Since last year, AJV is adapting Singaporean Math curriculum. To make it more effective, the school held orientation programs for parents on July 5, 2014. Ms. Vicky Valencia passionately engaged the parents on how they can help the teachers in training our Victorians using Singaporean Math. Here are some of the topics discussed:
Why Use Singaporean Math?
- Singapore consistently ranks top on an international assessment of student math achievement called the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS
- “The sequence of topics in Singapore math has been carefully constructed based upon child development theory,” says Jeffery Thomas, president of Singapore Math Inc., the primary producer of Singapore math products for the U.S. market.
- Eliminates the need for re-teaching because each lesson is mastered before proceeding to the next.
- Singaporean Math will help them become “ independent learners”
- Singaporean Math employs heuristic problem solving where they will learn to solve unfamiliar problems using different strategies.
Strategies We Employ in Singaporean Math
- Chunking (a teaching methodology where the lessons are divided into “chunks” to make understanding faster and easier
- Teachers think aloud and students think along. Teachers avoid neat solutions but instead present the problem and guide the students on how to solve the problem.
- Use modelling to explicate the thinking process.
- We teach them thinking skills: classifying, analyzing parts, identifying patterns and relationships, induction, deduction and spatial visualization.
- We maximize the application part in the classroom. We usually present the lessons for the first 20 minutes and then have them apply what they have learned for the next hour.
- Manipulatives
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Tip for Parents on How to Assist your Children in Singaporean Math
- Give them open ended questions to train them in solving problems. Use how and why, instead of what, when and where. Sample questions include: What are you doing? Why are you doing it this way? How does this help you?
- Allow your kids to commit mistakes and learn from them.
- Formulate opportunities to solve problems.
As a parent, I am confident that my child is in good hands. I am hopeful that thru Singaporean Math, our Victorians will master both basic and advance Math.