I was paid a wee bit to write this review, but just like with all things from The WOLFe Pack, what you will find here is an honest opinion from a seasoned homeschool mom with a Master’s Degree in Education and a decade of experience in the classroom…who also happens to be a mom with way too little sleep, too much fluff and only 9 months left on her homeschool clock.
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SINGAPORE DIMENSIONS MATH PK-5
By the time this month comes to an end, I will have traveled to 16 homeschool conventions in 2023. I do it as part of my job as the Customer Connection Manager for Nicole the Math Lady. It’s a ton of work, but I LOVE it for several reasons. Not the least of which is the fact that I get to meet thousands of homeschool moms like you. And by “you,” I mean I get to chat with ALL sorts of different types of homeschool moms.
Note: There are sooooooooooooo many kinds of homeschool moms out there today. It is so exciting to see! I absolutely LOVE that we don’t all fit into one category anymore!
But, the one thing that every mama who comes to hear us speak or visit us at our booth has in common is their desire to find the best math curriculum. Unfortunately, there is no single best math curriculum.
But, there is a RIGHT MATH CURRICULUM for your student.
But, choosing the right curriculum is hard. I should know. By the time my one and only child was in Eighth Grade, we had tried EIGHT DIFFERENT MATH CURRICULA. Yeah, 8 by 8th grade. Don’t do that. Someday, I’ll make a post about that crazy journey and how we finally landed where we are.
But, today, I want to tell you about one math curricula that we did not try but I wish we had: Singapore Math.
So, when given the opportunity to review their newer line, –Dimensions Math by Singapore Math–, I was super excited to check it out!
I opted to look at the Third Grade level and I am so glad I did! Because it’s probably my favorite option for Third Grade I’ve ever seen (sorry, not sorry, Saxon!)
Read on for a full review!
Who is SINGAPORE MATH INC?
I LOVE the story behind Singapore Math Inc and I am sure you will too!
“Our story began when we moved from Singapore to the U.S. in 1997, and found our first grade daughter’s public school math program lacking. We began to supplement her education with the math curriculum used at her previous school in Singapore. Through this process, we realized that the Singapore math method was uniquely effective and that it would be useful to other parents and teachers in our community. We started selling the original Singapore Math program, Primary Mathematics, from our home in 1998 to share this powerful approach.”
Go here to read more of their story…including how that First Grade daughter mentioned above is now the CEO of Singapore Math, Inc!
What is SINGAPORE MATH?
“Singapore Math is a term that refers to the math curriculum that was developed and used in Singapore, a country that consistently ranks at the top of international assessments of math achievement. Singapore Math emphasizes problem solving, mental math, and deep understanding of concepts and skills. It also uses a concrete-pictorial-abstract approach, which means that students learn to represent and manipulate mathematical ideas using concrete objects, pictures, and symbols. Singapore Math can be a good option for homeschooling parents who want to challenge their children and help them develop mathematical thinking and reasoning.”
Here is a six-minute video explaining more about Singapore Math.
What is DIMENSIONS MATH?
The Dimensions Math series was first published in 2018 and was written by a team of math educators trained in the Singapore math style.
Dimensions Math offers rigorous content with engaging visuals and provides a deep elementary math foundation. It is a refined, comprehensive series that meets the needs of today’s students and educators.
Dimensions Math follows the Singapore Math methodology explained above by introducing a concept and then practicing the new concept through problem solving and discussion.
Dimensions Math also focuses heavily on mental math and offers challenging word problems.
Dimensions Math was designed to be comprehensive without much need to seek out extra practice on concepts. As a matter of fact, it was designed with built in differentiation. There is no expectation from the authors that every student needs to do every practice problem. The educator can pick and choose how much a student needs to practice a concept.
Note: Dimensions Math is different than their Primary Mathematics series. You can see the two series compared here.
How are the BOOKS FORMATTED?
My very first reaction when I received my set of Third Grade books to review, was “Oooooh, these are fun looking!” And while that might seem like a silly, shallow response, I think it’s an important one. Imagine having an eight-year-old embarking on a new math curriculum. Wouldn’t you rather your student thinks the math looks fun as opposed to boring, or worse yet, intimidating? How our students feel when they look at their math books, does matter. I think it matters a lot. Of course, a good math curriculum needs to be a whole lot more than just fun looking!
Note: But, this does not mean that a good math curriculum must be fun looking. Good math can also be plain and drab to look at. Hello, Saxon.
My next set of thoughts, as I dug into things, included “Hmmm…there are a lot of books here.” Followed by, “Why are there so many books?” And finally ending with, “What am I supposed to do with all of these books?”
Of course, those rapid-fire questions were answered very clearly as soon as I opened the Home Instructor’s Guide.
The Home Instructor’s Guide very clearly explains the different components to the curriculum and how to use them.
Note: No matter which math you choose to do, be sure to always read the introductory portion of the teacher’s guide before you do anything else. Invariably, there is a wealth of knowledge found amongst those opening paragraphs.
A full set of books for one course includes:
- Home Instructor’s Guide
- Textbook
- Workbook
- Tests
- Printouts
Everything is divided into two semesters, A and B. So, for one year, you will have Textbook A and also Textbook B. I assume they do this in order to make things not so bulky and overwhelming which I like. I’ve seen this done before but have to say that Dimensions Math does a much better job because they color-code it all. This makes it easy to keep track. And, everything is divided into A and B. Instructor’s Guide, Textbook, Workbook…everything. So, again…super easy to keep track!
What does a TYPICAL DAY of WORK look like?
Each Dimensions Math lesson is formatted with the same five steps: Think, Learn, Do, Activities, Practice. Everything is very clearly labeled.
