it is just a bit disorienting...

[Noreen Claire]

My eight year old (3rd grader, all assigned subjects are on grade level) has, in the past 6 weeks, taught himself the Pythagorean Theorem, how to solve quadratic equations using factoring, special right triangles, and basic trigonometry. He eats, sleeps, and breathes math lately. He loves math books. I'm constantly shocked by what new concepts comes out of his mouth. 

Maybe it is because I am simultaneously teaching many of these same subjects to my 6th grader (AoPS intro to algebra) and my college classes (remedial algebra and college geometry for non-math students), but this just....seems like a lot for an 8yr old, even a very bright one. It is honestly a bit disorienting.

This can't keep up at this pace, can it? Has anyone else been in this situation? I feel completely unprepared for this kid as he gets older. I have a B.S. in math, and he's likely going to be past my abilities during middle school. *wimpers*

Edited October 30, 2020 by Noreen Claire
clarity

[SeaConquest]

1 hour ago, Noreen Claire said:

My eight year old (3rd grader, all assigned subjects are on grade level) has, in the past 6 weeks, taught himself the Pythagorean Theorem, how to solve quadratic equations using factoring, special right triangles, and basic trigonometry. He eats, sleeps, and breathes math lately. He loves math books. I'm constantly shocked by what new concepts comes out of his mouth. 

Maybe it is because I am simultaneously teaching many of these same subjects to my 6th grader (AoPS intro to algebra), my college freshman (remedial algebra), and my college upperclassmen (college geometry for non-math students), but this just....seems like a lot for an 8yr old, even a very bright one. It is honestly a bit disorienting.

This can't keep up at this pace, can it? Has anyone else been in this situation? I feel completely unprepared for this kid as he gets older. I have a B.S. in math, and he's likely going to be past my abilities during middle school. *wimpers*

Your little one has always been super ahead in math. I would expect that it will continue, mama. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I never had one of those math obsessed kids, so AoPS was enough to slow my kid down, but I think you will probably have to use local universities or math tutors. You will cross that bridge when you get to it; you can do it!

[wendyroo]

1 hour ago, Noreen Claire said:

My eight year old (3rd grader, all assigned subjects are on grade level) has, in the past 6 weeks, taught himself the Pythagorean Theorem, how to solve quadratic equations using factoring, special right triangles, and basic trigonometry. He eats, sleeps, and breathes math lately. He loves math books. I'm constantly shocked by what new concepts comes out of his mouth. 

Maybe it is because I am simultaneously teaching many of these same subjects to my 6th grader (AoPS intro to algebra), my college freshman (remedial algebra), and my college upperclassmen (college geometry for non-math students), but this just....seems like a lot for an 8yr old, even a very bright one. It is honestly a bit disorienting.

This can't keep up at this pace, can it? Has anyone else been in this situation? I feel completely unprepared for this kid as he gets older. I have a B.S. in math, and he's likely going to be past my abilities during middle school. *wimpers*

My oldest is very mathy. He devoured the Murderous Maths books in early elementary and was constantly learning about new advanced math topics.

He is 11 now and he still adores math. He reads math, watches math, plays math, devours math. Ironically, since he is so self-motivated with regard to math, this school year he is doing very little formal math. Last year he finished algebra, and I proposed devoting this year to Spanish, guitar and programming and just "recreational" math. He is working his way through AOPS Intro to Counting and Probability (and next Intro to Number Theory)...but only once a week. He is also watching various math course on Great Courses Plus...and voluntarily completing the problem sets.

I didn't encourage this path necessarily to slow him down, but rather to give him a year to solidify his skills, discover connections, and broaden his horizons. (Plus, Covid put us in a unique position to capitalize on more extensive Spanish, guitar and programming opportunities than in a normal year.) One of the Great Courses lectures he is working through is James Tanton's Geometry, so I expect that next year (7th grade) he will cruise through a standard geometry course. I also expect algebra 2 will be relatively quick because he already has had a lot of exposure to that material. I am considering encouraging another solidifying/broadening year in 8th grade as a last hurrah before high school.

[Not_a_Number]

2 hours ago, Noreen Claire said:

My eight year old (3rd grader, all assigned subjects are on grade level) has, in the past 6 weeks, taught himself the Pythagorean Theorem, how to solve quadratic equations using factoring, special right triangles, and basic trigonometry. He eats, sleeps, and breathes math lately. He loves math books. I'm constantly shocked by what new concepts comes out of his mouth. 

Maybe it is because I am simultaneously teaching many of these same subjects to my 6th grader (AoPS intro to algebra), my college freshman (remedial algebra), and my college upperclassmen (college geometry for non-math students), but this just....seems like a lot for an 8yr old, even a very bright one. It is honestly a bit disorienting.

This can't keep up at this pace, can it? Has anyone else been in this situation? I feel completely unprepared for this kid as he gets older. I have a B.S. in math, and he's likely going to be past my abilities during middle school. *wimpers*

I'm with @wendyroo, I think, in that I'd make sure you go broad and that he REALLY understand those concepts. 

I have a kid like this in my homeschool math classes. He's VERY smart, and he's also teaching himself trig... but he also has gaps. Like, he wasn't entirely sure how to divide 4.2 by 7/5, that kind of thing. Some things in his head aren't fully integrated. 

And I don't think that's a big deal at all, but I'd be mindful of this issue! Kids who skip ahead to whatever interests them can have this problem 🙂 . Not saying yours does, but he might. 

But yes, he'll probably stay quite far ahead 😄 . I love how excited he is about math!! I sometimes wish DD8 (who's extremely mathematically gifted) was anywhere near this excited about it. She's mostly excited about building things...