by 8 people |
Did you know that the tiny country of Singapore scores highest in math education? It's true. Every four years a prestigious study is done that's based in Massachusetts. It's called the TIMSS.
Every four years this highly regarded study takes a look at mathematics education across dozens of countries. And Singapore always comes out on top.
Are you a public school parent considering the Singapore Math curriculum for your child? Or maybe you're a homeschooler. You might be a school official researching a new math program for your school or district.
I'm a public school parent in an excellent school district with a misguided math program. It's called TERC Investigations Math.
After much research and meditation, I've chosen to offer my children a replacement program on weekends. I've chosen Singapore math.
There are other good math curriculums available. In fact, choice of curriculum is not the bottom line. More important than books and materials are the teacher's understanding of mathematics. Moreover, different children need different approaches.
That said, this lens embodies my research into Singapore Math. I hope it helps you make the right choice for your own child or school.
If you're as busy as I am, this lens may save you some research time. Also included is a feed to my TERC blog, where you can find my journal-like thoughts on taking my kids beyond their fuzzy math curriculum and into the world of Singapore Math.
No curriculum is perfect. But find out why I like Singapore Math, and learn about its drawbacks, too.
Web sites and articles about Singapore Math
Reviews, materials, opinions
- The Singapore Math site
- This is the web site of Singapore Math. Find here:
1. Free pre-tests for downloading and printing
(please don't guess at levels!)
2. Text book excerpts
3. Reviews
4. Products for purchase, including textbooks, home guides, teacher guides, workbooks, manipulatives, and related reading
5. Lots more - Discussion Board for Massachusetts
- This is the Singapore Math Implementation Project (SMIP) Listserv and Discussion Board.
The SMIP involves over 70 K-8 teachers throughout Massachusetts, including many who are using the Singapore Math textbooks in their classrooms.
SMIP was initiated with funding from the Massachusetts Department of Education. This web site and listserv provides teachers and others with a forum for questions, discussion and sharing of ideas. - District succeeds with Singapore Math, then drops it
- School district in Maryland reaches the height of bad judgment after it wildly succeeds using Singapore Math, then drops it anyway in favor of "fuzzy math" in order to better align with state standards.
- How to use Singapore materials for enrichment
- Singapore Math has a page for parents who would like to supplement their public school child's math schooling. Learn what materials to buy, and what you don't have to buy.
Read an anecdote. - Montgomery County Public Schools
- A thorough and rigorous analysis of the Singapore Math program by officials in the Montgomery County School District.
- Hoover Institution -- Miracle Math
- Barry Garelick's article that analyzes why Montgomery County dropped Singapore math, even though it was working.
Barry Garelick is an analyst for the federal government and lives in the Washington, D.C., area.
He is a national advisor to NYC HOLD, an education advocacy organization that addresses mathematics education in schools throughout the United States. - Online Singapore
- Singapore and India announce an online advanced Singapore Math program, targetted to the gifted and talented.
It will be available next year in the U.S.
Web sites and articles about Singapore Math
The Home Schooler Perspective
Find out what home schoolers say about Singapore Math, one of the most popular math programs in the home schooling community.
- A homeschooler perspective
- Review of Singapore Math from a home schooler perspective.
- Pros and cons
- Includes pros and cons
- Sonlight Homeschoolers
- Why home schoolers like Singapore Math. This is the web site of the SonLight curriculum (a Christian curriculum) for home schoolers.
- Review and reader comments
- A home schooler's thoughts on Singapore Math, along with comments from readers
- Homeschoolmath.net
- Comments from parents who home school from homeschoolmath.net.
Drawbacks
- Coverage of statistics and probability is deferred until the later grades.
- Some homeschoolers report insufficient drill for some students who need more drill. However, Singapore Math materials offer supplemental books. Kids in Singapore receive drill after school.
It might be best to put off the purchase of Singapore supplemental materials until you know you need them. The Singapore Math web site offers a wide range of supplemental materials.
Where to find Singapore materials
and related materials
- Math for Elementary Teachers
- This book is available on the Singapore Math web site, and is an essential for good teaching of Singapore Math.
