swainsonshawk Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I'm a big Singapore supporter. I'm starting my 5th child in it right now. I have figured out how it works and how to use it best to teach my kiddos math. BUT I haven't ever used the 6 books successfully. I tried with child #1--bust--we jumped ship to TT7 and then to Lial's pre-algebra. Child #2 is struggling through 6A right now and I can't stand it--he will be moving to Lial's pre-alg as soon as the book comes in the mail. The entire focus of 6A seems to be challenging word problems with very little actual math operations practice. What's the deal? I am switching my kids to the Standards edition (some this year some next)--will I like the 6 books better in the Standards edition? FWIW, I have the 6A home instructor guide for the US edition--it's awful and I can't even read it. It's mostly the formatting--who wants to read 2 pages of densely packed text before you start your math lesson? Becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msjones Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I disliked Singapore 6 initially. But, I did find a way to make it work for us. I had to do the assignments before teaching them to my sons. This took time, but was worth it. I worked through the problems using the HIG and was then able to teach it much, much better. I also understood the dense text in the HIG better after having done the problems. I ended up really appreciating the Singapore approach. That being said, if you hate it, I'd switch! There are so many math programs, you may as well find something you enjoy. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I skipped the Singapore PM 6 books with the exception of the probability & statistics chapters in SE 6B (which DD needed because her virtual charter requires her to take the California state STAR test) and just accelerated to Discovering Mathematics 1 (now renamed 7A/B). DM covers pretty much everything in PM 6 at a faster pace plus it has new material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swainsonshawk Posted December 11, 2012 Author Share Posted December 11, 2012 Thanks for the info. I think I'll take another look at Discovering Mathematics again. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I'm searching my memory: isn't level six of SM a big review/revision year because Singapore pupils take an exam that year to be placed in senior schools? I might be wrong about this.... Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I'm searching my memory: isn't level six of SM a big review/revision year because Singapore pupils take an exam that year to be placed in senior schools? I might be wrong about this.... Laura That would make sense. I know the higher levels of Singapore math have different tracks (normal, express, etc.) and there is presumably an exam used to sort students into those tracks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dassah Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I totally agree! We have used Singapore all of the way through and I've started, stopped, restarted, and stopped Singapore 6A. I've finally ditched it and we are in limbo with what to do next. I think TT Pre-Algebra will be our next move until I figure out where to go. We've all ready tried several other options without success. Just jumping in here to nod in agreement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swainsonshawk Posted December 12, 2012 Author Share Posted December 12, 2012 I feel like SM 6 is teaching new things--basic algebra, ratios, percentage, speed are all in 6A. I am just really disliking the presentation. I've always been minorly irritated with the CWP in the workbooks--I feel like it's a bit too much and while I work them out with my kids, I don't expect them to figure them out on their own. It's challenging for me!--let alone a child just learning how math works! Sheesh! But that aside I've always enjoyed SM for its mental math strategies, its lack of too much repetition, etc. I've done it enough, I know when to stop and review before moving on, when the math facts need to be memorized, etc. Book 6 threw me for a loop, though. Too many "challenging" problems, not enough basic work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 I feel like SM 6 is teaching new things--basic algebra, ratios, percentage, speed are all in 6A. I am just really disliking the presentation. I've always been minorly irritated with the CWP in the workbooks--I feel like it's a bit too much and while I work them out with my kids, I don't expect them to figure them out on their own. It's challenging for me!--let alone a child just learning how math works! Sheesh! But that aside I've always enjoyed SM for its mental math strategies, its lack of too much repetition, etc. I've done it enough, I know when to stop and review before moving on, when the math facts need to be memorized, etc. Book 6 threw me for a loop, though. Too many "challenging" problems, not enough basic work. I am a SM lover who has used every level from Earlybird through 6A, and I have to agree with this. Honestly, before reading this thread, I had chalked it up to my lack of mathiness. My oldest son is almost finished with SM 6A, and we will work through 6B next semester...and then we are moving on from SM to pre-algebra, etc. with another (TBD) program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dassah Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Updating to add that we tried TT Pre-Algebra very briefly and it was a bust. We went back and finished 6A but will most likely not complete all of 6B (we've have done and will just continue to do bits and pieces). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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