Singapore Math: Primary Math US Edition

As we are beginning our fourth year of Singapore Math I feel I have the background and experience to discuss its pros and cons.  First off, our family is thriving using this math curriculum.  My two oldest children are complete opposites when it comes to how they learn and think, but both are doing well using Singapore Math.  My oldest is logical and math oriented and I knew would do well, but to my great surprise it is my middle child who is doing the best with Singapore Math.  And so for those out there who worry that their child is not a "math" student and, therefore, would not do well with Singapore Math, I would suggest giving the curriculum another thought.

Now, the positive side of Singapore Math:
No graphics, colors, images or anything else to distract your child from what should be their focus: math.  There may be some out there who dislike the lack of color in the books, but for most children I believe this is a plus.  Kids now days are bombarded with vast amounts of stimulation and, consequently, learning and thinking are pushed to the background; but with Singapore Math the child can focus on the task at hand.  A few years ago I opened up a math book my daughter used when she went to school and I was overwhelmed by what was on the page and had difficulty figuring out what was being taught.  Can you imagine a child looking at that book and trying to decipher what was relevant and what was not?  I believe this is one reason my children can do their math all on their own with no teaching on my part.  They can focus on math and not be distracted by anything else.

Price: So many math curricula out there are quite expensive, but Singapore Math is reasonably priced.  I purchased Textbooks and Workbooks A & B along with the Extra Practice Workbook.  I found them for under $8 a book and so my total for one year of math was $40.  I have noticed they are now priced at about $11 a book, but I bet you could purchase them used.  Also, I do not allow my children to write in their workbooks and so I only have to buy one set of books and all 3 of my kids will be able to use them.

Multiplication is taught beginning in first grade. The student learns multiplication and division through a gradual process, and thus a child is not overwhelmed by having to learn the multiplication table in one year.

Focusing on one math topic at a time.  In Singapore Math there is no jumping around each day from one topic of math to another.  I have seen so many math curriculum (mostly used in public schools) that jump from this to that: one day a kid is learning measurements and the next addition, and then off to fractions and then to volume.  It is bizarre to think educators believe this circular method of learning works.  For almost all people, repetition is the best way to learn.  Doing something over and over cements the concepts into the child's memory.  And that is exactly what Singapore Math does: the child focuses on one area of math for weeks, and then moves on to another.

Moves more quickly in scope and sequence.  Singapore Math is at least a 1/2 year ahead of most other math programs.  If your child completes Singapore Math they will be ready for Calculus by their Junior Year of Highschool.  The publisher has placement tests to see what level your child should begin.

Now the cons:
Not enough repetition or review for most children.  I have noticed that the math tables are not reviewed enough for my children.  A parent needs to be vigilant and make sure the student knows their addition & subtraction and multiplication & division. Supplement with flash cards or whatever you think will work.  Also, some students need extra practice for everyday work and I would suggest buying the Extra Practice Workbooks.  This is how a year of Singapore Math works in our house: first, the kids complete Textbook and Workbook A and then they work on the Extra Practice book for that semester as a review.  This usually gets them through half the year and then they move on to Textbook and Workbook B and at the end of the year they complete the Extra Practice book for another review.  The final way I insure the information has been learned is by having my children keep a daily record of their work and if they fall below 95% they must rework the incorrect problems.  I use a math score worksheet from Robinson Curriculum for this and it works great.  (Also, it makes it easier for me to keep track of our homeschool records!)

Singapore Math wants the students to think outside the box and does not teach everything until later.  I noticed this first when it came to setting up algebraic equations.  Around 3rd or 4th grade there would be questions that needed an algebraic equation to answer, but it had never been taught to my children.  Singapore wants its students to think beyond what is being taught, but this may be frustrating to some children.  I, therefore, began to teach my kids how to set up an equation and this solved the problem, but I just wanted to let you know there will be times that the student is asked a question that they may not know how to answer. Singapore Math acknowledges this and they expect only about 70 percent of the problems to be answered correctly.

Again, I truly believe Singapore Math is a wonderful math curriculum which works for various learning styles.  As always, I believe homeschooling allows us to pick the best curricula for our children and Singapore Math may or may not be the best math for your family, but its worth your time to take a look.