Stibalfamily Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 I get the sense that Beast Academy is for normal to gifted math students and not for struggling learners. Is that a correct assumption? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 (edited) Yes, that is correct. I don’t believe the arithmetic itself is especially challenging in Beast, but it includes a heavy dose of logic problems that are unlike any other math program I’ve seen. The logic problems are woven into the arithmetic, and that’s where the challenge comes from. It also has a lower amount of practice/repetition than other programs, which is a challenge even for some gifted learners. Edited February 6, 2018 by Jackie 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fralala Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 On grade level, it is definitely for gifted students. However, if your goal is building enthusiasm for math with the comic book format and problems that show the depth of just what math can be (and as long as you're not leaving a child on her own with these problems, but approaching them as an opportunity for math talk and teamwork), I just think the books are amazing. And many of us use the books a year (or more!) behind where our children are according to grade for these purposes. But yes, definitely not as a sole curriculum. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyroo Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 On grade level, it is definitely for gifted students. However, if your goal is building enthusiasm for math with the comic book format and problems that show the depth of just what math can be (and as long as you're not leaving a child on her own with these problems, but approaching them as an opportunity for math talk and teamwork), I just think the books are amazing. And many of us use the books a year (or more!) behind where our children are according to grade for these purposes. But yes, definitely not as a sole curriculum. :iagree: We use Beast several years behind Math Mammoth to make sure that foundational skills are really rock solid. For example, my second son is half way through MM4, so clearly he has a strong grasp of place value, but he is just now finishing up Beast 2A and think he got a TON out of it, especially the place value chapter. It just made him think about the topic in such deep, challenging, unique ways. Since he is almost done with 2A, I've had to decide whether to wait for 2B to come out. I'm sure DS could handle jumping right to 3A, but I've decided to have him go through 2B first because I think that will allow him to really focus on the thinking and problem solving without getting bogged down by any new concepts or arithmetic. With my strong math students I end up sitting and puzzling through some of the challenge questions in Beast. I think with a weaker math student I would probably need to provide even more support, but even requiring a lot of help, I think they would be learning a lot from Beast. Wendy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 I have a reluctant math student, and we're slowly going through 2A while he's in 3rd grade in regular school. It's starting to sink in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellifera33 Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 (edited) My kiddo who has dyscalculia enjoys Beast. We work a level or two down, we pick and choose which problems to do, and we do a bit of review every day so that he doesn’t lose skills. I don’t expect him to retain everything in BA, but the deep and thinky approach helps him to retain the basic concepts. Edited to add that I sit with him while he works on it, and we frequently discuss/brainstorm approaches to the problems. It’s definitely not an independent program for him. Edited February 8, 2018 by mellifera33 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakelly Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 We stopped trying to slog through the workbook and do the written parts. Now we just read it together, and I feel like he still gets a ton out of it without the frustration and crying. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah0000 Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Well I'm the odd one out. I think it's pretty traditional and not particularly challenging compared to some of the other math stuff we do. I find Miquon more challenging than BA for instance. But BA is more interesting to my son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sk8ermaiden Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 It is uniquely challenging, but I think the text/comic books explain the topics in engaging, colorful, wonderful ways. They are excellent for my visual learner, who is ahead in math, but her friends who are on grade level or behind benefit from reading the textbooks as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnlikelyHomeschoolingMama Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 It is not traditional by any means (coming from a mama who uses Abeka in early years and then Saxon). Those are nuts and bolts arithmetic. BA has my 4th grade DD looking at math a completely different way. She is in 5th grade Saxon but is doing BA 3 alongside it. It is a great supplement and we really enjoy it but it is harder than a typical 3rd grade math curriculum. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.