Transitions for students (and teachers) can be difficult. One of my students was in 4th grade transferring from Brazil and you can imagine the parent's concern on him learning English. I would take advantage of all the wonderful resources we have online and offline. Kumon and IXL can be really helpful in standardized questions to keep their minds sharp. One of my favorites is Beestar. It has a wide range of worksheets for both Language Arts and Math. It also has a gifted and talented section which can also be helpful for more challenging worksheets for students.

Lately I have been doing some research on this topic and I like the Mathematics Enhancement Programme. I haven't seen Earlybird Kindergarten Math.  So, I can't say if it's the same or not but based on some discussions it sounds similar. 

The best part is it is "FREE". I like their worksheets.

http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mepres/primary/default.htm

I am planning to do Reception and Year1 this year and then use Math Mammoth for grade 1.  This is similar to Singapore math and is lot cheaper.

http://www.mathmammoth.com/

For critical thinking I am using

http://www.criticalthinking.com/index.jsp

Little bit expensive but I think the material will overlap some of the above.  I bought the following bundle.

http://www.criticalthinking.com/getProductDetails.do?code=p&id=01440

Has any one tried any of the above?  Any comments?

I've been trying different workbooks/websites also for the students I teach in an after-school program. We have tried various workbooks like Singapore Math, IXL, Beestar, Kumon etc. Although my youngest student is in 1st grade you can still tell that students have to be really interested in the subject or they get tired of trying to learn the concept. It is also helpful when you present the same concept in different ways. I would definitely figure out what their learning style is but Beestar really did help my students stay interested because they can see their progress compared to other students. They worksheets are also free which really helps with schools on a budget. Most importantly the students are driven to learn after using this website.

Has anyone tried using Goodreads? I've been trying to find more books for my niece. Right now I am completely mesmerized with the Book "What To Do with an Idea" and bought two, one for my niece and one for my friend's baby. Love the book!

I agree that every child learns differently and some subjects may seem less interesting to children. I teach an after-school program and a lot of my students need a lot more consistent interaction than other students to stay interested in subjects, specifically math. I tried out a few different supplemental workbooks and websites and between Kumon, Singapore Math, IXL, Beestar etc., the most easily accessible for both students and parents was Beestar. Beestar was easy for students to interact with, you can access the website anywhere and it is also free. My students really enjoy it, I was wondering if any other parents have tried the website and what they thought about it?

How does everyone feel about Right Start vs Singapore Math? Some of my students are willing to work through workbooks like Singapore Math and Kumon but some of my other students despise it to the core. I have been using Beestar for some of my other students and noticed they enjoyed the support group feeling (getting to see other kids on the honor roll) and it really got them more excited to learn the new skills and concepts. Does Singapore Math or Right Start provide similar options to Beestar? Beestar is also free so the parents really enjoy their ability to use a free online resource and connect from various places.

I've used a variety of websites/workbooks for my students from Singapore Math, Beestar, Khan, Kumon etc., and each of them have their own positive qualities. I think that KA definitely helps when students need to remember quickly how to approach math problems. Kumon definitely helps with drill practices. However, neither of these options provide students with a reward system other than Beestar. Beestar is a combination of both teaching math in a more creative way combined with giving students a sense of accomplishment. Beestar is definitely helpful for students that have been struggling with math and need a good confidence boost.

Khan Academy over 3000 videos for teaching and adding more everyday. Some school systems are using it for their curriculum. Great for people homeschooling. For the little ones it starts with addition, telling time, level 3 Singapore Math, and art history. Most of it is geared toward high school level or above but if nothing else you can use it to brush up before teaching your child. Excellent resource and hopefully they will add more for younger children.

I think Khan Academy is a great website to use when looking to learn new concepts for my daughter and students. I have found that another website called Beestar helps with keeping the kids interested in the subject. I have also found that the honor roll system gives them more incentive and builds confidence. The website provides a lot of supplemental questions that help with keeping them interested in the subject. There are various school levels and you can also track the progress online. I think it is a great tool to utilize to help kids learn more about any subject matter that may be difficult or more confusing for them.

One website that my daughter and students really enjoyed (and also kept them on their toes) is Beestar. I've tried numerous supplemental websites like IXL, Kumon (workbooks) and also Khan. I enjoy each with their specific reasons but the most overall supplemental website I have found to be useful is Beestar. Good motivation, good worksheets and definitely keeps the kids challenged and seeking to learn more.

Hi!


A school I used to work at adopted the singapore math program.  Like any other math program it is not a answer to all.  Some of the brightest students who attended this school for over 5 years using this program were not able to qualify for AP classes when they went to the public school for high school.   (The school was a private school that went just to 8th grade.) Actually, not one placed in the advanced classes! It has some good things but the students found huge holes in their education.  As a teachert what we find is that there is not one program that is complete.  Good teachers supplement their curriculum constantly!  We try to learn as much as we can to benefit our students!

I would have to agree with chispa on finding supplemental math programs that assist with each student's learning skills. One website that I found really helped my students learn new math concepts is Beestar. My students started to understand the concepts which really helped when there are questions that tested their understanding. Most of my students are active learners and Beestar was capable of teaching them the skills they needed. Their overall homework and test scores have increased and I am very glad that Beestar is able to give them that extra understanding that my students need. I would say that whether you use Beestar, Singapore Math, or even Kumon etc., it really depends on the students. However, Beestar has been consistent in keeping my students entertained in math and learning new skills.

Overall IXL is helpful if you child needs more practice on time management skills during tests. It is pretty stressful for my daughter sometimes and I can see her getting frustrated with the timer and also unable to get 100% after getting a few questions wrong. Other websites I tried also stresses her out. The one website so far that she is willing to continuously use is Beestar. She enjoys the worksheets and seeing her name on the honor roll. I am also able to track her progress to make sure she is staying on schedule. Most importantly she gained back the confidence she needed to learn new concepts at school.

Hi Everyone,

I am thinking about enrolling my son to either UCMAS or Kumon. Have any of you tried either one?
What do you think is better for your kids?

Thanks!!

Elle

My daughter attended Kumon for a while. We liked it at the beginning. It helped her in math calculation skills. But over time, the benefit is no longer that visible and we feel more pressure on its monthly bills. Then DD's teacher sent us to beestar for free online math programs, and we have been using it. There are all real life word problems, challenging stuff to help kids thinking. DD loves it. Plus, I also don’t have to drive her to kumon, saving my time and $$..
Lisa

I agree with using Beestar. I teach an afterschool enrichment program and I needed to get my students up to par on their math tests. The tutoring center had Kumon worksheets but my students started complaining about how it was exactly the same worksheet they worked on last week (I didn't even notice until I took a closer look). I was told about a website called Beestar by another one of the teachers and I tried it out. The students enjoyed the worksheets and I was also able to continuously check their status on the website. Each of my students were gaining more confidence in their math skills and other subjects that I felt they needed extra work on. One of my students also got 100% one of their math test two weeks ago. I was super proud of what Beestar has helped both my students and I accomplish in helping them get the confidence to strive to work harder.