farmfamily wrote:So we're new to Singapore math with my oldest. She is doing 3A. My question is - if there are a bunch of problems in the textbook (as in p.79 in level 3A which has a lot of multiplication and division problems), do you work them all yourself, or is the student supposed to work them? I have been doing them myself and asking her a few questions about them as I go, but I feel like she glazes over a bit. On the other hand, if I get her to work them while I am there, I fear our lesson will go long.
Also do you find that some lessons do go long? Occasionally (especially when learning long division) we have had math sessons go over 50 minutes, through usually it is much less. It seems to vary quite a bit. Maybe that is because some of the material is more familiar to my child & other parts are all new...
My ds just did 3A/3B last year, and for his textbook part, I modeled a few problems using the Singapore methods suggested on a markerboard, talking out loud to show my mental math thinking as I did the modeling. Then, I'd jot the next problem down on a markerboard for him, and he would work it on the markerboard with me helping as needed. Sometimes I had my own markerboard and modeled a step he was stuck on, or else I showed him on his markerboard. Sometimes while he was completing a problem on his markerboard, I'd be writing the next problem on my markerboard, and then we'd switch for me to check the one he'd done and for him to start on the next one. Or, I let him work the problems right in the Textbook with his pencil (the books are inexpensive, and this is sometimes easier and quicker). But, whether we used markerboards or wrote in the textbook, we looked at the textbook time as a time to partner together to do the problems.
The markerboard though - I have to say - has been an integral part of our math for our sons all the way from 1A through 6B. It offers one more way to change things up and show work quickly and differently than with paper/pencil.
For the workbook, he could use the markerboard and just write the final answer in the workbook (as I was sitting next to him watching his work anyway), or he could work the problems right in the workbook if he wanted. Our lessons took around 30 minutes on average. If your lessons are taking almost an hour on some days, I'd either take a break after 30 minutes and do another shorter final session later in the day, or just stop for the day and finish it out the next day. D It sounds like you are doing a good job of trying to work with your daughter and staying by her side. By letting her take over the work of figuring out the textbook problems (after you've modeled a few) and by pitching in to help her figure them out when she hits a pothole, she'll be more actively involved in the lesson and will get used to working through the problems more and more successfully herself. By using a markerboard and dry erase markers, you'll have a different medium to use to switch things up a little and break up the textbook/workbook parts. By letting her write in the textbook, you'll save some time because there is no recopying of the problems. Those are my best tips - hope they help!
In Christ,
Julie