We’re Oregon’s #1 charter school for a number of reasons, most notably because we take math seriously. We believe high quality math instruction is critical to developing confident well-rounded thinkers and learners. Since our inception in 2010, our tuition-free K-5 school has been utilizing the rigorous Singapore Math curriculum to achieve above average test scores and grow students who willingly say, “I love math!”
What is Singapore Math?
Like its name, Singapore Math is based on the nationwide curriculum introduced by the Singapore Ministry of Education in the 1980s. The curriculum was a success, rocketing the small nation to the top of international rankings in the 90s and early 2000s. Word of the rigorous curriculum spread and a comprehensive math curriculum was made available for schools to adopt.
Features that make the curriculum unique include:
- Focus on visual understanding through pictorial representations
- Use of manipulatives or objects to demonstrate concepts
- Making connections between concepts
- Foundational number sense & mental math
- Authentic application through word problems
- Mastery of concepts
This excellent video from the Singapore Math website highlights the specific qualities and outcomes of the program. Most math curricula in the US merely cover a broad range of topics, without attention to mastery or depth. Too-quick pacing often translates to moving quickly through a year’s worth of content before a student has completely grasped a foundational concept, leaving many confused, frustrated and ready to give up.
Why Use Singapore Math?
Singapore Math builds confident, resourceful problem solvers who can rely on a depth of knowledge that is not found in other methods. Students become adept and flexible thinkers, a skill that serves them not only in math but across all disciplines.
At Arco Iris, Singapore Math instruction begins in Kindergarten providing a solid and consistent foundation for all students to build upon, year after year. The strength of our math curriculum lies not only in its efficacy as a program but also in our teachers’ commitment to facilitating the program and their belief in the powerful outcomes. Teachers observe how students gain deep knowledge of numbers and patterns, become agile thinkers and grasp abstract concepts at a young age. Most importantly they recognize the joy and challenge of a great problem that leads to those wonderful “ah-ha!” moments.
In a nation that increasingly admits to math anxiety or a lack of confidence in mathematical skills, we think it’s pretty remarkable that our graduates credit Arco Iris for the opportunity to go on to advanced studies in math and engineering in high school and college. We spark a love of math early, as one of our young students says it best:
Mis favorita cosa de Arco Iris es matemáticas.
My favorite thing about Arco Iris is math.
-Tzeb-Sultaan Constantino Butt, student
Finally, yearly testing data tells the same story of our curriculum and teaching effectiveness: 69% of our students are proficient in math–a 24 point increase over Beaverton Public School District math averages and an almost 39 point increase over the Oregon average.
If you are interested in a challenging and rewarding math and Spanish immersion education, visit our enrollment page to get started today. Space is limited for the 2023-24 school year.
About Arco Iris
Arco Iris Spanish Immersion is a small tuition-free public charter school providing a rich, immersive Spanish language experience and robust academics in a true multicultural setting. Centrally located off 217, between SW Portland and Tigard, we serve K-5 students in the greater Beaverton area to become bilingual and biliterate leaders of the future. Come see why we’ve earned the title Oregon’s #1 charter school. We’re enrolling for Fall 2023-24.