I Dislike Singapore Math
ICA, (or at least grade school) adopted the Singapore Math system. O.o I'm not sure why, but they did. At first, I thought.. what's the difference? Is math really different in the land over yonder? I mean.. how different can it be? They will still be the same numbers, same operations, same mechanics. Why the distinction between normal math and singapore math?
Well, IMHO as an older sister who teaches her younger sister, the lovely singaporeans just made math more complicated. o.O And i'm not talking theory-complicated. After all, grade school math = basic arithmetic. *headdesk*
This is best explained through example.
Rounding off before Singapore Math:
Item: 540
What to do: Round off to the nearest hundred.
Method:
1. Locate the number on the right of the digit on the hundreds place,
2. If 1 - 4, round down. If 5 - 9, round up.
Answer: 500
Rounding off using Singapore Math:
Item: 540
What to do: Round off to the nearest hundred
Method:
1. Draw a number line. On either side of the number line would be the two choices. (to round up or round down. In this case: 500, and 600)
2. Locate 540 on the number line
3. Identify to which choice the item is closest to. That is your answer.
...Ugh. O.o it was sooo annoying. I mean the previous rule was simple. And I get that they probably want to encourage the visualizing of the problem and the better understanding of the concept, but couldn't it just be explained and not really the focus of the lesson? O.o It's a very simple lesson.
Another Example: Division
Division used to be.. well, just divide. First, it was simple division. Then there was the remainder and then there would be division with decimals, etc. Fairly easy though since they were just application of the method of division. But with Singapore Math, there's:
Division by a 1-digit number: (exercises from the book under this topic)
1. 6400 / 8 = ____ thousand / 8
= ____ thousand
= __________
or
2. Estimate the value of the quotient:
764 / 8 ≈ ____ / 8
= _____
The book then instructs you to perform the actual calculation. It then asks you:
"Is your actual answer reasonable?"
Okay so maybe this is a bit trivial. But it kinda takes away something from the student. It spoonfeeds them. And in a way, they're not able to realize the concepts and develop visualizations of their own. But maybe that's just me being weird. In any case..
...I still dislike Singapore Math.
Well, IMHO as an older sister who teaches her younger sister, the lovely singaporeans just made math more complicated. o.O And i'm not talking theory-complicated. After all, grade school math = basic arithmetic. *headdesk*
This is best explained through example.
Rounding off before Singapore Math:
Item: 540
What to do: Round off to the nearest hundred.
Method:
1. Locate the number on the right of the digit on the hundreds place,
2. If 1 - 4, round down. If 5 - 9, round up.
Answer: 500
Rounding off using Singapore Math:
Item: 540
What to do: Round off to the nearest hundred
Method:
1. Draw a number line. On either side of the number line would be the two choices. (to round up or round down. In this case: 500, and 600)
2. Locate 540 on the number line
3. Identify to which choice the item is closest to. That is your answer.
...Ugh. O.o it was sooo annoying. I mean the previous rule was simple. And I get that they probably want to encourage the visualizing of the problem and the better understanding of the concept, but couldn't it just be explained and not really the focus of the lesson? O.o It's a very simple lesson.
Another Example: Division
Division used to be.. well, just divide. First, it was simple division. Then there was the remainder and then there would be division with decimals, etc. Fairly easy though since they were just application of the method of division. But with Singapore Math, there's:
Division by a 1-digit number: (exercises from the book under this topic)
1. 6400 / 8 = ____ thousand / 8
= ____ thousand
= __________
or
2. Estimate the value of the quotient:
764 / 8 ≈ ____ / 8
= _____
The book then instructs you to perform the actual calculation. It then asks you:
"Is your actual answer reasonable?"
Okay so maybe this is a bit trivial. But it kinda takes away something from the student. It spoonfeeds them. And in a way, they're not able to realize the concepts and develop visualizations of their own. But maybe that's just me being weird. In any case..
...I still dislike Singapore Math.