Singapore Math Questions

[ProudGrandma]

For those who use Singapore Math, do you do the Mental math exercises in the back of the HIG with your kids daily? Do you time them, or just have them do it?

 

AND for those who started this program after using another, do you feel "behind" becasue you needed to go to the level before grade level? I needed to do that...and I can't help but feel badly that my now 4th grader is about half way through 2B...I feel as if I am failing her. Does anybody else feel this way?

 

Kathy

[WishboneDawn]

I've felt that way but honestly, we'd be failing them if we pushed them into math they weren't ready for. It's sort of funny. Here we are placing our kids according to a good knowledge of their skills and the content of the program we've chosen but we're feeling guilty because of one number on the outside cover of a text!

[Capt_Uhura]

Don't fall into the public school trap of grade levels. I know it's so easy to fall into. The foundation your DD will get w/ Singapore will serve her for the rest of her life assuming it fits your teaching style and her learning style.

 

I can't help w/ your HIG question. We just finished RS E and will be moving into SM 5A and I don't have the HIG for it yet. I think my friend did many of the exercises at the back of the HIG, some oral some written.

[Dana]

I use the Mental Math exercises at roughly the times they suggest it in the HiG. So we're using 3A. My notes (our schedule) have:

 

(Subtraction in thousands) text p54-56, WB p53-54, text p56-57, WB p55-56, MM 16, text p58-59, WB p57-58, MM 17, text p60, iExcel 9-12, text p61

 

I tried timing the MM exercises at one point (like the Mad Minute book) but that didn't work well, so now I just print out a copy of the page and have ds work it with a pencil. The topic has been introduced in the text and ways to think about a problem, so they shouldn't take too long (but sometimes they do).

[nmoira]

For those who use Singapore Math, do you do the Mental math exercises in the back of the HIG with your kids daily? Do you time them, or just have them do it?

We didn't do these daily, at least not after 2nd, but our house rule is that if a calculation can be done mentally, it is done mentally. Period.

 

AND for those who started this program after using another, do you feel "behind" becasue you needed to go to the level before grade level? I needed to do that...and I can't help but feel badly that my now 4th grader is about half way through 2B...I feel as if I am failing her. Does anybody else feel this way?

You're not failing her, you're giving her an opportunity to get the foundation she needs to be successful in the program. :)

[ProudGrandma]

Don't fall into the public school trap of grade levels. I know it's so easy to fall into. The foundation your DD will get w/ Singapore will serve her for the rest of her life assuming it fits your teaching style and her learning style.

 

.

 

yea...this is where my formal teacher training and teaching experience hinder my homeschooling....it is hard NOT to fall into that trap...thank you all who have responded and encouraged me NOT to worry...I will do my best not to.

[Crimson Wife]

AND for those who started this program after using another, do you feel "behind" becasue you needed to go to the level before grade level? I needed to do that...and I can't help but feel badly that my now 4th grader is about half way through 2B...I feel as if I am failing her.

 

Have you looked at how SM lines up with your state standards? I did it with 4A and most of the material covered is on the 5th grade CA standard. The exception was multidigit multiplication, which is on the 4th grade standard. So SM really *does* run ahead in its S&S.

[EKS]

For those who use Singapore Math, do you do the Mental math exercises in the back of the HIG with your kids daily? Do you time them, or just have them do it?

 

We've been doing the mental math as part of our review this summer. We do one list each day (from both A and B books). I just sit with him while he does it and remind him of various mental techniques when he gets stuck. The mental math really reinforces the concepts and it is also a great alternative to flash cards.

 

AND for those who started this program after using another, do you feel "behind" becasue you needed to go to the level before grade level? I needed to do that...and I can't help but feel badly that my now 4th grader is about half way through 2B...I feel as if I am failing her. Does anybody else feel this way?

 

I think it is perfectly fine to back up to a level that is appropriate for your child. It wouldn't make sense to start her at a level she isn't ready for. In fact, when my older son was halfway through Saxon 7/6, we switched to MUS and he placed into Beta, so that's where he started.

 

However, IMO, when we make the decision to switch programs and start with materials that are intended for kids quite a bit below a child's age-grade level, we also need to plan how we're going to keep the child on track for high school math. Do your goals for your child include an option to take calculus in high school? Then she needs to do algebra I in 8th grade. Since she is only about one year off at the moment, there are a few ways to achieve this, but you need to be careful about sticking to whatever plan you develop.

