Do you have trouble thinking like Singapore math?

[WigglesMom]

I have been doing Singapore 2a/2b with my dd's for about 4 weeks. Sometimes I have trouble thinking like Singapore math. There have been several word problems that my dd has had trouble with and then when I look at it all I can see is Algebra. I don't know if it is the way they word it or what, but I am having trouble figuring out how they want them to do the problems without seeing algebra. I keep wanting to put it into equations and solve for the missing variable. I know this isn't what they are wanting the kids to do, but when my dd is stumped and I read through the word problems the first thing I think of is algebra.
From 2a
Ryan is 23 years old.
He is 24 years younger than his father.
How old is his father?

My dd was stumped on how to set it up and all I could see when reading it was __-24=23
x-24=23
x=23+24
x=47 His father is 47.
I get it this way, but that isn't the way I am supposed to explain it to dd. I don't know how to get her to see that 23+24= the father's age without putting it in equation form. I know this is me and the way I learned math. It has been a long time since I have had do word problems without putting variables and such in them. How do you teach these problems? How am I supposed to be looking at the problem to help her to figure it out without putting a variable in there?
It isn't all the word problems but there have been about 3 so far that I just can't figure out how to explain them to here without wanting to put an x in there and solve for x.
How am I supposed to get her to see from the wording that 23+24= his father's age without doing it this way? Any advise or suggestions would be appreciated. We are doing great with Singapore except for the odd word problem here and there.
Val

[funkmomma71]

I'm not sure what you're supposed to be learning with this lesson, but as soon as I read the problem all I could see was 23+24=__. You could add the x at the end there and I guess that you would be solving for the variable and therefore algebra, but then again you could do that with any number problem, couldn't you? I wish I could help you see and explain it more plainly, but for me I only see it as a straight addition problem. Really it seems as if you see the simple addition problem but that you also see it as an algebraic expression, which I'm assumimg is NOT the main lesson to be learned.

If I were to explain this problem to my daughter, I would ask her which arithmetic operation she needs to use to figure the problem. It might sound like this, "Would you add, subtract, multiply or divide these numbers to find out the answer?"

I hope this helps.

[WigglesMom]

I think it is me. I never really got word problems until pre-algebra and algebra. I was really bad at them. Word problems just clicked with me when I got to pre-algebra and algebra. I need a crash course in word problems and figuring them out without looking at them the way I do. There have only been about 2-3 that I couldn't explain without wanting to solve for the variable.
Is there somewhere that I can brush up on my word problem skills or that helps to teach you how to explain or teach word problems? I know this is a weak area for me and I don't want to pass that on to the girls. The answer guide has the answers but not how you would explain it or help them to come up with the answer. I only bought the workbooks and the $6 or $7 answer guide for 1a-3b.
Does anyone else just have trouble with word problems themselves and how did you get comfortable helping your kids with them?
Thanks for any help.
Val

[my4sugars]

I was renewing my teaching certificate this past winter and looking for classes to earn credits. I found a continuing ed. class that I took online that was entitled, "Singapore Math Strategies: Model Drawing for Grades 1-6." The whole thrust of the class was teaching kids to solve any word problem by applying a series of steps involving model drawing. It was very informative and helped my son and I with 2a and 2b this past school year. I have heard that you can go on the Singapore website and maybe purchase the teacher's guides. I am not familiar with these or if they are helpful in this regard. MIght be worth a look.

[my3sons]

I have been doing Singapore 2a/2b with my dd's for about 4 weeks. Sometimes I have trouble thinking like Singapore math. There have been several word problems that my dd has had trouble with and then when I look at it all I can see is Algebra. I don't know if it is the way they word it or what, but I am having trouble figuring out how they want them to do the problems without seeing algebra. I keep wanting to put it into equations and solve for the missing variable. I know this isn't what they are wanting the kids to do, but when my dd is stumped and I read through the word problems the first thing I think of is algebra.
From 2a
Ryan is 23 years old.
He is 24 years younger than his father.
How old is his father?

