I’m sitting up swatting mosquitoes and reflecting upon the topic of our Bible study tonight that my husband and I attended.  The group leader asked us if anyone is experiencing any suffering (in the context of looking at the new church in Rome during Emperor Nero’s reign) and all I could answer in my mind was “Yes, I’m teaching long division to an artistic minded third grader.  Does that count?”  If I make it through this little era I’ll definitely get to add some sort of patch to my home school mom vest.  Aren’t those invented yet?  We should get to earn them like scout badges…like “I survived teaching diagramming sentences.”  “I made it through long division with my daughter and she’s still living.”  Yes, she’s making me work, this one.    I guess I was a little spoiled with my first son.  Everything came so easily to him, I knew I was skating through without really having to teach or explain much.  He just “got it.”   But I suppose in the end, this will be rewarding, like the feeling you get climbing Mt. Everest or one of Colorado’s 14-ers or giving birth without an epidural.

Am I alone here?  Granted we’ve only been doing this a few days and the process will come with repetition, I know.  Have you been on the verge of tears (or past that verge) of frustration wanting your child to "get it?"  I remember standing nervously at a chalk board in 3^rd grade hoping desperately I’d know the next step in long division.  So as my inner anxt built up over trying to help her "get it" days ago, and my volume was getting louder, my tone more urgent,  I realized she was shrinking down in her chair looking sheepish and self conscious.  Great, I know kids can't focus on the concept at hand if they're cowering and sensing mom's about to lose it!  I gave my mind a flashback of standing in my own little shoes in my old classroom with my fearsome teacher to give me patience, understanding and gentleness!  I said earnestly, "I do remember how hard this was at first!  I know you'll get it!  I'll try to be more patient with you."  When we left the table, she hugged me and said, "I love  you, Mom." 

 I decided she and her next older brother need way more drill, so at the beginning of our math time the last few days I bark out “four times nine!” and see which child can answer it first.  As I work through the facts, I keep a tally on the white board and award m n m’s at the end.  Do you have any other good tips for me? 

In reading news, we’ve just finished Treasures of the Snow, which is just simply a jewel of a story for children with its themes of forgiveness and redemption.  It’s by Patricia St. John, and my mother read it to me when I was a girl.  Isn’t it funny how we want to repeat the things that were significant to us from our childhood?  If you haven’t read it, you must.  It makes a lovely winter read as well, since it’s set in the snowy Swiss Alps and just begs to be read sitting by a wood-stove and accompanied by steaming mugs of hot chocolate.  Granted the wood-stove is out of the question for us, but with a cool evening in the upper sixties we did manage a night with the hot chocolate!  All three of my older children (ages 11, 9, and 8) were captivated and all three caught trying to read ahead, which is absolutely TABOO.  But inwardly I am secretly thrilled that they are so hooked on the story that the “labor” of reading is worth the effort to them to quench their curiosity for what will happen next.  This, in my humble opinion, is one of the most important steps for kids in the journey of reading that many never hit on their own and it’s what helps kids become good readers and spellers and also learn reading comprehension effortlessly.   So many workbooks and texts are trying to get kids to be good at reading comprehension, when the comprehension will come as kids gain fluency in reading and being read to aloud… from compelling books! 

Time to sign off and head to bed friends! 

With warm alohas,

Christa

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Posted by 4sweetums

Thanks for stopping by. I love you review of the chore packs. That was very convincing and I think I will look into ordering that. Also, thanks for posting about Treasures in the Snow. That has been on my buying wish list for a long time and the list has gotten long. That poor book is lost way at the bottom somewhere.
Blessings,
Dawn

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Posted by barbieheart

Love this post! We have all "been there," and I think your idea for merit badges is GREAT!!

(and, by the way, I did birth eight times without an epidural. It was the "fashion" for Natural Childbirth. But, having seen three of my four grandchildren born with epidural, I'd *run after one* today!)

Let me know when your Badge Business is up and running : )

--barbie

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Posted by Dana

I bought a semi used Saxon math book of only the math facts ( we are currently using MUS as our main math source). They graph their score after taking a timed test and get all fired up when they improve and then I give them and extra 10 minutes of play during our snack and play or an extra cookie. :) Or both.
I've heard that some kids get all wiggy at timed test's. I'm fortunate mine don't. We just make it fun.
So then if they keep missing certain ones I'll pull those flash card out (again Saxon) and keep them in an envelope to review.
Phew! God'd grace to you in the long division journey!

