Math resources are plentiful; broad but shallow

Perfect

The K-5 program is strong and could easily be used in any k-6 program. The content is challenging but so strongly done that any level of student could use the program with support. The art of problem solving program for 6-12 is very challenging. It could be used for all students, but again, would need support. The online classes are excellent, books alone would need strong classroom support. Clearly aimed at high functioning students. This is a math program that goes beyond basic understanding and rote memorization to emphasize true, deep understanding and complex thinking. There are a plethora of problems available and a rich online community.

Below are a few points I disagree with the common sense reviewer. Reviewer: "However, many of the videos and Alcumus tasks are classic, straightforward math problems. These can be useful to all students who are learning basic math skills because they provide immediate feedback, but they may not be very exciting to a math superstar ready to get stumped" "The site could be improved by adding more complex, interesting problems with multiple approaches and solutions." Alcumus is an adaptive learning system. It gives you harder problems only if you have mastered a lower level. Alcumus contains challenging AMC problems like https://artofproblemsolving.com/wiki/index.php?title=2015_AMC_12A_Problems/Problem_25, which the vast majority of students would not know how to approach. The video instruction to solve this problem is here: https://artofproblemsolving.com/videos/amc/2015amc12a/402. I will leave it to the reader to decide if this is a "basic" math problem for your students. Reviewer: "Many teachers are looking for innovative ways to make math real for students; Art of Problem Solving, while helpful, is just another version of what's already available in standard math textbooks." "Meant to challenge math whizzes, actually best for struggling students" It depends on what the reviewer means by "real." There are limited resource on aops that is related to biology, which is the expertise of the reviewer (see profile here: https://www.commonsense.org/education/users/emily-pohlonski). However, the claim that aops offers materials that is already available in standard math textbooks is simply ignorant. I don't believe there is any standard middle or high school math textbook that contains problems like https://artofproblemsolving.com/polymath/mitprimes2016/p. At the same time, recommending aops to struggling students is simply irresponsible. If you read the resume of AoPS staff, you will find none of them had the necessary academic or professional preparation to handle struggling students. Struggling students would not be served well by aops and are likely to be discouraged by problems on the website. The biggest issue with aops is that it doesn't fit everyone's need. But it is a paradise for a particular group of students perhaps for the same reason. If you know a student who recently enrolled in MIT or Caltech, ask them where they get their math resource, and you will hear about aops. As a math educator, I would not make comments on biology curriculum due to my lack of knowledge. Misleading educational advice will hurt children and family.