As teachers we believe that all our students can succeed. When we believe that, it rubs off onto our students, and success follows. And then, after a few years, you have a generation of parents who believe it too, and a virtuous circle is created. Good lesson planning is essential to the process of teaching and learning. A teacher who is prepared is well on his/her way to a successful instructional experience. The development of interesting lessons takes a great deal of time and effort. At Wise Oaks International School, we have ensured that all our teachers are highly qualified and are specialists who are competent to deliver this world class math curriculum.
Singapore math not only helps students become more successful problem solvers, but it also helps them gain a sense of confidence and resourcefulness because it insists on conceptual depth. This naturally prepares students to excel in more advanced math.
In this stage, teachers lead a classroom activity. Students represent squirrels. Have 5 students go to the front of the class and ask the rest of the class how many students there are. Send 2 more students up to the front and ask, " How many students are there now? " Ask students to explain what happened. The interaction introduces students to the problem in a tangible way.
Students are then shown a visual representation of the problem.
Number bonds are a pictorial technique that show the part-whole relationship between numbers. Initially, the whole number is written in one circle, and the parts of the number are written in adjoining circles connected by lines to the first circle. This method helps early elementary students work towards addition and subtraction, and illustrates strategies to solve expressions mentally. Using number bonds fosters a solid number sense that serves students throughout their math education.
Students are then shown an equation of the problem.
Bar models are a versatile and transferable tool that students can use to visualize a range of math concepts, such as fractions, ratios, percentages, and more. Drawing bar models for word problems allows students to determine the knowns and unknowns in a given situation. It extends the CPA approach, especially the pictorial phase, as it allows students to illustrate the mathematical information given in problems. It prepares them to understand more complex math on a conceptual level. This method is most effective when used frequently throughout the program.
The problem below demonstrates an example of bar modelling.
The Singapore Math approach teaches techniques and skills to easily and accurately perform mental math. These strategies help students develop number sense and flexibility in thinking about numbers. Many mental math strategies involve factoring numbers into parts, then performing operations on them in a different order from the original expression. The thought processes involved in mental math are often illustrated by number bonds.
Some mental math strategies are taught as early as grade 1. As students' progress, they learn to apply new mental math strategies to specific types of problems and adapt ones they already know. Students are encouraged to develop their own strategies, and to use their discernment in deciding when and where to use them. Here is an example of mental math.
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