Question for Math in Focus Users

[Guest]

I just got 1a in the mail for my first grader.  I only ordered the student book, and the student workbook.  How do you schedule MIF?  In the student book each lesson is several pages, and then when it schedules the workbook pages there are several pages listed.  Do you go through all the student book lesson pages in one day, and then schedule out the workbook pages over several days?  Please share how you use it.

[cintinative]

We are in 5A and Course 1A now so I don't remember a lot about that phase. Generally I go over the book lesson, and then the next day they would do the workbook.  If the lesson was super short, or I had to cut it off from the day before, I will have the child work on the workbook. I look at the time spent more than anything.  Because the workbook assignments vary pretty greatly in length, you might be better off assigning a time (work on it for x minutes and set a timer).  Sometimes I would assign six pages in the workbook, but that backfired if there are a lot of word problems that take forever.  

 

So, all that to say, use your judgement?  It does say in the teacher's guide how many days a chapter is supposed to take to cover so that is my "plumb line" for how well we are staying on track.  That said, we have slowed way down at points because one of my kids was slow to pick up a concept.  

 

 

[boscopup]

I've used levels 3 and 5, and I usually went over the material and had them do one Practice section per day. I don't know if the grade 1 is laid out differently though?

 

Ah, I just remembered that I downloaded all the MiF workbooks off a private school website, so I checked grade 1. That is a lot of pages for each "Practice" section! I think I'd just work 20 minutes or so and call it good. I think each Practice section could be done across multiple days.

 

Chapter 1 - 3 sections

Chapter 2 - 3 sections

Chapter 3 - 3 sections

Chapter 4 - 5 sections

Chapter 5 - 8 sections

Chpater 6 - 3 sections

Chapter 7 - 4 sections

Chapter 8 - 5 sections

Chapter 9 - 5 sections

 

That's one semester, with 39 sections. Add in a 2-3 extra days each chapter to do the extra stuff and the review type things, and you could probably spend 2 days on each Practice section and easily finish in a semester's time. Some practice sections might go very quickly, even if they're a lot of pages. Some might go slower. You could also do some orally and some written - trading off every other problem. I've done that with my little guys before. :)

 

We do any textbook stuff orally only - I teach from the textbook and then they work the workbook pages on their own to practice. So you don't need to do all the textbook problems AND the workbook problems.

 

[sbgrace]

I used MIF 1 a long time ago, and an only find my 1B stuff, however, based on that:

 

I would have done--in chapter 1--lesson 1 on text teaching and guided practice if tolerable or save guided practice for day 2 if not tolerable, practice for lesson 1 in workbook for a day or 2 if needed, on to lesson 2 for chapter 1. I would move based on what works for my kid--that's the beauty of homeschooling. Or, to be really specific, I would ignore grade levels and move at the pace that makes math enjoyable/or at least not unpleasant and that sticks for the kids. So instead of planning out, I would be flexible based on the child on that particular day. One of the things I liked about Math In Focus is that it always felt like just enough practice without too much--at least that's how I remember it. We worked through 5A, then left--so it's been some years since I did MIF. I never, in any subject but especially math, regretted going at the pace that worked for us. 

Edited August 26, 2017 by sbgrace

[ondreeuh]

The TM breaks most lessons into 2-3 days. It tells you to do the first part of the textbook, and then the first part of the workbook. On your own you would just work out of the textbook until you get to a logical stopping point (before the kid gets overwhelmed) and then do the workbook problems that cover what you just did.

 

I admit I don't really do it that way, though. We usually do one lesson per day. I often condensed two lessons into one day. You just have to respond to how your own kid is doing. Go as slow as they need. Math in Focus is challenging, and some kids need to work on every step. Other kids understand quickly and can go straight to the main point. My youngest did 1A through 5B and is now in course 1A (basically 6A).

 

I highly recommend using something for daily review. It really helps make Math in Focus a breeze because all of the foundational skills stay fresh. We call it review & preview. I used Math Minutes for levels 1-5, but we are using 180 Days of Math this year, and I like it just as much, maybe more.