mansmom wrote:So we are almost total HOD converts
...but I'm still a hold out on math...we use Horizons and I love it...that said...I'm being pulled to try Singapore sort of "on the side"....I am enticed by the mental math side of it...so here's my questions for those of you that use it...do I HAVE to have the textbooks...we will use Singapore as a supplement right now...can i get buy with just the workbooks??
Any thoughts are welcome!!
If I were going to use Singapore as a supplement primarily for mental math, I would just purchase the textbooks and play with Singapore and my child mostly in a visual/ oral fashion. I say this because the concepts are introduced in the textbook.
Even if you just wanted a little Singapore, I would suggest sticking with their concrete>pictorial>abstract methodology in order to explore the mental math aspect that is enticing you. So, for example, you could use Carrie's concrete activity, then look at the picture introduction to the concept in the textbook, and then discuss the few problems that are in the textbook. This would be a light exploration of/ introduction to Singapore without being overwhelming. In this scenario, you would look at Singapore as a supplement and Horizons as your main text.
If you jump in trying to do the HOD math activities and all the Singapore workbook pages and all of Horizons, your child will essentially be doing two math programs. This isn't necessarily bad. Many children love math and thrive with more than one program. However, at first you still may want to ramp up to two programs instead of diving in immediately with more written work.
JMHO-
Mandy
Kathleen