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Singapore: Difference between workbook and IP


eternallytired
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I started DD on Singapore 2A (US) after she started really balking at math midway through RS-C.  She's much happier now, but I'm trying to find the sweet spot for her.  Perhaps it's because she was midway through C, but I'm finding that she really doesn't need all the repetition given in Singapore.  It might take her five problems to figure out a new concept, but not five days worth of problems.  (Though that's even true of things we hadn't yet hit in RS, like subtraction with trades.)  For that reason, we've really sped through this first book; I keep her on a topic until I'm sure she understands, but she gets bored and angry if we keep repeating once she's got the idea, so then we skip problems--or entire pages/lessons.  I'm trying to decide whether I should purchase the regular workbook again for 2B or switch to the IP book.  Does the IP book simply have fewer, more focused problems, or is it equally long-winded as well as more challenging?  She enjoys the feeling of accomplishment in math, but she is not fond of struggling for answers.  I got the standard workbook because I wanted to rebuild her confidence and enjoyment of math, but it frustrates me to be flying through so quickly and skipping so much. (2A has taken about 2 months of 3-4 days/week, only a page or two each day--generally not whole lessons.)  Any suggestions?

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We use Standards, so the IP doesn't line up exactly with each topic in the textbook, and that's okay. What we are finding is that the text itself, which includes reviews at the end of each section, is plenty for my son, so we don't even have the workbooks this year. We go through the textbook and do practice problems as needed, and we do any mental math that's in the Home Instructor Guide. If there's no mental math, I have my son do a couple of pages of the IP, although not every problem because he generally doesn't need too much practice. The IP is harder, usually, than the workbooks were. We aren't missing the workbooks at all.

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The IP has a range of problems, and on average is harder. We did keep the WB around in lower grades because it has the cute stuff DD liked, so we would often do a cute page or two and then the last couple of pages of challenge problems from the IP. That phased out at about 3rd grade.

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I'm guessing that she is probably not properly placed in the Singapore sequence.  When my son switched from RS B (3/4 of the way through) to 2A, it was a step back for him, so I'm guessing that going from midway through RS C to SM 2A would be a huge step back.

 

That said, in answer to your question, the regular workbook is for independent practice of concepts taught in the textbook, and because it is for independent practice, the problems tend to be somewhat easier than the ones in the textbook (at least this was our experience).  The IP is meant to stretch kids who want/need/like that kind of thing.  In a PS setting, it is probably also for kids who are improperly placed in the program (meaning that they are not allowed to work above their age-grade level).

 

If you want to move quickly through material your daughter already knows or seems to know intuitively in order to achieve proper placement, one way to achieve this is to only use the textbook problems (as they are harder) and go at double or faster speed.  If she can do the hardest textbook problems right away, it is not necessary to do the easier ones.  Once you find the spot where she no longer knows the material and it is no longer so intuitive, then it's time to slow down. 

 

Neither of my kids liked the IP much.  We used the CWP books instead (though I'm not a big fan of the new CWP series).

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We use Standards, so the IP doesn't line up exactly with each topic in the textbook, and that's okay. What we are finding is that the text itself, which includes reviews at the end of each section, is plenty for my son, so we don't even have the workbooks this year. We go through the textbook and do practice problems as needed, and we do any mental math that's in the Home Instructor Guide. If there's no mental math, I have my son do a couple of pages of the IP, although not every problem because he generally doesn't need too much practice. The IP is harder, usually, than the workbooks were. We aren't missing the workbooks at all.

Hmm...  I hadn't considered just using the text.  In fact, since she hasn't needed explanation, we've just ditched the text.  But I do remember thinking that the text was more challenging than the workbooks, so maybe that's a good option for now.

 

The IP has a range of problems, and on average is harder. We did keep the WB around in lower grades because it has the cute stuff DD liked, so we would often do a cute page or two and then the last couple of pages of challenge problems from the IP. That phased out at about 3rd grade.

Oh, bah--I thought I saw a reference to the IP having more puzzle-y things in it.  She really goes for all the cutesy, which is partly why I chose Singapore.

 

I'm guessing that she is probably not properly placed in the Singapore sequence.  When my son switched from RS B (3/4 of the way through) to 2A, it was a step back for him, so I'm guessing that going from midway through RS C to SM 2A would be a huge step back.

 

That said, in answer to your question, the regular workbook is for independent practice of concepts taught in the textbook, and because it is for independent practice, the problems tend to be somewhat easier than the ones in the textbook (at least this was our experience).  The IP is meant to stretch kids who want/need/like that kind of thing.  In a PS setting, it is probably also for kids who are improperly placed in the program (meaning that they are not allowed to work above their age-grade level).

 

If you want to move quickly through material your daughter already knows or seems to know intuitively in order to achieve proper placement, one way to achieve this is to only use the textbook problems (as they are harder) and go at double or faster speed.  If she can do the hardest textbook problems right away, it is not necessary to do the easier ones.  Once you find the spot where she no longer knows the material and it is no longer so intuitive, then it's time to slow down. 

 

Neither of my kids liked the IP much.  We used the CWP books instead (though I'm not a big fan of the new CWP series).

Huh.  I was intending to back her up a little bit to try to reduce her aversion to math, since I think she didn't retain as well toward the end because she got upset as soon as the book came out...but I never considered that this might be TOO far back.  I'd done some poking around on here and found several folks who went to 2A partway through C.  Perhaps I will try to zip through 2B with just the textbook (unless she's unhappy about losing the puzzle-y math sheets) and then head into 3.  Now I'm curious enough to head to the Singapore website and look for placement tests.

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Ds doesn't need it but we do the workbook for building independence, we do CWP or beast with me nearby. He would fly thru singapore if I'd let him, but I'm more interested in deep long term mastery and being thorough. Ymmv, but for my particular child allowing him to speed thru things he intuited led to lack of ability to use the materials later on, he needed practice even if he didn't think he needed it, if you know what I mean.

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With the US edition, I see the WB as the easiest, TB in the middle, and the IP harder than the TB. But it's harder in a brain-stretching way, and not at all the same as just bumping up a level in the TB. The IP has you look at concepts in new ways, particularly in the higher levels (level 4 was just awesome for my son). My kids have not used IP all the way through because one started in school with a different curriculum, and my younger one is starting with Miquon and supplementing with Singapore, but the IP for level 2 has more game and puzzle types of activities than the IP for level 4. I can't map that to Rightstart for you. I can answer questions about the 2A and 2B IP if you have something specific. We have both on hand.

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Ds doesn't need it but we do the workbook for building independence, we do CWP or beast with me nearby. He would fly thru singapore if I'd let him, but I'm more interested in deep long term mastery and being thorough. Ymmv, but for my particular child allowing him to speed thru things he intuited led to lack of ability to use the materials later on, he needed practice even if he didn't think he needed it, if you know what I mean.

Now THERE's an idea--ODS is working through Beast 3 right now.  I think DD could handle the concepts, just not the frustration...but if I pull out a few problems here or there to add just a little extra challenge, that might be a nice balance of not-too-hard and just-challenging-enough without having to purchase two books which I will only partly use.  (And I can still have her do all of Beast in another year or two when I think she's mature enough to work on problem-solving persistence.)

 

I think DD sounds much like your son; she can understand concepts easily, but she needs some repetition for retention.  Currently I've been having her do a page of a new concept plus a page of something old to balance her frustration with "More subtraction AGAIN?!" with my feeling that she needs at least some repetition to really solidify it for later.

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