My dd was stumped on how to set it up and all I could see when reading it was __-24=23
x-24=23
x=23+24
x=47 His father is 47.
I get it this way, but that isn't the way I am supposed to explain it to dd. I don't know how to get her to see that 23+24= the father's age without putting it in equation form. I know this is me and the way I learned math. It has been a long time since I have had do word problems without putting variables and such in them. How do you teach these problems? How am I supposed to be looking at the problem to help her to figure it out without putting a variable in there?
It isn't all the word problems but there have been about 3 so far that I just can't figure out how to explain them to here without wanting to put an x in there and solve for x.
How am I supposed to get her to see from the wording that 23+24= his father's age without doing it this way? Any advise or suggestions would be appreciated. We are doing great with Singapore except for the odd word problem here and there.
Val

Hi Val! I love algebra, and my thinking always tries to turn me to letters too! However, I've made the mistake of stepping in and teaching Singapore "my way", only to have my ds eventually tell me, "You have your way of doing that mom, but my way just makes more sense now." ("His" way is the Singapore way! ) I'm not saying he always gets it right away, but he always gets it eventually, and then he just "knows" it, and knows it well!

One big realization I've had with Singapore is the pictures are not just there for fluff. They are the way to mentally picture the problem. For example, Singapore would shy away from Algebraic letters in that problem you gave as an example, and would probably instead have a picture of 2 rectangular bars. Oh, how I wish I could draw rectangles here! Hopefully, I can explain this well. The first bar would have the number 23 on it, representing Ryan's age, and the second bar would be connected to that and have 24 on it representing the additional years to find his father's age. There would be a bracket underneath it all with a question mark, meaning you are to add the 2 numbers to find the father's age. This seems simple, but it's a visual way to represent the problem that makes the mental thought behind why you are doing the operation you are doing come to mind. I've seen these bars being used in harder and more complicated ways in the upper level Singapore math books, and now that I get this, while it was hard to understand at first, it is now easier to do very complicated problems using this method. I would encourage you to continue to teach the Singapore way and reap the rewards later as the more complicated problems come, and our dc are very prepared for them.

In Christ,
Julie

[WigglesMom]

The rectangle bar makes perfect sense. I hadn't seen them so far with our book. I can do the rectangles and she will be able to see what I am talking about without looking at me like I have went crazy trying to explain it to her. She does pretty good with the singapore math. We do the activities and she likes them. There was only about 2 or 3 problems that have stumped her and they were all word problems.
Do you have to be a teacher to take the online class? Can I just try to take it as a continuing education class if I am not a teacher?
Thanks for the visual and all the help.
Val

[my4sugars]

No, you don't have to be a teacher. It is available to anyone that is interested. The unit bars that Julie was trying to explain is exactly the method the class teaches. It is very informative and helpful for us moms and dads teaching our dc Singapore math. If you are interested in the website, you can PM me and Ican give you that info. The model strategy will work for all word problems, no matter how complicated. HTH.

[my3sons]

Val - I'm so glad that bar example made sense. The more I use Singapore the more I am sold on its methods. It just makes it possible to do algebraic problems at a very young age because the alphabet isn't thrown in there too. I find my ds quickly sketching the bars on scrap paper when solving harder multiple-step problems now; it just helps him visualize how to get to the answer without memorizing so many steps, as I did in school. That class sounds interesting - have fun checking into that!

In Christ,
Julie

[Geo]

The rectangle bar makes perfect sense. I hadn't seen them so far with our book. I can do the rectangles and she will be able to see what I am talking about without looking at me like I have went crazy trying to explain it to her. She does pretty good with the singapore math. We do the activities and she likes them. There was only about 2 or 3 problems that have stumped her and they were all word problems.
Do you have to be a teacher to take the online class? Can I just try to take it as a continuing education class if I am not a teacher?
Thanks for the visual and all the help.
Val

There is a book that covers bar models titled "8-Steps To Model Drawing". It may be an alternative to the on-line class.
Amazon and Barnes & Noble carry it. So far, we have done ok without ,it but I was going to purchase it this year as my dd will be going into
5A and I am hoping it will be useful.

