Singapore Math at Willowdale Children's Academy - A Highly Effective Method to Learn Math Concepts at an Early Age

What's Singapore Math?

Initially developed by Singapore’s Ministry of Education for public schools in Singapore, the method attracted worldwide interest and gained global traction.

Surveys issued by Trends in International Mathematics & Science Study (TIMSS) show that Singapore students top the rest of the world in math. Hence, the reputation and value of the curriculum no longer need to be made. The Singapore Math curriculum helps young students to master foundational math concepts deeply.

Singapore Math is applied in a three-step process:

• Concrete: Students learn how to handle and count real objects ​​
• Pictorial: Students build on their understanding of real objects by taking key concepts and applying them to pictures, bars, and lines
• Abstract: Students apply these key concepts to numbers and symbols

Applied to daycare, preschool, and kindergarten, young children are encouraged to develop skills in a fun environment while building a strong sense for the concept and properties of numbers.
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How Does Singapore Math Work in Our Classrooms?

We offer short, every day, age-appropriate Singapore Math sessions focused on a specific topic that children need to master.

In our classrooms, teachers help young children to:

• Work on age-appropriate word problem skills 
• Understand a few key concepts to apply as their understanding of math grows
• Engage in a hands-on learning experience
• Stimulate mental math using objects, pictures, toys, and written symbols that children manipulate

Each of our chapters focuses on a specific topic, and our young students develop skills that they can apply to different situations or contexts.

“Big” math concepts are broken down into small, easy-to-grasp chunks using engaging toys and objects organized in our activity centers. Math should always be attractive to children with elements of fun.

We do not push on memorization, which could be detrimentally stressful. Instead, we try to highlight the links between numbers in an enjoyable manner.

Regular repetitions and fun engaging activities offer a rich context where children are not afraid to engage and apply what they understand. Ultimately, what children understand is also remembered in the long term.

Sequencing is an essential component of Singapore Math.

We progress to the next step when children understand the foundation. Once they understand, they are able to remember the most important concepts. What is remembered from the previous sessions offers a solid ground to allow progression to more complex problems.

Consequently, they progress further without experiencing anxiety, stress, or inflection in self-esteem.
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Why is Singapore Math in Our Curriculum?

While we want to build the best foundations in math to prepare your child for Kindergarten and beyond, we strive to instill self-esteem and self-confidence in our young students to set them on the path to success.

Singapore Math complements our STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) curriculum by enticing critical thinking while building confidence, which goes hand-in-hand with our play-based curriculum.

We avoid a more traditional approach that is proven to create frustration and demotivation while keeping key concepts in play that will form a strong foundation in any future curriculum. This ensures that our young students are confident enough to face any kind of challenging math problem in the future.

Get in touch with us to schedule a tour in one of our schools.

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