Personally, I'm not convinced about the need for pre-algebra with gifted kids. My son is taking pre-algebra and I've looked through his textbook. It adheres to California standards and so is a fair description of pre-algebra in this entire populous state.
Bingo.
I think it's a bad idea, too.
It led my DD to completely TUNE OUT of most Algebra 1.
Seriously-- she engaged in such procrastination in BOTH courses that she literally completed a full year in what amounted to about 2 weeks of more-or-less intensive (read, 3-4 hr daily) study, and earned 90-100% on everything.
I wouldn't say that her pre-algebra foundation had been all that strong going into 6th grade math, truthfully. She stopped doing Singapore in roughly 3rd grade, and had done
Calvert for most of 3rd/4th, then Prentice Hall courses 1 and 2. Well, part of each. It was an odd year.
The
only material that she was weak on in that body was manipulating fractions, which she knew conceptually, but had trouble with in terms of accuracy because she wasn't writing things down.
She seriously coasted until Algebra II, which then proceeded to ROUNDLY kick her butt because she hadn't developed any real resilience or study skills.
