Singapore Primary Math Home Instructor's Guide???

[kamariden]

So I have been looking at my Singapore Primary Math 1A & 1B books and I'm not sure I will feel completely equipped to use them to their fullest advantage without the Home Instructor's Guides because there are NO teaching type notes or instructions, really, in the books themselves. So I'm thinking about getting the guides, BUT they are SO expensive (about $17 each plus shipping) and they aren't included in the packages here (on HOD website) so I was wondering:

Do you use the HIGs? If not, how are you doing it? How is it working with/without the home instructor's guides?

Thanks!
Kathleen

[deltagal]

Up through Singapore level 2 all you need is the HOD guide and the workbooks and an answer key. Carrie includes hands-on activities and a schedule for Singapore in the HOD guide. This should be all the "teaching" instruction you need.

[kamariden]

Well, most of the hands-on things included in the guide seem redundant for him, but I'm not particularly concerned about that. I'm pretty resourceful with coming up with my own hands-on helps when I really know what it is I'm trying to convey/emphasize. What I'm really looking for isn't the hands-on stuff, per se, but more like dialogue suggestions, I guess. Really, just how to teach the concepts. Math isn't my strong suit and although I did learn math up through algebra, I don't remember ever learning to do math by counting up and down the line or by using number bonds, etc. So understanding the point of a particular method for myself and conveying that to my son are two completely different things. If that makes sense. I really only remember being taught one way to figure out problems while my husband was taught multiple ways to figure them out and does much better with math as a result. That's what I like about the kindergarten math books we've been using and the Singapore books too. The problem is that not having used these methods before, it's tricky trying to learn, understand and explain them all at the same time. Like, I understand why I'm counting up and down a line to figure out a math problem, but what words are best for explaining that reasoning to my son? Or number bonds. I really don't know what to say about number bonds other than to emphasize that no matter how you move the parts around when you are doing addition it still comes to the same whole answer. However, I know that number bonds can be used in subtraction as well... I'm just not sure how to explain the different parts and how they work. I know that 10 - 3 = 7 and 10 - 7 = 3 and 7 + 3 = 10 and 3 + 7 = 10, but why does this make them a number bond and do the number bonds have names for the different numbers other than "whole" and "part". Because I know that 3 minus 7 does not equal 10 and 10 plus 3 does not equal 7... so does that mean 10 always has to go in the left box and not one of the upper or lower boxes? I assume so.... but I'd rather not have to assume. And I only figured any of this out by googling "number bond", after seeing them in the Singapore books. I'd never heard of them before and there was no helpful explanation in the books. I don't want to have to google something to figure out how to teach it to my son because there isn't any explanation in the book. I'd like to have a book that explains the methods and concepts to me clearly so that I can clearly explain them to my son. Actually, now that I've written that whole thing out, I think I finally get that you can switch the right two boxes (the parts) as much as you want and still get the same answer with either addition or subtraction as long as you don't move the number on the left (the whole). So maybe I'm okay on number bonds now, but there are other things I'd like just a little more explanation for.

For example: In Unit 22 Day 3 you start multiplication (pgs 42-43 in the 1B textbook & pgs 64-65 in the 1B workbook). First of all, the "Math Exploration" box in the HOD guide seems completely irrelevant since it is still focused on addition. I suppose with a little tweaking I could change the suggested activity to one for multiplication but it really won't help much with the dialog that is missing in the Singapore books. For example, on page 43 of the textbook they show three green circles and in each green circle are 5 pears. Under that they have the number sentence "5+5+5=" followed by a red square where the answer would go. Below that it says, "3 fives =" and there's another red square for the answer. Beside these two number sentences is the picture of a boy saying, "There are 5 pears in each group." That's it. There are NO more words. NO more explanation of what is expected of the student. There are two more similar sections below it on the page, both with exactly the same amount of detail - or lack there of. Nowhere does it say something like, "There are 3 groups. Each group has 5 pears. How many pears are there altogether?" or "If you have 3 groups of 5 how many do you have altogether?" ....I guess what seems missing to me is the actual question you are supposed to be answering and the thought process needed to answer it. Or what about something like, "Ask your student to tell you how many groups they see. Then have them count how many pears are in each group. Next ask them how many there are altogether. Finally, have them solve the number sentences given." Or something like that. There is no suggestion for solving the problems. Only the problems themselves.

