Singapore Math - Which Edition?

[sarahsheart]

I am transitioning my oldest over to homeschool this year (2nd grade) after completing kindergarten & 1st grade at our local private christian school. I know I want use Singapore Math but I was wondering about which edition would be best to get. I see a US Ed, Standards Ed (CA Standards) or Common Core Ed. 

 

Thanks,

 

Sarah

Edited July 14, 2016 by sarahsheart

[freelylearned]

I guess it depends what you're looking for. The US edition is the oldest Singapore math edition and it follows the math curriculum of Singapore most closely. The standards and the common core edition have the same content but the order of the topics were rearranged to fit with the ever changing US educational requirements. I use the Standards edition because my son started off in public school in California so it made sense to stick with the standards.

 

I hear that the Home Instructor Guides for the Standards and CC editions are more user friendly, but I've never personally compared the three HIGs personally.

 

In the US edition, 6th grade is essentially a review year, but that is not the case in the other two editions.

 

If you are considering using Singapore's middle school math program, I would say get the CC edition because Dimensions Math follows CC.

 

Though who knows if CC will be around by the time your kids are in 7th grade?

[J-rap]

We used the original Singapore (in English) version (not the US version), because I wanted my kids to learn the metric system.

[fralala]

Have you looked at the comparison Singapore Math has on their website? (https://www.singaporemath.com/v/PMSS_comparison.pdf)

 

They differ slightly not just in sequence but also in how they practice/review. We use U.S. simply because that's what we started with (before I even saw this comparison chart).

[Crimson Wife]

The CA Standards edition is the most rigorous if you have a bright child. The Common Core edition shifted topics to later grades because CCSS is weaker than the old CA state math standards.

 

I used the CA Stds. edition, though my kids are now beyond SM 6.

[sarahsheart]

Thanks for the impute & for the comparison link. I will go check it out. I am also interested in the Art of Problem Solving curriculum for the coming years but they currently don't offer Beast Academy early enough to start now.

[boscopup]

I use the Standards Edition (CA) up through level 5, then switch over to AoPS for Prealgebra and up.

[Noreen Claire]

My 7yr old just finished 1st grade in a public school, and we are working through the 1st grade books (he finished the 1A textbook on Friday) over the summer before we start homeschooling 2nd grade in September. 

 

From what I can tell, the biggest difference between the two versions is that the Standards version has cumulative reviews and the Common Core version has just chapter reviews, which are not cumulative. That's pretty much it. If you look at the comparison chart mentioned above, there is actually *very little* difference in topics covered in the two versions, Standards or Common Core [C], until you get to 5th grade, where a few geometry and statistics topics, and all algebra topics, are pushed up into 6th grade. This is because the Common Core standards focus on a more rigorous understanding of all concepts prior to algebra, and allow a bit longer for kids to master those concepts. Also, the Common Core standards recommend not beginning algebra until 8th/9th grade, as many children are not conceptually ready for those topics and, speaking personally as a high school mathematics teacher, many public and private schools do not have the math specialists in the classrooms who are able to provide the instruction necessary for students to really know and be comfortable with pre-algebra concepts. Ask me how many teenagers I had to reteach fractions and multiplication/division to. Actually, don't, you'll make me need a drink. :crying:

 

THIS MAY BE DIFFERENT WITH HOMESCHOOLED CHILDREN, especially those whose parent are NOT math phobic. If you are strong/comfortable in *your* math abilities, it really doesn't matter which book you choose at 2nd grade - you can always switch as you learn more about *your child's* math abilities. However, if you feel in any way shaky in your own middle school math topics, you may want to lean towards the Common Core books, as those will provide more explanation, practice, and time for your child (and yourself!) to master the topics before getting to algebra.

 

FWIW, I'm a proponent of the Common Core math standards, especially at the elementary level. And I'm from MA, where we regularly test higher than many *countries* in our students' math ability. We were also known to have had the most rigorous state math standards in the US before we helped to design and adopt the CC standards.

 

EDITED TO ADD: The Common Core version doesn't have a Home Instructor's Guide (HIG). That might be a deal-breaker for many parents. Sorry, I forgot about that part.

Edited July 16, 2016 by Noreen Claire

[MrSmith]

We used the CA Standards edition 1-6; CC Edition wasn't out yet. FYI I feel the SM2 is a seminal level that should be completely mastered for best chance of success at higher levels. It will seem like "not that big a deal" but ask me how I know :D

Edited July 16, 2016 by MrSmith

[amsunshine]

We used the CA Standards eddition 1-6, and felt it was excellent.  I liked the HIGs and also the progression of topics.  Alongside, we used the Intensive Practice and Challenging Word Problems workbooks -- also excellent.

[WahM]

There is actually big differences between the Standards edition and CC Edition. The CC edition leaves out many algebraic concepts in the later levels. It's not just some topics being rearranged they flat out leave important concepts out. And the US edition doesn't cover many things in the later grades as well.

[Kat w]

Noreen is right. I researched SM extensively on their scope and sequence charts and read many articles on it.

California worked with the publishers to add the review , change some of the sequences in which they taught etc. Singapore pushed back on alot . and that's where they landed.

More review and a slight change of sequence plus, the metric system . California had them add in the customary system an first .

[Janeway]

I definitely like the US edition best. And I do not use an HIG. With all the dependence people have on the HIG on these boards, I wonder if that is referencing the Standards Edition or something. 

