Today Grace wowed me with her astounding mathematical skills. I surprised her with a strawberry and a coconut cookie (and a Slush from Boba Smoothie -I love their Thai Milk Tea with Boba!) and she remembered that there was a third flavor. She said next time I should get 2 of each for myself, her, and her daddy. I asked how many that would be total. She walked herself through the solution- "2 for daddy, plus 2 for mommy, plus 2 for me is 6 of the coconut ... 2 strawberry for mommy, 2 for ... is 6 more, 2 for mommy ... of the green tea ... is 6 more..."
I prompted her with "...and 6 times 3 is...?" she looked at me quizzically. "There are 3 of us, each getting 6 cookies." I said. She just matter of factly said 18. Then she asked me how much they were. I replied, "4 for a dollar." She then solved that on her own in the most amusing way- to me anyway- it just reminded me that we all solve problems a little differently. She said "18 takeaway 4 is.... [squirm, murmur, wiggle].... 14," she held up a little finger, "that's 1 dollar, 14 takeaway 4 is.... [squirm, murmur, wiggle].... 10, that's 2 dollars," up went finger #2 and after counting up to $4 she matter of factly stated, "that leaves 2 cookies, which would be.... [squirm, murmur, wiggle] .... $4.50 for us all to try 2 of each flavor."
I almost popped with pride. I had no idea she could solve a word problem using all 4 mathematical processes that she is studying, all in her head.
I've been thinking her homeschooling has been light this year- but it's just because I'm not doing it, and her daddy takes a different approach. His method is working and it actually balances what I did in Kindergarten by being a bit more math and science based. Maybe we should alternate every year! I do feel that we have very successfully trasitioned to him being primarily responsible for her learning. By successful I mean- I don't hate that he isn't doing it my way! And of course, more importantly, Grace is loving learning again.
And he's doing all this while taking care of a quite demanding 9 month old- what an amazing man I ran off and eloped with almost 12 years ago. Our life together this far has been such a varied adventure.
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Puzzles!
Shawn last finished Da Vinci's Last Supper in Nov! No time for puzzles this fall- can't wait until we are in our own place again!!
Are you a puzzler? Want to trade?
Are you a puzzler? Want to trade?
2 comments:
She is doing super! I know dh would approach this whole homeschooling thing differntly than I would - shoot he would probably put them in school. I also know it is hard to turn over the reigns in an area that was yours almost exclusively. I would say you have one super dh and your one rockin' wife.
I love learning surprises. Ava surprises me all the time with what she knows and what she can use daily to imagine, create, and understand. It's the math problems that I get so excited about these days too. I love how kids can own what they know instead of just spit out what others want them to know. I didn't get that luxury as a kid.
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