Preparing kids for P5 in 2011

[Brenda10]

Peony:

Hi Brenda,


Guess what? I have that book too! Just bought a week ago coz DD says it \"looks good\". Am still struggling with her compo and still neglecting her maths.

Hi Peony

Wow. Your dd action really fast. :lol: Look like more and more new books are lauching and popular business really good lah.

I think this holiday everybody will be busy with 'spring clearning' :nunchuk: as as to clear the weaker area and get ready for school re-open especially those in upper primary.

[teh_oh]

Brenda10:

Peony:

Janet, am not sure if this is the heuristic book Brenda is recommending.. but I do think it may help your P1 DD... http://www.fan-learning.com.sg/publications.php?sid=a7b0aec420066d7b6e250736c2b386bf


(the first process skills set)

Hi Peony

Thank you for sharing.

We had i-Excel Heuristic & Model Approach for P5 and P6.

BTW, the book that I saw is newly published by Teacher@work, Thinking Skills & Heuristics Workbook for Primary Level .

Refer the following link for their P2 Book: http://www.popular.com.sg/jsp/product/product_detail.jsp?vca001=112&vpd001=95617

Hi Brenda,
Do you prefer the Fan-math or the Teachers@work? I only saw the Fan-math and wonder if I should get the P3 ones as I only need second-half of it (eg counting legs, patterns eg matchsticks etc).

[Brenda10]

teh_oh:

Hi Brenda,

Do you prefer the Fan-math or the Teachers@work? I only saw the Fan-math and wonder if I should get the P3 ones as I only need second-half of it (eg counting legs, patterns eg matchsticks etc).

Hi teh_oh

We did not use the Teachers@work (published on 2011) before so can't compare lah.

Only started getting the Fan-Maths Book 5 and Book 6 when dd was on P4 and P5 respecitvely.

[janet88]

Peony:

Janet, am not sure if this is the heuristic book Brenda is recommending.. but I do think it may help your P1 DD... http://www.fan-learning.com.sg/publications.php?sid=a7b0aec420066d7b6e250736c2b386bf


(the first process skills set)

Hi Peony,
I have the Fan-Math series...but can't remember if I have that process skills book. However, I got hubby to revise that section on 'counting legs' with her after she was taught in school.
Will get the Fan Math Heuristics for P2 end of this year...that is a good book.

[gel]

Thinking Skills & Heuristics Workbook for Primary Level by Teacher@work is selling@ $3.60 at Popular Fair at Expo Hall.

[janet88]

gel:

Thinking Skills & Heuristics Workbook for Primary Level by Teacher@work is selling@ $3.60 at Popular Fair at Expo Hall.

Hi Gel,
Thanks for the info.
Didn't expect this new title to have discount and avail at Popular Expo.
Will get it end of the year.
Must compare this book with Fan-Math i-Excel Heuristic and Model.

[cimman]

janet_lee88:

gel:

Thinking Skills & Heuristics Workbook for Primary Level by Teacher@work is selling@ $3.60 at Popular Fair at Expo Hall.

Hi Gel,
Thanks for the info.
Didn't expect this new title to have discount and avail at Popular Expo.
Will get it end of the year.
Must compare this book with Fan-Math i-Excel Heuristic and Model.

I've the Fan-Math i-Excel Heuristic book.
I find that this book is not what I'm looking for.
It focuses a lot on Whole Numbers and Fractions, devoting about 3/4 of the book on these 2 topics. That in itself is not a bad thing, but it did not categorize the different topics under Fractions or whole numbers. Unlike the OnSponge books or the Challenging Maths Problems Made Easy books, which clearly names each category of problems, and shows the relevant method for each category, the i-Excel book just lumps the questions together, broken up by different Practices, by difficulty level. There is no explanation on how to identify that specific category of question, like in the OnSponge books. This is a very important skill set to master. You must first identify the category and then use the methods for that category.

The other issue I have is that the i-Excel did not have a lot of materials on the other heuristics methods.This is an issue with OnSponge as well, it did not cover the Working Backwards heuristic, which came out in DS's exam, pretty unfortunate. There are other heuristics that OnSponge did not cover. That would have to be supplemented by other assessment books.

In this area, I find that Maths Olympiad books provides a good broad range of heuristics not covered by either OnSponge or Challenging Maths Problems.

btw, I'm referring to Level 4 of i-Excel and P4 of OnSponge.

[Chenonceau]

cimman:

In this area, I find that Maths Olympiad books provides a good broad range of heuristics not covered by either OnSponge or Challenging Maths Problems.

Math Olympiad books? Which ones? Can give specific titles please? :please:

[cimman]

Chenonceau:

cimman:

In this area, I find that Maths Olympiad books provides a good broad range of heuristics not covered by either OnSponge or Challenging Maths Problems.

Math Olympiad books? Which ones? Can give specific titles please? :please:

I didn't really go through all the Maths Olympiad books, but I liked this one:
Maths Olympiad, Unleash the Maths Olympian in You by Terry Chew, Publisher: SAP
There are two Maths Olympiad series by Terry Chew, get the first series. This contains worked samples at the start of each topic. The second series does not contain any worked samples at all. Terry Chew has a couple of Maths Olympiad books targetted at different ages (age stated on the cover), get the one appropriate for your child.

[janet88]

Hi cimman,

Thanks for the overview, appreciate your input.
I bought the Heuristics Maths by Andrew Er and Joanne Er for P2...honestly quite regretted doing so...but since it's for P2, damage not so bad.

I've a friend who told me have to finish Challenging Maths Problems (Ammiel Wan) and Onsponge by end of P5 and this other title A* Maths Problem Series in Primary 6. These 3 are really killers...esp for someone hopeless in Math like me :razz: