Singapore math approach marches on.. to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has just announced the launch of a new math curriculum, titled "Math in Focus", which is adapted from Singapore's most widely used program, My Pals Are Here! Maths.

Who would have thought! Not I. This series contains "carefully... paced instruction of fewer topics at each grade in greater depth to ensure mastery". That's exactly what I've wanted to see in school books and what I have tried to create with Math Mammoth.

It also has a close alignment to the NCTM Focal Points, a "concrete to pictorial to abstract" approach, and instruction centered around problem solving using multiple models.

I feel quite surprised. See Math In Focus website for more.

It appears NCTM's Focal Points are having their effect.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Math learning (rather teaching) is generally weak/poor in my country. An education reform team here is working with Singapore, so I'm more hopeful now.

I'm very fond of math and love solving math problems. I feel sad when I hear of problems at school, with math. Not sure, though, whether I myself could have been an effective math teacher. I imagine it to be tough.
david said…
Blog is very interesting to read. You are very creative in preparing the article so that it more comfortable to read
Anonymous said…
How would you compare Math in Focus to Singapore Math standards edition? Would you suggest one over the other?
Maria Miller said…
I have not seen the Math in Focus enough to be able to tell.
Unknown said…
Anon-
I have spent time looking through the Math in Focus (MIF) materials, but have not used them in a classroom. If I was homeschooling or after-schooling my child, I'd go with one of the two versions of Primary Mathematics. MIF is really more of an entire classroom program and as such is quite costly.

Popular posts from this blog

Conversion chart for measuring units

Geometric art project: seven-circle flower design

Meaning of factors in multiplication: four groups of 2, or 4 taken two times?