kitchen table math, the sequel: model method

Monday, November 26, 2007

model method

I came across what may be a terrific web site for non-math majors trying to teach the Singapore Math curriculum the other day:

Teach Kids Math Using the Model Method

I could have used this site when I first started working through Challenging Word Problems Book 3 lo these many years ago. My knowledge of arithmetic was so fragmented at the time that I didn't immediately perceive the various "genres" of bar models. Each problem I solved seemed almost to call for a whole brand-new, never-before-seen bar model. (Not quite, but close enough.)

I needed a map of the world.

One of the blinding revelations that came to me via bar models was the reason for the word "difference" as in the expression: "Find the difference." It had simply never occurred to me that subtraction was two things (scroll down - may need to hit refresh a couple of times):

  • how much is left when you take away "X"?
  • what is the difference between two numbers?
The great thing about the "Teach Kids Math" site is that it lists "Comparison" on a separate button on the sidebar. You can take one look at that page and realize: nobody ever mentioned "comparison" back when I was in school.

I'm not so crazy about the way they draw the comparison model, though. In all of the Singapore books I've seen, they've drawn the comparison model the way I did (though the bars aren't "stacked" the way I stacked them...don't know why I did that.)

I'll probably have C. take a look at the site.

4 comments:

TerriW said...

Rencently, I ordered both the Singapore Earlybird and Saxon K sets for our household. I'm pretty sure we're going to go Singapore, but it's all pretty cheap at the lowest level, so I thought it'd be worthwhile to compare side by side. I don't think I'll have anything meaningful to report until after the holiday season is over, though. Heh. We've only gone through the first few Saxon lessons on learning the manipulatives and the calendar and we haven't even cracked Singapore yet.

But when I was ordering them, I found this neat resource -- Handbook for Singapore Math Teachers, and of course, thought immediately of you guys. I got it, but again, haven't had a chance to crack it yet.

I get nothing done between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

concernedCTparent said...

We're using both at our house. My daughter calls it SS Math (Saxon/Singapore). I'm finding the differences are complementary and together we have a balance of fact practice, review in Saxon with all the extraordinary strengths of Singapore (particularly the word problems.) Next year I plan on the same combination for first, third and sixth grade.

Catherine Johnson said...

Hi Terri---

I finally opened my Lucy Calkins box!!!

(Can't bring myself to look inside the books yet....)

I wonder if this is the same Handbook I have on my shelf.

Will have to look.

Catherine Johnson said...

I think Linda Moran has done something like that (Singapore for word problems --- )

Singapore is fantastically strong on word problems.

Amazing.