Hello,

my oldest daughter is starting Kindergarten in the fall and I am looking into math curriculum. I am torn between Singapore and RightStart. RightStart is very appealing to me because of the math games and manipulatives, and I know my tendency can be to "kill" math with workbooks. I have also heard alot of great stuff about Singapore. Obviously this is a RS forum so I know what everyone's bias will be! But I would really appreciate some input.

~How does this program compare to the "higher level learning" I keep hearing about with Singapore?
~How long do the lessons typically take per day?
~I noticed in the Level A Table of Contents that there are 77 lessons - is this supposed to last the whole year of K?

Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help!


Amber

I would love a response to this post!! I've had the exact questions, but have decided on RS for Kindergarten since my dd is very visual, and I'm very math phobic. I still harbor thoughts of switching to Singapore later or doing it simultaneously (kind of?) with RS.
Thanks!
Wendy

Wendy and Amber,

Thank you for your questions! I am sure many other individuals are also interested in this information.

I spoke with Dr. Joan Cotter regarding the higher level thinking of how RightStart Mathematics works. The answer was as follows, which I feel is spot on;

I presume that "higher level learning" means deeper thinking not possible with rote memorizing. RightStart Math engages in very little rote memory, only when necessary (names of numbers; geometric terms, for example, parallel, perpendicular). Right from the beginning, children are asked to explain how they know, which leads to higher level thinking and learning. In order to learn at a higher level, one must see the big picture, which is why children work with thousands in first grade. RightStart Mathematics avoids making statements to children that must be unlearned later, such as "You can't take 8 from 5."

I couldn't agree more with Dr. Cotter and you will see the "higher level learning" results with you child using RightStart Mathematics. The child's ability to complete the math and more importantly understand why they are doing it is amazing! :)

As far as the rest of your questions go, the kindergarten lessons are meant to be one for every 2 days. Therefore with the 77 lessons, that should last you a full year. Sometimes we forget that a kindergarten child has a very different attention span than even a first grade student!

Thank you for checking out our forum board and for your insightful questions. Another area to explore is our yahoo group as it is an independent forum, and there is a variety of information discussed!

Please let us know if you have any additional questions as we are here to help in any way possible!

Thank you,

Cassie