If you have a speedy math student who's done AOPS Pre-Algebra, how long did it take?

[ElizaG]

I.e., approximately how many hours/week, and how many weeks.

 

I know this is very individual - just trying to get a sense of the range, in the hope of doing some sort of tentative planning.

 

(All these years in, and I still haven't given up completely on the idea of planning for the upcoming year. Not sure if that makes me optimistic, or just naive! :-) )

Edited March 7, 2016 by ElizaG

[Mykids2000]

I am curious to hear others responses as well.  

[Arcadia]

Define speedy :lol:

 

Before doing AoPS prealgebra, my kids have done a mish mash of MEP, ciphers, past CEMC math circles questions, past Canada math kangaroo papers, read The Number Devil and other stuff that I can't remember. They were interested in different topics so they started AoPS prealgebra on different footing.

 

They are just as strong/weak on geometry as they are on algebra so quite even.

 

My youngest did an hour every day including weekends and took a year. He is not my speedy kid and loves to do the bare minimum for every subject then go play legos or fiddle with electronics.

 

My oldest does not like to go by the clock so time based scheduling don't work for him. He does 30mins some days and many hours someday. He can do Alcumus the whole day and not be exhausted and not lose concentration. He took about 9 months but I have no idea how many hours he spend on the book. Both found the last few chapters easy.

[The Governess]

My Dd took an AoPS pre-algebra class as a fifth grader. Here is a breakdown of average time spent per week:

 

Read through assigned reading and try problems: 2 hours

Work additional exercises: 1-2 hours

Watch videos: 15 min

Alcumus: 45 min

Assigned challenge problems (including one one-page typed-up problem with explanation): 1.5 hours

 

So, 5.5 to 6.5 hours per week outside of class. The class runs 32 weeks, and each class is 1.25 hours. So that adds up to somewhere around 190 hours of work and 40 hours class time.

Edited March 7, 2016 by lovelearnandlive

[wapiti]

I assume you are asking about the text and not the online class?  In addition to the individual student's characteristics, it will also depend on how many challenge problems you assign.

 

For my dd, I only assigned a small selection of the end-of-chapter challenge problems.  She got through the text in roughly a school year (9 months), roughly about an hour per day.  She did not use the videos.

 

Also, FWIW, arithmetic speed may play less of a role than in other programs, though it may help with general number sense.  Depth of understanding typically will be the faster (smarter, more elegant) route to a solution.

[The Governess]

Also, FWIW, arithmetic speed may play less of a role than in other programs, though it may help with general number sense. Depth of understanding typically will be the faster (smarter, more elegant) route to a solution.

Oh, this is so true. Dd is very quick with calculations, factoring, etc., but AoPS is so deep in the way concepts are tackled that her speed wasn't was as much of an advantage as it usually is. Every problem required thought beyond just completing a calculation... or like you said, deciding first on the best approach. This year, we are using Foerster and she can whip through an algebra assignment in 20 minutes. That would not have been possible with AoPS. Foerster was a great intro to algebra for her, but we're switching back to AoPS next year.

Edited March 7, 2016 by lovelearnandlive

[Dmmetler]

About 9 months at an hour or so 4x/week-although it was more like "Keep going until you are done with a section or are obviously just plain done-so it ranged from about an hour to 2-3 at a stretch at times). 4x/week because we have one day of co-op outside of the house. However, it was her 2nd pre-algebra course, so the concepts were mostly not new-it was the application that was. AOPS algebra took about 12 months of 4-5 days a week at about 90 minutes a stretch, sometimes more. Geometry feels like it's going to take roughly forever-I'm guessing it may wrap into next school year. SO far, we've done it independently-in part because the time IS so variable. Some sections take a week, some 6 weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 7, 2016 by dmmetler

[ElizaG]

Yes, I meant the book, not the online class. He's been working independently in other math books for the last year, spending one hour/day, so I was just going to continue that. I hadn't thought about only assigning certain problems. Hmm.

 

Define speedy :lol:

 

Both quick to understand concepts, and very quick at calculating. We have some family members who would be considered "mathematically gifted," but work more methodically, at a rate that's pretty much in line with what I'd expect from reading threads on here. This child is usually at least 3x as fast. Generally the writing is what slows him down.

