Singapore Approach Programs

[SarahB82]

How do you decide between Essential Math, Math in Focus and Earlybirds? Then, after you pick your program, how do you know what parts you actually need? I don't really want to spend a ton of $ on math because we will likely be using it with MFW and they incorporate math into the core. We will be doing our K year starting this fall and I still don't know which of these programs to use. I just want to have something to use if DS shows a strong interest in learning more math than MFW provides.

[craftyerin]

I chose between Earlybird and Essential Math using several threads on this board and this blog post http://www.blueskiesacademy.com/2011/03/singapore-earlybird-versus-essential-math/ I ended up with Essential Math for K and was really happy with it. I did not consider MIF for kindergarten (more expensive, and I thought SM Essential was good), but I'm using MIF for first and really like it.  We've had zero issues moving form Essential Math to MiF 1A, so I don't think your choice for kindergarten will necessarily dictate your choice for 1st and up. 

[jennynd]

we have both earlybird and essential. earlybird is ver child oriented and essential is right to the business. my younger did earlybird more like a crafty activity. (lots cut/paste and i also let her color on the book) it is fun and colorful. if your child likes hands on or on the young side, earlybird is great. we ended up did not use essential.. it is more workbookish and just did not attract my DD's attention.

[73349]

I was fortunately able to see Essentials in person, and B looked like a good match with what DS could already do. We started Essentials B right after he turned 5.

 

Looking at what MFW does for K, you might want Singapore 1A, actually. Or Miquon Orange.

[Walking-Iris]

I went with Essentials in K just based on price. It was good but my ds blew right through it. A lot of the extra activities were beginning to get redundant. I ended up adding quite a bit of extra math games and pre-Miquon activities to it. 

 

I'm not too worried about how in depth my K programs go however. I usually add lots of games and hands on at that age over workbooks.

 

I've looked at MIF, but don't really like the presentation. I've decided I don't like glossy textbooks for math.

 

Oddly I'm going for a Saxon K as spine and SM Essential as workbook supplement with my dd. 

 

I've decided to switch from MM to SM Standards for my 2nd grader. I've decided on only getting the two texts and two workbooks for 2nd grade. Not any of the tests or IP or CWP etc etc because he will still have Miquon to work with and games and activities.

 

SM math textbooks can be found used on Amazon pretty cheaply. I got the 2A for .01 before shipping and 2B for 1 and some change. So basically 10$ fro those textbooks.

 

I get consumables new at rainbow resource because I've had too many through Amazon to be completely marked up and unusable. So I didn't find SM that expensive after all if you dig around for a good deal.

 

 

 

 

[sbgrace]

I really like Math in Focus. If you go that direction, you really don't need the teacher's manuals. This makes it affordable. The early levels of Singapore aren't usually considered the strongest though.

 

If I were you, I think I would go a different direction. I'd consider c-rods--either with Miquon or with the free Unboxed Learning videos online.

[Ad astra]

I have both of Essential and Earlybirds A & B (and even Earlybirds workbooks) and agree with what jennynd said above. I used Earlybirds textbook A & B with my son and it was not a good fit for him because it required more manipulatives in classroom setting which quickly distracted his attention. We finished EB A and are half way through EB B now but skipped most of hands-on activity suggestions and just focused on problems. Think EB A and Essential A are more pre-K level and he flew through EB A but slowed down with EB B. My son is a workbook lover and he learns better that way so I'm going to supplement with CT Math Reasoning A when he gets done with EB B. I'm saving Essential A & B for my dd (and EB workbook A & B if she needs a hands-on approach). It really depends on which approach you prefer. EB is colorful with more detailed instruction on each page while Essential is b&w and workbooky.

[SarahB82]

Thanks ladies. I posted this in the K-8 section too and one of those posters suggested Miquon so I looked at it and it seems like a perfect "supplement" for MFW. Anyone have experience with it?

[desertflower]

To be honest, i didn't understand how to implement the addition part.  My friend used it though, and she tried to explain it to me through email.  It seems to be more prep work than Singapore math (which we use).  With Singapore math, I just open the workbook and have him work through the problems.  Anyone please feel free to correct me on that.  Like i said i didn't understand how to implement the addition part. 

 

I do use it from time to time for multiplication though.  My child is a kinesthetic learner and it's great for that.  You may want to see if there are sample pages. 

 

HTH

[boscopup]

I used Essential with my younger two kids, and it was a great fit, though I used it at age 4, not 5. Book A is preschoolish and easy, but book B really ramps up. I used C-rods with book B. My middle son followed it up with Singapore Primary Math Standards Edition 1 and did great. Younger is using CLE 100 and also doing great. Whatever you choose for K doesn't have to be the same thing you choose for grades 1-6. K math is just an intro to addition and subtraction, some place value basics, etc.

 

Oh, and my middle son did MFW K while using Essential, and we did the counting chart as recommended in MFW. It was fabulous! It's the same thing they do in morning meeting in Saxon K (which my oldest used in school). Middle son's place value understanding is rock solid after doing that counting chart. I used straws and money, bundling every 10 straws and exchanging smaller value coins for larger ones. For me, the most important thing learned in K is that place value concept. Once they know that, learning bigger numbers is easy peasy, and mental math is a lot easier also. Addition and subtraction is just an intro to the concept - not memorizing facts and such. They'll memorize facts in first grade. USE C-RODS for the missing addend problems. Most kids won't pick that type of problem up without a good manipulative, and C-rods are awesome for that because if you have 2+___=5, you can get a 2-rod and a 5-rod, place them next to each other, and see which rod fits in the "hole". :)

[Peregrine]

We did Essentials A (which he flew through) and B (which we slowed down for) along with Miquon Orange for K this year. They complemented each other really well. Miquon definitely works at a higher level and has less of a written component. I liked the open and go feature of Essentials and treated it more as independent work & review. (I also live in a state with portfolio reviews and also liked that I had plenty of written proof of math work thanks to Essentials) Miquon is more of a process curriculum and needs more hands on time with the teacher. There are often not any written answers for each lab sheet.

 

We generally did Essentials on Mondays and Tuesdays and Miquon on Thursdays and Fridays. On Wednesdays we used the Kumon counting coins book because neither book dealt directly with money and I wanted him to learn that this year. It's worked really well for us! I plan to do the same combo with my next K'er. 

 

My plan is to do the next two Miquon books for first grade. I don't think we're going to continue with Singapore, at least for now.  I may also buy the Kumon dollars and cents book for additional money work.