MIF Guide

[3girls4me]

Hi ladies,

I was wondering if you think I would need the teachers guide for Math in Focus for 2nd grade?

Thanks!

[elmerRex]

Why do you think that you might need a guide to teach 2nd grade math? That is not a challenge, it is meant to help you evaluate why you may or may not need the manual. Do you have several students that need your help? Do you know math well? Are *you* a good teacher?

 

Have you seen the MiF Grade 2 textbook?

Are you going to be using the workbooks along with the texts? If so, which of the MiF workbooks will you be using with your 2nd grade student? The extra books for 2nd grade are workbook, extra practice, reteach and enrichment.

 

Have you searched online for supplements or teach lesson plans--do you feel like you need those resources or is the text enough for you?

Are there any topics you feel like you might not be able to teach well--can you just look up a lesson plan for that topic or do you feel that having a whole guide book is a better investment?

[ikslo]

We use Beast Academy now, but we did use MiF for 1st and 2nd.  I had the Guide for 1st.  It was helpful in that it gave more detail about how to teach, hints if the child was having difficulty, games to play - at least that is how I remember it.  I've since passed it on.  For 2nd grade I skipped it.  I felt I knew how to approach the curriculum, and wasn't worried about knowing the answers.  I was originally planning on continuing on with MiF and using BA as a supplement, but decided to just use BA.  I was planning on going back to the Guide, though, if not for 3rd, then at least by 4th.  MiF is not how I learned math, and I found the Guide helpful.  I missed it last year.

 

 

[3girls4me]

Thanks to you both.  This is helpful.

As far as why I think I might need a guide.........I wouldn't call myself a "math" person, but I'm not weak in it either.   But.......I learned math the Saxon way.  My oldest is using CLE, which is just like I think and learn.  My middle is using Horizons - also the way I think.  But...........I'm considering an all inclusive type program that uses MIF.  I used Singapore with one of mine for a year.  She loved it, but I simply wasn't used to that way of teaching or learning, so the guide was really helpful.  REALLY helpful.  Not because I didn't understand 1st grade math, but I wanted to present the program as best as I could.  And with Horizons, for instance, I know how to teach it, but the guide has suggestions for drills, flash cards, etc......  I like that because I just think the writer of the program likely knows better than I do how to structure each day to bring the most benefit.  Does that make sense?  I thought we would give grade 2 a try so that if we go for this other program next year, MIF won't be completely foreign to us.

We would definitely want workbooks, not just a textbook. I'd prefer to have it there/open and go vs. me having to look up lessons on the computer. I don't know how helpful the guide is, but the above answer helps.  Looks like it would be beneficial, especially if MIF isn't my natural way of teaching or learning.  And maybe we'll just stick with Horizons for that child, since that method is what I know.

Thanks!

[redsquirrel]

If you are not familiar with the methodology or approach of MIF, then I would get the guide.  I found one for fourth grade used at a very low price at Amazon. In fact, I found both the fourth grade textbooks and the teacher's book for about 25$ total on Amazon and I found the 4th grade workbooks online for free. A number of schools had the workbooks available for download on their websites.

 

It isn't that second grade math is difficult, it is that MIF has a particular process and way of teaching. If you don't know what that is, then it can be very helpful to at least read through the teacher's book to help guide you. That is what they are there for, to help the teachers who haven't used it before.

[3girls4me]

If you are not familiar with the methodology or approach of MIF, then I would get the guide. I found one for fourth grade used at a very low price at Amazon. In fact, I found both the fourth grade textbooks and the teacher's book for about 25$ total on Amazon and I found the 4th grade workbooks online for free. A number of schools had the workbooks available for download on their websites.

 

It isn't that second grade math is difficult, it is that MIF has a particular process and way of teaching. If you don't know what that is, then it can be very helpful to at least read through the teacher's book to help guide you. That is what they are there for, to help the teachers who haven't used it before.

Perfect! Exactly what I wanted to know!