The Singapore Mathematics Calendar

A math calendar à la Singapour, which is designed in such a way that the answer to the problem on each day is the date on which the question appears, aims to develop in children a positive attitude towards the world’s most disliked school subject—when they are exposed to the beauty and joy of math rather than seeing it as a mere drill-and-kill subject.

The Singapore Mathematics Calendar—which takes three or four times longer to write than a typical assessment (or supplementary) math title, and costs a few folds more in publishing it—is a first in Singapore math publishing, as it offers students a creative and fun way to learning math, while honing their problem-solving skills.

by Numerati November 25, 2024

Growth Mindset in Mathematics

The idea that math educators should focus on effort rather than on results—that failure is part of the success equation, because a set of false starts, failures, and frustrations are often necessary or unavoidable before someone could experience some degree of mathematical progress or achievement.

To fail is no shame, but failure to try again often is. A growth mindset in mathematics is to try or fail again, while failing better or faster each time.

by Numerati December 14, 2024

The Amazonification of Singapore Math

When writers-mathepreneurs keen on leveraging on the Singapore math brand are ever grateful to Amazon’s print-on-demand services, which allows them to self-publish their oft-half-edited manuscripts, which were rejected by 99.99% of educational publishers.

The Amazonification of Singapore math and the low interest or investment in AI technologies have led some once-leading publishers to drop from hero to zero until it’s too late for them to do anything.

by Numerati December 30, 2024

A Pi-Free Math Book

The mathematical equivalent of a meeting-free day or passport-less travel. When the sight of the symbol π is enough to trigger panic or paranoia among billions of folks worldwide, who think they weren’t born or blessed with the “math gene.”

Just as a math book without equations or formulas could raise the sales figures by a few folds, a pi-free math book could give thousands of math-anxious folks more confidence in picking up a pop math book without feeling unduly stressed.

by Numerati January 2, 2025

The Democratization of Singapore Math

When more and more countries around the globe are fast embracing the Singapore math curriculum, or part of it, so as not to be left behind educationally and economically, as they copycat or emulate the best educational practices used by local math educators and tiger parents, who have helped put the “fine” city of Singapore on the world’s math education map.

Like the democratization of music, the democratization of Singapore math ought to force math educators in the city-state to embrace the courage imperative, by turning barriers into breakthroughs, or obstacles into opportunities, if they want to maintain an asymmetric advantage over their counterparts in other high GDP economies.

by Numerati January 14, 2025

The Muskification of Singapore Math

When publishing houses in the “fine” city of Singapore give their oft-half-baked editorial staff and their semi-inept bosses an ultimatum: commit to high-quality publishing (with limited or quasi-zero resources) and willingness to go the extra (second) mile and helping the company to achieve exponential profitability.

In the Muskification of Singapore math exercise, some morally bankrupt managing editors and publishing managers have further slashed the already-low budget for proofreaders, reviewers, and consultants—editors and writers are expected to wear multiple hats while producing wallet-happy titles.

by Numerati January 31, 2025

The Geography of Singapore Math

Communities and countries (or schools and states) around the globe with the highest and lowest levels of adoption of the Singapore math curriculum, or part of it—which incorporates the best methodologies and pedagogies from both the East and the West—with some demographic or racial groups more receptive to embracing this alien math program than others.

The geography of Singapore math reveals a strong support among American homeschoolers and white middle-class families, who order tens of thousands of math titles every year from the “fine” city-state.

by Numerati April 7, 2025