Review of (Singapore) Earlybird Kindergarten Math

[DadDude]

For the last six months or so we've been going through Earlybird Kindergarten Math Textbook A at our boy's own pace, and now we're almost done.  In some way our experience is not unlike the experience of our using the flash cards ("Fleschcards") I made for him.  In both cases, in the beginning he was very enthusiastic.  Then in both cases his interest waned and went out.  So we stopped for a few days or weeks.  Then we tried again later, and he was always game to get back into it at least for a little bit...except when he wasn't...in which case we stopped again.

Lately, especially since the length & size unit, he been very excited about math.  He suggests it every 2nd or 3rd day, if I don't suggest it, and when I suggest it he says "yes" about half the time.

This might seem strange to Doman parents, since Textbook A doesn’t even include addition, let alone counting above 10.  What it does, instead, is systematically introduce matching and sorting, numbers to 5 and then 10 (much of this we skipped), order, shapes, patterns, length & size, weight, capacity, and finally comparing sets.  Addition begins basically at the beginning of Textbook B, and then goes through multiple different ways to think about addition.  The point of all the preliminary stuff is to help the child to understand what is actually going on when you add and subtract.  It's one thing to be able to mechanically do addition problems (or do them using subitizing).  He could do simple addition problems before we started Textbook A.  But I think it's another thing to understand what's happening, and even if it seems too simple or "remedial" to do things like matching and sorting, I really don’t think it is.  Or, if it is, you can do what we’ve done and skip pages that really do seem too easy.  There are some things, like comparing sizes of sets (is there a different chair for each different student?) that you might think are (1) too simple and (2) too boring, but FWIW my boy was pretty interested and seemed to be learning something.

There are instructions for hands-on activities (meant to be performed by a whole classroom--easily enough adapted for a one-on-one home schooling situation), and these were as important as and more than the contents of the pages.  Of course, for this group, which is familiar with the benefits of the Montessori approach to math, this should be no surprise.

I'll be very interested to see whether he continues his interest into Textbook B, when we start doing addition and subtraction.  I think so, because actually the parts in Textbook A where he got most frustrated was where we probably should have skipped ahead more--it was boring because it was too easy.  But I figured that out and we do skip as necessary now.

One worry I have about this particular series is that Textbook B covers the stuff in the next standard book in the general Singapore Math series, Primary Mathematics 1A.  With that overlap, I wonder if we shouldn’t just skip Textbook B and go on to Primary Mathematics 1A.  There’s even overlap between Texbook B and Primary Mathematics 1B.  Yep I think we might just skip Textbook B and go on, because of the overlap, but I really don't know.

For that matter, I guess it wouldn't have been such a bad idea to have begun with Primary Mathematics 1A.  I considered that, but some of those Kindergarten Math Textbook A topics seemed (and still seem) like very sound preparations...  But as you can see, I'm still thinking through all this stuff myself.

[howardboys]

Thanks for this review.

I can imagine being able to do some of the sorting, matching and shape activities with a little toddler.

[luckymommy1307]

Hi
Just wondering who knows where I can get a copy in Singapore? Thanks

[patreiche]

Click on the link above that Daddude provided.

[luckymommy1307]

Hi patreiche,
I don't see any Singapore add there. thanks anyway.

[DadDude]

Click any of the several links I put in my message.  Anyway here's what we've been using: http://www.singaporemath.com/Earlybird_Kindergarten_Math_STD_Ed_Txbk_A_p/ebstdta.htm

[luckymommy1307]

Hi Daddude,
Thanks! Please keep us posted of what other reviews you have use in future. It will save us (at least me) tons of time sourcing them.

[Tanikit]

Thanks for the review - it is helpful to know what the programme consists of and also gives me ideas of things to do with my own toddler.

[Raising Ethan]

Hi Daddude,

Why did you decide to use  "Earlybird Kindergarten Math Textbook"  instead of something else? Do you think it's more effective than others?

[DadDude]

I didn't have time to do a big long comparison & review of a lot of different math curricula.  I just looked at some lists of top math books, especially for homeschoolers, and just two or three titles (i.e., whole curriculum series) kept coming up.  I looked at reviews and other info about these, and decided that the Singapore program looked best.  I think it was mainly the combination of many practical exercises (often not that different from Montessori), multiple approaches to the same topic, and a focus on developing a deep understanding of the topics (as opposed to just chugging through a zillion exercises) that appealed to me.

We haven't tried any others out, but so far, the Singapore books are about as good as I could expect--a heck of a lot better than the usual workbooks.

[Raising Ethan]

I did some research, I like the concept of using Montessori methods of teaching math which doesn't include "paper work" but playing different math games over and over again until they understand it. I also like Charlotte Mason's ideas of short lessons of 15 min. each at this age and more of a "hand's on approach". Hmmm, Singapore Math is interesting. Clear, fun pictures in their activity books...it would make a nice supplement in teaching early math...but the price of textbooks and activity books combined is a bit pricey. Then, there is also the costs of their guides.

