CMA Math - Discussion

[Aquamarine]

Hi abacus_trainer


Based on your personal observation, typically how long does it take for a child to complete his/her foundation stage and move on to Grade 13? Thanks!

[abacus_trainer]

Aquamarine:

Based on your personal observation, typically how long does it take for a child to complete his/her foundation stage and move on to Grade 13? Thanks!

Assuming yr child is >7yo, using 115Li. I would say average about 4 terms. Depends on the child's age and interest. An older child who can learn and understanding faster, will progress faster.

[Mummy_Tang]

Hi abacus_trainer ,


My 5yr old started CMA this January and he is currentky on the thick pink 115Li book; everytime is a struggle to ask him to do just 2 pages of the home work given... I have tried the 5mins play interval after he has done like 2 rows of qtns on the page; played the \"timing\" game by counting and see how fast he can finish....but all these still dont work anymore...can you share with me how to motivate him?

At foundation level how many books usually does a student have? He used to have 3, but now 4 books already....
Does the abacus book goes together with the mental book? cos mental book, ithink he is on book216 now...he also has an additional book that use the audio CD to listen and write the answers quickly. And the \"game book\" , he stops doing as he does not know how to play the shokudo, when I check with the teacher, she said its ok.... and never teach also...is it really so?

sorry for the long post.....last qtn, is multiplication in foundation level or in the grade 13 to 1?

Xie Xie Ni!!!! :thankyou:

[Busymom]

abacus_trainer:

Busymom:

Back to your earlier comment about \"mastering it\". Could I understand what level would you consider that to correspond to?

In my opinion, at least around grade 7.

Grade 7... oh my, that would take quite a long time, wouldn't it? How long does it take to progress through the grades? 2 grades in 1 year or 1 grade per year? Assuming 2 a year, that would be like 3.5 years to get from grade 13 to grade 7? :stupid:

Anyway, as long as DD still ok to go for lessons, we will let her. But if in case at some point she loses interest (which has happened before, until I realise that the root of the problem was the timing of the class and promptly changed her to a weekend class), then I would also like to show her there is 'light at the end of the tunnel' and hopefully she could keep going at it till a stage where she would have retained the skills and not wasted her past effort.

I also have similar experience with regard to the books. My DD has some books that she did halfway and stopped. Think one was too elementary while the other one, she complained to the teacher it was too difficult. I was really surprised about that, too difficult then don't do?? Or was it a case of the teacher being too soft (this was an ex-teacher)? Is there a fixed system in terms of the books that the kids use? I have no knowledge how the system of books work and which book uses the card vs abacus, etc. Does the teacher sometimes let the child use the abacus even though he is supposed to use the card to work out the answer?

Also, as we are not allowed to touch those workbooks on the shelves, it is really hard for the parents to have a good idea of the learning progression and know what to expect after completing one particular book. I would really like to suggest that each centre should at least have a full set of the books as sample for the parents to browse through. Hope that this request is not too much to ask?

[abacus_trainer]

Mummy_Tang:

Hi abacus_trainer ,


My 5yr old started CMA this January and he is currentky on the thick pink 115Li book; everytime is a struggle to ask him to do just 2 pages of the home work given... I have tried the 5mins play interval after he has done like 2 rows of qtns on the page; played the \"timing\" game by counting and see how fast he can finish....but all these still dont work anymore...can you share with me how to motivate him?

At foundation level how many books usually does a student have? He used to have 3, but now 4 books already....
Does the abacus book goes together with the mental book? cos mental book, ithink he is on book216 now...he also has an additional book that use the audio CD to listen and write the answers quickly. And the \"game book\" , he stops doing as he does not know how to play the shokudo, when I check with the teacher, she said its ok.... and never teach also...is it really so?

sorry for the long post.....last qtn, is multiplication in foundation level or in the grade 13 to 1?

Xie Xie Ni!!!! :thankyou:

I also faced the same challenge of motivating my students sometimes.. Have to try different methods.. hard approach, soft approach.. from bribery (bribe them with reward chops, sweets), praise them for the effort, demo to them what the advance class students can do (give them a goal of what they can achieve) to being firm with them, etc.. etc.. No hard and fast rules. Once u get pass 115Li, getting them to do their homework be easier. Any parents want to share any effective ways to motivate their kids?

Yah, once they go to 115Li, they have 4 or 5 books. One abacus book (115Li), one constant practice book (216, it's an abacus book too), one mental book, one answer sheet book (for those who has started doing CD) and one activity/game book.

Game book is something interesting/fun for the kid to do after the long 1.5hrs class, something for them to look forward to in class. Maybe the teacher put more emphasizes on abacus and mental book. U can also teach him how to do sudoku at home.

