Singapore Math Question

[OleanderRain]

I am about to purchase SM and I have the Textbook, Workbook, HIG, and Teacher's Guide in my cart.

 

I've been reading the forum and have noticed that some just have the workbook and some have the text and workbook. Does anyone have all the HIG and Teacher's Guide as well? Did you use these? Are they a waste of money, the HIG at $16.50, and the Teacher's Guide at $21.00?

 

Anyone who just bought the workbook or text and workbook wish that they would have purchase the HIG and TG?

 

TIA!:D

[dsmama]

You will want the HIG but not the Teacher's Guide -- the TG is for classroom use, HIG for homeschool.

 

I found the HIG helpful as a framework for introducing lessons, game ideas, mental math pages, etc.

[Diviya]

I didn't buy the HIG until level 4 and haven't missed it yet. But that's just my experience. I'd be reluctant to tell you you don't need it. Some do and some don't.

[olan719]

We just started 1A, and I purchased the text, workbook, and HIG. I'm glad I got all of them. Although the math is still simple at this point, the HIG does include good ideas to introduce topics "concretely" and provides copies to make flashcards in the back if desired, plus the mental math exercises. There is also a very loose schedule in the front to help you plan.

[Dana]

You may want the HiG for some ideas. Toss the TG - you don't need it and certainly don't need both.

 

Instead, add in the Intensive Practice books :D

(They're good for challenge problems - they don't match up exactly with the Standards Edition, but they work well.)

[OleanderRain]

Thanks everyone! I just purchased SM 1A text, workbook, and HIG. I didn't want to always wonder if I'm missing something in the HIG. Also, I'm not the best at explaining math so I'm sure it will come in handy.

[Researcher]

We've used Singapore from the beginning and have been pleased with it. The only thing about the mastery approach is that it needs more review built in. To accomplish this we use the textbook and workbook for the lesson part. Then we use Extra Practice, Intensive Practice, and Challenging Word Problems throughout the rest of the week to reinforce the concepts and dig deeper.

 

HTH!

[KrissiK]

I have all three and after having read the intro, I think the HIG is essential. SIngapore says it goes from concrete to pictoral to abstract in explaining concepts. The text book gives the pictoral, but the parent is relied upon to do the concrete (using manipulatives). Personally, I couldn't do the program justice without the HIG. It is expensive, but I noticed on Amazon you can buy the HIG and the textbook used for quite a bit less than new, so that can cut the expense there.

[Researcher]

I am probably one of the few who has the TG and the HIG. Yeah, I'm geeky that way. :tongue_smilie:

 

I think is is essential that you have at least one of them as it will show you different ways to present the information to the child. I believe this is important for math and there is not just one way to get to the answer.

 

The HIG is enough for most and it is the one I use most often. However, I do like some of the activities in the TG and the suggested schedule but you could really do without it.

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I am about to purchase SM and I have the Textbook, Workbook, HIG, and Teacher's Guide in my cart.

 

I've been reading the forum and have noticed that some just have the workbook and some have the text and workbook. Does anyone have all the HIG and Teacher's Guide as well? Did you use these? Are they a waste of money, the HIG at $16.50, and the Teacher's Guide at $21.00?

 

Anyone who just bought the workbook or text and workbook wish that they would have purchase the HIG and TG?

 

TIA!:D

 

 

I got the HIG for the first time this year. You do NOT need both. I would also say if you get the HIG you would not need the textbook. I have not used the textbook since getting my HIG. The TE is set up for a classroom setting while the HIG is for homeschooling.

[twogirlsmommy]

Personally I like the Teacher's Guide better. I think it gives more ideas on how to teach. I have had both and it just works better for my teaching style.

[siloam]

I did buy both at first, but I didn't like the TG. I much prefer the HIG and still buy those.

 

Heather

[Crimson Wife]

I would also say if you get the HIG you would not need the textbook. I have not used the textbook since getting my HIG.

 

I respectfully have to disagree with this. I think it's possible to use the text without the HIG especially at the lower levels but I can't imagine trying to teach with just the information presented in the HIG. Plus you'd be missing a lot of the practice problems.

 

We use the text, HIG, IP, and CWP.

[herbalgirl]

You will want the HIG but not the Teacher's Guide -- the TG is for classroom use, HIG for homeschool.

 

I found the HIG helpful as a framework for introducing lessons, game ideas, mental math pages, etc.

 

:iagree: At the younger levels, I don't know if I'd even go with the HIG, since the math is pretty self-explanatory... We have the HIGs for levels 1-3, but I didn't really use the level 1 and 2s. We're just starting level 3a, so I'll have to see how much I use it. :001_smile:

 

I definitely think you need the text and workbook. It just gives more practice, and it's all there for you without hunting and pecking for more worksheets. I also bought the Intensive Practice and Challenging Word Problems for even more practice, even though I have the Standards edition and those are for the US edition. They match up pretty well.

[StephanieZ]

I've never seen a TM or HIG and am half way through SM with my 3rd child. (Older two being SM grads). . . We do just absolutely fine w/o the teacher stuff. They didn't exist 5-9 years ago when many of us veteran SM users began the journey. I guess my oldest starting SM 9 years ago. Obviously, many of us did just fine w/o them!

 

My dc are exceptionally good at math. Reasons? Some is genetic. . .Some is that I love math. Some must be the curricula (and manipulatives) we've used.

 

That said, SM is very intuitive to me, so I suspect that many of the things the HIG & TM tells people to do. . . I already do. :) I can come up with a 10 min exploration based on a simple cartoon in the Text. . . We do these hands on explorations/demonstrations when needed. . . And, I can easily figure out when to drill what facts and we do that. . . I don't need a TM or HIG to tell me those things. So, I think it is probably a personality thing. The TM/HIG stuff might make it so that SM could/would work well for people who might not be able to make it work well without that additional support. But, I was one who didn't need that extra support.

 

Don't worry if you are spending so little time on math. That's a good sign! That's the way it always is here. I think it is a testament to the effective teaching of SM! It is also why dd7 wrapped up 3B today and my 11yo starts full-on Algebra next week after a full year of preAlg. . . If the program is excellent, you can cover a great deal of ground w/o wasting time. My kids spend very modest amounts of time on math but rapidly accelerate. . . SM does not waste your time. It is like MCT in that way. I love it.

 

If your child loves math and you want to spend more time on it, you can do side topics such as oragami stuff, etc. Or, you can accelerate. Or, both. We do all of the above. :)

 

<ETA: We use the Text & the Workbook as our core. I would NOT skip the text in any case. Absolutely. You can search my prior posts for more explanation, as I've said this several times before. . . We use IP irregularly, essentially when I want to slow the child down and/or review something. With my 3rd dd, there is never anything she needs to review b/c I am really good at teaching this stuff now, lol. That said, she is accelerating ever more rapidly, so we are doing 3A & 3B IP over the next couple months as a break between 3B & 4A regular books. If it is really easy, she'll go through it in a couple months. If she has forgotten anything, we'll take extra time to reteach. In my ideal plan, I'd do a set of IP after 3B and again after 6B. My olders have always resisted much IP b/c they want to move ON to new topics, so they each did a book or so of IP a few times, but I didn't insist on completing my "ideal plan" as I really don't see it as essential. I have tried to create a sense of fun and excitement about the IP with my youngest child (after, again, learning from my failure to do that with the olders). . . so, hopefully, she will do my ideal. :) She sure does benefit from the practice I get with the olders!>

 

HTH

Edited August 11, 2010 by StephanieZ