Public school fail. A vent.

My kiddo is in 5th grade and testing at a 9th grade level in math, college in reading. He's in the accelerated program at his school but I look through his work and they aren't challenging him in math. He's bored and I found out his teacher lets him read most of the day. I asked her about some outside resources for math as he wants more and more. He asked me for math books for xmas... I got an attitude from his teacher, just like I got an attitude two years ago when I asked, telling me he has plenty to do and he's doing it.

I was much more careful approaching it this time, and still got shot down. I want him to have the challenge he wants, but I am not good at math. He goes through a thicc book in three days, so thankful for the library. I'm feeling stuck. Obviously a 5th grade teacher with a class of kids is not going to teach algebra to just my kid, but I thought they would have connections within the education system? Maybe through the community college? I'd take him to classes or help him do an online course. Is that ridiculous of me?

This kid is hungry for knowledge, why not open a door for him?

ninalanyon · 61-69, T

I'm afraid you'll have to do the door opening yourself. You don't have to be good at maths you just need to be his manager. If he is really that good or even merely that interested he will be able to learn a lot by himself by picking up resources from the Internet and the local library. The library will get books for you. When he gets stuck you and he together can search for help, he can ask the maths part of the question, you can help with navigating the humans.

You can also try things like Khan Academy and when you and he get really stuck you can ask a question on Math Stack Exchange.

See, for instance,

Khan Academy algebra: https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra

Math Stack Exchange: https://math.stackexchange.com/

And above all, make it clear to him that so long as he has tried his best that there is no shame in asking for help.

CountScrofula · 41-45, M

That's infuriating. If your kid is a math whiz already fuckin nourish that!

I'd genuinely reach out to the high school and community college and see if there's a math tracher or instructor that can point you to some resources. A few emails can go a long way

MarbleMarvel

@CountScrofula there's a community college not far from me. I believe there's gotta be something... So I'll check with them next. I really want to let him run with it. I hated having my passions stifled as a kid.