Schedule for 2014 Summer Classes:

Complete year-long course in twenty 2-hour sessions.

May 5 to May 31 - Mondays to Fridays (may tentatively exclude a Friday, May 16)

---> 9:30 am to 11:30 am (15 slots only!)

• Singapore Math Primary 6A and 6B (St. Jude incoming Grade 5-6; ICA/Xavier incoming Grade 6)

---> 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm (15 slots only!)

• Singapore New Syllabus Math Secondary Additional Mathematics (St. Jude incoming Grade 9-10; ICA/Xavier incoming Grade 10)

* Venue of all classes will be in New Manila only.

The Best Math Course you'll ever find! Coming this April, 2011.

(For Elementary/Primary Levels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

Visible Thinking in Mathematics promotes critical and creative thinking in mathematics. It is designed to help make thinking visible by providing the child with opportunities to think, explore and reflect on the reasoning behind mathematical concepts and skills.

• Thinking Platform provides the child with qualitative understanding of concepts to help build his problem-solving and thinking skills.

• Notes serve as a useful tool for parents and teachers by simplifying concepts, clarifying misconceptions and providing support in areas of difficulty for the child.

• Parallel examples and questions highlight differences between similar problems to allow the child to focus on concepts and skills.

Sample page: (Taken from p.26, Visible Thinking in Mathematics 1A)

New Syllabus Mathematics 1

(taken from http://www.exodusbooks.com/)

There are two paths for secondary math students in Singapore: "Normal Stream" students take five years of coursework at a normal pace, whereas "Express Stream" students cram everything into four years. New Syllabus Mathematics is an "Express Stream" course, though a less rigorous one than the New Elementary program. From grades 7-10, students are given fairly comprehensive doses of algebra, geometry, trigonometry and probability/statistics (formal proofs on geometry are not given).
The New Syllabus Mathematics series is still in use in Singapore; in fact, it is the best-selling secondary math course in Singapore. The 7-8 grade texts are more colorful and engaging than some of the other options, though still strong on content. There is less to buy than with the New Elementary course, making this one cheaper and easier to manage.

How Do These Work?
For each level there is a student textbook and a workbook. Answers to all problem set questions are in the back of the student text; there are no solutions. The workbooks are largely supplementary, though highly recommended for this course. They include chapter review and "Alternative Assessments" (which include things like practical application problems and journal writing); answers are included in the back, except for the "Alternative Assessments".
Each chapter begins with a written explanation of new concepts. Concrete, solved examples appear throughout the rest of the chapter. Like the other Singapore math courses, this one does not use the incremental approach, instead teaching and reviewing concepts thoroughly before moving on to another. The emphasis is practical application, and exercises are designed to support the goal of teaching students to use their acquired skills in useful ways; those requiring more thought or more calculations are marked by an asterisk (*).
Year one covers pre-algebra, basic algebra and geometry, and statistics. Year two covers intermediate algebra and geometry, statistics and sets, and an introduction to probability. Year three deals with advanced algebra and geometry, trigonometry, and matrices. Year four is about half review, with the other half covering matrices and statistics/probability.
Whether this is primarily a student-led or teacher-directed course is really up to you. There is enough here for a student to progress on his own, though of course he will benefit from any support and teaching you can offer. In the absence of a teacher manual, however, teacher involvement will necessarily be fairly intensive, as you will have to do the work yourself without guidelines other than the student text. Advanced and average students shouldn't need much if any help as long as they thoroughly read the student text before trying to solve the problems. For students who struggle with math you should probably find a different course—this is faster-paced and more difficult than a lot of other math programs, partly because they put five to six years of study into four.

Sample text taken from page 62:

What is Shaping Maths?

Shaping Maths offers a wide range of learning experiences, taking pupils from the concrete (manipulatives) through the pictorial (book) to the abstract (symbolic) mode of mathematical representation. Through clear presentation and a highly-structured and spiral approach, the package provides the pupils with a strong mathematical foundation and develops higher order thinking skills. Using a thematic approach, pupils are able to connect their everyday life experiences with mathematics, thus encouraging active pupil participation and learning.

My Pals are Here (MPH) and Shaping Maths are the two most commonly used primary textbook series in Singapore. More than 20 countries are currently using the Singapore edition of either MPH or Shaping Maths. MPH takes the middle ability approach, while Shaping Maths targets the 20% high ability students. Some of the other primary math series used in Singapore (Updated Aug. 2008):

1. My Pals Are Here! Maths.
2. Shaping Maths.
3. Discover Maths.
4. New Syllabus Primary Mathematics.

Primary 1, 2, 3, 4 - approved by Singapore's Ministry of Education for use from 2007-2011
Primary 5 - approved by Singapore's Ministry of Education for use from 2008-2012
Primary 6 - approved by Singapore's Ministry of Education for use from 2009-2013

How many books/sets are used in our summer classes?
The Shaping Maths Series consists of two Coursebooks: A and B; and four Activity books: A Part 1, A Part 2, B Part 1 and B Part 2. Each student will be provided with all these 6 books.

