Very obvious question re Singapore Math

[cirons]

Ok, so I recently made the decision to go over to Singapore Math from MUS.....I received my order yesterday for SM. My ds is starting with 1A and my dd at 2B.

With MUS, I was used to Steve Demme teaching the kids on dvd and his explanations were always thorough enough that I did not need to do anything extra! I had a quick look at the SM texts last night and I kinda had a little freak out. I don't really understand how I am supposed to teach it! Do you just go through the examples in the text with your child and then let them do the examples in the workbooks? My ds doing 1A is doing Beyond so do I just go and find the appropriate lesson in the TM for Beyond to help me explain his? But my daughter is in Preparing and I know this has a schedule as to how to get through SM, but how do I actually explain the new concepts to her???? This may seem very obvious to someone who has used it before, sorry if this sounds stupid. Because it is such a different way of learning, what if 1 or 2 examples in the text are not enough for my dd to see a pattern and how to complete the workbook questions?

I am sure it will become obvious as I start it, but if someone could reassure me that I will be able to do this without stressing myself or my kids out, that would be great! Thanks! (My fear is that I will not be able to explain the concepts well enough for my kids to understand quickly. It seems very based on my ability to introduce the topic etc)

[cirons]

Can I also add that I am an Aussie so I am using the Singapore 3rd edition of SM, not the US one so I can teach in metric. I had a look at the price of the IG for them and they are $40 here in Oz so going this route would mean each semester adds up with text and workbooks to be nearly $80 (or $160 for the year)! I was hoping to reduce my cost of Math product as MUS works out about $120/year for me if I need the IG's to be able to teach SM effectively.

[pjdobro]

Yikes! That is expensive for the IG. If you were using the same edition as HOD uses, it would be easy for you. The hands on lessons in Beyond coordinate with 1A and 1B. So with that you would do the hands on activities and then the workbook pages. I guess you could try to figure out how they correspond between your edition and the one that is used in Beyond. You might be able to do that just by looking at the concepts listed in the front of the book, by week. If you look that over and can match up the concepts, then I would probably try to make some notes for myself, a little schedule or guide that would tell me which hands on activity would go with which lesson. I would do the hands on activity and since you have the textbook, I would go over the examples in the textbook, then I would have your dc do the workbook page. Doing it this way, I would probably cover it in the sequence that is laid out in your Singapore book. For me that would be the easier way to keep track since I'm guessing you'll have to jump around in the guide for the hands on ideas to coordinate. I'm not familiar enough with all the Singapore editions to know how they differ. Maybe you'll find that they are not that different at all which would be great!

For your older dd doing 2A/2B, if the above plan works for 1A/1B, I would consider getting the Bigger guide for the hands on activities. You would be all set for next year with your guide for your younger daughter as well as have your math activities for your older daughter for this year. It would be a whole lot more economical to pay the money for the Bigger guide than to spend the money on the IG.

Hopefully this will work well for you. I think you will find that the pictoral examples in the texts are pretty good at explaining the concept. When you take the time and go over it with your dc, then do the workbook pages, the concepts become clear. The hands on activities are really nice to have too so I hope you can figure out how to coordinate them. I'm sure as you get into it, you'll feel more confident.

[cirons]

Thanks Patty for your encouragement....it may very well be that I should order Bigger to help out with 2B plans....even though my daughter qualified in the placement test for 2B....I did the first lesson for it with her this morning and it just expected her to know things by working it out in her head, I assume the Singapore way. In MUS she would work it out on paper (eg. 49-18 = ?) She just looked at me blankly as if 'how am I supposed to do THAT in my head?' She would get these right 100% of the time in MUS but the 2B book does not show how to work it out in your head....it just expects you to do it. Does this mean I should buy 2A or even 1B for her so she can see the Singapore way of how to work it all out??? (Because it is all new to me too....I can't explain it the right way!) I would hate to put a kid in Year 4 back to 1B as her brother will be in 1B in no time as he will fly through 1A.....but how else does she learn to graph it in her mind?
Sorry this is so long winded....I just want it to be clear in my head so I don't stress her out and expect something of her that I shouldn't!

ANy advice would be appreciated!

