Marshall Cavendish Online at NCTM Conference 2012 in Philadelphia

This year, Marshall Cavendish Online (MC Online) participated in the renowned National Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ (NCTM) annual conference that was held from 25-28 April 2012 in Philadelphia. The biggest and most esteemed Mathematics event of the year, it allows educators to network and gain insight into the best and newest teaching resources. With the elevation of our Singapore Math digital curriculum in international standing, we are glad to have such a great opportunity to further showcase our premium learning solutions to educators from all over the world.

The delegates were invited to the MC Online booth for demonstrations and got to know more about Math Buddies’ exceptional digital curriculum. Designed to provide a more engaging teaching and learning experience for both teachers and students, Math Buddies utilizes interactive multimedia courseware that is based on Singapore’s mathematics curriculum. An all-encompassing solution that entails digital teaching and learning, Math Buddies equips teachers with tools to aid their instructional methods and imbues students’ learning with additional guided support for better comprehension.

The educators were treated to lively, on-site product demonstrations

Children were also encouraged to try out the system and engage in the fun of learning Singapore Math with Math Buddies.

The children enjoying the interactive digital resources featured on Math Buddies

A schoolboy having fun with the Math Buddies multimedia system

In addition, workshops were held for the educators to learn more about our digital curriculum from distinguished Singapore Math expert, Dr Yeap Ban Har, and representatives from Marshall Cavendish Education.

MC Online would also like to congratulate the two winners who won the Math Buddies Raffle that was held during the NCTM Conference 2012. The First Prize Winner of the Kindle Fire was Claudia Williams, and the Second Prize Winner of our entire professional development Teaching to Mastery series went to Laura Knees. Congratulations Claudia and Laura!

To learn more about Math Buddies, please visit www.mymathbuddies.sg.

If you have an inquiry on Math Buddies, please feel free to drop us a message at mathbuddies@marshallcavendish.com .

NCTM 2011 at Atlantic City

Marshall Cavendish would like to thank everyone who came by our booth at NCTM in Atlantic City. The positive response for Math Buddies resulted in 11 schools adopting our pilot program. A big welcome to all the schools coming onboard including Scarsdale Public School District, The Bolles School and Red Banks Elementary.

To learn more on Math Buddies, visit www.mconline.us
If you have an inquiry on Math Buddies, drop us a message at customerservice@marshallcavendish.com.

Marshall Cavendish hosts 50 international delegates in 2nd Marshall Cavendish Singapore Mathematics Global Forum

Marshall Cavendish organised the 2nd Marshall Cavendish Singapore Mathematics Global Forum from 22 September to 24 September 2011 at the Grand Copthorne Hotel, Singapore. It was a great opportunity to showcase Math Buddies to educators from around the globe, an online digital curriculum designed to support learning Math using the Singapore Math Approach. It adopts the same pedagogical principles from our Singapore Math textbooks and combines multimedia technology with instructional strategies to offer an engaging teaching and learning experience.

 

The forum focused on building global competence in schools, particularly in the area of Mathematics. Mr Sam Tan, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports and Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Mayor, Central Singapore District was the guest-of-honour at the global forum.



There were 150 attendees this year, with 50 foreign delegates, comprising of educational policymakers, curriculum specialists, teachers and education ministry representatives from countries such as the United States, Chile, Panama, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and Brunei. Some key delegates include Dr. Alan Burke, Deputy Superintendent, Washington State Department of Education, Lucy Molinar, Minister of Education, Panama and Tim Gopeesingh, Minister of Education for Trinidad and Tobago.

Ms Lee Fei Chen, Head of Publishing, Marshall Cavendish Publishing Group, said “Marshall Cavendish first initiated the Singapore Global Maths Forum to provide a platform for dialogue on the strategies and best practices of the Singapore Maths pedagogy. As the leading publisher of all of Singapore’s mathematics textbooks, it is an honour for us to assist in building greater competence in Mathematics in schools globally through new insights and to develop educational solutions that meet the needs of teachers and learners in the 21st century.”



This year, the delegates will be taken on a tour of the National Institute of Education, Singapore as many are curious as to how our teachers are trained.. They will also visit Holy Innocents, Rivervale and Pioneer Primary Schools to witness first hand, theory and policy in action on how Singapore Maths is being taught.

The Ministry of Education, Singapore also conducted a sharing session about the Singapore Maths curriculum. They expound further on the Singapore Maths curriculum framework, and touch on the salient features and the processes involved in implementing it nation wide.
Professor S. Gopinathan, Professorial Fellow at the National Institute of Education shared with the audience on Singapore’s Educational Development, with special reference to Mathematics, Science and Technology Polices.





