Does your child do Singapore IP and CWP independently or with help?

[matrips]

For those that use the IP and/or CWP, do you work the problems with your children and help them out? sit by them as they work? or just assign the pages and they work on their own?

 

My kids have a love/hate relationship with these books. They tell me they like them, but oh the whining and tears even sometimes. They're actually pretty good at math; I think they get frustrated because these problems require a little more thinking and time than just calculating an answer. Most problems I would say they are capable of doing in the books, if they slow down to read the problem and pay attention. I do not want math causing tears, even if they say they like the books. But I do want them to learn to think. I'm not sure how to handle. Anyone been there?! If I do them a year behind, will they be much easier? or am I just postponing it?! We're only on level 1! (well, finished 1A/1B in the textbook/workbook a couple months ago, but not done with IP and CWP yet).

 

Thanks.

[snowbeltmom]

I had my kids work in the Challenging Word Problem book that was one level below the textbook/workbook level that they were working in. I think I remember reading somewhere that the CWP books were a level above the textbook/workbook level.

[kbpaulie]

We do the IP books about a semester to year behind. We don't do the CWP. My son does most of the IP by himself up until the challening sections. On many of these questions I stare at the question, try to figure it out, look at the answer and then finally ask my engineering husband to figure it out w/ him... and we just did IP 2 series.:)

[zoo_keeper]

We're in the exact same position as you. ODD whizzed through 1B workbook/textbook on her own. No problems. This summer, however, I haven't introduced the new textbooks, but instead have had her work through IP 1B (1A seemed too easy) and CWP1.

 

They definitely require more teacher interaction. For the easier problems, I can usually talk her through the worked example and then let her go, but then about 50%-75% through the lesson she needs me to talk through the remaining problems step by step. Tonight's IP problems were actually tear-inducing (to my dismay, I so want her to love math like I do!). I was getting severely frustrated, and we had to back up and do some online review instead.

 

So you are definitely not alone when it comes to the supplementals requiring more face time.

[LittleIzumi]

IP definitely requires interaction at that level, IMO.

[kalanamak]

Aside from drill pages, which kiddo does while I'm at work, I have not yet found my wiggly guy is ready for math solo. His eyes would wander and much time would be wasted.

[Beth in SW WA]

Lots of help. :001_smile:

[Satori]

For us they also require me sitting next to and providing assistance as needed. Some days are independent, some definitely need help. Actually these books are ones we like to show off (aka need help from) Daddy. :) He's impressed at the types of problems his six year old does.

[boscopup]

The easier problems are done solo. The challenging ones definitely need me sitting there. We're doing IP2/CWP2. There was even one in the IP that I had to look the answer up in the back. :tongue_smilie:

 

CWP has gotten DS actually wanting to show his work, which is awesome! He can even draw the little bar diagrams now. :D

[Dana]

I'm generally around during math but I do have my son do IP and CWP on his own. If he's stumped, I'll sometimes ask some questions, but I don't help much.

 

I've also had him attempt a problem, not get anywhere with it, put it away for the day, then bring it out the next day. I think that returning to a problem can be a useful skill and I didn't want him to just see me provide the solution. I think this was one of the Challenging IP problems and it took 3 days, but he got it. It was definitely tougher on me than just giving the answer!

 

It's a bit tricky to find the right balance between supporting their learning and providing the answers.

[lmrich]

For the CWP I need help to help her. I can get the answer in my head, but struggle with the important visual bar diagrams. They are tough problems.

[Crimson Wife]

The easier problems are done solo. The challenging ones definitely need me sitting there.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

I have DD attempt to do the problem first, and if she can't figure it out by herself, I walk her through it step-by-step. What's the first thing you need to find out? Okay, so give me the equation for that. Now solve it. Okay, now what's the second thing you need to find out? etc.

[Penelope]

In third grade we moved to using IP as our main workbook rather than a supplement. So ds does complete those problems on his own. There might be the occasional puzzler he needs help with. We do most of CWP in the summer, so it's more like a ramped up review. He sometimes needs help with the most challenging problems, more so than with IP, even though I think some of the IP are actually harder. Maybe it has something to do with the timing of how we use it.

[Dmmetler]

We do them together, and sometimes she ends up helping me :tongue_smilie:. I do have her do the easier, practice problems by herself, since we usually use the IP instead of the workbook, and the same with many, but not all of the CWP problems. Usually the "challenge" IP problems and some of the CWP problems end up being talked through together on the whiteboard. There's nothing like being stumped by a problem in your 6 yr old's math book :).

[Crimson Wife]

There's nothing like being stumped by a problem in your 6 yr old's math book :).

 

Just wait until you get to the 3rd & 4th grade books. There have been a few that my DH (who is Mr. Stanford Engineering, Harvard MBA, Certified Financial Analyst Quant Jock) has struggled with figuring out. He has remarked that now he understands why his classmates who grew up in Asia found college & grad school so easy if this is the kind of math they did in elementary school.

[rootsnwings]

We're working in 5A now and ds just works the IP right along with his Textbook & Workbook. I schedule it so that we have about a week of instruction/textbook/workbook exercises and then I bring in the IP Book and work it right along with whatever we're covering. We don't use the CWP because there are so many word problems already in the textbook/workbook & IP ~ CWP would've been overkill for us!

 

HTH!! :D

[imhim]

My just turned 8yo does not have much problems with CWP and most of IP, but the Challenge part of the IP is a bit difficult sometimes, although she gives it a fair try.