, and the jump was too great. Perhaps now that we have done MEP 8, we can go back to Singapore 7.

 

Ruth in NZ

Agree with that. Good for a supplement.

[Roadrunner]

I agree that Singapore 7&8 are challenging. Sorry if my post wasn't clear.  My younger and I just found that they were challenging in a way that assumed too much previous knowledge and had too little in developing ideas and problem solving skills for the level of problems that were given.  So it was like the problem sets were too hard for the level of teaching.  We went to Singapore 7 from Singapore 6, and the jump was too great.  Perhaps now that we have done MEP 8, we can go back to Singapore 7.  

 

Ruth in NZ

 

Yikes. Off to read the pre algebra fence straddlers master tread, which I managed to avoid the first time. :)

[regentrude]

The books are written TO the student, to be used without a teacher. Everything a good teacher would say is written out in the book.

There is nothing to "teach" - the book takes care of that.

[Arcadia]

A child may come up with a different solution than what the solution manual or work example says.

 

While the parent doesn't need to teach, it is nice for the child to have someone as a sounding board whether that someone is a sibling, a peer, parent or tutor.

 

DS10 is discussing an intermediate algebra question using his online class chat after class is over. The kids stay back to discuss homework online. I'm surprised the aops folks let the kids use the classroom chat until more than 4hrs after class.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

The books are written TO the student, to be used without a teacher. Everything a good teacher would say is written out in the book.

There is nothing to "teach" - the book takes care of that.

 

I know that is the principle and goal behind AoPS, but this will be the first "teach yourself form the book" work my son will do in math, so I expect him to need regular coaching, especially early on in Pre-A.  

[wapiti]

The kids stay back to discuss homework online. I'm surprised the aops folks let the kids use the classroom chat until more than 4hrs after class.

 

Since the site was re-vamped, the classroom is always available, anytime.

[Arcadia]

Since the site was re-vamped, the classroom is always available, anytime.

My kids are going to be so happy. Online study groups :)

[Spy Car]

I'm still a couple of years out, but am wondering if there is something I should do to prepare for AOPS.  

 

I have no fear of the math itself, I'm a STEM major and taught math in another life.  But I've never experienced the AOPS approach.  

 

Any suggestions?  

 

Also, I see such mixed reviews on the Pre-Alg.  Would you skip these books and use something else, or go for them to get used to the AOPS approach? 

 

I tried as much as possible to read ahead. I had a big lead time. The AoPS Prealgebra book was a Christmas gift to me years back with the idea I'd master it first, then my son would use it. I was diligent for a while, then without the immediate pressure I slacked off.

 

This summer we took on Pre-A in a Bataan Death March style. Roughly 12 pages (about two topics) a day. It was brutal, but great.

 

I tried to read ahead (when possible) the next days work, but there were times when my mind was fried.

 

It is a hard book. It would be better to take it at a pace, rather than the cruel way I chose :D

 

But the boy is starting an accelerated Math Academy (today is his 3rd day of school) and I wanted to be done, as he'll have plenty of homework without daddy-homework.

 

I think he got a lot out of Pre-A. It is an amazing program IMO. I read that it is relatively harder than the Algebra book (for my sake I pray it is true  :p )

 

The videos that go with the course (available under "Resources" on the AoPS website) are invaluable. Do watch them. Sometimes we watched them before we read the corresponding lesson, sometime we watched them after. Not sure which is best. 

 

No "mixed review" from me. Except to say it is a hard enough course that it would not be appropriate for everyone. But if you fit the niche AoPS was designed to fill, it is an amazing program. It was everything I hoped for all these years.

 

Bill (who will be asking for AoPS Algebra at Xmas  :willy_nilly:  )

[Spy Car]

My main concern is not strength, but maturity.  I expect ds to be in pre-alg in 5.5-6thish grade.  I am not sure he will be ready to self-teach at that point, and I'm not sure how he'll be doing with ability to handle frustration.  I am tempted to do Forrester's pre-alg first, so that I can continue direct teaching, then transition into AoPS Alg.  The AoPS site lists the intro geometry book as their hardest book, so I'm not sure I want to jump in at that level.  

 

My other thought is to continue SM 7 and 8, then go to AoPS geometry then Alg 2.  

 

SM 6 is supposedly optional.  So that's another thing to consider.  So many things to consider!  I appreciate this thread.  

 

There is no way in the world that my kid would have had the maturity to do AoPS alone this summer (at 10 turning 11).

 

I wish it were otherwise, but he's a boy-boy who is distractible and needs the camaraderie and support of a class or a parent to tackle a program this daunting. Intellectually? No problem. He did the work. But it would have been to much to ask him to have done it alone. Some kids are much more mature/focused/what-have-you.

 

AoPS is written to the student. Brilliantly so. A student could do this as self-study if they have the inner drive, discipline, and focus. 

