I don't know--here's a website describing Singapore Math. I thought it was a good curriculum but it might not have ENOUGH drill on basic facts, like it might introduce multiplication and then a couple lessons later it's expecting the kid to solve 96X8. They have to learn their math facts before they can do that, so outside drill/practice besides the regular curriculum is needed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_mathMany of the conceptual math programs run into this issue... if you are using their methods you have to buy into it and can't revert back to what you learned in school...
For a problem like 96x8 they probably don't expect you to use the long multiplication algorithm... that certainly isn't how *I* would solve it.
Now lets see.... 96*8
Well if the kid already has an ok grasp of place value they probably know 100*8=800. So 96*8 is 4 less 8s. So 8x4=32, thats either memorized of easily figured out. So 800-32, well thats subtraction. If multidigit subtraction has been covered you're all set.
Singapore, Math Mammoth, MEP, and at higher levels AOPS are very big on mental math strategies. If the problems seem very tedious or too difficult for the age range, you are probably doing it wrong and should look for an easier approach. This allows kids to build deeper number sense and problem solving skills. However, if you take a Singapore workbook and try to teach it using a traditional American style... well thats not going to work.
