Am I missing something with Singapore Maths?

[cirons]

Hi everyone,

I recently swapped from MUS to Singapore and I am second guessing this decision as it causing me some stress in teaching it. My ds 7 is doing 1A and I am finding even though this is where he placed, it is all revision for him which is ok....I don't mind. I think possibly the way questions were worded in the placement test might have confused him so he did not go as well as he should. He likes the short lessons but he says it is too easy.

The one that is worrying me is my dd who was half way through Gamma and she placed at 2B so we bought this and then I bought the Bigger manual so we had the hands on activities to help. We are enjoying the activities, but when we get to the workbook, we still don't know how to do the mental math of working something out....the workbook or the activities don't seem to explain how to really do the mental math...she is used to writing out the problem with MUS or using manipulatives. Singapore just expects her to figure out what is 65+23 for eg. Did I miss in the earlier levels how to do this mentally? (Ie. I assume you would teach them to add the units together and then the tens and then add both.) MUS is very instructional and teaches kids tips and tricks in the dvd as to how to figure out how to come to an answer. eg. 8 + a =12, what is a? He teaches that you figure out the difference between 8 and 10 then the diff between 10 and 12 and add it. I assume it is similar in Singapore, but where are those instructions for how to show them how to think that way??? I am only in the first week in 2B so maybe I need to give it more time....I know I probably do. But in the mean time, we are a bit stressed as we just don't know how to work it out except by writing it out and doing it on paper.

Do I make sense? In summary, where is the instruction as to how to teach them how to work out the answer mentally? My dd knows how to do it (ie. subtracting, adding, etc) but then finding the answer without counting on fingers etc is another step we are missing in Singapore instructions! Maybe she has swapped too late and I should just stick to MUS? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!!!

Corrie

[blessedmama]

Before we stared using HOD we were using Singapore and so I had the teacher's guide, workbook, and text book. Carrie has done a wonderful job with having the extra activities in HOD but I personally would recommend buying the teacher's guide as well. It explains how to teach the concepts and also has extra activities. I recall Singapore teaching how to do the various techniques of adding etc. so maybe that was in the teacher's guide? I hope this helps

[doubleportion]

Singapore does teach "number bonds" and doing lots of things mentally. Mostly they are shown in the textbook. The workbook is simply practicing the skill that is taught in the textbook. Are you trying to do it without the textbook? Just wondering.

If you can give a page you are dealing with maybe I can look at my dd's old books and help you figure out the way that it is presented.

Edie

[cirons]

Thanks guys....I had another look in my text book and as I go on it has more graphics to teach the mental math....I think the first few exercises just freaked me out a lil because there was assumed knowledge there which is going to happen when you jump in after the beginner level! I will keep going and see whether more time makes a difference! I think it has just given me a confidence shake as MUS had Steve Demme teach the kids....it did not depend on my ability to take them through the process of understanding a concept! If they did not understand, we would just watch the dvd again and pause it as needed. Singapore relies a lot more on me and my ability to explain a new concept! Aaaggghhh! Lol. We can do it!

[doubleportion]

I think the textbooks have been pretty self explanatory for us. I do usually look through the text pages and go over them verbally with my dd and often will work out a new concept together with her writing in her math notebook or scratch paper. But I think the text is pretty good about showing visual cues as to how they are suppose to be thinking about it. Since you are doing 1 with your other child, maybe you can look at the textbook to get an idea of how some concepts are presented differently earlier on.

HTH
Edie

[my3sons]

Maybe since you've raised this concern, having the textbook to refer to as well would be very beneficial. We are doing Bigger Hearts with just the hands-on HOD activities and the workbook, and it's going fine, which was also the case for my older ds when he did it. BUT, we did do Singapore from the start, so I imagine that there will be some transitional time needed for your dd, as would be the case with any math program when a switch has been made. I do rely on the HOD hands-on activities to help teach the concept, and when we go to do the workbook, if my ds still needs some extra help, we do the hands-on activity with a portion of the workbook page he is doing again. It seems to click then. My ds hit a patch in 2B that he needed to slow down for, so we went to doing the hands-on HOD lesson double duty, 2 days in a row, and spreading out the accompanying workbook pages over 2 days. This worked beautifully, and we liked it so well (plus he's doing Bigger Hearts half-speed anyway and he's young) that we decided we'd keep this pace for as long as it's working well. Also, I gave my ds counters for the computation part for awhile, and he naturally gave them up now. I just want to encourage you that you can slow it down, double up the hands-on lessons, make counters available, etc. if your dd needs some time to ease into the mental part of Singapore - but, then it does come. HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

[cirons]

Thanks Julie. My kids are absolutely loving the (often) edible activities which we do for Singapore out of the HOD guide. I think it just a matter of transition for me and the kids and it will come in time, true. As always, I have received some great practical advice here on the board!