Singapore Math question

[bellabear]

Hi all,

I'm very interested in this curriculum.  Anyone here use it?  I'm curious as to whether or not I need to purchase the teacher's edition as I'm not sure and it's pretty pricey.

Any opinions appreciated!

Michelle

[IncompetentHousewife]

I use it. I started with Earlybird Kindergarten 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B (which they now combine into I think two books). Then we used Primary Mathematics 1A, 1B, 2A and are just finishing 2B. I'd say the teacher's edition depends on a couple things. You don't need it for level 1 if you can do basic first-grade math. If time is of the essence and you want it to check your child's workbook answers for higher levels, it can make it faster to check them against the teacher's guide rather than doing the math in your head yourself. It also depends on your child. Mine has absorbed the info pretty well so far, so we started using the 2A and 2B Home Instructor's Guides including all the extra worksheets and activities to work through the problems, but it wasn't necessary for my daughter so we skipped it. We simply go through the textbook on our own. I think it's pretty clear at these levels how they want you to do the problems by looking at the textbook, then my daughter goes to the workbook on her own. As we get into harder levels I'm not sure. For 3A I think I might start using it without the Home Instructor's Guide, then buy it if it seems like we could use more help.

[boysarecool]

i have a son who's doing 5th grade math and another doing 1st grade. i've always used the home instructors guide for my older son and found it pretty helpful. sometimes, when i can't figure out exactly the best way to explain something, it instructs me. and it gives all the answers, which makes everything quick (so i don't have to do every problem). i do think they sell an answer key separately.

so i bought the home instructors guide for 1A and 1B, and i've never opened it. i don't use the answer key at all, and i don't really need an explanation on such basic concepts. i guess, it would be best to explain it exactly as they would want me to, but we just plow through it on our own.

hope that's helpful.

[moominmamma]

All my kids have used it. Dd17, ds14 and ds12 are long done with Singapore Primary. Dd8 is now working through the last couple of levels.

I learned and understand basic math, it seems, in a very "Asian way," because I've never had any difficulty guiding my kids through the program without the teacher's manuals. Once in a long while I refer to the textbooks but mostly we just use the workbooks. We are a pretty mathy family, with two parents with science degrees and a lot of enjoyment of mathematical concepts and tricks in the course of daily life. 

Miranda

[AAK]

We use it here.  I buy the textbook and the workbook.  I have never gotten the teachers book or the home educators book.  

To be honest, I don't use the text a whole lot.  But I will refer to it as needed.  However, I am VERY math oriented.  It was always my favorite subject in school.  If you are really uncomfortable with math, buy it.  If not, skip it and see how it goes.  You can always order it later.

Amy

[Lisa1970]

The teacher's edition is relatively new and was not written by the same people who wrote the Singapore Math program. I would just get the answer key, which is very cheap. When I started Singapore Math, there was no teacher's guide.