Fractions. Decimals. Ratios. Squares. Pi. – Oh my.  So now that you Junior High moms understand –

We went through math fairly easily. We used Miquon with Rods and Measuring Cups and beans and M&M’s. The math puzzles just made sense to him. He can figure out math facts (the basics, add, subtract, multiply and divide) quickly in his head, faster than I could ever write it out.

But something – something about that crazy decimal point would send him into a numb sitting stance. Fractions?  It was a memory thing.

Each day of this year has been a struggle with math. It was like reading all over again. There have been tears from the mom and the learner. We’ve tried dvd’s, online, youtube, professional teachers, neighbors and friends to no avail.

We have moved into a good pace this winter, working side by side, together figuring it out. However, I realized this week how much he was letting me feed him information when he asked, with all sincerity, how many units were in a dime.  Really?  I ask him. There’s no way for you to figure it out?  Tears. How, How do you think you could figure this out without me?  He goes to look for his wallet.  Really? My 12 year old is riffling through his pockets to figure out which one the dime was.

We had a moment of silence. I prayed. I asked him if he could see – clearly – how much he was using me as a crutch for his math memory. A Dime??? He agreed. We prayed again. He finished the last few questions quickly, and on his own.

So – I am getting the decimal and fractions memorized.  We have the squares down, and the cubes.

Yesterday morning – I woke up with the idea of frustration, being a homeschooling mom, and what brings on the most battles.

It comes when I don’t know something. When I am frustrated. When I Don’t have a Clue.

Most of the tears from math have come from my lack of knowledge and absolute inability to teach something I didn’t have a grasp on. I expected him to pick it up from the dvd.

The tears from reading came when I didn’t have a clue how to teach a subject I had no memory of learning. I’ve been reading Nancy Drew and encyclopedias for fun for as long as I can remember. From a very early age I remember reading Pooh.

Then I was invited to a small conference for moms of dyslexic kids.  A counselor/mentor/teacher came to offer his services to teach our kids, but offered a 7 day seminar on how we can be helpers.

I learned about Learning Differences, instead of learning disabilities. But the greatest thing of learning differences, isn’t in the student – but in the teacher. Learning how to teach differently. We learned how to teach the phonograms and words in a constructive way – and from that week on – no tears on the reading.

This morning we talked about math, and his help book, and how much he needs to start figuring out these puzzles on his own, and then ask for my help – and it helped. Teaching differently.

Do you find yourself angry, resentful, frustrated in your homeschooling time?  Do you look forward to the “day being over”, or Summer Break?

Maybe it is time to look at how you are teaching. Like me, are you putting your child in a mold? Of expectancy or of Process? Is there training you can take? Do you have a grip of the topic? Are you passionate about inverting fractions when dividing and then multiplying? Do you find joy in the Latin roots to help understand the meaning of words? Do you care what type of trees or birds are in the yard?

I am going to look for this pattern of frustration with my dyslexic, ADD type two with turrets son who has Audio Memory Deficiency. Learning Differently Teaching Differently.  I will continue to search, to learn and to grow – that is, of course, the least of what I ask of him.

My second son you ask? Oh the frustrations are a whole different level – and come from lack of patience, lack of sleep, lack of mercy, and lack of a child like crazy. 🙂 But That’s. – A whole other post 🙂

What frustrates you? Where do you find Joy? – Christ is of course the answer, He’s probably the only reason my kids are alive and I’m not checked into the house with the white coats – but physically, preparedly, how do you get through frustrations? What triggers them?