Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Everyday Math or Singapore Math

Yes teachers trump the curriculum!

I have friends who have given the Primary Math textbook to the child and let them teach themselves a lesson (not every day). The textbook is written to the child, and shows the thinking of the characters in the book (in thought bubbles over their heads), so it is possible. I, myself, have sometimes given the textbook to ds(nearly 10) and it has worked out fine. He was able to do the workbook problems independently afterward. I wouldn't do it every day, but it is a very clearly-written textbook. I think it could work well for those kids interested in "getting on with it." At least SOMEtimes.

I was going to say 'Singapore' until I read people's comments about 'teachers trump curriculum'. GS9's school uses Math Investigations and my complaint is it is too slow for a gifted child. We use Singapore for afterschooling and I'll let him do a chapter test before we do the chapter. If he already knows how to do it, there is no reason to cover the material. If he knows it, and needs practice, I handle that a couple ways. I'll usually give him a couple problems to work for practice, and simultaneously push forward. That gives him practice as well as rewarding him with a new challenge.

OHGrandma....from the little I've seen w/ Math Investigations, that's a whole different animal of a different color.

Oh I agree that it can work, but I wouldn't depend on it working.. if that makes any sense! A good teacher can make either curriculum work very reliably, but a bad teacher (or an uninvolved teacher) could make it much more difficult for either curriculum to teach what it's meant to teach.

Singapore in particular assumes that there's some drill going on outside of the regular work. Some kids won't need much, and that's not a problem, but some kids will need quite a bit, and if it's not added in as needed then they're not getting it. kwim?

I'm mainly reacting to people who drop any curriculum (not just math) because it required the teacher to work with the books, to add in where something more was needed, and to understand the concepts well enough to explain. My point is only that if you have a teacher who is involved, who does know where to supplement, and who understands math, the curriculum is much less important (although I still have preferences). If you're trying to make up for an uninvolved teacher, or one that doesn't understand math, you end up relying on the curriculum to be near-perfect, and near-perfect for every kid in the class.... which is some pretty high standards!

Yeah, what Erica said! That's it exactly!

A good teacher can teach math with nothing more than a couple of sticks and some rocks. A rotten teacher could have the best curriculum in the world and still blow it.

Kriston,

Yeah... but what about those homeschool moms who don't feel comfortable teaching math? Which curriculum would you recommend? I feel very comfortable recommending Singapore's Primary Math series in these cases (with the home educator's manual). The curriculum is written in such a way that the text does a lot of the teaching. (Those thought bubbles showing how to hold the numbers in your head are the bomb!) It *is* written to the child, which, IMO, makes it superb to teach the mom, too.

NOT meaning to say that moms uncomfortable with math are like children.

Kate

I've seen kids later have issues after having done SM. It seems that they just gave the curriculum to the kids and the kids did it w/out really getting the SM way of thinking. So at the higher levels, they hadn't developed the mental math abilities etc to manipulate numbers. Someone had written a great post at WTM curric board about SM saying that if you're not doing it as in the thought bubbles, you're not doing it right. Plus, as you mentioned, Primary Math doesn't have the drill in it. In Singapore, teachers handle the drill and the parents as well. But people get SM b/c it's cheap and don't buy the HIGs which I think really help in learning the SM way of thinking.

Can you tell me more about the issues you've seen with kids who have used Singapore's curriculum?

If the curriculum is used in whole (instead of in part) there is lots of review. Think about using the textbook, workbook, extra practice, intensive practice, AND challenging word problems books for each topic in each level! That much review would drive my kids batty. True, in Singapore they add timed computation drills (and most parents add even more practice at home). The teacher's manuals and home education manuals have extra practice AND drill listed for each topic.

I understand that people who don't use the curriculum as it is intended might have trouble. I wish we could get the message out that it isn't the curriculum's fault. (Many people fault Singapore's Primary Math and say it has little drill or review, etc., when in fact it is there if you choose to use it.)

I *do* like that it's easy to LEAVE OUT the extra practice books and therefore limit the review for kids who pick things up more quickly.

BTW My kids enjoy using the cd-rom games that match the curriculum. There's drill and extra practice in that.

I think if the mom is willing to do the work along the way and learn the Singapore methods, even if they're hard, and be available to teach them to their kids... then it's still the one I'd recommend. I've heard the HIG is excellent for those cases (but I've not seen it myself so I can't say from experience!)

The ones that concern me are the ones that (homeschool or PS) aren't willing to work at it. In PS it might be a teacher who was given the curriculum with insufficient preparation, or who hadn't really wanted to switch from whatever they used before and wasn't willing to make the change, or who, like my own 1st grade teacher, really didn't get math at all (argh!) and figured rote was sufficient and explanations were unnecessary. (double argh!!) I've known plenty of homeschool parents who fall into the "really didn't get math at all" camp too.

But the ones that bug me are the ones that bad-mouth a curriculum at great length, until it comes out that actually what they did was just throw the book at the kid and hope. Gahhhh! Textbooks aren't magic!! I'm certainly not against letting a bright kid take the reins when he's having a great day and just running with it, but when he gets to something confusing then he really needs someone to help him find his way through! And when the grownups (parents or teachers) aren't willing to do that, the curriculum won't save the day.

We're currently using a video program for statistics and even then, with an engaging lecture and clear format, really super-excellent explanations and examples, it makes a huge difference when I'm watching with DS and pausing the video to discuss important points. His needing that little bit of teaching from someone he can ask questions of doesn't mean the curriculum is lacking. And while I think probably a much older kid or an adult could do more with the materials and no teacher, elementary aged kids especially shouldn't be expected to routinely find their own way.