Then you turn a couple more pages to page 46 in the textbook and there is a picture of a boy holding a sign that says, "4x2" and a girl holding a sign that says, "2+2+2+2". Under that are 4 plates with 2 cubes each on them. Then there are two more floating signs that say, "4 twos" and "4 groups of 2". Now, I know that those are all different ways of saying the same thing or coming to the same answer, but how do I explain that to my son? Well, page 47 does have some explanation. It says:

"This is multiplication. It means putting together equal groups."
"We write the number sentence: 4x2=8"
"Multiply 4 and 2. The answer is 8."
"There are 4 equal groups. There are 2 blocks in each group. There are 8 blocks altogether."

So what is wrong with this page? How about it comes 4 pages into the multiplication section. Why wasn't this at the beginning? Also, where do they explain what it means to multiply? "Putting together equal groups" does NOT seem like enough explanation to me. Even after reading that (putting together equal groups) I still wouldn't know what I was supposed to do when they told me, "Multiply 4 and 2." Where do I start? What steps do I take? What method am I supposed to use??? Do I count all the cubes on page 46? Since I already know addition do I solve the addition problem 2+2+2+2? Do I draw two groups of 4 and then count them altogether? Do I add 4+4? All of these methods might seem obvious to an adult, but how is my son going to know which to use? How will he even think of these options to choose from if they aren't suggested? Or are the pictures on page 46 supposed to be considered method "suggestions"?

Even the super simple stuff in textbook 1A could use some teaching suggestions. For example: The first four pages are pictures of objects, the numbers, and their corresponding words. For example there is a picture of one robot in a circle with the number "1" in a square to the left and the word "one" in a square just below the number. Numbers 0-10 are represented on the first four pages of the textbook this way. There is no other text except for the title "Numbers 0 to 10". It's not until you look at the corresponding workbook pages that you might realize that instead of counting the objects, the focus should be on recognizing the number words so that you can match them to the correct number. For example, the point is to learn that "one" is the word for "1". If you didn't look at the workbook before teaching with the textbook you couldn't possibly know this. Why didn't they simply put a note in there to let you know what the GOAL of the lesson was???

I guess this is what the Home Instructor's Guides are for. I was just wondering how any of you are working without those types of suggestions. Is it as much of a pain as it seems to me? Or am I overestimating the extra mental work involved on my end as the teacher? Or maybe these things are more obvious to those more mathematically inclined??

Sorry for the length.

[funkmomma71]

I too, am struggling with teaching SM. I was able to get my hands on some extra practice books which had the some explanation of the Singapore Method, so that has helped and it provides extra practice for my dd. You can get these books on Amazon, they are published by Frank Schaffer and are designed to go with the California Standards, BUT they have been very helpful. Next year I will either get my hands on the HIG or switch to another math program. I really love SM, in terms of the great foundation, but I wasn't taught this way and it is confusing at times to teach and I am using the Textbooks alongside of the HOD plans. What I try to do is prepare for math the week before by looking ahead and correlating the textbook with the plans and workbook, that way I'm not surprised by the subject matter. HTH Best wishes.

[deltagal]

I think you've both hit on the challenge and success of Singapore.

I initially used SIngapore with my oldest years ago, but I too was looking for a math program that was do this, now do this, and this.

I dropped it and went to Saxon then eventually to Math-U-See, My oldest always did well, but as he advanced I became more and more aware that he was simply performing the rituals the math programs had taught him, but he wasn't thinking mathematically.

I decided to revisit Singapore with a different mindset. This time I pulled out the text book and we looked at the pictures and talked about the words in bubbles and we PLAYED with the same ideas on newsprint and with blocks. I was no longer drilling we were just lingering and exploring the material to gain understanindg. No fancy lesson plans, or systematic reviews, just experience. All of sudden I began to see a different part of my children's brain unlock, as they began to think mathematically. They would come up with the answers and I would say, "That's right! How did you figure that out?" And they would explain the process and I would marvel. I feel MUCH better about my children's math foundation now, because they seem to have a higher level of mathematical understanding than they did with all the well laid out programs. I've not used the HIG's, but I'm planning to order some for the upper levels.

