Every year, beginning in the second grade, students participate in national math contests. Participating in these contests has a few advantages. First, although our children are generally very bright, they still thrive in a "small pond." Measuring their skills against national standards, and along with children their own age, gives them the opportunity to see how successful that can be, or can become. Second, competing allows children to put their skills into practice. We spend time practicing the types of problems they will encounter as well as talking about what to expect. Finally, contests give students the experience of success and failure. All children love the thrill of "winning" but competing also teaches them how to lose graciously, to learn from mistakes, and to persevere despite the disappointment.
Noetic Learning Math Contest: The Noetic Learning Math Contest (NLMC) is a semiannual problem solving contest for elementary and middle school students. The goal of the competition is to encourage students' interest in math, to develop their problem solving skills, and to inspire them to excel in math. During the contest, students are given 45 minutes to solve 20 problems. Many problems are designed to challenge students and to enrich their problem solving experiences. (visit https://noetic-learning.com/mathcontest/index.jsp)
Continental Math League (CML): CML happens on a monthly basis for 3 months, beginning in January, for grades 2 and 3. For grade 4, there are 5 contests, beginning in November. Children are given 30 minutes to solve 6 problems. Awards are given based on the number of problems answered correctly. 6/6 correct is awarded a Gold Medal, 5/6 is a silver medal, 4/6 is bronze and 3/6 is Honorable Mention. Children are awarded certificates bearing the medal designation.
Perennial Math: This contest includes 3 monthly sessions beginning in January. Currently, it is only offered to 4th graders and is optional. Students are given 30 minutes to answer 6 questions. Certificates are awarded to students who achieve Fab 5 (5/6 correct) or Super Six (6/6).