Teaching Children
So my wife is back in school. She has a math class that just started this week. And it’s a lot of work. I remember when I went back to school, I wanted math out of the way so I took it first and it kicked my butt. I’m glad I took it as early as I could and got them out of the way. I wouldn’t have had the strength to stick with it if I had waited til the end.
Jonathan has been learning about order of operations and being thankful that he’s not doing algebra. But he still thinks exponents are fascinating. I have always enjoyed explaining a new math concept to him and just seeing how he soaks it up like a sponge. And then you can watch as he wraps his head around it and figures out applications for it. I wish I had been more like that when I was his age.
Jonathan likes math. And he’s pretty good at it. He has been doing multiplication since 1st grade. Last year his teacher was so impressed with him and supported him in wanting to learn faster. In second grade his teacher let him take some time and introduce multiplication to the class. She didn’t let it go too far though because there were only 3 kids in the class that could even grasp the concept.
This year his teacher is one of those public school indoctrinator types. He’s been starving for learning. He told me a few months ago that he feels like he’s being forced to do little kids work. So I mentioned that to her when I was there for parent-teacher conferences. Her response caught me a little off guard.
“I’m a professional teacher, that’s what they pay me for. So please don’t teach him at home. It’s my job to teach him here at school.” I didn’t know what to say I was so shocked.
So he has continued being bored in class, “learning” what the slowest kid in class is ready for.
Way to maintain the status quo. I wonder if this has anything to do with the current situation that our country finds itself in. Actually, I don’t wonder. I know it does.
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