CMA Math - Discussion

[Ca3kids]

abacus_trainer:

Busymom:

I know you are going to say it varies from child to child, but based on what you have seen or experienced, how long does it take to come this stage that you have described, on the assumption that the child goes to CMA once a week? Just an average will do, for me to be mentally prepared... If you tell me that it would take 6 years, think I will :faint:


By the way, since you are teaching at Woodlands branch, is that the HQ? If not mistaken, the owner is an old acquaintance (parents of DD's classmate in a particular right-brain enrichment program). Please send them my regards!

No..no.. I am not from woodlands branch. Wrong guess. :politebleah:

It's hard for me to put a time frame to it. I have naughty students who started later, very playful in class, giving me a headache everyweek, doing better than students who started earlier, hardworking and doing their work diligently. It also depends on the child's talent - \"tian fen\". Don't be dishearten if yr child is not doing as fast as his/her fren, better late or slow than never.

No, it won't take 6yrs. For an average student, rough estimation is around 2yrs. Hope u understand it's hard for me to answer yr question bcos there are many contributing factors to consider. A better person to answer yr question would be yr dd's teacher.

Hi

1) How to motivate P2 kid to continue CMA course if they start to lack of interest or find boring?

2) Is it too late for P2 to take this course?

3) How it help to relate to their school Maths and how to explain CMA is useful to school Maths as to them it doesn't help as they don't see the relation?

[abacus_trainer]

rcxmum:

HI! wat abt pri school kids eg P2 & P4! wat will they benefit from cma? Thx :? :?

I used to think older children are slower in picking up mental arithmetic bcos their brain is more developed than the younger ones. But some of my students have proven me wrong.

For older child, it helps them to learn visualisation and excercise their right brain. :nunchuk:

[summer]

abacus_trainer:

No, it won't take 6yrs. For an average student, rough estimation is around 2yrs.

2 years is really fast. What will it cover in 2 years? Thnx

[sleepy]

abacus_trainer:

Depends on what is your objectives for letting your girl learn abacus. Only to do calculation or for brain development. Some parents ask why learn abacus when my child can use calculator in school? The same reason why we would still go jogging when we have so many other mordern mode of transport (quoting Mr Tay - CMA CEO). Japanese invented the soroban (abacus) and are still teaching their children how to use it. They believe if we rely on using the calculator too much, our brain become \"hazy\".

rcxmum:

HI! wat abt pri school kids eg P2 & P4! wat will they benefit from cma?

Ca3kids:

1) How to motivate P2 kid to continue CMA course if they start to lack of interest or find boring?

2) Is it too late for P2 to take this course?

3) How it help to relate to their school Maths and how to explain CMA is useful to school Maths as to them it doesn't help as they don't see the relation?

I feel that abacus is most useful if the child hasn't mastered addition/subtraction yet. In my opinion, seem more suitable for preschoolers, to build a strong foundation in addition & subtraction. Hence abacus meets my objective in that aspect.

Once reach primary school level, I feel that abacus is not quite in sync with MOE's model drawing & heuristic type of questions. You have to coach personally to sync to MOE syllabus.

Nevertheless, abacus does give the child a strong foundation & confidence in Maths

[abacus_trainer]

Dear parents,


I started posting to this thread after reading some encouraging comments from some parents from our centre, about how their kids enjoy their CMA classes. I thought I could help answer some simple abacus related questions like why add hundreds, tens then ones, etc.

I have no experience in child psychology and may not be the right person to answer yr questions. My views do not represent the views of the entire CMA community. I am worried some of my replies may be misinterpreted and backfire.

Think I will have to stop replying. So sorry. :imsorry:

[Busymom]

abacus_trainer:

No, it won't take 6yrs. For an average student, rough estimation is around 2yrs. Hope u understand it's hard for me to answer yr question bcos there are many contributing factors to consider. A better person to answer yr question would be yr dd's teacher.

Hi abacus_trainer,

Thanks for your views. At least now I know that it should not take 6 years (if it does, then clearly my DD does not have the aptitude). Even if this is just a rough estimate, it is good enough for me. Please don't feel stressed by what you write in this forum. I am sure lots of parents here would benefit from what you have got to say and no one is going to hold you responsible if it turns out otherwise. I don't think many people who have shared their various experience/learning methods here would have had any child psychology training.

Just one last note, while it is true that we could ask the teacher who is teaching our kid such questions, there can be quite a lot parents picking up their children after a class, so it is not always possible to talk to the teacher. Sometimes, the teacher involved may also not have very good command of English (one of my DD's ex-teacher) and the explanation would not have been as clear as yours.

Anyway, sincerely hope to still see you in this forum.

[concern2]

Busymom:

there can be quite a lot parents picking up their children after a class, so it is not always possible to talk to the teacher.

Well said, I feel the same way too! Good to have Lao Shi around! :please:
Even CMA website is short of this service - :lovesite:

[ChiefKiasu]

abacus_trainer:

... I have no experience in child psychology and may not be the right person to answer yr questions. My views do not represent the views of the entire CMA community. I am worried some of my replies may be misinterpreted and backfire.


Think I will have to stop replying. So sorry. :imsorry:

On the contrary, I think you have done CMA a great service. We parents are tired of all the marketing literature and lingo thrown in our faces whenever we ask about a course. We want to know more about the human side of the service... the people who will be training our children... are they passionate about what they do, do they really believe or even understand what they are teaching, etc. From your responses, it is clear to us that CMA does have some very dedicated and professional trainers (eg. yourself).

You can tell from the questions asked that people now want to find out more about abacus training and its benefits.

Thank you for your inputs. It would be sad if the corporate folks in CMA think that you are stepping out of line, because you have actually made a believer out of ME. I'll be checking out Marine Parade CMA today

[buds]

abacus_trainer... buyao-zou ba...

I was just getting interested in checking
out the nearest CMA, and now you're not
wanting to reply anymore to this thread...
Your knowledge is extremely valuable to us
here. And the guys are right, it's quite exasperating
to get a non-English speaking teacher to explain to
us the ropes of abacus, lao-shi... especially me with
limited Mandarin capabilities.

You made it clear that you were not representing CMA
in any way. And we respect that. So far all your answers
have been diplomatic yet direct, simple yet understandable.
And all answers relate to abacus training, not CMA in particular.
I think you have done CMA proud for what it's worth.

:celebrate:

[concern2]

Maybe everyone should stop asking or trying to find out which branch our Abacus Trainer is from - good enough to stay anonymous so can continue helping us, right?