So T's favourite homework activity is Maths. He receives a sheet a week on a Monday and by dinner time Monday it is done without my assistance at all.
Year One school maths is too easy for T.
So does this little black duck mother just sit back and enjoy an area of schooling that does not need extra curricular support. Hell no. Instead she stresses that he is losing his interest in maths and that how he is being taught is not ideal. See my earlier posts on 'mental arithmetic' rather than rote learning or counting on fingers. (I know what you are thinking ... get a life ... I know, I know....)
IN ADDITION last week Tom had to deduct 8 from 20. He couldn't do it. So I said what is 10 minus 8. He said 3. I screamed inside. I asked him to count up from 8. He counted 8,9,10 and said 3 again. I cried inside. Once he had got 2 though he easily then got 12.
So back to the work desk on this one.
Firstly, I need to integrate a maths schedule into our week. We have dropped the nightly reader as he reads now himself. I need to get him to the local library though as our school library has closed for the year.
Pebble maths needs to be revisited (with proper pebbles not lentils!) and instituted as part of our weekly routine.
Here are a couple of websites/blogs I have subscribed to. They are completely congruent with the pebble maths concepts - especially how to 'learn' the timetables. Not be rote but by logic. Rote will come through usage but not via flashcards.
Let's Play Maths gives guidance on how to teach the timestables.
Bedtime Math provides daily 'problem-solving' for bedtime along side bed time stories. Also the questions graded around different levels. For example, this year the tooth fairy took 2 of your teeth, and last year she took 5. How many of your teeth does the tooth fairy have of yours?
So a work in progress for me. I am looking forward to school holidays, even with baby, where we are not going away and D will be home for a month. So that the boys can play (W and T have really taken to playing together - predominantly outside with the bikes/cars) together as they don't get too much time with school and activities to do this. Also to put in place some short, easy routines around learning. Like an hour twice a week on maths, going to library for books, piano, etc. Also D is going to takeover W and T's swimming lessons and golf lessons.
Note from the future:
Once we started homeschooling, then we reverted back to normal schooling (! Long story!) - I still highly recommend Singapore maths curriculum as a back up/addendum to standard maths instruction) T is doing Grade 4 now, and William Preliminary.
Labels: Maths, Stay at home mum, Suzuki piano, Swimming