The bottom line is Singapore is certainly nothing like how I was taught in math. And I was an A student and never understood, but could get it right. Singapore leads to understanding, but it requires patience on the teacher's part as you play and discuss and seek understanding.

Just some thoughts. Best wishes in your decision.

With Joy!
Florence

[mariaw]

I just wish I had an answer key! I don't want to have to do all the math myself to check her work!! But I don't want to pay $25+ for the IG just for an answer key....

[Emilylou]

I believe you can "view" the HIG on CBD or Barnes and Noble. I can't remember which, but after using Singapore for 2 years, I ordered the HIG.
I believe without them you are missing a component of the Singapore Method.
Hope this helps.

[deltagal]

I just wish I had an answer key! I don't want to have to do all the math myself to check her work!! But I don't want to pay $25+ for the IG just for an answer key....

There is an answer key. There are 2 - one for level 1A -3B and one for level 4A-6B. $6.90 each. they are not pictured on the HOD website, but they are in the fine print under the Singapore descriptions.

[Carrie]

kamaridan,

Welcome to HOD! I just wanted to pop-in and mention that the HOD guide activities do match the Singapore math pages and concepts exactly each day, so if you're seeing an activity on addition on a multiplication day then you do not have the Singapore workbooks that match our plans. There are actually 3, and in some levels 4, different versions of Singapore workbooks, so you'll want to make sure that you have the matching version for our plans. You will also need textbook and workbook sets to teach the math plans in our Appendix. If you use our daily plans for K, 1, or 2, you do not need the textbook unless you desire to use it. We also carry the answer key on our website for all levels of Singapore.

While you can easily choose to use the Home Instructor's Guide, if desired, you may wish to give the HOD plans a try as written first as we don't see the need for the Home Instructor's Guides until level 5A/5B and 6A/6B, and then only as a reference. Your level of comfort may vary. The Home Instructor's Guides are actually written by Sonlight, so you aren't missing a part of the Singapore program or methodology by not using them. They are simply Sonlight's version of a teacher's helper and are not a part of the Singapore program itself. If you have questions about the Home Instructor's Guides, you may ask on Sonlight's forum. We also do not use the new Standards edition of Singapore math, so our plans are not compatible with that version.

After teaching many other math programs to my oldest and then using only Singapore for my next kiddos I can see a definite difference in my kiddo's math education and level of mathematical thinking and reasoning. However, it does take time to see the beauty of the Singapore methods.

As always, you can always use whatever math program suits your children best without affecting the overall flow to your HOD guide.

Blessings,
Carrie

[kamariden]

Carrie -

I just wanted to pop-in and mention that the HOD guide activities do match the Singapore math pages and concepts exactly each day, so if you're seeing an activity on addition on a multiplication day then you do not have the Singapore workbooks that match our plans. There are actually 3, and in some levels 4, different versions of Singapore workbooks, so you'll want to make sure that you have the matching version for our plans.

We also do not use the new Standards edition of Singapore math, so our plans are not compatible with that version.

I have the U.S. Edition, not the Standards Edition, which are the only two versions listed on the Singapore Website for the Primary (Gr1-6) grade level. ( http://www.singaporemath.com/Primary_Math_s/21.htm ) The U.S. Edition is what is listed in the LHFHG package for 1st Grade. (http://heartofdakota.com/singapore.php ) So I don't see how I could have books that don't match the HOD plans....unless the HOD plans aren't current with the current publication of the U.S. Edition. If so, you do not mention that anywhere on your website. In fact, in this thread where you are discussing changes in Singapore's publication of the Kindergarten levels: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4061 you specifically talk about the different versions and make no mention of using older editions for Primary 1A/1B. You say

As far as the upper guides go, the Primary Math U.S. Edition will remain our series of choice and the one that we schedule within our guides for 1A through 6B. Only the Earlybird K series is going out of print.

Therefore, based on all the information which I was able to find on your website and even based on your own responses on the messageboard I believe that I do have the correct books. Here are the full titles and ISBNs of my books for your comparison:
U.S. Edition Singapore Primary Mathematics 1A Textbook= 978-981-01-8494-0
U.S. Edition Singapore Primary Mathematics 1A Workbook = 978-981-01-8496-4
U.S. Edition Singapore Primary Mathematics 1B Textbook= 978-981-01-8495-7
U.S. Edition Singapore Primary Mathematics 1B Workbook = 978-981-01-8497-1

Please let me know if these are different from yours.

