Singapore Mental Math

[SonshineLearner]

HI :) I'm looking for ways to use the Mental Math with Singapore; wondering how others are doing this.... I'm having my son do Singapore Math at school and doing the lessons/school part at home. (Kinda flip-flopped from how you'd do it if it was the school's curriculum) We've been doing Singapore for a long time but I totally have neglected the Mental Math.

 

Thanks!!

[Maplecat]

We just finished 1B and I wrote out the problems on a lap sized white board. When my son gets the answer right, he can erase the problem. Writing on the whiteboard is still a big treat around here.

[LucyStoner]

I quiz in the car while driving. Not reading from the book, just problems using operations he needs mental practice in.

[pitterpatter]

We use about 10-15 problems from Mental Math for review each day. I often mix/match easy and more difficult problems. We do these before starting a new lesson. I usually write the answers so we can fly through them. We use them pretty much like one would use flash cards.

[SonshineLearner]

So to use these, as they are meant, you do them orally? I guess that's how I was understanding them. :)

[Five More Minutes]

So to use these, as they are meant, you do them orally? I guess that's how I was understanding them. :)

 

 

I've just been trying to work this out myself this week. I have two dds at different levels, and am finding we're just not getting to the Mental Math often enough because if I do it orally, it's just that much more time I need to spend one-on-one with them in each math lesson.

 

I'm thinking of copying the mental math sheets and putting them into clear plastic folders so that they can be written on with dry erase markers. "Copying" means I'll probably end up re-creating them so that I have them electronically because photocopying is just such a pain for me.

[SonshineLearner]

 

.... "Copying" means I'll probably end up re-creating them so that I have them electronically because photocopying is just such a pain for me.

 

If you're not reselling the book, you could cut out and scan the pages to a .pdf and then copy as needed, perhaps even copy with the problems enlarged. Not sure what that'd be called on your printer.

 

I think I'll do them orally as I like to have him think through things in his head without writing them down... :)

 

:)

[nono]

I found my dd was overwhelmed by the prospect of "mental calculation" in the first two years of Singapore. Even today, in one of her 3A math tests, it actually used the term "mental calculation" and she cringed. I think in her head, she can't quite hold all the bits of information sometimes. So, what I used to do is ask her to do just the first step mentally*, and then we'd continue at the board. After awhile, we started doing the whole problems mentally, with the board as back-up for the ones she just couldn't do in her head.

 

Maybe that'll help someone else? :)

 

*For instance, make a 10 before continuing on the board to do the remaining addition or subtraction...

[MFA323]

I copy them and have DD do a page about once a week. We've also started allowing her to play Meerkat Math on our iPad about once a week to develop those skills in a more fun way. It's the only screen time she gets, so it's a big deal.

[UrbanSue]

We do them orally right from the book against the clock. If they beat their previous time or come in under a minute they get a prize (usually some kind of highly-rationed snack like yogurt-covered raisins).

[charcat13]

My DD doesn't do well with being given the problem verbally. She can work it in her head but she has to see the problem. I make a copy of them and she does them according to when they are in the HIG.

[amyrobynne]

For 3B, I'm having my son do half a page twice a week, which will spread the 15 pages out for about the same number of weeks that the program takes him. I had him do full sheets once a week in 3A and he complained about it and I realized that one column isn't so intimidating. He writes them, but I can definitely see doing them orally with my second son instead based on their learning styles. I'm not doing the 2B mental math with him yet because he's doing the mental math chapter and it would be overkill. I'll use them as a review when he's learning other topics.

[GSOchristie]

We do them orally right from the book against the clock. If they beat their previous time or come in under a minute they get a prize (usually some kind of highly-rationed snack like yogurt-covered raisins).

 

This is exactly what we do, you beat your time, you get a chocolate chip.

[boscopup]

I just scan them to a pdf, print them out as needed, and hand the child a strip to do on their own. No mom time needed. Even my K'er (currently in 1B) can do them independently.

 

The hard part is remembering to hand them out. :tongue_smilie: