Singapore Math

[bwana]

I received a notice today from the school my eldest is starting at next year (grade 1) that they're switching over to Singapore Math.

Does anyone have any experience with this syllabus? How does it compare to what is currently being taught in SA schools?

 

[Wall]

the standard of education is gone so low it's unbelievable.I was helping my nephew and i was amazed at what he hadn't learned yet.

 

[Synaesthesia]

I received a notice today from the school my eldest is starting at next year (grade 1) that they're switching over to Singapore Math.

Does anyone have any experience with this syllabus? How does it compare to what is currently being taught in SA schools?

I don't know but it sounds like a good approach. Some much needed structure and rigour as compared to what was before. (OBE)

 

[blunomore]

I received a notice today from the school my eldest is starting at next year (grade 1) that they're switching over to Singapore Math.

Does anyone have any experience with this syllabus? How does it compare to what is currently being taught in SA schools?

Sounds like we are being geared to fit in with the systems used by our Chinese overlords

 

[wise_guy]

There's also a Malaysian based abacus maths that the Japanese are using called UCMAS which is strongly coming to the fore.

 

[MickeyD]

@bwana: spoke to wife about this (she be JP teacher, now home exec!).
She's very pleased about it, especially this: "The principle of teaching mathematical concepts from concrete through pictorial to abstract".

 

[scotty777]

I received a notice today from the school my eldest is starting at next year (grade 1) that they're switching over to Singapore Math.

Does anyone have any experience with this syllabus? How does it compare to what is currently being taught in SA schools?

I get the feeling that an A in maths is basically achievable by every matric student right now... that's how basic the maths syllabus has become. From what I've gathered, kids aren't taught how to study maths, and instead of problem solving in maths, they learn rules and do simple problems... So when a problem solving question comes along, your way of thinking is too linear and can't do the question. This has far reaching effects to even Physical Science, which need kids to think in a problem solving way ie: I have A and B information, but I need to find E, but there's not one formula that will find this, so I need to use formula one to find C, formula two to find D, and now using C and D, I can find E.

Also, if kids were taught to understand the work, and not just know sine and cosine rules, or that tan(x)=something/something else, then that will make their lives a lot easier. I'm studying engineering (and have, hopefully passed 1st year ), and thus far, I've learned you just need to understand the work, and the rest comes naturally. Applied maths (mechanics) is basically forces, torque (moments), acceleration etc... It's classical physics. There's one thing you need to know in dynamics (when things move/accelerate), F=ma... With this, you can solve practically every problem, with a little manipulation, and a little thinking. Seems unlikely, but it's true.

So maybe this Singapore Maths is good, because a great way to understand maths, is by visualizing it .

 

[Vox Populi Vox Dei]

Well if the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study is anything to go by, then you're in good hands. Is the school continuing to do this type of maths learning all the way up to high school?

Edit: And I agree with Scotty. I wrote matric maths two years ago and it was a bit of a joke too be honest. One gets formulae sheets for Maths Paper 1 and 2, and you just need to "look" for the correct one and bam, you've got 5 marks. The matric prior to 2008 was not that easy, from the maths papers I've seen. They had stuff like circle geometry in it... which they've made 'optional' in the new curriculum by introducing a new paper, Maths Paper 3. The level was just so much higher.

 

[Freaksta]

I get the feeling that an A in maths is basically achievable by every matric student right now... that's how basic the maths syllabus has become. From what I've gathered, kids aren't taught how to study maths, and instead of problem solving in maths, they learn rules and do simple problems... So when a problem solving question comes along, your way of thinking is too linear and can't do the question. This has far reaching effects to even Physical Science, which need kids to think in a problem solving way ie: I have A and B information, but I need to find E, but there's not one formula that will find this, so I need to use formula one to find C, formula two to find D, and now using C and D, I can find E.

Also, if kids were taught to understand the work, and not just know sine and cosine rules, or that tan(x)=something/something else, then that will make their lives a lot easier. I'm studying engineering (and have, hopefully passed 1st year ), and thus far, I've learned you just need to understand the work, and the rest comes naturally. Applied maths (mechanics) is basically forces, torque (moments), acceleration etc... It's classical physics. There's one thing you need to know in dynamics (when things move/accelerate), F=ma... With this, you can solve practically every problem, with a little manipulation, and a little thinking. Seems unlikely, but it's true.

So maybe this Singapore Maths is good, because a great way to understand maths, is by visualizing it .

I dont agree with you, maths may have dropped in standards a bit but its by no means easy...... Why is not everyone getting A's then? I myself worked for my high mark in maths and i enjoy maths so thats what allowed me to get my marks, but not many people got high marks. (Completed matric in 2008)

 

[Freaksta]

Well if the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study is anything to go by, then you're in good hands. Is the school continuing to do this type of maths learning all the way up to high school?

Edit: And I agree with Scotty. I wrote matric maths two years ago and it was a bit of a joke too be honest. One gets formulae sheets for Maths Paper 1 and 2, and you just need to "look" for the correct one and bam, you've got 5 marks. The matric prior to 2008 was not that easy, from the maths papers I've seen. They had stuff like circle geometry in it... which they've made 'optional' in the new curriculum by introducing a new paper, Maths Paper 3. The level was just so much higher.