[dolphingirl]

The models using bars that Julie described are introduced in the 3A textbook. So, another possibility would be for you to go ahead and buy the level 3 textbooks now just so you can look at them and gain an understanding of the bar models to help you start thinking in that manner. Then by the time your child gets to 3A next year, you'll already have the book as well as an understanding of how to use the models.

[WigglesMom]

We actually dropped down from 3a this year b/c I couldn't help her when she needed it. I had no clue how to think like Singapore. I am glad that we dropped down though. She originally tested at 2b (just after last Christmas) and then at the end of 3rd grade I retested her and she passed the 3a placement barely so we had started 3a. I just got the 3a textbook out and found the models using bars. I think if I had understood what came before 3a I could have helped her with it. I have really begun to think that getting the textbooks and instructor's guides to go with the workbooks are the way to go when you aren't familiar with Singapore and the Singapore way of thinking.
I plan to buy all 3 from now on-home instructor's guide, textbook, and workbook.
Val

[Mommamo]

Isn't it funny how we all have different ways of thinking? I find Singapore's method to be intuitive for me. Singapore, and also RightStart Math, teach strategies the way I already think them! This helps me so much when I'm teaching it to my dd. I had a hard time in school (I always did well, it just took me longer and a ton more thinking) because the way they did math just seemed so counterintuitive! I'm so thankful to have found Singapore because I think their methods just make sense. That being said, I think yours is a great plan to go ahead and buy the textbook and instructer's guide if the methods don't come naturally to you. That way you can more comfortably help your daughter with the methods, since they are a little different then the way most of us were taught. Hang in there! Singapore seems to be a really great program, I think it's just tricky when it's not what you're used to.

[E2Mom]

Okay guys...I need a little help too. I JUST got my stuff and I am planning to do 2A & 2B for my 2nd grader using Beyond this year. This will be my FIRST year using Singapore Math and after looking through it, here are my questions:

1) Should I order the Teacher's Manual? It doesn't look to me like there is any "instruction" on how to multiply, or learning your tables, etc. So, can anyone offer advice on this, or does anyone know how they want you to introduce multiplication and division?

2) Also, just wondering if anyone has used any "rhyming" tables help...like I found: http://www.rhymestables.com/mult/index.htm in Home School Enrichment Magazine. Or, anything like it???

Thanks so much to all. Blessings, Kelly

[WigglesMom]

This is just me, but I would get the Home Instructors Guides for them. I think they are invaluable. The textbooks to me do not give enough guidance in how they are wanting you to teach 2a/2b specifically. You can go to Singapore Math's site and look at samples of the HIG's. They even have suggested schedules for the books including what manipulatives to use. http://www.singaporemath.com/ProductDet ... =TechSpecs.
Looking at these sample pages has sold me on always buying the Home Instructor's Guide from now on out whether I use the activities or not. To me, the activities in the BHFHG guide for Singapore Math does not teach me the Singapore Method. I didn't grow up with it and I didn't learn it and doing the activities does not pave the way for me to naturally think like Singapore. I don't automatically know the method behind the madness so to speak from doing activities with coins and place value charts. I am strong in Math and have finished all the way to College Calculus, but I don't know Singapore's Method and the activities don't teach me Singapore's Method. So my advise to anyone is that if you aren't familair with Singapore's method of learning math, then get the home instructor's guide. It will save your time and grief.
From now on, I will buy the HIG's, textbooks, and workbooks to teach Singapore Math. I am confident that my teaching will benefit from having all of these tools to help with my understanding of Singapore Math.
Hope this helps you and I hope that the samples help you to see whether the Home Instructor's Guide will be beneficial to you.
Val

[E2Mom]

Val, thanks so much! I am NOT familiar with it, but it sounds like something that will work for us. My Home School store here says they can get me the Teacher's guide...is the Home Instruct Manual the same thing (1st dumb question of the day, but you never know!)? Also, I'm glad you answered about manipulatives, because I wanted to ask about that too, so THANKS!

Do you know anything about the Times Table stuff I posted the link of??? It looks really good, but it's expensive, so I'm trying to make sure it's good. You're wonderful, thanks!!!!