Help with math acceleration

[Karin]

Originally Posted by Spy Car

Agreeing, but a question. Let's assume a younger child isn't sufficiently "mature" for Algebra. Does the child never-the-less benefit from being exposed to Algebra?

It seems some early math programs introduce "algebraic" methods easy (solving for the unknown variable, substituting "letters" or other symbols for numerical values, and the like). Then there are "manipulative-based" programs like "Hands-On-Equations" (something I haven't used yet, but it intrigues me) that introduce Algebra (rather than Algebra) during the grammar stage.

So what about it? If one is going to one day encounter proof and theory in Gelfand's, is it better to have had some "exposure" to simpler forms of Algebraic thinking and notation earlier in life?

Bill

I think so, and, in fact, that's exactly what we do. My dc do Algebra early, and then redo it with Algebra. Okay, only one has done that so far, but I'm planning on doing the same thing for the other two In fact, I think it helps greatly to have some of that out of the way so that dc can learn the theory, etc, more easily.

We're approaching Chemistry & Physics similarly in that my dd is doing conceptual courses in them with labs first, and then will do the hard, mathy advanced courses later, since there are dc who get A's in Chem, can do the math well, but don't understand what they're getting A's in.

[nmoira]

Originally Posted by Spy Car

Agreeing, but a question. Let's assume a younger child isn't sufficiently "mature" for Algebra. Does the child never-the-less benefit from being exposed to Algebra?

I can only answer for my situation with DD the Elder (7). Basic algebra like reducing like terms, solving equations for a variable (even simple simultaneous equations) are useful skills, and we touch on them as needed with other materials. The Zaccaro books past Primary Challenge Math all contain some very basic algebra. FWIW, I did high school math in Canada, and we didn't have a the strict division of subjects that you see in the US until the final year (it still rather baffles me why basic math is chopped up this way); it just seems natural to me to expand a bit here or there as needed.

So what about it? If one is going to one day encounter proof and theory in Gelfand's, is it better to have had some "exposure" to simpler forms of Algebraic thinking and notation earlier in life?

Well, for a math adept kid, it's not so much exposure as its being a logical extension, KWIM? After all, Singapore bar diagrams are essentially algebra problems, using a portion of a box to represent x. After DD the Elder independently made the connexion, she refused to go back to bar diagrams. Fair enough... she can still work the problems.

[Dinsfamily]

Originally Posted by Karin

I think so, and, in fact, that's exactly what we do. My dc do Algebra early, and then redo it with Algebra. Okay, only one has done that so far, but I'm planning on doing the same thing for the other two In fact, I think it helps greatly to have some of that out of the way so that dc can learn the theory, etc, more easily.

We're approaching Chemistry & Physics similarly in that my dd is doing conceptual courses in them with labs first, and then will do the hard, mathy advanced courses later, since there are dc who get A's in Chem, can do the math well, but don't understand what they're getting A's in.

I was one of those kids who aced high school chemistry because I could do the math, but our teacher (who got fired at the end of the year) didn't teach us many concepts. Unfortunately, I had a rude awakening in my college chemistry class. Thankfully, my dc can benefit from it.

I feel a lot better about my ds's math progression now that I know there's algebra and algebra. It makes sense for us to start with an easy algebra course and work through it at his pace and save the tougher algebra concepts for when he's matured a bit. We might whiz right through both levels of algebra if he's ready or take it slow. Either way, I feel good about his current pace now that I know there are options.

[Dinsfamily]

Originally Posted by MissKNG

Cool! Which CTC books are you looking at? DD is working through Math Reasoning Level A and I have Level B waiting too! I also have the Can You Find Me? book and the Hands On Thinking Skills.

If you like CTC, enter the success story drawing! I did and won a $50 gift certificate - which is how I "bought" the Math Level B and the Can You Find Me? book!

I put the Math Reasoning, Math Analogies, Mind Benders, Can You Find Me?, and Thinker Doodles on his list. They would be for fun and not school. He loves puzzles...especially math puzzles, so I just wanted to get him some books that he could do whenever he wants.

[Blessedfamily]

Originally Posted by Dinsfamily

....
I feel a lot better about my ds's math progression now that I know there's algebra and algebra. It makes sense for us to start with an easy algebra course and work through it at his pace and save the tougher algebra concepts for when he's matured a bit. We might whiz right through both levels of algebra if he's ready or take it slow. Either way, I feel good about his current pace now that I know there are options.

I have a young DD who is ahead in math also. Our opinion is about the same as you've outlined here. DD is very happy with the pace, and getting a thorough mathematical education. Because of her age, she gets to study so many other branches of math along the way.

[MissKNG]

Originally Posted by Dinsfamily

I put the Math Reasoning, Math Analogies, Mind Benders, Can You Find Me?, and Thinker Doodles on his list. They would be for fun and not school. He loves puzzles...especially math puzzles, so I just wanted to get him some books that he could do whenever he wants.

We supplement with Math Reasoning books and the rest of more for "fun" too!

[Karin]

Originally Posted by Dinsfamily

I put the Math Reasoning, Math Analogies, Mind Benders, Can You Find Me?, and Thinker Doodles on his list. They would be for fun and not school. He loves puzzles...especially math puzzles, so I just wanted to get him some books that he could do whenever he wants.

Some math books just for fun when they're ready to read them (which may be now, depending on your dc) are the Murderous Maths books. I bought the entire set, but we gave some to neices & nephews (although my dc managed to find and read them first!) for the holidays. Well, my mother took them back with her for the holidays. There's a book that my dc both enjoyed for the humour and the math & found offensive (due to religious beliefs) that yours might like called The Number Devil. We borrowed that one from the library.

[mominsac]

Originally Posted by Karin

The fact is, we could say that about many areas of math. eg problem solvling. When I see what my younger two solve with simple arithmetic in SM & CWP compared to what my eldest did with Saxon (she tried SM, but wanted to stick with Saxon until Algebra), there is a huge difference in the word problem area. Not to mention some of the things my middle dd is doing with the Russian math she's doing. At times she's given a paragraph with a bunch of information and she has to write her own problem, but they haven't told her what she should find out with the given information. This means she is even making up the word problem part of it.

Hi Karin, I'm new to this thread but read it with interest. So are you saying that Saxon and Russian Math offers higher complexity problem solving than CWP? I've often heard CWP referenced as challenging - so I'm curious.