Singapore Math is a curriculum modeled on the way math is taught in Singapore. Children in Singapore traditionally score highly in math when compared to those in other countries. Singapore method is demanding and relies heavily on mastery of the material. There are textbooks, workbooks, manipulative and teacher’s guides for each grade run from $9 – $30.
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Cons: very little repetition or cycling, requires teaching and student assistance
Grades Used: Primary 1 through Secondary 4
Singapore Math has a very systematic approach to 10s, number sense.
It is a very streamlined curriculum and relates will with the science curriculum. It has a good amount of problems to complete within a section or topic, although not as much afterwards. The difficulty level of the problems begins at the first levels, so that there isn’t a jump in difficulty as the student gets older, rather the curriculum probably feels easier as the student progresses to the higher levels.
The curriculum finds a nice rhythm in that it introducing harder topics followed by easier topics. It also looks at a topic more in depth which builds bridges to the next level of understanding.
One downside is that the text alone may not be sufficient for a homeschooler, and other resources or teacher help may be needed to give the full understanding. But students at the high school level should be proficient at finding these resources. I know personally, both my husband and I improved in our math just by grading and helping our son with Singapore math.
Finally, the problems are top quality. They really make students think. They focus not only on understanding but on practical application.
I would recommend this curriculum for a student who needs a in math challenge, and for remediation to help a student rebuild their number sense.
It is a great curriculum to take a student back through if they are struggling with number sense or problem solving skills, because of the way that it emphasizes those two topics. It is not good for students who easily forget concepts months later; although there a lot of problems, there is not much repetition or review.
I like Singapore Maths very much. I found its techniques as one of the most interesting way to teach maths to the students. Singapore curriculum is mostly focused on thorough the deep understanding of the problem rather than just learning it.
Cons: little spiral review
Grades Used: K-3
We tried about 6 different math programs before going back to Singapore. Son is extremely distractible (ADD) and cannot look at an overly crowded page or different topics back and forth, so mastery approach is the only way to go. We use the textbook, student wb but no teacher’s manual (yet) and no testing (yet). To include more spiral review on previously learned topics, I just put some problems up on the board to do before he starts his workbook. I like how the visuals and also the word problems really help the concept stick. We are using the US Edition which is not common core, but could easily switch to common core because the method is similar.
Cons: needs more review/drills for multiplication memorization.
Grades Used: 1,2,3
Level 1a and 1b are fairly easy and simple. Level 2a and 2b start to get a little more challenging. I really like the teacher’s edition, and bought all the suggested manipulatives to go with this. I use the teacher’s edition a lot and like the games and concrete teaching suggestions. We go slow and go back and review when necessary. We use the workbook and there is also a separate third grade mental math book as well. We plan on finishing all the mental math sheets in the teacher’s edition as well. I think concepts and mastery of skills are balanced in this curriculum, but for my child I am adding additional drills for memorization of multiplication tables and finding the missing factor.
Cons: too much mental math
Grades Used: 1st
We used Singapore math before at home. It was much more challenging than regular American math. Not giving spiral teaching, it requires students to have very good memory for every math concepts. Too much mental math was included so my son was reluctant to keep using the book.
Cons: None
Grades Used: 2nd & 4th
I chose this curriculum because I wanted my kids to be capable to think through their math problems and not just memorize facts.
This curriculum does just that. At 2nd grade level the kids have to think through word problems and set up simple equations to solve it. It is building a great foundation for when the time comes to tackle Algebra. It is very advanced, with 2B level teaching multiplications and simple division.
After a year using it, we are sticking with it.
Cons: Choosing a middle/high school program is confusing.
Grades Used: 1-12
As a former high school math teacher, I am thrilled with the results of using Singapore Math with my kids. Both my natural engineer and my not-so-math-inclined student are able to do arithmetic in their heads, think flexibly about a problem, and solve word problems with ease. Primary Mathematics includes two textbooks and two workbooks per grade. Simply read through each lesson and have the student complete the corresponding workbook page(s). Since each workbook has only 60 days of assignments, the program easily adapts to four days a week or a motivated student who wants to get ahead. For middle school and high school, there are several different options. We chose Discovering Math, a four year program with two textbooks per year. Solutions manuals are available and highly recommended if you are not a strong math person. You will have an extra year of schooling (or four in the case of my motivated student) to complete calculus or spend some extra time on Algebra II/Trigonometry for college-bound kids.