 

Bill

 

BTW:  Because of the way AoPS is written, with humor and interesting problems (complete with great solutions), it is a fun program to do as a math partner with ones child. I enjoyed the experience and am glad not to have missed it, while looking forward to the day where he matures enough to proceed on his own.

[sassenach]

I'm asking for the pre-algebra book for Christmas.

Things homeschoolers say. And Bill.

 

Thanks for this thread. We're heading into pre A this fall. Prereading the text, I already love the way it's written. We also have tablet class on hand, and Dolciani. I'm planning on dipping into other resources as needed.

[Roadrunner]

I think he got a lot out of Pre-A. It is an amazing program IMO. I read that it is relatively harder than the Algebra book (for my sake I pray it i true :p )

)

The first four chapters of algebra are ridiculously easy. However now that we are past chapter five, I can tell you that's a myth. Algebra book is not easier than preA by a long shot.

[SeaConquest]

Slightly OT, but a question about the online classes. How much time did your DC spend on math outside of the class? Especially if your child started AOPS classes at a young age. I am curious about how much time to leave in the schedule for math outside of the online courses.

[8filltheheart]

We didn't even figure class into his "math time"!! Ds was 13/14 when he took his first AOPS course. I can't really remember clearly back that far, but I am guessing 2 hrs a day avg would have been normal for most of the classes he took. Some days longer. Some days shorter. It really just mattered whether or not there was a problem stumping him or not. He might go out and shoot hoops or go for a run and come in bursting with excitement and grab a pencil to write something down. Does that time factor in to math time???? He often puzzled over certain problems for hrs while doing other things. ;)

[Arcadia]

Slightly OT, but a question about the online classes. How much time did your DC spend on math outside of the class? Especially if your child started AOPS classes at a young age.

 

It depends on which of my boys you are asking :)  We (kids & I) choose the June start date for their online classes because it is hard to gauge how much time they would need outside of class.

DS10 has an "appointment" for an online study group today made up of people from his online class. 

 

ETA:

They are also taking two classes concurrently and I don't really keep time on how much time they spend on geometry and how much on algebra.

[Spy Car]

The first four chapters of algebra are ridiculously easy. However now that we are past chapter five, I can tell you that's a myth. Algebra book is not easier than preA by a long shot.

 

Drat! :D

 

Bill

[lewelma]

The first four chapters of algebra are ridiculously easy. However now that we are past chapter five, I can tell you that's a myth. Algebra book is not easier than preA by a long shot.

 

Oh dear, I believe I started the myth.  I was misunderstood.  

 

I believe that the first 5 chapters of IntroA are better written that the similar chapters in PreA. They did have different writers.  I think that in IntroA the concepts are written in a less theoretical way, so it makes the same material easier to master.  My ds took 9 months to get through the first 5 chapters in IntroA because he was basically using it as a PreA program.  But because the material was discussed in a less esoteric manner and with fewer words, it was something that he could read on his own. So he was able to use the books as written and develop the ability to self teach and self assess.  I do not think he could have done that with PreA.  So in my view, IntroA is written for the student to self teach, but PreA requires a teacher.  

 

Ruth in NZ

[Roadrunner]

Oh dear, I believe I started the myth. I was misunderstood.

 

I believe that the first 5 chapters of IntroA are better written that the similar chapters in PreA; they did have different writers. I think that in IntroA the concepts are written in a less theoretical way, so it makes the same material easier to master. My ds took 9 months to get through the first 5 chapters in IntroA because he was basically using it as a PreA program. But because the material was discussed in a less esoteric manner and with fewer words, it was something that he could read on his own. So he was able to use the books as written and develop the ability to self teach and self assess. I do not think he could have done that with PreA. So in my view, IntroA is written for the student to self teach, but PreA requires a teacher.

 

Ruth in NZ

Having completed preA, the first four chapters of algebra are complete review with easier problems than what we did in preA. I think the difficulty begins to ramp up in chapter 5. You aren't the only one who commented that algebra appears easier than preA. I read two threads with others claiming the same. :)

[Spy Car]

I like the sound of easier. The sound of ramp up, not so much.

 

Using myth as a synonym for falsehood, even less :D

 

Bill 

[Targhee]

Slightly OT, but a question about the online classes. How much time did your DC spend on math outside of the class? Especially if your child started AOPS classes at a young age. I am curious about how much time to leave in the schedule for math outside of the online courses.

My DD is a math lover, and great problem solver, but a generally slow worker (ADHD related struggles). And she really liked playing around with the latex programming to make her written solutions polished. She spent 60-120 minutes on math 5 days a week in the Alg classes.

[madteaparty]

The first four chapters of algebra are ridiculously easy. However now that we are past chapter five, I can tell you that's a myth. Algebra book is not easier than preA by a long shot.

Ha. I still disagree (chapter 8 veteran ;)). Dramatically harder than the ramp-up, but I must have PTSD from pre-algebra myself ;)