More adoptions of Singapore Math are in the news, with notable support from corporate partners in a couple instances…

Ogden district invests in Singapore Math program

Following a very successful pilot of Singapore Math at three of its elementary schools, the Ogden (Utah) school district is adopting the curriculum district-wide. Leanne Rich, the district’s coordinator for curriculum and professional development, said of the success of the Singapore Math pilot program:

We saw immediate, dramatic results…Now what we will have is independent mathematicians for all our students.

Rich also noted that students don’t have to rely solely on the teacher for everything — they learn to think independently.

Jessica Namovicz, a first-grade teacher at James Madison (one of the pilot schools), said the program teaches students how to manipulate numbers and to see numbers in concrete terms:

I can watch them set it up in their heads.

As an aside, it’s nice to see the headline that indicates the District’s implementation of Singapore Math is an “investment!”

DPS considers Singapore math pilot program for Y.E. Smith

Next week, the Durham (North Carolina) Board of Education will consider a proposal experiment with Singapore Method Math at Y.E. Smith Elementary School thanks to funding from the SAS Institute.

Lewis Ferebee, Durham Public Schools (DPS) chief of staff, said that the pilot program aligns with the new Common Core curriculum standards that go into effect this fall, as those standards call for problem-solving skills and depth of understanding in the first year.

Caroline McMullen, director of education initiatives at SAS Institute, said that the prominent software engineering company has a vested interested in making this pilot program work: SAS wants workers skilled in mathematics and statistics:

We’re a global company, but we want to focus on North Carolina.

While acknowledging cultural distinctions between Singapore and Durham, area superintendent for elementary schools Stacey Wilson-Norman, said:

The focus on problem-solving and emphasis on the essential math skills recommended in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Curriculum Focal Points aligns with our focus….No one thing yields substantial and continued success. Key transformation strategies have been selected to aid in the progress of Y.E. Smith to support instructional and operational changes. We are very proud of the recent results achieved and see a shift in the culture of learning.

MasterCard Grant Helps Train Wentzville Math Teachers

Since the Wentzville (Missouri) School District implemented the Singapore Math curriculum in 2008 (funded with a grant from MasterCard), improvements in student test scores have continued to outpace the state average. MasterCard provided funding for additional Singapore Math teacher training this summer.

Curriculum Coordinator David Brothers said:

Singapore Math makes sure that students have a deep understanding of mathematical concepts before getting them to the memorization of traditional algorithms and that allows the teachers to dive into the rigor much sooner and at deeper levels than a traditional math curriculum.

And you thought schools took the summer off.