Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Best Online Math Programs?

Which online Math Programs would you recommend for an 8 year old who is in 4th grade?

My son was moved from 2nd to 3rd grade in the middle of last year. I was afraid he missed many of the basics covered in the last half of 2nd grade and the first half of 3rd grade (the two half years he skipped) but he didn't have a problem with the 3rd grade End of Grade Test.

I think he's currently bored with what they are covering in Math so I would like to get him working Math problems that are challenging him without skipping over the basics entirely.

I'm trying to give him challenging problems myself but I think he would also like to be working at his own pace and covering various topics through a computer or online program. Something that tracks his progress so I can make sure he is understanding the new material would be fantastic.

Thanks for any recommendations!

TripleB

I'm partial to Khan Academy. Math is broken out by grade level. But I'm sure there are other resources as well.

Alternatively, you might be able to find a cheap used textbook online and work through that.

Does the Khan Academy 'teach' the material or is it just mathematical problems that assume they already know how to perform the Math involved? What is the cost?

Thank you.

TripleB

My son did IXL initially. It was great in giving him loads of practice problems but he would have to miss the problems he did not know and then read the solution to learn. Not the best approach.

He then did EPGY for several years and liked it. They taught topics and then had questions. Once it got to geometry though we saw many flaws in their program.

We then learned of AoPS which has been great. I wish we had known about it first. They have Beast Academy which I think are textbooks, so not online, but I would think if it is from AoPS it should be excellent.

If I were you I would use the Beast Academy program until he is ready for the AoPS courses.

Khan Academy is free.

There are videos teaching the concepts, then practice problems. The student continues practicing until he or she shows mastery by getting several in a row correct.

The main down side to KA is that some of the videos aren't that good (but this is more at the upper levels) and there is no way for the site to know if your kid is showing his or her work properly.

I signed up my daughter (4th grader) for EPGY for math (independent study). She didn't like it at all. She did only one course and refusing to go back :-S

She has a Dreambox account from school and she loves to work on that. Dreambox has an award system which you win a badge, avatar or game etc. I think my daughter is motivated about to win something, so dreambox seemed to work better with her. As far as I see, Dreambox is about practicing facts etc versus problem solving.

Please try THINK Through MATH. Awesome program, challenging questions. My daughter loves it

Goods of the mind might interest him - it is by Borac who does challenge maths books. eimacs {i think] also but he is probably not ready for that or AOPS.

For practice, Sumdog is wonderful (goes up through 8th grade). But it also doesn't do any teaching ...

It's not online but we are very happy with Mathnasium. It's a center where you drop the kid off a few hours a week and they do problems there with a tutor.