In Singapore Math US Primary edition, do you need to do all reviews?

[Janeway]

I have taken to having us do every single review in the text and the entire workbook. Son says he wishes he did not have to do the copying of problems from the practices and reviews in the textbook. He does not mind the workbook. I feel like we should still do the entire textbook, but I think someone posted that they skip the reviews. Either that, or just do not do everything in the textbook. We are on 6B and more than half the book is review so if we skip them in the textbook, we will finish the entire book in a short period of time. We are planning to use Dimensions 7A next likely, but have not decided for sure. I feel more comfortable doing all the reviews in the textbook. I do not mind buying Intensive practice for him instead if he really wants it to be workbook format and then skip the reviews in the textbook. But is any of this a bad idea? I just do not feel comfortable skipping anything but thought I would run it by you all.

[amiesmom]

I personally think skipping the textbook review is fine, the workbook reviews are generally lengthy and offer a solid review and show any weak points. 

Just a heads up for Dimensions 7, if I remember correctly, they move to more copying of problems than working in a workbook format.

Edited September 2, 2021 by amiesmom

[Ad astra]

We are doing the Standards edition 6A. I just checked our 6B books and didn't see much review in it--it's mostly geometry, stats & probability and operations of negative numbers. Maybe US edition is different? My kid doesn't copy the problems though--she solves them in her notebook and writes answers on the textbook. We don't skip anything in the main curricula we use. My theory is, if it's truly easy for my students, they should be able to finish it quickly with no issue. We just do it faster and then move on to the next one. 

[Clemsondana]

We did Standards all the way through 6B and rarely used the textbook at all.  I think it depends on what your student needs - if the review is needed, then do it.  If it's serving as busywork, then don't.  My kids usually spent a year on each level, but level 6 only took about half as much time  One kid did both in the first semester and then started pre-A, while the other did a book each semester and then added Life of Fred for something different at the end of each semester.  

[kbutton]

The intensive practice books are almost always a good choice, so I don't think that's a bad option at all. 

A heads-up on going from US edition to Dimensions...

It's a bit steep because of all the review in 6A and 6B and the fact that it doesn't cover quite as many topics as Standards or Dimensions from what I can tell. My older one struggled a bit, but he is 2e and might have had issues no matter what.

It's not insurmountable to from US Edition 6A and 6B, but with my second child, I opted to supplement with some Math Mammoth instead of using 6A and 6B. My son was ahead in US edition, so he did 5A and 5B in 4th and then we did selected topical MM in 5th and 6th, covering through 7A and 7B in MM. Then we did Dimensions, skipping some of what was repeat from MM (there is quite a bit of overlap). He is also 2e, but his issues are very different from his brother's.

If you don't want to change what you are doing, I would skip reviews in 6A and 6B and then start Dimensions early, expecting to have to go slowly in spots. Even if you add in the IP books, he might finish quickly due to how much less new material is introduced. 

You might be totally fine going from US Edition to Dimensions, but I found the step up to be more difficult, especially since there is less teacher support in Dimensions 7A and 7B. It went more smoothly for us with the MM in between, and I could customize where my son needed additional work. 

[Janeway]

2 minutes ago, kbutton said:

The intensive practice books are almost always a good choice, so I don't think that's a bad option at all. 

A heads-up on going from US edition to Dimensions...

It's a bit steep because of all the review in 6A and 6B and the fact that it doesn't cover quite as many topics as Standards or Dimensions from what I can tell. My older one struggled a bit, but he is 2e and might have had issues no matter what.

It's not insurmountable to from US Edition 6A and 6B, but with my second child, I opted to supplement with some Math Mammoth instead of using 6A and 6B. My son was ahead in US edition, so he did 5A and 5B in 4th and then we did selected topical MM in 5th and 6th, covering through 7A and 7B in MM. Then we did Dimensions, skipping some of what was repeat from MM (there is quite a bit of overlap). He is also 2e, but his issues are very different from his brother's.

If you don't want to change what you are doing, I would skip reviews in 6A and 6B and then start Dimensions early, expecting to have to go slowly in spots. Even if you add in the IP books, he might finish quickly due to how much less new material is introduced. 