Cons: need teacher manual by Sonlight. No teacher help for middle or high school
Grades Used: 1-3
Over the years we’ve used many a math programs. Singapore is the best! It really makes your kids think critically. The software was great too. Most math books require a student do math one way, but Singapore helped them see that there are many strategies to working math. This helped them to think critically and see what works best for them. My kids LOVED this! The teacher guides from Sonlight are a must! My only complaint is that for a non-math mom, it was super difficult to teach once the teacher guides were done. We couldn’t find any teacher helps for middle school or high school. I finally had to give up and try something else cause I needed the help to teach my kids well, knowing that I am weak in math. That set us on an adventure to find a good math program and I can honestly say that after trying almost every math program out there, NONE have come close to comparing with Singapore.
We miss it. My kids now HATE HATE HATE math and they LOVE LOVE LOVED it when we did Singapore. Such a shame!
would highly recommend Singapore from very early on!
Grades Used: 4
We are using the Standard Edition and the Word Problem book. It teaches differently than I was taught, which is good because the book shows my son one way (sometimes 2 or 3) to do a concept and then I can show my son how I was taught. It’s interesting to see him choose which one makes more sense to him. With that being said, sometimes the book showing 2 or 3 different methods confuses him. It really involves a lot of pre-planning on the teacher’s part, but the extra ideas/games in the teacher’s manual are great and really reinforce the concept. My favorite is the word problem book. We only do one or two a week, but to me word problems really show you how math is used. I like the beginning of the book that shows the different methods that can be used for solving word problems. The table of contents shows you which problems are addition, measurement, time, etc. I love Singapore math, but it is not a good fit for the way my son thinks. We will use something else next year, but I will continue to use the word problem book.
Cons: lot of teacher prep and interaction
Grades Used: 2,3,4
We love SIngapore math. It is taught using what I consider to be a common sense approach to mathematical equations. It does take a lot of teacher prep and interaction, but I think it is totally worth it. Will continue to use Singapore as our math.
Cons: wish the home instructors guide was written more clearly at times
Grades Used: 1st
I really like this curriculum and am amazed at my daughter’s mental math ability already. I like that it focuses on teaching the concept and what is going on instead of just how to find an answer. Upon a recommendation from a veteran homeschooler, I followed her lead and bought the Home Instructor’s Guide, the textbook, and workbook and then supplemented with Miquon Math. This has proven to be a really nice balance, combining the mental math focus of Singapore with the more visual, hands-on Miquon. I highly recommend using these two resources in tandem; we have seen very good results with them.
Cons: requires some prep, costly
Grades Used: 3
Overall, my son and I have enjoyed using this curriculum. At the end of second grade, my son took the diagnostic test available on Singapore Math’s website to determine his level of math competence and achievement. Upon correcting his test and reading the evaluation online, I decided he needed to begin this year with the 2A/B Standards Edition (which we later found out was the US equivalent to 3-5 grades). For the most part, the explanations found in the textbook are engaging and straight-forward. They do not focus on memorizing algorithms, as found in most American math textbooks. We did not think some chapters provided enough opportunities for reaching depth. After reading some of the other reviews, I suspect purchasing the Intensive Practice books may be essential for that purpose. The Home Educators books are also absolutely necessary for providing background, scope and sequence, and an assortment of activities to introduce and reinforce concepts.
I have found that purchasing the curriculum can be costly, even after comparison-shopping. We decided to be cost-effective, we would use the same books for all our children, only use the workbooks as consumables, and then re-sell them on eBay. I do believe, however, that every part offered in this curricular series is essential and worth it!
Cons: price, availability of Home Instructor's Guides for later levels as they develop the Standards Edition
Grades Used: 1st-4th
I have chosen to use the Standards Edition and that is what this review is based upon. I am very impressed with the strategies given for solving problems quickly mentally. I personally excelled at and enjoyed higher math in school that involved mathematical thinking , but was never particularly good at math in the lower grades which focused on memorization of facts when I was in school. This edition of Singapore Math has helped me personally with excellent concept strategies for calculating problems quickly. My daughters have done excellently with it and amaze me with their speed. The bar graph model used for solving complex problems is amazing. Some of the problems my first daughter encountered when she started using this curriculum 2nd grade second semester shocked me. I only knew how to solve them using an algebraic equation and wondered how on earth my child was supposed to solve them. Our problem was jumping in where we did. The bar graph concept came earlier in the program. Once we got that we were amazing her very intelligent Daddy in the evenings with problems to solve and then she would show him how they were done after he worked them. All this said to encourage those who don’t start at the 1st grade level to maybe start a bit earlier than you think your student is ready for and move as quickly as you can through that first. I believe the Home Instructor’s Guide is essential to properly teach and a get the full value from this curriculum. I also HIGHLY recommend using the optional supplemental books Intensive Practice and Challenging Word Problems to really give your students the edge in math to set them apart for excellence. An earlier reviewer must not have been using the Instructor’s manual when she reported a lack of hands on learning for her child. The manual is full of different approaches using various manipulatives according to what you may have or can make, also suggestions for many games you can play.