Are our books the latest edition?
Yes. Shaping Maths 2nd edition will be used this year, as the 1st edition is no longer in circulation. Singapore's Ministry of Education provides an ATL (approved textbook list), where Shaping Maths is one of the four approved texbooks.

How does Singapore Math compare with other Math programs?
Singapore Math is a balance between drill and creative problem solving. Customers who have used other programs think that the Singapore approach moves along to more abstract math concepts in a more rational way and, depending on the student's pace, more quickly. Other positive feedback indicates that the Singapore approach encourages greater problem solving skills and creative thinking.

Does Singapore Math use the incremental, spiral or unit-style approach?
The Singapore Math curriculum does not conform strictly to any of the above approaches. The strong point of Singapore Math is the way basic concepts are presented. There is always more than one approach, and the workbooks are instrumental in making sure the information is generalized in the way desired. There are 'Practice' and 'Revision' that serve as unit tests at the ends of chapters and sections. There is a really effective mix of drill, word problems and mental calculation instruction connected to all important concepts. While typical Philippine curricula touch on a larger number of topics rather superficially, Singapore Math nails the core math curriculum in a way that better prepares students for higher math.

How is Math drilled in Singapore?
Individual teachers approach the process of oral drill and use of manipulatives differently. Some would even implement fun math games that would incorporate practice and drill. There is, however, great emphasis on homework and practice. The workbooks are intended to be completed by students without assistance.

How teacher-intensive is the program?
As with any program, effective supervision plays an important role.

Is there any part of Singapore Math which is independent learning?
The student is expected to do all the work in the workbooks independently.

Do we need to purchase additional products such as manipulatives for use with this curriculum?
Teachers in Singapore use simple manipulatives such as flash cards, charts and 3-dimensional objects. Our class is equipped with many manipulatives. In cases the manipulatives aren't available, then we will just ask the students to make their own cut-outs.

What grading scales are used in Singapore for primary level math?
Maximum points 100
A* 91 to 100
A 75 to 90
B 60 to 74
C 50 to 59 (passing grade)
D 35 to 49
E 20 to 34
U 0 to 19 (ungraded)

50% is the minimum passing mark for primary school math.
A* means getting a Distinction (91% and above).

How did Singapore rank amongst the world in the most recent 2007 TIMSS (Trends in International Math and Science Study) Report?

Grade 4 results:

• #1 - Hong Kong SAR - 607
• #2 - Singapore - 599
• #3 - Chinese Taipei - 576
• #4 - Japan - 568
• #5 - Kazakhstan - 549
  

Grade 8 results:

• #1 - Chinese Taipei - 598
• #2 - Korea, Rep. of - 597
• #3 - Singapore - 593
• #4 - Hong Kong SAR - 572
• #5 - Japan - 570
  

4-Steps to Reading Success

Click on these 5 modules to understand the 4-steps to Reading Success. http://www.curriculumassociates.com/professional-development/ca101/cars/menu.asp?Type=SCH&CustId=519770598903292359573

Strategic Steps to Reading Success
English Edition, Levels A–H (Grades 1–8)

"Comprehension has come to be viewed as 'the essence of reading'." (Durkin, 1993)—National Reading Panel Report

Each research-based series focuses on the same standards-based reading skills. You and your students will follow a straightforward path from diagnosis through instruction, application, and assessment.

Proven Success: 2006 Survey Results and learn how one school achieved reading gains of more than 2 grades within a single school year (and a 90% pass rate on their state test)!

DIAGNOSIS: CARS® SeriesFrom 12 key reading skills, pinpoint those giving students trouble.

INSTRUCTION: STARS® SeriesTeach the same 12 skills assessed in the CARS Series, ideal for differentiating instruction.

APPLICATION: Extensions in Reading® SeriesApply the 12 CARS skills with the addition of graphic organizers and writing.

BENCHMARKING: CARS® Series IIBenchmark by assessing students' progress using the 12 CARS skills.

Management System: analyzes, lists, and graphs each student's performance, displays a class chart and groups students by individual needs, calculates class average
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Sample Shaping Maths 6 Problem (click on it to enlarge)