Singapore or Teaching Textbooks

[Embassy]

Why is this so hard? I am wanting to change from our current curriculum (Mathematical Reasoning) because as we have progressed in the books I don't find it teaching concepts as thoroughly as my oldest son needs.

 

Anyway, I have been looking at Teaching Textbooks and Singapore math. I have given my boys placement tests for both. Teaching Textbooks would be an excellent choice for my oldest son's learning style. He tested in for the Math 4 level. My only reservation is that I keep reading that it isn't a thorough or rigorous math program and my son's future dreams require strong math skills. His placement test would put him in the Singapore 2A level at the start of 3rd grade.

 

My younger son took the Singapore placement test and would start at the 1B level at the start of 1st grade. He wanted to do the Teaching Textbooks so bad though. I gave him the test for the Math 3 level and he didn't come close to passing. Should I just stick with the curriculum we are using now and move on to Teaching Textbooks a year from now?

 

Advice?

[Corraleno]

Why is this so hard? I am wanting to change from our current curriculum (Mathematical Reasoning) because as we have progressed in the books I don't find it teaching concepts as thoroughly as my oldest son needs.

 

Anyway, I have been looking at Teaching Textbooks and Singapore math. I have given my boys placement tests for both. Teaching Textbooks would be an excellent choice for my oldest son's learning style. He tested in for the Math 4 level. My only reservation is that I keep reading that it isn't a thorough or rigorous math program and my son's future dreams require strong math skills. His placement test would put him in the Singapore 2A level at the start of 3rd grade.

 

My younger son took the Singapore placement test and would start at the 1B level at the start of 1st grade. He wanted to do the Teaching Textbooks so bad though. I gave him the test for the Math 3 level and he didn't come close to passing. Should I just stick with the curriculum we are using now and move on to Teaching Textbooks a year from now?

 

Advice?

I've owned and used both programs, and IMO Singapore will give your son a deeper and more conceptual foundation in math. Many (not all, but many) of those who use TT do so because the student needs a gentle, less challenging math program. If your son's future career plans require strong math skills, I would go with Singapore.

 

You might also want to check to see if your library carries Liping Ma's book Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics, as it clarifies many of the issues that arise in the "math wars" both here and in schools. It's an eye-opening book, and one that I'd recommend to all homeschoolers.

 

Jackie

[funschooler5]

We actually started out with Singapore (we did it through grade 3) and then switched to Teaching Textbooks. Both of my older kids were math-phobic, which was why we switched. I think Singapore gave them a nice foundation to start with though, and I really love the program. I just couldn't get them on board with it, and they love Teaching Textbooks.

 

I know there is a big debate over TT, but it works for us. Then again, neither one of my older kids like math (don't know about my Kindergartener yet :001_smile:). I do like how TT has the explanation for every problem spelled out for you. Singapore was hard for me to teach, but I learned a lot from that program, even in the first levels...the way it teaches number bonds is so different than the way I learned in school. It was very eye-opening.

 

This is probably not very helpful, lol. I guess it depends on how far you think your kids are going to go with math, how much they like it, how well you like it, and how much guidance you want with teaching it. I've struggled with this for years....you're not alone!