MATHEMATICS!!! NNNOooooooo!!!! If you’re like most people, then I’m pretty sure just hearing the word MATH already makes your nerves start shaking and your body start trembling! I for one am caught in between!
Most people HATE Math… as for me, it’s a love and hate relationship! There are some aspects of Math that I love… One of which is Algebra… but I hate Geometry and Calculus! I just couldn’t understand them! Moreover, I love computing for the answer, but I just hate it when fractions are involved!
In the past 3 years or so, I’ve been hearing a bunch of stuff about Singapore Math. I’ve seen people post it on Facebook, I’ve heard about seminars and workshops, etc. My curiosity slowly grew but I never really thought of learning more about it. I’ve heard stories about how cool it was and how easy it was to use! I don’t know why I never attended a workshop until recently… and all I can say is… WOW! It’s THAT good!
Singapore Math VS Traditional Math
Don’t get me wrong, I love the way I learned Math, and if your child is enjoying it, then by all means, let him stick to it! However, most kids usually don’t enjoy the traditional way Math is taught. Moreover, they don’t understand it. The way we learned to solve when we were younger – and the way kids are learning to solve today is mostly based on memorization of facts. Memorizing that 2 + 2 is 4 without really knowing how it came to be and memorizing formulas and rules without really understanding why we apply it. You see, Singapore math makes you visualize more, it teaches you to count and not to memorize.
Singapore Math as Explained by Galileo Enrichment Program
Last April 21, 2012, I was given the opportunity to attend one of Galileo’s Singapore Math Workshops. I was excited and really eager to find out what Singapore Math was all about. The workshop was led by mother and son tandem Dr. Queena Lee-Chua and Scott Lee-Chua.
Singapore Math is already being applied in a handful of schools such as Xavier and Ica. According to Scott, “It takes a while to adjust to it, but eventually after a year, all the grades started to shoot up.”
The workshop lasted for just 2-3 hours and yet I learned so much! I’m just not sure HOW I can explain it to you guys through this post but let me try…
Here’s a sample problem:
To adults and older kids, this is just a very simple problem, but for preschoolers, this is way too complicated! However, if the child can count, then he can compute, however, as you see above, the child draws something rather than just writing down the numbers.
This way, the kids are able to UNDERSTAND what they are actually doing. A skill that will be very beneficial in the long run.
“The biggest mistake we can tell our kids about Math is that there are 4 operation. There are just 2 – addition and subtraction! Multiplication is simply repeated addition and division is repeated subtraction.”
Personally, I felt a little confused with the operations. Mostly because I already mastered the traditional approach. However, then Dr. Queena Lee-Chua started talking about fractions, I felt excitement in me that I never felt before for the topic. I hated fractions. I could never understand it.. until today!
Finding the answer through Singapore Math
One sixth of the class are boys, the blue box is one sixth of the entire rectangle. Two-fifths of the girls are wearing glasses, 2 rectangles out of the 5 pink ones represent the girls wearing eye glasses. now the remaining 3 represent the girls without eyeglasses.
So, since we know there are 36 kids and 6 equal divisions/boxes. We now know that one box is 6! so 2 boxes (girls wearing eye glasses) is 2 x 6, hence there are 12 girls wearing eye glasses!
During the workshop, kids and parents alike were also given a chance to come up and solve for the answer on their own!
Basically, this is what Singapore Math is all about. I wish I could discuss it even further with you, but you’ll just have to trust me when I say it’s a learning style which most kids will love! To know more about it though, you may contact the Galileo Enrichment Program!
Galileo is a meaningful, exciting and fun Math and English after-school enrichment program for children, ages 3-12 years old. They have several centers, just call them and ask which center is nearest to you!
For more information,
Call 8451234 or 0917-534-3582
Galileo Flagship Center at G/F Republic Glass Building, 196 Salcedo St., Legaspi Village, Makati.
Visit their website at www.galileoenrichment.com
or email them at [email protected]
