SIngapore Math Addition

[jyanh1]

And the bar models themselves are great for multi-step problems and a great tool to analyze the problem and draw it visually. They are great as a step towards simple algebraic problems.

[jyanh1]

I think the problems are great, the harder ones. They are fun to solve (not with these steps) and really make a kid think and "problem solve". But they are made up problems designed for bar models with names and things from life attached to them, whether one would really be solving that kind of problem in real life or not. So the who or what does not matter. Go ask people who write the problems. Look at enough books, and you see the same thing with different names and different things.

[jyanh1]

And, no, they are not always real-life problems. So and so used 320 more beads than so and so and started out with 3 times as many and ended up with 2 times as many or whatever. (different problem than this). Did they actually count their beads? Would you if you were doing an art project to the precise number?

[jyanh1]

Yes, I have seen a "real" Singapore Math book. Yes, it has problems like this. But you don't need these steps to solve them. In none of these steps do you analyze whether you are doing a comparison or part whole, whether you have equal parts or not. That is more important than who or what. These "steps" will mess you up with more challenging problems. You don't always start the same way. This might work for easy problems, but is the wrong way to start out. Problem solving is not steps to follow.

[jyanh1]

Variables are NOT who and what. It does not matter who or what. A variable is an unknown number. Not a person or thing. This approach is NOT singapore math. Even the use of the word variable is not mathematical. It is a made-up US approach. You won't find this in Singapore Math books.

[milksomecows]

@jyanh1 Who says you won't? Have you ever seen a real Singapore Math Book? Well... I guess not. In Singapore Math Books, they call questions like this Problem Solving Questions. The question is made to look like a real life situation by using names of people and things. I would know I have been studying math for 11 years in SINGAPORE!!!

[BruceDeitrickPrice]

All this wordiness. I completely distrust this stuff.

And what grade is this? A kid who can't read fluently will be doubly locked out.

[LillprincS]

That is very interesting information. Teachers are being trained in this method via online classes and instructed as my video shows. It must be the American interpretation (which uses the Singapore name). I've found it to be helpful for my third grade students.

Could you point me in the direction of some examples out of Singapore? I'd love to compare the difference.

[bakijej]

It seems I cannot post a link.

[bakijej]

Do a search for The Singapore Maths Teacher.

At that site you can see in level 1 grade 3 example a part-whole model. This type of model comes from some foundational concepts in grades 1 and 2. No equal units for this. Equal units come in with multiplication and division.

[bakijej]

If this 7-step method helps your students, great, but it is misleading to call it Singapore Math, since that is not how modeling is taught in the curriculum from Singapore. This Americanized version is a limited approach. But likely useful if you are not using the rest of the curriculum.

[bakijej]

Also, in the original Singapore Math, they do not draw equal bars for this. They have learned how to solve this type of problem with the concept of part-part whole. using number bonds. They then would draw a part-whole model at a later level for a problem with larger numbers. Not start with two equal bars. This is NOT Singapore math. Though I suppose it is how it might be taught in a US school where things are changed.

[bakijej]

This isn't Singapore math. Modeling is taught, but not this way. This is an Americanization of the process. A student in grade 1 would not have to draw a unit for each object.