Do you use the Singapore textbooks?

[Kfamily]

Hi! Dd (6) will be in first in the fall. We school through the summer so I expect to be in 2A by September or so (we are halfway through 1B). We have only been working through the workbooks. I have not been using the textbook. Is this okay? She has understood everything very well so far. The only area she seemed to struggled with was a section in 1B that actually only had the one lesson in it which involved subtraction with regrouping. We made it through the lesson fine but she wanted to rely on the number line I drew for her at the top. I talked her through the thought process for each problem and then we checked it with the number line. This is the only time she seemed to struggle a little. I had always thought I would use the textbooks if the work itself seemed to be more challenging for her. I have the textbooks for 2 and plan to start the CWP with level 2 as well. I guess I really wanted to make sure I'm not doing her a disservice by not using the textbooks right now. If you do use them do you do a lesson from the textbook and then follow with the workbook. Also, do you work through the exercises (like Practice A, B, etc.) orally or do you have the child work some of the problems on paper. I can see how if we did all the work in the textbook too we would have practiced it a lot more. What do you think?

 

Thanks!:001_smile:

[EKS]

I use the textbook and the workbook (and the CWP book also). When I'm not in curriculum compacting mode, we do one lesson in the textbook together. Where there are problems in the textbook (within the lesson itself) , I either have him do them orally or I write them on a small whiteboard that we use at the table. Then he does the workbook exercises on his own. This also applies to the Practices in the textbook. When I am in curriculum compacting mode, either because he has completely gotten it or because the same thing is being repeated only with different/larger numbers and he has completely gotten it, then I will sometimes skip the textbook Practice pages or do a Practice instead of a group of textbook lessons/workbook exercises.

 

I hope this makes sense.

[zaichiki]

Are you teaching the concepts "the Singapore way?" I have found textbook teaches the concepts very thoroughly, with some workbook-type practice problems for practice included in most lessons. If ds/dd doesn't need more review, we'll skip the workbook exercise for that lesson, but never the textbook. Or we'll sometimes use the Intensive Practice exercise instead of the workbook exercise for that lesson.

 

Have you read LIping Ma's book? I strongly recommend it. You'll get a good understanding of why teaching concepts a particular way is beneficial.

Here's a link:

http://www.amazon.com/Knowing-Teaching-Elementary-Mathematics-Understanding/dp/0805829091

[Kfamily]

EKS- yes, that makes perfect sense!

 

zaichiki-yes, I do look at the textbook myself before teaching her anything to make sure I am using the Singapore method, but I haven't always gone through all the exercises in the textbook with her. I have used the textbook with her on a couple of concepts that I felt she needed more examples and pictures of, but I haven't when she was easily breezing through it.

 

The book by LIping Ma is on my wish list. I definitely would like to have it.:D

 

I think ( and this will also allow us to stretch this out better) I will start adding the textbook more consistently in the fall. As we get further into 2, I think it would be better for her anyway.

 

Thanks so much!:001_smile:

[JeanM]

yes, I do look at the textbook myself before teaching her anything to make sure I am using the Singapore method, but I haven't always gone through all the exercises in the textbook with her. I have used the textbook with her on a couple of concepts that I felt she needed more examples and pictures of, but I haven't when she was easily breezing through it.

I think ( and this will also allow us to stretch this out better) I will start adding the textbook more consistently in the fall. As we get further into 2, I think it would be better for her anyway.

 

 

It sounds like you have a good plan. I think the textbook helps a lot, especially if you aren't familiar with "the Singapore way." I must admit that I was working without the text for my younger ds for the last month or so that we were doing school this spring. I knew that we had the text, but couldn't find it in the sea of book boxes in our basement (we've moved twice in the last year).

 

Jean

[Storm Bay]

If you're starting with SM 1, you might wish to get the Home Instructor's Guide, and then you wouldn't need the text. We really didn't use the textbooks at that leve, but by the time I had one start in SM 1 I was more familiar with their way. I used Cuisenaire Rods (sp) because my ds was counting the animals, etc, in the pictures. As they go up the levels, I use the textbook only when necessary; sometimes they've already learned it in MUS or something.

 

My dc don't always want to draw the models, and I only make them do it if it's a new concept or they can't see what to do by reading the problem. Then I have them draw what they know with the models.