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I'm off to Singapore next week for a summer math program and will add these questions to my growing list. We'll get to observe and discuss at two primary schools, one secondary and the National Institute of Education
Are there any other questions about Singapore math curriculum and implementation you would like answered?
Monday, June 25, 2007
Any questions about Singapore math?
From CassyT in the comments section of Help Desk – Singapore bar modeling:
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25 comments:
I have a question about the level of parent teaching & reteaching.
One question: how many Singapore kids go to KUMON? I get the impression they do a roaring business there, but of course I don't know. I've also read that in Asian countries KUMON serves as special ed; parents take their kids to KUMON for remediation. (I'll try to find the article.)
heck
I can't believe I've lost that link...
A related issue: the AIR report says that Singapore does no ability grouping until 6th grade (I believe).
Are slower kids keeping up with faster kids by dint of KUMON, parent teaching, etc...in other words, how do they manage the different levels of ability & speed of learning within heterogeneous classes?
And...I've also read (pretty sure i can find THAT link) that parents attend weekend-long seminars on how to teach your child math; they also put themselves on waiting lists for expensive tutors.
here it is:
Involved parents. Here, that doesn’t mean just showing up for Back to School Night. Parents get on waiting lists for the best tutors, who charge $300 a month. They buy two sets of books to ensure that one is always available for homework. Hundreds pay $300 to attend 30 hours of weekend training so they can understand changes in math instruction. "As parents, we think of always buying the best computers, giving them the best tutors, to play it safe, you know, so they can score high on their examinations," says Siew Yok as she purchased software so her 12-year-old daughter could cram to qualify for prestigious Raffles Girls School.
http://singaporemaths.com/media_articles.htm#WhyTinySingapore
Basically, I'm interested in the entire system - what goes on outside the classroom as well as inside.
I don't say this to be critical of the curriculum; I love Singapore Math.
But I'm curious about the "big picture."
I'm also curious whether FRACTIONS are the huge stumbling block for kids there that they are for kids here....
And of course I'm highly curious whether the curriculum they're using now is working as well (I've forgotten the name).... and why they replaced the Primary Mathematics series.
I'm curious about anything they have to say about the bar models and about a problem-solving curriculum.
I'm sure there's more!
Here's the KUMON Singapore website:
http://www.kumon.com.sg/franchise/aboutfranchise.asp
Can't believe I lost the URL for that article.
dang
The fact that everyone gets tutoring and that parents attend seminars and handle teaching were also presented to me as fact. The current curriculum in Singapore is the "My Pals Are Here". I don't know why they switched from PM, but it's on the list of questions.
I'd also like to know a bit more about how Singapore handles the non-visual learners or just the "slower" students. Here's some info from the AIR study p. 35
"Addressing Equity: Curriculum Standards and Support for the Slower Mathematics Student
The Singapore system recognizes that students who have trouble with mathematics may not attain mastery by following Singapore’s regular program of mathematics instruction and that these students may need special assistance to attain competence.
Beginning in grades 5 and 6, Singapore identifies its weaker students on the basis of a general examination of mathematics and language competency. These students receive special assistance and are taught according to a special fifth- and sixth-grade mathematics framework. This special framework mandates that students in the slower track
• receive approximately 30 percent more mathematics instruction than students in the regular track, and
• be exposed to the same mathematical content as students in the regular track, although at a slower pace."
Students get the 30 % more mathematics with the help of "Mathematics Support Teachers (MST), who receive on-the-job supervision and specialized training to ensure that they are professionally competent, deliver compensatory assistance."
The AIR study is available online at: http://www.air.org/news/documents/Singapore%20Report%20(Bookmark%20Version).pdf
I'm interested in how they're able to make it all the way to grade 5 without providing extra help. Their grade 5 is quite advanced compared to ours.
I've mentioned before that "Math Dad" told me that he "gets the call" in 5th grade; that's when parents tell him they are no longer able to reteach math at home.
I assume that's because parents are, at that point, attempting to teach fractions & find they can't do it.
I found the same thing, even though I still remembered fractions & didn't have trouble doing them myself. I'm fairly certain that a DESPERATE need for pedagogical content knowledge kicks in when you reach the subject of fractions.
Another issue: the gap in learning speed is largest as kids begin learning a subject, which I believe means that the gap should be largest in 1st grade.
However, they're keeping kids together in 1st through 4th grades.
So how does this happen?
Are the parents simply able to bring the slower kids along through extra practice & reteaching at home?
Do the schools advise parents of slower learners to provide extra practice?
Do they advise parents to sign their kids up for KUMON?
I can't wait to hear what you find out.
Also.... re: KUMON - what is their attitude towards KUMON?
Do schools ever coordinate with KUMON (or other tutoring businesses)?
I'm interested in the creativity issue, too. From what I read (Stigler & also Barb Oakley) "creativity" is a big issue for Asian countries, including Singapore, I believe.
