There are people who like math. There are people who love math. And then there are those who are on a mission to see that every student has an opportunity to LEARN math! With an eclectic background in education and training in Singapore math methodologies, your blogger team is set to share our story as we strive to improve math education in our country.
Andy Clark is a former elementary and junior high school teacher. He recently retired as the K-12 Math Coordinator for Portland Public Schools, an urban district that outperformed the state of Oregon and closed the achievement gap. Recently, Andy was invited to Singapore to meet with educators and observe, first-hand, a Singapore classroom. You may recognize Andy since he has coauthored of a number of math programs, including Every Day Counts®: Calendar Math (Pre-K-6), Algebra Readiness (6 & Up), and Partner Games (K-6), and Math in Focus: The Singapore Approach (K-5).
Patsy F. Kanter is an author, teacher, and international mathconsultant. She worked as the Lower School Math Coordinatorand Assistant Principal at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans,Louisiana, for 13 years. Kanter is the author of a number ofmathematics programs, including Afterschool Achievers:Math Club (K–8) and Summer Success®: Math (K–8), and co-author of Every Day Counts®: Calendar Math, Partner Games (K–6), and Practice Counts (1–6). She is a consulting author for Math in Focus, which is the U.S. version of Singapore’s My Pals Are Here! Maths. Both programs are published by Marshall Cavendish, Singapore.
A primary instructor with experience teaching and training Singapore math strategies, Kelli has joined a network of educators who pursue a fresh approach to teaching math. In 2005, Kelli pioneered the implementation and professional development of one of Colorado’s early adopters of Singapore math strategies on a school-wide basis. Schooled in the use of personalized instruction plans, Socratic methods of teaching and parent education, she has come to share her practical experience and expertise with teachers around the country. Kelli is an author and guest blogger for multiple educational resources online and has moved towards new model of educating the educator and has embraced the innovations of sharing learning via digital media. She believes in the value of whole-family education and presents at Parent Universities. Kelli looks forward to future opportunities to train, present and invent in 21st century education.
6 comments
Ideas Worth Spreading: TED Talks Inspire Education Conversation » singapore math blog... says:
September 22, 2010 at 6:07 pm (UTC -7)
[...] my blogger bio to see why I’m so interested in this [...]
Azmina A. says:
September 12, 2011 at 11:24 am (UTC -7)
Hello. My daughter will be attending a school in Grade 6 that teaches Singapore
Math. The school she currently attends teaches Jump Math (I live in B.C. Canada)
She has never been exposed to Singapore Math before. Will she have a hard time adjusting and should I get a tutor who teaches Singapore math before she enters Grade 6?
Please advise
Sincerely Azmina A.
kellitrainer says:
September 12, 2011 at 4:54 pm (UTC -7)
Azmina, it sounds like you are ready to support your daughter in her transition to Singapore math, which will become a huge advantage for her…even over tutoring!
Before you add to your daughter’s schedule, consider asking her new Grade 6 teacher (or the school) about their policy for integrating students who are new to Singapore math. You might find that students come and go, creating a classroom management style that allows for students of different levels to build background knowledge and move forward without slowing the progress of others who are ready to go deeper.
The program your daughter used at her previous school should have allowed her to focus on some of the foundational concepts that build strong number sense and confidence in problem-solving. As she begins the year in her Singapore math materials, ask her what content seems familiar. By making these connections to prior knowledge, she can take the transition in smaller steps, slowly integrating concepts and skills that are unique to Singapore math or taught in an earlier grade than most traditional programs. (Mental Math, Bar Models, Fractions, etc.)
Lisa says:
October 28, 2011 at 2:23 pm (UTC -7)
Hello Team,
I am a Math Instructional Coach in a school district which is in the first year of implementation of Math in Focus. I want to support the teachers in the lesson structure, and stay true to the development of number sense which is the foundation of Math in Focus. I have noticed that the Grades 4 and 5 teachers are having the most difficult with the content. My school also uses Everyday Counts Calendar math which really complements the Math in Focus lessons. How can I best support my teachers? I really love our new approach to mathematics instruction. I have questions about how to approach the “Let’s Practice” component of the book to be sure the students have learned the concept. How do I get teachers to not skip this part of the lesson before going to the Workbook? Any advice?? Also, I am starting a “Math in Focus” Professional Learning Community for the teachers in my district, so I will be needing your expertise. It is the best decision for our district.
kellitrainer says:
November 14, 2011 at 8:56 am (UTC -7)
Lisa, you have great insight into what it takes to get a community of educators to be successful in their transition to a more rigorous set of standards. When teachers participated in their first Professional Development workshop, they learned about the lesson pathway and that Math in Focus is designed as a highly-scaffolded curriculum, where each step in the learning process is intentional and necessary. When teachers make decisions to skip or rearrange content, it is likely because they need more help in understanding how to transition students into grade-level content given that they don’t have Singapore math as background knowledge. This is a complex concept and not usually conveyed through a blog post comment. Your Professional Learning Community should create an agenda with questions and considerations to focus on during this very important collaboration time. I’ll send you a direct email with some ideas on how we can lend our “expertise” to improve confidence, effectiveness, instruction and learning!
J. says:
July 15, 2012 at 3:27 pm (UTC -7)
Hi there,
I am very curious about Singapore Math and have some very specific questions. As I design my charter school, which will serve k-2 the first year, then grow to 4th grade, I am wondering what is the best way of getting the 2nd graders on board with this program, as I’m not 100% sure of their competencies in regards to foundations and even basic numeracy. Is there a transition course available? Also, can the curriculum work in a small group setting, as in a teacher led center for the main lesson, while another adult works with another group to solidify foundations ( in effect, mixing teaching styles) ? Also, have there been any studies regarding the effectiveness of this curriculum in urban settings?