Should we skip SM 1B??

[taffnus]

My dd is just finishing SM 1A and she's shaky on addition and subtraction. She understands the concepts and can do both with manipulatives and pictures but has trouble with written problems like 15-6 or 12+5 or even 8+5. She can count up and count down and she knows some doubles. I'm not worried about where she is except I don't think she's ready to move into SM 1B. From the start it deepens addition and subtraction concepts and I'm concerned that she's going to find herself in a hole she can't get out of.

 

I've been looking at Math Mammoth Grade 1 and am considering buying it and having her start at the beginning. If I do that, and go through MM1, I'm wondering if I should still plan on completing SM 1B or if I could keep her moving into SM 2A.

 

I've also considered just getting MM addition and subtraction and focus on those things, coming back to SM 1B after.

 

Any thoughts??

[blondeviolin]

I'd just pause a bit and solidify the concepts taught in 1a. Singapore seems to introduce the really meaty type stuff in the A book and then follow back around with some easier things to allow the child to "digest" if you will. Play some games, work on composing and decomposing tens, etc.

 

Is she using manipulatives?

[Crimson Wife]

There is nothing in 1B that isn't reviewed in 2A or 2B, so if you decide to use MM to supplement, I think you'd be fine skipping to 2A.

[UrbanSue]

I always used to freak out about issues with stuff not being solid in a "mastery" program like Singapore but it all comes back over and over again. There is nothing really new, conceptually, about 17-5 or 37-5. Let her use manipulatives, go slowly, supplement if you need to, but I think it's fine to move on.

[MFA323]

I know I'm not answering your actual question, but I'm going to throw my two cents in anyway. When my DD was having trouble adding without manipulatives, we took two weeks off from SM and focused on making tens. It made a world of difference. I was considering dropping SM, but really we just needed to cement the idea of making tens.

[taffnus]

Thanks everyone. I'm trying to remember what it was like when my older dd was at this point. I remember that she didn't have her math facts memorized but I don't remember ever thinking she wasn't ready to move on. I think that's what bothers me. It's more of a feeling than anything. I keep waiting for that "aha" light to come on and it's been more of a slow progression towards understanding rather than a turning point.

 

I'll take a closer look at 1B. I was reminding myself today that kids in Singapore don't even start this til age 7. :bored:

[acsnmama]

When we hit a bump in the road with Singapore, I try not to feel overwhelmed in question! We LOVE Singapore and my son is a math whiz because of it, his mental math abilities are outstanding. However, he is also very challenged by the program, so it's not like he's taking a walk in the park. He is having to think. Right now, he's a little bit stumped on division, but he is quick with addition, subtraction and a lot of multiplication, the division is taking more time for him, however, it is only being introduced, not focused on. Not to mention it has all be intertwined throughout the multiplication, and I think once he realizes that division is the reverse of the multiplication he's learning, he will take off. In the mean time, we do extra practice pages in the Extra Practice book and Intensive practice book. I'm having him review multiplication, so he can continue moving on in division.

 

We haven't hit any "roadblocks" just have had a few bumps, but I'm realizing that just because he's math oriented, it doesn't mean he doesn't get confused! When that happens, he just needs a little extra time, so we take a break from introducing more lessons and work on hands on and practice pages!

[pitterpatter]

You just need more time working on those Singapore concepts. Go very slow...take weeks, if need be. Go back and start again with what she's having problems with. Work on one small piece per day. Maybe buy the Extra Practice book. Check education.com for suitable worksheets. Drill in doubles, focus on near doubles and all the ways to make tens. I wouldn't skip 1B...just take more time to prepare for it. She'll transition to quicker, more effecient ways to computate in 1B. Seriously, understanding how to use doubles, near doubles and tens is the secret. After those come naturally, just running the SM processes and a little simple arrithmatic is all that's left.

[taffnus]

Seriously, understanding how to use doubles, near doubles and tens is the secret.

 

 

Thank you. Today I backed her up and gave her some easy worksheets from MM. She seemed to feel good that she did well, not realizing they were very easy. I think she needs a little success because she was getting discouraged. I'll pump up the doubles, doubles + 1 and tens. That's great. I'd love to find some fun songs because she learns well with music. All the songs I've found are really hokey. :001_rolleyes:

[pitterpatter]

Glad to help. Near doubles can also be doubles - 1 too, if your DD's brain works better that way. I just let DD choose. Sometimes, she adds one, sometimes she subtracts one...just depends which double she likes better. LOL! She likes 5 + 5 and 6 + 6 a lot, I find. I also have DD review a couple of each kind of problem each day before starting the new lesson...from very easy problems to ones at the level she's currently working at. Keeps the concepts fresh. Anywhere from 6 - 15 a day. Depends on the day's workload.

 

 

Thank you. Today I backed her up and gave her some easy worksheets from MM. She seemed to feel good that she did well, not realizing they were very easy. I think she needs a little success because she was getting discouraged. I'll pump up the doubles, doubles + 1 and tens. That's great. I'd love to find some fun songs because she learns well with music. All the songs I've found are really hokey. :001_rolleyes:

 

[Nart]

Keep going and do the mental math practice from the HIG. I waited to have my son move to 1B and then realized there is still a lot of review built into the program. The first chapter in 1B is comparing numbers and most of the numbers are under 10, the following chapter is graphs (easy!) The third chapter is numbers to 40 where making 10's is again reviewed. Then there are chapters on the concept of multiplication, the concept of division, fractions, and time. So during these chapters, I made sure I had my son do mental math review. My son is now starting numbers to 100 and then the last chapter is money. My son understands the concepts and can work out any problems with manipulatives but is still shaky if he has to mentally manipulate larger numbers like 28+7. He is getting better so I am going to have him finish 1B then this summer he can continue to work on the mental math. I would think differently if he didn't understand the concepts but there is a limit right now of how much information he can hold in his head and manipulate (his working memory).

So I vote keep going in 1B.

[Julie of KY]

I frequenly used another math program to reinforce skills. I always used Miquon alongside SM, but MM is also fine. I often found that my kids just needed time for everything to gel. If having trouble with addition/subtraction, then we might work on measurements for awhile. When we came back to the trouble spots, everything had worked itself out.

[taffnus]

I frequenly used another math program to reinforce skills. I always used Miquon alongside SM, but MM is also fine. I often found that my kids just needed time for everything to gel. If having trouble with addition/subtraction, then we might work on measurements for awhile. When we came back to the trouble spots, everything had worked itself out.

 

Good point. I've been doing other things in the book along with the add/subtract once I saw how slowly it's going. We started time today so ill continue to do that so other areas of math can be covered simultaneously. She handles all else well.