math

[mamaeast]

I have a first grader who is working ahead in math. He is very mathematically minded and is able to pick concepts up quickly as well as remember them... forever. He is finishing Singapore 2B now, but I am not having to "teach" him anything. He remembers all of it from previous books, so I feel like we are just doing busy work. I'm sure we're not working at the correct level, but I'm not sure how to know what the correct level is. Will the placement test really give me a good idea? Should we skip a book or two? I want him to be working at the right level, but I don't want to miss something, either.

[StephanieZ]

No, don't skip books.

 

What you should do, IMHO, is what I did with my kids.

 

Use JUST the text & wkbk. Put away any other HIGs, supplements, other misc support stuff. (Other than drilling facts. Do that until they are fully mastered. 5 min/day.)

 

So, teach from the text -- read it together, follow the example problems, do a couple of the examples together until the kid has "got it". Will take 0-5 min most days.

 

Then have kid do the corresponding WkBk exercise(s). May take 5-30+ min. If and ONLY IF there is a set of repetitive practice problems that are OBVIOUSLY extremely easy for the child but a bit time consuming, you can let him skip odd/even/whatever problems. I generally only did this only for things like writing out the word names for long numbers or similarly irritating things that were irritating b/c of the time it took for a very small kid to write all those big words. Most things, like arithmetic problems, don't need to be skipped. "If it's easy, just zip through them. If it's not, then you need the practice." was my mantra. Saved a lot of hassles and negotiations.

 

Repeat this cycle for 30-60 min/day depending on your mutual patience.

 

If you do that, spending 3-5 hrs/wk on math, your kid can and will get through a Singapore book in 2-4 months or so, or even faster. Just skip all that time consuming stuff in the HIGs, etc.

 

FWIW, I did this with my kids, and it worked beautifully.

 

IF AND WHEN things get more challenging, then slow it back down, pull out your support materials, etc. Until that happens, just proceed at warp speed. This is cheap (all you need is text/wkbk), effective, and not frustrating. And, you won't miss anything. And, you will naturally slow down when appropriate, so you will be working right at the appropriate challenge level.

[Spy Car]

Personally I would mix it up. While I would want to keep moving sequentially though PM (potentially accommodating skipping obviously redundant work) I would also introduce something else into the math mix to keep the child challenged and interested in the subject.

 

Primary Grade Challenge Math is one such option. We started it when we were in the same position.

 

Bill

[Dmmetler]

I'd suggest, instead of using the Workbook, use the IP. Less repetition and more higher order problem solving, but using the same concepts. We used text and IP for most of SM, using the workbook only when extra practice was needed before going to the IP. And I agree with Bill on Challenge Math.

 

BA 3 is another option at this point, either as the main program or alternating with SM. It truly had some ideas and concepts that were new to my DD when it came out last year, and at the time, she was basically finished with SM 5B.

[Dmmetler]

I'd suggest, instead of using the Workbook, use the IP. Less repetition and more higher order problem solving, but using the same concepts. We used text and IP for most of SM, using the workbook only when extra practice was needed before going to the IP. And I agree with Bill on Challenge Math.

 

BA 3 is another option at this point, either as the main program or alternating with SM. It truly had some ideas and concepts that were new to my DD when it came out last year, and at the time, she was basically finished with SM 5B.

[serendipitous journey]

You've gotten excellent advice. I like Bill's idea of mixing it up, but Challenge Math has bombed here whenever I try it -- whatever it is that A. likes about math, that's not it. But Challenge Math is so straightforward to implement, and so popular, that I'd encourage you to try it as your first supplementing option if you think it may suit.

 

We do better supplementing with livingmath.net stuff and MEP. We also had a great summer doing weekly activities from the Family Math book along with our usual program.

 

ETA: I think the workbook vs. IP may depend on the child. We ended up using the workbook.

[EKS]

When I was in your shoes, I used just the textbook and if my son could do the hardest problem in a section then we moved on to the next section. Once he needed some instruction, I just had him do the textbook problems.

 

I also recommend using the IP book, the CWP book, or both.

[amsunshine]

Another vote for the IP books -- they are really excellent!

[Greenmama2]

We did pretty much what StephZ recommended to the point you are at now. After finishing 2B we took a short break to do the first three LoF books and then started BA whilst continuing LoF. BA is really challenging and we both apreciate that. Even if DD is sometimes reluctant to start the practice book (today!). It's like violin practice for her - she is reluctant to start because she knows she'll have to work but once she gets going she enjoys it and afterwards announces p; "That was fun!" (you'd think when she says it everytime she'd remember...). I do think that SM 3 would have seemed like a lot of busy work for DD. We looked at the trial version of SMs new online Math Buddies today & she is done with everything we saw in their yr 3 level. I'm not sure that it's in her best interests to race through curricula levels, even a good one like SM so I'm hoping that the BA/LoF combo will continue to fit for a while.

[mamaeast]

That's a lot of great advice. Thanks, everyone. :)

 

We've been doing what StephZ recommends. He really likes it, so he's not complaining. He's just happy to be doing math. :)

 

I'll look into these options!

 

Thanks!