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We are on Unit 3 in Beyond, and I'm noticing that my ds7 is getting more frustrated with math, like maybe he is just not getting it. Or he is just too distracted and doesn't feel like putting in the effort to try. (I'm not totally sure). We are using Singapore 2A because he had already learned many of the things in 1A and was even bored of some of the beginning lessons in 2A. But now that we're getting into new territory, I am feeling very inadequate. I am a "math person", and I always thought he was too. I am beginning to forsee a long and bitter road of struggling through math. I was considering purchasing the Singapore Teacher's Guide in hopes that it provided some helpful tips on actually "teaching" instead of me just "knowing" and not being able to communicate with my child how I learned it. If any of you have used it or have some other advice that has worked for you, please, please, please, let me know.

Thanks so much!

I would recommend with level 2, to go ahead and get the Bigger guide so you can do the hands on activities that Carrie schedules to go along with level 2. I think the hands on activities at this stage are helpful, and I liked Carries activities better than what I saw in the HIG. By the time you buy the HIG for 2A and 2B, you could have almost bought the Bigger guide and you'll be using it next year anyway, so I feel it is a better investment.

I would encourage you too that 2A is I feel one of the most difficult books with Singapore that we have encountered thus far. If you are jumping into Singapore at this point, it could be a bit overwhelming. We came to Singapore after my dc were beyond some of the concepts in level 1, but at Carrie's recommendation we went ahead and started there anyway. We did go through 1A and 1B more quickly, but it was helpful because we got the flow of how Singapore worked. At 2A, we really had to slow down. I think those concepts are just more difficult concepts to grasp so we took our time and did plenty of the hands on activities until my dc were comfortable before moving on. I'm not saying that you need to go back to level 1, just trying to say that don't feel discouraged that this level is challenging right now. I think regrouping is a tough concept to grasp, but it is so essential that it is worthwhile to slow down and take the time to make sure that it is well understood. The hands on activities in Bigger are very helpful in solidifying the concepts.

I think it would be a good idea if possible, to get the next guide and do Carries ideas. I am just... so sold on her. LOL. DS loves her ideas.

And if you also wanted the teacher guides I would suggest trying to get a used copy. If you are part of a homeschool group put out an email. Or go to a used curriculum sale. I got some of the singapore textbooks for $1. Since the kids do not write in them, once they're done with the workbooks the textbooks can be passed along.

I agree to buy the Bigger Hearts Guide-you will be using the whole guide later anyway when you finish Beyond, and there is a schedule for 3a/3b in the appendix for when you finish 2a/2b, so it is a worthwhile purchase. When you use the hands on activities in the Bigger guide's daily plans, you don't even need the textbooks for 2a/2b, only the workbooks-the activities are simple and short, and use household items as manipulatives (often edible items).

Another vote for the Bigger guide and the hands-on activities. We LOVED them here! (and are using them a 2nd time)

Just so you know...the Home Instructor's Guides are not actually something from Singapore. They're Sonlight's version of help with the program rather than HOD's.

Ladies,

While you can always use the Home Instructor's Guides or the Teacher's Guides carried on the Singapore website, it is good to know that Sonlight partnered with Singapore math to bring SIngapore to the U.S. For this, we are very grateful, as SIngapore math is designed around a tremendous philosophy for learning math concepts!

However, this also means that as part of that partnering, Sonlight wrote their own Home Instructor's Guides for use with Singapore math. The Home Instructor's Guides are not a part of the Singapore series but are actually Sonlight's intrepretation of SIngapore math. The HIG's can be very helpful at the upper levels, but they do stray from the Singapore method laid out in the textbook at times and do make the lesson very teacher heavy with many additional examples to teach and various ways to solve the problems. These additional examples and teaching lessons can be a blessing as a reference tool when you are stuck but can also be a burden if you use the guides to teach from on a daily basis. With this in mind, at HOD we carry the HIG only for levels 5A/5B and 6A/6B with the thought that they should be used for reference only when you are stuck on a concept. We do not carry the guides at the lower levels, because we believe they change the entire feel, flow, and design of the Singapore program at those levels. If you do desire to use the HIG at the lower levels, we'd advise you to use them in a reference capacity, only pulling them out when you hit a roadblock, rather than teaching from them directly each day.

It is also good to know that the author of Sonlight's home instructors guides is a moderator on the Singapore forum, so this explains the push on the Singapore forum for inclusion of the Home Instructor's Guides as a "necessary'" component to teach Singapore math. As moderator, she answers most of the questions on the Singapore math forum.

We have taught the SIngapore program solely from the HOD guides and the Singapore textbook/workbook combination through 6A/6B and found this method works well. I did refer to the HIG for 5A/5B on one occasion and did refer to the 6A/6B HIG on 4 different occasions. Otherwise, we did not use the HIG. If you are not comfortable teaching math, you may refer to the HIG more in 5A/5B and 6A/6B than we did. In the levels below 5A/5B, it is good to try to teach the Singapore series directly from the the textbook/workbook along with HOD's hands-on lessons as an aid as much as possible to keep the lessons manageable and to stick to the main concepts in the textbook/workbook. It's important to remember that not all concepts are meant to be "mastered" before moving on. Rather, many concepts are only introduced and practiced in the younger years.

As far as the Teacher's Guides that are carried on the SIngapore math website, we would advise not purchasing these at all. This is because the Teacher's Guides are very classroom oriented and not easily applicable to the homeschool setting.

Remember, if you do choose to buy the next HOD guide in order to have the hands-on math plans, you are purchasing a guide that you will need the following year anyway. Plus, when you purchase the rest of the Economy Package needed for that guide the following year, HOD will give you credit for the purchase of the HOD guide, so you still receive the Economy Package discount. All you have to do is drop us an email or note it in the instructions at checkout.

From a financial perspective, when you purchase an HOD guide for the hands-on math plans, you do not need to purchase the textbooks (as the HOD guide's plans replaces the need for a textbook in 1A/1B and 2A/2B). This saves you money as well. If you purchase the HIG, you will be spending money on those guides, still need to purchase the textbooks along with the workbooks, and not have HOD's hands-on math plans. Then, the following year you'd still need to purchase the next HOD guide to teach from for the rest of your subjects. So, this is something to keep in mind!

Blessings,
Carrie