Heather in MD Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 I just found this link from our local newspaper to an article in yesterday's New York Times about Singapore Math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgiana Daniels Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Thanks for posting the article! I've been contemplating the purchase, so I'd like to learn/hear/read all I can about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleWonders Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Thanks for the link. I love how it said that SM might be a "fad" - I'm thinking something that has been used as long as it has as successfully as it has is hardly a "fad" but whatever. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 The reporter seems to be rather ill-informed about Primary Mathematics. This is pint-by-the-numbers journalism. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 This is pint-by-the-numbers journalism. Bill! You've suddenly developed a cockney accent. Oh, and :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Bill! You've suddenly developed a cockney accent. Oh, and :iagree: LOL :lol::lol::lol: Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 The reporter seems to be rather ill-informed about Primary Mathematics. This is pint-by-the-numbers journalism. Bill Bill! You've suddenly developed a cockney accent. Hey, it's Friday afternoon. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is fantasizing about a pint right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Hey, it's Friday afternoon. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is fantasizing about a pint right now. :cheers2: :cheers2: :cheers2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 US schools doing something that makes sense? Yeah, I actually do think it's probably just a fad. Surely it won't last? Also, curry puffs and rambutans are not a reason not to use a textbook. More American children need to learn about the joys of exotic fruits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Also, curry puffs and rambutans are not a reason not to use a textbook. More American children need to learn about the joys of exotic fruits. Not to mention that these "foreign" elements have been expunged from the editions American students actually use in the classroom and that this sort of story fluff make me want to turn to drink ;) :D Bill (who was planning on an after-noon Singapore math lesson, but may have a pint instead. Maybe both? :tongue_smilie:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 A local radio show was debating whether or not a local school district should adopt Singapore Math. I was very tempted to call in and voice my support of such a move, even though we use other programs. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in MD Posted October 1, 2010 Author Share Posted October 1, 2010 Thanks for the link. I love how it said that SM might be a "fad" - I'm thinking something that has been used as long as it has as successfully as it has is hardly a "fad" but whatever. ;) That sentence in the article jumped out at me as well. It's been the "fad" at our house for the last eight years :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Bill (who was planning on an after-noon Singapore math lesson, but may have a pint instead. Maybe both? :tongue_smilie:) Concurrently? That sounds like a nice Friday tradition. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 Concurrently? That sounds like a nice Friday tradition. Barb If Daddy has a pint, and then he drinks half the pint how much does he have left to drink? See, it could be *educational* Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 If Daddy has a pint, and then he drinks half the pint how much does he have left to drink? See, it could be *educational* Bill It's called fluid dynamics, Bill. :cheers2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 1, 2010 Share Posted October 1, 2010 It's called fluid dynamics, Bill. :cheers2: Oh, is that what we're calling it now??? ;) :D Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 If Daddy has a pint, and then he drinks half the pint how much does he have left to drink? See, it could be *educational* Bill And then he drank half of that, and half of that, and half of that... Would he ever reach the bottom? Add some calculus to your afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tricia Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 I knew there was a reason I liked using Singapore. We've been using it for years. I do however switch to saxon once they get to algebra. Not sure why though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 Oh good grief! Singapore Math is older than some of my children. I don't think it is a fad. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Researcher Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 It's called fluid dynamics, Bill. :cheers2: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 Wow! I must be doing it all wrong. I don't even recognize SM in this article! I found the comments about the tutors hired in Singapore very interesting. That sounds like more what we are doing. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 Wow! I must be doing it all wrong. I don't even recognize SM in this article! I found the comments about the tutors hired in Singapore very interesting. That sounds like more what we are doing. :) Well, I think they are doing all the stuff in the teacher's manuals which I do not do. They also do all the textbook stuff together. I suppose they would be shocked the way I use it - just 3 days a week to do the workbook pages only. But with a bit of a introduction for new material, that has worked fine for my kids. We use the other two days for drill work. But of course, I am teaching each grade level to only one student at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 I didn't find the article very descriptive, but I did think it was interesting that they identified homeschoolers as having "discovered" Singapore first. Is this the first time homeschoolers have successfully changed schools' curricula? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 If Daddy has a pint, and then he drinks half the pint how much does he have left to drink? See, it could be *educational* Ah, but it's not so simple. If it's early in the evening, and we'll be out for awhile yet, my kids will tell you "a pint and a half." If we'll only be out for a bit, "half a pint." They know their mama. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 Ah, but it's not so simple. If it's early in the evening, and we'll be out for awhile yet, my kids will tell you "a pint and a half." If we'll only be out for a bit, "half a pint." They know their mama. :) At my "homeschool" this answer would earn you bonus points :D Well done!!! :001_smile: Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowperch Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 I also found this article really poorly done. I can't believe it was a front page story in the Times. I love math, but the article wasn't even interesting, and I don't quite get the news value. And yet, there it is, still the top e-mailed Times story for two days. Go figure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 I didn't find the article very descriptive, but I did think it was interesting that they identified homeschoolers as having "discovered" Singapore first. Is this the first time homeschoolers have successfully changed schools' curricula? I don't know the answer to that, but it definitely intrigues me. It really shouldn't be a surprise to me, but on the occasions that I have a chance to interact with public school elementary teachers, I'm always shocked at how few of the resources we use that they're actually familiar with. And I don't mean curricula per se - the idea that a school teacher hasn't heard of Singapore Math or Miquon or MEP or the like seems (sadly) normal. But games and manipulatives and supplemental books. A friend who is a former elementary school teacher came to stay with us as she passed through town awhile back. When she looked at our math shelf, she said, "Wow, you're better equipped for your two kids than I was for my whole class." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 I also found this article really poorly done. I can't believe it was a front page story in the Times. I love math, but the article wasn't even interesting, and I don't quite get the news value. And yet, there it is, still the top e-mailed Times story for two days. Go figure! Poorly done article, no doubt. But I think it shows how interested (and how worried) parents are about the state of American math education. It is too bad a paper with the prestige of the New York Times published a story that was no better than hack-journalism, as a really insightful well-researched article could have stirred a national discussion. *Sigh* Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 I think it's another example of math in a public school setting. While I was able to read the link yesterday, when I click back now, I'm supposed to create a login before it will allow me to read. Some things that stand out is that the article claims Singapore is slowly paced. What???!!! Spending how long on the number one? And number two? (It was at least a week before you finally get to "move on.") There was a mention of a Houghton Mifflin Harcourt edition for the schools. Perhaps THIS is what happened to change Singapore math from what I know. It was very interesting. As Kalamanak said, I didn't recognize it, and we first began using Singapore in 2001.:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowperch Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Bill, why don't you write to the reporter? My husband reports for the Times (on the foreign desk) and he spends time every week responding to readers. I don't know Winnie Hu even by reputation but she might do the same. Chances are she won't revisit the issue next week on the front page, of course, but it still might be worthwhile. Reporters only know what people tell them, after all. Just click on her name to get to reader e-mail. I'd do it, but I'm frying other fish at the moment. And, frankly, I don't yet hae a good handle on any of this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Some things that stand out is that the article claims Singapore is slowly paced. What???!!! Spending how long on the number one? And number two? (It was at least a week before you finally get to "move on.") I found that surprising too. MEP is like this, sort of, but I never got the impression Singapore was. Then again, I just have Singapore texts, not any teacher training materials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyz Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 I found that surprising too. MEP is like this, sort of, but I never got the impression Singapore was. Then again, I just have Singapore texts, not any teacher training materials. I agree. It sounds almost like they are describing MEP, not Singapore. We did Early Bird and are now doing 1A/B and have not seen what they are describing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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