Singapore Math - Teaching Concepts

[marlowefamily]

Basically, I love the topic order/choices, problems in the Activity, Intensive Practice, Sample Tests, and Word Problem Workbooks for grades 3-6, and how it makes my kids be creative in solving problems and understanding that there are a million ways to solve a problem but perhaps 1-2 methods are best for each situation....but I find that my kids just tend to skim the textbook and I'm finding the teachers manual unhelpful.  Ideally, there would be khan academy videos for singapore math...and I'm aware there are at least a few of them, but nothing yet comprehensive?   As a result, the only way I can get my kids excited about the lesson of the day is to get in front of the whiteboard and demonstrate my own interpretation of the topic and work through some imaginary problems, and then have them pretend to correct or double check my work..or create their own problems on the subject that I have to solve.

 

How is everyone else handling the conceptual part of singapore math?  How do you teach?  Or do you just hand the kids the text and workbook?

 

Yes, I've been reading the additional books that are supposed to instruct the parent about singapore math concepts and how it differs from traditional American math textbooks...it does help me in understanding what the workbook wants the child to understand, but doesn't really help with teaching topics.

[twoxcell]

I do the textbook problems with my kids using whiteboard, manipulatives etc. After that I assign the workbook pages and help as needed. They can usually do most of the workbook on their own. The practice and review sections I treat as tests or we do them together as review. HTH

[kbutton]

I do the textbook problems with my kids using whiteboard, manipulatives etc. After that I assign the workbook pages and help as needed. They can usually do most of the workbook on their own. The practice and review sections I treat as tests or we do them together as review. HTH

 

Me too, though I just use the TB examples for teaching, and then assign the TB Practice sections. If he gets it, we move on to the IP book. Once I talk about the ideas with my son, more ideas come to mind. If he asks questions or is confused, that usually helps me focus my instruction. Also, are your kids challenged by the Intensive Practice or CWP books? It sounds like maybe they are catching on really fast, especially if they can correct your "mistakes" and create problems of their own.

 

Have you seen the Education Unboxed website? There are many free videos there that show how to present topics. They are not incompatible with Singapore, though they are heavier on using c-rods.

[MinivanMom]

We always do the textbook problems together using the whiteboard.  We use manipulatives (especially base-10 blocks) as needed.  Then I let them do the workbook independently.  When they are doing Challenging Word Problems, we work through the sample problems together on the whiteboard before they work through the assigned problems. 

 

I was taught Asian-style math when I was in elementary school (self-enclosed gifted classroom for 2nd-6th where we did all sorts of experimental stuff), so Singapore Math is very similar to how I was taught in school.  I feel very comfortable with their conceptual approach.  I think the HIG does a pretty good job of explaining how you should explain it, but I find that I naturally use base-10 blocks much more than they recommend for explaining concepts.  I don't use them so much at 4A and above, but definitely for 1A-3B.