I did maths paper 3, yes the maths wasnt insanely hard but i still dont believe it was easy.... Why didnt everyone get A's for maths if it was that easy?

 

[scotty777]

I dont agree with you, maths may have dropped in standards a bit but its by no means easy...... Why is not everyone getting A's then? I myself worked for my high mark in maths and i enjoy maths so thats what allowed me to get my marks, but not many people got high marks. (Completed matric in 2008)

Not everyone works for maths... Some people think reading through the test book is all it takes .

 

[ponder]

Sooner or later I suspect the government is going to latch on to Anti-racist mathematics as the white mans methods are no good

 

[Vox Populi Vox Dei]

Sooner or later I suspect the government is going to latch on to Anti-racist mathematics as the white mans methods are no good

Wahahaha . Thanks for the laugh.

That's what happens when you let too many Humanities students graduate...

 

[MickeyD]

Sooner or later I suspect the government is going to latch on to Anti-racist mathematics as the white mans methods are no good

Offer Corruption classes from Grade 3 ...

 

[zulgin]

Clarity on the math syllabus: yes the old system was more analytical, the newer one however introduced statistics and financial maths which were never taught before hand. Geometry and probability (also newly introduced) where made optional but will be mandatory after the 3 year trial period. The only significant drop is the exclusion of teaching students how to do absolute values and the standard of trig, Algebra has been relatively the same with an odd in and out here and there.

 

[Knyro]

I think the main problem these days is that we are given formula sheets or we are told to memorise the formulae, which is just as bad. If kids are taught exaclty why such and such = so and so and are taught to derive them from basic concepts I greatly deepens understanding and solves the problem of drawing a blank in exams. If they just find values and plug them into formlae without knowing what they are doing or why the formula works they are little more than the calculators they depend on so much

 

[phoneJunky]

Well, I do give maths extra classes to underprivileged children from grade 8 to grade 12. The maths are basically the same as when I matriculated and it is the same as all the papers I worked out when I matriculated (back in 1999), so I don't see the whole argument of our maths syllabus on school is declining. I do how ever have a huge issue with the children not knowing how to do basic arithmetic and the always pull out their calculators to do simple things like 60/5. But this could also be due to the children not having the best schooling , because I know that there were children in my school that always pulled out the calculator to things as well, so it isn't limited to this generation. I just think they should make it illegal to use a calculator on school, they don't really have to use it that much in there syllabus anyway, even in trig most of the stuff is standard angles anyway too.

 

[MickeyD]

Well, I do give maths extra classes to underprivileged children from grade 8 to grade 12. The maths are basically the same as when I matriculated and it is the same as all the papers I worked out when I matriculated (back in 1999), so I don't see the whole argument of our maths syllabus on school is declining. I do how ever have a huge issue with the children not knowing how to do basic arithmetic and the always pull out their calculators to do simple things like 60/5. But this could also be due to the children not having the best schooling , because I know that there were children in my school that always pulled out the calculator to things as well, so it isn't limited to this generation. I just think they should make it illegal to use a calculator on school, they don't really have to use it that much in there syllabus anyway, even in trig most of the stuff is standard angles anyway too.

Basic bonds in foundation phase?

 

[FlatspinZA]

Well if the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study is anything to go by, then you're in good hands. Is the school continuing to do this type of maths learning all the way up to high school?

Edit: And I agree with Scotty. I wrote matric maths two years ago and it was a bit of a joke too be honest. One gets formulae sheets for Maths Paper 1 and 2, and you just need to "look" for the correct one and bam, you've got 5 marks. The matric prior to 2008 was not that easy, from the maths papers I've seen. They had stuff like circle geometry in it... which they've made 'optional' in the new curriculum by introducing a new paper, Maths Paper 3. The level was just so much higher.

I dont agree with you, maths may have dropped in standards a bit but its by no means easy...... Why is not everyone getting A's then? I myself worked for my high mark in maths and i enjoy maths so thats what allowed me to get my marks, but not many people got high marks. (Completed matric in 2008)

I did maths paper 3, yes the maths wasnt insanely hard but i still dont believe it was easy.... Why didnt everyone get A's for maths if it was that easy?

I think the main problem these days is that we are given formula sheets or we are told to memorise the formulae, which is just as bad. If kids are taught exaclty why such and such = so and so and are taught to derive them from basic concepts I greatly deepens understanding and solves the problem of drawing a blank in exams. If they just find values and plug them into formlae without knowing what they are doing or why the formula works they are little more than the calculators they depend on so much

Given a formula sheet? Geez, back in my day we had to be able prove the formula, not just know it. Granted, you may still have to understand maths to do well, but being given a formula sheet is a joke!

 

[phoneJunky]

Basic bonds in foundation phase?

Sorry I am afrikaans, so I don't really get what you meant with this. When I was at varsity, I could see the new students struggling more with maths year after year, so I do agree that something is not right. And I also only evaluated the matric in my previous post, but I generally think that it isn't the math syllabus that is wrong, there is something else wrong. When I grew up, teachers were really highly regarded and were seen as professional people (or in my view), but I don't think this is the same anymore. Teachers are not being taken good care of and that people that would have considered to be a teacher studies something else, and we loose good quality teachers that way. This is only my opinion, and I don't know if there has been a study on this.