More Singapore Math questions - how to use as supplement

[Stacey in MD]

Hi,

I am currently using Horizons 4 with my 8yo ds. He LOVES math, but I still don't feel he is challenged enough. I know a lot of people use Singapore as a supplement and was wondering if this would be a good idea for my son. If so, what is the best way to incorporate this into our current math plan? From what I understand Singapore is good at teaching mental math and I think that would be good for him.

Also, I have no idea which level to begin with. Is there a placement test?

Thanks so much for your help!

Stacey

[MelissaMinNC]

The only part of this I can answer is about the placement test. Yes, they have one! At their website, which I think is http://www.singaporemath.com

I haven't used it (yet) so I don't know what to tell you re: which component would be best for the mental math, etc. Though I think someone said there are mental math exercies, games, etc. in the Home Instructor's Guides. So maybe if you figure out which level, you can get just the HIG and do the exercises right from there?

GL,
Melissa

[Sue in St Pete]

I think it was in 2nd grade that I tried to supplement with Singapore first. We used the textbook and workbook. My son had already learned how to add and subtract vertically and was not interested in learning Singapore's method of adding and subtracting horizontally. They were also teaching US measurements and metric measurements at the same time which I thought was unnecessary and confusing. Then, the subjects seemed to jump around so much. And, finally, I think that it was just so different from the way that I was taught that I really had a difficult time with it. So, we abandoned it.

Several years later, I started supplementing with the Challenging Word Problems. They are great! We had just finished 4th grade math, and I started with CWP 3. I have tried different ways over the years, but this year, we do 3 problems 3x per week. It's good to keep the number per day small since they are challenging. I wish I had started them earlier.

Good luck!

[Novafan]

Good timing on this question. I finally got our Singapore books today and we are going to use it to supplement. I'm not going to "teach" out of the books, rather have it available for my DS to use for lessons and practice. I ordered him the 2B level (he's 7) and I was actually surprised to see that he is very much on par with this book and will zip through most of it quickly.

FTR, we are primarily using SchillerMath and other basic Montessori math materials/lessons. Because we do so much hands on math, I wanted to have a traditional book program in the house for peace of mind.