Just a quick glimpse at what we're doing....
Of course the computer.
Aidan started reading the Flat Stanley collection. She seems to really like it. In fact, I found a note she wrote for all the kids to see that reads "Touch Flat Stanley and you will die!" LMAO. Okay.. okay. NO, I do not at all think this was appropriate for a barely 4 year old to be writing but in her defense... she now lives with much older children and she can't help but pick up on certain behaviors or expressions (always seems to be the bad ones though). Yes, I had a talk with her about it. Yes, the note was thrown away. But... more and more I'm finding her writing on her own. For the longest time she wrote only for school related things. I enjoy seeing all the random things she writes on her own initiative now.
We haven't done any actual lessons in math so far. Mostly Aidan and I have been playing with our little wipe board and I'm going through Singapore 1A for ideas and giving Aidan different math equations or things for her to figure out. She already aced the tests booklet but I'm trying to come up with different ways to present the problems to make sure she really understands it all.
** I realize I need to get a grip with the reality that Aidan knows things without my instruction and need to quit testing her. I'm not sure why my brain doesn't accept this fact but it's really really hard for me. It's like my brain shuts down over the idea that she already knows all these things and she's ready to move into the next level. I think her intelligence scares me sometimes.
I also have been testing Aidan on her math facts. Her knowledge of them is random. She of course knows the easy facts like facts of 0 and 1 and then she knows harder facts like of 10 but she doesn't know facts of 8 or 4. She counts in her head to get the answers and I'd rather she knew them... so I will for the first time actually be drilling her so that she'll learn them. I'm going to give her the timed tests of one fact at a time until she can get all of them right without calculating it. Actually, I'm somewhat interested just to see how long it takes her to memorize them all. (my goal is for her to have facts up to 12 down)
Ainsley is doing school by using her learning laptop, Alphie (I LOVE Alphie... she got it from Santa. I had one as a kid), and that's about it. Which really means she's not doing any school except life school. She's been completely uninterested. I'm going to give her some easy worksheets tomorrow to see if that perks her interest. Otherwise... with her I may have to stick with the computer... or who knows?... I may just have to take it one day at a time.
3 comments:
I hear you. I have a hard time realizing Ansley knows things even when I have never taught her although I am starting to get over it. When the DORA test showed word recognition was mid 6th grade it kind of gave me a kick. And then when she was acing first grade science quizes without ever having the info, well it is what it is.
Ansley knows math fact 0, 1, 5, 10, but the others she figures in her head, by counting. We are going to really start our Right Start math for levl B- grade 1, but I will be skipping a lot of lessons as she already knows it. She can already read 4 digit numbers, and do place value for it, tell time, etc which is a large portion of it. Hang in there.
Yes, will you please send some of that reality to me too!! I drive Julie bonkers with MY insecurities. I can't "do" what she does, so it's hard to deal with it.
It's hard to figure out what our children already know vs. what they should be knowing but find boring. I always find this problem with my daughter who can reason really well but resists "routine math", especially if she senses that there is some testing or drilling involved. Since we do plan to go to a public school next year, I don't see any reason to drill her this year - she will get enough of that once she starts school.
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