Singapore Math - when is it too late to switch into SM?

[pocjets]

I've heard it is hard to switch into Singapore Math after the first few grade levels. Is this true? When you would say it would be "too late" to move into Singapore. My kids are currently going into K, 2nd, 4th, and 5th grades and are just blowing through their math programs - Horizons and Saxon. 

 

 

[kateingr]

There are two main potential difficulties with switching into Singapore. 

 

First, it's scope and sequence is quite a bit different than most other programs. There's a lot of work on the multiplication facts in second grade (rather than the usual third grade) and multi-digit multiplication and division happen mostly in third grade (as opposed to division being in fourth grade). So, as with any curriculum switch, you have to make sure your child takes a placement test and you put him or her in the right book. You also might need to detour backwards to a particular topic to make sure your child masters it. 

 

Second, Singapore uses a very different approach to math than Saxon and Horizons. (You may already know this if you've been researching, but in case you don't, it's very important to keep in mind.) Instead of an incremental approach, topics are studied in-depth to mastery all at once. Even more significantly, the focus on kids understanding the concepts behind the math (rather than a focus on practicing the procedures) requires that kids think about the math more deeply and that you teach it in a very different way. There's a bit of a learning curve for both parent and child, and the longer a child has learned math the traditional way, the more difficult the learning curve could be. That depends a lot on how flexible your child is, and how much your child has already been thinking through the concepts. 

 

In my opinion, it's never too late--it's more a matter of how much time you want to invest in learning how to teach a new approach and how much you want to work with your kids to help them learn math in a new way. The other drawback is that Singapore Math ends in 6th grade, so if you switched your rising fifth-grader, you would be looking at a switch again in a couple of years. 

 

Singapore is an excellent curriculum, and if your kids are zooming through Saxon and Horizons, they might really thrive with the deeper presentation of concepts that Singapore provides. I have a review of Singapore here if you'd like more info about how the program works, and I just wrote an an article about switching curriculum (here) for some thoughts on how to ease the transition. 

[pocjets]

There are two main potential difficulties with switching into Singapore. 

 

First, it's scope and sequence is quite a bit different than most other programs. There's a lot of work on the multiplication facts in second grade (rather than the usual third grade) and multi-digit multiplication and division happen mostly in third grade (as opposed to division being in fourth grade). So, as with any curriculum switch, you have to make sure your child takes a placement test and you put him or her in the right book. You also might need to detour backwards to a particular topic to make sure your child masters it. 

 

Second, Singapore uses a very different approach to math than Saxon and Horizons. (You may already know this if you've been researching, but in case you don't, it's very important to keep in mind.) Instead of an incremental approach, topics are studied in-depth to mastery all at once. Even more significantly, the focus on kids understanding the concepts behind the math (rather than a focus on practicing the procedures) requires that kids think about the math more deeply and that you teach it in a very different way. There's a bit of a learning curve for both parent and child, and the longer a child has learned math the traditional way, the more difficult the learning curve could be. That depends a lot on how flexible your child is, and how much your child has already been thinking through the concepts. 

 

In my opinion, it's never too late--it's more a matter of how much time you want to invest in learning how to teach a new approach and how much you want to work with your kids to help them learn math in a new way. The other drawback is that Singapore Math ends in 6th grade, so if you switched your rising fifth-grader, you would be looking at a switch again in a couple of years. 

 

Singapore is an excellent curriculum, and if your kids are zooming through Saxon and Horizons, they might really thrive with the deeper presentation of concepts that Singapore provides. I have a review of Singapore here if you'd like more info about how the program works, and I just wrote an an article about switching curriculum (here) for some thoughts on how to ease the transition. 

 

Wow! Thank you so much for taking the time to type all of this out. Off to look at your articles!!!

[wapiti]

You might also consider Math Mammoth, which is also Asian-style math but may be easier to switch into from another program.  The first chapter of each grade level usually reviews what you'd need.

[Gil]

It is only "too late" when your child tests out of the last level available. Give the placement tests for each child, if your child tests out of Singapores 8th grade curriculum, then you've probably missed out on using it.

 

Other than that, take some time between now and next school year to study the method through the textbooks and read through the various home instructor guides, give your kids the placement tests and enjoy.

[wintermom]

I think I'd probably give Beast Academy a try for the 2 older kids, and maybe Singapore for the youner ones. 

 

We did the reverse of what you are considering, moving from Singapore to Saxon. We found Saxon a gentler approach, and my dc built up their confidence and understanding of the foundations with the constant review. They are missing out on the deeper, more challenging word problems, though, so we're moving onto Beast Academy and Art of Problem Solving.

 

If you do decide to switch from Saxon to Singapore, don't be surprised if they move "down" a grade level or 2. Singapore is quite a bit more challenging than Saxon.