Our 25th Anniversary!
25 years ago my parents introduced the original Primary Mathematics textbooks and workbooks to a few parents in our community of West Linn, Oregon. We had just moved from Singapore where I had attended public school, and, unimpressed by the math education at my new school, my parents wondered if other students and parents might benefit from the Singapore math curriculum. The need and interest were certainly there. Hardcore homeschoolers, university math professors, and pioneering school principals from across the country dove in deep and started championing Singapore math, spreading the word on why it was so effective. One thing led to another and we kept creating new content to make Singapore math more accessible to more people.
Now it’s 2023 and we’re still family-owned and operated, and still dedicated to our original mission of bringing this model of math education to as many students as possible. While Singapore math still isn’t exactly mainstream, many of its most effective concepts have been folded into mainstream math programs, and we’re so proud of all the ways it’s contributed to greater understanding and success for math students. Thank you for being here. We love your passion for Singapore math!
–Echo Thomas
A Bit of History
1992
Dawn and Jeffery Thomas move to Dawn’s home nation of Singapore, raising their daughter, Echo, there.
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1995
Singapore ranks number one in the world in the TIMSS, meaning Singapore's 4th and 8th grade students score the highest in the world in mathematics. (The U.S. ranks in the middle.)
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1997
Echo attends first grade at a public school in Singapore and uses the original Primary Mathematics curriculum in math class.
The Thomas family moves to West Linn, OR, bringing along Echo’s math books.
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1998
Singapore Math Inc. is the first to bring Singapore math textbooks and workbooks to the U.S.
The news that a highly effective style of teaching math has washed ashore quickly spreads by word of mouth to those invested in math education in the U.S.
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1999
The homeschool community, public institutions, and forward-thinking educators become early champions of the Singapore math approach.
The Thomas family runs the warehouse operation from their home garage.
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2000 – 2001
Primary Mathematics is adopted by several public school districts in the U.S.
This cute NPR feature comes out as the buzz around the Singapore math approach grows.
Jenny Kempe (employee of 23 years!) comes on board.
Singapore Math Inc. starts creating supplemental content and adapting Primary Mathematics for the U.S.
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2003
The U.S. Edition of Primary Mathematics brings wider interest.
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2008
Singapore ranks number one again in the 2008 TIMSS.
School adoptions and homeschool sales double.
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2010
The New York Times captures Singapore math's unique position: "Singapore math’s added appeal is that it has largely skirted the math wars of recent decades over whether to teach traditional math or reform math. Indeed, Singapore math has often been described by educators and parents as a more balanced approach between the two, melding old-fashioned algorithms with visual representations and critical thinking."
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2013
Singapore Math Inc. moves to current office and warehouse location in Tualatin, OR.
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2018
After several years of intensive work behind-the-scenes, Dimensions Math successfully launches!
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2019
Hilary Duff describes Singapore math as the sh**. (Thank you so much!)
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2023
Singapore Math Inc. celebrates 25 years of being the central hub for all things Singapore math.