That said, to be completely clear on my previous comments: pages 42-43 in the Singapore Primary 1B textbook are actually, technically still dealing with addition even though it is titled "multiplication". In fact those pages have problems like 5+5+5= , however their focus is "adding equal groups" which seems to be their way of leading into multiplication. The Math Exploration box for Unit 22 Day 3 in LHFHG asks you to use manipulatives to visually create basic addition sentences and then to write the basic (a+b=c) addition sentences. The Key Idea written at the bottom of the box is "Write addition sentences." I guess technically it's all still addition, but to me the main focus/key idea is different. Also my son is already mastering/has mastered the ability to write addition sentences which is why I referred to the M.E. activities as "redundant" for my son. Another example of where the M.E. activity in LHFHG and the corresponding Singapore text page doesn't align perfectly is Unit 23 Day 1 where they have fully begun multiplication in the Singapore book but are still writing addition sentences in LHFHG. However, the Key Idea for the Math Exploration activity in LHFHG is "compare two sets" which is something I can easily apply toward multiplication since the focus in the Singapore pages for that day seems to be "putting together equal groups". Having clarified that, let me repeat that I don't expect all the activities in LHFHG to be up to the first grade level because that would limit the range of ages the guide could be used for, which I think is one of the great things about the HOD guides. I truly have zero problem with the math activities in LHFHG. Even a bent toward redundancy can be good since it means extra review and reinforcement on the days I don't tweak the activity to a first grade level. As long as I understand the focus/goal of what I am trying to teach with his math books, I can easily see how I can use the same basic activity from the guide and just shift the focus to where his math text is focusing. That's where the problem arises with the lack of teaching instruction in the Singapore books. Again, my disappointment is with the lack of instruction in the Singapore books, not with the math activities in the HOD LHFHG guide.

If you use our daily plans for K, 1, or 2, you do not need the textbook unless you desire to use it.

I assume you meant that I do not need the Home Instructors Guides unless I desire to use them.

While you can easily choose to use the Home Instructor's Guide, if desired, you may wish to give the HOD plans a try as written first as we don't see the need for the Home Instructor's Guides until level 5A/5B and 6A/6B, and then only as a reference. Your level of comfort may vary.

This is exactly why I started this thread. Since you do not include the HIG's in your packages I assumed you did not believe them to be necessary, however I personally was having doubts about my own ability to teach as effectively without them as I might with them. That is exactly why I wanted to know what other parents were doing about it and how it was working for them.

However, it does take time to see the beauty of the Singapore methods.

I do not dislike the Singapore methods. In fact, I do see their value. I simply do not feel that I am familiar enough with them to confidently teach them with so little instruction and explanation.

[Carrie]

kamariden,

The hands on math plans in LHFHG are written to be used with Earlybird Kindergarten Math 2A and 2B. The Earlybird Kindergarten version is not a part of the Primary Math series, which begins at 1A and 1B. So the hands on activities in LHFHG do not go with Singapore 1A and 1B but rather with the Earlybird Kindergarten version.

The plans in the Appendix of LHFHG are provided for 1A and 1B, which is the Primary Math U.S. Edition, but they do not correspond with the hands on activities in the daily plans of the LHFHG guide. This is because the Appendix schedule instead uses the textbook and workbook combination. If you feel you would like more guidance than the schedule in the LHFHG Appendix offers, you would need to have the Beyond Little Hearts guide in order to have the corresponding daily hands on activities that go with the 1A and 1B books. I hope this clears up any confusion.

Blessings,
Carrie

[learningathome]

I think that the Math Exploration activities in LHFHG are meant to go with the Earlybird Kindergarten Mathematics 1B and 2B. If you are using Primary Level 1A & B, the ME activities will not match up. In the Math Alternate Schedule for using 1A & 1B, I believe that the Textbooks are used instead of the ME activity. There are Math Exploration activities for 1A & 1B, but they in the Beyond Little Hearts guide. (Carrie must have replied while I was working on my reply - didn't mean to copy her! )

As far as the HIG goes, I bought them for Singapore 3A & 3B, but I have not used them very much. They contain good information and lots of suggestions for extra hand-on type activities and conversation, but I thought some of it was redundant when using the textbook, too.

