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September 23, 2006
More About Math
I know we've been discussing how it's good to be imperfect, but I've got to tell you: I've hit upon the perfect combination of math curricula.
Right Start math is brilliant. I am continually impressed by the way it teaches concepts. I wish I had found it earlier, so that I could have used it with Connor. It teaches concepts in a very concrete manner, and relies heavily on teaching patterns and strategies. For instance, Aidan is learning multiplication. His last lesson involved using the abacus to see why any even number multiplied by 5 will always be a multiple of 10, and will always end with 0; and why any odd number multiplied by 5 will always end with 5. In taking Aidan through this program, I've learned strategies for easy mental addition, subtraction and multiplication that I never knew existed. My math ability has been greatly enhanced by the information I've learned in the 2nd and 3rd grade book.
As fantastic as it is, we will continue to use Singapore Math as well. I used to think that Right Start did not provide enough practice, so we'd use Singapore as practice and drill. Now I see that Right Start doesn't need supplementation in that area - it's enough on its own. However, Singapore's strength is in its word problems. If we do nothing else, we will go through the Singapore workbooks and pull out all the word problems.
Singapore's word problems are real world problems. They are, in general, the kinds of problems we're all likely to run into, and scratch our heads over. They require creative thinking. They require learning how to take the facts, and structure a problem in such a way that it makes sense.
I recently bought a supplementary Singapore workbook for Connor: Primary Mathematics Challenging Word Problems. Challenging is right. Each chapter in this book starts with a few worked problems as examples. After the worked problems are a series of word problems. After the regular word problems is a series of "challenging" word problems. Oh, my.
Here's an example of one of their challenging problems: Laura had 400 stamps. She gave 3/20 of them to Sam, 5/16 of them to Joe and 1/5 of the remainder to Jim. How many stamps did she have left?
Or: Valery bought some apples and oranges for $13.80 altogether. Each apple cost $0.40 and each orange cost $0.20 more than each apple. If she bought 3 more oranges than apples, how many oranges did she buy?
For 5th grade, these are great problems, aren't they? Again, Connor is just about at my level of math. I can compute faster than he can, and I can do simple algebra. I am likely to get these problems right, but for the most part I do have to think about them first. Unless I'm extremely busy, I make it a point to work the problem myself, instead of just reaching for the answer key.
I had originally thought we'd go on to other math series, instead of using Singapore's New Elementary Math. I am reconsidering that decision. I hear that New Elementary Math is very difficult unless you're a "math person," or have a tutor; sounds like a challenge.
Posted by lynx at September 23, 2006 9:41 PM
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Comments
My oldest is doing NEM2 - I think it is fabulous: quite challenging, but thorough. I read somewhere that many math programs cover lots of info superficially (a mile wide, an inch deep), whereas Singapore may not cover the breadth but goes deeper for a greater understanding.
When I compared the scope and sequence of NEM to our provincial math curriculum and a few other programs used by homeschoolers, I found NEM exceeded the others.
I'm quite happy to continue this program through high school.
Posted by: Michelle at September 23, 2006 11:50 PM
I feel the same way, except for us it's Miquon and Singapore. :)
I'm on the fence as well about what to do after Primary Mathematics. I bounce back and forth between NEM or doing Jacob's for algebra, Solomonovich's for geometry, then ?? And should we continue doing two programs, or would that just be redundant and way too time consuming for high school? Anyway, I've been leaning more towards NEM again lately. Singapore impresses me a little bit more each year, and the price is right, so I'm not sure switching after PM would be a wise move for us.
Posted by: KathyJo at September 25, 2006 2:58 PM
My DS is in NEM 3 and we love it --- well, he might not admit that being 14yo and all, but it is a great math program. If you do the math alongside of your dc you should be just fine. When my DS stumpled in NEM 1 we took a break and I had him work through Key to Algebra books --- basic, lots of practice, and only one concept is introduced at a time.
And I love Singapore's Topical Problem Sums, great word problems and they do get even this math-savy mom's brain thinking.
Posted by: Carole in DE at September 30, 2006 2:14 PM