Math Lessons

My nine year old used dehydrated cranberries in her math lesson today.  In fact, it was day two of a new math book after switching to a different style of math.  Sometimes it seems as if spiral works best for my girl because of the constant review...  until it doesn't.  After weeks of complaining and my youngest taking way too long to finish her math, I knew I had to figure something out, even just temporarily.

I had already split the math lesson so that she was working on it twice a day.  This way she wasn't getting overwhelmed with 40 problems all at once.  The problem wasn't that she wasn't understanding the work, just that it was overwhelming her.  It was monotonous.  It never seemed to end.  She would spend more time doodling than focusing. I was getting upset with her. An unfocused, unmotivated child with pages of math questions in front of her is a exasperating situation. Yes, after the lesson explanation, there were still at least three pages of question every lesson, with at least 10 to 15 problems per page. 

I've also used drill and kill curriculum before, and that was worse.  I couldn't bear for my youngest to even have those in front of her.

Having gone through this before, with a different child, I have learned that it is ridiculous to push them until they despise the subject.  One daughter was behind for a long time, and we jumped around a bit, and it finally clicked for her in middle school. I have learned that sometimes their brains aren't ready.  At other times they mature and their attitude changes.  I have also learned that it is perfectly fine to add in some variety or switch things up now and then.  As a homeschool Mom, I have often come at a subject from a variety of ways to increase interest and retention.  With math, however, the rule seems to be ...  PICK SOMETHING AND STICK WITH IT OR ELSE!  

I agree that switching between this text and that text can cause struggles.  And yet, sometimes you just need to come at something. From a different way.  After all, if something isn't clicking or needs a little refreshing, then I feel no guilt.  Why?  Because learning is happening.  If a child is doodling all over her math work, and the number of problems are too numerous and the child is proficient but bored...  shaking things up a bit may be just what is needed.

So, I jumped to a mastery book I had in my supplies, added in activities, and jumped ahead a bit to a skill my dear daughter hasn't learned.  Don't worry, the jump was slight.  And sure enough, she finished her assignment in half the time.  Charlotte Mason advocated short lessons, and for an active nine year old, that may be key.  

Will it work forever?  Probably not.  I have no problem adding in some computer games, maybe some learning dvds,  some Khan Academy videos, with a side of Life of Fred to attract my reader to math.  Does it seem chaotic?  Occasionally, but as long as I keep her making progress and learning, I'm not worried.