We use Singapore Math and we are not a math family. My opinion of the curriculum has changed over the years, improving as I learned how to use it in a different way than I originally intended.
I originally chose Singapore because of its great reputation. After purchasing the books, I saw the program is not how I learned math and it required more involvement from me as a teacher than I anticipated. The first couple of years were okay, but then my eldest and I went through some struggles and I even took almost an entire year “off” from math.
That year off was a wise decision. I think part of our frustrations was my daughter simply wasn’t ready for the material. This year, after essentially a year off last year, she is whizzing through the program with ease and speed I never would’ve imagined. The progress she has made this year (without tears) absolutely amazes me and makes me kick myself that I thought she had to master certain skills by a certain age when she was younger.
My son, who is younger, seems to have more of an aptitude for math and enjoys the subject. He’s finishing 2B now and he’s not struggling with Singapore like his sister did, though I started him a year later than I started my DD. He says math is fun and easy.
Now, what I’ve learned:
* Buy and use the supplemental books. The extra practice books give you the repetition that many of us find lacking from the textbook and workbook. There are extra word problem books that I think are excellent, and the “challenging” practice books are indeed challenging. It’s worth taking the time to do the extra books, if you chose this program. (My biggest complaint about the curriculum is all the books you have to juggle…wish they were all in one book.)
* I had to use flashcards to really make the math facts stick, especially with my non-math child. She went through the flashcards day after day until she (finally!) memorized them. My younger child doesn’t seem to need as much drilling, but I also have him do flashcards to supplement Singapore.
* The teacher’s manuals include extra activities to reinforce the new concepts and skills. Lo and behold, those extra activities really do help the child. The activities do require some prep work from me, but not much more than reading ahead to see what the activities are.
* The Mental Math exercises are worth the effort.
I stuck with the program, despite a year or so of struggles, because I was uncomfortable switching mid-stream and I wasn’t convinced the problem was Singapore as much as it was me. I wasn’t paying attention to what my DD was ready for….and I wasn’t putting in the effort myself to use the extra books and activities. The difference between now (a confident child) and before (a frustrated child) makes me happy I stuck with Singapore.
Do I think Singapore is the best of all programs? No. I think it’s good, solid curriculum among many good programs. I share my experience in case it helps you make a decision.
