6th grade math, good at math

[Janeway]

Here is the history. We have always used Singapore Math, no problems. BUT, I had a spare BJU grade 5 math on the shelf from an older child who only did the first few chapters and then we decided it just went to slow so we switch to Singapore. This year was a weird year. We ended up ending our school year in April and did not start up again until last week of August so it was a full four months off. When it was time to start up again, my 10 yr old, who turned 11 the first week of school (so he is a 5th grader this year with his birthday being on the cut off day, so he could have been in 6th by public school standards in our state, but he would have been THE youngest), that child decided to not know anything at all. This was nothing from what a noun was to anything at all. I even gave him the placement exam and even though he had completed Singapore Math through 5A, he did not even pass the 4B or 5A test. It is possible he was not trying. I had us work from BJU at this point. He loved it. He said he was easier. He also said it explains things better. But I could tell it was easy for him. We just finished all but the last two chapters. So we will be done before January is over. 

Thing is, he found it so easy. It was clear he knew how to do everything without my explaining anything to him. It was all review of what he did already in Singapore Math. None of it was new. He says he wants to keep doing BJU. I kind of dread this because I can see he is now ready to continue with Singapore Math 5B. In fact, I ended up giving him the placement exam for AoP prealgebra and he tested in to the preAlgebra (Art of Problem solving). He is actually very good at math. We do not intend to use Art of Problem Solving. If we continue with BJU, he will have two full years left before that program considers him ready for prealgebra. When I call BJU home school phone number and/or post on their facebook page, they make it clear that it is not okay to skip any level. The program is great and has great explanations and all, but it moves so slow for someone who seemingly already gets it. This son has a goal of being a scientist or engineer some day. I know for a fact with my older child going to college this year that they straight out told him he needed to have calculus before he came for computer science. 

I am torn between just picking up the 6th grade BJU book and doubling up lessons so he can get through it in a semester instead of a year, or just telling him he has to do Singapore Math, or just switching to a third option. I have a few things in mind for a third option but am unsure what direction to take. I also find myself wondering if it is true that no grade level can be skipped over in BJU. Even Saxon says unless a student struggles, they could not do both 8/7 and algebra 1/2. 

Thank you for your help! And I am SOOO happy to be able to post again!!

[alisha]

No answers or suggestion here, but I very much empathize with you, as my son sounds an awful lot like yours.

Since mine was ahead (like yours), we are taking this year to do real life math. I found some canadian workbooks here: (https://www.nwtliteracy.ca/resources/youth-and-adult-literacy#39 ->Everyday Math Skills halfway down) which have been very beneficial. We've already finished one and are halfway through another and have only had to skip a few pages at an adult level. Not to add another option, because it doesn't sound like what you're looking for, but thought I'd throw it out just in case.

I'm not sure what we'll do next year-I'm still looking into that. Will you be switching to a different publisher for middle school math? Or continuing on with whatever you choose to finish out the year?

I'll be watching this thread for others' ideas also, thanks for bringing it up!

[kristin0713]

8 hours ago, Janeway said:

He loved it. He said he was easier. He also said it explains things better.

I have a question and some thoughts. First, how were you using Singapore? Just the text and workbook or direct teaching from the HIG?  If he breezed through Singapore without much instruction because he intuitively could do the work, that might be why he thinks that BJU explains things better. 
 

Some thoughts: BJU is a solid program so I wouldn’t hesitate to use it thinking it is light. I also think it will get a lot harder for him in 6th grade if he really spent the past year reviewing. Also, there is no reason you can’t do BJU for 6th grade and switch to pre-algebra in 7th grade if he’s ready. BJU 7th is Fundamentals — a very thorough review of arithmetic before pre-algebra. If he wants to continue it and it’s working well, I would lean towards that. You don’t need to rush him; he still has plenty of time to get to algebra and a more thorough understanding will serve him better later than rushing through it. 

[Not_a_Number]

Why not do AoPS if you’re thinking a STEM major?

[Janeway]

12 hours ago, kristin0713 said:

I have a question and some thoughts. First, how were you using Singapore? Just the text and workbook or direct teaching from the HIG?  If he breezed through Singapore without much instruction because he intuitively could do the work, that might be why he thinks that BJU explains things better. 
 

Some thoughts: BJU is a solid program so I wouldn’t hesitate to use it thinking it is light. I also think it will get a lot harder for him in 6th grade if he really spent the past year reviewing. Also, there is no reason you can’t do BJU for 6th grade and switch to pre-algebra in 7th grade if he’s ready. BJU 7th is Fundamentals — a very thorough review of arithmetic before pre-algebra. If he wants to continue it and it’s working well, I would lean towards that. You don’t need to rush him; he still has plenty of time to get to algebra and a more thorough understanding will serve him better later than rushing through it. 

I taught the Singapore Math, but I taught it in private school before I started teaching it as a home schooler. He never self taught.   It has been clear he knew the stuff and either needed a brief reminder or was just being lazy when we started the school year. We had taken several months off. Looking over the scope and sequence of BJU 6, it is pretty much stuff he knows.  In addition to doing Singapore Math through 5A, we also did Keys to Fractions. We also did additional activities and games and such. 

[EKS]

If you think that Singapore will be better for him. use that.  Just because a kid likes something doesn't mean it is what he needs.