As Thanksgiving approaches, I am reminded of the great good fortune I have enjoyed over the past twelve months. I wanted to share this news and extend my sincere thanks to everyone who has played a part in making the year so special.

Professionally, 2011 was my most successful year as a Singapore Math Trainer and Consultant.

Just last week, I completed my final training sessions of the Summer of 2011 (that’s  right…summer just ended for me!).  I had two lengthy engagements. One was an eye-opening and highly valuable set of sessions devoted to the Common Core Standards on a grade-by-grade basis. The second, serving as an instructional coach, is ongoing; I get to spend time with teachers and students in their classrooms, observing and modeling Singapore Math lessons.

I can’t believe I get paid to do this – Woohoo!

The Numbers
In the past year, I:

• Hosted trainings and seminars in 15 states plus Mexico and Canada.
• Conducted teacher training/professional development for 14 schools and one district-wide Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES).
• Presented 13 Singapore Math workshops for the Bureau of Education & Research (BER).
• Introduced several thousand people to Singapore Math.

Sadly, I had to turn away invitations from more than a dozen schools seeking on-site Singapore Math training in the busy summer months as my schedule was completely booked for six consecutive weeks.

Among the professional highlights in 2011, I:

• Auditioned a new BER program, “Boost Students’ Math Problem-Solving Skills Using Singapore Model Drawing,” to rave reviews, including a rare perfect score from an audience in St. Louis, Missouri. The new Model Drawing program and my flagship workshop, “How to Use Strategies from Singapore Math to Strengthen your Math Instruction,” will be offered in 21 cities in 2012 beginning in January.
• Completely revised and updated my Singapore Math Sourcebook, a 140-page resource guide that I provide to attendees at all my seminars and trainings.
• Was invited to present a Singapore Math workshop for the Middle School Mathematics Institute in Minnesota (prior speakers include Professor Hung-Hsi Wu ).

Volunteer Projects
In 2011, I was able to devote time to some other projects that I believe are very worthy, including:

• Serving on the Board of Directors at Liberty Common Schools. Go Eagles!
• Hosting a Monday math club for more than 50 third and fourth grade students.
• Advising Poudre High School International Baccalaureate students for their Creativity-Action-Service project. Go Impalas!
• Reviewing books and articles for National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM).
• Volunteering at the NCSM and  NCTM 2011 Annual Meetings in Indianapolis.

Personally, 2011 will be difficult to beat. After years of planning, we spent five weeks in Kenya, where we enjoyed a fabulous safari and spent two-and-a-half weeks with my mother and stepfather in Diani Beach. My family visited a Maasai school and I picked up some elementary math texts. I’ll spare readers other personal news (but trust me, it was amazing). Mzuri sana!

Looking ahead to 2012, I’m excited to:

• Present a session entitled, “Technology  + Singapore Strategies =  Number Sense,” with Lauri Susi of Conceptua Math at the 2012 NCTM Annual Meeting and Exposition in Philadelphia.
• Attend the Twelfth International Congress on Mathematical Education (ICME-12) in South Korea in July 2012 (hopefully!).
• Introduce Singapore Math to those attending my BER workshops.
• Continue to work with visionary schools and their administrators and teachers to bring the world’s leading primary math curriculum to eager students and their parents.

If I may be of service at any time, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.

Once again, my sincerest thanks to my clients, colleagues and partners for a wonderful year.

As always…Passionate about Singapore Math.

-Cassy

Here are the latest 2012 dates for my Bureau of Education and Research (BER) seminar “How to Use the Best Strategies from Singapore Math to Strengthen your Math Instruction”

(Click though for specific location and registration info.)

• Mar. 5 – Hartford, CT
• Mar. 6 – Providence, RI
• Mar. 7 – Albany, NY
• Mar. 8 – Burlington, VT
• Mar. 9 – Manchester, NH

• Mar. 19 – Ottawa, ON
• Mar. 20 – Hamilton, ON
• Mar. 21 – Toronto, ON
• Mar. 22 – Cincinnati, OH
• Mar. 23 – San Antonio, TX

This in-depth look at strategies from Singapore math will put your students on the road to success with number sense, computation and problem solving.  (Plus you a get a handy-dandy handbook!)

More dates for “How to Use the Best Strategies from Singapore Math to Strengthen your Math Instruction”

Dates for “Boost Students’ Math Problem-Solving Skills Using Singapore Model Drawing”

As promised, here are the first batch of 2012 dates for my BER  seminar “How to Use the Best Strategies from Singapore Math to Strengthen your Math Instruction”

(Click though for specific location and registration info.)

• Jan. 30 – Long Island, NY
• Jan. 31 – Baltimore, MD
• Feb. 1 – Northern Virginia, VA
• Feb. 2 – Richmond, VA
• Feb. 3 – Roanoke, VA
• Feb. 29 – Baton Rouge, LA
• Mar. 1 – Houston

This in-depth look at strategies from Singapore math will put your students on the road to success with number sense, computation and problem solving.  (Plus you a get a handy-dandy handbook!)

More March 2012 dates will be posted soon!

Last year, the Bureau of Education & Research asked me to create a seminar focusing on Singapore Math Bar Modeling. Reviews from the try-out seminars were fabulous and I’m pleased to announce that BER will be offering the seminar in select cities in January, 2012.

