The Teacher Guide is a colorful, classroom-oriented (large, oversized 10"x12") manual that provides the resources needed to successfully teach the Grade 3A course. Introductory information covers the Singapore math approach and methodology detailing the Guide's features. Chapter information is extensive and includes a chapter overview and progression, plus a detailed lesson-by-lesson “chapter at a glance" chart that provides learning outcomes, focus questions, I CAN statements, vocabulary, materials, and instructional resources used (Student Book page numbers). It also includes a section entitled “mathematical practices" (Singapore equivalent to “standards"). The learning methodology is based on teacher-student interaction and the TG provides questions and discussion points in addition to step-by-step learning sequences.
The detailed daily lessons (about 50-60 minutes each) include Lesson Opener, Learn, Learn Together (activities geared to pairs and groups of students), and Practice on Your Own exercises. Activity! pages are periodically incorporated into these lessons. Reduced copies of student pages (with answers) are included. Daily lesson material ends with a full page outlining differentiated instruction that includes suggested activities and assignments from the Additional Practice, Reteach, and Extension workbooks. Homework assignments from the Mastery and Beyond workbooks are also included at the end of each section (group of lessons). In addition to lessons with this format, there are special lessons at the beginning and end of each chapter. Chapters begin with a Recall lesson that reviews concepts covered previously that will be built on in the chapter. They end with several lessons that includes a chapter wrap-up, performance task, STEAM Project (cross-disciplinary lessons that sometimes are continued through several chapters), and Chapter Practice (cumulative review over the chapter). These lessons are to be followed by a Chapter Test from the Assessment Guide.
Purchase of the Teacher Guide includes access to the Marshall Cavendish EduHub website. Teacher resources needed for some of the lessons are printable from this website. A Transition Guide is mentioned in the TG. This is a detailed guide for teachers that enables them to transition students into the Singapore math program. The guide provides teachers with background information on important concepts and highlights potential challenges that students might face. It is also a help to teachers who are unfamiliar with the math approach. This Transition Guide is available digitally for one year for purchasers of the TG.
