NorthSouth Coaching : FAQ – Pre-Mathcounts
PRE-MATHCOUNTS Coaching:
The primary objective of Pre-MathCounts coaching is to lay solid foundation of math concepts in the kids so they retain them throughout their life. During this course NSF kids will be exposed to important concepts and topics they will need to solve MATHCOUNTS type problems.
Pre-MathCounts coaching is designed for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders interested in learning advanced topics required to do well in MATHCOUNTS competition in Middle School.
There are three levels - Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced.
Coaching material will be based on (but not limited to) the following broad topics:
- (a) Number theory (integers, order of operation, prime factors, LCM, GCF, fractions, simple interest, etc.)
- (b) Algebra (pattern recognition, exponents, combining like terms, solving one and two-step equations, direct and inverse relationship and their relationship to word problems, etc.)
- (c) Geometry (angles, parallel lines, Pythagoras theorem, similar triangles, polygons, solids, area, volumes, graphs, translation, rotation, reflection etc.)
- (d) Probability (counting principles, probability, application to word problems).
Online teaching has its limitations. Unlike face-to-face classes coaches are not able to see your child and have the teacher-student interaction as in a regular classroom. So, coaches rely on parents for encouraging the child to participate. However, we would like to limit parent involvement during in-class discussions to promote unhindered participation from children. Coaches are happy to answer any of your questions after the class or by email. Questions related to the concepts or content covered in the class should only be asked by the students.
Parents are requested to ensure that their child participates in every class and is respectful of other students. Students should be discouraged from disruptive behavior such as writing on the shared whiteboard or chat window while the coach is teaching. Their phone should be set to mute setting unless they are called upon to speak. Different students are at different levels so don’t let your child get overwhelmed or discouraged if some concepts are new to them.
It is not our policy to email class slides or notes. However, handouts, if applicable, are available to download from the NSF site using the student login.
There is homework given every week to reinforce learning of concepts covered in class. It is very important for children to complete homework on time. Please ensure they try the problems even if they do not get the right answer.
Students login into their NSF account using the student login credentials. In their <b>View Status for Coaching page</b>, there will be links to JOIN the class. You will join meeting using the web-address and dial in to the phone number provided for your class. You may also use computer based audio if your internet speeds support good quality audio and your computer has microphone and speakers. The first half an hour of the class will be dedicated to going over difficult homework problems from previous week followed by discussion of new problems.
We will have online meeting for 15 weeks including a final exam on all topics discussed during the year. The 15 weeks will be spread out with some holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year. Your coach may also have to take some personal holidays. Your coach will provide the coaching schedule to you.
Ensure your child attends each and every class. Also spend some time with your child while he/she is completing the assigned homework each week showing the method he/she is using. Also, use online videos and other examples to reinforce topics.
In general, the concepts taught in NSF classes tend to be above grade level. The topics are carefully chosen based on prior years’ MATHCOUNTS tests. These topics are precursors to more advanced topics they will encounter in 6th, 7th, 8th grades. Hence you will have to work with them with more examples to help them learn. Different children learn differently. Use a variety of techniques to help your child such as videos, pictures, patterns, simpler problems etc.
There are no scheduled makeup classes, however please contact your coach for homework, classwork and specific help with any questions. Also, please notify your coach if your student is going to miss any classes.
Pre-MathCounts Coaching Registration Process:
Go to our website http://www.northsouth.org. Under US Login, select Parent Login. Login with your parent ID. In the “Parent Functions” page, click on “Register for Coaching”. You may pick a coach based on your child’s level and the time that best suits you.
There are three levels Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. For details, refer to – Pre-Mathcounts Level Determination page .
The registration fee for this coaching is $150, 2/3rd of which is tax deductible. In financial hardship cases, a waiver will be considered upon request.
Please send an email to coaching@northsouth.org describing the financial difficulty. We will go over your situation and let you know if we could register your child for coaching.
Yes. If there are still spaces available, you can register your child for the classes. Since all of our coaches are parent volunteers, they may not be able to give make-up classes. However, you may contact your coach to request the topics that have been covered so far and work on homework at home.
Registration Changes:
Your child's coach will contact you few days before the beginning of the class. If you have to contact us on any important issue, please open a Support Ticket on NSF site or send an email to coaching@northsouth.org. Someone will contact you.
Parents can change the classes themselves from the Parent Functions page, using “Change Coach” option, for up to two weeks after the coaching session starts, provided space is available. If you find another class for the level you want with a convenient day and time, you can go ahead and change yourself.
You are allowed to change the coach from the Parent Functions page up to two weeks after the coaching starts. Subsequently, this option is grayed out. Please send an email to coaching@northsouth.org with the details and if the situation permits, we will accommodate your request.
Once you register and pay, there is no cash refund. Two-thirds of the registration fee you pay is tax-deductible and is used as a scholarship to help a poor child go to college in India. Coaching is done by all volunteers who give their time and effort for this noble cause. If you cancel, you can consider the entire registration fee as 100 percent tax-deductible donation. If you insist on getting a refund of your registration fee, you can get credit for next year for the same subject or another one.
Coaching Classes Related:
Talk to your child’s coach and share your concerns. If there is a gap between your child’s level and the material and if your child finds it hard to catch up with the material in the first few weeks, he/she may be moved to a lower level.
Repetition of topics only helps reinforce those. Again, talk to your child’s coach. Initially a child may find a level easy, but subsequent classes may cover harder topics in-depth. The coach may be able to evaluate your child and guide him/her accordingly either to stick with the same level or to move to a higher level.
NSF coaches are unable to repeat or provide personalized coaching if your child is late to a class or misses a class. Please email your coach and obtain the topics that will be covered during that class. You can work the homework out at home. If you have any question regarding the topics, you can forward them to your coach and get clarifications.
No, the coaches give just the problems for homework. The answers (not solutions) will be available for download from the NSF site after the homework due date. In the next class, these problems are discussed and the solution is provided. This will give an opportunity for the kids to try the problems on their own.
Yes and No. No, do not jump right in and do the problems for your child. This will not give a chance for your child to do some deep thinking and be challenged. Yes, when a child is stuck with a problem you can give some hints for the child to think in the right direction and arrive at the answer.
No. NSF Coaching is a good starting point in the right direction to prepare your child for the MATHCOUNTS competition. As we said earlier, coaches are volunteers and each coach has about 20 children to handle. So don’t rely solely on the NSF coaching for your child to win the competition.
You can provide a quiet environment for your child to work every day especially during the online coaching session. Kids will be on the phone and on online session during the class, so a quiet, undisturbed place will help your child a lot. To fare well in MATHCOUNTS competitions, speed and accuracy are important skills to acquire. So every day practice in solving math problems will be helpful.
You can volunteer to be a coach. You can send an email to coaching@northsouth.org telling us your background, class timings you can teach and why you want to become a coach. Based on the needs and your background we will evaluate and assign you with a specific level.