[kamariden]

The hands on math plans in LHFHG are written to be used with Earlybird Kindergarten Math 2A and 2B. The Earlybird Kindergarten version is not a part of the Primary Math series, which begins at 1A and 1B. So the hands on activities in LHFHG do not go with Singapore 1A and 1B but rather with the Earlybird Kindergarten version.

The plans in the Appendix of LHFHG are provided for 1A and 1B, which is the Primary Math U.S. Edition, but they do not correspond with the hands on activities in the daily plans of the LHFHG guide. This is because the Appendix schedule instead uses the textbook and workbook combination.

Okay, I know that the hands-on activities in LHFHG are geared toward the Kindergarten Math book. That is why I do not have a problem with them not "matching up" - I never expected them to. The ONLY reason I brought up the comparison was in response to deltagal's comment:

Up through Singapore level 2 all you need is the HOD guide and the workbooks and an answer key. Carrie includes hands-on activities and a schedule for Singapore in the HOD guide. This should be all the "teaching" instruction you need.

I was trying to demonstrate that the LHFHG guide provides page numbers ONLY for the text and work books on the 1st Grade level. The guide does NOT provide hands-on activities for the 1st Grade level nor any "teaching instruction" for them, as deltagal suggested. I was NOT complaining about the lack of alignment but merely pointing it out as a rebuttal. Apparently my response to deltagal brought up some confusion with what my original question was all about even though my comments about the guide were vastly outweighed by comments on the Singapore books themselves. And again, the only reason I brought up the alignment comparison in my post to Carrie was in response to her suggestion that the only reason the book wouldn't line up would be that I had the wrong version of the book. Which I do not. I truly do not know how this confusion got started since I stated in the beginning that I was using the 1st grade books. However, confusion about my meaning does seem to exist, thus let me try again to restate my original question so that hopefully I am more clear:

If I am not already familiar with a particular method used in either Singapore Primary Mathematics 1A or 1B, am I then supposed to google it and figure it out on my own? Because it would seem that without purchasing the Home Instructor's Guides, that would be my only option. Certainly I never would have truly understood number bonds without having googled "number bonds" and reading the articles I found on the subject. Sure I could have figured out what answer they were looking for, but I would not have understood the logic behind the boxes or exactly what a number bond really was. Which means I definitely could not have taught it to my son. This is just the first example which I came across while flipping through the books. In my previous posts I gave other examples where I felt textual instruction was lacking. I was simply wondering if others felt the same as I (that instruction was lacking in the Singapore books) and what they had done about it. I was wondering if others have found that the HIGs helped to solve the issue or not. I was wondering if others found it easier just to google the couple of things they weren't familiar with. That is all I wanted to know.

That all said, I do now have an additional question. Carrie said:

If you feel you would like more guidance than the schedule in the LHFHG Appendix offers, you would need to have the Beyond Little Hearts guide in order to have the corresponding daily hands on activities that go with the 1A and 1B books.

Does this mean that when my son moves on to BLHFHG that the ME activities will again be below his current level? I ask under the assumption that he will have completed 1A/1B by then. I just want to know what to expect.

Thank you.

[krismoose]

Yes, the hands-on activities in BLHFHG are for 1A/1B, with 2A/2B being scheduled in the appendix with the text & workbook. This applies to BHFHG as well, with activities for 2A/2B only, and 3A/3B in the appendix. It sees that quite a few people just go ahead and get the upcoming guide early to use the math activities -we did this as my son is about 1/2 a year ahead in math, versus the rest of the guide. I've been considering the HIG question myself because we'll be starting 1A soon, and decided to get the HOD guide early, and possibly the textbooks, and see how that goes. If I'm still uncertain about the teaching, I will go ahead and get the HIG for 1A. I searched for "home instructor's guide" in this forum and found several threads that had some helpful info for me, but the gist was that the hands-on activities in the HOD guides had some teaching tips in them, which is adequate for most, and that the HIG was helpful to help the rest learn more about the singapore method. HTH

[kamariden]

krismoose -
Yes, that is very helpful. Thank you.