Singapore Dimensions Math Textbook and Workbook Load

[Ting Tang]

We just started our school year yesterday, and two of my children are using Dimensions, 2A and 4A.   It really feels like a lot, and some of it is even hard for me.  I know it is going to be an adjustment, but the workload is pretty heavy.  

Is anyone else using this?  What are your thoughts?  How do you adjust the workload, if at all?

I have four learners and I feel like it is going to be really hard to get everything done in all the subjects.  Ugh.  

[barnwife]

I tried it with 2 of mine. It wasn't a good fit for us. It was just way too many problems for my particular kids. One has slow-processing speed, so it totally overwhelmed him. And the other kid that tried it hates not doing every problem, so even if I said "oh, we'll only do odds today," it wasn't good.

Now, content/explanation-wise it was good. But the sheer volume of problems wasn't for us. 

So I totally get where you are coming from. Those 2 switched to a math program that's since been revised, and I hate the revised version, so I won't give the name. Another kid uses Singapore Primary Mathematics. And one has just started using Singapore Dimensions 6 (which is very different than younger grades.). 

[Clarita]

There is a Singapore Math® Curriculum Users group on Facebook. It's a mixed bag of advice sometimes, but it could help you see how other people either divide up the work or otherwise manage the workload. Plus you'll get some insight from people who got the teacher's guide or the home educator's guide.

[Ting Tang]

4 hours ago, barnwife said:

I tried it with 2 of mine. It wasn't a good fit for us. It was just way too many problems for my particular kids. One has slow-processing speed, so it totally overwhelmed him. And the other kid that tried it hates not doing every problem, so even if I said "oh, we'll only do odds today," it wasn't good.

Now, content/explanation-wise it was good. But the sheer volume of problems wasn't for us. 

So I totally get where you are coming from. Those 2 switched to a math program that's since been revised, and I hate the revised version, so I won't give the name. Another kid uses Singapore Primary Mathematics. And one has just started using Singapore Dimensions 6 (which is very different than younger grades.). 

Thank you for sharing your experience.  I am finding the start of 4A particularly brutal.  Some of the questions even stump me, and this particular child cannot be independent, so the abundance of questions really adds to my time.  I knew it would be intense, but putting it into practice is harder than I thought.  My eldest is using Primary 6 Standards, and though we just started, it feels so much "lighter" to me in workload.  Or I am just not implementing the suggested schedule correctly...lol  

[Ting Tang]

37 minutes ago, Clarita said:

There is a Singapore Math® Curriculum Users group on Facebook. It's a mixed bag of advice sometimes, but it could help you see how other people either divide up the work or otherwise manage the workload. Plus you'll get some insight from people who got the teacher's guide or the home educator's guide.

Thank you so much!  I am in one of the groups, but I can check out that one, too!  I bought the Teacher's Guide, and I understand you don't have to do all the activities---which we are not, but it still feels like a lot.  And of course I am new to teaching this style of math, so I feel like I am stumbling all over the 4th grade place value questions.  I mean, 4th grade place value should not be this difficult! lol

[Ausmumof3]

I use standards and some years the work load was too heavy for us as well even with that. I know everyone here will say not to, but I often just had the kids do the workbook problems. If they could figure out how to do it we didn’t worry about the text book. If they had problems I’d pull out the instructor guide and text books and work through the teaching activities, but there were definitely plenty of areas where they didn’t need that extra to get and retain it. I also skipped review where I felt they didn’t need it. Oldest is in mainstream distance Ed getting As now so I think it worked. DD has needed more practice and sometimes a total break from Singapore to do things differently. Youngest is very independent and hates me showing him how though he sometimes needs it.

[Ting Tang]

10 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I use standards and some years the work load was too heavy for us as well even with that. I know everyone here will say not to, but I often just had the kids do the workbook problems. If they could figure out how to do it we didn’t worry about the text book. If they had problems I’d pull out the instructor guide and text books and work through the teaching activities, but there were definitely plenty of areas where they didn’t need that extra to get and retain it. I also skipped review where I felt they didn’t need it. Oldest is in mainstream distance Ed getting As now so I think it worked. DD has needed more practice and sometimes a total break from Singapore to do things differently. Youngest is very independent and hates me showing him how though he sometimes needs it.

Thank you! I joined the group, and it definitely seems people feel this way about various Singapore maths.  I actually really like the textbook, so I hate to never pull it out, lol.  But I do think we are going to have to dramatically cut out the workbook problems.  I saw I spent $25 on the workbooks for the whole year for each of these Dimensions levels, so though I hate to, I am going to force myself to be okay with not doing all the things, lol.  I really don't want to switch.  I did in part choose a rigorous math on purpose, but my intention was not to overwhelm them with a workload, either.  But the problem is really me. I cannot spent two hours on math per child per day.  I did forget they have videos you can rent for the year. I may do that to help me.  

[Malam]

On 8/17/2022 at 12:46 AM, Ausmumof3 said:

f they could figure out how to do it we didn’t worry about the text book. If they had problems I’d pull out the instructor guide and text books and work through the teaching activities, but there were definitely plenty of areas where they didn’t need that extra to get and retain it.

Are the workbook problems harder than th textbook problems? Could you tell which lessons they could skip the book on or would you start with the textbook by default?