Boost Students’ Math Problem-Solving Skills Using Singapore Model Drawing
(Click though for specific location and registration info.)

• Jan. 17 – Atlanta, GA
• Jan. 18 – St. Louis, MO
• Jan 19 – Milwaukee, WI
• Jan. 20 – Minneapolis, MN

This in-depth look at the Singapore Math Model Drawing method will help your students understand and master the model method of problem solving.  (Plus you a get a handy-dandy handbook!)

I’ll be posting 2012 dates for my popular “How to Use the Best Strategies from Singapore Math to Strengthen your Math Instruction” soon!

Thumbs up for more great Singapore Math Seminars!

I’ll be presenting “How to Use Strategies from Singapore Math to Strengthen your Math Instruction” for the Bureau of Education and Research in several cities this May. You can read more about these one-day seminars and register by clicking on the city. Whether you’re new to Singapore Math or just interested in learning more about some of the strategies, you’re sure to leave with a new understanding of the curriculum, strategies that you can use tomorrow and renewed energy for teaching math. (Plus a handy-dandy handbook!)

• May 9 – Providence, RI
• May 10 – Albany, NY
• May 11 – Hartford, CT
• May 12 – Dallas, TX
• May 13 – Phoenix, AZ

That’s all
til next fall
for BER’s
seminars.
Don’t be blue,
I can come to you!

email me for more information.

(Limitless or limited resources. Courtesy of Indexed.)

In response to requests about upcoming trainings, here is an update on one of my Singapore Math workshops that is open to the public:

Boost Students’ Math Problem-Solving Skills Using Singapore Model Drawing
(Click though for location and registration info.)

Mesa Convention Center
Mesa, AZ
January 19th.

This in-depth look at the Singapore Math Model Drawing method will help your students understand and master problem solving.  (Plus you a get a handy-dandy handbook!)

The math period started with a mad math minute type of activity of either addition or subtraction, depending where the students were working.  For the lessons on multiplication and division by 8′s and 9′s, the teacher chose to list the tables from 2 x 8 through 9 x 8 on the whiteboard and have the students copy them down, like this:

Next, the teacher had the students make flash cards and quiz each other.  Finally, in a class of 27, they played around the world. The game where two students compete against each other to see who can get the answer to the problem on the flash card faster.

The lesson in the textbook does include some multiplication charts. The textbook was open on the teacher’s desk and she did refer to it at least once during the lesson:

Primary Mathematics 3A Textbook, U.S. Edition:

Notice how the textbook draws out a student’s prior knowledge to show the patterns behind the computation?

The 3A Teacher’s Guide includes a more comprehensive lesson based on a deeper understanding of the number 8 and it’s multiples. I couldn’t find it in the room.

(Click to enlarge)

Can you see the difference in the depth of a student’s understanding  after the Primary Mathematics lesson?

Note that the subsequent three lessons are:

• Multiplying a 2 or 3 digit number by 8.
• Dividing a 2 or 3 digit number by 8.
• Word problems that require multiplying and dividing by 8.

The sequence of lessons follows the same pattern for the number 9.

When I asked the teacher about the lesson, she essentially said, “well, I didn’t think to look at the teacher’s guide. I’ve always taught this way.” She’s new to the school and only had about 2 hours of training.

Back to the original question. One of the biggest challenges for schools adopting the Singapore Math curriculum is the need for adequate training. If teachers don’t understand what makes Singapore different or if they lack content knowledge,  they’ll continue to teach the way they always have. Effective training will give teachers an understanding of Singapore Math’s philosophy and approach and leave them with confidence in their ability to teach it.

Buying the curriculum is the first step. Successful schools invest in quality training.

(Teachers can save the economy courtesy of Indexed.)

In response to requests about upcoming trainings, here are some of my Singapore Math workshops that are open to the public.

The seminar “How to Use Strategies from Singapore Math to Strengthen your Math Instruction” will be offered in several cities this winter. You can read more about these one day seminars and register by clicking on the city.

January 31 – Neenah, WI

February 1 – Madison, WI

February 2 – Rochester, MN

February 3 – Sioux Falls, SD

February 4 – Fargo, ND

Save the date – May seminars will be opening for registration soon!
May 9 – Providence, RI
May 10 – Albany, NY
May 11 – Hartford, CT
May 12 – Dallas, TX
May 13 – Phoenix, AZ

Whether you’re new to Singapore Math or just interested in learning more about some of the strategies, you’re sure to leave with a new understanding of the curriculum, strategies that you can use tomorrow and renewed energy for teaching math. (Plus a handy-dandy handbook!)

(Image courtesy of Indexed.)

I’ll be presenting “How to Use Strategies from Singapore Math to Strengthen your Math Instruction” at four workshops this winter. You can read more about these 1 day seminars and register by clicking on the city.

February 10 – Harrisburg, PA – Rescheduled for March 9th

February 11 – Atlanta, GA – Rescheduled for March 10th

March 29 – Rochester, NY

March 30 – Buffalo, NY

Whether you’re new to Singapore Math or just interested in learning more about some of the strategies, you’re sure to leave with a new understanding of the curriculum. (And a handy-dandy handbook!)