Mathematics

The Primary Mathematics Education aims to enable all students to:

1. acquire mathematical concepts and skills for everyday use and continuous learning in Mathematics;

2. develop thinking, reasoning, communication, application and meta-cognitive skills through a Mathematical approach to problem-solving; and

3. build confidence and foster interest in Mathematics.

To achieve the above-mentioned aims as well as to align to the school's education philosophy of “Play.Passion.Purpose.”, the Mathematics curriculum in Springdale Primary School takes on an exploratory and experiential approach.

Programmes

1. Sustained Support for Mathematics (SSM)
   Students learn Mathematical concepts through a series of activities that are scaffolded to develop conceptual understanding. The programme hinges on the principles of early success, strong basics and steady progress. The focus is to provide students the experiences to learn from the concrete to the pictorial and then to the abstract stage. Learning experiences involve the use of manipulative, songs, storybooks and daily experiences. Students work with concrete objects during performance tasks so that they are able to make sense of their learning.

2. Problem-Solving
   Routine Problems
   Students at all levels, starting from Primary 1, are taught the fundamental skills related to problem-solving and these skills are cascaded in progressive developmental stages which are tagged to the topics taught at the various levels. 

   Non-routine Problems
   Students from Primary 3 are taught the different thinking skills and heuristics to help them solve non-routine questions and higher-order thinking questions. Students go through investigative tasks so as to apply the heuristics in solving problems. 

   Speed Sums
   At the foundational levels, basic operations and number facts are emphasised. In order for students to be both accurate and quick, they are assessed formatively and regularly through this programme.

3. Authentic Learning
   Through authentic learning experiences in and beyond the classroom, e.g. learning journeys, students are able to appreciate and apply what they have learnt in Mathematics in real-life contexts. It is through these experiences that they are able to reinforce and connect what they have learned in the classroom to real-life applications.

Game-based learning is also a part of Maths learning within and outside the classrooms. Gamification and the deployment of games encourage students to learn while playing. There is increased interaction and collaboration amongst students and opportunities to test intuitive ideas and problem-solving strategies. Maths Bingo and Maths Games Programmes are organized for all students during their respective recesses weekly.

Math Games Leaders from each level have been selected and trained by teachers to facilitate the game sessions and assist teachers during their recesses once a week. They teach and guide their peers who attend the sessions on how to play the games. Through this Math programme, these Math games leaders sharpen their leadership, communication and facilitation skills. 

The trained Math Games Leaders were presented with a collar pin each during assembly at the end of Term 1. This serves as a recognition for their service to school and an identification for other students during the game sessions.

Congratulations to our Math Games Leaders!

4. Learning Support for Mathematics (LSM)
This programme helps Primary 1 and 2 students who need help in basic numeracy. The students are identified using the Early Numeracy Indication (ENI) instrument in Primary 1. The identified students are taught basic Mathematical concepts and skills in small-group settings within a conducive environm

USEFUL LINKS FOR PARENTS

Fun with Maths through Activity-based Teaching https://www.schoolbag.sg/story/fun-with-maths-through-activity-based-teaching#.Vm-ph9IrJhE

Solving Maths Word Problems through Decoding https://www.schoolbag.sg/story/solving-maths-word-problems-through-decoding#.Vm-q5tIrJhE

Helping Children to Love Mathematics https://www.schoolbag.sg/story/helping-children-to-love-mathematics#.Vm-rItIrJhE

Printable Math Manipulative http://jimmiescollage.com/2011/04/ultimate-list-of-printable-math-manipulatives-games/