JennyD Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 We are in Singapore 2A (doing the CWP as well) and for the life of me I cannot seem to find a comprehensive explanation of how best to teach these bar diagrams. My son, of course, strongly prefers to do everything in his head and then presto! the answer!, but clearly that's not the way to go long-term. The 2A HIG has a little bit of info about how to talk about word problems (parts/whole, comparisons) and there are plenty of bar diagrams to illustrate, but is there anything that really lays out how best to explain this to the child? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 There's a book called The Singapore Model Method for Learning Mathematics that explains it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyD Posted February 22, 2011 Author Share Posted February 22, 2011 Thank you!!!! Of course, I just paid shipping on a SM order what, a week ago? Sigh. This does look like EXACTLY what I need, though, so I will check it out for sure. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyz Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Someone posted a website that teaches the techniques within the past couple of days and now I can't find it. It looked really good too! Hopefully someone will see this and repost it. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Are you using the CWPs (Challenging Word Problem) books? If you start at the beginning (or book 2 in your case) the introduction to bar diagrams is nice and gentle to start and gets incrementally more wicked as the years pass. Worth doing from the outset IMO, for the sanity of parent and child. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyD Posted February 22, 2011 Author Share Posted February 22, 2011 Yes, we did start at the beginning (1A/B and Level 1 CWP; now 2A and Level 2 CWP). The diagrams themselves are not the issue (yet), nor are the problems. I just need more in the way of pedagogical instruction on these. Right now, I think that my son is essentially solving the problem first and then drawing the bar diagram to match. Which works fine right now, but presumably these halcyon days will come to an end at somet point. I do find it a little strange that there isn't more in the HIGs on making the jump from number bonds to bar diagrams, given the eleventy million pages devoted to how to teach number bonds in 1A/B, but maybe it's one of those things that's obvious to everyone but me. Wouldn't be the first time. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 I do find it a little strange that there isn't more in the HIGs on making the jump from number bonds to bar diagrams, given the eleventy million pages devoted to how to teach number bonds in 1A/B, but maybe it's one of those things that's obvious to everyone but me. Wouldn't be the first time. :001_smile: I think the HiG does give more explicit explanation about the bar models starting in 3A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I just wanted to say that I prefer studying books like The Singapore Model Method for Learning Mathematics and Elementary Mathematics for Teachers to using the HIG because studying these books allows me to be many steps ahead of my student, whereas the HIG only allowed me to be one step ahead. I think understanding the big picture, that is where you're going this year, next year, and six years from now, is imperative if one is to be a truly effective teacher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrightmom Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I just wanted to say that I prefer studying books like The Singapore Model Method for Learning Mathematics and Elementary Mathematics for Teachers to using the HIG because studying these books allows me to be many steps ahead of my student, whereas the HIG only allowed me to be one step ahead. I think understanding the big picture, that is where you're going this year, next year, and six years from now, is imperative if one is to be a truly effective teacher. Kai, Do you think that a Mom Teacher who is very average (blah) in math will find the material in those books accessible? Will I understand it and be able to apply it? I realize that you can't know that for sure :001_smile: but just in general. I do want to get my hands on them and add them to the reading pile (which is growing daily right now!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Kai, Do you think that a Mom Teacher who is very average (blah) in math will find the material in those books accessible? Will I understand it and be able to apply it? I realize that you can't know that for sure :001_smile: but just in general. I do want to get my hands on them and add them to the reading pile (which is growing daily right now!). Katrina, when you hear the term "heuristics" does it make you giddy with excitement, or do you think: Wha??? If it is the former: Model Book. The latter: HIGs ;) :D Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pata Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I think the HiG does give more explicit explanation about the bar models starting in 3A. :iagree: This is what I remember too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Kai, Do you think that a Mom Teacher who is very average (blah) in math will find the material in those books accessible? Will I understand it and be able to apply it? I realize that you can't know that for sure :001_smile: but just in general. I do want to get my hands on them and add them to the reading pile (which is growing daily right now!). I am good at math, but it seemed like it would be accessible to someone who was not, it explained things very clearly and incrementally, with a lot of pictures and examples. (The Singapore Model Method book.) I also like that book better than the HIGs, I like seeing the big picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Another option is that many colleges subscribe to the Ed2Go network, which provides online classes for continuing education. There is a class just on the Singapore Model Method, and I found it VERY helpful (there's also one on Singapore Math and number sense which was also useful). This gives you the teacher training level, but with someone to bounce the "huh???" off of. And you get a nice online interactive manual (which you can save and keep) that you can go back to and that will show you how to work the problem yourself, step by step, later when you're trying to remember it to show your child. Actually, I plan to have my DD watch some of the video lessons when she gets to that point in Math, because I suspect it will be more clear that way than my trying to demonstrate it. I would suggest checking multiple schools before enrolling, though. In my area, it is possible to do Ed2Go through at least 3 different institutions, and each has a different price. The 2 year community college was by FAR the cheapest, for what was literally the same course, taught by the same person, in the same virtual classroom (I think the actual instructor is in Hawaii). