Math questions (Singapore & LOF)

[Alveraz]

Hey guys,

 

So I think we're going with LOF for my 8 and 10 year old boys (first year of homeschooling). I'm just not sure which books in the series to get them, or if I've made the wrong decision and should instead go with Singapore? I see so many of you going with Singapore I sort of got cold feet.

 

1. Let me know which of the two you prefer (and why), as I want them both to be in the same program if possible. Sing or LOF?

 

2. My newly turned 8 year old scored 90% on Sing 2A/B so we are considering the Singapore 3A/B level (he just left 2nd grade). What is the equivalent for LOF?

 

3. My 10 year old scored an 85% in Singapore 5A/B. What is the LOF equivalent for the next level? I didn't see any Singapore options for him after 5A/B. Did I miss something?

 

Thanks for the help!!!

[boscopup]

LOF doesn't have any 3rd grade level books yet. He just came out with the first 4 books for elementary, but they all look first grade-ish to me. The next levels available are the fractions/decimals/etc. Your older child could probably do that, though I'd personally go with Singapore and just use LOF as a supplement at that stage.

 

Singapore has 6A/B. After that you can do pre-algebra or go straight into algebra.

 

ETA: There may be some pre-algebra topics not in Singapore 6A/6B... You might want to double check before skipping pre-algebra.

[Crimson Wife]

After 6A/B, your student would go on to either New Elementary Mathematics or Discovering Mathematics. Both series are "integrated" rather than offering separate books for pre-algebra, algebra I, geometry, algebra II, and trigonometry. NEM has the reputation of being extremely challenging while DM is supposed to be a bit easier.

 

LOF is wonderful IMHO as a supplement but not enough to be a full curriculum. If you're only choosing one, I'd say to go with Singapore.

[Alveraz]

LOF doesn't have any 3rd grade level books yet. He just came out with the first 4 books for elementary, but they all look first grade-ish to me. The next levels available are the fractions/decimals/etc. Your older child could probably do that, though I'd personally go with Singapore and just use LOF as a supplement at that stage.

 

Singapore has 6A/B. After that you can do pre-algebra or go straight into algebra.

 

ETA: There may be some pre-algebra topics not in Singapore 6A/6B... You might want to double check before skipping pre-algebra.

 

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm a little confused on one thing. So my 10 year old tested well in 5A/B but not well in 6A/B, so I assume I should start him in 6A/B? Is that pre-algebra, or is pre-algebra the next one after 6A/B? I dont want him to skip pre-algebra, so I assume I do that next year? I don't see pre-algebra on the Sing site, is it called something else?

 

Thanks again! :)

[boscopup]

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm a little confused on one thing. So my 10 year old tested well in 5A/B but not well in 6A/B, so I assume I should start him in 6A/B? Is that pre-algebra, or is pre-algebra the next one after 6A/B? I dont want him to skip pre-algebra, so I assume I do that next year? I don't see pre-algebra on the Sing site, is it called something else?

 

Sorry, I wasn't even thinking about Singapore's post-6B products. You should do 6A/6B now. You can then do pre-algebra with any general pre-algebra text OR you can continue to use Singapore's products, as the PP mentioned (DM or NEM). They just aren't straight "pre-algebra, algebra, etc." Hopefully that makes sense.

[Crimson Wife]

There is no Singapore "pre-algebra" book. NEM 1 and DM 1 both cover pre-algebra, geometry, and the first part of algebra 1. Then NEM 2 or DM 2 would cover more geometry and algebra. It's a different sequence than the typical American high school math with its separate courses for each subject.

[EKS]

I vastly prefer Singapore to Life of Fred as a primary program. The teaching of the concepts is first rate, the order of presentation of concepts is ingenious, the problem sets are well designed, and you can add or subtract resources in the Singapore "family" of materials to accommodate the needs of your child.

 

Fred is great as a supplement as it is engaging. My son loves it. However (and keep in mind that I've only used Fractions, Decimals, and Prealgebra 1 so far), the concepts are haphazardly presented if they are presented at all, it is heavily procedural, and the problem sets are poorly designed and not nearly long enough to develop competence (generally there are 5 or so problems per lesson).

[Mallory]

I love LOF and my sis used it as a stand alone program for Algebra and Advanced Algebra, but I don't think the earlier levels are good enough to stand alone (I haven't actully seen the PreAlgebra books though).

 

I know lots of people do them with Singapore 4, 5, or 6, but my boys really want to do them so I am saving Fractions and Decimals for when they have completed all of Singapore Primary Math. ;)

[NittanyJen]

If you wanted to go LoF, you could start at any time with your older child once he has mastered long division. At that point, he is ready to start the Fred sequence with LoF: Fractions.

 

When done correctly, the Fred books from that point onward are a complete curriculum by themselves. Fractions and Decimals don't have that many practice problems, because frankly, it isn't necessary beyond what he provides-- Fred forces the student to really think hard about what they are doing, why they do it, why it works, and when to use it. There are two pre-algebra booms that follow, that cover those topics in great depth, and then the Algebra book starts with a home companion that provides additional practice problems.

 

The mathematics in the books goes beyond what you typically get in any equivalent book on each topic. It's a great series, and definitely college preparatory on its own if the student really works it.

 

It can, as so many people note here, also work well as a supplement if you don't wish to put as much thought into the problems, skim through the story, look at the answers before working through the problems yourself, move on before passing the tests, or if the style of learning is just not your style (you will never see a row of "Do 10 of these" problems, and some people really seem to need that, or their parents need to see it to feel reassured). Fred can be an enjoyable supplement, but it takes a long time to work through correctly; I would advise easing up and reading through instead, though you won't get the best of the mathematics from it that way. (My husband is an applied math professor, and heis blown away by the content and what is required to solve the problems).

 

Singapore is also a very solid program. Our younger son is using Singapore, and we are also well-pleased. The depth with which he is learning each topic (adjusted for grade level-- he is just turning 8 and starting 3rd grade) is similar to Fred, though the approach is vastly different. I would not rely on the LoF elementary series as a standalone program at Thais point. I have not yet seen it, only 4 books are even available for preview, and there just isn't enough information. From what I can see, I would treat them as a great supplement, to show the interrelatedness of math to the rest of the world.

 

Different kids learn differently; Singapore and Fred are very different programs that will serve different children well. Sometimes parents get freaked by things that are seriously different from what they know and are comfortable with and that's important to think about too-- if you hate the program, your kid will know it. That all the math is in Fred is something you can be very reassured about if you want to give it a try, though.

[NittanyJen]

ARGH. I have to figure out how to scroll within an editing frame when posting on this dang iPad :( :(. The auto scramble feature is killing me! Sorry about all the typos-- my last post looked like it belonged in an AOL chat room LOL.