You might be totally fine going from US Edition to Dimensions, but I found the step up to be more difficult, especially since there is less teacher support in Dimensions 7A and 7B. It went more smoothly for us with the MM in between, and I could customize where my son needed additional work. 

I have been torn. In the past, with older kids, we did Keys to Algebra and straight to Algebra. I am still toying with doing that.

[kbutton]

7 minutes ago, Janeway said:

I have been torn. In the past, with older kids, we did Keys to Algebra and straight to Algebra. I am still toying with doing that.

Do you have Dimensions already purchased? I don't want to dissuade you as it's very well done. 

If what 6A and 6B lack are in the Keys to series, that would probably help going into Dimensions in the way that MM helped us. 

Edited September 2, 2021 by kbutton

[Janeway]

6 minutes ago, kbutton said:

Do you have Dimensions already purchased? I don't want to dissuade you as it's very well done. 

If what 6A and 6B lack are in the Keys to series, that would probably help going into Dimensions in the way that MM helped us. 

I already own the algebra books. But he particularly loves the US edition of Singapore Math so I was thinking I would buy Dimensions and use it.

[Janeway]

10 minutes ago, kbutton said:

Do you have Dimensions already purchased? I don't want to dissuade you as it's very well done. 

If what 6A and 6B lack are in the Keys to series, that would probably help going into Dimensions in the way that MM helped us. 

What were the gaps?

[kbutton]

8 minutes ago, Janeway said:

What were the gaps?

It's been too long for me to remember (and I don't think I have my elementary Singapore books for reference), but it was more like skipped steps--the concept was within reach, but he had to work harder to grasp it. What I remember feeling like we should focus on with MM was some of the geometry (circles in particular), the introductory probability/data stuff, fractions (because that never hurts, and we had an "extra" year with my second DS being ahead), proportion/ratios, and more pre-algebra topics. The pre-algebra topics were probably the ones that were most needed, but it's fuzzy 4.5 or so years later. 

[Researchmama1]

You probably already made your decision, but for anyone else with a similar question…

We do everything. I read the teacher’s manual, verbally go through the textbook and then assign the workbook pages. When there are reviews in the textbook I copy them and assign those. At the end of each unit I assign the corresponding Intensive Practice and Challenging Word problems.

So far this has worked out really well for us. We are just finishing the US ed. and will be moving onto Dimensions 7, although I had considered AoPS, but I think I’ll wait until Algebra 2 for that, because I have been so pleased with Singapore Math.
 

We have been really impressed with Singapore math US Ed and the continual review which has allowed for outstanding retention. Intensive Practice and Challenging Word have been outstanding in reaching the next level.  

We finish an entire level (A & B) in 4 months. 

I have found that having a solid foundation has allowed the review problems to be done very quickly. 
 

 

 

[Janeway]

I ended up going a different direction. I was just going to try MEP for a little time filler between levels, to get some review. Turns out, I really like MEP at the higher levels. So we will likely be doing that for a while before moving on. BUT, I do kind of wish we had just gone in to Dimensions. But, we are really liking MEP.

[homeschoolwarrior]

On 4/3/2022 at 8:13 PM, Researchmama1 said:

You probably already made your decision, but for anyone else with a similar question…

We do everything. I read the teacher’s manual, verbally go through the textbook and then assign the workbook pages. When there are reviews in the textbook I copy them and assign those. At the end of each unit I assign the corresponding Intensive Practice and Challenging Word problems.

So far this has worked out really well for us. We are just finishing the US ed. and will be moving onto Dimensions 7, although I had considered AoPS, but I think I’ll wait until Algebra 2 for that, because I have been so pleased with Singapore Math.
 

We have been really impressed with Singapore math US Ed and the continual review which has allowed for outstanding retention. Intensive Practice and Challenging Word have been outstanding in reaching the next level.  

We finish an entire level (A & B) in 4 months. 

I have found that having a solid foundation has allowed the review problems to be done very quickly. 
 

 

 

Hey, sorry to drag up an old post.  But, do you mind sharing how many lessons a day in the teachers manual you did to get through a level in 4 months?  I'm needing to speed things up.  How many days did you allow for working on the corresponding IP and CWP chapters?  Thanks so much!!