MusicMama Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I read and loved Liping Ma's book which just proved to me how little I knew about teaching math! Then I read Elementary Mathematics for Teachers, which was more instruction than theory, also very helpful. I'm now looking for another book to read along the singapore method. Something that deals with the educational development of children in mathematics. Like when is it appropriate to expect memorization, what topics are best covered at what age group etc. I feel like I read up on math theory and methods, but want something more to add to the mix. Teaching math to my kids is a great responsibility, and I don't want my lack of knowledge to screw it up! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eloquacious Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Fantastic question ... finishing up Liping Ma now, and it's blown my mind. (In part because it seems like I got all of what he was discussing conceptually, but I learned - and would have taught - procedurally.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancyb Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 I felt that way too. I just jumped in with Rightstart B with my kids and can’t tell you how much I’ve learned. Maybe you would feel better if you went through the curriculum yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicMama Posted March 11, 2011 Author Share Posted March 11, 2011 I have looked through the curriculum several times, and noticed what I read in Liping Ma's book. The Singapore Method's strongest ingredient is master pedagogues! They are able to interpret and adapt the material to fit their students strengths and weaknesses. I need a crash course in that! :tongue_smilie: I figure if I start now, I'll have my ducks in a row when my dd hits first grade, and we buckle down for the real deal. Any suggestions for a homeschool mom how-to course? :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Well, I tell people only half-jokingly that I should have tutored elementary math as well as phonics! I had phonics down pat because I'd been "practicing" on other people's children for years!! If you can find someone in the neighborhood or a friend's child that needs help, you could tutor them. Or, maybe a local church or organization does tutoring or homework help for disadvantaged children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicMama Posted March 12, 2011 Author Share Posted March 12, 2011 Thanks for the advice! I've thought about that, hands on experience always seems to help. Now to find a guinea pig...:D But I'm sure there are some great teacher resources out there for math teachers. I just don't know which ones correspond best with the teaching methods proposed by the singapore method. Any must read books out there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 The Miquon teachers books were invaluable for me. Liping Ma made it really clear what I wanted (and did not want) in a math education for my child. But how to get there? Particularly how to get off to a great start with my young child, that I did not know how to accomplish. The sound and practical ideas in these books was inspiring and just the thing I needed to move me from well-intentioned, but perplexed, to feeling like I can do this! YMMV. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I dug through this book (you only need do the first third for getting started) http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Mathematics-Elementary-Middle-Schools/dp/0130116815/ref=tmm_pap_title_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1299911553&sr=1-3 (you can get the brand new version for over 100 bucks, but really, it is an introduction to math manipulatives, the progression of topic introduction, etc.) I didn't just read it, I played with the manipulatives (which we had none of at my grade school) as if I was just getting started. It might sound silly, but the point was to start juggling numbers in my mind in various ways. Have a look here: http://www.singaporemath.com/Math_Teacher_Resource_s/27.htm The Ahroni book was interesting. It introduced me to thinking about thinking about teaching children. My son is very happy we learned the "ask me an easier question" concept, and it has helped me sense what a child of his age can and can't grasp. The Elementary Math for Teachers is touted by many here, but I just could not finish it (odd for me and a book). You would need to buy the US edition of several of the A texts and also the 5 A workbook to do the problems in the text. I'm looking for that dream book. In the mean time, when I have a few moments to chew up, driving in the car, or waiting a moment by a phone expecting someone I paged to call back, I do number games in my head. Recently I've been reading a lovely Clifton Fadiman book of little stories about historical characters. Instead of just glancing at their "dates", I try to do the math to get their age at death. I try to see if I can add the 10 first, or take from one number to fill out the other, etc. That way, when I'm working with kiddo, I can say "or we could do it this way" once he's gotten something down pat (or if he keeps having trouble). That really basic number sense that you then can build on. I'm rambling, its late, and I feel like we climbed Mt. Pints and Gallons tonight, because kiddo could do his problems. :001_smile: :lurk5: for other resources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iona Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 could someone post a link to the 'elementary math for teachers' book please. i found several by that name on amazon. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 could someone post a link to the 'elementary math for teachers' book please. i found several by that name on amazon.thanks http://www.singaporemath.com/Elementary_Mathematics_for_Teachers_p/emft.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 One of the things which has helped me the most (besides reading Liping Ma's book) has been sitting side by side with my two boys and working the problems. I will often (at least once per lesson but usually more often) ask them how they worked a mental math problem. I will discuss how I did it. (I have learned to do mental math for the first time while teaching my kids, though I have a masters' degree and took precalculus and statistics in college.) We discuss the different ways to arrive at the correct/same answer. Singapore encourages this by presenting different ways to compute a math equation. My sons (2nd and 4th grade this year) are naturally bent towards mental math and creative problem solving so I often learn something from asking them to explain how they have solved a problem. This is also a good exercise for them as we discuss the different ways to do this and they are "forced" to orally present the steps to problem solving, which helps to cement it for them. An added bonus is that I get the opportunity to tell them "I really like your way of doing that more than mine. I will remember that in the future." That makes them really happy. They taught me something.