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Posted by Anonymous

Well if you wanna feel better....my 3rd grader is still mastering multiplication...the thought of starting long division makes me tired....SHE makes me tired. But, the kid totally rocks in other areas, so when I start to get frustrated w/ her...the walk away thing helps, but so does the thinking and TALKING about what he/she does well.

Another thing is rubbing her back. She's very touch oriented, and it helps her relax and not worry so much about being perfect.

my humble .02.

Emily
thelearningneverstops.blogspot.com

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Posted by ClagettsFLStyle

I'm teaching-or at least trying to- Pre-Algebra and Algebra this year, so yes, I'm with ya on the suffering part.

We played a lot of math games when my girls were little learning things like yours are. You can probably Google Math games and get some ideas. We would do math drills and either get an M&M for each on right or as the problems got harder - nickels.

Math, I think, is one of those things your either gifted in or not. My DH and I have said, if they are least trying and giving all they got, then we will walk them through these harder maths and then been done with it.

PRAISE GOD for teachers books. LOL.

Have a great weekend!

P.S. - about the Mom Planner. I know on my blog you can't see it, but if you go to the entry again and put your cursor on where I typed MOM PLANNER - it has a link there.

As for geography, I'll have to post about what we are doing :-)

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Posted by Anonymous

Oh, I love Treasures in the Snow too! I remember our librarian reading it to us during library time in 5th grade, I think. I love reading books that I loved to the kids and seeing them get into them as well. Such a feeling of "full circle"! And I am always amazed at how much more I get out of books when I read them out loud as an adult, then when I listened to them as a child.

Also, I am very impressed with your chore packs! You went to a lot of work--now I hope the routine keeps on working for you! : )

Claire
www.psalm127.blogspot.com

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Posted by EEEEMommy

I've heard so much about Treasures in the Snow, but we haven't read it yet. I read a couple of her other books as a child and enjoyed them. You're so right about recreating those special childhood memories, right now I'm doing that too by reading The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald just like my mom read to me. I'm enjoying it as much as the kids are! :)

I've been spoiled by my oldest "getting it" so quickly too, and my second born has been trying in that sense. Just yesterday, it was with English. She wasn't totally at fault because we hadn't done it in over a month, but I was so frustrated that she couldn't remember the basic definitions (like what is a sentence?). I felt like going to the beginning of the book and starting again. But then she wrote a beautiful essay (with horrible spelling). Yes! I'd be much encouraged by a vest with badges myself.

Hangeth Thou In There! (And help yourself to a couple of M&Ms while you're at it.) ;)

Edited by EEEEMommy on Jan. 11, 2008 at 1:10 PM

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Posted by TNMOMTOMANYBLESSINGS

It's been nice to stop by for a visit. I hope you are very blessed this new year.
Maria

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Posted by sonshine4u

I am so there. Do the vests come in pink? How many merits are there to earn!? LOL!!! Have a super weekend!

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Posted by CTdittmar

Thanks for all the warm and encouraging comments, friends. It just brings a good feeling to laugh a little about those patience-stretching times! You all have given me some great tools for continuing the journey...I like the gentle back rubbing idea, Emily. Dana's idea of graphing timed scores piques my interest...and I appreciate Mikki's math game ideas. Hopefully our kids will remember those kind of moments and not mom's eyes popping out and veins bulging!!

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Posted by MamaBugs

Just found you through Mikki's blog. We are military homeschoolers as well, having returned to the mainland from HI about 2 years ago. Besides my personal blog I do the HomeFront here at hsb which is the military blog. Stop by for a visit!
I subbed to you through bloglines btw!
Nice to meet you!

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Posted by Anonymous

I can't even think about teaching multiplication, let alone long division!! I'll have to teach mySELF again FIRST! Bette and I are still on "Winter break" wink, wink. I like to call these days, "Life Lessons" rather! We really do need to get back in the saddle..it's the 19th...yikes!

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