Intensive Practice.....it's, um, hard!

[Perogi]

I know I didn't receive the best math instruction as a student but I find Singapore's Intensive Practice really, really difficult. We've used Singapore from the beginning with dd gr 4 and have supplemented with CWP and at times MM. This is the first year we've used IP (4A) and I'm not sure if I want to attempt any others. Dd does well with the regular workbook and CWP but can rarely complete IP on her own and I usually have to wait for dh to help her because I'm stumped too. At the same time, I know many of you hear do use this as a supplement so it's obviously doable - why are we struggling so much?!

[chiguirre]

It seemed to me that 4A had some especially challenging problems. We haven't run into as many stumpers in 4B. I wouldn't give up, but I'd skip anything that you (the mom) can't figure out. There's plenty of challenge there without driving both of you nuts with frustration.

[Element]

It is HARD. Seriously. My ds gets almost half of the I.P. problems wrong when left to his own devices. I wholeheartedly believe it's the best thing for him, though. We used the workbook previously (instead of the IP) and he was getting every problem right. It wasn't really a learning experience. I feel like the I.P. is where all the learning & application of new skills in unfamiliar formats happens. Last year, we dropped the workbook and just used the HIG, textbook, IP and CWP. I have him attempt the majority of the problems on his own and the next day we go through the ones he missed together. Heck, sometimes *I* have a hard time with them. We've done 4A so if you ever get stuck on a particular problem, you can post it here and I'll try to talk you through it. I still have ds's completed 4A IP.

[Element]

It seemed to me that 4A had some especially challenging problems. We haven't run into as many stumpers in 4B. I wouldn't give up, but I'd skip anything that you (the mom) can't figure out. There's plenty of challenge there without driving both of you nuts with frustration.

 

 

Yes! I agree with every word.

[By Grace]

We generally use the IP at least a half level--usually a whole level--below where my kids are in the regular program. So my dd finishing up 5A is only in 4A IP. My dd in 3B is still finishing up the 1 IP (she's not as math-oriented as her sister). I want them to be able to focus on the process of problem solving rather than getting bogged down trying to apply skills they've only recently learned. By holding back on the IP level, it lets them practice skills they've been using for a while in a new context with a challenging problem to solve.

 

I see the IP as a way to encourage thinking outside the box with a new type of problem, while reviewing and applying skills they've known for a while.

[kiwik]

It seems a lot of people use them a year behind where they are.

[Roadrunner]

I know I didn't receive the best math instruction as a student but I find Singapore's Intensive Practice really, really difficult. We've used Singapore from the beginning with dd gr 4 and have supplemented with CWP and at times MM. This is the first year we've used IP (4A) and I'm not sure if I want to attempt any others. Dd does well with the regular workbook and CWP but can rarely complete IP on her own and I usually have to wait for dh to help her because I'm stumped too. At the same time, I know many of you hear do use this as a supplement so it's obviously doable - why are we struggling so much?!

Any particular chapter? Or are you referring to word problems across the board?

[Perogi]

We're just at the end of 4a and she has finished the regular workbook 4b. Perhaps next year I'll wait until we're well into 5a before starting on IP 4b. We generally use CWP 1/2 to 1 full level behind.

 

I was flipping back through her book today and saw that she was doing much better at the beginning of the book. The challenging problems section is always a bit tricky but the area and perimeter chapter has been difficult all the way through. She did fairly well on the mid year review other than a few word problems she didn't read carefully enough.

 

Now we are working through the last section of challenging problems and it has been very frustrating.