How old is too old, to jump into using Singapore Math?

[Michelle]

Hi there,

Still trying to decide on a Math curr. for my ds who is turning 10 next month. We will be beginning Preparing... for 4th grade with him in a couple of weeks and I still can't decide on a math. My dd will be beginning LHFHG then and Singapore Math for 1st grade.

So...how old is too old, to jump into using SM? For example, if he tests into level 2 (in looking at the test, that's what I'd guess since he's not been doing mental math at all), is it ok to begin a 4th grader in level 2 SM? Will he be left far behind his peers then?

Thanks, in advance, for the help! I'm excited to begin!

God bless,
Michelle

[butterfly113]

We have just started preparing this week, and LOVE IT! Last spring I tested ds who will be 10 in january, and he place in 3b. Over the summer we skimmed through some of the topics in 3a to solidify some concepts. Now we are in 3b and it is going well. Some mental calculation is still taught in these levels. Remember that Singapore is not so much by grade levels as other curriculums... their website also has some sample pages to give you a better feel as well, and you can see the table of contents. If he scored well in 2A, then you could possibly start 2b... just remember the beauty of homeschool is you can customize to meet your child's needs, and not have to make him fit a 'standard' mold! ;0) Hopefully some others will chime in too... Hope this helps in some way!

[my3sons]

You may want to just give him the test and see where he places. Wherever he places, you can start there. Once he goes through a whole year of Singapore, he will probably be able to move more quickly through Singapore. Depending on where he places, if you want to finish more levels more quickly, you could do them through the summer (or during whenever you normally take breaks - if you school year-round, this would give more days too). Singapore is known to be advanced, and their placement test is accurate. Just to give an example - I finished 1B/2A one year. I then somehow managed to forget we hadn't done 2B yet , and started the next year with 3A. It was too hard for him, and things were not going well. This was when I figured out I'd started with the wrong one, and we went back to 2B. He did super, and when he got to 3A, he did great with that then too. So, even being a semester off can make a difference. That's why I'd start with wherever he places and work from there. I don't think he's too old to jump into Singapore, and I think it's a solid math program at any point you enter.

In Christ,
Juile

[Carrie]

Michelle,

I agree that at age 10, a child can still transition well into Singapore. It gets tougher once they are closer to 12 to make the switch as you'll likely feel the need to "catch-up". I agree that it would be a good idea to give the placement test. It is a great way to gauge where your child really places. Once you're armed with that information, you can make a more informed decision as to what level you're really looking at for your child.

Blessings,
Carrie

[kiloyd]

I've kinda' been thinking this too, thanks for posting your question.

[MamaBear23Cubs]

I tried to get my daughter to switch in second grade and it was a disaster, I went back to Lifepacs and now using Modern Curriculum Press. My little ones are using Singapore math from the begining.

[Michelle]

Thanks for all the replies! I posted another thread AFTER I tested my ds in singpore. It's titled something like: tested my ds in singapore and still confused, any suggestions? So...I guess that's the "after" part of this thread!

My Dh is a true math geek, he's an actuary and he REALLY loves Singapore and wants our ds to begin it at any level he can because he likes it so much. So that really helped my decision. If you are just looking at the numbers, he's really behind, but it's really more about what level THEY are at, not the number on the front. (I've finally let myself come to that conclusion, after fighting it for a long time )

I plan on beginning a little in 1B, and going at least 5 days/week all year (with the HOD guide's hands on stuff, of course). Everyone here says the lessons are so short and the hands on stuff is fun, so it shouldn't be the drudgery it seems to be in print.

Added note: Since my dd is beginning LHFHG and Singapore with the Beyond guide, she then ended up skipping the K level math in Singapore. So.....over the summer I went all the way through the Little Hearts... guide doing only the hands on math portion (without the SM K workbook, just on scratch paper) to prepare her for level 1. It was easy to tell what each lesson was about just by the LHFHG guide. After doing that all summer the girl LOVES math because it's so fun to her. It ended up being a great way to introduce her to math!

Thanks again, Michelle

[Carrie]

Michelle,

What a great idea to do the K math over the summer with the activities! I'm so glad that you have a little math lover on your hands now. It makes math more enjoyable if you don't have to fight your kiddos along the way!

Blessings,
Carrie