How the Singapore Math Method Helps Children Learn Math Effectively
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Singapore Math is a commonly suggested curriculum to homeschoolers, as it is well-known for helping kids develop good mathematical thinking and problem solving skills. But is the Singapore Math Method the right approach for your kids?
I'm excited to share this post from Ms. Mitchell, who teaches online classes at Monster Education. Ms. Mitchell has taught upper elementary Singapore Math for the past 14 years and explains why it's three-stage method is a great way for kids to learn.
This is a sponsored guest post and all opinions are the guest author's. I received compensation, but reviewed this product to make sure it was something that I wanted to share with techie homeschoolers. READ HERE for more information.
In recent years, school boards have taken a look around at international statistics and noticed which countries are excelling in mathematics at the K-12 level. Singapore was noted as a clear standout.
The main reason why? Its three-stage approach to teaching math, which has since become known around the world as the Singapore Math method. This article will explain what Singapore Math is and how it can help your child learn math faster and with deeper comprehension than ever before.
The Origins of Singapore Math
Every year, in every classroom around the nation, students struggle with math. But the reason why math poses such a hurdle might surprise you. In fact, for the most part, it has nothing to do with the students or even with their teachers.
The root cause of the problem is how math is taught in the American school system. Luckily, the Singapore Math method tackles this problem head-on, which is why so many districts are finally paying attention to it.
Developed in the 1980s, the Singapore Math method was specifically designed to address the challenges students face in this critical subject. Working to build a new math curriculum for its nation’s schools, Singapore’s Curriculum Development Institute studied the causes for why children have a hard time with math in the first place.
It realized that the reasons could be found in instructional philosophy. Teachers expected students to comprehend relatively abstract math concepts without any solid foundation to picture these concepts in their young minds. They also relied on rote memorization drills as a primary means of getting their students to “learn” the concepts.
Essentially, the Institute realized the problem boiled down:
- students memorizing ideas that didn’t make truly sense to them;
- students having no solid foundation to build upon.
As beleaguered students advanced through the grades, each new year brought more advanced mathematical courses. But because they never really understood the earlier concepts, they couldn’t use those building blocks as a foundation. The further they progressed in the lessons, the further they fell behind.
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So the Curriculum Development Institute decided to stop doing things the old way and try something new instead. It borrowed innovative techniques from Jerome Bruner, a psychologist and educator whose research in the 1960s found that students learn best through a three-stage approach — Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract (CPA).
How Singapore Math Addresses the Problem of Learning Math
Bruner’s research established that children could learn complicated subjects, including math, when an appropriate teaching methodology is used. He devised a methodical system that allows students to take sufficient time to progress along a sequence of concepts, starting with a Concrete stage where students get hands-on experience using physical objects. Next comes the Pictorial stage, where they practice image-based thinking.
These critical initial stages — which most math teachers skip entirely— lay the groundwork for the Abstract stage where students finally start tackling things like numbers and symbols.
Singapore’s Curriculum Development Institute applied Bruner’s insightful philosophy to their new “Singapore Math” curriculum, ensuring students can conceptualize fundamental math principles before introducing challenging abstract topics.
The Singapore Math method spends sufficient teaching time during the fundamental Concrete and Pictorial stages instead of rushing things to the confusing Abstract phase, which throws students off.
How Your Student Can Learn Singapore Math
While many schools around America are finally waking up to the powerful advantages of the Singapore Math method, many are still lagging. Meanwhile, several schools that have incorporated it simply thrust it upon their existing faculty without enough training. In other words, teachers with little to no experience in the Singapore Math curriculum are asked to teach it to students.
Suffice it to say, there’s a better way. The group tutoring platform Monster Education is one of the best alternative ways to get your student the help they deserve. Monster Education courses are taught by Singapore Math online experts who know how to maximize the benefits of this exciting methodology.
They’re trained to help students understand the underlying logic of how math works so they can master the subject instead of simply memorizing formulas they don’t understand. Kids learning math enjoy group tutoring in a fun, relaxed online environment. Parents love the affordable, flexible access to Singapore Math online — and are delighted when they see how quickly and easily their little ones pick up mathematical concepts!
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