math facts

[threegreatkids]

How does HOD approach drilling basic math facts? Is it written into the manuals are just a "do what you wish" kind of thing?

[Mom2Monkeys]

I think it's assumed that if you are using HOD's math rec's, you don't really need to drill...and if you are using your own math program, then it will be scheduled for you in the plans for that. I used something else before finding HOD that drilled facts and we need to still learn those facts and can't seem to get them down. Using Singapore, we have no use for drill methods and she is learning her multi/div facts with NO drill whatsoever! It's just the way SM teaches. It's wonderful!

I just posted a link to an online free site to practice facts in another post - www.ixl.com and then there's also www.sheppardsoftware.com. We're using these and QuarterMile Math to try to get our add/subt. facts down since we didn't use Singapore when learning them. I don't think we'd need them had we started and stayed with Singapore but we're making progress. Carrie has had to reassure me a couple times that while learning facts is important, it's not something that has to be pushed this early (1st,2nd grade), especially with drill.

[Tansy]

Singapore's approach is more of math exploration. Seeing the relationships in math rather than drill. I must admit it freaked me out at first and didn't seem like it was enough. But I am finding My dd2 is having flashes of insight with singapore my DD1 never did. The more I use this program with dd2 the more I love it.

DD1 required math drills because she really doesn't see/understand cause and effect and I eventually switched to much more rigid program. Singapore actually moved to fast for her and she wasn't getting it.

DD2 asks questions and I can tell she really is getting it especially she suddenly says "Mom 6-2 is 4" when working out how many more spoons we need at dinner.

I do know singapore has a huge reputation for being very successful in the big picture.

[threegreatkids]

I'm a bit confused. We are going to be new to HOD but not new to Singapore math. Our current curriculum recommends Singapore with daily math drill. Matter of fact, i heard that in Singapore (the country) they do quite a bit of math drill, and have a very "math oriented culture". The books are only part of their math program. Hmmm, I think I need to schedule a field trip to Singapre to check this all out for ourselves Just kidding, but I would love to hear more on this. I was assuming math drill was recommended, but just curious thether there would be cues in the manual or whether I should add my own. We just drill 5 min a day, and it really helps with the concepts that require knowing them (like regrouping).
Thanks, and look forward to hearing more! I would have no problem crossing math drill off our to-do list if that's the best thing

[my3sons]

I'm a bit confused. We are going to be new to HOD but not new to Singapore math. Our current curriculum recommends Singapore with daily math drill. Matter of fact, i heard that in Singapore (the country) they do quite a bit of math drill, and have a very "math oriented culture". The books are only part of their math program. Hmmm, I think I need to schedule a field trip to Singapre to check this all out for ourselves Just kidding, but I would love to hear more on this. I was assuming math drill was recommended, but just curious thether there would be cues in the manual or whether I should add my own. We just drill 5 min a day, and it really helps with the concepts that require knowing them (like regrouping).
Thanks, and look forward to hearing more! I would have no problem crossing math drill off our to-do list if that's the best thing

Singapore is so strong on mental math that we have not found drill to be necessary. We did do flashcards now and then through the summer months off from school, but they weren't really necessary. It's hard to explain, but the way Singapore teaches math just naturally seems to foster the learning of facts naturally. If you want, you can certainly drill math facts, but I don't think it is necessary. I've learned to "trust in Singapore" , and then if I need to drill a few math facts they're missing, then I just do those few (i.e. like my ds just needed a refresher on the tricks for the 9's Singapore taught - once I reminded him of that - he was fine and didn't need to drill them). I think you could happily cross math drill of your to-do list without looking back! But, if you'd rather continue doing drill, that would work just fine too.

In Christ,
Julie

[Carrie]

threegreatkids,

It is very true that kiddos DO need to know their math facts, and how much drill that is required to get those facts down will vary from child to child. Some kiddos pick up their facts with no drill at all. Other kiddos will require drill over only a few facts that they keep stumbling over. The last group of kiddos just can't seem to retain their facts at all, and these type of kiddos send their parents searching through endless drill and fact memorization programs only for the parents to usually discover that good old flashcard practice in small groups of flashcards (like all of the 1's, and then all of the 2's, etc.) works best.

As far as the U.S. goes, we tend to supersize everything in math to a one-size fits all mentality. We take the stance that all kiddos need drill to memorize their facts, so we drill them early and we drill them repeatedly. This often results in frustration in kiddos who are being asked to memorize their facts long before they even understand what they're memorizing. Or, on the flipside we drill kiddos who would have automatically memorized most of their facts sheerly through math application, if only given enough time to mature into it on their own.

So, do they drill math facts in Singapore? Yes, but differently than the way we approach math here in the U.S. The entire Singapore way of doing math is very different from the U.S. way of doing math. Singapore math is truly a no frills, fewer problems of a higher level, promote kiddos to figure out what to do on their own first before jumping in to show the method type program. In the U.S., we've of course added extra practice workbooks, challenging word problems workbooks, remedial type workbooks and so on to the Singapore math program to Americanize it and make it more drill intensive like the other U.S. based programs. It's up to you to decide what route you wish to go, however at our house we have found it very refreshing to do math the truly Singapore way.

Blessings,
Carrie

[threegreatkids]

Tamara, Tansy, Julie and Carrie,
Thanks SO much for your answers!! I think I get it now
I also realize that our Singapore experience up to this point has not included the hands-on piece that is written into the HOD manuals, and I'm glad that at least my youngest will have the benefit of this as he begins 1A. Since we will be starting with Bigger I plan to go through those activities with my daughters, even though it might be review, to help them really get certain things that they have struggled with.
Thanks again,