calihil Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 I can't decide if I want to stay with Singapore math or switch to CLE math with my upcoming 1st grader (6.5 yrs old). She's already finished Singapore 1A during her K year and it was pretty easy for her. I was going to just start her on 1B over the summer but then I have heard that Singapore math gets harder to teach as you move up the levels. So I thought maybe I'd switch to CLE math because I've used it before with my other kid and it seemed to be easy to teach, plus I like the spiral aspect. But I dont know if I want to switch now and just maybe start at lesson 40 or so, or just finish Singapore 1B then go into CLE math 2. I know their scope and sequence are a bit different. Or maybe just stay with Singapore. What would you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 If your child is doing well with Singapore I would stay with Singapore (and full disclosure I love CLE). I just feel like if it ain't broke... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixpix5 Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 My daughter did 1a and it was very easy for her. She flew through it. I moved her to Horizons 1 which was more challenging but there was just so much to do. She finished book 1 and moved back to singapore 1b. She felt like 1b was do-able but a bit more challenging. She liked it a whole lot better. I feel like it gave her a really solid conceptual understanding (especially of beginning multiplication). She finished 1b and went back and finished the second horizons book and it ended up being much easier thanks to singapore. So all that to say, you may want to let her finish 1b just to complete that year and then move her to CLE if that is your plan. I think Singapore is a solid program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insertcreativenamehere Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 I use CLE math with my older boys, but started my daughter on Singapore because CLE 1st grade math was just too much in kindergarten and I got Singapore Essentials for a great price at a used book sale. After we finished that, we tried CLE again and it just wasn't a good fit for her, so we continued on with 1A and 1B. Somewhere around the middle of the school year, I tried to go back to CLE because it's easier for me to teach. Again, not a good fit. If Singapore's working well for her, I'd stick with it. Alternatively, you might want to consider Math in Focus. That's what we're doing next year because I really don't like the Singapore HIG. It looks easier to teach than Singapore (tip - look for it used; the books are extraordinarily expensive new, but easily available used!) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaCarter Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 I like them both! Helpful aren't I? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 I have no idea what to tell you. My oldest son did Singapore up till about 5th grade. I really liked how it taught conceptually, the mental math aspect of it, etc. But then, as he grew older it was harder for me to teach and he didn't do well with the mastery approach, he really needed more review of past concepts and I don't feel like it taught fractions well at all. So, I put him in A Beka (I didn't know about CLE back then) and then he went to parochial school. My second two, had horrible experiences with Teaching Texbooks (they liked it, but DS learned to game the system and didn't learn a thing) and neither learned fractions. When I finally figured the whole thing out, I gave them CLE placement tests and both tested at the 4th grade level (DS is a 7th grader and DD is 5th). So, they've been doing CLE, which I think does a fantastic job at their level, it does a wonderful job teaching fractions, I think. It's a lot more systematic and easy to understand, and it does a good job with review. Youngest DDs have started out with CLE and are doing fine. Now, I think if I had to do it all over again, knowing what I know now, I would probably do Singapore up to 2nd or 3rd grade and then switch over to CLE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 You might look at Math in Focus, as mentioned up thread. Get everything used on Amazon for cheaper, usually a lot cheaper. CLE is also a great program but a lot of people don't like it for kinder and 1st. If you want, you could get just the first 2-3 light units and try it out, though. If you do switch to CLE get the flash cards if you can. It has an awesome built in math fact review system. Love their flash card system. Also, they have a really great math reference chart. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 I would probably stick with what is working for her. I switched to CLE from Singapore Math in Focus (and Singapore) half way through 5th. We had completed 5A. We had to go back to the beginning of CLE 500 that year. The scope of Singapore and CLE were very similar in 5th grade, but the sequence differences were major. It made switching mid-year difficult. CLE covered things in the early light units of 500 that were covered in the last chapters of Singapore 5th, and vice versa. So if you do want to try a switch, I would complete the entire Singapore level first. I suspect you'll be able to go directly into CLE at grade level when you do leave Singapore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcitedMama Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 If she's doing well with Singapore but you're nervous about teaching it check out Math In Focus. It's Singapore type math but the steps are supposed to be clearer so there are no confusing gaps. That's why I chose it. 1B is easy to teach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calihil Posted June 2, 2017 Author Share Posted June 2, 2017 Yes, she's doing fine with Singapore, she seems to catch on to math a lot easier than my first did. I'm just afraid that I'M going have trouble teaching it. All of the regrouping and fractions and long division, etc. I have trouble explaining math as it is lol. I also like that CLE is pretty much taught to the student starting in 2nd grade. Coincidentally, I picked up a Math in focus 1B textbook at the thrift store for $1 several months ago so I've been flipping through it. Question, for those who are familiar with it, why does the 1B textbook have the student working from Workbook A and B? I ordered the B workbook in case we go the MIF route, would she need the A workbook, as well? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted June 2, 2017 Share Posted June 2, 2017 The B textbook uses the B workbook. What do you mean it has them using the A workbook? Maybe for review at the very beginning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExcitedMama Posted June 3, 2017 Share Posted June 3, 2017 You might have been confused by Assessments which is an extra component that you don't need. To teach 1B you'd have the 1B TM and the student has the 1B workbook and 1B textbook. The TM will refer to textbook, workbook and assessment in their lesson plans. As a very non-mathy person who was VERY nervous about teaching something so different from what I was taught MIF has been great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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