Singapore Math visits Davao City
IN the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Singapore is the leading country when it comes to fourth-grade math and second when it comes to eighth-grade math. Last May 25, Galileo Enrichment Learning Program visited Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) as the third run in their Singapore Math Learning Festival.
In a bid to duplicate the success of Singapore in Math, Galileo Enrichment Learning Program organized the Singapore Math Learning Festival to share the Singaporean style of Math to schools in the Philippines.
Maribeth Lamis, Operations Head of Galileo Enrichment Learning Program, explained that the Math taught in Singapore is more “process-oriented” and geared toward “knowing the ‘how.’”
Using the term “Singapore Math” to describe the kind of Math taught in Singapore, Lamis explained that Singapore Math is a contrast to what has been traditionally taught in schools in the Philippines.
Lamis said that while the traditional style of Math led to students being “spoonfed,” Singapore Math focuses on graphical representation of the mathematical problems through graphs and the like. Through this type of teaching, Lamis explained that it gives the students the opportunity to “discover on their own” how mathematical operations work, making the learning more student-centered and more engaging.
Singapore Math has been adopted by Davao Christian High School, Stella Maris Academy of Davao and AdDU, according to Lamis. She also said that the Singapore Math Learning Festival in Davao was the first provincial run.
The decision to bring the program here was due to the fact that there is a Galileo Enrichment Learning Program center in Davao, Lamis explained, and that the presence of the center in Davao makes adoption of Singapore Math more likely.
Lamis estimated around 150 participants during the Singapore Math Learning Festival held at AdDU. There were participants from school in Davao and neighboring cities as well, she added.
Ma. Rowena J. Matti, Chief Executive Officer of Galileo Enrichment Learning Program shared that there are no definite plans for the next run of the Singapore Math Learning Festival except that the next stop will be in Manila.