I admit it. I am a math nerd.
Hey Reader,
As a science teacher for most of my adult life, I know I seem to talk a lot about math. I am a math nerd at heart, but there is more to it than that. I've seen the impact of math skills on students and my own kids. With that in mind, I'm always happy to share new or updated math ideas that help to create math mastery.
My youngest will be going into fourth grade (mind blowing) and is an active kid who loves theater and the arts. With her high energy and dramatic flair, workbooks can be drudgery. This summer we've had a chance to check out a new math curriculum for her called Dimensions Math.
I'm impressed. Rather than memorize, this method puts the emphasis on problem solving, mental math, and helping kids actually understand why math works. This is a series created to expand upon and improve the experience of Singapore math users, and can be seen as an evolution of the original Singapore math curriculum, Primary Mathematics.
Previously, we used Primary Mathematics, but last year she learned math differently in a classroom. As we won't continue with a tutorial this year, I reviewed Dimensions Math scope and sequence to address any gaps. The lay out made it easy to see where they were expecting her to be with each skill before starting.
Dimensions Math lessons are broken into the following parts: Think, Learn, and Do.
- "Think" stimulates curiosity and critical thinking.
- "Learn" introduces new concepts clearly, building on existing knowledge. Prepping is easy due to the approach and connection to previous learning. The books are beautiful and suggest math manipulatives, aiding visual and kinesthetic learners.
- "Do" reinforces understanding through practice with carefully designed exercises and problem-solving activities. It starts with easier problems and gradually increases difficulty for mastery. Dimensions also includes real-world applications, making math relatable and interesting.
This has been a homerun for my kiddo.
If you're interested in helping your kids understand math, check out their website to see if it might be a good fit for you. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or if you'd like to discuss this further.
All the Best,
Kim
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