[my3sons]

If she placed in 2B, and you didn't have to help her with any of the placement test (I've heard this is pretty important), then I would get the Bigger Hearts manual and do the hands-on lessons with her starting with 2B. If you did end up helping her some with her placement test (hey, it's tough not to when their our kids and we love 'em), then I'd go with 2A. I would get the matching versions HOD uses if you can. They do cover the metric system well anyway IMO. In fact, they do it so often I've been looking for a meterstick for awhile. I probably just need to get it online, as our stores don't seem to have them. Anyway, the hands-on math lessons in the HOD guide are the teaching instruction part up through 2B, so they replace "Steve Demme" I guess - they're very fun and easy to do though - many times involving edible counters - I think you'll enjoy them as much as we have (we DO love our snacks around here though)! Honestly, the hands-on lessons make the workbook a breeze. When you get to 3A, the textbook becomes your teacher instruction. I wouldn't get the IG's - they just are necessary at this age IMO, but you will know best here. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[cirons]

Hi Julie,

thanks....yes, she did the placement test in another room with no assistance from me at all and got 80% in the 2A which from my understanding, means she is ready for the next level?
I will have a look today to see if I can match up the different editions with the HOD guides for maths, and if I can, I will order the Bigger guide to get help with teaching 2B....

thanks ladies....
I will just get her to continue with MUS til I get myself sorted with SM.....

[pjdobro]

I just went to the Singapore website and it looks like the Standards edition and US edition are very similar in scope and sequence in 2B so I would think the hands on activities in Bigger would coordinate well even if you don't have the same edition. The page numbers aren't going to line up, but the concepts will. It would be easier on you if you did have the same edition. As Julie said, there is a lot of metric in it even in the US edition. It looks like from the scope and sequence, the metric system is used the same in both editions. If you do stick with the other edition though, I don't think it is going to be that difficult for you to line things up. When looking at the scope and sequence, I noticed that after the first section in 2B, the next two sections are methods for mental addition and subtraction. So that should help you catch up to the mental aspect of Singapore when you do those two sections. I hope you aren't in one of these sections right now and feeling lost. If you are, let me give you this brief explanation.

I think in the Singapore way of thinking, you try to always look at things in groups. For instance you look at the ones group, the tens group, etc. So in the problem you stated, 49-18=?, first you would look at the ones and say 9-8=1. Then you would look at the tens and say 40-10=30. Then you would combine your two groups (1+30), so the answer is 31. Did that make sense? It might sound like a long way of doing things at first, but once you are used to thinking about things this way, you can do so much in your head that you would otherwise have to reach for a pencil to do.

I want to try to encourage you in two ways. First off, if you find that Singapore just isn't a good fit for you dd and you want to go back to MUS, no problem. HOD works well with any math program. Second, if you have problems with the Singapore way of thinking, don't fret. There are many here that have been using Singapore for a long time and can help out when you need it. I'm only on my first time through (we're in 3A), but I know Carrie, Julie, and I'm sure many others here have gone through the program several times. So help is only a post away. It can be more difficult to communicate math in words, but we will work through it and figure it out together.

[cirons]

Oh Patty, aren't you beautiful! What a blessing you are....thank you so much for your kind words. I will work through these suggestions this afternoon (it is only mid morning here) and I will let you know how I go!

Blessings,

Corrie

[twoxcell]

The US editions teaches more metric than it does standard. I think you would be just fine with the US edition. As far as teaching I use the Textbook, hands on ideas, and ideas from the HIG's to teach the concepts. After I go over the concepts with ds he does the workbook pages with a bit of help from me.

[cirons]

Hi ladies,

just to clarify, we use the 3rd Edition SGP edition (not the Standards)....it is very similar to the US edition but it uses Singapore dollars which uses the same terminology as we do in Oz....my kids have no ideas what pennies, quarters, dimes are (and neither do I) which makes it harder to do money questions in the US books. I don't mind them using a bit of the imperial system as some things (like babies weights) are still sometimes referred to in pounds here....but nothing else really.

I had a quick look through Beyond and their page references compared to the edition we have and they are a bit different but if I sat down for a few hours for each semester, I could work out which concept goes with which lesson....

[pjdobro]

I don't even see that version listed on the Singapore math site so I don't know if it is even something we can get here in the US. I'm glad that the concepts line up with Beyond and you'll be able to use the hands on activities with your book! Yeah!