I have a friend whose child used the "Key to" booklets and then took AoPS, and it worked for them. I really get the sense that AoPS is rather a different animal than most of the math that's out there. But most of that impression comes from this forum, so if I'm wrong, I'd love to be corrected...

I should add to my previous post that one of the reasons we're homeschooling *IS* to slow DS8 down a bit. I am choosing to try to go deeper and broader (with things he wouldn't get in our schools, like foreign language studies) rather than just faster through the standard curriculum.

Perhaps this is not a choice everyone would make, and that's fine. All kids are different, and the only one I'm choosing for is my child. But I am not in a hurry to have my child go off to college. I'm not sure his bottleneck would allow him to succeed if he went really early. And, of course, I'm not sure *I'm* comfortable with sending my young child off to college.

So I am doing what I can to keep him challenged and yet still keep him reasonably close to his age peers for the core courses. As I said, it is a delicate balance that I don't always hit. But I don't think that multi-grade-skipping would work for my particular child with his particular speed challenge if he were in a bricks-and-mortar school. Since he may someday return to a traditional school, I'm doing what I can to slow him down and still challenge him. Two rounds of algebra--one basic, one advanced--seems like it might fit that rubric.

Your explanation makes sense. It sounds like you are planning a two pronged approach in order that your son learns the subject thoroughly, not just because he is 8 and you want to stretch out the time before he gets to the next level. (which is how I was reading it) In my mind, once a child learns something completely, then he is ready to move on. But I agree that how he gets to that "completeness" will vary depending on child and subject.

FWIW, DS12 took the AoPS Intro to Algebra course and we have the book. I think it is a good text. You could go through it slowly without the class. The class is very fast paced but I think they might have slowed it down some since my son took it. I believe it has been split into two courses now (the original intro course covered Algebra 1 and 11) It will still probably be a very fast paced course though.

Edit: (Checked the site - they did split the classes. Might make it work for some kids earlier than planned.

AoPS description:
Algebra 1 covers the fundamental concepts of algebra, including exponents and radicals, linear equations and inequalities, ratio and proportion, systems of linear equations, factoring quadratics, complex numbers, completing the square, and the quadratic formula. (Note: This class is equivalent to the first half of the Introduction to Algebra course we used to offer.)

Oooh. That does make a difference.

Hmmm...Must go rethink my strategy now...

Jumping in late...
Ds9 learned abt Alegbra not through textbooks. He loves his Edward Zaccoro's Real World Algebra. He started reading them when he was 7. One of the Murderous Math books "Phantom X" is on Algebra too. Now he does his Algebra with Thinkwell. He likes it enough to do it daily (20-30 mins).

I think "deeper and broader" is good. This is actually what some gifted programs do. They do not accelerate the kids but they get more exposure by doing more research/ projects/ presentation/ social service etc. However, not all schools / parents know how to do that. I think it comes with experience too .

Well I broke down an bought Lial's Basic College Mathematics. Many on another board are using this for prealgebra. I'm hoping that with the Key to books will get us started. The comments about the AoP courses being slower paced is very reassuring, that was a concern for us also.