Cons: Sometimes confusing
Grades Used: 1
We used this last year for my first grader. He did well with the first book, but started to get confused when having to learn subtraction. It seemed to cause a lot of frustration on his part. The way of explaining things is much different than what I learned in school, and though it made sense to me, I could not help my son to understand it. I also found that he was not actually learning the math facts, as the workbook uses pictures for almost every problem. He would simply count the little pictures to find the answer, instead of trying to figure them out. We switched to Spectrum this year, and he is now able to answer problems without counting on his fingers or the pictures in the book.
Cons: bad for hands on learner
Grades Used: k-2nd
The program is full of short lessons, with a colorful text. We did well until my DD who is a hands on learner tried to understand subtraction with regrouping. It simply couldn’t make sense.
Cons: Teacher's guide needed in higher levels
Grades Used: K, 1, 2, 4, 6
I’ve used levels K-2 and had much success. It’s well laid out and easy to use. The concepts are taught several different ways and build on one another. Occasionally in the workbook I have had my child skip problems if I feel she understands a concept and the number of problems is just too tedious, but for the most part this curriculum has worked very well for her.
I have also used level 4 and am currently using level 6 for my son. Level 4 was just too easy for him and he breezed through it, so I reviewed the books more closely and determined level 6 is where he was. Well, I am realizing that they periodically review material from previous levels and since we skipped level 5, there are many concepts that he is unable to do since they approach the concepts differently. The other thing I have determined is the teacher’s manual is essential for the higher levels, unless you are a mathmatical whiz! In level 6 he is already into concepts that I’m unable to do and the textbook is completely useless–it does not show at all HOW to do a problem. I am hoping that if I purchase the teacher’s manual it will show HOW to do the concepts. I’m not really sure of the purpose of the textbook at the upper levels.
But overall the program is very good in the lower levels and has been great for my daughter. I think the upper levels may be good too with the teacher’s guide.
Cons: can be really confusing to figure out what set of singapore math books to choose
Grades Used: 1st
This math program is excellent. It really teaches concepts from many different angles. I strongly recommend purchasing the intensive practice book as well. It is so worth it and really adds to the curriculum. I love that it is not only workbook stuff, but they have simple games in the teachers manual designed to make math learning fun. I am so glad I found this curriculum and would recommend it to anyone- especially those who get bored easily.
Cons: The price can add up. I didn't learn this way so it is a refresher.
Grades Used: Preschool and up
My son loves it. He preferred it over Saxon. My youngest has a lot of fun with it. My stepdaughter likes it but it is a little confusing because it is not how she previously learned math. Math is still her favorite subject and she says this challenges her more than how she was challenged in public school.
Cons: workbook can get boring, & sometimes confusin
Grades Used: 2nd
We just started using Singapore math this year. I appreciate the pre-test to determine which book to use. It made it very easy to figure out which book to buy. So far, the math (intro to multiplication) has been right on target, although some of the “different” ways to get the answer have been confusing even to me. Haha! Overall, I do like the way Singapore makes you think of multiplication in a different way. I remember just having to memorize when I was in school, but this helps my daughter to actually visualize and understand it. She can go at her own pace which is nice too. If she understands a concept quickly, she does the work & we move on to the next unit. Overall, we really enjoy Singapore math and my daughter is making great strides.
I used Singapore math with my daughter, and we both had a hard time with it. It introduces concepts in a way that we had a hard time understanding, especially when it came to adding. We did have an easier time when we got the Home educators guide book, but I came to the conclusion that she learned differently then Singapore taught.
Cons: very workbook/writing based which can be overwhelming if you make your child write every single answer to every sing problem
Grades Used: 1st
I like this curriculum for its effectiveness. The hands on manipulative are easy to make with very basic already have items. The games are fun if you truly follow the teaching manual. There are many different books you can get.
Teachers Manual
Textbook
Workbook
Extra Practice Book
Word Problem Book
Test Books
Each year is broken up into A and B segments. Which can be used as Semester 1 and 2. Or you can move through it faster/slower. Its a nice curriculum but it can be trying with all the workbook time, if you choose to use all books in the curriculum.