Anne in Saskatchewan Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 We are using Singapore NEM 1 for Grade 7 - we just started it after Christmas. My son is doing all right with it, but it is a bit of a slog, and we are going very slowly. It takes us two days to do each lesson. I'm thinking of changing to Discovering Mathematics, but I am nervous because it's not recommended in TWTM. Any thoughts? TIA Anne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I would guess because it is very new and probably came out after SWB published the book, but don't quote me on that. ;) :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAutumnOak Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I felt that way about MM...I was interested in using it, but felt nervous because it wasn't recommended in WTM...I used it anyway and we are happy with it... You never know, when the next addition comes out it could be recommended then ;)...Or even if it is not, if it gets the job done, it should be fine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrixieB Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I started my 7th grader on Discovering Mathematics in September 2010. DM teaches several concepts in a section. Then the student does a set of easier problems, harder problems, then problems that I as the teacher had to always look up the answer for. IMO, the concepts weren't explained anywhere near as well as in the Primary Math series. Also IMO there were conceptual leaps expected of the student. After many days of tears, frustration, and listening to "I am so stupid because I can't do this math", I switched my child to Keys to Algebra while I tried to decide what to do. A few weeks ago I was given a copy of NEM 1 and I wished I'd used it instead of DM. It might have been slow going, but it's much more understandable than Discovering Mathematics. My current thought is to teach the prealgebra topics that my child needs to solidify from either NEM 1 or Chalkdust prealgebra, then start Foerster's in September. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 (edited) I'm also guessing because it's brand spanking new. I'm using Discovering Mathematics 1 with one of my dds this year. Honestly NEM intimidated me - it didn't look anywhere near as friendly as Primary Math, and I'd always heard how very hard it was. DM looks a lot more friendly - it's colorful and has lots of white space and just looks more like Primary Math. We are enjoying DM. But I have to say that I've always scratched my head a bit at all the talk about Primary Math requiring conceptual leaps, but boy do I see them in DM. It's not quite so intense if you just use the textbook (which has complete problem sets), but the optional workbook spikes it up quite a few more notches (like IP in the Primary series, which we never used - maybe that's where the conceptual leaps were?). After doing the first half of the first year of DM, now when I look at Foerster's it looks like a cakewalk. And wow, this is only preparing kids for the O-levels (according to the back of the texts)? What do the A-level prep books look like in Singapore?? My other 7th grader I moved out of Singapore; she's doing Lial's Pre-Algebra this year. Her head would've exploded with DM. But the dd in DM is plugging along quite well - it's challenging her in a good way - and I think DM will have prepared her well for AoPS Algebra next year. I wouldn't suggest DM (or NEM) for a non-mathy kid, though. :tongue_smilie: Edited March 4, 2011 by matroyshka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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