FWIW my ds was in slow end in Math until around 10. He hated facts and was soooo slow doing his multiplication and division. From 6th grade through 8th grade he is on track to have completed 6 years of math in 3 years. Sometimes they just bloom late in area when they are so good in others areas
I didn't prep my ds. I'm sure I would have had he taken the Explore at 8 or 9. He He would have tanked math at that age. He just had no exposure and was super slow with no calculator experience. I see nothing wrong with showing them equations they have never seen and such. It might make for a whole lot less anxiety even it they don't get it correct.
Love her reasoning with the wheels:D