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Kai, Do you think that a Mom Teacher who is very average (blah) in math will find the material in those books accessible? Will I understand it and be able to apply it? I realize that you can't know that for sure :001_smile: but just in general. I do want to get my hands on them and add them to the reading pile (which is growing daily right now!). Yes, I do. Just to give you a little background on my own situation. I was taught arithmetic using the "cookbook" method of the 1970s. I also never learned the math facts very well, and really just tuned out most of what was going on during math instruction. I failed prealgebra, algebra, and geometry and had to retake them either in summer school, or in the case of geometry, I repeated it again the next year. I got a D in algebra II. I somehow passed two quarters of calculus in college but I did it procedurally with little understanding. So this is what I brought to homeschooling. My poor older son bore the brunt of my ineptitude. But when he was struggling with remembering certain procedures--specifically borrowing in subtraction and how to multiply multidigit numbers--I happened upon Liping Ma's book Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics. In it she writes about these specific problems and how teaching methods used in the US combined with a lack of real mathematical understanding of American teachers is at the core of the problem. I saw myself and my son in her examples, and I was determined to change. Since then I've been a student of mathematics alongside my children. And I know I am a far better math teacher for my younger son than I was for my older one. It has been a long road and there hasn't been a simple or easy fix, but it has been an immensely fulfilling process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrightmom Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Yes, I do. Just to give you a little background on my own situation. I was taught arithmetic using the "cookbook" method of the 1970s. I also never learned the math facts very well, and really just tuned out most of what was going on during math instruction. I failed prealgebra, algebra, and geometry and had to retake them either in summer school, or in the case of geometry, I repeated it again the next year. I got a D in algebra II. I somehow passed two quarters of calculus in college but I did it procedurally with little understanding. So this is what I brought to homeschooling. My poor older son bore the brunt of my ineptitude. But when he was struggling with remembering certain procedures--specifically borrowing in subtraction and how to multiply multidigit numbers--I happened upon Liping Ma's book Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics. In it she writes about these specific problems and how teaching methods used in the US combined with a lack of real mathematical understanding of American teachers is at the core of the problem. I saw myself and my son in her examples, and I was determined to change. Since then I've been a student of mathematics alongside my children. And I know I am a far better math teacher for my younger son than I was for my older one. It has been a long road and there hasn't been a simple or easy fix, but it has been an immensely fulfilling process. Thank-you for sharing this! It gives me great hope as I see myself in a similar place (not understanding math in this way but longing to be an excellent teacher of my children while growing along with them). :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyD Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 Another option is that many colleges subscribe to the Ed2Go network, which provides online classes for continuing education. There is a class just on the Singapore Model Method, and I found it VERY helpful (there's also one on Singapore Math and number sense which was also useful). This gives you the teacher training level, but with someone to bounce the "huh???" off of. And you get a nice online interactive manual (which you can save and keep) that you can go back to and that will show you how to work the problem yourself, step by step, later when you're trying to remember it to show your child. Actually, I plan to have my DD watch some of the video lessons when she gets to that point in Math, because I suspect it will be more clear that way than my trying to demonstrate it. I would suggest checking multiple schools before enrolling, though. In my area, it is possible to do Ed2Go through at least 3 different institutions, and each has a different price. The 2 year community college was by FAR the cheapest, for what was literally the same course, taught by the same person, in the same virtual classroom (I think the actual instructor is in Hawaii). Thank you so much for this! What a great lead. EKS, thanks again for your suggestions as well. The big picture is precisely what I'm looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrightmom Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Katrina, when you hear the term "heuristics" does it make you giddy with excitement, or do you think: Wha??? If it is the former: Model Book. The latter: HIGs ;) :D Bill I know this is days old but I just saw this and :lol:. I was looking up the book to purchase and needed to double check the title. Up came this thread . . . Well, admittedly, the term "heuristics" makes me want to look it up in a dictionary! So, I'm somewhere in the middle. I'd prefer a HIG I suppose but golly gee whiz I don't want to buy all of them. I'm not even sure we're going to stay with Singapore. I just want to understand its approach a little more . . . my youngers are using it for a year (K'er is doing Early Bird which I'm finding is wildly unpopular) and if I can muster up the energy/courage I'd like to teach Right Start to the two of them as well. The oldest is still doing fine with Math Mammoth so he's not going anywhere for now. Frankly, based on my horrible math education and the fact that I have four children (read that: NO TIME) I probably need to stay with Math Mammoth for now. It's easier on Mom, so they say, and gets me to the same place bit by bit. So, I'm stumped. What HIG to purchase to understand Singapore's approach?? I don't know . . . my first grader is using the U.S. Edition. It's already purchased so we're not changing to Standards. The consensus is that the Standards HIGs are better though it may be a matter of opinion. I just don't know if buying a HIG for U.S. Ed. 1A and/or 1B will be worth it. Will it? The Model Method book is pricey ($30ish). