It's been months and not weeks only because of inconsistent schooling, mind you. We've been on long division for a while. Simple division? No problemo. Long division where numbers don't go in evenly and there are 3 digits in the dividend? With remainders? No good.
There has been much frustration and many set backs. I don't know why it hasn't been making sense to Sweetheart but I think I have figured it out based on yesterday's occurrence.
I believe to her brain, there was a never-ending series of steps you had to go through. These steps must have seemed very random to her because she was never sure what to do next. Or where to write the answer. Or what to do after that. I was sitting right next to her with every problem....
Me: OK---how many times does 4 go into 7? Write it here. Now multiply. Multiply 4 X 1. OK--where do you write that? Now what? Subtract. Now bring down the next number. No, bring it down to here. OK--what's next?
blah blah blah
I was hoping my voice would become her inner conversation but it wasn't happening. Girlfriend was just confused. That's all.
So yesterday I found this little tutorial and had her read it out loud.
And suddenly (cue angels singing) IT ALL MADE SENSE!!!
Why? I don't know. She's very visual. Something about this tutorial just clicked with her and math was done in 1/4 of the time it usually takes.
Praise the Lord!!!! It worked for us, so I thought I'd pass that along. And now some random pictures!
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| These are the books we found in Sweetheart's room during the cleaning last week. Mind you, there are supposed to be NO BOOKS in their rooms as they are all housed here in the black shelves. We found more later. |
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| My little family watching Christmas cartoons right after Daddy got home from work the other night. |
It is maddening when someone else tells my child something I have said a million times and suddenly they "get it." I guess it doesn't really matter, as long as they do "get it." So, YAY for Sweetheart!
ReplyDeleteThat's a really cool little tutorial! So glad it worked for her! I love when things finally click!
ReplyDeleteWell the girls might be watching Christmas cartoons but I think Daddy is sleeping! ;)
ReplyDeleteKathy
Kathy, it's entirely possible!
ReplyDeleteErin, it's really making me think about Teaching Textbooks...although I don't know how we would afford that on top of Sonlight!!! :0
I'll have to check out that tutorial as I also have one who has a hard time in math and so often things just don't click for her. Thanks. I had to laugh about the books but just multiply that by four!
ReplyDeleteI just saw this the other day on pinterst and it caught my attention because we are just starting some simple long division with my 3rd grader. It's a tutorial on "short" division. I'd never even heard of it before, but I'm finding it highly interesting! Just thought I'd pass it along. http://www.examiner.com/homeschooling-in-mankato/long-division-is-so-last-century
ReplyDelete