SFM Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 So, we are entering year two of homeschooling and we began using Singapore Primary Mathematics at the beginning of 3rd grade. So, 3A/3B, before that we were using Horizons but I thought perhaps Sin might be what we were looking for, we weren't thrilled with Horizons but we didn't hate it either. We are about to enter book 3B so I had my son do his Intensive Practice book and it is producing tears. What we had been doing was when he finished a topic in the textbook/workbook we would go and cover that topic in the Intensive Practice book. I find I am frustrated because he seems so very perplexed and then he gets upset. It just never ends well. He's not "mathy" but he's not a slouch in math either, I would think he's just a fairly "typical" child. He does forget basic multiplication/division facts and sometimes even adding can prove tiresome, strangely, he is really good and enjoys long division. What do I do? I have thought about outsourcing math to something like Teaching Textbooks but sadly I am not sure about it and it's too expensive for just a trial basis. I was thinking of R&S we switched to their grammar and we really like it actually. I was also thinking of just going back to Horizons. I think those are really my options...do I continue to press through with Singapore? Sometimes I wonder if the Singapore issues arise from the fact that he didn't start doing math like this until recently (conceptual), so maybe I should just continue onward? If I am being honest part of my hang up is that I really see Singapore as a solid program and for whatever reason (although I am probably wrong) I worry that doing something else would be a "step down". I am just being real. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennynd Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Many uses IP a year or semester behind. IP is challenging. If that is the only problem you have with SM, I will not drop the program. I will simply use something else as supplement if he needs more practice or simply use IP a little behind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Five More Minutes Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 We use IP at a full semester behind, and only do a little bit daily. (So right now my dd in 2B is doing IP 2A.) Some of those problems are really tough. I find that delaying the IP works really well: by the time she gets to the concepts in the IP, she's ready to review them, and she has a bit more math experience under her belt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFM Posted February 11, 2013 Author Share Posted February 11, 2013 Super. Thank you for the help. That does seem to be the only problem. He does need reviewing a lot but I just ordered Standards Edition hoping that it has more of that there. I also supplement with Calculadder for drill practice. Thanks, I will try this. Now I feel badly for forcing him to do something and causing him such frustration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Five More Minutes Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Super. Thank you for the help. That does seem to be the only problem. He does need reviewing a lot but I just ordered Standards Edition hoping that it has more of that there. I also supplement with Calculadder for drill practice. Thanks, I will try this. Now I feel badly for forcing him to do something and causing him such frustration. The Standards Edition is great -- the HIG is excellent, and will have lots of ideas for review and reinforcement (as well as extension if he gets excited about a particular topic! I understand how you feel -- it's hard to think that a curriculum choice might have caused frustration. (I forced my poor dd through a half-year of Saxon before her daily frustration started to register with me! I still feel guilty about that.) :grouphug: You're a good mom and a good teacher to hunt for alternatives that fit him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 I had one child do IP on level and my other do it 1 semester behind. If you'd like to add word problems to Singapore that aren't quite as tricky as the ones in Singapore, get the Kumon word problems series. The 4th grade Kumon book covers similar topics to Singapore 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizabeth rose Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 I agree, IP is super hard! I'm not even using it with this round of kids. Way too frustrating imo, but we are not mathy people here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manamana Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 We're not too mathy here either. I find that we get plenty of review if we do all the workbook lessosn plus all Practice lessons in the TB and the review lessons in the WB. Then I have them go back and do the previous unit's TB review lesson. Now we have a rhythm down and i like that they are getting a lot of review. We don't use the Intensive Practice book, CWP or tests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystika1 Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 If I am being honest part of my hang up is that I really see Singapore as a solid program and for whatever reason (although I am probably wrong) I worry that doing something else would be a "step down". I am just being real. I felt so guilty when I put away SM. I thought that using anything but "the best" would short change my kid. I am sooooo over that now. I don't have to deal with daily tears. SM works great for some kids. I was not teaching it wrong. I just needed a different approach. My dd would cry at the sight of the SM books. Don't do like I did....I was kicking a dead horse. Once a child hates math and thinks that they are aweful at math it takes a lot to get their confidence back. Penny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamajag Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 I felt so guilty when I put away SM. I thought that using anything but "the best" would short change my kid. I am sooooo over that now. I don't have to deal with daily tears. SM works great for some kids. I was not teaching it wrong. I just needed a different approach. My dd would cry at the sight of the SM books. Don't do like I did....I was kicking a dead horse. Once a child hates math and thinks that they are aweful at math it takes a lot to get their confidence back. Penny I agree totally with this post. We went to MUS and finally my children are confident in math again. I tried to force Singapore and then Math Mammoth and it wasn't worth it. That said, if intensive practice is the only issue, I'd probably just drop that or work a level behind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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