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 I know this is days old but I just saw this and :lol:. I was looking up the book to purchase and needed to double check the title. Up came this thread . . . Well, admittedly, the term "heuristics" makes me want to look it up in a dictionary! So, I'm somewhere in the middle. I'd prefer a HIG I suppose but golly gee whiz I don't want to buy all of them. I'm not even sure we're going to stay with Singapore. I just want to understand its approach a little more . . . my youngers are using it for a year (K'er is doing Early Bird which I'm finding is wildly unpopular) and if I can muster up the energy/courage I'd like to teach Right Start to the two of them as well. The oldest is still doing fine with Math Mammoth so he's not going anywhere for now. Frankly, based on my horrible math education and the fact that I have four children (read that: NO TIME) I probably need to stay with Math Mammoth for now. It's easier on Mom, so they say, and gets me to the same place bit by bit. So, I'm stumped. What HIG to purchase to understand Singapore's approach?? I don't know . . . my first grader is using the U.S. Edition. It's already purchased so we're not changing to Standards. The consensus is that the Standards HIGs are better though it may be a matter of opinion. I just don't know if buying a HIG for U.S. Ed. 1A and/or 1B will be worth it. Will it? The Model Method book is pricey ($30ish). I would contact Jenny at singaporemath dot com. She wrote the HIGs, they have a forum that she runs at their website. If memory serves (it may not) the US Edition HIGs are closest to the quality of the SE Edition of any in the series, I think. I could be all wrong about that (but I have a dim memory that this is the case. If you get confirmation that this is so, get the US Edition HIGs. Then switch to the SE for the next level if you decide to stay with Singapore. I don't think you will get your $30 from the Model Book. If you have the CWP books, just start them. Did you get the Miquon materials? These will keep you busy getting a math education for some time, and are IMO a better use of your funds. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrightmom Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 I would contact Jenny at singaporemath dot com. She wrote the HIGs, they have a forum that she runs at their website. If memory serves (it may not) the US Edition HIGs are closest to the quality of the SE Edition of any in the series, I think. I could be all wrong about that (but I have a dim memory that this is the case. If you get confirmation that this is so, get the US Edition HIGs. Then switch to the SE for the next level if you decide to stay with Singapore. I don't think you will get your $30 from the Model Book. If you have the CWP books, just start them. Did you get the Miquon materials? These will keep you busy getting a math education for some time, and are IMO a better use of your funds. Bill Thanks Bill. The Miquon books (all of them) are in the cart (I have the teacher materials. I read the Notes and I'm in the early pages of Diary.). I have the earliest CWP book and just pulled it down to peek at. It's in my "queue" here at home :001_smile:. I will pass on the Model Book for now then and perhaps TRY one HIG. I may poke around for a used one first. :001_smile: Thanks again for sharing and helping with math. Just today I was purging and sorting through memorabilia boxes. I ran across piles of old "report cards" form school. Ugh. I stunk at math. My grades were always LOW and I probably needed a tutor. :001_smile: I suppose I am filling that role in my life now, at (ahem) years old. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeganW Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Are you using the CWPs (Challenging Word Problem) books? I thought these were discontinued? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Thanks Bill. The Miquon books (all of them) are in the cart (I have the teacher materials. I read the Notes and I'm in the early pages of Diary.). I have the earliest CWP book and just pulled it down to peek at. It's in my "queue" here at home :001_smile:. I will pass on the Model Book for now then and perhaps TRY one HIG. I may poke around for a used one first. :001_smile: Thanks again for sharing and helping with math. Just today I was purging and sorting through memorabilia boxes. I ran across piles of old "report cards" form school. Ugh. I stunk at math. My grades were always LOW and I probably needed a tutor. :001_smile: I suppose I am filling that role in my life now, at (ahem) years old. :D If the Miquon teachers materials, and using the Singapore books fills your sails (as I hope they will) you may want to re-visit the Model Book at a future date. For now, you are loaded with thinkings that will be usable now. You may discover you do not stink at math, but you were just taught in ways that made little sense. You can learn. I am learning anew. It can be done, and our children will have a better math experience than we did. Cheers, Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxing Hare Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 I had a hard time understanding the bar method when we first started. I found this website that really helped. I did it myself, and then had my kids do it. http://www.mathplayground.com/thinkingblocks.html It has a video, then a step-by-step model, and then practice problems. I really recommend it. Don't give up! Now I think that bar diagrams are the best thing since sliced bread! I wish I had been taught this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 I am good at math, but it seemed like it would be accessible to someone who was not, it explained things very clearly and incrementally, with a lot of pictures and examples. (The Singapore Model Method book.) I also like that book better than the HIGs, I like seeing the big picture. :iagree::iagree::iagree: I find I just love doing the bar diagrams. Even if kiddo is buzzing along with his head, I often draw them out, and if he won't slow down and draw them, I sometimes have him just tell me "make one this long, make the next one the same length and divide it into 4 sections" and I draw it for him. I used to get really hot and miserable slogging through math, and I see his body language when there is too much repetition. He feels the same way. I try to cut to the chase, and I don't mind making the bar diagrams. I like them! (This is the kid who, if I tried to set up a 1st grade problem with some cubes and bars and flats, would cover his eyes so he could work it out in his head, rather than have to look at manipulatives, so I understand his reluctance to draw something out. He has learned if he makes two guesses...just stabs in the dark, I'll make him draw it out, and it has made his verbal plan of attacks more on target the first time. :D) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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