Dr. Richard Bisk, Chair and Professor of Mathematics from Worcester State University was on the topic, Improving Math Performance: Learning from Singapore. During the session, he shared how Singapore Maths curriculum is used in the United States to improve the mathematical content knowledge of students and teachers. He also expound further Singapore Maths curriculum’s influence on the new Common Core Curriculum for the United Sates.

Mrs Ariellah Rosenberg from South Africa touched on South Africa’s education system, and  how South Africa will incorporate the Singapore Maths curriculum into their educational curriculum.





The Singapore Maths curriculum was launched in 1982 and has undergone several revisions since. The latest revision in 2007 continues to emphasize on conceptual understanding with a focal point in problem-solving. The curriculum was created by the Ministry of Education in a bid to address the problems Singaporean students were having in understanding Maths concepts. The programme has since evolved into one of the best and most effective pedagogies in the world with Singapore consistently ranked among top nations in international comparative studies since 1995. Schools in over 35 countries around the world have adopted the Singapore Math textbooks, published by Marshall Cavendish, with several adaptations to local curriculum requirements and languages.

 

NCTM 2011 / Math Buddy by MC Online

Marshall Cavendish Online was part of the NCTM 2011 Annual Meeting and Exposition held at Indianapolis from 13 - 16 April 2011. Attended by classroom teachers, administrators, mathematical coaches and curriculum planners from the US and all over the world, the NCTM Conference is the platform and meeting place for anyone who is seeking professional development opportunities, learn new techniques, experience the latest teaching products and services and many more.

Marshall Cavendish Online introduced Math Buddy, an interactive multimedia activities that encompasses effective strategies in teaching and learning mathematics. From the team that brought you Primary Mathematics and Math In Focus, Math Buddy aims to help students develop Strong Mathematical Understanding with Singapore Math Digital Curriculum.

For more information on Math Buddy: www.mconline.us

Marshall Cavendish holds the First Singapore Maths Global Forum

Delegates from 15 countries gather at Singapore’s first international forum for exchange of experiences and strategies on the Singapore Maths pedagogy

Marshall Cavendish, a member of the Times Publishing Group, is holding the first Singapore Maths Global Forum from 2 September 2010 to 4 September 2010 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Singapore. The international forum, a first in the history of Singapore Maths, serves as a platform for local and foreign education professionals to exchange strategies and experiences in the teaching and learning of the Singapore Maths curriculum. It aims to facilitate the betterment of Maths education and raise the level of proficiency of students in Maths around the world.


Attendees of the forum comprise curriculum specialists, teachers, education ministry representatives and international organisation representatives from 15 countries, such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Pakistan, South Africa, the United States and Chile. In addition, local representatives from the National Institute of Education, Ministry of Education, schools and textbook authors are also present at the forum.


According to Lee Fei Chen, Deputy Head of Publishing, Marshall Cavendish Publishing Group, “Our goal is to facilitate dialogue on the strategies and best practices of the Singapore Maths pedagogy.  It is timely, if not critical, to create and maintain a platform for  the policy makers, adopters, users  and industry watchers to come together to ensure the relevance and advancement of the pedagogy now accepted and practised in some 35 countries. We are extremely proud to be part of the ongoing collaborative process where our stakeholders tell us how to make Singapore Maths material even better for learners around the world.”


The Singapore Maths curriculum was launched in 1982 and revised in 1992 with a new focal point in problem-solving. The curriculum was created by the Ministry of Education in a bid to address the problems Singaporean students were having in comprehending Maths concepts. The programme has since evolved into one of the best and most effective pedagogies in the world with Singapore students consistently ranked among top nations in international comparative studies since 1995. Schools in over 35 countries around the world have adopted the Singapore Maths textbooks, published by Marshall Cavendish, with several adaptations to local curriculum requirements and languages. 

Forum Highlights
 
Country Case Studies and Global Perspectives
The forum offers a rare window into the school classrooms of the world through country presentations. Several discussion panels of delegates from Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, South Africa and the United States, will offer insights into the implementation of Singapore Maths and preparation of school teachers in their countries. Dr. Marito Garcia, Lead Human Development Economist of the World Bank, will present the global perspectives on Singapore Maths and Science at the forum.


International Survey Findings
A highlight of the conference is the sharing of the key findings of international surveys that measure the success of the Singapore Maths curriculum in the adopting countries. Presentations include the Trends in International Maths and Science Study (TIMSS), The Gabriella and Paul Rosenbaum Foundation Survey in America and The ORT Survey in South Africa.
The Gabriella and Paul Rosenbaum Foundation Survey is a six-year longitudinal statistical study on the effect of Singapore Maths on student proficiency in the North Middlesex Regional School District (NMRSD) in Massachusetts. The survey is the first and only statistical study on the effectiveness of Singapore Maths. The NMRSD schools used Singapore maths textbook series which includes the Marshall Cavendish-published Primary Maths textbooks differing from the other Massachusetts school districts.