- Think: You and your child work through a real-life problem with hands-on materials. This is kind of a free brainstorming session that can be guided by you. This process introduces the type of thinking that the child will do throughout the lesson.
- Learn: You teach your child the new concept, either with manipulatives or by referring to pictures in the book.
- Do: Next, your child completes exercises from the textbook to practice the new concept. Depending on your student’s level of independence, you may need to guide your children during this part of the lesson.
- Activities: The Home Instructor’s Guide provides several optional activities you can use to further reinforce the lesson.
- Practice: Finally, the child practices the new concept independently in the workbook.
Let’s look through a typical Third Grade lesson.
We’ll walk through…
- Chapter 4: Multiplication and Division
- Lesson 2: Strategies for Finding the Product
Now let’s answer some important questions. Questions that should help you assess whether Dimensions Math will be good fit for you and your student.
Is it MASTERY or SPIRAL?
Dimensions Math is mastery.
Spiral: Concepts are repeated frequently adding more depth and making more connections with each appearance.
Mastery: Concepts are presented in a well-defined order with an emphasis in mastery before moving on.
Is it RELIGIOUS?
No. Dimensions Math is not religious at all.
Does it ALIGN with COMMON CORE?
No. Dimensions Math PK–5 is not directly aligned with the Common Core State Standards, but does cover the standards “in its own unique progression.”
Whether you are a fan of CCSS or not, we can likely agree that having a set of established standards to meet each year in a math course is a good plan. And, Dimensions Math does that. You can even see how they progress through the standards here.
How much does it COST?
Depending on the grade level, a full set will cost between $120 and $160.
Which GRADE LEVELS does it COVER?
Dimensions Math covers PreK through 8th grade. The series is divided into elementary (PreK through 5th) and middle school (6th through 8th).
Is it “NEW MATH” or “OLD SCHOOL MATH”?
Neither.
It’s not the crazy “new math” you see associated with complaints about Common Core in Facebook Groups or that your student brought home from school before you decided to homeschool. It’s not that kind of math.
But, it’s also not what I like to call “old school math.” Saxon is “old school math.” It’s like how I learned math in the 70’s/80’s. It’s how I taught math when I started my teaching career in the 90’s. Dimensions Math is not like that.
Unless you were schooled in Singapore or were exposed to the Singapore Math methodology somewhere along the way, this will approach will be a little different, but it makes a ton of sense.
It uses a concrete –> pictorial -> abstract sequence to develop conceptual understanding.
And, yeah, that looks and sounds pretty fancy, I know. But, it’s not.
Which LEARNING STYLES would work well with this?
I believe that every student has every learning style (to some degree) as part of their make-up so, therefore, they can find success with most curricula (given the right tweaks, focus, etc.)
BUT, I also believe that most students rely heavier on one or two styles so assessing a curricula based on learning styles is highly valuable.
Dimensions Math teaches to a variety of learning styles, but very heavily leans on visual as the main style. Concepts are represented with images, graphics and drawings. Also, things are color-coded and clearly laid out. Some visual learners find that too many images on a page can be a distraction, but I do not believe that would be a common issue here. The pages are colorful and fun, yes. But, they are clear and organized. Also, every image has a purpose with labels and info as needed. If your student does NOT learn well with a visual approach, Dimensions Math probably won’t be a good fit.
Does it use MANIPULATIVES?
Yes.
Some lessons require manipulatives but what is needed and when it is needed is very clearly spelled out in the Home Instructor’s Guide.
Here is the full Materials List for Third Grade:
- base-ten blocks
- counters
- index cards
- dry erase board
- linking cubes
- place value discs
- 1 L beaker
- analog demonstration clock
- paper money
- coins
- compass
- meter stick
- geoboards
- platform scale
- ruler
- set of shapes
- tape measure
- toothpicks
Note: Though this list looks long, most primary math curriculum, includes similar lists. Much of this stuff can be made at home (check out Pinterest) or purchased at the dollar store. I am also assuming that each course has different required manipulatives and other materials, but that there will be a lot of overlap between the years.
Do you need to buy the HOME INSTRUCTOR’S GUIDE?
In short, yes.
Want a longer answer to this important question? I get it. I don’t always want to buy the Teacher Guide either. But, for Dimensions Math, I highly recommend that you do. Check out the video below to hear why.
Are the books CONSUMABLE?
Yes.
Everything but the Home Instructor’s Guide is designed to be consumable.
Are there SUPPORT SERVICES for it?
Yes.
There is a video series that teaches each new concept. You can read more about that here.
Is there a PLACEMENT TEST?
Yes.
The placement tests for Dimensions Math can be found here. Be sure to read the directions first and, as always, keep in mind that if your student does not place where you expect, that is okay. You want to set your student up for success by starting in the right book.
Note: ANY math curricula you are thinking of starting, do the placement test. If there is not one available, rethink that curricula as an option. Placement tests are invaluable tools and every good curricula should have one.
Where can you buy DIMENSIONS MATH?
You can buy Dimensions Math on Singapore Math Inc’s site here.
You can also buy Dimensions Math from Home Works for Books here with free shipping over $25.
Where can you GET MORE INFO?
Of course, their site has loads of helpful info.
Here, you can view samples of pages.
Homeschool FAQs can be found here.
They also have a Facebook Group, which as we know, can be where you find some of the best “real-life” info.
What’s the LAST WORD from The WOLFe Pack?
I honestly wish I could start our math journey over. If I could, I would start with Dimensions Math in the early years. I’m not sure how far we’d go in it…maybe up until Pre-Algebra. But, we would definitely use it for the early years to provide a solid conceptual foundation.
So, take it from somebody who tried eight math curricula by eighth grade, Dimensions Math is something you should consider.