[nature girl]

I definitely like the US edition best. And I do not use an HIG. With all the dependence people have on the HIG on these boards, I wonder if that is referencing the Standards Edition or something. 

 

I think Standards and US are pretty similar, as far as the amount of information they give in the TB. We're using the US edition, and I'm glad I have the HIG...it's basically taught me the Singapore way. Otherwise I would have just taught the way I was taught, and even though it's possible to deduce what they're doing from the drawings in the TB, I would have missed some of the mental math tricks. Without the HIG, and the prompts it gives for using manipulatives, I don't think my DD would have gotten as thorough an understanding.

[Kat w]

That's a great point naturegirl. If you don't use the hig you will teach how you know.

That's every single time I have heard a complaint on SM, that's been the reason behind it. They hig wasn't used. It teaches you ( and scripted) how to teach the Singapore way.

 

That was a very important point to make. It makes the difference in success or failure with SM.

[Kat w]

As far as leaving out the algebra problems....that's what I meant about rearranging . they did add thst layer but it wasn't that much later.

Singapore teaches so much so early that there's already enough to grasp much earlier than American math programs and the algebra taught in SM is still earlier than any math program I've used it heard of.

[Janeway]

That's a great point naturegirl. If you don't use the hig you will teach how you know.

That's every single time I have heard a complaint on SM, that's been the reason behind it. They hig wasn't used. It teaches you ( and scripted) how to teach the Singapore way.

 

That was a very important point to make. It makes the difference in success or failure with SM.

Clarify that to mean it made a difference to you and to some others, but not to everyone.

 

If you want the help, great. I was using the SM books well before the HIGs came out. It took time to learn the "Singapore Way" but once I learned it, it has been no problem. Maybe the HIG would have explained it quicker and I would not have had to learn from the books. Maybe the fact that I already had a degree in math and had been a math teacher before mattered and used the books at a private school. I don't know. But I do not find the Singapore Way to be so difficult. But, I am one who would flip out if I were expected to read the literature books my children read and discuss them. 

 

Someone can get the Singapore Way from the textbooks, especially if they start from the beginning. It is harder if you try to jump in the middle. The HIGs were only added later and if you like them, fine, but it does not mean that everyone will need them or that anyone who does not use them will not have success. 

[nature girl]

Clarify that to mean it made a difference to you and to some others, but not to everyone.

 

If you want the help, great. I was using the SM books well before the HIGs came out. It took time to learn the "Singapore Way" but once I learned it, it has been no problem. Maybe the HIG would have explained it quicker and I would not have had to learn from the books. Maybe the fact that I already had a degree in math and had been a math teacher before mattered and used the books at a private school. I don't know. But I do not find the Singapore Way to be so difficult. But, I am one who would flip out if I were expected to read the literature books my children read and discuss them. 

 

Someone can get the Singapore Way from the textbooks, especially if they start from the beginning. It is harder if you try to jump in the middle. The HIGs were only added later and if you like them, fine, but it does not mean that everyone will need them or that anyone who does not use them will not have success. 

 

You're obviously coming from a different background from the average hs'ing parent, though. For your average person, comfortable with math but who learned elementary math 30+ years ago, the way it teaches won't be familiar. I assume this describes the OP to some extent as well...It can probably be gleaned from the TB, yes, but for the $20 the HIG costs, I think it's worth having their prompts to make sure you're not missing anything.

 

EKS has recommended Elementary Mathematics for Teachers in lieu of the HIG, which describes the Singapore Way, and I'm sure that could be a replacement as well, but it's been nice having everything laid out, lesson by lesson. (I don't use 75% of it, there's a lot of explanation and extra activities we don't need, but I still find it worthwhile for showing me how to teach.)

[Kat w]

^^^what she said lol.

 

Janeway, I didn't read all of your post, I will later, but, I am not liking for a math fight.

That's great you learned the SM math way. 99% of the population wint tho. They won't understand the difference. I wasn't attacking you. I was talking to op.

I have talked with many moms in person Nd in the boards about Singapore , at least 15-18 or so, several failed at it, why? You may ask?? The ones who failed didn't use the hig.

 

How else would one learn the Singapore way?????

You obviously found a way and maybe said how in ur post I didn't read all of, but , I say again. Most people won't know how to seek that our or more to the point . won't even know there IS a difference.

You ma'am, are most certainly the minority. Congratulations , you did well by your kids . most of us wouldn't be able to learn it another way so...yes sure. Not all but I repeat. You ma'am are the minority there.

 

Nature girl. Well said :)

[Kat w]

Ah, I disagree vetting the way from text book for the kids. There is SOOOOO much more to it. Maybe you should get a hig.

Not gonna fight. And maybe more should have open minds instead of immediately going to offended and defensive.

And, maybe you haven't learned all you think you have. Get a hig...mayb you have I don't know, still haven't read all of your confrontational comments :)

[Kat w]

....what's the old adage?

The more I know the more I realize I don't really know? ...yea

:)

[Kat w]

I just remembered when I was researching... A study was done of American classrooms implementing an.

Of the teachers who learned the Singapore way and used higs, students grades were remarkably higher than the teachers who didn't learn the Singapore way and didn't use the hig and actually added frustration to kids teachers and parents.

The publishers tracked it and no...I don't keep all this stuff in bookmarks to recall everytime someone wants a fight.

Maybe you could find it on their website idk. But din ask me.

I have bigger things to deal with like....teaching SM to spec. Needs kids