The results from analyses show that:
i) Participation in Singapore Maths classes has a positive impact on student Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test scores,
ii) The duration of student participation in Singapore Maths classes has a greater positive impact on test score gains than Singapore Maths participation at any particular grade level and
iii) Beginning Singapore Maths in early grades improves the curriculum’s effectiveness.
“As the publisher of Singapore Maths textbooks, Marshall Cavendish is very proud to know that the use of textbooks books published by Marshall Cavendish has a positive impact on the students’ Maths grades. The survey is one of the many global examples demonstrating the efficacy of Singapore Maths.” said Lee Fei Chen, Deputy Head of Publishing, Marshall Cavendish Publishing Group.


Professional Teaching Trends
The forum also looks at the professional development trends and teaching strategies for teachers to improve their overall teaching efficiency. A recent trend that will be covered in the forum is the pervasive use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in schools. A Singapore case study to be presented will look at how ICT is used in education including the teaching of Maths for an added interactive and enjoyable experience.


“The Singapore Maths curriculum has been carried out in Scarsdale Public Schools for two years and it has definitely proven to be a cutting-edge curriculum for our school and students. The programme has instilled a strong foundation in mathematical concepts among our students, increasing their overall mathematical competency. I am looking forward to learning more about mathematics teaching in Singapore and networking with educators from other countries that are using Singapore Maths in order to continually improve maths teaching and learning in Scarsdale,” said delegate Mr. Bill Jackson, Math Helping Teacher, Scarsdale Public Schools, New York, the United States.


To learn more about Marshall Cavendish, please visit www.marshallcavendish.com.

NCTM 2010 and Singapore Math

Marshall Cavendish Online participated in the annual NCTM Meeting and Exposition at San Diego, California on 21 - 24 April 2010. It was an excellent opportunity to showcase our Singapore Math digital curriculum to the educators from all over the world.

From the team that brought to you the successful Primary Mathematics Series, Primary Mathematics Online is a supplementary digital courseware that contains and maintains the original content and methods that have been used and proven effective in Singapore.

The Primary Mathematics series is based on sound research principles of effective approaches to teaching mathematics. Studies on the instructional approach have also been tested successfully in classrooms both in Singapore and the United States.

Users from United States can learn more about this offering at http://www.mconline.us

Singapore Mathematics Textbooks Adopted in the United States

From 2007 to April 2009, the team at Marshall Cavendish Education worked tirelessly to adapt Singapore Mathematics textbooks for schools in the United States (US). They persevered no matter how tough the challenge, working hand in hand with their US counterparts to make the textbooks relevant for American students. It was essentially a labour of love.

Mathematics textbooks published by Marshall Cavendish Education have become popular and widely accepted in schools across the US. At present, both the US Edition and Standard Edition of Primary Mathematics and Math in Focus are in use. (see Our Math Textbooks Timeline)

“We are approved for adoption in California and Oregon (for Primary Mathematics) and Indiana (for Math In Focus). Schools in practically all of the 50 states are using our programmes.” said Publisher and Deputy General Manager Duriya Aziz. Assistant Managing Director Tok Yen Hoon explained the advantage our publications offer, “While traditional US textbooks emphasise definitions and formulae, Singapore textbooks build deep understanding of mathematical concepts.” According to Senior Production Manager Tan Hui Huan, the use of holistic teaching methods, creative illustrations and very importantly - the prompt delivery of products helped boost the popularity of the textbooks.

Designer Mohammad Kamil Bin Rabu echoed Hui Huan’s sentiments, “Our textbooks give students new perspectives and provide a breath of fresh air. Attractive visuals help them better understand Math.”

With such a growing demand for our textbooks, the team has been busy these last two years with adapting Singapore Mathematics textbooks for the US market. It has been a labour of love for them throughout. They persevered no matter how tough the challenge, believing in their product, and worked hand in hand with their US counterparts to make it relevant for the students there.

To sum up, the team can take pride in what they have accomplished, and enjoy the fruits of their labour.(Story extracted from October issue of Timeslink)

Timeline of Our Maths Textbooks in the USA:

2003 Primary Mathematics (US Edition) published with Singaporemath.com

2007 California Department for Education approves

the use of state funds to order Primary Mathematics (Standard Edition) for schools throughout the state

2008 Primary Mathematics (Standard Edition) published

2009 Math in Focus for children between Kindergarten and Grade 5. (the US version of My Pals are Here), published with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt