4Real Forums: singapore vs. developmental math

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Topic: singapore vs. developmental math

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tara
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Joined: May 19 2007
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Posted: May 19 2007 at 9:36pm \| IP Logged

I posted this in a thread and just realized it needed to be its own topic.
I am trying to decide between Singapore and Developmental math because I have heard great things about both, and they are both fairly inexpensive. Has anyone had experience with both?

If I was going to use just one, would you recommend Singapore or developmental math? Why? Which do you like better?

Which is more student-driven (less teacher-directed)? I want my child to work as independently as possible in math because I have 3 younger children and feel very busy!

Which program is easier for the child to understand?

Anything else you can tell me about either program that would help me decide?

Which do your kids like best?

I appreciate your help!

Thanks,
Tara

hopalenik
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Joined: Nov 17 2006
Location: Connecticut
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Posted: May 21 2007 at 2:48pm \| IP Logged

Hi,

Developmental Math should not in my opinion be your stand alone program. It is wonderful as an aside program when things get really stick or you need another way to explain a concept....
-Some of the volumes are out of print and have been for awhile.
-They are geared for 2 a year....which means your child will not cover borrowing or multiplication till 4th grade or so,...that can be a problem if you live where testing is mandatory.
-Since they don't intend that you get to certain concepts until your child is older, the difficulty factor can ramp very quickly with minimal drill. Example. Book covers carrying...But you only start carrying half way through the book...10 pages after you start, the child is expected to be able to add 5 to 6 double digit numbers with carrying. My 7 1/2 panicked.

I got into Developmental Math because we started with Singapore and I did not realize that Singapore is a Mastery Based Program. There is very little review from year to year as opposed to any American program. So I pushed my first to far and we need to master 1B material before we could go on. So we took the whole year off and did Developmental math books, 2-7. I had to skip large chucks of book 6 and 7 though because they were just too hard for her. I do feel that they got her ready for Singapore 2A next fall.

With my twins we did Sing K this year. Next year for first grade we will only do Sing 1A and Drill for Developmental Math books 2 and 3.

As a side note, Developmental Math has No photocopy statement anywhere, therefore I copy the entire book. Book 9 (Division) is completely out of print and rumor has it that supplies are running low on a number of other volumes.

Hope this helps.

holly

tara
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Posted: May 21 2007 at 8:09pm \| IP Logged

Thanks for your reply. I guess I will go with Singapore math. Do you like the mastery approach?

hopalenik
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Posted: May 23 2007 at 3:28pm \| IP Logged

My oldest is only 7 1/2...we did 1A and 1B with her last year. Next year we will do 2A and 2B (I hope). I like the mental math but you have to buy the homeschool manual that Sonlight sells to make the program most effective. I like the word problems and I like the fact that with a mastery based program you can't fake it. If she does not understand the material she can't move on. Somehow they manage to bring old concepts into everytask. With the standard cyclical American stuff, I can remember faking my way through a quarter knowing that I just needed to survive till the next quarter and then I could forget it all. I don't see that working with Singapore. But I would post about Singapore specifically to ask questions of parents who have gone further in the program. I plan to continue to use Developmental math as a supplement. I like how they really break double digit adding into the smallest most manageable parts. And singapore math does require extra drill sets-I like the tests and the extra math workbooks. But the intensive math books can go in the garbage-their setup is odd and hard to follow. There is also another set of extra Singapore workbooks, whose title I can not remember-but I liked those too. There really is not enough drill, so you need something else to force a topic in...

Holly

stefoodie
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Joined: Feb 17 2005
Location: Ohio
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Posted: May 23 2007 at 7:45pm \| IP Logged

We've used both. I'd use Singapore Math with a younger kid for the visuals; Developmental Math for an older kid. But wouldn't use those as stand-alone programs; more like supplements. How old is your oldest?

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stef

mom to five

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