Daddude, since you purchased Singapore Math...do you think I would need to buy the textbook or can I skip it and go for the activity book?

[DadDude]

The activity book is LAME compared to the textbook, in my opinion (we have both and haven't used the activity book much at all).  The "textbook" is really misnamed, and there isn't much need or even room for an activity book in addition to the textbook.  The "textbook" is really just a set of instructions for practical activities, followed by worksheets which are extremely well thought out (IMO).  There isn't much of what one ordinarily thinks of as "textbook" material.

[DadDude]

Update here.

We're still working our way through (at my son's pace--he goes through periods where he doesn't want to do math workbooks at all, and that's OK) Kindergarten Math B.  I was looking ahead, however, to Singapore Math 1A, and I thought the topic list was quite similar to Kindergarten Math A & B.  So I wrote the company asking their advice on whether we might be able to skip 1A, since it looked redundant and my son has very little patience for repetition (which is why I'm convinced Saxon wouldn't work with him).  A very nice lady from the company wrote back with this extremely helpful reply:

QUOTE

It is not pure repetition. In KB they added using pictures, and had very few sums and differences within 20. All number bonds had pictures. They could always use manipulatives. In 1A they need to memorize all their number bonds through 10. Then learn to add and subtract through 10 without the help of mamipulatives, that is, figuring it out in their heads. Then learn to add and subtract through 10 using those facts by making 10. 8 + 7 is 10 and 5. 12 - 7; can't subtract 7 frm 2, so subtract it from 10, 12 - 7 is 3 + 2. And be able to do it mentally.
These skills are necessary and useful for later levels. Also, they need to interpret and solve word problems without having pictures already drawn for them - they can draw their own pictures, but they also have to interpret whether the problem gives a whole or you need to find a whole without looking for "key" words. There are 12 marbles in all. Some are in a box, 3 more are on the table. How many are in the box?

It is totally up to you. You know your child best. If he can do all that already, fine, skip it. There are placement tests at our site. They are really exit tests. Give him the 1A test. No help, no manipulatives, all mental math. If he does fine and gets nearly all correct, then you can more seriously consider skipping 1A.

In 1B then, they need to add and subtract mentally 2-digit numbers. 37 +
8 = 40 + 5. Make the next 10. 34 - 7 = 23 + 4. Subtract from the ten, or first subtract 4 and then 3.

UNQUOTE

Then in a later mail:

QUOTE

PS If you do feel you need to do 1A, you can always go at his pace. Or substitute Intensive Practice for the workbook and skip the workbook if that seems too easy. I don't think he will find Intensive Practice repetitive. A problem from it: I am between 15 - 5 and 19 - 5. I am larger than 7 + 4 and not equal to 19 - 7. Who am I?  (no manipulatives). What number is 3 more than 2 + 3? Swirl + hexagon = 10, hexagon - swirl = 2, what are the numbers swril and hexagon (the equations have pictures of swirls and hexagons instead of the words I typed). "In a taxi line, everyone needed a taxi for himself or herself.
Maria exchanged her 3rd position with an old lady who was in the 8th position. After the old lady had got on a taxi, how many more taxis would have to leave before Maria got on hers?"  No picture provided.
Plus lots more word problems.

UNQUOTE

[aangeles]

Hi DadDude,

Thanks for that comprehensive review and update. You have no idea how valuable your posts are to a working mom like me with very limited free time to do extensive research on the things I want to teach my little girl.

Couple of questions:

1) How old was Henry when you started Singapore math with him?
2) Did you teach him using another method (Doman, LM) before this program? You mentioned that he was able to do simple addition before starting Singapore math? Did you use something else to teach him?

The reason I ask is because I have been teaching my 2 year-old using the Doman method (initially using flashcards then subsequently, Little Math) since she was 15 months old but it has been inconsistent - mainly because she has not taken to math like she has to reading and she goes through periods when she would even refuse to watch LM. Since I can't test her to see whether this method is working for her, I am in a dilemma as to whether to persevere using Doman or to switch to another method entirely. Before we stopped (4-5 months ago), I was showing her quantities up to the 50s and multiplication equations. Thanks again for your input.

[Twinergy]

I just checked the WorldCat catalog and it looks like 7 libraries (all in the US) worldwide have early kindergarten mathematics available to check out.  If your library is part of the WorldCat network you can borrow these books.  My experience has been that if the library is my country I pay no shipping, but if it is out of country they charge shipping.  Just ask your library if they can borrow through WorldCat it is a fantastic resource. 

ETA
it looks like there are other math programs there to compare

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