Check out some of the links below!

UCPS AIG Web Page - https://www.ucps.k12.nc.us/Page/3029

Websites for parents seeking additional information about gifted children:

• • The The National Research Center on Gifted and Talented (NRC/GT), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, investigates, develops, and disseminates new methods for identifying and teaching gifted students.

  • The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) is an organization of parents, educators, other professionals and community leaders to address the unique needs of children and youth. Membership includes a subscription to Parenting for High Potential, a magazine with articles geared to the development of talent.

  • The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted.

  • The Association for the Gifted (TAG) organized in 1958 by The Council for Exceptional Children, helps professionals and parents work with gifted children.

  • The Association for the Education of Gifted Underachieving Students (AEGUS) provides a forum for ideas and interventions aimed at helping twice-exceptional students reach their full potential.

  • The Davidson Institute for Talent Development has extensive resources for highly gifted students (and their parents).

  • The Davidson Young Scholars program provides free services designed to support highly gifted students and their parents.

  • Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) focuses primarily on the adults (parents, educators, etc) in the lives of gifted children. SENG provides information on identification, guidance, and effective ways to live and work with gifted individuals.

  • Hoagies' Gifted Education Page is a resource guide for the education of gifted children with links to many gifted education resources available on the Internet.

  • Gifted-Children.com: Identification, Encouragement, and Development (GCC) is an on-line parents' newsletter with networking and information dedicated to making a difference in the education of children with special talents and abilities.

Singapore Math Program - Click here for more Information and read the information below  

http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/math/math-tips-for-parents/whats-singapore-math/

Comparison with other math programs

1. How do Singapore Math® programs compare with other math programs?

   1. Singapore Math® programs offer a balance between creative problem solving and drills. Customers who have used other programs think that the Singapore approach moves along to more abstract math concepts in a more rational way and often more quickly. Other positive feedback indicates that the Singapore approach encourages better problem solving skills and creative thinking. 

2. Do Singapore Math® programs use the incremental, spiral or unit-style approach?

• 1. The Singapore Math® curriculum does not conform strictly to any of the above approaches. The strong point of Primary Mathematics is its clear and multi-pronged presentation of concepts. There is an effective mix of drill, word problems and mental calculation instruction connected to all important concepts. While typical U.S. curricula touch on a larger number of topics superficially, Primary Mathematics presents the core math curriculum in a way that better prepares students for higher math. 

3. How is math drilled in Singapore?

• 1. Individual teachers approach the process of oral drill and use of manipulatives differently. There is great emphasis on homework and practice.

Model Drawing

• 1. What is Model Drawing all about?

  2. A main feature of Primary Mathematics is a concrete to pictorial to abstract approach. Primary Mathematics teaches a problem solving technique in which students use pictorial models. This approach is often called the model approach. In the model approach, students draw bar diagrams to represent problem situations. This allows students to visually relate various information to an unknown amount and helps them determine which mathematical expressions are useful in solving the problem. 

  3. The purpose of drawing the models is not to encourage students to follow specific rules, but to understand the concepts and choose a good problem solving method. For complex problems, several strategies are possible, and drawing the model allows the student to visualize a good strategy. Drawing bar models is a valuable tool for solving non-routine problems. These problems might also be solved using algebra, but for children at the primary level a model approach can be preferable since it is less abstract. 

  4. The model approach is most effective when integrated throughout the program. Model drawing can be used across different levels, and is a strong link to algebra in the secondary level. Students in Primary Mathematics grades 1 and 2 use number bond diagrams to solve simple word problems before they are ready to draw proportional bars in higher levels.

  5. A commonly used strategy is to draw units or divide a bar into units, equate the number of units to a quantity, which is either given or calculated from other quantities given in the problem, form a proportion statement, and finally to use a unitary or proportion method to get the answer. In Primary Mathematics, a unitary method is used in understanding and solving fraction, percentage, ratio, and rate problems, without necessarily drawing a bar model. Other pictorial methods are used in the program to help students understand concepts.

  6. The model approach, while an integral part of Singapore mathematics, represents just one part of the program. There are many other benefits when using the Primary Mathematics program.