 

He's currently doing LOF pre-algebra at a rate of about 5 chapters/hour, with what seems to be good understanding and retention. He's very interested in the advanced math concepts that are mentioned in the books, and has done quite a lot of doodling around with them (sometimes on unapproved surfaces :-/ ). I haven't been directly involved, except for a few pointers when he got stuck on stoichiometry. Oh, and coming up with brief explanations of what we consider to be wrong with Dr. Schmidt's presentation of economics, while DS was champing at the bit wanting to finish the book. That was quite a mental workout. One of many unforgettable homeschool experiences. :-D

 

Anyway, I guess we'll see if this is enough to slow him down in a big way. It sounds as if that's the case for most strong math students.

[Dmmetler]

FWIW, DD did LOF Fractions, Decimals and Percents, and both LOF PA books, plus all 10 books of Key to Algebra the year before doing AOPS PA over 9 months. So, yeah, she slowed down a LOT with AOPS.

[Arcadia]

Both quick to understand concepts, and very quick at calculating. We have some family members who would be considered "mathematically gifted," but work more methodically, at a rate that's pretty much in line with what I'd expect from reading threads on here. This child is usually at least 3x as fast. Generally the writing is what slows him down.

 

Have you gotten him an Alcumus account?  That would probably give you a good gauge of his pace. My oldest is fast in concepts and computation. However math is not his passion and he loves dabbling in everything so he only does math fast when he is stalled on everything else.

[AEC]

DD did it @ age 11 in 4 months (18 weeks, I think it was).  She did 1-1.5hrs a day, very occasionally a bit more, 5-6 days a week.  She basically did a chapter a week.  She's not persistent enough to just sit and stare at a problem type she's never seen till she figures it out, so for those chapters where the sequence of problems isn't enough to lead you to the right approach I'd 'teach' it.  I suspect that helped with timeline - I know there are kids who will in fact just wrestle with a problem for days....I do not have one of those.

 

FWIW - she did the alcumus for each section almost immediately after the section.  She skipped the Challenge problems for each chapter, then went back through them starting with Ch1 once she'd finished the book.  I think it was pretty good review, actually.

 

ETA: we 'taught' the grey-box questions at the start of several chapters, like a classroom would - I'm totally in agreement that the problems/exercises should be left to the student.  I think it comes down to wether you have a kid who's into the discovery presentation or not.

Edited March 8, 2016 by AEC

[ElizaG]

Thanks for the suggestion of Alcumus. At this stage, he seems to do best with very limited electronics, and I'm especially hesitant to sign him up for a site with discussion forums, but I'll look into it. :-)

[Arcadia]

At this stage, he seems to do best with very limited electronics

 

Has he tried the past years AMC8 questions?  Those do not have algebra yet. The link is to a teacher's webpage with problems and solutions in pdf format.

http://www.wayzata.k12.mn.us/Page/10845

[MrSmith]

I tortured my kid for 45 minutes a day 5 days a week for 15 months: ~225 hours. But he did every single problem in that book.

[ikuradesuka]

My dd (almost 11) is doing a chapter every other week, about an hour a day.  Some weeks take a little longer, and she is doing every problem.  I'm not teaching anything except to give her a bit of a hint which direction to be thinking when she gets really stuck.  She went through Singapore about a semester a month, 20-30 minutes a day.  She was hoping to do both AOPS pre-algebra and algebra before she turns 12, but I think it's going to take her more like 9 months each.

 

ETA:  It's been really good for her to struggle and have to think really hard, but her fast computation/conceptual understanding skills have made it possible to not be extremely frustrated.  I am considering letting her go through another algebra program afterwards to rebuild her confidence a bit.

Edited March 8, 2016 by ikuradesuka

[MASHomeschooler]

My oldest took right about a school year (late 3rd to late 4th), about 1 hour/day 5 days/week. My son (3rd grade) is on track to do about the same. Definitely slowed them down. :) They do all the problems and exercises, and half the review and challenge.

[igbu]

Our two boys have taken the Pre-A and Pre-B classes.  On average 6.5-8 hours/wk in total depending on subject and difficulty of a particular week.  Sometimes we would do 1-1.5 a day or on occasion when they were in the "zone" we would 2 or 3 hours over the course of a morning and make great headway on a particular subject.

 

After 32 weeks of Pre Alg, we opted for the MathCOUNTs/AMC-8 class in order to take a small break.  It requires little less time, but will keep them challenged.  

 

I agree with others who have mentioned that beyond the great curriculum the benefit of having to work hard, become resilient, use all your mathematical "tools" in order to solve certain problems and explain in writing your thinking is absolutely wonderful.  They are learning skills will beyond pre-algebra.

[LisaKinVA]

Four Months (she had already done the LoF Prealgebra books prior).  I expected her to complete it in 9 months...I was wrong.