They start doing times table book when they reach abacus grade 10.

[abacus_trainer]

Busymom:

Grade 7... oh my, that would take quite a long time, wouldn't it? How long does it take to progress through the grades? 2 grades in 1 year or 1 grade per year? Assuming 2 a year, that would be like 3.5 years to get from grade 13 to grade 7? :stupid:


Anyway, as long as DD still ok to go for lessons, we will let her. But if in case at some point she loses interest (which has happened before, until I realise that the root of the problem was the timing of the class and promptly changed her to a weekend class), then I would also like to show her there is 'light at the end of the tunnel' and hopefully she could keep going at it till a stage where she would have retained the skills and not wasted her past effort.

I also have similar experience with regard to the books. My DD has some books that she did halfway and stopped. Think one was too elementary while the other one, she complained to the teacher it was too difficult. I was really surprised about that, too difficult then don't do?? Or was it a case of the teacher being too soft (this was an ex-teacher)? Is there a fixed system in terms of the books that the kids use? I have no knowledge how the system of books work and which book uses the card vs abacus, etc. Does the teacher sometimes let the child use the abacus even though he is supposed to use the card to work out the answer?

Also, as we are not allowed to touch those workbooks on the shelves, it is really hard for the parents to have a good idea of the learning progression and know what to expect after completing one particular book. I would really like to suggest that each centre should at least have a full set of the books as sample for the parents to browse through. Hope that this request is not too much to ask?

No need so long to progress one grade lah. Most children once they pass the foundation stage, they can progress quite fast. One reason also bcos in advance class there is no more teaching of formula, etc. They do more work in class compare to when they were in foundation class.

In the centre I am teaching, students who do fast can achieve grade 3-5 in 2yrs (including the time spend in foundation class). I know there are centres who can do even better than that. :!:

Hmmm.. I am not sure why yr dd's teacher let her stop doing a book that yr dd finds too difficult. Probably only her teacher can answer that. Yes, there is a fix system for changing books, progressing to the next level.

Sometimes when the child get \"stuck\" doing a mental sum or has problem visualising the virtual abacus, we would let them try on the abacus first, then on the card again.

Actually this past one week, after reading some parents' questions, comments, and suggestions. It really sheds light to how the parents feel and sets me thinking how we can improve our service. :?

Appreciate yr inputs.

[Busymom]

Thanks for your valuable insight coming from a teacher!


Yes, I was pretty surprised myself about the book, not sure which book that was (frankly I think it happened twice but I stopped it the second time)... but definitely not the pink 115Li as my DD is doing that now. I told the ex-teacher then that I didn't think it was a good idea to give in to DD, but then again, maybe DD was badly.

Anyway, this was history. Nowadays, she has become more motivated and we do not have problem getting her to go to class or do her homework.

[Mummy_Tang]

Hi abacus_trainer ,


Thanks you for your respond! The week nite class that we went, the no. of students have increase so much, sometimes its quite difficult to talk and ask the teacher more things…

Since the last stage of the foundation is so difficult, do students get "stuck" there for long? or rather how long(weeks) does it take to complet 115Li?

Thanks…

[abacus_trainer]

Mummy_Tang:

Hi abacus_trainer ,


Thanks you for your respond! The week nite class that we went, the no. of students have increase so much, sometimes its quite difficult to talk and ask the teacher more things....

Since the last stage of the foundation is so difficult, do students get \"stuck\" there for long? or rather how long(weeks) does it take to complet 115Li?

Thanks.....

Maybe u can try bringing yr boy to class 15mins earlier. It's usually easier for the teacher to talk to the parents before class starts.

115Li has about 80pages. Assuming yr boy can do 2 pages in class, 2 pages at home for homework each time, he should be to complete the book in 2 terms (20 lessons). If he is attending once a week, 2 terms is about 5 months, twice a week, 2 terms is about 2.5months.

Fastest my student can complete the 115Li is within 1 term. He is a P2 boy, he does about 4-5 pages in class and 4-5 pages homework each time. Slowest.... didn't even complete the book when they withdraw.. :faint:

[xuan2nov3]

Hi I am a newbie here and hope to get an answer from abacus_trainer on CMA Math. :?:


My gal has been with CMA for abt a year and she's just recently 'promoted' to advanced level. Is her progress considered slow or below average?

I also noted that my gal who is in P1 can't do mental calculation when she is doing her school work.. obviously she can't apply the training she learnt from CMA on her P1 schoolwork. Instead she still uses her fingers to do addition and subtraction... is it common? how would CMA complement MOE math syllabus?

Thanks in advance