Singapore 3A word problems

[Tracee]

We have just hit two step word problems, and I really have to help my son a lot. Is this pretty normal when they are first learning to figure this all out? I really walk him through it. He would have no idea what to do if I didn't help him. He can do the mental math in his head, but the language of it all trips him up. I guess I'm just wondering how much I should expect of him right now.

[MelInKansas]

They are not easy to figure out, so it is not unusual for kids to struggle with them! Do you do the exercises in the textbook and then workbook pages too? On the exercises in the textbook, I view this as teaching time, so I will step through one asking questions along the way, or trying to demonstrate what I was thinking, then I will get her more involved with each one I do. I expect her to then do the workbook pages, but I will talk through them with her if she seems to need that help to at least write down the problem she is solving. Use visuals if you can, manipulatives, so either draw or use snap blocks, dollars, dimes, and pennies, or whatever you can and feel is appropriate. Those kind of aids help with the understanding and if your child needs them to help him understand use them!

[Dandelion5]

Hhhhhhh

[Tracee]

Thanks for your help. I haven't been working through all the text book problems, and I think I've actually been skipping the textbook when it comes to the word problems. I just noticed that today, so your post is confirmation that I need to be using the text for word problems also. I think I'll just keep helping him through the language of it all. I forgot to change my profile. He is 9 and we have been doing Singapore since Kindergarten. He is definitely placed correctly. Actually, he is 1 book behind where he should be. If I explain the word problem, he can do a lot of it in his head. He just needs help understanding what they are asking. I've been drawing pictures and using manipulatives, so I will keep on.

[my3sons]

Beginning with 3A and continuing on through 6B, the textbook portion is the teaching portion of the math lesson. This is a change from K through 2B in HOD, as HOD guides have their own hands-on lesson plan activities for the teaching portion in those earlier guides. Once dc begin 3A, it is extremely important each portion of the textbook is taught, as this is how dc are taught their math lessons. It is really amazing to me your ds has been doing alright up until now with just the workbook portion - he must be a pretty smart little cookie! I think you once you begin teaching all of the textbook, ds will show good progress. That being said, however, I would still stay by our dc's side during the workbook portion, as Singapore is quite advanced. Multi-step math problems become more prevalent as dc move through 3A/3B, and like you, I often had to help my sons recognize when more than one step is needed. As the pp mentioned, I'd talk through it in your textbook teaching time, and then be available to help as needed during the workbook time. Blessedly, the combined time for the textbook and workbook lessons are short and very manageable (something I have always LOVED and appreicated about Singapore). HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[Tracee]

Do I need to do all the problems in the textbook?

[my3sons]

Do I need to do all the problems in the textbook?

Good question! It is good to do all of the problems assigned in the HOD daily plans. If the plans say a page number (whether for the textbook and/or the workbook), dc are to do all of the math problems and review all of the notes / sidebar information on that page. The Textbook is the teaching portion of the plans. Doing the textbook plans together first really helps dc do the workbook better. The Singapore Math plans are short compared to other math programs common to homeschooling (i.e Saxon, BJU, Abeka, etc.), so that is a blessing!!! HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[MelInKansas]

I do. I think I will unless it seems that she already has complete mastery over the concepts being covered. That hasn't happened yet. But, if you're not on schedule with your guide (which we are not), so your math isn't on your guide page, you might be trying to do too much. You typically don't need to complete an exercise each day, if you try to do that it would be really long. Usually you do 2-3 pages in the textbook and the corresponding workbook pages. Most exercises are broken at least in 1/2.

And for those things that are particularly hard you might want to take it really slowly and just do a few problems each day and have him do 1-2. If I remember right the word problems are only 3 per page or so anyway.

If my DD is doing well or seems to understand sometimes she does some of the problems mostly by herself on the whiteboard. (whiteboard is also where I am demonstrating problems from the textbook to her). I am watching her making sure she's correct, but again on the workbook, unless she needs help, she does it by herself and I check it over later.

LOL Julie I thought about saying that too. Many other major math curricula have a LOT more exercises and problems to do for each concept. I know many people who only do part of them and still feel it is very repetitive and can get boring if the child grasped it easily, or frustrating if the child is struggling.

[MomtoJGJE]

In the textbook there will be "practice" pages and "review" pages where you don't do the workbook on those days. We do every problem in the workbooks, no questions, no complaints.... if you know how to do it, then it won't take long

However on the Practice pages and review pages occasionally, if I feel the child knows the work, I'll have them do one or two from each section and if they get those correct I let them go to the next part. So basically they'll do half to 3/4 of those pages. If they get anything wrong they have to complete that section. And if it's something that's super easy I have them do all of them. Like Grace yesterday had to write the numbers from written words... Like one hundred seventy two and she'd have to write 172. She did all of those because it took less than a minute to do all four of them. But the ones where it was backwards from that where she had to write the words, I only had her do one out of three.

So to answer your question, if they show that they KNOW the work, then I do'nt make them do all the textbook problems, especially if it's review... but if they don't know, or if it's a new concept we do all of them. There's not many and the textbook only takes 10 minutes or less on a teaching day.

[Tracee]

Ok, I haven't been following the guide. I think that's my problem. LOL. I've been trying to push him along, because I feel he is a little behind what he is capable of doing. Everything seemed pretty easy for him until the 2 step word problems. Multiplication is going great, so I think I will revisit the word problems while using the textbook.

[my3sons]

Ok, I haven't been following the guide. I think that's my problem. LOL. I've been trying to push him along, because I feel he is a little behind what he is capable of doing. Everything seemed pretty easy for him until the 2 step word problems. Multiplication is going great, so I think I will revisit the word problems while using the textbook.

I'm glad multiplication is going well though -hooray! That is a biggie. Word problems... arghhhh... they're always the toughest, aren't they?!? I like your plan of revisiting them with the textbook as a help. Good idea! I am wondering - is it your 9 yo doing 3A? My 10 1/2 yo is just now beginning 4B, and it is challenge aplenty. With my oldest ds, who is now 13 1/2 yo, we found that when he finished 6B (which was at the end of 7th grade) he could go into Algebra 1. I know not everyone's path will be the same with that, but I thought I'd share that our 'behind' son came out 'ahead' just by slowly working through Singapore at a pace he could handle, following the HOD's plans in the regard that he did a lesson a day, 4 days a week (we've always been off on the 'days' matching the unit of the guide we are on, but we've always done a day of math plans each day, hope that makes sense ). Anyway, hope something here helps, but it sounds like your ds is doing just fine for his age!

In Christ,
Julie

[MelInKansas]

Again, I think if he already knows what to do and they are easy for him, yeah, finish up a whole exercise in a day if it's easy. If not, then slow it down. Make sure you take the time on the things that are hard so he can work on mastering them. Of course there is repetition throughout the year.

And yes, I would say a 9YO in 3A is doing just fine! My DD is almost 9 and we just started 3A.

[Gwenny]

Wow! I just learned some things here. I was not using the guide for recommendations for how much math to do. I was just doing the next exercise in the workbook and if she seemed to have some trouble I would look at a few things in the textbook. Oops! So glad I read this thread.
(I was looking through older posts and she is having trouble with the 2 step word problems also.)
Sometimes she gets so flustered doing them that she forgets how to do a simple multiplication problem that she knows very easily. I was going to try and hurry her to catch up with where she should be in the Preparing guide. She's not done with 3A yet, on page 94 and in the Preparing guide she should be on 3B p. 38. I won't do that to her though. I'm just going to follow the guide directions from now on and work with her all of the time. Thanks for this thread!