Son1:  We've had several weeks of daily multiplication fact drill pages to improve Son1's mental math skill and speed. He is working steadily through the Singapore Math 5A text and Intensive Practice workbook.

This week he is in the midst of problems involving angles of intersecting lines. He works almost entirely solo now, a big change from the tutor-at-his-elbow approach we took all fall and winter. After each day's work, I review his work and call him back as needed to go through his answers with me.

Looking back, I guess it took this long for Son1 to become comfortable with this completely different math curriculum and with homeschooling -- and the reality that we will move as quickly or slowly as needed for him to understand concepts and gain skills.

Son2: He, too, has had several weeks of daily addition and subtraction drill pages, with the goal of improving his mental math skill and speed. In Son2's Singapore Math 2A text and workbook, this week he is in the midst of the first introduction of multiplication with the standard notation. Oh my!

He worked quickly through the multiplication section but upon the similar introduction of division he got anxious. He kept thinking he had to know more than he did, so I spent time reassuring him that everything he needed to know was right on the page, laid out for him.

I think we'll switch to the Extra Problems workbook so Son2 can settle into the multiplication for a while before tackling division. I got this workbook because last fall I saw that on occasion more exercises would be very helpful to give Son2 time and practice so he can absorb concepts rather than rushing onward.