Comments on: Singapore math – some research on its strengths http://www.squarecirclez.com/blog/singapore-math-some-research-on-its-strengths/1255 Mathematics, learning, computing, travel - and whatever... Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:48:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Dave Marain http://www.squarecirclez.com/blog/singapore-math-some-research-on-its-strengths/1255/comment-page-1#comment-29236 Dave Marain Sun, 22 Jun 2008 09:59:28 +0000 http://www.squarecirclez.com/blog/?p=1255#comment-29236 Excellent post, Zac, and I appreciate your posting this info on my blog as well. The following was my reply on MathNotations (http://MathNotations.blogspot.com) Hi Zac -- it's been awhile... I appreciate the information and the links. I find it interesting that the Singapore government is looking to make changes, incorporating some of the strengths of our approach, even though they are already a top-performing nation in math. it would be ironic if their performance declines as a result! I looked over the research, particularly the sample test questions, thinking they would be fairly challenging. However, they were straightforward and routine. Then I realized that many of these questions were not coming from TIMSS! The IB Program has always interested me. One of the school districts in which I was teaching considered the IB Calculus program several years as an alternative to Advanced Placement (giving students choice). Very ambitious curriculum, quite advanced with a somewhat more difficult exam IMO. Thank you for enlightening me about their primary and middle school programs as well. From the IBO website, it seems that these programs have become quite a commercial enterprise. I almost expected to see IB T-shirts being sold! Excellent post, Zac, and I appreciate your posting this info on my blog as well. The following was my reply on MathNotations (http://MathNotations.blogspot.com)

Hi Zac — it’s been awhile…
I appreciate the information and the links. I find it interesting that the Singapore government is looking to make changes, incorporating some of the strengths of our approach, even though they are already a top-performing nation in math. it would be ironic if their performance declines as a result!

I looked over the research, particularly the sample test questions, thinking they would be fairly challenging. However, they were straightforward and routine. Then I realized that many of these questions were not coming from TIMSS!

The IB Program has always interested me. One of the school districts in which I was teaching considered the IB Calculus program several years as an alternative to Advanced Placement (giving students choice). Very ambitious curriculum, quite advanced with a somewhat more difficult exam IMO. Thank you for enlightening me about their primary and middle school programs as well. From the IBO website, it seems that these programs have become quite a commercial enterprise. I almost expected to see IB T-shirts being sold!

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