When I was in High school, when someone asks me what course I would want to take when I get to college, I just say any degree as long as it doesn’t have Math on it. Later I realized that whatever course I decide to take, it seemed that math subjects are always part of it, and it’s practically inevitable. Fortunately, I was able to finish college and learned and endured math the hard way, and that is why until now I still find it difficult to appreciate it.
Last week, I was fortunate to be a part of a group of adults, mostly moms and dads to go visit GALILEO Enrichment Learning Program in Makati. Galileo, headed by Ms. Rowena Matti is noted to specialize in teaching the Singapore Math. I heard Singapore Math from my wife before but I really didn’t pay any attention to it, because again, it’s Math.
Singapore Math is a breakthrough system (at least for me) in how to compute math problems from the simplest addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to the more complex problem solving like Algebra. Galileo Enrichment Learning Program is just one of the pioneers that brought Singapore Math in the Philippines. So, why Singapore Math? For many years Singapore was noted to have the highest rates of students who excelled in Math compared to any other countries in the world.
Basically, Singapore system of education revolutionizes how they teach math to children. Traditionally, the most common way to learn Math is through memorization. But Singapore’s way is through understanding and mastery. In SG, first graders will be taught addition only for one whole year and students will master it. On the second grade, that’s the only time they will proceed to subtraction. Math tends to be difficult to understand if it is in an “abstract” form which the usual equation we see in a math problem. SG Math sues blocks and simple symbols.
At the Galileo Center in Makati, I and together with some parents (bloggers), who happened to dislike math also, tried to solve some simple math problems using SG Math. Teacher Beth Lamis taught us to solve equations which were normally very hard for me to solve before, but through SG Math, it becomes easier. Many of us were surprised by the results we did and just wished there was SG Math already when we were still students and our careers would have been different.
If you find SG Math interesting for your kids (and yours), Galileo will be holding an event called Singapore Math Learning Festival on July 4, 2015 at AIM Conference Center in Makati City. The event will start 7:30am to 5:00pm.
For more information, you can visit; www.galileoenrichment.com or you can also email them at; SMLF@galileoenrichment.com
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