 

You'll likely get lots of people saying that you should go at her pace, don't worry about high school, that's a long way off, and so forth. But over on the high school board there are always posts from folks who went at their child's pace during the elementary years and then suddenly realize that they're behind where they hoped to be.

[EKS]

Have you looked at how SM lines up with your state standards? I did it with 4A and most of the material covered is on the 5th grade CA standard. The exception was multidigit multiplication, which is on the 4th grade standard. So SM really *does* run ahead in its S&S.

 

It may run ahead, but what's important is where you are at the end of the series. Any kid needing prealgebra after 6B who finishes 6B at the end of 7th grade is not going to be on track for algebra in 8th, which in turn means he/she will not be on track for calculus in 12th.

[Crimson Wife]

It may run ahead, but what's important is where you are at the end of the series. Any kid needing prealgebra after 6B who finishes 6B at the end of 7th grade is not going to be on track for algebra in 8th, which in turn means he/she will not be on track for calculus in 12th.

 

Untrue. Students can double up on algebra I & geometry in 9th in order to get to calculus in 12th. My DH attended a Catholic grade school that did not offer algebra I. Math is his strong subject & the school recommended doubling up his freshman year in order to finish the "honors" track. Geometry is its own separate topic and can be taken concurrently with either algebra I or II. IMHO it's better to do it in 9th because 10th is often when students take chemistry & doing 3 math-heavy courses in a single year is a lot.

[Bird Girl]

It's also possible to take calculus after a summer course in pre-calculus, for math-y students who want to be sure of taking at least one course in calculus.

 

In my view, worrying about something that should happen in the last year of high school is a poor reason for choosing a lesser-quality program for an elementary-school student. Building mathematics through the Singapore program will benefit every student, whether college-bound or not, and having a truly firm foundation will make higher-level math much more feasible.

 

So keep on going with the 2B book, and concentrate on how much your student is learning.

[EKS]

Untrue. Students can double up on algebra I & geometry in 9th in order to get to calculus in 12th. My DH attended a Catholic grade school that did not offer algebra I. Math is his strong subject & the school recommended doubling up his freshman year in order to finish the "honors" track. Geometry is its own separate topic and can be taken concurrently with either algebra I or II. IMHO it's better to do it in 9th because 10th is often when students take chemistry & doing 3 math-heavy courses in a single year is a lot.

 

Of course, a highly motivated student could double up.

 

But if a kid comes to 9th grade not having done algebra I, it likely means that math is not his/her strong subject, and doubling up is probably not going to be a good idea.

[EKS]

 

In my view, worrying about something that should happen in the last year of high school is a poor reason for choosing a lesser-quality program for an elementary-school student.

 

Absolutely.

 

But I would assume that a person who is switching to a high quality math program *is* concerned about what happens in high school because that program is building the foundation for higher math.

[Dmmetler]

What I do with the lists is to copy them, laminate them, and carry them in my purse for when we're waiting. You can get quite a bit of practice in that way!

 

And honestly, Calculus in high school isn't a hill to die on. In fact, Calculus, like music theory, is one of those subjects that has a varied sequence, so therefore it's a good idea to take the entire sequence at one institution, and it's often recommended that even if you've taken calculus in high school, that you take it again in college for that reason. If a student is solid on all math up to calculus, and ends up taking calculus his first semester of college, it's not going to bar him from a STEMS degree field-and in non-STEMs fields, calculus either isn't required at all or is considered upper division anyway. The only advisees in the music department who are required to take calculus is Music Industry, and they take Business calc, which is the equivalent of Calc 1 and is considered a 3000 level class.

Edited July 25, 2010 by Dmmetler2

[EKS]

Calculus in high school isn't a hill to die on.

 

I absolutely agree with this.

 

However, I do think it's important to consider the implications of decisions made in earlier years.

[Capt_Uhura]

Also, I'm not sure about this but I seem to recall that Singapore math is a 1/2 grade to 1 grade level ahead? Even though she is in 2A, does that content match what your PS would be doing for her current grade?

[ProudGrandma]

Also, I'm not sure about this but I seem to recall that Singapore math is a 1/2 grade to 1 grade level ahead? Even though she is in 2A, does that content match what your PS would be doing for her current grade?

 

I don't know about this....how can I find this out? Do I just ask?

 

Kathy

[missmoe]

If your child really understands the concepts taught through-out Singapore math, pre-algebra is not necessary. Also, working through out a summer or two will easily "catch" your child up.

 

We complete the mental math orally.