I **think** that's why from time to time they decide they need to adopt one of our constructivist curricula.
I'll find the old ktm-1 links on that subject.
Here are some of them:
http://www.kitchentablemath.net/twiki/bin/view/Kitchen/HowAsiansAndWesternersThinkDifferently
http://www.kitchentablemath.net/twiki/bin/view/Kitchen/TwoMoreReasonsWhyAsiansAreWinning
http://www.kitchentablemath.net/twiki/bin/view/Kitchen/DescribeThisPicture
http://www.kitchentablemath.net/twiki/bin/view/Kitchen/HowAsiansAndWesternersThinkDifferentlyPartTwo
http://www.kitchentablemath.net/twiki/bin/view/Kitchen/HaroldStevensonRIP
http://www.kitchentablemath.net/twiki/bin/view/Kitchen/HowAsiansAndWesternersThinkDifferentlyPartThree
http://www.kitchentablemath.net/twiki/bin/view/Kitchen/CreativityGapPart2
http://www.kitchentablemath.net/twiki/bin/view/Kitchen/BarbaraOakleyAndSteveHOnCreativityGap
I'm interested in what they see students' "sticking points" as.
(fractions? long division? absolute value & operations with integers?)
Also: do they teach calculus in high school?
I gather they don't - if not, why not?
(I think they go to school 10 years compared to our 13??)
Can I come with you?
Catherine-
Breathe.
For a mere $2500 + flight (no 2 week advance at this point) you can come with us!
It should be interesting as the group includes university deans and professors, curriculum specialists & me, a third grade teacher. Our school's math coach is going as well. She trained all of our teachers & trains districts & schools around the world on implementing the curriculum.
You and anyone interested, can follow our trip at mathinsingapore.blogspot.com. I'll try & post some photos of the classrooms we visit.
GREAT!
I've seen the blog - have been meaning to get a link up!
I should add: when I say "creativity is a big issue," I mean that Asian governments define creativity as an issue.
Cassy, this is Linda Moran, aka The Eclectic Educator.
I'm heavily involved in the math wars in my district of Ridgewood, New Jersey.
I taught all of my kids math using Singapore Math.
This is opening Pandora's box, but what I want to know is this:
What percentage of Singapore students get outside tutoring? (I've heard that most do.) Is it for drill and mastery? Do the families pay for it? How much of it is government subsidized? How do the parents feel about this extra tutoring? Is it part of the culture?
Also, what do Singapore teachers say about how to teach place value?
And lastly, is math a sepcial in their elementary schools? In other words, do elementary school teachers of math have to be licensed specifically in math?
Get all the details you can about their once a week meetings, in which they discuss math. That's so in contrast with American teachers who meet to talk about child development.
Wow, what a tall order to find out these things! LOL
Well anyway, do your best. Thanks!
Linda Moran
I'd like two questions answered, please!
1) How much time is spent per day/year/week whatever on math for a typical Singapore schoolkid (answer may be different per grade, ya?)? I'd include in-school, Kumon, at home, etc.
2) How much drill do they do? I've been supplementing the textbooks and workbooks with drill. I understand that this his normal. But ... how much is expected/typical?
-Thanks
Mark Roulo
It might be useful to be attentive to technology used in the classroom (or home or other supplemental education site) or for professional development (e.g. ubiquitous broadband capable of HDTV quality video.)
Of course, first and foremost:
- How much time and what sort of instruction do the kids need to master key concepts
- Which concepts are considered key
I'm looking forward to the blog! I see you've already got comparative scope and sequence there.
A colleague who has been to Singapore simply said, "They have their act together."
For background, ere's a Singaporean vision for technology in education: "Empowering Learners and Engaging Minds, Through Infocomm"
Here's a quote that might be useful: "If some other nation designs a better military plane, our aeronautical engineers do not point smugly to the fact that our own aircraft are better than they were in 1920 or 1930 or 1940."
A truly minor point, has Singapore looked at/purchased/implemented any of the reform math programs circulating through the US school systems?
The director of curriculum told me quite smugly that "They use Everyday Math in Singapore"
Would love to know more about Singapore's thoughts on that one.
Lynn-
The Singapore American School
has just adopted Everyday math as their main curriculum.
From their website:
"Established in 1956, Singapore American School (SAS) is an independent, non-profit, co-educational day school offering an American based curriculum for preschool through grade 12 expatriate students."
Most children attending American Schools hail from US schools and are there because one of their parents was transferred to that country as part of their job. Most of these students would likely struggle through a traditional Singapore math curricula and that's likely why Everyday Math was adopted. With the large number of US schools using EM and other programs like it, there is probably less of an adjustment issue.
I'd love to know that for certain though, because I'm just speculating based on a few people I know who have lived in Singapore and/or other Asian countries and have children who attended the American Schools.
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