I do not remember ever liking the subject Math ever since I can remember. Even through the times that I was the sole person who passed Trigonometry in my middle school class, nor when I was one of the two class representatives for Math Quiz Bee when I was in Third Year High School. For some reason, it puzzled me that I can pass the complex Trigonometry in Second Year High School, let alone be Quiz Bee representative in Third Year. I really don’t like Math and that’s that. It’s too complex. Too everything I don’t want in a subject.
Now that I am a home educator, I am kind of compelled to look at Math in a different manner for the benefit of my son. Being our child’s teacher, our homeschooling routine should be a challenge enough. Now, Math. That’s something I have to choose to embrace. Because my son is only in Level 4, we are doing the fundamentals still. But I am not too sure of myself when he gets to middle school. Although the School of Tomorrow system is very parent friendly, the thought of advanced mathematics is not something I am looking forward to.
Enter Singapore Math. This special approach to Math is locally offered by Galileo Enrichment Learning Program. We got a taste of how it is like for our homeschooler to be at one of their learning centers and he enjoyed it a lot. I am very pleased that Galileo is now offering Singapore Math. Gives me that hope I need to be an equipped supervisor of my son, especially when he reaches advanced Math lessons.
This was further reinforced when we attended this sit down introduction of Singapore Math to parents. After having heard of Singapore Math and MyMathLab Assignment for over two years now, it is only now that I fully understand how it is going to be a great help for me and my homeschooler. The Singapore Math approach looks simple enough:
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“See” the problem.
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“Understand” the problem.
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“Solve” the problem.
Singapore Math makes use of manipulatives.
It is interesting that while the Singapore Math event we attended was more than a week ago, my son reminded me what the above manipulatives stand for. The orange block has a value of 10 and the yellow one is two blocks of fives. His recollection is proof enough that Singapore Math is actually effective. The Singapore Math introduction event was less than a couple of hours and he was able to grasp quite a bit of what was taught. He was in fact solving his Math pace just this morning and wished out loud that it is as easy as Singapore Math.
The best way to learn is apply the method ourselves. Ms. Rowena Matti, Galileo’s CEO and President and Ms. Maribeth Lamis, Operations Head of Galileo explained to us further how Singapore Math can add value to our children’s general view of the subject.
An example of Singapore Math solution. Please try to ignore my crooked handwriting. Singapore Math made the subject exciting even for someone my age! After 36 years of existence, I can finally say there is no reason to be intimidated by Math. Whoever came up with Singapore Math is a total genius!
Even my homeschooler went all excited how Math seem to be so easy with the Singapore Math approach. Before I could even stop him, he was there up front, volunteering to solve the problem. And he drew the correct number of boxes! I am one happy Teacher Mama! 🙂
Jed made friends with Olga’s charming little lady.
Incidentally, the 2nd Singapore Math Learning Festival will be held on February 9, 2013 at the Crown Plaza Hotel at Ortigas. My husband and I are going to this conference even if we are soon enrolling our son in a Galileo Enrichment branch near us. We are really thrilled to incorporate Singapore Math in our homeschooling curriculum.
The Singapore Math Learning Festival will focus on how Singapore Math can complement and provide supplementary learning to the implementation of the K-12 program, a new development of the Department of Education.
The conference will also feature a plenary lecture by my husband, Jeff’s former professor in Ateneo, Dr. Queena Lee-Chua – Math professor and multi-awarded educator – and her son Scott Chua, a multi-awarded student and a Carlos Palanca Awardee for Literature. For more inquiries on the conference, contact the head office at 845-1234 or send an email to info@galileoenrichment.com.
