Suggestion to Improve Khan Academy Class Format ... and a New Class: Mastering Mental Math

Below are two quick thoughts for KA to consider.

First. Khan Academy (KA) is fantastic ... and this is the reason.

For those of us who never fully understood what was happening in math class from early elementary school through college, KA gives us a chance to go back and learn what we missed. KA has it all ... basic math, geometry, algebra, trigonometry, calculus, etc. This chance to "go-back-and-learn" is not a small matter for those of us who banged our heads bloody in frustration because the math books were so terrible, did not teach, and did not SHOW ALL THE DETAILED, STEP-BY-STEP CALCULATIONS. KA's video lessons show step-by-step calculations, and the videos can be repeated, again and again. Love it.

However, KA needs to improve the progressive layout of its topic/class curriculum, and this is my criticism.

The people who prepare the KA topic/class curriculum understand math. Many of the students using KA do not understand math - they are struggling with math.  Many of the students using KA do not "get" the logic of math - it is not obvious to them (believe me, I know.  I am one of them). So, KA must make the curriculum progression simple and step-by-step.  Emphasis on simple.  Step-by-step.  Nobody at KA should feel any need to show how much smarter they are than the students using KA.  The KA student is well aware that they sit at the feet of Math Masters.

For example, if KA is laying out a class for geometry (i.e. everything you need to know about geometry ... including some cool, interesting, fun stuff that you might not learn in a typical basic 8-9-10 grade geometry class), then KA must start at the most basic lesson and progress - systematically march, step-by-step - to the end (i.e. A to Z). KA's individual video lessons are great, but its lesson-to-lesson progression is terrible.  The student should be able to sign into KA and then simply pick up where he ended his last lesson, checking a box of each completed lesson and test.

KA should ask itself:
Question: If a student using KA wanted to learn calculus from A to Z ... where would that student start on the KA website?
Current Answer: ????? That student would be adrift, wandering around on the KA website. Poking here or there. Hit or miss.
Correct Answer: MAKE IT SIMPLE. LAYOUT A PROSCRIBED CURRICULUM PROGRESSION.  Calculus A to Z ... so that at the end, the student knows for certain that if they have checked all the boxes and passed all the tests, then MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!  They have mastered Calculus.

Same question for trigonometry, or basic algebra, or advanced algebra, or "everything you ever wanted to know about fractions and decimals" or differential equations ... etc. You get my point.

Second. KA should prepare a series on "mastering mental math." The "how-to" of doing calculations in your head, quickly.
There are guys who specialize in this sort of math wizardry and some of them are amazingly good. The best I have seen (and the least gimmicky) is Scott Flansburg (who calls himself the Human Calculator). Yes, Flansberg is a bit of a showman, but that is not the point.  KA can make the mental math class in the KA style. 

What is important: These "in your head" and "quick estimate" calculations are super helpful in life and give people a lot of confidence in their dealings with numbers.  Mental math gives you fluidity with numbers.  Very important.  Probably more important than calculus and trigonometry after you are done with your SAT test.

That's about it. Two easy-to-implement suggestions. Both would be big improvements to KA.

I hope to see them on the KA website.

I think KA is great.

Suzie Wong

Washington, DC