CMA Math - Discussion

[jesyeo]

Hi, my gal is going to P1 next year and I am planning to send her to CMA in Bishan. Will she get confused with what she learns in P1 school and CMA? Any advice?

[phtthp]

Cma only teach kids how to do basic mental operation ( + - x / ) fast, using formulae. Cma does not teach problem sums.


Our sg moe syllabus (p1 to p6) cover problem sums.
Thus, cma is inadequate.
Because cma does not follow our singapore moe syllabus, apart from training kids how to calculate fast mentally.
Does our sg moe syllabus train our kids to be a fast calculator only ?
Answer is no.

Thus, after your child has learnt enough of ( + - x / ), that’s enough !
it is high time to switch over to another tuition centre - one that focus on problem sums portion - where children have to read the question, analyse what the qn is asking for, interpret logic, reasoning and then decide what step to execute ? This then is our sg moe syllabus, not just fast mental calculator part.

If you not sure, just walk into any popular singapore branch.
Take hold of any p1 assessment Maths book.
Flip through the pages, at random.
Ask yourself quietly - what does the syllabus entail ?
As you flip through the pages, you know Definitely not a fast calculator.
Now, Take another p2 assessment book. Do likewise: flip through the pages.
Repeat flipping pages, examine / scrutinize the content in detail, with any p3, p4, p5, p6 maths assessment book. You’ll know the answer.

In any case - in Psle, students can bring in calculator.
Press button here, press there, can get the answer fast.

[jetsetter]

jesyeo:

Hi, my gal is going to P1 next year and I am planning to send her to CMA in Bishan. Will she get confused with what she learns in P1 school and CMA? Any advice?

You can try for 1 or 2 terms first but based on my personal experience at CMA, I don't think it's practical for Pr Sch (note I didn't say ' not useful')...Here're my comments posted in another thread some mths back:

CMA
I stopped my son from CMA after attending just 1 term as he got quite bored doing the 3 books and watching the weekly video tutorial. It's very arithmetic and laborious. Parents must be involved at all times, as in you also must learn abacus so that you can ensure he got the steps right.

(1) Practicality
If you're ok with learning abacus too, then ok lah. Another gripe I had is practicality. As u know, the abacus is divided into 1 bead (representing 5) at the top and 4 beads at the bottom. After applying the abacus technique on some run-on-the-mill Math assessment arithmetic questions, I notice the child needs to take many redundant step(s) to get to the final solution. He first needs to 'visualise' the abacus 影像 in his head and 'finger' the beads up and down mentally. Next, he needs to recall his abacus FORMULA 口诀 to solve higher order addition & subtraction.

I'll cite 2 examples here:

a) 7 minus 4
Such a simple subtraction qn, u need to apply the 口诀 of \"-4 = +1-5\". So the child is conditioned to first position the \"7\" (top: 1 bead down; bottom: 2 beads up), followed by thumb up 1 bead (bottom) and flick 1 bead (top) up to derive the solution of \"3\"...Talk abt 多此一举！
http://i39.tinypic.com/2n18ayx.jpg\">
b) 21 minus 7
Slightly more diff but with practices in Number Bonds, it's a piece of cake for P1. But in abacus, there's how you solve it. First, child must thumb up 2 beads (bottom Tens column) and 1 bead (bottom Ones column). Then, he must apply the 口诀 of \"-7 = -10+3\". This means he must finger down 1 bead (bottom Tens) and finger up 3 beads (bottom Ones) to derive the solution of \"14\".
http://i41.tinypic.com/110geo3.jpg\">

(2) Efficiency
So I asked myself, why get the poor 5yo to memorise a extra set of 口诀 when he still needs to memorise his number bonds and time-tables and show the step-by-step working to his teacher when he is in P1. When they do the vertical addition or subtraction workings, they will still need to show that they'd borrowed from the tens or hundreds to make up for the ones.
If you can \"一步登天\", how can the teacher see his \"thought process\" and will he lose some marks? LOL.

(3) Relevance
Yes, no doubt my son can mentally add and subtract up to a string of 5 numerals after 1 term...but I don't think MOE requires mental addition or subtraction up to a string of 5 numerals e.g. 39-4+2+1-5. Nor will they ask kids to add large nos in P1 like 219,470 - 13,491 + 5,792 = ?? (unless u change these to decimals like 13.491 + 5.792 lah...

(4) Applicability
Most imptly, can he use that to solve heuristic math sums later? Won't these 口诀 and 影像 prevent the child from seeing the whole picture effectively? Don't they get to use battery-operated calculators in upp primary?

P1 Math has many other components like time, measurement, money, etc. You gotta ask yourself if you can afford the time to supervise both the CMA homework + his sch H/W. I nearly died doing the 3 CMA books with sonny at night. Hated it so much!!

[FHP]

I do agree CMA is a bit dry and boring after some time because it is repetitive with the need to remember the formulas to do the addition and subtraction. It is a "chore" sometimes to get my DS to finish the homework. He still has one more book to complete before he can take a test to proceed to Intermediate stage wherehe will learn multiplication. I am contemplating to drop him after he complete his foundation stage since he is going P1 next year.

[hippolicious]

Actually was wondering if abacus does help in doing maths.

My child has been in CMA for a term.
also start to complain & refuse to do CMA homework.
wondering isist too much or boring or just not keen

[Pageboy]

Learner’s camp is open to new students and existing students who are still in the foundation stage. Can treat as trial class to see if child likes cma

before signing him/ her up.

[bb1009]

Learning abacus might not be practical in their school’s work, but it do helps in their concentration and expedite their calculation as lower primary are yet to use calculator. My son has been attending CMA for a year plus, I find that he has more interest and in math and will take initiative to do other math assement.

[eSquirrel88]

Hi, I plan to send my son to cma Bishan. Any one can pm me for the referral discount. :imcool: :imcool:

[blur1]

Hi esquirrel88,


I have just PM u

[lissagoh]

I am sending my son to CMA at jurong safra, any referral so that I can pick up the 8% discount? Thanks in advance:)