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 (edited) Nevermind. Should have finished reading the thread first. SpyCar answered my question. :001_smile: Edited March 12, 2011 by gardening momma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iona Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 http://www.singaporemath.com/Elementary_Mathematics_for_Teachers_p/emft.htm thanks :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicMama Posted March 12, 2011 Author Share Posted March 12, 2011 Spy Car, would the Notes to Teachers be what I need, or the Lab annotations as well? The Ahroni book was interesting. It introduced me to thinking about thinking about teaching children. My son is very happy we learned the "ask me an easier question" concept, and it has helped me sense what a child of his age can and can't grasp. Thanks! I've been eyeing that one, and also the the price tag. I didn't want to spend that money if it wouldn't be helpful! I found one for 16.00 on amazon, so maybe I'll break down and get it. I had a very fulfilling homeschool education, but I remember spending many a tearful hour over my Saxon math, and want to avoid that math "dread" with my kids. Sometimes I wonder what my college interests would have been if I didn't "hate" math so much! Now with a new viewpoint on math, I find it fascinating and look forward to re-learning it as I teach my children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 Spy Car, would the Notes to Teachers be what I need, or the Lab annotations as well? Thanks! I've been eyeing that one, and also the the price tag. I didn't want to spend that money if it wouldn't be helpful! I found one for 16.00 on amazon, so maybe I'll break down and get it. I had a very fulfilling homeschool education, but I remember spending many a tearful hour over my Saxon math, and want to avoid that math "dread" with my kids. Sometimes I wonder what my college interests would have been if I didn't "hate" math so much! Now with a new viewpoint on math, I find it fascinating and look forward to re-learning it as I teach my children. If you just wanted a glimpse into the way Lore Rasmussen taught math the best book to read would be "First Grade Diary." Don't be thrown by the title the information is especially valuable to parents of Pre-school or Kindergarten children who are getting started in math. It takes one through an introductory year of math with a gifted teacher and one can see how she taught. Very useful. And the Diary should help you decide if this way of teaching math is something that would appeal to you and your children. The Lab Annotations is linked to the student pages, and it also has topical teaching ideas. It would probably make less sense out of context than if you were going to adopt at least some of the Miquon program as a teaching program. Notes to Teachers is the least of the books, more of a booklet with ideas about getting started with the program and some of the philosophy. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicMama Posted March 12, 2011 Author Share Posted March 12, 2011 Thanks! I never would have gotten the First Grade Diary, I thought it was some sort of kids workbook? Looks like what I have been looking for, thanks for the recommendations! I have heard a lot of good things about miquon, but have been leaning towards singapore. I'm sure they are used in conjunction successfully, maybe that's the way to go. I see that you use quite a bit of different math curriculum with your ds. Does that ever make things more confusing? Or do the different view points help with comprehension? I wouldn't want to use texts that don't compliment one another. From what I've seen, MM, MEP, Miquon and singapore all seem to be on the same wavelength. Is this correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 If you just wanted a glimpse into the way Lore Rasmussen taught math the best book to read would be "First Grade Diary." Don't be thrown by the title the information is especially valuable to parents of Pre-school or Kindergarten children who are getting started in math. It takes one through an introductory year of math with a gifted teacher and one can see how she taught. Very useful. And the Diary should help you decide if this way of teaching math is something that would appeal to you and your children. You can often find it used, cheap. It is a worthwhile read if you are just starting out. I found Miquon very appealing when I read it, and was all mumsy about it. Unfortunately, kiddo would have nothing to do with it. He would clamp his eyes shut when I got out the manipulatives and want to do it in his head. YMMV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forty-two Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 Thanks! I've been eyeing that one, and also the the price tag. I didn't want to spend that money if it wouldn't be helpful! I found one for 16.00 on amazon, so maybe I'll break down and get it. Just as a note, the publisher sells the Arithmetic for Parents book at a discount - $19.95 - with $2.80 shipping (or free shipping if you buy another book), for anyone else who might want to buy it (it's definitely on my list ;)). I have heard a lot of good things about miquon, but have been leaning towards singapore. I'm sure they are used in conjunction successfully, maybe that's the way to go. I see that you use quite a bit of different math curriculum with your ds. Does that ever make things more confusing? Or do the different view points help with comprehension? I wouldn't want to use texts that don't compliment one another. From what I've seen, MM, MEP, Miquon and singapore all seem to be on the same wavelength. Is this correct? I'd say that MM/Singapore are pretty much on the same wavelength, while Miquon and MEP each come at things from a somewhat different perspective. They get lumped together b/c they all place an emphasis on conceptual understanding. I think the different perspectives are a plus, myself - it's good to see different ways to apply the same basic math concepts - promotes flexibility of thinking and a better understanding of the fundamentals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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