Singapore Math Inc. Review

Singapore Math Inc. was an exciting review to be able to get. I received level 3A of Dimensions Math PK-5. The curriculum is for PK-5th grade. Included in this curriculum their are three books; a teachers guide, textbook, and a workbook.  Also included is access to some online resources; videos of songs, lesson material lists, and blackline masters. Each level is divided into A and B. So I only received half of the books that it would take to complete a full year of this curriculum. Since you may know most curricula have different standards for each levels. So Singapore Math Inc. makes it easy for you to pick the level that would suit your child best by offering placement tests. Some kids may need to start with a level B which would be the second semester of the grade.  This is better than having to do a whole grade level when you are starting a new curriculum and may already know some of the stuff at the start of the curriculum.  It also helps to make sure your child gets into a level they need by doing the placement test first. 

The teachers guide starts out with notes that introduce the topic being taught in the lesson. There is also key points to help with teaching as well as some activities.  The guide also offers the answers to all the problems in both the textbook and workbook. The textbook uses short lessons that focus on using pictures instead of text to teach the lesson.  Then the workbook offers practice for the new topic learned.

Each day I would go over the teacher guide and introduce the lesson for the day.  We would start in the text book going over the problems with the colorful pictures.  The visual learning like this is so much easier for my dyslexic child. It is much easier to see it from pictures versus black and white text.  We would move on to the workbook once we felt like he had it.  The workbook was good to practice the learning but it wasn't as fun since it wasn't colorful like the textbook.  However it was a good addition to get more practice in on what we have learned. I really liked the teacher guide.  I like to have them give something more than just answers. I like how this explained the problems so it gave another way for me to explain it to my kiddo so maybe he would understand it better. Sometimes I don't always know the best way to state things so that helps.  Overall I think this is a great curriculum. Lessons can be short and sweet when your kid gets the lesson well.  You can also take more practice out using the workbook for things that aren't clicking so quickly.  

Be sure to check them out on social media as well as checking out what my other crew members had to say about the curriculum as well.  Many of them reviewed different levels from the one I reviewed.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SingaporeMath/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/singaporemath
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/SingaporeK8/

IXL Learning Review

Vendor: IXL Learning

Product: IXL Full Annual Membership

Price: $159 for one child for the core subjects

Age: Pre-K through 12th

About: IXL Learning is an online comprehensive K-12 learning. IXL full annual membership is $159 for one child.  This includes the core subjects of; Math, Language, Science, and Social Studies. When you get access you get access to all the grade levels as well as subjects.  This is really great for those that have kids that may be in different levels for each subject that are in.  I used this for my 5 year old.  He is just getting into school and learning.  He is also ADHD and Autistic.  This means he doesn't hold his attention well for many things. The best part is you can download this as an app on your iPhone/iPad or your Android for them to play. I also have a touch screen computer so it was very easy for him to navigate the lessons himself. 

So we used this about every other day for 15-30 minutes, depending on how well we could get him interested.  It is easy for a kiddo to navigate the work but does need help getting into each topic. For a little kid like him it reads out the questions and answers so they know which one they want to pick. I think it is much easier on a mobile device or touch screen for him. So glad they had the option of an app. Plus makes a great busy time while in the car. I looked over the older levels too and they are all self explanatory.  I just found these are to practice skills already known, there is no teaching of the skill.  You get "rewards" for doing well as you progress through each topic. I think this is great for public school or homeschool kids to get some extra practice in areas they are working on in their everyday lessons.  It is also a good starting program for the pre-k age kids to be able to learn letters, shapes and etc. The platform is colorful and inviting and the lessons are quick so you don't get burnt out easily.

Below is a video of him doing shapes. Excuse any background noise :) but this can give you an idea how one of the lessons work. Each lesson after builds up to being harder or more information so they keep progressing. I like how it reads him the question then he can push each answer to see what it says before he submits the one he thinks is correct. The lessons keep him interested and then he likes when they give him an award. He likes to keep track off how well he has done on each thing. The wards fill a box up with several and he wants to get the entire thing filled with his awards.  This helps keep him motivated to continue going.

Be sure to check them out on social media...

Facebook: facebook.com/IXL
Twitter: twitter.com/IXLLearning
Pinterest: pinterest.com/IXL
YouTube: youtube.com/IXL

Also check out what my other crew members had to say about the program as well.