Singapore Math and Common Core

[momofgreatones]

Hello ladies,

It's been a very long time since I've been on the boards, although we still use and love HOD. Life with our eight blessings just gets too crazy sometimes for me to get on the computer much. Getting on here again and reading all the posts though makes me miss it!

I have a question about Singapore math. I used Singapore through kindergarten and 1a/1b. My olders have always used Teaching Textbooks since they were teens. The past two years I have transitioned my youngers from Singapore, after they finish 1b, into Teaching Textbooks also. However, I don't think Teaching Textbooks, in the younger levels, is giving them a good foundation. So I've been looking at doing Singapore again, and committing myself to doing the activities from the guides and HIG's, even though this does take more time. Giving them a good foundation would be worth the time.

However, I just saw on Singapore's website that they are advertising that they have aligned their Discovering Mathematics series with Common Core. I can't tell from the website if they are doing the same with their Primary Mathematics series. This is concerning to me because I do not want any curriculum that has anything to do with CC.

Does anyone know if Singapore has changed their primary mathematics series to align with CC at all, or if they have plans to?

Thanks,
Monique

[StephanieU]

The Singapore books that HOD recommends are not aligned. Their other set (US I think it is called) is.

[momofgreatones]

The ones used in the HOD guides are the U.S. edition. On the Singapore website, it doesn't say one way or the other if the Primary Mathematics are CC aligned or not. I'm assuming they're not, since it doesn't say so on the cover like it does on Discovering Mathematics, but I wondered if anyone knew for sure. Also, wanting to know if they have plans to align them. I don't want to switch back to Singapore only to have them suddenly change all their books to CC. I suppose I could call Singapore next week and see if I can find out anything.

[StephanieU]

I looked up what I had found before. The US Edition has no plans on being aligned. They are "incidentally aligned" because they in general meet or exceed the standards, but nothing has changed. The Standards Edition may not be changed yet, but there are plans to evaluate that edition and make sure everything is aligned. Discovery is where they started aligning, I think because they were already editing that version.

Honestly, in math, the standards THEMSELVES are fine. They are what most states already had. The problem is what is coming with them. So, personally I don't mind is publishers list how their curriculum already meets the standards. I don't care if they see the need to add something in that might be missing (often times graphing or statistic-type things). But, if they are going to water down or drastically change something I will have issues...

[momofgreatones]

Thanks Stephanie! I don't know why I couldn't find anything on the website, but thanks for letting me know what you found.

[learningtolove]

Here is some information that I got through emailing questions and thought I would share....

We do not yet sell a Common Core aligned version of Singapore math other than for 7 and 8th grade. And those guides do not mention Common Core. The publisher is creating a Common Core edition of Primary Mathematics. But currently, there are no changes at that level. We will continue to sell the US edition of Primary Mathematics, and that will not mention common core, nor will the guide.

Everything we sell other than the 7th and 8th grade pre-dates the common core. We do have an alignment at our website that shows where CC standards are covered and at one level. But none have yet been revised. There is good alignment at the lower levels, but the K does contain some material not in CC and does not expect students to memorize any math facts. Please see http://www.singaporemath.com/Scope_and_ ... _s/120.htm

There is no old and new Kindergarten. We only sell two series, Standards edition of Earlybird Math, and the Essential Math. Both were written before CCSS. So while there is good alignment, it is not perfect.

Jenny
Singaporemath.com

Essential Math is a different series than Earlybird math. It covers the same material, but has different author. The textbooks (workbooks actually) are in black and white, while Earlybird Math books are in color. They are not two editions of the same book.

Hope this helps!!