The book was inspired by Liping Ma's book, "Knowing and Teaching Mathematics" and is closely aligned with the Singapore series.
The authors are Parker and Baldridge. This book is not to be confused with other books of the same or similar names. The Singapore Math site seems to be the only place you can purchase it, as the publisher appears to be defunct. - Textbooks, workbooks, and Home Guides
- On the Singapore Math site you can find all the materials you need, including manipulatives. Their site needs some technical work, however. Once you've decided what you'd like to buy, click on on-line store.
You can buy either the teacher's guide or the home guide. The home guides were written by a homeschooler, and are perfect for tutoring or home schooling.
Remember to give your child a placement test before ordering. - Placement Tests
- Here are the free placement tests on the Singapore Math web site.
- Quick Guide for New users
- This page on the Singapore Math web site is especially geared toward parents who will tutor or home school.
- The online store
- This is the link to the online store on the Singapore Math site. One you know the code for each product (write them all down), you can come here to this page and order.
The ordering may be a little kludgy, but the books don't disappoint. They just need a new webmaster. - Sonlight
- A great resource for homeschooling materials, you can find Singapore books here, plus free shipping if you spend over $100.
Singapore materials on Amazon
Primary Mathematics 2A Workbook (Singapore Math)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/17/2009) 
![Primary Mathematics 2A Textbook (U.S. Edition) [Singapore Math]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41MG8ADB0ML._SL75_.jpg)
Primary Mathematics 2A Textbook (U.S. Edition) [Singapore Math]
Amazon Price: (as of 12/17/2009)
Lessons to learn: U.S. vs. Singapore math.(mathematics education comparison): An article from: District Administration
Amazon Price: $5.95 (as of 12/17/2009)
Lessons to learn in Singapore's high math scores. .: An article from: District Administration
Amazon Price: $5.95 (as of 12/17/2009)
Are you teaching Singapore Math?
Tell us why you're here. What are your concerns about the teaching of math? What do you think of Singapore Math?
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MommaKnows wrote...
Great lens! I have kids in public school and kids returning home to homeschool. I have mostly used Saxon math, but Singapore is the other one that some homeschoolers and a LOT of public school parents use to supplement. I have a lens that's all about fuzzy math. :) Thanks for sharing the Singapore information, because I don't think very many people are familiar with their program yet.
Posted December 25, 2008
daidamia wrote...
Interesting..! Good to know about singapore math.Thanks for enlightening our minds on various programs going round the world.Feel free to visit my the afterschoolhelp blog
Posted November 26, 2008
Lily Ong wrote
Singapore Math rocks. It builds upon precept by precept... in elegant clarity and speed. Why solve a problem in 10 steps when you can do so under 3? Of course, I could just be lazy.
Posted January 15, 2008
EeHai wrote...
Nice to know about the Singapore Math. It makes me proud being a maths teacher myself. Teaching math is challenging and requires patience. I have created a blog specially about maths at www.limeehai.com to reduce the stress on my students and for their reading pleasure to steer interest in maths.
Posted October 01, 2007
stayathomegeek wrote...
CT, I do not have such a list, but you might get help from the singapore math folks at www.singaporemath.com
Would you tell us the name of your school?
--Lens owner
Posted August 19, 2007
CT wrote
Our school has used Primary Mathematics for 6 years and I am looking for a comprehensive list of schools around the country using the curriculum. Any ideas?
Posted August 19, 2007
LGM wrote
Love SM - concepts are taught clearly and logically; includes units omitted by school (problem solving, geometry, mental math/distributive property, decimals, fraction *
Posted March 04, 2007
JRJ wrote
I have used Singapore math to teach my daughter since K. She loved math and the deep thnking concepts. This year I switched to another standard math program because it covered things Singapore didn't, ratio's, time zones, ect. It ruined her love of math. Mid-year, we are going back to Singapore!
Posted February 26, 2007
teach3 wrote
I use Singapore math with my oldest child. It is important to teach the strategies such as model drawing and heuristics while using the Singapore math series for maximum effect.
Posted February 04, 2007
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